2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class User Reviews

Pros

Solid, quiet, handling

Cons

None

Purchased As Used

I purchased pre owned C280 with little miles instead of a new MB. Two factors, I did not take the depreciation hit and actually thought the 2007 drove tighter than the 2009.

It drives great with acceptable gas mileage and the 4-Matic is super in the snow. The smaller size fit our needs well and the back seat while smaller than a Audi, Passat or E-Class is not a concern, we don't sit in the back seat.

The car is highly reliable, my sister has had 3 in 10 years with few problems, most minor.

The 3 series BMW is superior in driving and handling but age does not treat it kindly. A 4 year old BMW is a used car, a 4 year old Mercedes is a 4 year old Mercedes.

A pre owned Mercedes is a solid value and smart purchase and great to drive. Everyone's desires in a car is different, but I am more than pleased with the purchase....read morehide

Pros

Step on the gas- you'll figure it out- quick.

Cons

Lot's of "look-alike" MB's out there.

I've read all the reviews and some have great points. I bought it as soon as it was available and was going to plunge in on the C32 but am I glad I did my homework and waited for the C55. Let's start w/ it's looks- I love it! Almost 2 years later I still look at and sigh. The quad pipes gleam in the sun and the tires are fat enough to make a vette look svelt. The body work is muscular but understated and that may be part of an issue I have. MB offfers many "appearance packages" on lesser rides of the C family. The C55 is indeed another animal completely and should never be looked at in the same light as another C. Just look under the hood-there is the signature of the AMG artisan who lovingly hand-crafted my baby's engine. The ride is superb! Taught but not punishing and tons of torque sending it from stand still to light speed in the blink of an eye. The deeply supported leathers keep your rear firmly planted (and warmed) through every pulse rasing turn you enter. The fat rubber keeps you planted on all surfaces except wet inclines where I have lost traction. However, delete traction control and you can send the C55 into a plume of smoke only the FDNY can get you out of! At nearly $400 per tire- I won't be doing that again. I have no complaints about the car itself- it can run with nearly anything and I'm sure it could hang with the "super car" crowd or at least its numbers say so (for a fraction of the price). OK, here are the down sides- the rims get banged up easily- I don't think the coating on the AMG rims is up to NY curbs / pot holes and I've already resurfaced all 4 (not cheap) by MB. It has 4 doors but please don't think this is a big sedan- it is not. Back seat/ leg room is always an issue and the trunk has trouble with today's oversized drivers (gofl that is!). Also, to echo a previoulsy raised point- the navi I have on my MB sucks-period. It is not intuitive, all inputs have to be typed in with a silly little joystick that makes Atari's 2600's look like state of the art. No touch screen and in general it gives the directions fine but I must give it a rather big thumb's down. Most don't really know what AMG is all about and fewer still know that there is a C out there that can light up anything it smells near it. Most know that you are in a MB but they don't know you can knock em out with the drop of your right foot at any time you choose- or better yet, don't - they'll still have no idea what you're packing behind the resculpted CLK front end. In case you didn't know- MB had to ditch the regular C front in favor of the longer, sleeker new CLK front end to accommodate the sheer mass and increased need for breathing air of the naturally aspirated V8 that replaced (thank goodness) the supercharged V6 that the short-lived C32 was supplied with. The change makes all the difference and if you look back- they price increase was truly nominal considering how much more ride you get vs the C32. I feel bad for the C32 owners because the C55 is so superior to it and perhaps many other competitors- I was glad to see input from converted M3 and S4 owners-I've never driven either but am aware that they are beasts in their own right. Bottom line-get one now, especially a pampered one 1 or 2 years old w/ less then 20k miles-I'm sure it will be a bargain with maximal reward every time you here that sweet growl rumble just outside your window!...read morehide

Pros

Excellent Fuel Economy, Excellent Complimentary Service, Sexy Look

Cons

Sound System loses some rich quality

For an entry level Mercedes Benz, this definately exceeds beyond what I expected. It surprisingly is ULEV certified which is great since it is premium gas. I use the car everyday to get to school. The sexy looks just adds to the reality behind it. It is quick and sporty for everyday use. The interior is eye catching. The tires do not sound like what others have been saying. The tires run very smooth. I do live in the suburb but some roads are just terrible and I have run over some potholes on freeway entrances. However, they're still on the car and it still feels smooth. For other consumers with this car, my question is maybe you just didn't keep track of tire pressure. You should check once a month to be safe. And for the snow condition, if you have chains your good. It's summer tires and not snow tires whoever it was that said it does terrible in the snow. It is a sports car and not an SUV with tires the size of your body. The sound system may be the only hole here. It is rich especially in the bass. However, when I roll the windows down and the car is in motion, I lose the richness of the sound sytem. And I really love the cup holder; it pops up to make room for another one. There's also a lot of complimentary stuff that came with my car without the extra. It comes with free service for the first couple of miles and later on free check ups. At times, they even send you free merchandise to use with the vehicle. Not only do you get quality treatment, you get complimentary treatment. People say it jolts and jerks but I have not felt it much while driving under its sport setting. There's also a comfort setting for those who didn't know. Or maybe you just accelerate really fast. But even then it upshifts much later the harder you press. The less you accelerate the sooner it upshifts. Others have also said the engine isn't loud enough to be a sports car. First of all, I'd rather enjoy hearing my music rather than the engine. Next, I've seen "souped" up civics with loud [****] engines but I wouldn't really compare that this Benz. The fact that it is 7 inches shorter in width does not matter much to me. It holds 5 people so that's good enough for me. I usually drive myself so I don't notice or care. It's not like you're gonna go cross country with 5 people in a car anyways. Here's what I feel when I drive this car: It's not just another luxary car, it's a Mercedes-Benz. Cheesy but true. For everyone that dares to question anything stated in this review, slap yourself on the face. If you're expecting a sexy looking car at a cheap price that can move across snow like cloud 9(meaning hecka smooth) while giving you your own personal space, you may not get it all. But can your current car or a different entry level car do any better? I can answer no....read morehide

Pros

Incredible road feel and ride comfort with performance. I like the interior as well

Cons

Rain sensing wipers are a bit of a pain when driving in snow.

In my opinion the 280 4matic delivers the most value out of all the C class models. More horse power then the 230 and very close to the 350 in power for less money. The car handels well, the 4 matic is great in the snow and the ride smooth but well balanced. The BMW 3 series are nice too but the 280 4matic car does it all and at a much more reasonable price. BMW's price goes way up to get the same features and equivlant engine. For me the Benz just drove better then anything else I tried. It feels like the more expensive MBs probably because it might part shares with the higher models....read morehide

Pros

Firm Driving

Cons

Seal modules are defective will cause battery to rundown. Will be expensive to repair

I have C320
It has mechanical probelms and Mercedes will not admit to it.Electrical modules under front seats will short and drain out battery. Car will be completely dead.
It is expensive to fix it.
Security horn will short and will need to replace. It will be expensive too.

Pros

Excellent power and brakes, great looks, extremely comfortable front seats.

Cons

GPS not user friendly.

This is one powerful car that stops on a dime and handles extremely well for a sedan! Having owned other sports cars (Pantera, BOSS 429 Mustang, Porsche etc) I find te C55 to be the best of ALL worlds! It has four doors and a reasonable size trunk, but still gives me all the pleasures of a great handling sports car! The price could be considered a little high for a four door sedan, but when compared to a real sports cars, I find it a real value....read morehide

Pros

Nice Looking Car

Cons

Poor Quality compared to older Mercedes

Nice looking and performing car but has lost the legendary quality of years past. I had a 1995 C220 that was a great car and was only in for warranty work twice in 137,000 miles. This one has been in the shop 12 times in 20,000 miles. Not what you would expect from a car in this price range. It looks as though the merger with Chrysler has resulted in Mercedes that are more like Chryslers rather than Chryslers that are more like Mercedes. This one is definitely getting sold prior to the end of the warranty. I'll probably look for Lexus or Infinity for the next one since Mercedes has really dropped the ball in the overall quality department...read morehide

Pros

great looking great fuel economy

Cons

tires; they constantly blow and take the rims with them

The car has two differnt size low profile tires. Any significant bump, especially on the sidewall, will ruin the tire. Every major pothole takes out a tire AND a rim. The tires are almost impossible to obtain and the standard tires are awful in the snow.(snow tires will work though). On top of that the compressor and fan went at 65,000 miles-BIG bucks, but I could live with that if I didn't fear every bump...read morehide

Pros

Great look, good on gas, stereo is great, satellite is the bomb, an overall fantastic car.

Cons

none

First time MB buyer. I bought mine in early 2005, while cruising the parking lot with the dealer when I saw a trucking coming in the parking lot carrying some MB C-230's with plastic on them. So I asked, "what are those, and he replied, "those are the C-230 2006 models". Then I asked what is the difference and he replied, "V6". I picked one right off of the truck with no hesitation. My husband has a MB SLK hardtop convertible, and we had so much fun in his that I wanted my own with more room. People couldn't believe it was a C-230 looking that good and a V6. It was too good to be true. I Love the sporty look she has. The tires are so funky it almost looks as if she is bowing to you out of respect. I am absolutely enjoying her....read morehide

Pros

easy to drive, decent fuel economy,

Cons

dump the continental tires, dealership stinks

nice car, bad tires. was warned but didn't listen. tires are noisy and continental will not back up the warranty for a flat at 6500 miles. replaced 2 so far in 7500 miles and will have to swap all within first year. dealer in jacksonville, fl is a joke, only interested in high end sales...