My company has supplied me with a car for five years now, and it is replaced every four years. My wife, being as she is likes us to select the Mercedes from the list of cars we are given to choose from when selecting the car we would like from the company.
Today I am going to make a rare, and indeed only my second visit to the cars and motoring section and I am going to tell you about my experience with my newest Mercedes car. This vehicle I am going to ramble on about today is the Merc C200K.
Last time we were given the sad case of the Mercedes C180. This car was underpowered but well built with a strong interior, although it didn’t have many toys to play around with – sadly it didn’t even come with a radio cassette as standard. :(
But about six months ago our car came up for renewal and we were sent a list of different automobiles that were available to us. They included Volvos, Fords and of course the Mercedes. We were offered a more powerful C180, or the better C200K.
What does that K mean?…
Now you’re all thinking that K means something posh. I do know that it is some engine bit, but it’s purpose is unknown to me. It is probably some wonderful device which will allow you to alter the note produced by the horn to create festive jingles with it…
That K stands for Kompressor. Now I am no car technical guy, so I can’t tell you all sorts of amazing facts about horsepower. But I can tell you about how comfy the seat is – that is more my league. To me, Kompressor means it’s got a nice big juicy engine…
However, when driving, you can hear the Kompressor spreading its magic as it roars away in its flash red case under the bonnet, and the car speeds along a treat – it really is a joy to ride and it is very simple to go along with. But I’m
more in to the kit it carries…
Commonality…
I noticed that this category had not yet been written in, and indeed the Mercedes C200K is not a very common car upon our great British tarmac roadways [that said in a very pompous voice]. You see, we are rather xenophobic here in the land of Eng.
There is a rather long waiting list to get hold of these cars, and I can tell you that at my company, in my ‘class,’ it is the most common request, with most people having to wait up to six months at the company before their gleaming new car is delivered to them.
Our roads do not see many of these cars – there are plenty of the bog-standard C180s and quite a few higher-up C3- series cars but the ones in between are not common. But there may be a reason for there being a lack of the cars on our roads. Let’s find out…
How many did you say?!…
This is the disbelief bit as I give you a few figures about this car. That Kompressor stuck under the bonnet seems to have desire to ‘kompress’ little more than the sums of money in your pocket as that evil engine does a ridiculous 24 miles per gallon!
I said 24 miles per gallon, that is no typing mistake. Clearly driving along is very thirsty work when you’re a car. But you do get some things back when you drive this car, although I am not sure if it is worth paying so much for all of this petrol – it’s a lot of £!
Engine…
The engine is not too loud but does give you a certain sort of presence. It works very smoothly and since June I have not had a problem with the car, something that has impressed me compared with my other car [ie the school-run-mobile] Ford Fiesta.
It is very smooth, and there are no unexpected roars from under the bonnet, and it only complains if you try and change gear without pushing the clutch, which is normal. The Mercedes C200 Kompressor does not come automatic as standard, you see.
But that really is enough about engine stuff now, as I find it boring and I do not understand what I am talking about, so instead I am going to talk about more interesting things [aside engines] which I find more important when choosing a car.
Style…
From the outside, the Mercedes C200K has something special about it, that element of sparkle. It’s no longer the bottom of the range C180 and you now have two models below you as you slowly, but surely climb the Mercedes ladder. It is an interesting car.
The C200K is the sort of car which you don’t really mind washing, but can still look good even if it’s dirty. The combination of the smooth curves which make up the body of the car and the Mercedes style which has formed the twin headlamps really works.
The car looks somehow aerodynamic, as if that if it were to travel fast enough, then it might just take off the road, and then fly like an eagle in to the majestic night sky… or not. But this car manages to look casual yet classic, and modern, yet somehow elegant.
The Rainbow…
The C200K is available only in plain colours as standard but it is worth paying the extra money for the metallic paint, which will make your vehicle look just a little bit better than all the others, but try and avoid getting your car in silver – common, like me!
The interior comes in a range of colours, too. There are plentiful colours, however only fabric comes as standard. If you would like the fake leather option then again, that’s extra, but I personally don’t think it is really worth the extra investment involved.
***
When you go to the showroom and ask for information, leaflets galore are hurled at you as you try and make your decisions. In these you will find information about both colour options and combinations as well as engine performance and selections.
***
Standard kit…
[Safety]
All Mercedes C Class cars now come with front electric windows as standard. All C Class cars except the C180 now come with four electric windows, with a driver control pad, from which all windows can be adjusted and the system locked [children…].
You also get a child locking system, which is explained fully in the manual. All Mercedes cars now come with Airbags and this particular model has two front airbags, two side airbags and then you also have two more in the back. There is also a first aid kit.
[Driving]
This particular car comes with ABS and power steering. Both make driving the machine a treat, something very fun to do and very enjoyable for the lucky person in the driving seat. Parking becomes very easy and emergency stop in this car is no problem: ABS.
[Entertainment]
The car comes with a radio/CD Player which can be controlled from the driver’s steering wheel as well as the radio control panel. There is no cassette player but CDs can be stored in a specialist storing system found in the new, larger glove compartment.
Extra kit…
A visit to your nearest Mercedes showroom will result in huge heaps of brochures with masses of info about the cars and extra things you can have put in. There isn’t anything I especially recommend or urge you to include, but instead I think it is really up to you.
For example, if you have a bad back, then you may want heated front seats or perhaps if you ski a lot then a roof rack attachment might be useful. Perhaps heated wing mirrors are in order if you live in Scotland – I would just say that metallic paint is good.
Security…
There isn’t much chance of someone running off with your sparkly new Merc. It will come with a very loud alarm and a window which is [apparently!] very tough to break. There is not much chance of the Mercedes C200K’s alarm going off un-noticed!
Storage…
There is a massive glove compartment in the car now, compared to the old one, in which you could only fit… well… gloves. It opens easily, and has a special CD rack and a small shelf, on to which the ‘owner’s manual’ [which comes free] fit’s perfectly.
Extra storage spaces include the side sections on the doors where there is room for putting sickbags, and there are also two ashtrays and a coin ‘bit.’ In the back there are also seat pockets, and we mustn’t forget to mention that absolutely massive boot!
Nick Nacks…
As usual with Mercedes cars there are lots of little extra things which make the car that little bit better, such as the light in the coin section, which illuminates perfectly over the coin holding section, or the credit card holder found under the armrest at the front.
But I think that there were several designers at Mercedes HQ, all having a competition to try and design an interior with the most cup holders. There are three in the Mercedes I have, which incidentally I have never used in about seven months. Shame.
Quality…
So far, this car has earned itself full marks. But oh dear, sadly for the Mercedes we have reached the quality section. I think that this is where we may begin to lose a few points, a terrible shame, because it was doing so well right up until this very here existing point.
You see, Mercedes have wanted to do two things with the new C Class: 1. Cut the price 2. Put in more kit
Hmm, that was a little task. All the Germans sat in their office trying to think of ways to do this, looking very miserable, until one day, someone had a bright idea. The great man stood up and declared: ‘We shall cut the quality, so the price shall go down!’
And then another person stood up and said, ‘With that saving we shall buy more kit, but we shall not put in kit worth more than the saving we made!’ So Mercedes began rolling off lots of new cars which are made of plastic, not wood, and are generally…
…well, to be honest, the Mercedes I had before felt better. They have made lots of small cuts to pay for new equipment, so for example the cassette has become a CD player, but we have lost many buttons. And there is another headrest but they are all flimsier.
The result is that you are sitting in a car which feels as though it is worth quite a lot because it has lots of buttons which perform all sorts of ridiculous tricks but also the car feels that it should actually be quite cheap because the quality is of a low standard.
Summary…
Yes, a very good car with plenty of extra options for those who are willing to pay but unfortunately they have cut the quality to put in more equipment. A real shame, but still certainly a very good car, but not quite living up to its full potential. Very unfortunate.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Mercedes A-Class - Hatchback - Front (FWD) - 6 Speed - (Man) / Autotronic - (Auto) - 1992 cc - Max Speed: 116 mph - 109 bhp - Diesel - Available Trims: Elegance SE, Classic SE, Classic, Avantgarde SE, Long
Great op - very well put. Im placing my order tomorrow :)
cheung 01.03.2003 16:35
i like the way you set out the op, its brilliant and easy to read
MRSCANADA 03.03.2002 20:55
I owned one once and hated it. It took 4 men to put the car
top on and off. ... but I don't rate if I agree...I rate if a review is well done and this like all of them I've read was..LL
Dec 19th, 2001
very helpful by (98%):
helpful by (2%):
