My Take: 2008 C-Class should be off your “cars to lease” list, probably for the remainder of the year. If you want a C-class, look into the 2009 models. The price tag may be a big more for them, but the residual is higher and the money factor is lower than the 2008 models. The majority of people seem to like the Sport trim better than the Luxury, so I will be taking a look at the C300 Sport 4matic, which happens to have the better residual/mf combo.

If you like the site and would like to receive my latest posts, please consider subscribing to our newsletter on a reader or have it delivered to your email. Got questions? JOIN the RIDE AUTO FORUM TODAY!

• C300 Sport 4matic + Premium 2 + Panoramic Moonroof + Metallic Paint
• MSRP $41,025
• Invoice $38,214
• Standard inception fees + tax not included
• Residuals posted are for 15K miles/year.

2009 Mercedes C300 Sport 4matic
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00235 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate

24mo Payment: $601 at invoice, $725 at MSRP
36mo Payment: $579 at invoice, $665 at MSRP
48mo Payment: $541 at invoice, $606 at MSRP

Ugh! $720 for a metallic paint job. The C300 is a nice car, but I think MB is really making you pay for that three-pointed star on the grill. I’d be more willing to pay this kind of pricetag for the C350, not the C300. I would recommend looking elsewhere for comparable models. The IS250, TSX, A4 2.0T Q & 328i are looking MUCH better this month.

2009 Mercedes C300 Luxury
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate

2009 Mercedes C300 Luxury 4matic
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00235 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 46% of MSRP – .00255 Base Rate

2009 Mercedes C300 Sport
24 Month – Residual 67% of MSRP – .00245 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00265 Base Rate

2009 Mercedes C350 Sport
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2009 Mercedes C63 AMG
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 54% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Luxury
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Luxury 4matic
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Sport
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Sport 4matic
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 45% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C350 Sport
24 Month – Residual 63% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C63 AMG
24 Month – Residual 64% of MSRP – .00385 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 53% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00350 Base Rate

Rates provided by Tarry Shebesta from Leasecompare.com

2008 Mercedes C300 Luxury
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Luxury 4matic
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00240 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 42% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Sport
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00250 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C300 Sport 4matic
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00240 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 47% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C350 Sport
24 Month – Residual 64% of MSRP – .00230 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 55% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00260 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

2008 Mercedes C63 AMG
24 Month – Residual 65% of MSRP – .00365 Base Rate
36 Month – Residual 56% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate
48 Month – Residual 48% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate
60 Month – Residual 43% of MSRP – .00330 Base Rate

* Residuals posted are for 15K miles/year. Add 2% to Residual for 12k mi/yr and 3% for 10k mi/yr on all terms
** Rates provided by Tarry Shebesta from Leasecompare.com

My Take: If MB (Mercedes Benz) isn’t taking advantage of the newly redesigned C-Class, then I don’t know what they are doing. A whopping .00365 money factor on the C63 AMG? OUCH! .00230 and .00240 isn’t exactly that low either. I do love the aggressive/muscle car look of the new C-Class. This car definitely more refined than the previous C-Class. I can’t say I would recommend leasing this car considering how terrible the residual and MF are. It is obvious MB is milking early adopters for all they got at the moment.