help guys..was planning to get rid or trade my 05 rl for a an 08 c350 sport benz..really like the look of the 08 model..would it be an upgrade or downgrade????...have not test drive an 08 yet but will soon..

 

Nice looking car the 350 is, neighbor got one and it always catches my attention.. the rear does too...






I'm not a fan of the interior, think RL has better interior, but it's definitely more sporty... Hmmmmm, cheapest car by Mercedes vs. the most expensive by Acura..

 

i have not driven the MB...but from what I have read, it would be a step down...but a faster step down that has a lot less room inside...let us know after to ride.

 

Nice benz...
I got a friend who owned C 63 AMG, that's a beast

 

Definetly a nice car. I find it hard to look for another car that has an interior nicer than the RL

 

You can read reports and analyze it all day. You can line up pros and cons, but there are so many intangibles, especially ones that particular to you, not the least of which is your body shape, height, limb length, etc.. The test drive is the only way to tell.

Test drive it and report back to us...and tell us how the new generation MB stack up.

 

Out side of the ugly black dash on the C & tiny back seat, the new c would be my choice. The electronics packages are similar & the handling on the C is very nimble. I wish Merc would let you get other color dash on the sport only the lux, because to me they look better than the black.

 

The C350 is a nice car but going from an RL to that would be a downgrade no matter how you look at it. An RL to an E would be kind of the same (if you got an 09 E with the upgraded stereo and navi).

 

While I like the styling of the new C-class, the C-class is the entry level Benz, thus a step down. The C's competition is the TL.

Not that the C isn't a nice car...I'd be all over a C63 any day of the week.

 

Just wanted to share some experiences from an AMG event.

I have driven C63, ML63, E63, CL63 and SL63. Out of those, C63 had the best ride/power combo. I don't feel C has better handling than the new TL, but when you stomp the pedal...it moves.

ML is kinda like a slingshot box. Haven't tried anything beyond straight line but straight it does and does it well.

E63 was the most boring of them all, good go power, not as much side bolstering as C63.

CL63 was a huge dissappointment for me.

I took a turn at 30mph onto a 4 lane highway, picked 2nd lane and the car squeeled...no traction on summer tires. The RL would have handled it much better and TL wouldn't even notice such a move.

SL63...the brake pedal was dead. It worked, but it had 0 feel. No idea if you're hitting it or if you are hitting a dead pedal.

So, even though 63's are all powerful, they lack in handling and regular driveability in my opinion.

C is a sweet car, but not when compared to TL or RL. If handling is important to you, Acura got it.

 

the benz is nice!

 

LOL!!! Agreed...

 

Look nice but ya....interior looks kinda plastic-ly. But over all looks nice. I was opted to get the C63 but money was tight since the economy was kinda bad.

 

I think overall you're pretty much spot on. I've driven all those cars too. The C63 has the best handling but it's also the latest generation expect the next E63 to do better.

None of those other cars are meant to handle like that... it's straight line comfort on the autobahn. The C63 is almost too much power but it's fun! And the CL63 is over 500 pounds heavier than the RL so it's to be expected that is won't handle as well.

I think the 09 TL SH-AWD is a better deal and has more interior room and, aside from that beak, is a nice looking car overall.

 

You know the c-Class has LESS interior room then the Honda Civic.. RIGHT?
I think it would be a step down.

 

IMO a step down. The styling is not bad, the read being reminiscent of the RL and the front a bit more aggressive minus that basketball sized emblem. I suppose if you cannot impress them with the interior, toss in a huge emblem that is the size of the headlights!

Just not my cup of tea and not in the same neighborhood as the RL. But, you have not driven it yet.....so go drive it and let us know what you think as we're not paying for it anyhow.

I would also consider how much room you prefer to have inside as the RL is spacious compared to many cars out there.

 

It would be a huge step down. I made that mistake when I got my '05 C230K sedan. Not to mention the horrible reliability...almost 20 issues in not even 2 years. Many were minor, some major, but regardless... it was back at the dealership almost every month.

Exterior wise I like the C-class, but interior room is cramped. I'm 6'1" and long drives would leave my legs slightly numb.

 

Way too much black plastic. Needs more wood. Needs a wood steering wheel. Check how much the after-thought pop up nav screen will cost when the gears break?
Nice exterior.