TL vs. MB C320 or is it 240?
10-19-2003, 03:07 PM
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TL vs. MB C320 or is it 240?
Here's one that hasn't been explored lately. Which of these two (or the 230 Kompressor) would you pick over the TL and why? Reliability is atrocious. HP not up to par. Price can skyrocket with options. Has the snob appeal of the BMW, but could you overlook these shortcomings?
10-19-2003, 08:12 PM
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Just drove the C320 sport and the new TL, both with auto trannys. Here is my breakdown.
Interior -- TL actually felt nicer inside. Certainly more roomy. More features as well -- options on the Merc get outrageous really quickly. TL also offers more color combos. TL wins easy.
Exterior -- personal preference. To me the C320 felt classier, the TL more contemporary.
Engine -- TL wins this, but not by as much as I would have expected. The C320 torque comes on at a much lower rpm, so you don't have to wait until 3000 rpm for the push. Overall, TL is quicker.
Handling -- a wash. TL is more nimble, but the FWD just takes away from the whole experience here. Torque steer isn't terrible, but you have none of that in the Merc. C320 feels a bit too heavy.
Ride/Driver feel -- Merc wins, hands down. The C320 driver's feel and weigh to the steering and much better than the TL. Although the steering is a tad heavy, it is much more driver-oriented than the TL, which was so light it felt like dad's old 1986 Lincoln Continental (the TL's biggest fault, IMHO). Also, the Mercedes, like its German counterparts, provides a much more secure feeling behind the wheel. Even at speed, you feel connected to the road. It also has better sound deadening -- on the TL you hear tire roar even at low speeds, and even with the all season tires on th AT (the sport tires are likely even louder). The C320 is very hushed, except for the engine when you want it to be.
Reliability -- Haven't ever owned either, but you can bet the Acura is a safer choice, even with a 1st year model. The C-class has been bashed pretty good over reliability issues (mostly from cost-cutting with parts suppliers), but these have gotten better over time.
Value -- no question -- TL wins. Once you option out the C320, you are looking at 5-10 grand more. A better comparo may be the C230 Kompressor sport sedan (much closer in price, but a lot slower).
Hope that helps -- good luck in your search.
Interior -- TL actually felt nicer inside. Certainly more roomy. More features as well -- options on the Merc get outrageous really quickly. TL also offers more color combos. TL wins easy.
Exterior -- personal preference. To me the C320 felt classier, the TL more contemporary.
Engine -- TL wins this, but not by as much as I would have expected. The C320 torque comes on at a much lower rpm, so you don't have to wait until 3000 rpm for the push. Overall, TL is quicker.
Handling -- a wash. TL is more nimble, but the FWD just takes away from the whole experience here. Torque steer isn't terrible, but you have none of that in the Merc. C320 feels a bit too heavy.
Ride/Driver feel -- Merc wins, hands down. The C320 driver's feel and weigh to the steering and much better than the TL. Although the steering is a tad heavy, it is much more driver-oriented than the TL, which was so light it felt like dad's old 1986 Lincoln Continental (the TL's biggest fault, IMHO). Also, the Mercedes, like its German counterparts, provides a much more secure feeling behind the wheel. Even at speed, you feel connected to the road. It also has better sound deadening -- on the TL you hear tire roar even at low speeds, and even with the all season tires on th AT (the sport tires are likely even louder). The C320 is very hushed, except for the engine when you want it to be.
Reliability -- Haven't ever owned either, but you can bet the Acura is a safer choice, even with a 1st year model. The C-class has been bashed pretty good over reliability issues (mostly from cost-cutting with parts suppliers), but these have gotten better over time.
Value -- no question -- TL wins. Once you option out the C320, you are looking at 5-10 grand more. A better comparo may be the C230 Kompressor sport sedan (much closer in price, but a lot slower).
Hope that helps -- good luck in your search.
10-20-2003, 12:51 PM
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Yesterday, I was checking out the new TL. After that, I decided to stop by the Mercedes-Benz dealer to check out the C230 Kompressor. I also drove the C320 Sport Sedan to compare. Here are my observations:
Interior: The TL is a lot more flashy and modern looking. The leather is soft, and ergonomics were excellent as expected. This new TL is definitely a step up in build quality than the previous generation. However, I was disappointed by a rattle in the front door when closing it. It didn't give that solid "thunk" sound when closed. Perhaps it was just this particular car, but it was unexpected. The Mercedes interior is also very nice. Although not as flashy or interesting as the TL interior, it does have that aura of quality. The seats in the MB models I looked at had the leather "inserts" with MB Tex (vinyl). The leather part of the seat wasn't as soft as the TL's leather and the vinyl part has a pretty good feel to it. Since I was aware that Mercedes and BMW use a lot vinyl in their base models (full leather is an option), I was aware of this. However, most passengers would probably be unaware of this and think the seats are full leather. The TL also uses vinly on the sides of the seats, but like Mercedes-Benz, the fake stuff is convincing. In my '01 CL, it is pretty obvious that the sides and back of the seats are vinyl.
Exterior: The TL looks aggressive and the sides look very BMW-esque. However, I am not sure how this body style will age. I would have preferred that more chrome would be used at the exterior, but that is just a personal preference. I think the chrome looks good on the TSX, and the matte finish of the metals in the TL do not look as good IMO. The MB is very classy. I think it looks more distinct than the TL.
Engine: The TL comes ahead in this category, but I must say that I was impressed by the C230 Kompressor. For a 1.8L I-4, it is very impressive. You don't have to wind the engine to the upper RPMs to feel the power. The torque curve is also very broad and flat. In fact, it has the flattest torque curve among all three cars. Noise and vibration is also very low. It felt like a small V-6. The C320 engine is more refined and there is more power over the C230, but not as much as I expected. Good job MB on the 1.8L Kompressor engine!
Overall Ride/Driver Impression: I must say that the MB wins here. The TL is nice, but like the poster stated above, the steering is too light. The MB (both C230 and C320) had steering that was a little on the heavy side especially at lower speeds, but this is what I prefer. I agree that you do feel connected to the road at all times, and the ride quality is excellent. I think the MB is more of a driver's car. On the quietness side, the TL and MBs are pretty comparable. There may be a little more road noise coming from the TL, but it's very similar to the MB.
Reliability: Most people will say that Acura wins hands down here, but I can't be so certain. I've read that the 2001 models of the C-class were plagued with problems, but reliablility has improved with the later models. With Acura, the transmission problems are well known. On my '01 CL, I had 3 transmission replacements. I also experienced some electrical problems within the 1st two months of owning the car. I can't say my experience with Honda/Acura has been great in the reliability aspect. I also have an '02 Accord V6 and the transmission on that car was also replaced 3 times!
In terms of an overall driving experience, the MB (both C320 and C230) come ahead. Whether or not the MB is worth the extra money over the TL is a matter of personal preference. If features, value and technology are important, then the TL can't be beat. But for actual driving experience, I would have to go with the MB.
Interior: The TL is a lot more flashy and modern looking. The leather is soft, and ergonomics were excellent as expected. This new TL is definitely a step up in build quality than the previous generation. However, I was disappointed by a rattle in the front door when closing it. It didn't give that solid "thunk" sound when closed. Perhaps it was just this particular car, but it was unexpected. The Mercedes interior is also very nice. Although not as flashy or interesting as the TL interior, it does have that aura of quality. The seats in the MB models I looked at had the leather "inserts" with MB Tex (vinyl). The leather part of the seat wasn't as soft as the TL's leather and the vinyl part has a pretty good feel to it. Since I was aware that Mercedes and BMW use a lot vinyl in their base models (full leather is an option), I was aware of this. However, most passengers would probably be unaware of this and think the seats are full leather. The TL also uses vinly on the sides of the seats, but like Mercedes-Benz, the fake stuff is convincing. In my '01 CL, it is pretty obvious that the sides and back of the seats are vinyl.
Exterior: The TL looks aggressive and the sides look very BMW-esque. However, I am not sure how this body style will age. I would have preferred that more chrome would be used at the exterior, but that is just a personal preference. I think the chrome looks good on the TSX, and the matte finish of the metals in the TL do not look as good IMO. The MB is very classy. I think it looks more distinct than the TL.
Engine: The TL comes ahead in this category, but I must say that I was impressed by the C230 Kompressor. For a 1.8L I-4, it is very impressive. You don't have to wind the engine to the upper RPMs to feel the power. The torque curve is also very broad and flat. In fact, it has the flattest torque curve among all three cars. Noise and vibration is also very low. It felt like a small V-6. The C320 engine is more refined and there is more power over the C230, but not as much as I expected. Good job MB on the 1.8L Kompressor engine!
Overall Ride/Driver Impression: I must say that the MB wins here. The TL is nice, but like the poster stated above, the steering is too light. The MB (both C230 and C320) had steering that was a little on the heavy side especially at lower speeds, but this is what I prefer. I agree that you do feel connected to the road at all times, and the ride quality is excellent. I think the MB is more of a driver's car. On the quietness side, the TL and MBs are pretty comparable. There may be a little more road noise coming from the TL, but it's very similar to the MB.
Reliability: Most people will say that Acura wins hands down here, but I can't be so certain. I've read that the 2001 models of the C-class were plagued with problems, but reliablility has improved with the later models. With Acura, the transmission problems are well known. On my '01 CL, I had 3 transmission replacements. I also experienced some electrical problems within the 1st two months of owning the car. I can't say my experience with Honda/Acura has been great in the reliability aspect. I also have an '02 Accord V6 and the transmission on that car was also replaced 3 times!
In terms of an overall driving experience, the MB (both C320 and C230) come ahead. Whether or not the MB is worth the extra money over the TL is a matter of personal preference. If features, value and technology are important, then the TL can't be beat. But for actual driving experience, I would have to go with the MB.
10-20-2003, 02:30 PM
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Do you have any experience with the costs associated with fixing MBs after the warranty expires? That might make the difference since the warranty periods for both are comparable.
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