2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C320 Sedan review from North America
"Almost Flawless."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
There has been nothing wrong with the car beyond routine maintenance.
I bought this car with an extended warranty, after hearing about Mercedes reliability problems, during the last 5 years after they joined with Chrysler.
General comments?
My wife loves this car. She much prefer to drive my Mercedes rather than her 2004 Saab 9-3 Sedan Linear 2.0 T Auto.
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Plus points:
The performance and handling are incredible. Very fast car, with loads of torque - although this a RWD car, the C-Class has good traction on the snow.
The comfort is excellent. Roomy interior, good driving position, comfy seats and well equipped. Smooth ride and back seat is spacious enough for tall people.
Mileage on the highway is honestly 26 miles per gallon, not too bad for a 3.2 V6.
Looks nice in dark green. My wife says it looks like a "Baby S-Class". Real headturner and get lots of compliments.
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Drawbacks:
Questionable build-quality. Although the materials seems to be from higher grade than my previous Volvo.
I think the Interior finish is from lower quality compared to the older Mercedes.
Apart of the "cheapness" of the material - the interior seems to be well put together. At least, there are no signs of rattles or squeaks.
Instrument legibility could be improved. The main dials are hard to read in some conditions unless the headlights are turned on. To make things worse, part of the rev counter is hidden by the steering wheel in both of my preferred seating positions.
Poor visibility - it is difficult to judge how long the tail of the car is when backing up.
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Conclusion:
Almost perfect car and probably one of the best purchase in its class.
-I just wish Mercedes could regain the same luster from the past decades. It's sad to see the legendary German marque, slided so much in quality.
My car has been trouble-free, but before buying it I was aware that Mercedes was at the bottom of the latest 2004 J. D Power survey.
Either way, I am very happy with the purchase and I have no regrets at all. I Love my C320 and I really do hope to still continue loving for the next years to come.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 2004 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 3.2 V6 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 18000 miles |
| Previous car | Volvo S40 |
| Date of Entry | 12th June, 2005 |



