C63/C63s Coupe
Discussion
Budget of around £50k, willing to spend a bit more if it's worth it.
I've always been a BMW fan but nothing at the moment excites me whatsoever. I'd be getting rid of my 435i.
I've looked at older R8/911/V8V but being sensible, I do around 20k miles a year and would prefer something a bit newer/more reliable.
The C63 AMG keeps sticking out at me but having never even driven a Merc, what should I be looking for in terms of spec? I like the new grille on the facelift and I like the full digital dash, is that a pack or is that exclusive to the facelift?
Any advice appreciated.
I've always been a BMW fan but nothing at the moment excites me whatsoever. I'd be getting rid of my 435i.
I've looked at older R8/911/V8V but being sensible, I do around 20k miles a year and would prefer something a bit newer/more reliable.
The C63 AMG keeps sticking out at me but having never even driven a Merc, what should I be looking for in terms of spec? I like the new grille on the facelift and I like the full digital dash, is that a pack or is that exclusive to the facelift?
Any advice appreciated.
I could be wrong, but I was pretty sure the digital dash is a 2020 model year update, so double check on that as it might take you out of the budget. Older ones are ok and the system works well, but don’t expect class leading stuff. The latest MBUX stuff is one of the best on the market, but hasn’t really reached the 205 yet.
I would also recommend to test drive though. It’s very different to a BMW and while quick, wont be in 911 or R8 range. AMG’s have always been more on the luxury side in comparison to M models, but the C is likely to be the sharpest one available, this side of the A45’s. So it might seem a little sluggish when compared to others. That said, the ride is stiff.
Also, depending on your budget and what you find, go for the S model. It has a bunch of things above the normal one that makes a difference. Unless you can find a spot on normal one, seek out an S. Slightly more power but sports exhaust and electronic LSD make a difference. And those dynamic engine mounts also do a great job of smoothing things out in comfort mode.
Personally I don’t like the edition 1 models and I am informed the designio paint is a nightmare to clean and look after. So might be worth looking at something a little normal and wrapping it if you want the Matt paint finish. Also, I have the comfort seats that are really good but several people say the sports ones are uncomfortable. Was talking to a friend who just bought a 2018 with the sports seats and he loves it though. So might be one of those marmite issues.
One final comment - Apple CarPlay and android auto we’re extras and only available on 2018 and later (please check, it might be 2019) model years. Prior to that it’s Bluetooth or iPod integration only unless you go aftermarket integration. So if this is important, double check.
Things to look for? Modifications! If done right, they are great. Don’t wrong and it’s expensive to fix. So check anything that is done and follow up with the people who did it. A bad map and boost will throw codes and cause limp home mode that can be very costly to fix. A guy on the MB forums recently had turbos break due to a bad map and is out to the tune of $15k!!!! Done right though and there are owners who have 60k or more stress free miles!
Warranty and service history is essential as you might imagine. The engine is hand built in Germany and costly to replace and many dealers refuse to rebuild forcing a replacement engine. So make sure it’s all up to date and get a decent warranty if you can. That said, the engine is stout and other than general maintenance the feedback is that it rarely breaks anything serious! I really think they over engineered this one after the issues of the 6.2!
Oh and don’t bother with the ceramic brakes. Mine has them and they are great, but I wouldn’t buy them specifically. They are $4k each to buy at list and the option was only for the fronts!!! So you don’t even get all around ceramics! Cheap. But that does mean that you need to check the rears! Uneven wear front to back means burn outs and sliding everywhere. That might not bother you, but the traction management system and e-diff grabs the rear brakes a lot and they wear out quickly. So it could be a sign that it’s been driven hard or abused. Shouldn’t be an issue as such, but make sure it matches with the sellers story.
Tires, there seems to be a big list of what they could come with but the accepted great compromise tire is the PS4S. Your call, but make sure you know what you are getting into. Super soft summer tires are great, but will wear quickly and clearly the backs first. So just factor that into any pricing or ongoing costs.
That’s about it. There shouldn’t be any bad ones that might trip you up. But as always double check everything. They are getting a bit of a reputation for reliability and taking abuse, which does look good for long term ownership.
I would also recommend to test drive though. It’s very different to a BMW and while quick, wont be in 911 or R8 range. AMG’s have always been more on the luxury side in comparison to M models, but the C is likely to be the sharpest one available, this side of the A45’s. So it might seem a little sluggish when compared to others. That said, the ride is stiff.
Also, depending on your budget and what you find, go for the S model. It has a bunch of things above the normal one that makes a difference. Unless you can find a spot on normal one, seek out an S. Slightly more power but sports exhaust and electronic LSD make a difference. And those dynamic engine mounts also do a great job of smoothing things out in comfort mode.
Personally I don’t like the edition 1 models and I am informed the designio paint is a nightmare to clean and look after. So might be worth looking at something a little normal and wrapping it if you want the Matt paint finish. Also, I have the comfort seats that are really good but several people say the sports ones are uncomfortable. Was talking to a friend who just bought a 2018 with the sports seats and he loves it though. So might be one of those marmite issues.
One final comment - Apple CarPlay and android auto we’re extras and only available on 2018 and later (please check, it might be 2019) model years. Prior to that it’s Bluetooth or iPod integration only unless you go aftermarket integration. So if this is important, double check.
Things to look for? Modifications! If done right, they are great. Don’t wrong and it’s expensive to fix. So check anything that is done and follow up with the people who did it. A bad map and boost will throw codes and cause limp home mode that can be very costly to fix. A guy on the MB forums recently had turbos break due to a bad map and is out to the tune of $15k!!!! Done right though and there are owners who have 60k or more stress free miles!
Warranty and service history is essential as you might imagine. The engine is hand built in Germany and costly to replace and many dealers refuse to rebuild forcing a replacement engine. So make sure it’s all up to date and get a decent warranty if you can. That said, the engine is stout and other than general maintenance the feedback is that it rarely breaks anything serious! I really think they over engineered this one after the issues of the 6.2!
Oh and don’t bother with the ceramic brakes. Mine has them and they are great, but I wouldn’t buy them specifically. They are $4k each to buy at list and the option was only for the fronts!!! So you don’t even get all around ceramics! Cheap. But that does mean that you need to check the rears! Uneven wear front to back means burn outs and sliding everywhere. That might not bother you, but the traction management system and e-diff grabs the rear brakes a lot and they wear out quickly. So it could be a sign that it’s been driven hard or abused. Shouldn’t be an issue as such, but make sure it matches with the sellers story.
Tires, there seems to be a big list of what they could come with but the accepted great compromise tire is the PS4S. Your call, but make sure you know what you are getting into. Super soft summer tires are great, but will wear quickly and clearly the backs first. So just factor that into any pricing or ongoing costs.
That’s about it. There shouldn’t be any bad ones that might trip you up. But as always double check everything. They are getting a bit of a reputation for reliability and taking abuse, which does look good for long term ownership.
Thanks for the comprehensive reply.
I'm looking for more comfort/luxury and reliability which is why an older R8/V8V was quite quickly knocked off the list.
I keep seeing this in the classifieds...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
What options should I specifically be looking for?
I'm looking for more comfort/luxury and reliability which is why an older R8/V8V was quite quickly knocked off the list.
I keep seeing this in the classifieds...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
What options should I specifically be looking for?
AB said:
What options should I specifically be looking for?
Good question - that one you provided a link for looks pretty damn nice. Mercedes does a pretty good job of adding extras over the lifetime of the models so they will be high spec to start with. While the options look like they are extra, they all came with a whole bunch of stuff.The S will come with the eLSD, active engine mounts and sports exhaust, so they are all good. The Burmester stereo is good, but I think its standard anyway. AMG track app? Yeah, up to you, but probably can skip that. Other than that, pretty much everything is standard for what you need. Sunroof can probably be skipped as it steals headroom (in the saloon at least) and I mentioned the seats before. Midnight pack? Yeah, not a big fan (mine has it), but its a visual thing only.
I would check on useful stuff though - parking sensors are essential (mine doesnt have them) and the 360 camera is good. Reversing camera should be standard, but the combination of all of those should be good. Also, the self steer / lane keep stuff is nice, but you can probably skip that. Ceramic brakes are not essential either. If you can (and depends on the infotainment version), get Apple CarPlay / Android Auto as it makes the whole thing useful. But the other stuff is all appearance stuff - like the seat belts, yeah, dont need the funky colors! I think heated seats are standard, but if you can cooled ones are nice - but I am in California so kinda need them (I dont have them).
But everything else like auto wipers, auto lights, climate control and stuff are all standard.
All good advice/ info from OA there.
I had the S model in Designo Magno Grey and I would say its so much easier to keep clean then gloss finished cars. For starters, you don't get swirl marks and always found it quicker to make it look lovely and clean.
S is definitely the one to go for. Comfortable, seriously quick and an awesome soundtrack. Good fun to drive too and you can enjoy the V8 at any speed.
Get one with a Mercedes warranty if that's important, you can get a lapsed warranty but it's close to double the cost of getting one that's still under warranty.
When I bought mine, it had 3 weeks left before the manufacturer warranty was going to run out. It cost just under £1,700 to renew for the year... or if it had lapsed then the cost to renew would have been circa £2,800!
So worth bearing in mind.
I had the S model in Designo Magno Grey and I would say its so much easier to keep clean then gloss finished cars. For starters, you don't get swirl marks and always found it quicker to make it look lovely and clean.
S is definitely the one to go for. Comfortable, seriously quick and an awesome soundtrack. Good fun to drive too and you can enjoy the V8 at any speed.
Get one with a Mercedes warranty if that's important, you can get a lapsed warranty but it's close to double the cost of getting one that's still under warranty.
When I bought mine, it had 3 weeks left before the manufacturer warranty was going to run out. It cost just under £1,700 to renew for the year... or if it had lapsed then the cost to renew would have been circa £2,800!
So worth bearing in mind.
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