RE: Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG: Spotted

RE: Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG: Spotted

Thursday 27th October 2016

Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG: Spotted

With a plethora of new '43' models in the Mercedes-AMG range, what better time to revisit an old one?



Earlier this week, as you may have noticed, Mr Trent was off blasting around the countryside in a Mercedes-AMG C63 S Edition 1. Nice car, but you'd bloomin' well hope so for the price. At nearly £70,000, it's a world away from the £27,875 a boggo, entry-level C will set you back, and a chunk more than the £56,665 an admittedly non-S previous-generation C63 would have cost you when it first came out. Ouch.

Most will have no idea, in the best AMG way
Most will have no idea, in the best AMG way
Happily, there is a cheaper way to get your V8-powered C-Class kicks, and even more happily, it's decidedly more subtle than a matt-grey-and-yellow C63. What's more, it might just have the added bonus of going up in value, rather than dropping like a stone.

The original W202 C43 AMG was not the first attempt at a tweaked C-Class to emerge from Affalterbach - that honour went to the 280hp, straight-six-powered C36 AMG - but it was something of a landmark as the first C-Class to have a V8 lodged beneath the bonnet.

Let's not forget just how ridiculous this must have seemed at the time. Audi hadn't even produced an RS4 yet, while BMW's M3 was plenty potent enough for most with its 3.2-litre straight-six. Lobbing a V8 under the bonnet of a car of this size was unheard of.

And yet, today, we'd barely raise an eyebrow. Both of those rivals have since had eight-pot motors thrust under their bonnets before downsizing kicked in, a trend arguably kicked off by the C43. It goes without saying that the big little Merc's progeny stuck with the V8 too. Ironically, the first AMG C-Class of many since which doesn't is the one that shares its name - the latest Mercedes-AMG C43, which is on test this week. This was, in other words, an important car.

We wanted a wagon too. Good luck finding one.
We wanted a wagon too. Good luck finding one.
It isn't, however, as well-remembered as you'd think. That's mainly down to the fact it felt less overtly sporting than the M3 of the time; less direct and more laid-back, the C43's thumping V8 delivered its power low down and through a five-speed automatic gearbox that, despite the best tuning efforts of AMG, could never match the precision or involvement of a manual.

Nor was its steering as sharp or its suspension as controlled as the M3's. The C43 was, instead, a sports saloon with the air of a grand tourer; a car which spoke quietly, but carried a big stick.

C43 prices have risen sharply in recent years, meaning they aren't now the bargain they once were. A little over two years ago you could pick up a high-miler for £2,450; today, the example we've found here - the cheapest in our classifieds - will cost you a shade less than £10,000.

The usual problems haven't gone away in that time; indeed, advancing mileages mean even the good ones now have the sword of Damocles hanging over them in the form of an automatic gearbox that's liable to throw its toys out of the pram well before the 100,000-mile mark.

Sit back, relax and waft
Sit back, relax and waft
It's worth budgeting a couple of grand for this, and a little more besides for rust repairs, as like all Mercs of this age, C43s have a tendency to go a bit frilly. Check carefully, too, for accident damage - this is, after all, a fairly powerful rear-wheel-drive car - and beware also wiper motors that fail and are costly to replace.

You should, of course, never judge by the pictures, but nevertheless the one we've found looks clean and straight, with all the badges in the right place. The full service history is a must-have and the statement about it being maintained regardless of cost sounds promising, though you should always check the paperwork to make sure that is indeed true.

One wonders, too, whether that no-expense-spared maintenance runs to a reconditioned gearbox; probably not, but if it does, you're quids in.

Either way, this looks like the best-value C43 on PH at the moment, and while its mileage is a touch higher than the only other right-hand-drive example, the price is comprehensively lower. Not as low as it once was - but then again, isn't that the way with everything these days?


MERCEDES C43 AMG
Engine
: 4,266cc, V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 306@5,850rpm
Torque (lb ft): 303@3,250rpm
MPG: 24
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1998
Recorded mileage: 99,000
Price then: £49,070
Price now: £9,995

See the original advert here

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

Aaron_W

Original Poster:

471 posts

89 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
I know this dealer, they sell some really nice cars there, including some 335d's with M performance pack upgraded exhausts and brakes. Dodgy assholey dealers though.

Leins

9,418 posts

147 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Really like these older AMGs, or even better the rare C55 version

However...

"Lobbing a V8 under the bonnet of a car of this size was unheard of"


howardhughes

980 posts

203 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Beautiful cars. Always loved these. So much car for the money.

howardhughes

980 posts

203 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Leins said:
Really like these older AMGs, or even better the rare C55 version

However...

"Lobbing a V8 under the bonnet of a car of this size was unheard of"

My, my. And what a motor that is.

soad

32,829 posts

175 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
howardhughes said:
Beautiful cars. Always loved these. So much car for the money.
These were much cheaper not too long ago. Perhaps still are? type

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
I remember seeing one of these in the film Romeo Must Die...only reason to watch it mind you.

I like the fairly understated looks, something we don't get now with new cars.

olliete

403 posts

110 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Lovely cars

I'd like to drive one as I am semi-tempted at the moment. I have feeling it'll be lolloppy in the corners paired with a fairly inert slushbox

Leins

9,418 posts

147 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
I seem to recall about £7k would get you into (what looked on paper like) a clean 70k-miler C43 estate only a couple of years ago. Suspect a similar car would be knocking on for an asking price of double that these days

KillerHERTZ

937 posts

197 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Anyone who looks at one of these, check for rust. most will be rotten under the plastic sideskirts. to check this open up the plastic jacking point covers.

DegsyE39

576 posts

126 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Aaron_W said:
I know this dealer, they sell some really nice cars there, including some 335d's with M performance pack upgraded exhausts and brakes. Dodgy assholey dealers though.
+1 not the type of place you'd want to get a car like this from! Looks more like 5k anyway rolleyes

PHMatt

608 posts

147 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
"Let's not forget just how ridiculous this must have seemed at the time. Audi hadn't even produced an RS4 yet, while BMW's M3 was plenty potent enough for most with its 3.2-litre straight-six. Lobbing a V8 under the bonnet of a car of this size was unheard of."

Ahem, that "potent enough" 3.2 straight six was 20bhp MORE than the C43 AMG.

Probably less torquey granted, but probably had 2k more revs to play with.


Bencolem

1,013 posts

238 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Had a blue estate version for a short time years ago. Really sharp, strong brakes, lovely engine note and looked lovely (mine was a V plate facelift) but nothing exciting beyond that and I'd struggle to justify £10k on a near 100,000 mile one now.

Zaim

142 posts

204 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Does this mean the C55 is going to rise in value?

ilovequo

775 posts

180 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Sorry but by modern standards this is a turd...
Waste of £10k

KungFuPanda

4,324 posts

169 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
To be fair, I wouldn't buy anything from Shack's Specialist Cars.

f1ten

2,161 posts

152 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Saw this last week
MIT sounded good

VR6 Eug

628 posts

198 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
I worked for an IT company in 2000 and the top sales guy left and his company wagon was a T reg Silver c43.....I asked my boss if I could have it while my company car was being fixed...she said yes!...my car came back but no one said anything so i kept it for 3 weeks before i was rumbled...
It was comfortable, sounded like a dragster but drove oddly like it was on tip toes all the time, a small drag race out of London onto the A3 with M3 was fun but the merc lost...more of a fast cruiser that a M3 scalpel...my wife loved it though. ....

PoopahScoopah

249 posts

124 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Leins said:
I seem to recall about £7k would get you into (what looked on paper like) a clean 70k-miler C43 estate only a couple of years ago. Suspect a similar car would be knocking on for an asking price of double that these days
I was looking at these 6-12 months ago and whilst thin in the ground there were some around the £6-7k mark.

Maybe not the nicest drive but there's something about the look of them - both inside and out - that is so right. They really got these spot on. They embody the 90s look perfectly, in a good way, and the stance over the AMG wheels is just right.

Tim16V

418 posts

181 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
I believe the auto gearbox issue on these relates to engine coolant leaking in to it via a shared cooling system. The trans fluid needs to be tested if there is no evidence of the work having been carried out before.

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
Kierkegaard said:
I remember seeing one of these in the film Romeo Must Die...only reason to watch it mind you.

I like the fairly understated looks, something we don't get now with new cars.
hmm, the s4 is not exactly flamboyant.