I am thinking of getting a C300/C350 4matic because I find my car not as sure-footed as I like it to be in our great Canadian winter. There are quite a few scary moments as my car does not go in the direction that I steer.
Do you think that a 4matic can prevent me from fishtailing in snowy condition? Does the car sacrifice some of its power/acceleration due to it being 4matic?
Your opinion is much appreciated.
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Curiosity killed the cat. Come on, kitty kitty. What's in the water?
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They cost more, cost more to repair, weigh more and drink more fuel. I would stick with the 4 cylinder model you have now and maybe get some better winter tires for it. Can you imagine paying $2.50 per L in a couple of years, for a car that drinks 14 L/100 km?
I agree with both comments above (mostly, even if they are perhaps opposite to each other). But you should not expect 4-matic reducing fishtailing a lot, it is more for increasing grip when you have trouble getting forward at lowish speed. ESP would make a RWD car equally stable (give or take a few very exceptional cases where the difference in stability would still be small).
A 4-matic too should be driven with good winter tyres if you have a real winter with (occasional) snow.
There are quite a few scary moments as my car does not go in the direction that I steer.
Do you think that a 4matic can prevent me from fishtailing in snowy condition? Does the car sacrifice some of its power/acceleration due to it being 4matic?
Let's get one thing clear: 4Matic (or any all-wheel-drive system) DOES NOT improve traction for steering. If your car isn't going where you steer it, that's because the FRONT tires are losing traction. 4Matic only improves traction for accelerating, not turning.
Fishtailing is the result of the REAR tires losing traction. 4Matic should reduce fishtailing because the front wheels are also pulling. HOWEVER, note that MB biases the amount of power to the rear axle so it drives MORE like a RWD vehicle, so with the traction control turned off, it is possible to make a 4Matic fishtail. I've done it on my E430 4Matic.
Finally, YES, 4Matic causes a slight sacrifice in power and acceleration. First, there are more mechanical gears which causes a loss in power reaching the wheels due to mechanical friction. Second, the 4Matic system makes the vehicle heavier. More weight means slower acceleration and increased fuel consumption. Having said that, 99.9 percent of drivers will never perceive the difference in performance.
I am in California and I drove 4-Matic wagon for few years -selling it only because they don't come with diesel.
The 1 mpg loss is nothing comparing to the confidence of taking sharp turn after the rain, or not having to put chains on, when I go skiing.
Actually one crossing of desert flood in Nevada made all the sense of owning 4-Matic I needed.
MB's minimal gas mileage loss with 4wd makes it a non-issue. And those of us that live in California and drive into the Sierra mountains in the winter will appreciate 4wd frequently when they can legally avoid installing chains (chain requirements are enforced on the major highways in California).
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