C63 Estate - the "sensible" family car
Discussion
B'stard Child said:
joropug said:
Here's my effort , admittedly my engine is a third of the size of the OPs....
What's with the tea cup symbol - is that to tell you you need to take a break - sheesh that is going a bit far !!!!
No harm and you get a little cup and saucer on the display, very civilised really.
B'stard Child said:
p1stonhead said:
B'stard Child said:
krisdelta said:
The great thing about a car with no mpg is that when you put a roof box on it makes no difference. It’s always like someone has stuck a screwdriver through the fuel tank. The best I saw on a tank was 28mpg in France, the drive south was slow due to rain and roadworks.
Made me laugh - brililant line I will use it with the LC as despite breaking 30 mpg on the way from Norfolk to Milan a few years back (Mrs BC on board) it resolutely refuses to do better than 24 mpg now - Mrs BC hates itJust an update as we reach it's 3rd anniversary as my sensible car. MOT is booked for the weekend, the only potential surprise on these is the very inside of the tyres (you know, the bit you can't see - of course!), but having checked thoroughly, it doesn't seem to have any additional wear there. Phew.
Now, mileage is down, because my new daily is an even more sensible car - a 2007 V8V, this gets wheeled into the garage at weekends and the C63 gets on with its duty as family steed. Now I love the Aston, but it does highlight just how absurdly fast and refined the Merc is. A really chalk and cheese pair, but lovely V8 action no matter what I need to do. Bliss!
My jobs over the winter are:
1) Giving the leather a really deep clean and moisture treatment - it's standing up well, but could use a top-up after a busy summer
2) Selling the 19" wheels cluttering up my garage (or just holding on until I eventually sell the car)
3) Seeing if I can get something car-play like to integrate into the Nav - a local company is working on something apparently
So in summary, all good - nothing has broken as I approach 50k, I have used a lot of fuel, it sounds amazing all the time and I can't think of anything that could possibly replace it - so I had to add another car, just to be safe.
Now, mileage is down, because my new daily is an even more sensible car - a 2007 V8V, this gets wheeled into the garage at weekends and the C63 gets on with its duty as family steed. Now I love the Aston, but it does highlight just how absurdly fast and refined the Merc is. A really chalk and cheese pair, but lovely V8 action no matter what I need to do. Bliss!
My jobs over the winter are:
1) Giving the leather a really deep clean and moisture treatment - it's standing up well, but could use a top-up after a busy summer
2) Selling the 19" wheels cluttering up my garage (or just holding on until I eventually sell the car)
3) Seeing if I can get something car-play like to integrate into the Nav - a local company is working on something apparently
So in summary, all good - nothing has broken as I approach 50k, I have used a lot of fuel, it sounds amazing all the time and I can't think of anything that could possibly replace it - so I had to add another car, just to be safe.
You can't beat a good estate! Although it looks black in this piccy, it was purely because I'd just clayed, polished and waxed it prior to a very reluctant sale....it's actually a lovely dark metallic blue.
Twice weekly commute over the m62 to Manchester during rush hour (usually 60mph limit) and the odd play on back roads on a weekend averaged me 24.6mpg over 43k miles
I have CarPlay in my w204, and might be selling it soon if my car sells next month.
It’s an interface that works with the factory screen and rotary controller.
Hold down the back button to swap between audio 20/comand and it switches to CarPlay mode.
Audio is routed through aux in, so you need to select that source first, this allows the steering wheel volume to continue functioning too.
It also has a reversing camera input too if you’re into gimmicky things
It’s an interface that works with the factory screen and rotary controller.
Hold down the back button to swap between audio 20/comand and it switches to CarPlay mode.
Audio is routed through aux in, so you need to select that source first, this allows the steering wheel volume to continue functioning too.
It also has a reversing camera input too if you’re into gimmicky things
Keep toying with selling mine but fear seller's remorse. There's nothing I can think of to replace it with, with the same sense of theatre. I feel it's a good car. Mileage is low, sailed through MOT and on a service plan. Do I want to give this up?
Mpg wise, these aren't as bad as some owners make out. They like to over exaggerate how bad it is, not sure why. Bravado? I've driven from Herts to Bournemouth on a quarter of a tank. Around town it's a bit rubbish but it's a 6.2. I'm averaging over 20mpg with mainly short journeys.
Mpg wise, these aren't as bad as some owners make out. They like to over exaggerate how bad it is, not sure why. Bravado? I've driven from Herts to Bournemouth on a quarter of a tank. Around town it's a bit rubbish but it's a 6.2. I'm averaging over 20mpg with mainly short journeys.
Stussy said:
I have CarPlay in my w204, and might be selling it soon if my car sells next month.
It’s an interface that works with the factory screen and rotary controller.
Hold down the back button to swap between audio 20/comand and it switches to CarPlay mode.
Audio is routed through aux in, so you need to select that source first, this allows the steering wheel volume to continue functioning too.
It also has a reversing camera input too if you’re into gimmicky things
Hi StussyIt’s an interface that works with the factory screen and rotary controller.
Hold down the back button to swap between audio 20/comand and it switches to CarPlay mode.
Audio is routed through aux in, so you need to select that source first, this allows the steering wheel volume to continue functioning too.
It also has a reversing camera input too if you’re into gimmicky things
I'd be interested in this, what exactly is it and does it work well? Would be good to have Google maps on the car screen rather than having to mount my phone somewhere.
65 Cm measured parallel to the ground from the rearmost point of the back of the drivers seat (behind the shoulders), to level with the bottom of the rear seat back.
Basically the space you would have as a rear seat passenger if you sat bolt upright and put your arms out in front of you....
I’m talking about extended rear facing seats like the britax maxway and the like, rather than infant carriers btw.
Basically the space you would have as a rear seat passenger if you sat bolt upright and put your arms out in front of you....
I’m talking about extended rear facing seats like the britax maxway and the like, rather than infant carriers btw.
JBM78 said:
Hi Stussy
I'd be interested in this, what exactly is it and does it work well? Would be good to have Google maps on the car screen rather than having to mount my phone somewhere.
This is the one I bought, but I got mine from a UK seller and cheaper last Xmas. I'd be interested in this, what exactly is it and does it work well? Would be good to have Google maps on the car screen rather than having to mount my phone somewhere.
It is an excellent mod, all plug and play.
If you’re happy to remove trim and the head unit it’s easy, I did mine in a few hours.
The hardest bit is the lack of space behind the head unit to fit the quad lock harness into. Also, the instructions hadn’t told you to swap the MOST fibre optics connector from the old quad lock to the new, but I noticed that myself and sorted it.
It’s worked really well apart from crashing twice in just under a year, both times when running Waze.
The only other quirk I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t always pick up your music library, it just says it will appear when you add some music, so for some reason it thinks it’s empty.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...
Edited by Stussy on Sunday 27th October 00:59
StevieT735 said:
What are the chances of a pair of rear facing seats fitting in one of these?
I used to own a c63. I also had a rear facing infant seat in the back. I used to place it behind the passenger side but the passenger would have to pull the seat forward slightly. I’m 6ft 1in. I’d not want a rear facing seat behind me for a longer journey. Saying that, I had the same problem in a Range Rover Sport and I’m yet to drive a car where the driver’s space isn’t compromised by a rear facing seat. StevieT735 said:
65 Cm measured parallel to the ground from the rearmost point of the back of the drivers seat (behind the shoulders), to level with the bottom of the rear seat back.
Basically the space you would have as a rear seat passenger if you sat bolt upright and put your arms out in front of you....
I’m talking about extended rear facing seats like the britax maxway and the like, rather than infant carriers btw.
I’m 6’ tall and gives 57cm clearance behind driver Basically the space you would have as a rear seat passenger if you sat bolt upright and put your arms out in front of you....
I’m talking about extended rear facing seats like the britax maxway and the like, rather than infant carriers btw.
The C63 hasn't been used huge amounts in the last few months, I've been using every opportunity to drive the Vantage when Dad taxi duties aren't required.
The Merc flew through it's MOT in November and besides being cleaned and polished a few times it's had an easy ride of late.
When I set out to replace my Vantage in 2016, I purchased the red beast over a similarly priced (albeit newer) ST Estate / R estate on the basis it would cost about the same over 3 years - which felt a little optimistic man-mathy at the time, but I think it will be borne out.
It's an amazing car for the money (now low 20's in value), it's only failing now is that my kids are 3 years older and shoulder width + girls = tempers, it's time to sell up and think about what "sensible" car can replace it. My current AT searches include GLS63's and Cayenne's - I just don't like the E63's (that I can afford) - although a 4-Matic S estate will be on the list in a few years.
In the just over 3 years I've had it, over and above consumables (by which I mean ALL THE PETROL) it's only had a single sensor fail on the A/C unit, it's swallowed family and gear for several weeks away, trips to Le Mans and entertained on every drive irrespective of the speed. The engine is just astonishing and news that the next C63 will be a four pot hybrid make me glad I managed to sneak this bad boy in when I did.
If you're on the cusp of "should I / shouldn't I" for a car like this with a big NA engine, be it a Merc a V8 M3 or an Aston - get on with it before we're all driving 900cc turbo cars that wont go over 70mph.
The Merc flew through it's MOT in November and besides being cleaned and polished a few times it's had an easy ride of late.
When I set out to replace my Vantage in 2016, I purchased the red beast over a similarly priced (albeit newer) ST Estate / R estate on the basis it would cost about the same over 3 years - which felt a little optimistic man-mathy at the time, but I think it will be borne out.
It's an amazing car for the money (now low 20's in value), it's only failing now is that my kids are 3 years older and shoulder width + girls = tempers, it's time to sell up and think about what "sensible" car can replace it. My current AT searches include GLS63's and Cayenne's - I just don't like the E63's (that I can afford) - although a 4-Matic S estate will be on the list in a few years.
In the just over 3 years I've had it, over and above consumables (by which I mean ALL THE PETROL) it's only had a single sensor fail on the A/C unit, it's swallowed family and gear for several weeks away, trips to Le Mans and entertained on every drive irrespective of the speed. The engine is just astonishing and news that the next C63 will be a four pot hybrid make me glad I managed to sneak this bad boy in when I did.
If you're on the cusp of "should I / shouldn't I" for a car like this with a big NA engine, be it a Merc a V8 M3 or an Aston - get on with it before we're all driving 900cc turbo cars that wont go over 70mph.
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