wow very interesting. and for what it's worth don't get the c230, it's nothing exciting about

 

i love lexus but i'll take CLS500 over GS430 any given day of the year. CLS is just wayyyy too sexy and sporty then GS430. GS is an excellent car but you just cant beat the look of CLS. i will take GS430 over E500 but not CLS.

u dont like SLR either?

PS. ur signature is like a dynamite waiting to explode

 

i totally agree with you on this one. but i heard new C350 is a pretty decent car.

 

well for one i dont' like the slr though

 

I didn't see an SLR. Forgot all about it. I'll ask about it next time I go there....if they let me in. I said some pretty negative things about benzes. I'm sure they won't easily forget me. I can try another dealership...I never liked that place anyway....I think they're racist. There were several white salesman standing around. They called a black guy who was not even in the showroom at the time to see me. When I had a benz, I felt racism from them in the past.....they haven't changed. I forgot about it or I wouldn't have gone there. Reviews on the SLR coming soon. Stay tuned.

 

Let them know that ****. You shouldn't tolerate it if that's what's going on.

I can imagine the subtleties make it difficult to present a convincing case but it's two-thousand-f*ing-FIVE ...

One cool thing about the Benz dealership in Charleston, SC is that it's part of an auto mart - and the Infiniti people aren't a-holes b/c they don't sell cars over 35k ... So you can get an Infiniti sales guy to refer you to a Benz guy who in turn treats you like gold - every customer (potential or immediate) counts there. For the most part - it's how I'd run that sort of business.

M.

 

This is NOT necessarily racism. Many dealerships operate where the salespeople take turns handling new customers or people who walk through the door. I'm sure any of those " white " salespeople would have been willing to take your money any day of the week. Money only comes in ONE color....GREEN.
What probably happened was that by the luck of the draw, it just happened to be the turn of the black salesperson to take the next customer who walked in (regardless of color) and when you walked in, they had to go get him...maybe he was at lunch, in the men's room or getting a drink at the water fountain.

 

Lex Fanatic,

I own both Marques and to be honest with you I don't think bashing the quality of either one is warranted. Don't give me the WSJ article on Mercedes as an example. Likewise look at Cadillac; 5 years ago they were a joke ,today close to the top. In addition what about the technical service bulletin on the early LS 430's and the hullabaloo over the RX 330's last week. It appears that all cars are experiencing problems today and nobody has a corner on quality defects.

I had an SC 430 (2004) with 1,900 miles on it that I unloaded for a number of "quality problems" that the dealer could not solve. I also have a MB that I purchased 2 months before the SC that has had no problems. Then there is panel fit. I have an '04 LS 430 that has the trim at the bottom of the side windows where the front window is a little over 1/16'" lower than the rear window. At above 60 miles an hour there is considerable wind turbulance around the side mirror that the dealer tells me is normal. Where did the whisper quiet ride go?

As far as dealer service is concerned please don't get me started.

You don't hear me bashing Lexus on the MB forums or vice versa. Having owned both I can speak from experience and not hear say. Can you do the same?

Now getting back to the CLS; this is a car that you are going to love or hate. I almost ordered one based purely on the pictures of the car. I thought it was gorgeous but after seeing several in person I am glad I did not. The styling while it is different is not for my taste. The matte finish wood (yes it is wood) looks like ******, the windows are too small for the overall size of the car. I have to agree with a person who described it as an over ripe banana.

 

The last time I was there 3 years ago, they brought out the Black salesman for me. They only have one at a time. It's too obvious. On top of that...I walked in dressed in tie and dress shirt. I was passed by twice for a white guy behind me who was not dressed as well. That happened twice. Without bragging, I look like a successful man. No one would pass me by easily when the goal is to get my money. Believe me, that dealership, Autohaus Mercedes, is racist.

 

I dunno considering the CLS is more expensive than a loaded GS 430, I'd have to go with the CLS. It also will be produced in more limited numbers, adding to the exclusivity. It would HAVE to have the AMG kit though.

I think the interior wood uses a matte finish, not the usual glossy in most luxury cars. The thing about Benz, you can probably change it and configure it anyway you want. Even marble if I remember correctly.

Looks are subjective, from some angles I think it is stunning, from some angles but the new GS does that to me too.

From my understanding and reading reviews, its a stretched E-class platform and it has less interior room than the E but it does drive sportier, though no BMW. It seems the biggest thing is the styling, which is love or hate but truly distinctive.

 

Trust me, it isn't just you guys. Most of the MBWorld members trash the CLS owners too because that car is not built even near an $80k car, and that was from SEVERAL people who drove it. Ask any CL or SL owner, me included, and driving one of those 2 is ALOT different than any other Benz.
I do agree with the guy who likes the C class sport, I hate C classes...but that Sport is a slick car with the 5 stars. I saw a new GS in person today driving, and quite honestly, I just wasn't impressed. I was hoping I would see one and say "I am going to sell my CL for that." No chance now. Maybe if I saw a pic of a modded out new GS I may change my mind.

Oh, and as for the Benz wood, mine is CRACKING in a few places already, this is on a $95k car. Not happy about that as you can imagine, unacceptable. Mercedes wood is good for kindling, that is about it.

 

yeah i agree it's not worth what it's priced, but we all know it's still gonna sell like nutters.

As for your wood, it's cracking? WTF.....none of my wood, even on my old 560 had any problems...

 

That is a damn shame for a brand spanking new 90k car.
I like this pic though, at Geneva

 

Thanks for sharing your input
The CL is my all time favorite MB.
As for the wood in our 01 S500, we haven't used it for kindling yet. No cracks anywhere, knock on wood

Looks is very subjective and I like the looks of the CLS. Too bad it's not worth it's pricetag.

The white one with the kit is sick, sicklex

 

I just saw my 1st 2006 CLS500 today, AT THE BODY SHOP!!! This silver colored CLS had a dent the size of a football in the front hood from shipping. It still had all the protective wrappings on the inside and a sticker price of $73995 in the window. I thought the car was stunning, but could not see why the car was over $70k. If it was $50k-$60k I think the car would be much more appealing.

I am so surprised that some of you all have felt the car cheap on the inside. I'll have to see if the car is still at the body shop next week and see if they'll let me inside it. The only thing I did not really care for was the trunk area. IMHO it looked a little CLKish.