Long-Term Road Tests
2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
September 3, 2008
For the holiday weekend, I decided to get out and do a little camping and stay at my family's cabin in Tahoe. In the far reaches of Nevada I set up my tent only to be assaulted by nature.
A gentle breeze soon escalated into a dust storm that raged for seven hours. My tent wasn't built for such forces. It was so bad at times I couldn't see the sun or the hood of our Mercedes I had taken cover in.
The holiday fun had ceased to be. Nature won by ripping up my high-summer seasonal tent and filling it with ten pounds of fine silt. A few items inside the now violently flopping tent took off into the sky like rockets. I ran out into the gusting dust clouds to recover as much of my equipment as possible. When I jumped back into the car I sneezed mud and dust came pouring out of my ears like upturned bags of flour.
I drove the four hours back to Tahoe in the middle of the night to recover at my family's cabin. In the morning I got a good look at the disaster that was our C300. It was white, not the original dark gray and the interior was tan, not the original black. I vacuumed out the engine bay and interior as best I could. I found a coin-op car wash on my way back to LA and hosed off the outside. I was further depressed when flows of mud ran out of the cracks and crevices from the massive quantities of hidden silt I drove off. The long drive back to LA was a snifflely one as dust still saturated the interior.
The first thing I did when I arrived was to dropped it off at the local car wash for a well deserved detail. Hopefully that $150 will do some good.
Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer @ 15,130 miles
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- Posted by: September 3, 2008, 1:47 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
August 28, 2008
Correct me if I'm wrong, but my research shows we have yet to publish a lifetime average on our long-term C300's fuel economy. Sure, we've given you data from a couple of road trips, but not a snapshot of how we've done since purchasing the car late last year.
I'd say it's about time, so here you go: 19 mpg. The EPA estimates for our 7-speed automatic-equipped sport sedan are 18 city/25 hwy/21 combined.
Looking over the 50-some fill-ups we've had, best tanks are in the mid 20s, and someone managed to go 372 miles before having to stop and give the C300 a drink. That tank garnered 23.3 mpg.
Bryn MacKinnon @ 14,000 miles even
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- Posted by: Bryn MacKinnon August 28, 2008, 12:30 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
August 13, 2008
There's a really cool web site that attempts to determine your gender by looking at web browsing habits.
I think you can do the same thing just using cars - for example, Mercedes Benz C300, BMW 1 series, Mini Cooper, Hyundai Veracruz and Toyota Yaris all seem to have a feminine slant. I've yet to see a guy driving any of these cars.
On the other hand, BMW M3, Audi A4, Nissan Altima and Chevy Tahoe have a certain boyish quality. The C Class is still fun and attractive - even though our long term car is not a C350 Sport, it never feels down on power. I'd get the C300 and save the money, then again I'm not a girl so I'd probably get another car altogether.
Brian Moody, Road Test Editor
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- Posted by: Brian Moody August 13, 2008, 8:43 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
August 4, 2008
Rolled out to the XGames this past weekend to check out BMX, skateboarding, and the SuperMotoX and Moto Freestyle events.
We took the C300 and, boy, was this pup out of place. You see, there's not a lot of luxury cars at the XGames; most of the guests showed up in Tall-Boy pickup trucks like the one in the pic.
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- Posted by: Snake Doctor August 4, 2008, 4:05 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
July 22, 2008
Yesterday in a weak moment of DIYism I decided to check the oil on our long-term Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport. Up went the hood with little trouble. So far so good. But then I had a little trouble finding the dipstick. Hmmmmm, not on the left. Nope, not on the right.
Just as I'm about to give up, figuring the C300 is without a dipstick, a oddity that is becoming more common on new high-end cars, I spotted the little yellow handle back by the firewall.
Not good. Its placement forces you lean over the engine compartment to complete the task, which means you're probably getting some dirtiness on your shirt.
A few months ago I noticed an equally stupid placement of the dipstick under the hood of our long-term Cadillac CTS. On that car the dipstick is buried low between the right side of the engine and the shock tower, directly beneath the strut tower brace that spans the engine compartment like a suspension bridge.
Now, the C300's dipstick is just as inconvenient to use, but the Caddy's remains the worst of the two because it's not only hard to reach, but it's surrounded by hot stuff. So you get dirty and burnt.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 12,632 miles
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- Posted by: July 22, 2008, 10:26 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
July 21, 2008
This weekend our long-term 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 lost one of its door lock plunger trim pieces. Don't know how, and neither of my kids is owning up to it, but it's not where it's supposed to be.
Worst part? I vacuumed the little piece of plastic up off the carpet at the car wash yesterday. Thought it was a pen cap, and it didn't occur to me what it was until it was too late.
So instead of just snapping it back in place, we'll get a new one installed at the car's next scheduled service, which according to the Benz's computer is a short 500 miles away.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 12,603 miles
July 16, 2008
Let's talk about front-seat storage. That red arrow points to the button on the driver side which opens the center console storage area in our long-term Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport. There's an identical button for the front passenger. The placement of the button so far back makes pushing it rather awkward, which is my main nit-picky complaint, but it works just fine (unlike our long-term BMW X5's).
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- Posted by: Bryn MacKinnon July 16, 2008, 1:52 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
June 30, 2008
After driving the long-term 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 for a few days I looked down and saw the check engine light next to the gas gauge. My first thought (as always when I see this light) was, "Hmm, I hope it's nothing serious." So I drove with a notably lighter foot until I got home, then -- as instructed by the light -- I endeavored to check the engine.
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer June 30, 2008, 1:49 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
June 24, 2008
I like dark interiors in cars, and I like the austerity of our 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300's cabin.
Sometimes dark interiors are an opportunity to camouflage materials cost-cutting from the brutal reality of natural light (see previous-generation C-Class or current-generation Infiniti G35). But in our '08 C300 Sport, the materials quality meets a high standard, so evidently, the cabin looks the way it does because the designers intended it. It's a cold interior...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches June 24, 2008, 12:03 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
One of my complaints about modern German cars is that I think many features are way over engineered. I know this isn't a new topic or a mind-blowing concept so save the comments folks.
However, one over engineered aspect of our C300 that I think the folks in Stuttgart got right is the pop out screen. Complicated?..
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- Posted by: June 24, 2008, 10:57 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
May 29, 2008
I've said it before and I'll say it again: "Our C300 feels so utterly over-engineered and under-stressed that it will easily drive half a million miles before anything will need replacing." At least that's what it feels like. Few cars have this quality and it's really hard to put into words.
Part of it may have to do with the fact that the sturdy body in white is built to endure everything from decades of diesel-powered taxi service in the old country to thundering around racetracks in the form of a nuclear-powered 450-hp C63 AMG. That's a wide range of duty for a platform to accommodate, and not many manufacturers build their cars to this standard...
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- Posted by: Cee-Dubya May 29, 2008, 6:37 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
May 19, 2008
I'm rolling down the freeway coming back from a downtown restaurant when I make a new discovery about our Benz C300. I'm making the transition from the 105 to the 405, which is a big, sweeping on-ramp. As I am a model citizen, I signal my lane change in the middle of the curve. As I near the apex, I lift off the throttle, but instead feel -- what the crap! -- acceleration. I had unintentionally actuated the cruise control stalk and set my cruise speed.
As you can see in the photo, the cruise stalk is located just above the turn signal. The position of the turn signal in most other vehicles is usually about mid-point between the turn signal and cruise stalks on the Benz. So I have occasionally activated the cruise when I meant to signal a turn. Is this common with Benz owners, or am I just a dumbass?
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer @ 8,664 miles
UPDATE: I had the BMW 328 the other night (see photo below). The orientation of the cruise and turn signal stalks is inverted from the Benz. D'oh!
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- Posted by: Snake Doctor May 19, 2008, 3:47 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
May 6, 2008
Slipping into 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport gives me an immediate sense of well-being. The seats are broad, firm and easily tailored to my preferred position. Ride quality is similarly firm, but never harsh -- just a typical European compromise of comfort and control. And while the 3.0-liter V6 is rarely exciting, its accessible torque band (221 pound-feet at just 2,700 rpm) allows for authoritative passing.
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- Posted by: Erin Riches May 6, 2008, 4:56 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
May 5, 2008
Eureka! In our last episode, our 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300's lack of an operator's manual entry on the subject of iPod use or clearly labelled buttonage had left many confounded. There just had to be more functionality from this dedicated iPod connection than we were seeing.
And indeed there is. The key to the whole thing is the small button on the right-hand side of the steering wheel with the telephone icon on it. Once you discover this little nugget, the dedicated iPod connection in the Merc goes from "This sucks!" to "Wow! This is great!" in 5.1 seconds.
Here then is our own Operator's Manual entry:
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds May 5, 2008, 3:18 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
May 4, 2008
I couldn't make my iPod work properly in our 2008 Mercedes-Benz this weekend, so I dug into the 731-page novel that is the C-class operator's manual. Volume one, consisting of 510 pages, is the primary C-class manual. Volume two, a 221-page affair, refers only to the Mercedes-Benz COMAND system. (Yes, I know. But MB caps everything and uses only one "M".)
There isn't a single page in either volume about the integrated iPod connection our Merc clearly has. Instead, each one devotes but one page each to the "aux" jack our car lacks.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds May 4, 2008, 11:10 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
February 25, 2008
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class comes standard with a new control interface that utilizes a wheel-based controller and a pop-up display monitor. It's very similar to the interface that debuted on the current S-Class, and it's vastly better than Mercedes' previous-generation COMAND navigation interface.
In driving our C300 for about two weeks, I never had to crack the owner's manual on how to figure something out. It's not as effortless to use as I might have hoped – I often found myself hunting in menus for certain functions and spending too much time moving the wheel controller around since the display isn't touchscreen...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans February 25, 2008, 3:53 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
February 18, 2008
Three-day weekends are a good excuse to get out of town. And as a sort of early Prez Day exercise, I spent the better part of last Friday driving our 2008 Mercedes C300 Sport on some of my favorite central California driving roads.
From a true sporting aspect, the C300 is somewhat of a disappointment. Steering turn-in is immediate – a little too quick in my opinion – and there's substantial grip provided by our car's optional 18-inch AMG wheels with "ContiSportContact 3" 225/40ZR18 tires...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans February 18, 2008, 10:09 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
February 11, 2008
Here's a thought about our long-term Mercedes-Benz C300: Where's all the stuff?
Our car doesn't have autodimming mirrors, HID headlights, keyless ignition, heated seats, driver memory positioning, fold-down rear seats, a backup camera, HomeLink or satellite radio. It doesn't have leather seating, either, though the "MB Tex" cow-free version is a very pleasingly simulation.
You can get most of the above features via the C-Class' Premium II Package. But doing so would add $2,750...
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- Posted by: Brent Romans February 11, 2008, 10:13 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
February 4, 2008
First off, let me say that I enjoyed the C300 and though I like ripping acceleration as much as any other car buff, I don't know why anyone would spend the extra $5,300 for the C350. This 3-liter, 228-hp V6 has plenty of gusto for driving in the real world, provided you put the transmission in Sport mode where it holds lower gears longer and provides quicker downshifts.
The performance is usable too. At one point I was on a road that went from two lanes to one, and had the right of way when some idiot in an older Camry decided to come up along side me (rather than blending in behind) and stay there as the road started its lane reduction. I wasn't sure what this guy was thinking (well, evidently, he wasn't) so a quick jab to the gas quickly jetted the C300 ahead of the dolt without breaking a sweat or making a lot of racket.
My only complaint thus far concerns the ignition operation. Like every other Benz I've driven with this funky key, it's like the car doesn't want to let go of the key after you turn it off and attempt to pull it out. It's not a defect as they've all done this and it takes the same little tug to pull the key out. I'm flattered that the Benz likes me and wants to stay out and run around some more, but sheesh, just let go, will ya?
John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 5,588 miles.
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- Posted by: johnnyturbo February 4, 2008, 5:21 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
January 28, 2008
Just over a month ago, Mercedes-Benz of Long Beach special ordered a part for the C300's rear sunroof shade. It arrived from Germany as forecasted, three weeks later. So we made an appointment to install it last week.
Our service advisor called a few hours after we dropped off the vehicle. He explained, "We lowered the headliner to install the part and realized that we need more parts to complete the repair." He followed with a humble apology and admission that they should have caught it the first time...
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- Posted by: January 28, 2008, 3:10 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
January 23, 2008
Most cars look like this when they open their hoods.
The C300 Sport can look like this...
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- Posted by: JRiz January 23, 2008, 3:13 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
January 10, 2008
Mercedes-Benz may be a national treasure of Germany, but that didn't stop them from dropping a few models into the 100-percent American National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Specifically, a Mercedes-Benz C280 Sport driven by Nicholas Cage's Benjamin Franklin Gates on a chaotic car chase through the meandering streets of Central London. Pursued by Ed Harris in a Range Rover (along with henchmen in a London cab and a beer-keg-hauling lorry), the whiteish C-Class performs rather well. About a quarter of the chase is done with Gates driving backwards, with (thankfully) no Rockford attempted at any time by the novice driver.
Despite the name difference, the United Kingdom's C280 features the same engine as our C300, so basically, our car is a movie star...
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- Posted by: JRiz January 10, 2008, 2:45 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
January 8, 2008
One of the more promising options in our new C-Class is the dedicated iPod connector. It resides in the glove box, and once you’re connected it’s like having your little music machine right at your finger tips. At least that’s what I thought. Turns out it works a little differently...
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig January 8, 2008, 8:08 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
January 7, 2008
My first quality time with our long-term 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 proved quite enjoyable overall. The 3.0-liter V6 has plenty of power and mid-range torque -- enough, in fact, to make me question the extra cost of the C350 version. The seven-speed automatic is quite responsive in "Sport" mode, though its refusal to upshift at low speeds, and associated "dragging" effect might have you initially checking the emergency brake setting. That was easy to get used to, as was the car's standard-issue M-B "vault-ness" that makes this car feel more substantial than many entry-luxury competitors...
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- Posted by: Karl Brauer January 7, 2008, 3:24 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 21, 2007
Every one of our long-term test cars undergoes track testing just like all the short-term cars that pass through our garage doors. For LT cars, we test them at the beginning and end of their stay with us. For the Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport, we decided to test the car in Scotland...or at least that's what the weather was like at our testing facility (I could almost hear the bagpipes). It's the type of conditions the Scots refer to as "atmospheric" (versus the two other types, "miraculous" and "crap"). With a thick fog, constant mist and a chill in the air, we realized why none of the British car publications publish substantial track numbers -- they can't. With a wet track, the morning was literally a wash, and without one of those GMC Sierra track drier thingies, we had to wait for the sun.
When the track finally dried, the C300 managed very well. Continue reading for official numbers and video of the testing.
James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 3,780 miles
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- Posted by: JRiz December 21, 2007, 11:18 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 20, 2007
Since it's perpetually 72 degrees and sunny here in Los Angeles, we don't get many opportunities to test out things like windshield wipers. In fact, last year I think I used them maybe thrice. So Tuesday's rain gave me an opportunity to become reacquainted with these forgotten automotive staples -- and in our Mercedes-BENZ C300 Sport, good ones at that. Long gone is Mercedes' huge one-blade wiper design, replaced instead by two that manage to cover an impressive amount of windshield...
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- Posted by: JRiz December 20, 2007, 9:52 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 18, 2007
If tons of rear seat head room is important to you, you might not want a C-Class. Then again, I hauled two kids back there all weekend with no complaints. Those who are six feet or taller will want to brace themselves when speed bumps come up, you could whack your head on the roof.
Brian Moody, Road Test Editor @ 3550 miles...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody December 18, 2007, 1:50 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 15, 2007
A few hours after I left Long Beach Mercedes Benz in a Camry rental, my service advisor called to confirm what I suspected all along. The rear sunroof shade is broken and there's no quick fix. They gave us a temp fix by leaving it in the fully closed (or shaded) position. They'll call when the part arrives - estimate; 2-3 weeks, on back order from Germany...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody December 15, 2007, 6:40 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 14, 2007
If you're really sharp, you may be saying to yourself "That's not a 2008 Mercedes Benz C Class." And you'd be right. This is the car the dealership gives you when they call you back to deliver a car that was, in fact, not fixed.
"The tech thought I meant the rear window sunshade and since your car doesn't have one of those, he disregarded my comments" That's what our service advisor said. They replaced the sunroof switch (we're halfway done) but failed to test the entire sunroof and shades - not good dude...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody December 14, 2007, 3:56 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
I dropped our C300 of at Mercedes Benz of Long Beach. The sunroof switch broke off and even when you use the nub that was left, the sunroof and sunshades didn't work properly. There's also an annoying rattle coming from the headliner/visor area - related? We'll see...
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- Posted by: Brian Moody December 14, 2007, 8:52 AM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 11, 2007
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- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla December 11, 2007, 3:15 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 10, 2007
When I was asked to buy a 2008 Mercedes Benz C300 Sport my first stop was True Market Value pricing where I found that the car was selling (back in October) at a whopping discount of $65 off MSRP.
When I'm shopping for an Edmunds car I like to use our Dealer Locator feature. I fill out the request for a free quote and fire them off to local dealers. I always list my cell phone number on the leads form and usually don't answer the opening salvo of calls. In this case, I got four calls from dealerships within four hours. Most of the messages assured me they had the car (or could get it -- beware the "dealer trade").
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- Posted by: Philip Reed December 10, 2007, 3:45 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 7, 2007
That C/S button at the bottom of the PRND indicator has nothing to do with the car's suspension. No doubt long-time Mercedes-Benz fans will know it only changes the behavior of the transmission. Why the confusion?
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- Posted by: Cee-Dubya December 7, 2007, 3:23 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
December 6, 2007
Who says GM is the only one promoting E85? Our new Mercedes-Benz C300 long termer asks for either premium unleaded or E85 ethanol. It even has a yellow fuel filler cap like our old Tahoe.
This struck me as odd given that I haven’t heard a word about the C300’s flex fuel capability despite sitting through numerous press briefings on the latest C-Class...
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig December 6, 2007, 3:51 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
Introducing our new long-termer. We've added a 2008 Mercedes C300 to the fleet.
We chose the Sport version. It has a 228-horsepower V6, an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat, dual-zone climate controls and you can control your iPod through the steering wheel controls (yay!)...
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- Posted by: Donna Derosa December 6, 2007, 1:52 PM
- Categories: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport
