Did You Know Every New Mercedes-Benz C-Class Has a Secret Price?
...It's the low price you'll never see published in the paper...
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2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Overview

Price Range: $34,800 to $61,430

Your Price: Ask Us

Vehicle Overview
Mercedes-Benz has updated its C-Class for the 2012 model year. The exterior changes are mild, but the interior upgrades are substantial, as is required in this competitive compact-luxury sedan class. The updated C-Class is scheduled to hit dealerships in summer 2011. Competitors include the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G37 and Cadillac CTS.

The three models are the new C250, C300 and C350, which come in regular and Sport trim versions. There's also a C-Class coupe — a first for the nameplate since 2005. The high-performance C63 AMG lives on; it's available in both coupe and sedan body styles.

Exterior
The C-Class' styling has been refreshed, but not completely redesigned. The restyled front end takes after the current E-Class, with resculpted headlights and horizontal LED running lights in the bumper. The eyelash highlight from the 2011 C-Class is gone. Bi-xenon headlamps are optional. The most noticeable changes around back are the new taillight assemblies, which integrate LED lighting in a continuous band.

Interior
Interior trim choices include brushed aluminum, black ash and matte-finish burl walnut wood. A row of metallic buttons anchor a newly designed center control panel.

A new instrument panel package brings a high-resolution color LCD screen to the center-mounted speedometer. The whole panel isn't LCD, as it is on the S-Class and CL-Class. The screen is outlined by a conventional analog speedometer ring.

Entertainment features include a new generation of Mercedes' Comand system, Bluetooth audio streaming and a USB port in the center armrest.

Under the Hood
The C-Class offers three engines. The C250 has a new 201-horsepower, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder with direct injection. The C300 with 4Matic all-wheel drive has a 228-hp, 3.0-liter V-6, and the C350 has a 302-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with direct injection, up from 268 hp in 2011. Fuel efficiency is 5 percent higher in the largest engine, Mercedes says.

All models use a seven-speed automatic transmission, and a new lightweight aluminum hood contributes to better gas mileage. Mercedes says the C250 will get 24 mpg in combined city/highway driving, a 15 percent improvement over last year's C300. The C300 is rated 20 mpg, and the C350 is 21 mpg. The company cites zero-to-60-mph times of 7.1 seconds for the C250 and C300. It's 5.9 seconds for the C350.

Safety
As required by federal law for all 2012 models, the C-Class has standard antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system. Frontal, side-impact and side curtain airbags are also standard. Standard and optional high-tech safety features include blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and Attention Assist, which detects erratic driving and suggests the driver take a rest.

*Overview courtesy of Cars.com

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

"...This was my first time buying a new car, and I really didn't know where to start. I used your site to get quotes from dealers near me and compared them to the Market Price. Then, I used the knowledge I got from reading your Secrets book to make sure I didn't pay more than I should. It was so easy! I love my new car!"

-Sonya S.
Los Angeles, CA
 

Uncover Rebates & Incentives

Want to keep even more money in your pocket? Find available Rebates & Incentives in your area by entering your ZIP code above.

These additional manufacturer savings programs can help you get your best deal.*

  1. Cash Rebates
  2. Low Interest Financing
  3. Special Leasing Options

Some manufacturers also provide first-time buyer, military, and other programs to target specific customer segments.

*Incentive programs are subject to change at any time by the manufacturer.

Secret 1
Consumer Incentives

Zero percent financing, employee discount, cash back, out-the-door price tags...

Most dealers work hard to offer the public competitive prices. These incentives can grab your attention, but they can also obscure the actual terms you're getting on your purchase.

How can you fully understand incentives to get the lowest possible price on your car?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

Secret 2
Finance & Insurance

Most state franchise laws prohibit manufacturers from selling cars directly to the public, so the dealer will be your middleman. But in terms of financing and insurance, you can choose a bank or the dealer directly.

How can you determine what's in your best interest?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

Secret 3
Additional Costs

Destination charges, taxes, license and title fees, advertising fees... When going to a dealership, you must ask for an explanation of any fee you don't understand. But you need to choose your battles wisely. Your local car dealer may have taken a loss or slim profit along the way, and your fighting over something like a doc fee when the deal is nearly wrapped up may be counterproductive.

In any case, there are many fees and charges in the sale process: some inevitable, others questionable. How do you tell them apart?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

Secret 4
Trade-in Value

If you currently own a car, it probably represents profit. The question is, whose profit will it be?

With few exceptions, you'll get the most money for your used car by selling it privately. That's because dealers pay wholesale prices — not retail prices — for used cars, and they sell them at retail.

Your current car's value can be used to lower the price on your new car. However, most people underestimate their used car's value when going to a dealership. How can you maximize your value?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

Secret 5
Dealer Holdback

The car manufacturer holds back a fraction of the price of all vehicles the dealership sells. Then, it returns the money to the dealership, usually on a quarterly basis.

Dealer holdback began its life as a safety net that ensured the manufacturers would have a security deposit of sorts if a dealership missed payments, and the dealerships would have money on hand to cover overhead costs when the holdback was returned.

How can you take advantage of dealer holdbacks to get the bottom line price?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

Secret 6
Dealer Incentives

Unlike consumer incentives, dealer incentives are factory-to-dealer incentives that reduce the dealer's true cost to buy the vehicle from the factory to below invoice.

Manufacturers offer these incentives on a regional basis to generate sales on specific models. These incentives are sometimes referred to as "spiffs," and they can touch off competition among dealers to move slower-selling stock.

For instance, a dealer incentive may kick in when a certain sales target is reached, with each subsequent sale resulting in a higher factory-to-dealer rebate. How can you benefit from that?

Get our free quote, and we'll tell you the secret.

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