<<If it is not the battery, it could be the GPS-DVD unit. it is in the trunk generally, in a Mercedes. On a C-Class, I think the battery must be near the motor, under the bonnet.>>

Apparently there are no W204 diesel owners here at the moment who could look in their trunk next to the tire. It is likely that this is the spot for a diesel's battery because the underhood space is only large enough for a gasser's battery.

As to the GPS unit, the W204's Multimedia package contains everything and is behind the dashboard. I have loaded two CDs onto the hard drive without much difficulty. My new Bluetooth cell phone, after setup, now pairs itself with the car and I have made a few testcalls, incoming and outgoing, and the car's steering wheel buttons and voice control worked well.

I took delivery of my Barolo Red/ Cashmere Beige leather C300 last Wednesday. The 18" AMG wheels I purchased separately ($$$) were on the car at delivery. I now have to dispose of the unattractive stock wheels and the tires.

The big wheels really make the car at the expense of some ride quality and of course, with the tires, were hellishly expensive even with a big discount.

The dealer did not install the front license plate bracket and I intend to leave it off since the car looks much better without it. If I get a fix-it ticket later I may have to install it but for now it will be in the trunk.

I am running the car in the C transmission mode (2nd gear start) during the break-in period to keep the revs down and even so it has plenty of go.

The car is much quieter than my C320 in every mode and the ride is more controlled. Cornering is flatter also and the steering is much more responsive that the outgoing model.

The AC system is nearly silent and keeps the interior at an even temperature although summer is gone now, here. The HK sound system is very good and the navigation system is very accurate and the big screen is sharp and clear. The voice control feature is the best in the industry, I read someplace, and it does work very well.

The B-Xenon headlights are as good or better than my W203s (I've installed 70W H7 lamps in the high beams). I am mystified why the rear LED turn lights are now red instead of yellow. My next project will be to install the hidden wiring for my Valentine 1 radar detector which will be mounted just to the right of the rear-view mirror, as usual.

The paint quality and panel fit are superior to my old car. The windows don't rattle when the front doors are closed like the C320, either. Closing the doors sounds like an MB should, now.

There are a few negatives. We here in the US cannot get memory seats at any price and the powered steering column is gone along with right mirror tiltdown in reverse. And, the steering wheel angle is changed for some reason and the upper rim is just a bit too far forward, like an old Peugeot or a bus, for that matter. Perhaps the powered steering column's angle is different.

There is very little storage space for small oddments. The glove box looks large but really is not because of a shelf in the middle. The car's manuals come in a nice leather case but it can only be stored there if the door is forced closed. And, the little cubbyholes at each side in the W203's trunk are gone now so little items can't be stored in the trunk unless they are boxed and tied down. The W203 has a two-level storage box and right elbow rest in which things like sunglasses could be placed without fear of damage but now it's just a deep box so I have no place to hide fragile items.

The answer to the trunk storage problem would be a trunk drawer (as I had in the old car) which mounts under the hat shelf but while one was available early on the build-it-yourself website, it has been withdrawn and is not to be found in
the parts database. It's still available for W211 E-Class, though.

Fuel mileage so far seems to be a bit better than my C320 but it's really to early to tell. This car has increased fuel capacity which is a good thing and it's a flex-fuel car so the tanks are plastic and all other fuel system parts are resistant to ethanol. Which I have no intention of using, by the way.

Despite it's shortcomings, I like this car and as time goes on will no doubt forget what MB left off in order to get the base price down.