1998 C43 AMG estate
Discussion
The dripping of the faulty guttering drew my attention this morning. I had been awake for maybe fifteen minutes previously, my mind firmly occupied. The car, it called, I wasn't sure what drew me towards it but there was no doubt that I was already under its control.
It all started with a flippant comment: 'If we got a van we wouldn't need to use the car!'
I had sewn the seeds of what was to follow, our faithful Volvo was to be sold and in it's place an estate must follow (Two dogs to accommodate) however it must not be for any business use. Our familial mileage whilst mild was tough on cars and it was time to change.
I suggested that, as the business was doing well, we could afford a van on lease to take the punishment and that the next car should be something that we want rather than need. With a mild sense of shock I found agreement.
The budget was set, we started looking. I reckoned that RS4's and RS6's would be the favourites and I was right, but something didn't fit, the prices were too high or in some cases suspiciously low. I was aware that my dad didn't want anything too high maintenance or too expensive (The arch Scot strikes)
Lo and behold a car arrived! A '98 C43 AMG estate. It had all we needed, space, pace and cheap. The interior wasn't perfect, black with contrasting white inserts, the bodywork needed a little preventative maintenance too. It is rare and has a big V8, just what we wanted.
Whilst seemingly perfect it was just outside Bristol, over 500 miles away. This almost insurmountable problem was solved (More than likely for the first time) by Easyjet, flights were only £36.98 for the two of us and the seller would meet us there. The deal was as well as done!
So We travelled, ready to meet a car so far from where we began it was positively frightening. Pictures can only show you so much but reality shocks you sometimes. Meeting this car did that to me. For an estate car to sit so low as standard is a shock, I'm 5'8" and its roofline isn't much above my armpit. I loved it at first sight, all angles and slabs.
This car was made for me.
It may not be mine, but it was made for me.
The car starts with a V8 flourish. That beautiful rumble continues throughout the driving experience. At all times you know (very gently) what you are driving. The gearbox is not perfect but I can honestly say it is much better than I was expecting. It's warm an comforting, the torque sends you down the road without effort, when pushed the box shifts down to propel you as if you were being led by a river in flood, nothing too sudden merely a feeling of unstoppable force.
This is already starting to sound like the best advert Mercedes could ask for, but there's more!
The handling, I didn't expect the handling, there's less roll than my M135i! It tips slightly and grips hard. At 2 tons I was fearing a wallowy beast, instead it's sharp and easy to direct. I reckon that with the right conditions and running on decent tyres it would be bloody hard to shift off your bumper regardless of what you were driving.
I'd include pictures, however my computer isn't allowing me that courtesy.
They follow soon.
It all started with a flippant comment: 'If we got a van we wouldn't need to use the car!'
I had sewn the seeds of what was to follow, our faithful Volvo was to be sold and in it's place an estate must follow (Two dogs to accommodate) however it must not be for any business use. Our familial mileage whilst mild was tough on cars and it was time to change.
I suggested that, as the business was doing well, we could afford a van on lease to take the punishment and that the next car should be something that we want rather than need. With a mild sense of shock I found agreement.
The budget was set, we started looking. I reckoned that RS4's and RS6's would be the favourites and I was right, but something didn't fit, the prices were too high or in some cases suspiciously low. I was aware that my dad didn't want anything too high maintenance or too expensive (The arch Scot strikes)
Lo and behold a car arrived! A '98 C43 AMG estate. It had all we needed, space, pace and cheap. The interior wasn't perfect, black with contrasting white inserts, the bodywork needed a little preventative maintenance too. It is rare and has a big V8, just what we wanted.
Whilst seemingly perfect it was just outside Bristol, over 500 miles away. This almost insurmountable problem was solved (More than likely for the first time) by Easyjet, flights were only £36.98 for the two of us and the seller would meet us there. The deal was as well as done!
So We travelled, ready to meet a car so far from where we began it was positively frightening. Pictures can only show you so much but reality shocks you sometimes. Meeting this car did that to me. For an estate car to sit so low as standard is a shock, I'm 5'8" and its roofline isn't much above my armpit. I loved it at first sight, all angles and slabs.
This car was made for me.
It may not be mine, but it was made for me.
The car starts with a V8 flourish. That beautiful rumble continues throughout the driving experience. At all times you know (very gently) what you are driving. The gearbox is not perfect but I can honestly say it is much better than I was expecting. It's warm an comforting, the torque sends you down the road without effort, when pushed the box shifts down to propel you as if you were being led by a river in flood, nothing too sudden merely a feeling of unstoppable force.
This is already starting to sound like the best advert Mercedes could ask for, but there's more!
The handling, I didn't expect the handling, there's less roll than my M135i! It tips slightly and grips hard. At 2 tons I was fearing a wallowy beast, instead it's sharp and easy to direct. I reckon that with the right conditions and running on decent tyres it would be bloody hard to shift off your bumper regardless of what you were driving.
I'd include pictures, however my computer isn't allowing me that courtesy.
They follow soon.
Fantastic post, felt like the start on an epic novel! Very under rated cars, as most pre-63-engined cars are. CLK55 was my first experience and although it didn't win any contemporary group tests it certainly made you feel special. A C43 saloon used to wake me from a Sunday afternoon snooze most weekends, pulling up at the village shop over the road from us. Last of the boxy AMGs and all the better for it. Enjoy!
I nearly bought a C43 saloon from Amari in Preston about 4 years ago, found it to be very competent but did not feel as quick as I was expecting - definitely got me liking the subtle shape with a decent V8 under the bonnet concept though - leading eventually to the Jaguar S Type R i bought a couple of years later
Sorry sorry, here are some pics, I forgot when posting that I would be in the shop all day today without the laptop!
The first few are from the advert:
I've just taken these ones of the interior and the interesting audio set up tonight, as it is pitch black outside.
The car has an after market Sony head unit that controls a 10 CD changer, has a working cassette and most importantly a minidisc changer in the glove box! I had some search to find a cassette to play, luckily one of the charity shops in Inverness had a few almost all Leonard Cohen what a bonus! The CD changer was full which was great though I will be asking the seller if they are his as they're pretty decent.
Note all the buttons on the console, it has electric everything, including headrests! It must have been amazing back in the late 90's. There is no doubt as to how this car earns it's 2 ton kerb weight!
R129sl: The drive north was rather uneventful, miles passed with glorious simplicity even though the pouring rain didn't make it any more relaxing, it's also the reason why I haven't taken any pics of the outside recently as it is properly filthy. The sound of that mighty V8 continuously present, a reassuring susurrous that made the trip a joy.
The car requires its cruise control as the throttle is not the most sensitive or feelsome which means that maintaining a constant speed is tiring. It cruises well at 80-85 mph though, with the revs just below 3k it isn't being unduly stressed. The roadworks on the M6 were a bit of a pain but it gave us a chance to get a feel for the ride which is good if a little choppy, the tyres though may hold the key.
It has been recently fitted with a brand new set of Runway Performance 982 tyres (Not my choice for my high end estate car!) my dad will not change them as they are new, so I may have to do a sneaky swap for something else and flog the old ones on ebay (I was thinking Goodyear asymmetrical 2s. The wheels don't feel properly balanced either as it has a few vibrations that I wouldn't expect from a fully sorted car, a trip to Dingwall for a 4-wheel hunter alignment and geometry check is also going to happen.
The car needs use and a bit of extra love, nothing serious just some more than necessary repairs to make it perfect
There are a few more issues, but in a 17 year old car I'm not surprised. There are a few tiny patches of rust that will be sorted asap, the paintwork is original and it looks like its been washed with fine grit sandpaper its whole life so a good machine polish is on the cards. After the long run home the car now makes a bit of a moaning/whining sound on start up and at low speeds, so hopefully it's just a belt needing changed but I am aware that it could be gearbox related, the box shifts well though so I doubt it's serious. The drivers seat is a little tired so I'm going to look into getting it refilled and finally the engine isn't giving all that I think it could, so a service and check up of the MAF sensors will be necessary, and even though I know it doesn't release lots of power in a N/A engine a remap might well be a good way of ironing out any issues and making the power delivery a little more sprightly plus I'll look into a software update for the gearbox and some fresh fluid.
The first few are from the advert:
I've just taken these ones of the interior and the interesting audio set up tonight, as it is pitch black outside.
The car has an after market Sony head unit that controls a 10 CD changer, has a working cassette and most importantly a minidisc changer in the glove box! I had some search to find a cassette to play, luckily one of the charity shops in Inverness had a few almost all Leonard Cohen what a bonus! The CD changer was full which was great though I will be asking the seller if they are his as they're pretty decent.
Note all the buttons on the console, it has electric everything, including headrests! It must have been amazing back in the late 90's. There is no doubt as to how this car earns it's 2 ton kerb weight!
R129sl: The drive north was rather uneventful, miles passed with glorious simplicity even though the pouring rain didn't make it any more relaxing, it's also the reason why I haven't taken any pics of the outside recently as it is properly filthy. The sound of that mighty V8 continuously present, a reassuring susurrous that made the trip a joy.
The car requires its cruise control as the throttle is not the most sensitive or feelsome which means that maintaining a constant speed is tiring. It cruises well at 80-85 mph though, with the revs just below 3k it isn't being unduly stressed. The roadworks on the M6 were a bit of a pain but it gave us a chance to get a feel for the ride which is good if a little choppy, the tyres though may hold the key.
It has been recently fitted with a brand new set of Runway Performance 982 tyres (Not my choice for my high end estate car!) my dad will not change them as they are new, so I may have to do a sneaky swap for something else and flog the old ones on ebay (I was thinking Goodyear asymmetrical 2s. The wheels don't feel properly balanced either as it has a few vibrations that I wouldn't expect from a fully sorted car, a trip to Dingwall for a 4-wheel hunter alignment and geometry check is also going to happen.
The car needs use and a bit of extra love, nothing serious just some more than necessary repairs to make it perfect
There are a few more issues, but in a 17 year old car I'm not surprised. There are a few tiny patches of rust that will be sorted asap, the paintwork is original and it looks like its been washed with fine grit sandpaper its whole life so a good machine polish is on the cards. After the long run home the car now makes a bit of a moaning/whining sound on start up and at low speeds, so hopefully it's just a belt needing changed but I am aware that it could be gearbox related, the box shifts well though so I doubt it's serious. The drivers seat is a little tired so I'm going to look into getting it refilled and finally the engine isn't giving all that I think it could, so a service and check up of the MAF sensors will be necessary, and even though I know it doesn't release lots of power in a N/A engine a remap might well be a good way of ironing out any issues and making the power delivery a little more sprightly plus I'll look into a software update for the gearbox and some fresh fluid.
What a lovely car. Very rare I'd imagine! The older brother of my C32 estate - also in black. They are epic cars. Very much a wolf in sheep's clothing. I have de-badged mine so it looks like every other Diesel C class out there. Certainly surprises most people!
Sadly I'm parting company with mine (for sale on here) but its easily the best car I've ever had for the match of performance and practicality.
If you haven't already, its worth signing up to MBclub.co.uk Very helpful and knowledgeable club.
Sadly I'm parting company with mine (for sale on here) but its easily the best car I've ever had for the match of performance and practicality.
If you haven't already, its worth signing up to MBclub.co.uk Very helpful and knowledgeable club.
Cassette, CD & mini-disc!!??
Even though it was an MB approved car 2 or 3 years ago, I was under the impression this style C class wasn't the best at dealing with tinworm? I'd be incliuned to get in on some ramps, have a good old poke around, deal with any/all rust quickly and fill the thing with Waxoyl!
Even though it was an MB approved car 2 or 3 years ago, I was under the impression this style C class wasn't the best at dealing with tinworm? I'd be incliuned to get in on some ramps, have a good old poke around, deal with any/all rust quickly and fill the thing with Waxoyl!
Wow, was it really that long ago that we got the merc?! Thanks everyone for the positive comments, I'm sorry I've not been on much to reply to them life has been getting in the way 
Well I thought that it was due a small update. Unfortunately there hasn't been any real progress due to the reluctance of my dads Volvo to sell which has of course held up vital funds. We are getting more interest in that though and with the hopefully imminent sale we can progress with the improvements we have planned.
There hasn't been any worsening of the rust patches I mentioned earlier and no new issues have arisen so first thing first is to get the bodywork sorted and a good deal of undersealing performed. After that there needs to be a suspension refresh, which dependant on cost with either be just ball joints and bushes or new dampers and springs as well, I'm not sure the latter is desperate but when fully loaded the back sits very low which to me suggests that it's getting a bit tired.
After reading Mickyveloce's thread on his C36 his suggestion of a new steering damper sounds good and I need to change out the current Chinese ditchfinders for something decent though I will likely tough it out until autumn and get a set of winter wheels and tyres then put the monoblocks in for a proper refurb and some quality rubber, the last refurb was obviously done by Stevie Wonder.
Anyway enough chat here's some recent pics:
Well I thought that it was due a small update. Unfortunately there hasn't been any real progress due to the reluctance of my dads Volvo to sell which has of course held up vital funds. We are getting more interest in that though and with the hopefully imminent sale we can progress with the improvements we have planned.
There hasn't been any worsening of the rust patches I mentioned earlier and no new issues have arisen so first thing first is to get the bodywork sorted and a good deal of undersealing performed. After that there needs to be a suspension refresh, which dependant on cost with either be just ball joints and bushes or new dampers and springs as well, I'm not sure the latter is desperate but when fully loaded the back sits very low which to me suggests that it's getting a bit tired.
After reading Mickyveloce's thread on his C36 his suggestion of a new steering damper sounds good and I need to change out the current Chinese ditchfinders for something decent though I will likely tough it out until autumn and get a set of winter wheels and tyres then put the monoblocks in for a proper refurb and some quality rubber, the last refurb was obviously done by Stevie Wonder.
Anyway enough chat here's some recent pics:
Such a lovely car, thanks for posting.
An old road test from Sport Auto here, including weights for the saloon.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080804100206/http://w...
An old road test from Sport Auto here, including weights for the saloon.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080804100206/http://w...
Smashing car Fraser. These were built in such tiny numbers, and were so very expensive when new, that they avoided the whole mass-market / lowest common denominator issues the current C63 is going through.
There isn't much w202 (or S202 in this case) love going on, but even the base models look dainty and elegant next to the overblown German land yachts manufactured today.
As previously stated, a £20 steering damper and some decent tyres will transform the car.
There isn't much w202 (or S202 in this case) love going on, but even the base models look dainty and elegant next to the overblown German land yachts manufactured today.
As previously stated, a £20 steering damper and some decent tyres will transform the car.
My friend's Dad had one of these in 2001 and he drove it to a party we were at one day. We were both pretty bored at the party so he showed me the car and asked if I wanted a go. My main memory was driving it on a completely straight bit of road, flooring it, gearbox dropping down a couple of gears and the yellow traction control light coming on. It was awesome, I had a Subaru Impreza Turbo at the time and the C43 was so much quicker and effortless.
After about 15 minutes my friend said to me "If you want to drive some more you are going to have to put some petrol in it" so we went back to the party!
After about 15 minutes my friend said to me "If you want to drive some more you are going to have to put some petrol in it" so we went back to the party!
Lovely car and great write up, theres something about pre 2000 V8 mercs, A C43 saloon has always beenna dream of mine, relatively small boxy merc with an old fashioned 5 speed auto, small steering wheel and a V8 is a dream! Unfortunatley I'll never own one as the prices are rising and I'm too young to get insured at an affordable price (22)
My dad has a E430 estate and that is an amazing engine, however as quick as it is, it doesnt feel quick, it doesnt actually encourage you to floor it, the power delivery is so smooth, doesnt push you back in your seat, given its 30 hp less than a C43, would be interesting to see how the C43 feels!
Question though, rolling start, whats quicker, the M135i or the C43
My dad has a E430 estate and that is an amazing engine, however as quick as it is, it doesnt feel quick, it doesnt actually encourage you to floor it, the power delivery is so smooth, doesnt push you back in your seat, given its 30 hp less than a C43, would be interesting to see how the C43 feels!
Question though, rolling start, whats quicker, the M135i or the C43
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