I can't grade the car until I see some reviews on it. Sorry!

Until you see some reviews on it, or actually see it in the flesh and sit in it and drive it? I wouldn't depend on reviews.

Well many times I don't trust reviews, but if a close friend drove the car and said it was rubbish or something then I might have to listen to him. Of course, I'd like to drive the car and find out but the dealerships in Sacramento and it's surrounding area are a-holes. If you look young they barely let you get close to the cars. I've gotton lucky a few times but many times I've been turned down for test drives, which is pure BS.

Note seen in person but from the pics I voted 4. Not bad improvement considering I would have given the last gen a 0.

Great improvement, great front and side profile, rear a little weaker (kinda like with the CL). Interior is also great, as expected from MB.

naruto-

Speaking as a salesperson, you want to give serious buyers your time reagardless of age.

if your intent is to drive the car to make a educated buying decision then all you need to do is call the manager prior to your visit. tell him you are seriously in the market and you don't want to be dismissed because of appearance.

I've been in the business for 10 years. 95% or more of the people who come in who are under 25 do not and can not buy. we have to sort through many kids who want to joy ride in a car. If you have no intent to buy, and you are merely seeking a thrill because of your fascination with cars then you do not need to waste people's time who get paid on 100% commission.

we are trained to ask qualifying questions and uncover who is there for purchase and those who think a car lot is their private playground. I have no respect for the latter. To buy you need to have the desire and ability. the 1st one is easy.

Now that you mention it..........

Actually, they alternate. On the next power stroke, the other plug fires first. And as to why three valves, it was MB's idea AT THE TIME that fast cat warmup was important. I too felt they were wrong, giving up variable valve timing just for that.

As for MB being best or not, hard to say. But after owning 115, 116, 123, 201X2, 202 & now 203 models, I have been through it with all of the design errors and warranty repairs. In fact I hate them so much that I have placed a deposit on a new C350. I wish I could order it tomorrow, in fact.

So you are a dealer principal, then?

Even though I know you have absolutely no input when it comes to what some overpaid suit at MBUSA decides we sheep "prefer" when it comes to color combinations etc, I have to say that the restrictions placed on US buyers when it comes to what colors and options we may order is more than a bit dictatorial considering it's all on the shelf at the factory. A bit of the old "You Vill Like It", I think. Particularly since the C350 I will soon be ordering is going to cost somewhere north of fifty grand which I realize may be just lunch money in Montvale, it's big bucks to me.

At the moment, I am now particularly stressed about the announcement on the MBUSA website that unless I want am willing to buy a Sport version, I will have to settle for the 3.0 engine. Far as I can tell, the "Luxury" sedan is the top model, not the other one, and should have the 3.5 engine. Maybe you wonder why I don't like the Sport version? It's that cheesy aluminum all over the place. Not for me.

Perhaps this is how MBUSA will reach their goals of more Sport than Luxury models. I would say, quit chasing BMW's "sporty" image and concentrate on your core market. I've been a loyal Mercedes-Benz customer for decades and frankly don't like the marketing decisions made by MBUSA in the last ten years. For example, anything AMG has a black interior, period. And look at the current interior colors in the W203, black and two grays.

You asked.......

I can see you have never visited the US. Believe me when I say we do not necessarily buy MBs for their speed potential. That's why so many four cylinder Cs have been sold. Looks fast, isn't. Besides that, nearly every model sold here is governed at 130mph so that cheaper tires can be fitted by MB. Blame the 140 for that.

In my own case, my '01 C320 can use it's just adequate 215hp little of the time because of traffic congestion and enthusiastic speed enforcement. By way of illustration, because of my car's small fuel tanks, I refuel it about every 200 miles. And at that time, I reset the trip computers, noting the fuel consumption but more importantly what my average speed was for that distance which is made up of a lot of freeway driving but also lots of time crawling in traffic on the surface streets.

When I ask someone what they would guess my average speed per tank might be, they are always wrong, guessing perhaps 50mph.

When in fact it is a very repeatable 24-25mph.

So, I would do just exactly what with 500hp?