2020 C43 AMG Estate

[Art0ir]

Well I'm trading 2 cylinders for something little (a lot) newer. I've been driving a V8 FFRR for the past 3 years and have loved it but I've never kept a car as long and have recently been back scouring the classifieds on a daily basis. I've never bought anything close to new before and tend to go for older, weird crap like E31 8 series, imported Japanese monstrosities and limited edition Isuzu Troopers but figured it was time to put the big boy pants on and get something sensible. I've been working my ass off past few years and dealing with some pretty grim health problems within my immediate family during that time so figured it's time to treat myself.

The massive boot in the RR has served me well with work, family and dog duties so it was either another 4x4 or an estate of some sort. Started looking at newer Range Rovers, X5, even V8 Land Cruisers. Then I had a notion for a C63 Estate. I'd driven the saloon a few times and came close to leasing one a few years ago and loved them. But I've had plenty of RWD before and on the days where they were nigh unusable in these rural parts of sunny N Ireland, I always had a ropey shed kept running with Steel Seal and MOT certificates of quesitonnable origin to fall back on. I don't have the room or the patience for a second car at the moment and work commitments mean I need to be able to drive 24/7 365 if needed.

I also looked into the M340i and S4 but the interiors on them are really terrible IMO!

So onto the C43. AWD, BiTurbo V6 and very well kitted out with the mid 2018 facelift. Bit more research and decided it would have to be a facelift with the following options;

• Switchable AMG Performance Exhaust
• 19" AMG Multispokes
• Memory Seats - MBUK blame the chip shortages for not including these as standard any more, pretty shocking.
• Burmester Audio upgrade
• Night package
• Porous Black Wood trim - anyone that's been in a newish Mercedes knows that the Piano Black plastics are a disaster for dust and scratches. The carbon option is slightly better but I personally don't think it suits the car.

I eventually found one that had it all plus more. Did some haggling over the phone and got a pretty good deal (or that's what I'll be telling myself for the forseeable). Flew to Southampton Thursday night and collected Friday morning with a 300 mile journey for the ferry to get accustomed.

I will update with better pictures when I have the time; for now just one from today (with a large proportion of the winged insect population of England Wales stuck to the front), one on the ferry and some from the dealer's website.

Edited by Art0ir on Monday 16th May 15:35