C230 v. Accord

[bushbean]

Which would you buy: Mercedes C230, or the V6 Accord?

2007 C230: $29,600.
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2007/Mercedes-Benz/2007.mercedesbenz.cclass.20097613-T.jpg

2007 Accord: $25,000.
http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2007/Honda/2007.honda.accord.20097204-T.jpg

The C230 has the legendary RWD handling, but is RWD really that much better than FWD? The C230 is built by real Germans with 100 years of automotive excellence, but their reliability has suffered recently as a result of carry the burden of Chrysler. The C230 is classy, and people will think highly of you. The cashier at the Taco Bell drive thru will be a lot nicer and call you sir this and sir that. But would you really want all that attention? The Mercedes dealership's customer service is incredible: free capuccino, large flat screen TV, magazines, luxurious leather couches, incredibly hot looking receptionists--not a bad deal for under 30 grand.

We are all very familiar with the Accord. Boring, but reliable. You can't go wrong, but every other person has got one. Nobody will notice you, but your confidence will be sky high because you know your Accord will never break down on you. The Honda dealership is proletariat. They don't even have coffee, and those seats without cushions! However, service cost will be a lot less than the C230.

Given the price difference is almost negligible, which would you buy? Tough choices for sure.

[Estimated Prophet]

I'd personally prefer the Accord but the Benz would have a greater effect on the ladies and that's what life is about.

[cubert]

if youre buying a car based on what the representative companies waiting rooms are like then there is something horribly wrong.


I couldn't care less about what the kid in the drive through thinks of me.


Id go with the Accord..hands down...but for that amount of money theres alot more cars out there id look at first...

[MessyHonda]

I'd personally prefer the Accord but the Benz would have a greater effect on the ladies and that's what life is about.



this guy knows his words..... i would take the accord also but its just sounds better to say il take the Benz out.

[ghettogeddy]

i liek the c230 but i also like the
S40 T5 (218 hp)
S40 T5 AWD (218 hp)
S40 T5 starting at $28,390 MSRP and S40 T5 AWD starting at $28,990 MSRP

* Sporty five-cylinder 2.5 liter turbocharged engines
* 170 lb-ft available from just 4400 rpm
* Dual continuously variable valve timing
* Available with six-speed manual or five-speed Geartronic automatic transmission
http://www.volvocars.us/NR/rdonlyres/D1304B7C-6781-42E4-8003-4029DCB9A852/35352/S40_EXT_900x373_08.jpg

[russiankid]

Well here is a question. What will the car be used for? What features would you like to have? What things do you want out of the car?

[2ndGenGuy]

I'm sorry, but if you buy a C-class, you're buying the Tempo of Benz's. It makes you look like you want the status, but can't afford an E-class. Plus, Mercedes cars are unreliable, are plagued with electrical problems (as german cars often are), and are horridly expensive to maintain.

The Accord is boring externally, but the V6 will outdrive the C230 any day of the week.

[Estimated Prophet]

I'm sorry, but if you buy a C-class, you're buying the Tempo of Benz's. It makes you look like you want the status, but can't afford an E-class. Plus, Mercedes cars are unreliable, are plagued with electrical problems (as german cars often are), and are horridly expensive to maintain.

The Accord is boring externally, but the V6 will outdrive the C230 any day of the week.

But who knows the C class is entry level? Guys do. You know, those creatures with dicks.

But I think with that Volvo shown above you get the best of both worlds, that is a sweet car.

[bushbean]

The word on the street is that Mercedes has fixed the recent string of reliability problems. Most of the problems came from the plant in Alabama, which only builds the M class SUV. The C class is made in Germany by German craftsmen. Even if the C230 spends more time in the shop, you are going to be treated like royalty while you wait for Hanz and Frans to fix your car.

I don't think the C class is a "Ford Tempo." It has very nice interior, much better than the Accord. The long hood of the C class also gives it that classic profile you don't find in most modern cars. The body of the C class is extremely rugged; it feels like a tank.

[bushbean]

But who knows the C class is entry level? Guys do. You know, those creatures with dicks.


The C230, which is V6 powered by the way, can run laps around the V6 Accord. The C230 is sports sedan, close to being a sports car. The Accord is a sporty family sedan. Creatures with dicks drive sports car or family sedan?

[Estimated Prophet]

The C230, which is V6 powered by the way, can run laps around the V6 Accord. The C230 is sports sedan, close to being a sports car. The Accord is a sporty family sedan. Creatures with dicks drive sports car or family sedan?

Are you arguing my point or validating it?

[Hans]

Even if the C230 spends more time in the shop, you are going to be treated like royalty while you wait for Hanz and Frans to fix your car.
Did someone say Hans? LOL
I like the C230 a lot. Here's the thing... if you have any plans of modding the car at all I'd def go with the Accord. The engines in those German cars are crazy and very confusing to look at, and are easy to mess up. That's why UTI has a BMW and Mercedes division, so that you can learn about their engines and wiring systems because they are very intricate and unique to those companies. In that case you'll be spending a ton to have your car modded at a shop. At least you know what's what in the accord. :)

[2ndGenGuy]

The C230, which is V6 powered by the way, can run laps around the V6 Accord. The C230 is sports sedan, close to being a sports car. The Accord is a sporty family sedan. Creatures with dicks drive sports car or family sedan?

So I take it Mercedes doesn't follow the numbering system being equal to engine size anymore? As in a 230 = 2.3 liter?


Guess not:

Mercedes C230 "Sports Sedan"
MSRP$30,425*
Engine2.5L 24-valve V-6 engine
Net Power201 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Net Torque181 lb-ft @ 2,700 - 5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3405

Honda Accord V6
MSRP$27,500
Displacement cu in (cc): 183 (2997)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 244(182) / 6250
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 211(286) / 5000
Curb Weight: 3150

Sorry, the Accord V6 is going to absolutley destory that tank of a car. The Benz is going to outweigh the Accord, and probably not handle nearly as well. Don't let thier "sports sedan" marketing outweight the facts.

[ghettogeddy]

so the volvo would smoke both of them

[Hans]

So I take it Mercedes doesn't follow the numbering system being equal to engine size anymore? As in a 230 = 2.3 liter?
Guess not:
Mercedes C230 "Sports Sedan"
MSRP$30,425*
Engine2.5L 24-valve V-6 engine
Net Power201 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Net Torque181 lb-ft @ 2,700 - 5,000 rpm
Curb Weight: 3405
Honda Accord V6
MSRP$27,500
Displacement cu in (cc): 183 (2997)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM: 244(182) / 6250
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM: 211(286) / 5000
Curb Weight: 3150
Sorry, the Accord V6 is going to absolutley destory that tank of a car. The Benz is going to outweigh the Accord, and probably not handle nearly as well. Don't let thier "sports sedan" marketing outweight the facts.
Sir, I must agree with you.
This is about the C230 and the accord, not the volvo.

[2ndGenGuy]

No, the Volvo only has 218hp and weighs a modest 3256 lbs. So the Accord would still spank it. :D Not to mention turbo lag!

[ghettogeddy]

This is about the C230 and the accord, not the volvo.
but at least u didn't disagree with me lol

[ghettogeddy]

No, the Volvo only has 218hp and weighs a modest 3256 lbs. So the Accord would still spank it. :D Not to mention turbo lag!
the awd version would launch harder for sure

[AccordEpicenter]

the accord is probably the better car for the money but all the old money types are gonna say get the benz yo... If you could get the benz in a 6sp then id consider it but seriously, if you spent a little more money you could get an acura TL 6sp with brembo brakes and more user friendly navi than pretty much anything else on the market, plus its a mid 14 sec car right out of the box... I think they rate them at 258 hp right now but used to rate them at 270hp but changed it due to an sae standards change i guess... Another thing is that the accord or TL will both hold their values better than ANYTHING previously mentioned, plus be in the shop a whole lot less than that benz

[MessyHonda]

isnt the benz RWD tho?.....and yeah im with geddy....volvos+turbo= sweet ass cars.....my friends mom has one and its a nice little car she has had it for 3 years now and no major problems just a lil coolent leak that was fixed.

[86AccordLxi]

The c-class mercedes, from what I understand, are the least reliable of the new crop of Mercedes. I probably wouldn't choose either one, to be honest.

Alex

[AccordEpicenter]

yeah the volvos are really nice. I believe the benz is the only rwd car here, but i doubt in a real life road course that its gonna take down anything else weve mentioned in this thread, even with fwd on stock tires etc the accord should be quite a bit faster even if it might not feel as balanced as the benz.

[MessyHonda]

yeah the accords are nuts.....then you can buy the bolt on supercharger and have a really fast car.

[Hans]

yeah the accords are nuts.....then you can buy the bolt on supercharger and have a really fast car.
boost FTW :thumbup:

[MessyHonda]

boost FTW :thumbup:



yup our buddy AccordEpicenter knows it all too well

[F22B1VTEC]

The C230, which is V6 powered by the way, can run laps around the V6 Accord. The C230 is sports sedan, close to being a sports car. The Accord is a sporty family sedan. Creatures with dicks drive sports car or family sedan?

Personally, I would take the Sedan Honda. Only a real man can drive a family car, and still say that he can Kick your ass in a race. LOL

[newaccorddriver]

ive already owned a german car, my BMW 325Xi, and that car was impressive to say the least. if anything, i think a C230 is a wise choice to go with, but in the end, your stuck with repairs which are insanely expensive.


if i can turn back time, would i purchase an accord over the BMW? honestly, i loved the experience the BMW gave me, and the attention the ladies gave me and the respect i got from people that see me in it, but it came at a cost. if ANYTHING goes wrong in a german car, its insanely expensive to repair, so my rainy day fund was constantly depleted from maintenance and repairs. was my experience with the car worth my 40k? i would love to say yes, since its something you will never forget, kinda like when i blew my load on the armrest instead of her face, but honestly, you should really think about what a car is worth to you in the end.

[bushbean]

Does everyone only care about going in straight line? What about the curves? I think the Benz would spank the Accord on the curve. Who drifts better?

Regarding German cars' repair cost, there is an independent repair shop that specializes in MB. Its parking lot is full of older Benzes, like the diesel 300D. They probably charges very reasonable rates.

I know how expensive repair at the dealership can be. I used to own an 190E a few years ago. The Benz dealership wanted 3 grand to fix the ABS!

[speedpenguin]

I seriously wouldn't want either.

If they were free I'd take whichever one had a better resale value and sell it.

If I HAD to get one at cost, choosing from those two...

Accord FTW. Even though the Benz might handle better (I don't really know) the Accord would definitely be more fun to drive, especially if I could get it with the 6-speed, and for me, that's what it's all about.

PS Despite what people are saying, I don't know if I would consider the C-Class a sport sedan. Maybe it handles better, but driving feel is what matters to me, Mercedes are known to insulate people from that experience. The Accord V6 w/6-speed, BTW, beat the Acura TSX in a C&D comparo based on it's speed and fun-to-drive factor.

[2ndGenGuy]

Does everyone only care about going in straight line? What about the curves? I think the Benz would spank the Accord on the curve. Who drifts better?

Regarding German cars' repair cost, there is an independent repair shop that specializes in MB. Its parking lot is full of older Benzes, like the diesel 300D. They probably charges very reasonable rates.

I know how expensive repair at the dealership can be. I used to own an 190E a few years ago. The Benz dealership wanted 3 grand to fix the ABS!

You've gotta be joking. Drifting is the SLOWEST way around the track. The Accord is lighter, and the 2-door accord has a shorter wheelbase. I'm sure the Accord is no slouch as far as having good a good suspension setup. Just going from pure numbers, I think the Accord is going to pwn around a track.

The weight allows later braking into corners and holding a higher speed through the corner. Since it's got more horsepower, it will likely pull out of the corner quicker as well. Then when the straights come up, watch it blow the doors away.

Also, look at the 3rd gen Accords, vs any Benz from the same years? What looks more dated? BMW's and Benz's go out of style REALLY fast, and they devalue even quicker. Unless you've got a lot of money, a Benz makes no sense.

[snoopyloopy]

if i'm paying $30k for a car, i'd get the accord. the c-class benz is nothing special. they're almost as plentiful as accords around here. only benz i'd get is an s63/65 amg sedan. now that shows class. but what the heck, for ~10 grand more, you can get the new tl type-s. six speed, 286 hp 3.5 v6 (same engine as rl and nearly same power as nsx), etc. it seems like it'd be a pretty quick classy car as well.

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

Based on the original post it appears that the C230 is being looked at mostly for its image-enhancement properties. Unfortunately, as mentioned before, the C230 isn't the most impressive Benz even if it retains the classic body styling cues. Given the choice between the C230 and the Accord, look for what they actually offer, not the image. As for the dealership treatment of customers, one would hope that dealership visits would not be frequent after the car purchase, so coffee and cupcakes served by the dealership are a bit superficial. Make sure to compare the warranty provisions for each car and check the resale values. Neither should depreciate very quickly, but car reliability and quality can significantly impact that. Unreliable cars depreciate faster. Just my $.02

[bushbean]

According the Edmunds.com, the true-cost-to-own numbers after 5-years are:

Accord -- $49,300
C230 -- $61,600

These numbers were generated with the following considerations:
(1) depreciation,
(2) financing,
(3) insurance,
(4) taxs,
(5) fuel,
(6) maintenance,
(7) repair.

Those numbers are quite simply shocking! We really spend a lot of money on transportation. I think I'm just going to keep driving my smelly old 3geez for a while.

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

According the Edmunds.com, the true-cost-to-own numbers after 5-years are:

Accord -- $49,300
C230 -- $61,600

These numbers were generated with the following considerations:
(1) depreciation,
(2) financing,
(3) insurance,
(4) taxs,
(5) fuel,
(6) maintenance,
(7) repair.

Those numbers are quite simply shocking! We really spend a lot of money on transportation. I think I'm just going to keep driving my smelly old 3geez for a while.

BTW, anytime your insurance company sees anything like Sport in the vehicle description, you'll be paying extra. Also a consideration.