C280 Sport - Wow! What a car!

My wife and I spent about 3 months looking for a replacement for our 1998 Honda Accord, which was a solid, reliable car. We wanted something a little more classy, and the Mercedes certainly met that criteria! We looked at several competing models, including the Lexus ES300, BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Subaru Legacy and VW Passat, all of which are fine cars. We didn't look at any American models, because I have been permanently biased against them due to the poor quality of the 5 American cars I have owned in the past. The MB models that we evaluated were the 1999 and 2000 C230 and C280, in various configurations. We finally settled upon a 1999 C280 Sport Package, Black with a Black leather interior. We have had it for several months now, and have nothing but praise about the car! Here are the details:

Interior - The interior of the Sport Package is a little more "sporty" than you would expect in a "luxury" car, especially when compared to the Lexus. It has special sport contour power seats, carbon fiber interior trim on the dash, doors and center console, and a sharp white gauge cluster. Sitting in the car, you are immediately whisked away to an autobahn fantasy. The car just feels fast! It's also quite comfortable, and the 8-way power seats are about the best I've ever felt. There is a surprising amount of back seat room for as small as the car looks, big enough for 3 adults. The automatic climate control system is excellent. We set it at 70 degrees the day we bought the car, and haven't touched it since. The stereo and 8 Bose speakers in the C280 are top notch, it even has automatic volume adjustment that is speed sensitive. The most awesome feature that we both just fell in love with is the automatically dimming rearview and side mirrors. When you drive at night, and a car is behind you, the mirrors automatically tint to a green shade which totally eliminates any glare. The level of tint is dependent upon how bright the lights behind you are. This single feature virtually sold my wife on the car when we test drove it, since she drives home from work late many evenings and is always blinded by headlights behind her.

Exterior - Even though the design of the car is 7 years old, and is being replaced in 2001 with a new body style (looks more like the E Class now), it does not look dated at all and in fact is one of the best looking cars in its class. The Sport Package adds lower profile sport tires, 5 spoke aluminum wheels, and special side moulding. It really does look sporty and classy at the same time. This car gets looks everywhere we drive it, and it achieves a perfect balance of being a really nice car, without looking like a "pampered" rich-guy car that people just want to run a key across in the parking lot! The only downside is the beautiful 3-spoke Mercedes Star hood ornament seems irresistable to petty thieves, and friends have had theirs stolen 3 times (ours has been safe so far).

Driving - This is where the C280 really shines! If you've never driven a German sports sedan, do yourself a favor and take a test drive. You'll be hooked! Both the BMW and Mercedes drive like they're on rails. The ride in the C280 is taught with the Sport Package, but not uncomfortable. What you give up in a more mushy ride is more than redeemed in the supreme handling that the car achieves. You feel that you're in total control of the car from the moment you step on the gas. Other reviewers have noted that cruising at 75 mph in the C280 feels like 55 mph, and that's no lie! You get the feeling that this car was built for the autobahn, and it just begs to be driven fast. The power of the C280 is very smooth and quiet, which adds to the illusion that you're not cruising at 30 mph above the speed limit.

Safety - The car has dual front and side impact airbags, and an airbag shutoff for the passenger seat to accommodate a child safety seat. The car also has 4-wheel disc ABS, and an innovative emergency braking system that automatically applies maximum braking power when it senses that the driver is making a panic stop. An advanced skid control system is an option also, although our car doesn't have it.

Intangibles - The "quality" feel of the car is absolutely unreal. If you've never driven a Mercedes, you've never really experienced true quality. There's just something about them that is undeniable once you've experienced it. The stigma that exists regarding the German makes is that the BMW is the sporty car and the Mercedes is the luxury car. I can tell you after driving both that the Mercedes is every bit the sporty car that the BMW is, yet it also retains all the feel of a luxury car. One other intangible that we were really pleased with is the treatment that we received at the Mercedes dealership. Mercedes does the best job of customer service that I've ever experienced with a dealer. They even wash and detail the car every Saturday for free!

Downside - There aren't many things to complain about with this car. It costs a little more to drive since it requires Premium fuel (boy, am I stretching to find something bad to say!!). The automatic volume adjustment on the stereo is a little choppy at really low volume levels. It also doesn't have any type of indication when the cruise control is engaged.

Overall, we love this car and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants the luxury feel in a sporty package. We've only had it for a few months, and we're already planning to be Mercedes buyers for life!