On the c350e if it makes you go to EV mode when you are low on fuel turn the car off then start the ignition and put it in sports mode then turn the car on fully and it lets you use the petrol engine
I have two Mercs both c lass estate, 1 being the 2017 model with the comand unit shown, its no where near as bad for me as described and the Me App is perfect for remote unlocking and checking if the car is locked and windows up. I have a 2020 hybrid as well, the app and the comand system are much better, really annoying I can't schedule a charge, so it's going g back to Merc on Minday as they believe I should be able to. But many of the issues seem to have been resolved, let's hops that is also true for the tire wear.
The last bomb shell comment about the expected life and costs of the batteries is a deal breaker when it comes to buying one of these second hand, as you say...... why would you. If you allow the batteries to deteriorate to a level that they are of zero use then just buy a pure petrol or diesel, the video was very informative and simply makes it harder to know where to go when looking for something that will not cost a fortune in the future with the spread of the ULEZ money making machine.
Thinking of a used C350e to replace my A4. A very useful video and I wonder how you got on with the battery. Your video was posted 2 yrs ago. Do you still have the car and has the battery deteriorated?
As a fellow owner of a C350e I would definitely agree with almost all of the things you said. Mine is a 2015, so slightly older but the High-Voltage battery still provides the same (admittedly not great) range as it did when the car was new. The C350e's hybrid battery cells are actually LiFePo4, which is unusual for a PHEV-High-Voltage-Battery but apparently is a long-lasting battery technology. One point where my experience differs though is when it comes to the handling caracteristics. In Eco and Comfort they are admittedly not that great and everything is very floaty. But with good high performance tires (potentially lower profile would bring advantages as well but I also run the stock 17inch alloys most of the time) and in Sport+ mode i actually prefer the handling of the C350e to that of my previous BMW 330i E46. To me, the steering loads up more nicely and the car feels more progressive above the limit. Under sporty driving I usually have the ESP turned off because otherwise it feels like something is occasionally interfering with the steering and the electronic steering sometimes doesn't give any assist when turning into corners at the limit. Switching it off solves both these issues and I'm used to driving without it from previous cars. Even with the ESP turned off it will still intervene before you run out of steering lock or significantly earlier at higher speeds. The one disadvantage is that understeer is not that well communicated though the steering should it occur. This is not the primary handling characteristic of the car though as it tends more towards oversteer and in my experience it also greatly varies on tire type. So to my mind the car only really starts coming alive at around 10/10, but I guess everyone has different preferences when it comes to handling of a car. Thank you and a big thumbs up for the Video!
Hi, my friend, Recently, my C350e has always kept the engine on even though on thr hybrid mode. AND the E-mode is not available. Do you have any idea about this issue?
I agree with everything you said because I use to own C350e. I now own a 2020 BMW 330e and it is the best car I have ever driven. Next March I will upgrade to a full electric BMW i4 edrive 40. Watch this space as I am fully battery cars will have their problems.
Lifting suspension is not in the aircon cluster. That is the button for recirculation... the app is mostly used for preheating the car. My c350e is 5 years old. Batteries are still at 98%. So... stop whining.
@@FastandFun I didn't mis the intro, the rest of the review was a bit of a lot of nit-picking 😉 about that El cheapo black plastic: I fully agree and chose to have the black wood in the dashboard.
Stuff that annoys me, 2016 C350e with 49k kms on ODO used vehicle -Air conditioning cant be turned off with a single button -The screen feels a touch laggy -Can't see engine temperature -Reverse gear takes a couple seconds to engage from drive, not good while reversing in a hurry -The 7DCT shifts feel hesitant at lower city speeds and shifts seem a touch jerky, BMWs 8zf TQ is wayyy better with that stuff -Brakes feel grabby AF and a sudden pause while down shifts while decelerating, requires a trained foot and increased focus to iron em while driving, which sort of kills the luxury and relaxed driving experience of a car BTW, the battery's are safe and still function pretty well
i have found on my C300h that the best way to use the air con system is to pull down on the scroll wheel and select A/C on the infotainment screen, then you have a lot more settings to play with.
Also a fellow owner from the Netherlands, but I like our car for sure and as a second-hand buyer and I am not driving a lot(cause of my work at sea); I am a little bit waiting till Mercedes will give out a more impressive battery pack for the same car and improve our electric range, as 30 km is not a lot and sometimes when I forget to go to E-save; Hybrid mode goes over to Charging Mode... But I love this car and the looks, but I have the Big Star, actually I like the old fashion grill and the ensign on the top of the nose better, but that is maybe a person choose... My annoying moments; only driving and taking out my sunglasses from the pocket, a lot of sun and when I finally got view again... I called emergency numbers automatically, as the Emergency button is next to it. For the rest this car is so nice and well made (have another interior and wood). Best regards, Wouter
What annoys me about Mercedes is how you can only operate what’s on the screen. If you have sat nav on, you can’t move the music on one track for example. Only by changing the in front of you display. Can’t get Apple play on the 2016 model. Can’t change the permanent display to show outside temperature, on Km’s. In winter getting 7-11 miles on a charge. I’ve had company cars for 30+ years so this is my 1st owned car. Wish I’d gone for the BMW X3..
Mines a 2016 C63s estate same colour. I agree with you the switchgear looks nice but is fiddly , the comand is crap, the web browser doesn't work, tunin radio only has v limited stations, when I first had it there virtually were unlimited stations. The door handles feel light out of a cheap kitchen. I needed a new battery after year which was 350 quid to replace. The radio is very complex to use, just needs a simple dial, you have to be an IT expert to use the media player, lucky I am an IT expert but even I find it overly complicated. You need to know about MP3 file structure the various types of bits rate where to put the route file in the route folder so much unnecessary IT stuff just to make tha player work to its maximum potential. That e flap is bad. Mine has a Matic suspension so it is a fantastic car the tires have done 32,000 miles and still have another probably 10,000 left on them but then they are those massive 19 inch flat tires. It’s bad because the UK market is absolutely massive for Mercedes and they can’t be bothered to properly cater for right hand drive cars. It’s like put up and shut up.
Coincidentially I had the exact same car as yourself and similar feelings about it (I also remember some online functions being deactivated for some licensing reason that you couldn't solve - like the traffic camera pics which I used to enjoy!). Also bizarrely the Mazda 5 MPV I owned simultaneously had a better sounding stereo system than the Burmester. I disposed of the car after having a rubbish experience with the main agents which put me right off Mercedes ownership. Also the novelty value of the power/noise had just about worn off.
Really??… is that it??….I have the c350e sport’s premium plus… it’s a beauty… nothing you have pointed out is anything worth considering… though your last point is quite good. Anyway, in sport and sport+ mode it’s a crackin motor👍🏼👍🏼 ☘️ …. I love it… stop whining 😉
petrol/hybrid is best. i do sometimes long distance driving with my diesel but still the partical filter cloggs up. Hybrid can be bad in the long run because of all the electronics. Also depends of which brand you buy. If you buy german have atleast 4000 euro for repairs saved. The c350e is great when it works but as i see, many people now get problems after 100k kilometers with their hybrids.
Ours are company cars, had 4 of them, agree with all points but will add if you buy a second hand c350e and it's ex company car we only have them for cheap tax, they are never charged, ever, I have one now, charges itself to 9 miles range but has never been plugged in as it will be my electric and that's not happening.
Great video as always. I didn’t notice this hybrid issue you mentioned. How low the fuel level needs to be to replicate the problem? One more thing, number 11 if you wish: Pre-heat issue. Unable to select the ‘entire vehicle’ option. As soon as I select the entire vehicle mode, it’ll bounce back to the ‘drivers only’ straight away. And when I start the pre heating, even if it’s on drivers only setting the passenger seat heating still turns on. I had a discussion in the MB club with a few C350e owners and they confirmed the same. But those who have Command system, don’t have this issue for some reason. Audio 20 only. Weird. Would you check it for me please?
The fuel blob’s (technical description!) have to be down to the last one with it flashing. Then, when you start the car it forces you to E-Mode but once battery charge is used it won’t start engine, just lose all power. If you switch off and restart, the engine starts!!!! 🤷♂️ I haven’t noticed that issue with the pre-heat but I haven’t used it for probably a year or so. Will check it out for you 👍🏻
@@FastandFun Thanks a lot! One more thing! I noticed a weird jerky gear changes from 2nd to 3rd gear when it’s cold and only once, no more. The car has 82k miles and the transmission oil hasn’t been changed yet. I’m gonna book it next month, hopefully it’s gonna solve it. Someone else also described like this: “On cold start, my car jerks once on the very first shift from 2 to 3. There is no further jerking after that. Is this considered normal?” Did you experience anything similar? I found lot of topics about this: mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w205/586275-jerk-push-jolt-automatic-transmission-between-2nd-3rd-gear.html
@@attilab.2818 I have felt the occasional jerky change in the past. Nothing that worried me, but enough for me to notice. I never investigated any further as it only occurred on very rare occasions.
@@FastandFun There is a jerk on mine at every cold start when shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear in the first 50 yards. After this jerk the rest of journey is very smooth, no more jerky gear changes. Interesting. Really hope the gearbox oil change would fix this. Would be shocked if turned out a 66 reg cars gearbox faulty already. As I’m reading through those topics it seems like some owners have been experiencing the same from brand new.
You have 300 hp on rear axle, energy recuperation and brakes as well. I would compare rear tyres wear to CVT scooter. What is the front tyres lifespan?
@@FastandFun change the fronts to rear sometimes. In northern europe we switch winter tyres and summer tyres, so it's natural to switch place of tyres when switching the winter/summer tyres.
Great to know the if your going to purchase this particular vehicle 2nd hand and the cost of replacing the battery. Have to factor in another few thousand pounds.
Hi, my friend, Recently, my C350e has always kept the engine on even though on thr hybrid mode. AND the E-mode is not available. Do you have any idea about this issue?
Hello, I have a question, does anyone know how many years or how many kilometers we have to change the battery? Can someone tell me how long the battery lasts?
All I can advise is that 5 years has been mentioned multiple times but MB seem very reluctant to discuss. For sure the batteries will degrade over time but I’ve only seen a relatively small decrease in range over my 3 years and 78k miles. A lot will depend on the times the batteries have been charged/discharged I suppose. I know owners with 2016 cars that haven’t replaced yet. Any more info on this would be useful.
@@FastandFun in my country many cars are registered in 2015. Many with high millage,. Almost all cars still run with their original battery pack, without problems. (yes, a bit degradation) Up to now replacing the battery is rare.
I was planned to go and see one of these today but after viewing this, I’ve just rang the dealer and cancelled. A lovely looking 2016 with 120k. It has absolutely everything on it but I’m not forking out £13k for that only to be Jack hammered with a £6+k battery bill. These cars are, in effect, almost scrap in a few years when depreciation hits the £7k mark unless the battery system can be taken out and the car left without it. (Almost certainly impossible?)
I just bought this car second hand. And totally agree. I mean the car is nice to drive. But this hybrid system is kind of useless, except for tax purposes.. I still do like the car though.
About the switches you are talking they need to be on the driver side - they are in a left hand vehicle. As you can imagine there are more left hand vehicles in the world than right . No manufacturer is going to change its design for such thing.
Direct from MB - the car was in for servicing and I was querying how the battery range had reduced year on year and after 3 years and c.80k miles it was offering only around 60% of what it did when new. Now obviously you wouldn’t have to change it, but then you’d end up driving a 2.0T engine with 200kg of wasted battery weight under the boot which would seem pointless!
I was going to buy one today but I change. My mind. Thanks. by the way it is absolutely fun to buy such a car just because of that 19ish mile on electricity. that is not so impressive even during the year 2017. I remember I wanted to buy a toyota Prius just because saving petrol with battery power back in 2017 or so. when I tried and the seller told me higher speed than 30 miles the engine goes on petrol power. I just changed my mind and for me was funny because I drive 30 mph. it is just ridiculous.
I have a 6 year warranty on my c350e battery off Mercedes, but I took it in to have a battery health check and they clearly had no clue how to check it just charged me £255 for software update!
My God I am so disappointed . My husband just bought this car for me 4 weeks ago. I love it it's beautiful . White more cream color . It's not premium I did not like the black roof . My car is from 2016 . When I ask asked about the battery . I was told that I will need to buy new small battery that cost about €80 . I think the petrol cost me more on this C350e then on the 1.4 TSI Passat I had before that . Last week I was driving about 3 days on eco dynamic and the fourth day the car stopped in the middle of the road . Lights came up on dashboard and red big sign saying eco no longer available. So I changed the dynamic to comfort and It was fine I made it to the charging point . It was scary . I did not watch the energy flow . My car is so beautiful but now I am worried about the battery's short live . That is not fair because I was told these batteries in hybrids last 8 to 10 years. I need to ask if I can change the dynamic upwards while driving and acceleting please . I never used Individual mode . I like the S and S+ on the motorway . I have another question how much miles do you get on 2 hours charge at the charging point ? I get 14 miles at 100% battery charge . Thank you gentlemen . Monika
Hi Monika, yes, you can change the driving mode whilst driving from Eco to Comfort and onto Sport and Sport + and back again. The same as you switch between hybrid, battery, charge and engine. A range of 14 miles following a full 100% charge is very good 👍🏻 Unfortunately, the batteries of the hybrid system aren’t going to get replaced for £80. I think the sales person has quoted you the car battery not the hybrid system.
@@monikazajacova5741 I’ve not seen any written evidence as to what the recommendation is. MB aren’t very supportive about this, probably due to the very high replacement costs. I’ve heard that 5-6 years they should be replaced but cannot confirm that period. If the hybrid batteries are returning 14 miles of elec range then I suggest your battery performance is still good.
@@FastandFun thank you for your info . I am sure I will try to trade in next year or two . Can I charge the battery anytime I run low or will I charge once a week . Could I damage the batter when charging often ? Thank you
@@monikazajacova5741 you can charge as often as possible. When parked at home my C350e is always plugged into the charger so as to maximize the time spent on e-mode.
1 about the range; yes its not much. Just like every other PHEV at that time (as you mentioned, nowadays the batteries for PHEV models are getting bigger). For me its enough for short trips around town. Longer trips I drive on petrol anyway. (setting to individual) Its because mercedes have to report the test results according to NEDC method (at that time). These results are far away from the real world. Thats why WLTP is introduced, it will give a more realistic range. Mercedes can not help this NEDC method it not good and they have to report these figures. But its good to mention it for future buyers. :) EV range is low. (actually the car isn't made for that, its a hybrid, not an EV) 2 about the low fuel. I have never experienced this, probably because I re-fuel a bit earlier. :) 3 correct, it performs really good in 99,9%. but if you put it to the limit, especially in fast corners you will notice the car is not made for that 4 tyres; its because of a lot of torque. Some people do only 5000 miles, some people do 20.000 miles with the rear tyres. All depent on the driving style 5 the fuel flap isn't electric as well. I am glad mercedes didn't put a complicated electrical opening / closing system for this charging flap. This is quick en easy. But maybe you can complain about the location of this flap. would like to see it on the side, just like de fuel flap. 6 after a few days I was fully understanding everything. The i-drive system from BMW is a bit better, but this is also really good. I have the command system. The garmin system seems to be much slower (and smaller screen) 7 for left hand drive cars there is not this issue. also; I am glad this car has even buttons; many other cars erased these buttons and you have to use the touchscreen 8 totally agree, the black gloss look cheap. My car is equipped with ash wood trim. It looks much better! I would recommend people to check if you like this. if not; look for a C350e with ash wood trim. 9 I use the app quite often. mainly to pre-heat or pre-cool the car. after a few updates this isn't any issue for me 10 I don't agree on this point. I contacted my MB dealer with maintain many C350e, and they replaced only once a HV battery pack. Not because of problems but degradation lower dan 70% witin 5 years. All other cars don't have any problem at all. My car is almost 6 years old, almost 200.000 km. battery runs fine. yes the EV range is a bit lower as it was new 6years ago, but thats is. And even if the battery degradates, you can still drive without any problem. Only the EV range will get lower and lower. Anyway, there are companies refurbish these batteries as well, with a cost of around 3000 euro's. So no need to replace the battery of a new expensive one. So, some points is depending of the configuration of the car, some points its not that bad as it looks like, and some points is just personal experience. I can also made 10 points what I don't like about the C350e, but it will be different than this one :) Anyway, always good to point people to watch out before buying a C350e
You can pre-heat the car remotely using the MercedesMe App, but not charge. Once you connect the charge cable it will automatically start charging the car.
You can add a charging scheme in the app telling it between what hours you want it to charge actually, just plug it in and set everything in the app. Maybe there is a difference between android and iOs version?
hi mate firstly dont complain on command unit funckions as you not got premium plus package which is faster speed unit burmester sound cams with it and wooden centre console with clock in it. if you had this then about 3 pints is down to things that you dont like so be 7 together. now on rest i must agree and i have for you solution to it SELL IT WHILE YOU CAN. c300 hybrid owner here and as you say battery life is finnishing in 5 years time and replace it cost thousands £4.7k for me car yours is c359 so a lot bigger and heavier battery it be arround £7k to change. mercedes quickly realised those hybrids are sh111ty cars so they stopped productions of them you can buy hybrid now? your car look ugly in me opinion as its not even amg line poor loaded and generally whole c class its just small car. you buy hybrid and thinks you may save some fuel money in fact and reality hybrid is most not efficient car they ever made. it cost more then S class to repair on hybrid system. iam the guy that dont like changing cars and i like buy better car and keep it for 7 years always in this case i have keep me hybrid just 3 years as it is very bad car and expensive to run mainly imagine if you dont change your hybrid battery and the system will recognize battery isn't efficient the car will just switch battery off !!! and you effectively be not able to do anything with it unles you spend £7 k on battery! yes you can drive it like that and dont buy new battery but you will suffer with carrying extra heavy battery at back that you can feel in every corner and not able to use it in any way.. of course you can sell the car then. but who will buy you hybrid that dont works??? nobody unless you sell it WELL UNDER market value. so if car have worth £18k with bybrid fulky working. you can expect to sell it for £12k as broken hybrid... i had to sell mine i was very love it as it was well loaded car but i made first big mistaje i should buy c250 in that spec and avoid hybrid for miles. luckily i managed sold car when battery stil been working. if you unsure ehat to do speak with couple of indipudant mercedes garages how economical hybrids are and you will know what to do.. best of luck
Thank you for a very comprehensive comment. My specific C350e is a lease car so battery longevity isn’t a specific issue for me, but I want to try to raise awareness around these issues.
@@monikazajacova5741 my lease included everything from servicing and repairs, through to tyres, insurance and road tax, all with unlimited mileage. Difficult to estimate costs as it was through a company car scheme.
On the c350e if it makes you go to EV mode when you are low on fuel turn the car off then start the ignition and put it in sports mode then turn the car on fully and it lets you use the petrol engine
I have two Mercs both c lass estate, 1 being the 2017 model with the comand unit shown, its no where near as bad for me as described and the Me App is perfect for remote unlocking and checking if the car is locked and windows up. I have a 2020 hybrid as well, the app and the comand system are much better, really annoying I can't schedule a charge, so it's going g back to Merc on Minday as they believe I should be able to. But many of the issues seem to have been resolved, let's hops that is also true for the tire wear.
The last bomb shell comment about the expected life and costs of the batteries is a deal breaker when it comes to buying one of these second hand, as you say...... why would you. If you allow the batteries to deteriorate to a level that they are of zero use then just buy a pure petrol or diesel, the video was very informative and simply makes it harder to know where to go when looking for something that will not cost a fortune in the future with the spread of the ULEZ money making machine.
Thinking of a used C350e to replace my A4. A very useful video and I wonder how you got on with the battery. Your video was posted 2 yrs ago. Do you still have the car and has the battery deteriorated?
I only owned the car for 3 years so was sold back in 2021.
Those heating buttons is OK in European left hand versions 😊
Germans dont give a shit on right hand versiuns.. Good job for that !!
As a fellow owner of a C350e I would definitely agree with almost all of the things you said. Mine is a 2015, so slightly older but the High-Voltage battery still provides the same (admittedly not great) range as it did when the car was new. The C350e's hybrid battery cells are actually LiFePo4, which is unusual for a PHEV-High-Voltage-Battery but apparently is a long-lasting battery technology.
One point where my experience differs though is when it comes to the handling caracteristics. In Eco and Comfort they are admittedly not that great and everything is very floaty. But with good high performance tires (potentially lower profile would bring advantages as well but I also run the stock 17inch alloys most of the time) and in Sport+ mode i actually prefer the handling of the C350e to that of my previous BMW 330i E46. To me, the steering loads up more nicely and the car feels more progressive above the limit. Under sporty driving I usually have the ESP turned off because otherwise it feels like something is occasionally interfering with the steering and the electronic steering sometimes doesn't give any assist when turning into corners at the limit. Switching it off solves both these issues and I'm used to driving without it from previous cars. Even with the ESP turned off it will still intervene before you run out of steering lock or significantly earlier at higher speeds. The one disadvantage is that understeer is not that well communicated though the steering should it occur. This is not the primary handling characteristic of the car though as it tends more towards oversteer and in my experience it also greatly varies on tire type. So to my mind the car only really starts coming alive at around 10/10, but I guess everyone has different preferences when it comes to handling of a car.
Thank you and a big thumbs up for the Video!
Thanks for your info - always welcome different views to car 👍🏻
Hi, my friend, Recently, my C350e has always kept the engine on even though on thr hybrid mode. AND the E-mode is not available. Do you have any idea about this issue?
I agree with everything you said because I use to own C350e. I now own a 2020 BMW 330e and it is the best car I have ever driven. Next March I will upgrade to a full electric BMW i4 edrive 40. Watch this space as I am fully battery cars will have their problems.
Lifting suspension is not in the aircon cluster. That is the button for recirculation... the app is mostly used for preheating the car. My c350e is 5 years old. Batteries are still at 98%. So... stop whining.
I think you missed my intro - I think the C350e is a great car but it does have some annoying features that potential owners need to be aware of.
@@FastandFun I didn't mis the intro, the rest of the review was a bit of a lot of nit-picking 😉 about that El cheapo black plastic: I fully agree and chose to have the black wood in the dashboard.
Stuff that annoys me,
2016 C350e with 49k kms on ODO used vehicle
-Air conditioning cant be turned off with a single button
-The screen feels a touch laggy
-Can't see engine temperature
-Reverse gear takes a couple seconds to engage from drive, not good while reversing in a hurry
-The 7DCT shifts feel hesitant at lower city speeds and shifts seem a touch jerky, BMWs 8zf TQ is wayyy better with that stuff
-Brakes feel grabby AF and a sudden pause while down shifts while decelerating, requires a trained foot and increased focus to iron em while driving, which sort of kills the luxury and relaxed driving experience of a car
BTW, the battery's are safe and still function pretty well
i have found on my C300h that the best way to use the air con system is to pull down on the scroll wheel and select A/C on the infotainment screen, then you have a lot more settings to play with.
sell it while you can
@@popularvibes__ ohhh dear
Great video!
Also a fellow owner from the Netherlands, but I like our car for sure and as a second-hand buyer and I am not driving a lot(cause of my work at sea); I am a little bit waiting till Mercedes will give out a more impressive battery pack for the same car and improve our electric range, as 30 km is not a lot and sometimes when I forget to go to E-save; Hybrid mode goes over to Charging Mode... But I love this car and the looks, but I have the Big Star, actually I like the old fashion grill and the ensign on the top of the nose better, but that is maybe a person choose... My annoying moments; only driving and taking out my sunglasses from the pocket, a lot of sun and when I finally got view again... I called emergency numbers automatically, as the Emergency button is next to it. For the rest this car is so nice and well made (have another interior and wood). Best regards, Wouter
What annoys me about Mercedes is how you can only operate what’s on the screen. If you have sat nav on, you can’t move the music on one track for example. Only by changing the in front of you display. Can’t get Apple play on the 2016 model. Can’t change the permanent display to show outside temperature, on Km’s. In winter getting 7-11 miles on a charge. I’ve had company cars for 30+ years so this is my 1st owned car. Wish I’d gone for the BMW X3..
Mines a 2016 C63s estate same colour. I agree with you the switchgear looks nice but is fiddly , the comand is crap, the web browser doesn't work, tunin radio only has v limited stations, when I first had it there virtually were unlimited stations. The door handles feel light out of a cheap kitchen. I needed a new battery after year which was 350 quid to replace. The radio is very complex to use, just needs a simple dial, you have to be an IT expert to use the media player, lucky I am an IT expert but even I find it overly complicated. You need to know about MP3 file structure the various types of bits rate where to put the route file in the route folder so much unnecessary IT stuff just to make tha player work to its maximum potential. That e flap is bad. Mine has a Matic suspension so it is a fantastic car the tires have done 32,000 miles and still have another probably 10,000 left on them but then they are those massive 19 inch flat tires. It’s bad because the UK market is absolutely massive for Mercedes and they can’t be bothered to properly cater for right hand drive cars. It’s like put up and shut up.
Coincidentially I had the exact same car as yourself and similar feelings about it (I also remember some online functions being deactivated for some licensing reason that you couldn't solve - like the traffic camera pics which I used to enjoy!). Also bizarrely the Mazda 5 MPV I owned simultaneously had a better sounding stereo system than the Burmester. I disposed of the car after having a rubbish experience with the main agents which put me right off Mercedes ownership. Also the novelty value of the power/noise had just about worn off.
Really??… is that it??….I have the c350e sport’s premium plus… it’s a beauty… nothing you have pointed out is anything worth considering… though your last point is quite good. Anyway, in sport and sport+ mode it’s a crackin motor👍🏼👍🏼 ☘️ …. I love it… stop whining 😉
Thanks for the (very useful) moans! 👍
I plan to do short town trips occasional long distance
Should I go petrol hybrid or diesel I’m leaning petrol as quieter ?
petrol/hybrid is best. i do sometimes long distance driving with my diesel but still the partical filter cloggs up. Hybrid can be bad in the long run because of all the electronics. Also depends of which brand you buy. If you buy german have atleast 4000 euro for repairs saved. The c350e is great when it works but as i see, many people now get problems after 100k kilometers with their hybrids.
Ours are company cars, had 4 of them, agree with all points but will add if you buy a second hand c350e and it's ex company car we only have them for cheap tax, they are never charged, ever, I have one now, charges itself to 9 miles range but has never been plugged in as it will be my electric and that's not happening.
Just put a cute glove on to open the flap if it bothers you 🤣
Great video as always.
I didn’t notice this hybrid issue you mentioned. How low the fuel level needs to be to replicate the problem?
One more thing, number 11 if you wish:
Pre-heat issue. Unable to select the ‘entire vehicle’ option. As soon as I select the entire vehicle mode, it’ll bounce back to the ‘drivers only’ straight away. And when I start the pre heating, even if it’s on drivers only setting the passenger seat heating still turns on.
I had a discussion in the MB club with a few C350e owners and they confirmed the same. But those who have Command system, don’t have this issue for some reason. Audio 20 only. Weird.
Would you check it for me please?
The fuel blob’s (technical description!) have to be down to the last one with it flashing. Then, when you start the car it forces you to E-Mode but once battery charge is used it won’t start engine, just lose all power. If you switch off and restart, the engine starts!!!! 🤷♂️
I haven’t noticed that issue with the pre-heat but I haven’t used it for probably a year or so. Will check it out for you 👍🏻
@@FastandFun
Thanks a lot!
One more thing!
I noticed a weird jerky gear changes from 2nd to 3rd gear when it’s cold and only once, no more.
The car has 82k miles and the transmission oil hasn’t been changed yet. I’m gonna book it next month, hopefully it’s gonna solve it.
Someone else also described like this: “On cold start, my car jerks once on the very first shift from 2 to 3. There is no further jerking after that. Is this considered normal?”
Did you experience anything similar?
I found lot of topics about this:
mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w205/586275-jerk-push-jolt-automatic-transmission-between-2nd-3rd-gear.html
@@attilab.2818 I have felt the occasional jerky change in the past. Nothing that worried me, but enough for me to notice. I never investigated any further as it only occurred on very rare occasions.
@@FastandFun
There is a jerk on mine at every cold start when shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear in the first 50 yards. After this jerk the rest of journey is very smooth, no more jerky gear changes. Interesting. Really hope the gearbox oil change would fix this.
Would be shocked if turned out a 66 reg cars gearbox faulty already. As I’m reading through those topics it seems like some owners have been experiencing the same from brand new.
@@attilab.2818 try this as this could resolve the problem m.th-cam.com/video/AA5OBa4a698/w-d-xo.html
You have 300 hp on rear axle, energy recuperation and brakes as well. I would compare rear tyres wear to CVT scooter. What is the front tyres lifespan?
The fronts were achieving between 15-20k miles
@@FastandFun change the fronts to rear sometimes. In northern europe we switch winter tyres and summer tyres, so it's natural to switch place of tyres when switching the winter/summer tyres.
Great to know the if your going to purchase this particular vehicle 2nd hand and the cost of replacing the battery. Have to factor in another few thousand pounds.
i forgot to mention. you can't fix hybrid battery. any fault (even little) means new battery needed
Are you sure it is possible to fix yourself???
Hi, my friend, Recently, my C350e has always kept the engine on even though on thr hybrid mode. AND the E-mode is not available. Do you have any idea about this issue?
Hello, I have a question, does anyone know how many years or how many kilometers we have to change the battery? Can someone tell me how long the battery lasts?
All I can advise is that 5 years has been mentioned multiple times but MB seem very reluctant to discuss. For sure the batteries will degrade over time but I’ve only seen a relatively small decrease in range over my 3 years and 78k miles. A lot will depend on the times the batteries have been charged/discharged I suppose. I know owners with 2016 cars that haven’t replaced yet. Any more info on this would be useful.
@@FastandFun thanks a lot! You know about the prices? How much cost change in Europe?
@@yiannisbaiburtidis9964 unconfirmed prices put it somewhere between £5k-£6k!
@@FastandFun in my country many cars are registered in 2015. Many with high millage,. Almost all cars still run with their original battery pack, without problems. (yes, a bit degradation) Up to now replacing the battery is rare.
@@joostb6816 that’s good to know - can you advise your country please, for other readers to be aware? Thanks
I was planned to go and see one of these today but after viewing this, I’ve just rang the dealer and cancelled.
A lovely looking 2016 with 120k. It has absolutely everything on it but I’m not forking out £13k for that only to be Jack hammered with a £6+k battery bill.
These cars are, in effect, almost scrap in a few years when depreciation hits the £7k mark unless the battery system can be taken out and the car left without it. (Almost certainly impossible?)
Why battery bill? Would a petrol only version be better ? Buying 2nd hand prob 2016-17
The c350e was the worst car I ever owned - one problem after another. I spent €6,000 in repairs in 10 weeks. I would avoid Mercedes as a result.
I just bought this car second hand. And totally agree. I mean the car is nice to drive. But this hybrid system is kind of useless, except for tax purposes.. I still do like the car though.
how about extra power though? It should have more torque when a regular c300 => better driving experience. No?
Me too . I would be afraid to buy fully electric car . I wouldn't trust it .
Number 7... The problem is that you drive on the wrong side of the road.. 😆
The buttons are not on the wrong side. The driver is ;)
LoL 😂
About the switches you are talking they need to be on the driver side - they are in a left hand vehicle. As you can imagine there are more left hand vehicles in the world than right . No manufacturer is going to change its design for such thing.
Yes I fully appreciate why it’s that way, but the style of the switches doesn’t help the fact either
Where did you hear that the battery pack has to be replaced every 5 years?
Direct from MB - the car was in for servicing and I was querying how the battery range had reduced year on year and after 3 years and c.80k miles it was offering only around 60% of what it did when new. Now obviously you wouldn’t have to change it, but then you’d end up driving a 2.0T engine with 200kg of wasted battery weight under the boot which would seem pointless!
So you happy with this car or not, recomend this for someone or not?
Yes I would recommend but I also want to inform ppl that IMHO the car isn’t perfect and you need to be aware of some of the things I dislike.
I was going to buy one today but I change. My mind. Thanks. by the way it is absolutely fun to buy such a car just because of that 19ish mile on electricity. that is not so impressive even during the year 2017. I remember I wanted to buy a toyota Prius just because saving petrol with battery power back in 2017 or so. when I tried and the seller told me higher speed than 30 miles the engine goes on petrol power. I just changed my mind and for me was funny because I drive 30 mph. it is just ridiculous.
I'm still buying it haha!!!!!!!!!!!
same here haha, how its going so far?
I have a 6 year warranty on my c350e battery off Mercedes, but I took it in to have a battery health check and they clearly had no clue how to check it just charged me £255 for software update!
They did You dirty
Was going to buy one of these 3 years old until i heard about the battery life, So expensive to replace
It’s certainly a significant factor to consider
Wow nevermind. Is the 🔋 that bad?
@@fortinito06 I can’t really comment other than to say I’ve not seen much decline in performance of my batteries in the 3 years that I’ve owned it.
My God I am so disappointed . My husband just bought this car for me 4 weeks ago. I love it it's beautiful . White more cream color . It's not premium I did not like the black roof . My car is from 2016 . When I ask asked about the battery . I was told that I will need to buy new small battery that cost about €80 . I think the petrol cost me more on this C350e then on the 1.4 TSI Passat I had before that . Last week I was driving about 3 days on eco dynamic and the fourth day the car stopped in the middle of the road . Lights came up on dashboard and red big sign saying eco no longer available. So I changed the dynamic to comfort and It was fine I made it to the charging point . It was scary . I did not watch the energy flow . My car is so beautiful but now I am worried about the battery's short live . That is not fair because I was told these batteries in hybrids last 8 to 10 years.
I need to ask if I can change the dynamic upwards while driving and acceleting please . I never used Individual mode . I like the S and S+ on the motorway .
I have another question how much miles do you get on 2 hours charge at the charging point ? I get 14 miles at 100% battery charge .
Thank you gentlemen .
Monika
Hi Monika, yes, you can change the driving mode whilst driving from Eco to Comfort and onto Sport and Sport + and back again. The same as you switch between hybrid, battery, charge and engine.
A range of 14 miles following a full 100% charge is very good 👍🏻
Unfortunately, the batteries of the hybrid system aren’t going to get replaced for £80. I think the sales person has quoted you the car battery not the hybrid system.
@@FastandFun thank you very much . Is the hybrid battery life so short only 5 years ? I've heard it is 8 to 10 years .
Thank you
@@monikazajacova5741 I’ve not seen any written evidence as to what the recommendation is. MB aren’t very supportive about this, probably due to the very high replacement costs. I’ve heard that 5-6 years they should be replaced but cannot confirm that period. If the hybrid batteries are returning 14 miles of elec range then I suggest your battery performance is still good.
@@FastandFun thank you for your info . I am sure I will try to trade in next year or two .
Can I charge the battery anytime I run low or will I charge once a week . Could I damage the batter when charging often ?
Thank you
@@monikazajacova5741 you can charge as often as possible. When parked at home my C350e is always plugged into the charger so as to maximize the time spent on e-mode.
1 about the range; yes its not much. Just like every other PHEV at that time (as you mentioned, nowadays the batteries for PHEV models are getting bigger).
For me its enough for short trips around town. Longer trips I drive on petrol anyway. (setting to individual) Its because mercedes have to report the test results according to NEDC method (at that time). These results are far away from the real world. Thats why WLTP is introduced, it will give a more realistic range. Mercedes can not help this NEDC method it not good and they have to report these figures. But its good to mention it for future buyers. :) EV range is low. (actually the car isn't made for that, its a hybrid, not an EV)
2 about the low fuel. I have never experienced this, probably because I re-fuel a bit earlier. :)
3 correct, it performs really good in 99,9%. but if you put it to the limit, especially in fast corners you will notice the car is not made for that
4 tyres; its because of a lot of torque. Some people do only 5000 miles, some people do 20.000 miles with the rear tyres. All depent on the driving style
5 the fuel flap isn't electric as well. I am glad mercedes didn't put a complicated electrical opening / closing system for this charging flap. This is quick en easy. But maybe you can complain about the location of this flap. would like to see it on the side, just like de fuel flap.
6 after a few days I was fully understanding everything. The i-drive system from BMW is a bit better, but this is also really good. I have the command system. The garmin system seems to be much slower (and smaller screen)
7 for left hand drive cars there is not this issue. also; I am glad this car has even buttons; many other cars erased these buttons and you have to use the touchscreen
8 totally agree, the black gloss look cheap. My car is equipped with ash wood trim. It looks much better! I would recommend people to check if you like this. if not; look for a C350e with ash wood trim.
9 I use the app quite often. mainly to pre-heat or pre-cool the car. after a few updates this isn't any issue for me
10 I don't agree on this point. I contacted my MB dealer with maintain many C350e, and they replaced only once a HV battery pack. Not because of problems but degradation lower dan 70% witin 5 years. All other cars don't have any problem at all. My car is almost 6 years old, almost 200.000 km. battery runs fine. yes the EV range is a bit lower as it was new 6years ago, but thats is.
And even if the battery degradates, you can still drive without any problem. Only the EV range will get lower and lower.
Anyway, there are companies refurbish these batteries as well, with a cost of around 3000 euro's. So no need to replace the battery of a new expensive one.
So, some points is depending of the configuration of the car, some points its not that bad as it looks like, and some points is just personal experience.
I can also made 10 points what I don't like about the C350e, but it will be different than this one :)
Anyway, always good to point people to watch out before buying a C350e
Great info - always worth considering other owners feedback 👍🏻
Very low mile for hybrid..not worth to buy 1..i got 1 suck car
Drive on the correct side of the road, and the buttons will be on the right side. 😜
Can you charge and defrost remotely
You can pre-heat the car remotely using the MercedesMe App, but not charge. Once you connect the charge cable it will automatically start charging the car.
You can add a charging scheme in the app telling it between what hours you want it to charge actually, just plug it in and set everything in the app. Maybe there is a difference between android and iOs version?
considering to buy a Merc C350e ...this makes me wonder though.... Do you still drive this car?? If so...why?
No, I only owned it for the first 3 years.
@@FastandFun thanks for responding!! can I ask why you why you changed it after 3 years? To get a good price or expenses or something else?
@@NetDijk It was leased through a company car scheme and the lease was up
@@NetDijkI own 2018 and it’s perfect !
Thanks. I’m not buying one now. 👍🏻
Don't buy this crappy car..i had 1 2019 model
I appreciate the video but try not to fidget so much in the video
The fact you’ve just over complicated an already complicated vehicle for no real benefit ,
Sorry, but I’m not really sure what you mean when you say that I’ve “over complicated an already complicated car”?!?!
Cheaper tax and fuel
Most of the points are complete rubbish, and smacks of someone who had 3 gripes but tried to stretch to 10 for likes.
not the car for you....
You should do a wee first before you do this video
hi mate firstly dont complain on command unit funckions as you not got premium plus package which is faster speed unit burmester sound cams with it and wooden centre console with clock in it. if you had this then about 3 pints is down to things that you dont like so be 7 together. now on rest i must agree and i have for you solution to it SELL IT WHILE YOU CAN. c300 hybrid owner here and as you say battery life is finnishing in 5 years time and replace it cost thousands £4.7k for me car yours is c359 so a lot bigger and heavier battery it be arround £7k to change. mercedes quickly realised those hybrids are sh111ty cars so they stopped productions of them you can buy hybrid now? your car look ugly in me opinion as its not even amg line poor loaded and generally whole c class its just small car. you buy hybrid and thinks you may save some fuel money in fact and reality hybrid is most not efficient car they ever made. it cost more then S class to repair on hybrid system. iam the guy that dont like changing cars and i like buy better car and keep it for 7 years always in this case i have keep me hybrid just 3 years as it is very bad car and expensive to run mainly imagine if you dont change your hybrid battery and the system will recognize battery isn't efficient the car will just switch battery off !!! and you effectively be not able to do anything with it unles you spend £7 k on battery! yes you can drive it like that and dont buy new battery but you will suffer with carrying extra heavy battery at back that you can feel in every corner and not able to use it in any way.. of course you can sell the car then. but who will buy you hybrid that dont works??? nobody unless you sell it WELL UNDER market value. so if car have worth £18k with bybrid fulky working. you can expect to sell it for £12k as broken hybrid... i had to sell mine i was very love it as it was well loaded car but i made first big mistaje i should buy c250 in that spec and avoid hybrid for miles. luckily i managed sold car when battery stil been working. if you unsure ehat to do speak with couple of indipudant mercedes garages how economical hybrids are and you will know what to do.. best of luck
Thank you for a very comprehensive comment. My specific C350e is a lease car so battery longevity isn’t a specific issue for me, but I want to try to raise awareness around these issues.
@@FastandFun oh lucky you if its just the lease as i mentioned nothing wrong with the car but if ever considered buying one then just avoid hybrids 👍
It's so disappointing .
@@FastandFun Hi
I wonder what's the price of leasing this car ,does it include your car insurance and road tax ?
Thank you
@@monikazajacova5741 my lease included everything from servicing and repairs, through to tyres, insurance and road tax, all with unlimited mileage. Difficult to estimate costs as it was through a company car scheme.
Worst car I had ever.
Why?
Not value for the hybrid..very low mile ..battery expensive
@@LongNguyen-dd6tz used is cheaper than normal disel so? Range is not like electric but its ok
@@LongNguyen-dd6tzhow u mean does the battery need to change?