MercedesBenz CClass Made Even Classier

Mercedes-Benz C-Class Made Even Classier
By Dwayne Thomas

Mercedes-Benz has recently launched its all new C-Class saloon in Germany and will be presenting the same C-Class in South Africa in August this year. The C-Class emphasizes three elements and these are comfort, agility, and safety.

Each of the Avantgarde, Elegance, and Classic lines emphasize a unique characteristic but share the same technologies such as the Agility Control package which includes a situation-sensor shock absorber control, an Intelligent Light System with five distinct functions and the Pre-Safe preventive occupant protection system. The new C-Class range is also equipped with the same quality auto components such as Mercedes Benz heater core. The Mercedes heater core is a small radiator that helps the primary radiator in cooling the coolant to prevent the possible overheating of the car.

The local specs are to be announced at a later stage and some options may differ from overseas markets. For the overseas theres a choice of four and six-cylinder engines with up to 13 percent more output than the previous model coupled with a six percent lower fuel consumption.

The C-Class Saloon has a length measuring 4581mm and approximately 55mm longer than its predecessor. The body width has also increased by 42mm to 1770mm while the wheelbase has an additional 45mm to 2760mm. these dimensions have enabled the front shoulder room to grow by 40mm.

The design of the new C-Class was derived from the modern Mercedes-Benz approach that includes taut lines, and large tranquil surfaces with the front end highlighting a pronounced wedge-shape. And for the first time in Mercedes Saloon, the radiator grille was used as a distinctive feature to make the model variants more visible in the market.

The sporty Avantgarde model features three extended, horizontal louvers and a big centrally positioned Mercedes-Benz star. The Elegance for its part gets a three-dimensional, louvered radiator grille with a high-gloss paint finish which accentuates comfort and luxury. The Classic model as the name suggests has designed that is traditional despite the fact that it is similar to the other two C-Class models in terms of ride and technical specs.

The engines of the C-Class have been increased by around 18 percent in torque while the four and six cylinder units also feature an improved smoothness. Great attention was also given to the further development of the four-cylinder mills. In the petrol range output of the entry-level C 180 Kompressor has been increased from 105kW to 115kW with maximum torque improved 4.5 percent from the previous 220 to 230 Nm, while the C 200 Kompressor develops 15kW more than before.

It also delivers an output of 135kW and revs up a maximum torque of 250 Nm from 2800rpm. It can sprint from 0 to 100km/h by 0.5 seconds faster that any of the previous models. The new C-Class were also made more economical, the C 180 Kompressor consumes 0.31/100km less than the before. On the other hand the combined fuel consumption of the C 200 Kompressor has been reduced by 0.51/100km.

The C-Class diesel option will focus on enhancement of the four-cylinder unit. There are already several improvements done to the engine, turbocharger and common rail direct injection altering more than 90 components in the process. The said modifications were done by engineers at Stuttgart. And as result of the conducted modification is a new C 220 CDI with a peak output of 125kW from the 110kW previously and delivers a potent torque of 400Nm from the previous 2000rpmagain an 18 percent increase power than before. Similarly fuel consumption has been further reduced by up to 0.31/100km and according to Mercedes Benz the C 220 CDI is capable of traveling 100 km on just 6.1 liters of fuel.

The C-Class offered in Europe remains unchanged with a choice of three petrol units developing 200kW, 170kW, and 150 kW. The new C 320 CDI with its six-cylinder engine has an output of 165 kW. All models in the new C-Class except for the C 350 are equipped with a six-sped transmission featuring Agility Control gearshift as standard. Instead the C350 will get a 7G Tronicthe worlds only 7-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment. This feature is also available for the rest of the six-cylinder C-Class models on request.

For more about you Mercedes parts needs like Mercedes Benz heater core, visit your trusted online source.

Dwyane Thomas is a part time cook and full-time auto-enthusiast. This 31-year old Civil and Environmental graduate is a consultant at one of the engineering firms in Pennsylvania.

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Lease VS Buy A Car Always Lease It First And Save Money

Lease VS Buy A Car, Always Lease It First And Save Money
By Ralph Hoffmann

Lease a Car First and Buy it Later
Save lots of money. Analysis about buying or leasing a new car isn't necessary as long as cars are a glut on the market.

To own any car for the least possible price and dread doing a lease vs. buy analyses, don't buy the car; lease it then buy it later and save a lot of money.

Exploit the Glut of Cars for Sale
As long as car production is greater than consumption, and big discounts are available for several years to come, just read the market trends and lease it first and ignore all those lease vs. buy programs.

In the past, car manufacturers moved cars by subsidizing leases. The monthly lease cost was lowered by increasing the residual value, which lowered the monthly lease payment, thereby selling (leasing) more cars.

Lease Residual Values are Inflated in your Favor
But the value of the vehicle at the end of the lease was almost always less than the contracted residual and each of the off-lease cars then had to be sold in the wholesale market at a loss of several thousand dollars.

Some of the big backers of lease financing, Chrysler, some New York banks, and others, each lost several hundred million dollars in each of the past two or three years because they had to sell the off-lease cars on the open market for less than the residual value.

Take Advantage of Too Many Cars for Sale
Therefore the buy or lease a new car decision is moot as long as manufacturers are subsidizing leases because they have too many cars to sell; a one-time opportunity is present, namely:, lease it now and buy it at a discount the end of the lease and save thousands of dollars.

Having to make a lease vs. buy decision is no longer necessary as long as supply exceeds demand and the old rules are now dictated by a surplus of cars< on the market, this is the time of opportunity for an car buyer.

Compounding the problem for the heavily unionized manufacturers is that their labor contracts are so juicy that those car manufacturers are better off continuing to give away cars rather than to close a plant and pay unaffordable health and welfare and pension benefits to laid off employees.

This Opportunity will only last for Two or Three more Years.
This situation will not change for several years until consolidation, plant closings, or bankruptcies have cured the problem. until the. Plant closings will be a last resort.

Therefore the glut of new cars will likely continue for a few years. Now is the prime time to consider taking advantage of a declining resale value of most cars. The subsidized lease will continue to be offered

Should I Buy or Lease a New Car
By initially leasing a car, the maker is essentially offering a price that cant be beaten. It may actually approach or be lower than the employee cost widely advertised. Then buy the car at the end of the lease.

At the end of the car lease the company financially backing the lease most likely will sell the car on the open market at a loss. Why not intervene at that point and buy the car for less than the residual value and put that loss into your pocket as money saved?

Check out your Car's Used Car Value Prior to Lease End
About three months before the end of the lease, cruise the used car lots and notice what your car is being offered at. Note tha the used carprice is always higher than the resiudal value to allow for dealr costs and profit. A ten percent cushion is not unreasonable.

Then compare the asking price on the used car lot with the residual value in your lease contract. The residual value may be larger than the asking price for a similar model on the used car lot. That means that the company owning your leased car will have to sell it at a loss when you turn it in.

Now you put in the knife and buy the car (no commissions paid to anyone on this transaction) at the end of the Lease and keep several thousand dollars in your pocket.

Bypass the Dealer to make your Buyout Offer
From your dealer, get the phone number of the company that owns the car you leased. Call them and offer to buy your leased car for the asking price on the used car lot less about 10% at least.

If they object, point out that they will have to sell the car at a loss because the residual value is more than what the car is worth on the used car lot. They know that, but hate to admit it.

So lease the car of your dreams today and forget about excess mileage charges.

A true-life example
A business friend of mine had a three-year-old leased car with a contract residual value of $28,000. Looking at the used car lot he found he could buy one just like it for $24,000. He assumed the company that financed the lease would loose at least $2,000 in selling it for less than the contracted residual value.

Through the dealer he offered $22,000 to buy the car as is and his offer was promptly accepted, including 3%, 3 year financing. His dealings, all by phone (no face to face negotiations needed) were with the company financing the lease. To buy any car, or Van or SUV or Light truck, by all means consider the idea of lease vs. buy as your answer.

Ralph writes automotive articles for people wanting to save money when leasing or buying a new car. Visit his web site on this subject at Lease vs Buy a Car or get Tips on Leasing or Buying Car or on Do-it-Yourself projects at DIY Repair Guide

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