What's next after the 1996 C36 AMG? UTTER DILEMMA!
Discussion
Hello All!
So in 2012 I bought a C36. It is silver and it goes like hell. I was 23. My parents thought I was silly and my friends thought I looked like I'd stolen my Dad's car. I didn't care. The sound. The power. The comfort. The badge. I loved it. I still do. Alas it's costing £80 a week in fuel and insurance is £1000. It's unsustainable.
What's next? I've been thinking Brera diesel. They're pretty. And look exciting.
Maybe S2K?
I've considered E46 diesel but they are missing something so important.
Character.
I hope whatever comes next makes me fall in love with it as much as that old tank of a Merc. And doesn't cripple me financially. I hope it stands out - I hope it's cheaper to run - I hope it goes like a scalded rat - and I hope it costs less than £6k
But I don't know what it is?
Fire away!
So in 2012 I bought a C36. It is silver and it goes like hell. I was 23. My parents thought I was silly and my friends thought I looked like I'd stolen my Dad's car. I didn't care. The sound. The power. The comfort. The badge. I loved it. I still do. Alas it's costing £80 a week in fuel and insurance is £1000. It's unsustainable.
What's next? I've been thinking Brera diesel. They're pretty. And look exciting.
Maybe S2K?
I've considered E46 diesel but they are missing something so important.
Character.
I hope whatever comes next makes me fall in love with it as much as that old tank of a Merc. And doesn't cripple me financially. I hope it stands out - I hope it's cheaper to run - I hope it goes like a scalded rat - and I hope it costs less than £6k
But I don't know what it is?
Fire away!
You could like a diesel I suppose, it could be cheap to fuel and tax, but what would you love about it? I think to love a car, it really needs to get under your skin, like something special like an AMG would. I can't see a diesel ever having that pull that makes you want to drive it.
Would you ever go for a drive for the sake of it in a derv? Would you ever seek out a good road, to run that clonking smokebox engine up to 4500rpm, winding the window down to hear the clatter and roar, and smell that thick diesel smog?
Would you ever go for a drive for the sake of it in a derv? Would you ever seek out a good road, to run that clonking smokebox engine up to 4500rpm, winding the window down to hear the clatter and roar, and smell that thick diesel smog?
Enjoyed reading your post. I had an e36 m3 at about your age. Similar story of financial ruin! I got a Subaru Impreza turbo after that. Highly recommended and possibly a little better on fuel. Handling was a complete revelation after the fairly heavy m3. I remember having reservations over the looks but you forget all about them when you are driving it! Insurance was very reasonable too. Best of luck.
I do rather agree with the strikethrough above to be honest! Petrol is the giver of soul character excitement etc. Maybe there is a car, much like the original MX5 for example, which really doesn't cost the earth to run, and is fun and does have character. You may say well just go for an original MX5 but I do like a car to feel safe and sturdy - which I don't think one will. I'm not interested in rust, leaks and failing of MOT's. (The Merc did it's fair share of this and it's head-doing) I'm after something more modern I suppose. But I feel that modern-ness and soul-less ness are sort of proportional if you know what I mean. I hope someone can prove me wrong.
I have a mate who works as a mech. He always bangs on that the BMW 20d units are literally amazing engines. There's just that BMW stigma isn't there? BMW t
t Syndrome. I wouldn't have thought 1 series's attract that stigma though so that is a great shout. +1 that man.
I wonder if there are 123d's in price range?
t Syndrome. I wouldn't have thought 1 series's attract that stigma though so that is a great shout. +1 that man.I wonder if there are 123d's in price range?
You won't find the car. Fact. So instead look at block insurance policies (I have a trade one which makes it a little easier) and get something utterly drab and diesel to do the works commute, and leave your high performance guzzler on the drive at home to enjoy at the weekends. I did similar for a while; ran a knackered but fundamentally bullet-proof pd-engined A4 tdi that had been to the moon and back twice to do all my running around, it never faltered, and drove my V8 Merc sparingly, enjoying every moment!
still love it though A nice dilemma - I like those C36 AMGs, strange and rare as they are. Rectangular tailpipes! I did something similar to you at that age, but with a 190e 2.5-16.
I've driven a huge ton of diesels but few if any have that excitement factor. I replaced my car with a Citroen c5 diesel - although I've a weekend car too.
I've driven a few 320Ds, and would avoid if you are looking for any excitement. The later models, 09 onwards, are getting a bit more interesting performance wise, but it's still no C36. The 330d is much better, and the 204bhp version in the e46 (coupe only) would be worth a look and goes well.
If you want some driving appeal in a diesel then in my experience the more lightweight FWD stuff is more exciting to drive than a 320D. Golf Mk 5, Mk2 A3, Leon, Megane, Fabia, all do decent engines with some interest.
I've driven a huge ton of diesels but few if any have that excitement factor. I replaced my car with a Citroen c5 diesel - although I've a weekend car too.
I've driven a few 320Ds, and would avoid if you are looking for any excitement. The later models, 09 onwards, are getting a bit more interesting performance wise, but it's still no C36. The 330d is much better, and the 204bhp version in the e46 (coupe only) would be worth a look and goes well.
If you want some driving appeal in a diesel then in my experience the more lightweight FWD stuff is more exciting to drive than a 320D. Golf Mk 5, Mk2 A3, Leon, Megane, Fabia, all do decent engines with some interest.
If you get the newer 3.0 E90 325i they are claimed to average 40mpg and are meant to get close to that figure to save you going for a diesel.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
nct001 said:
Sorry to sound like a bell end but a c36 is NOT fast and about as initially special as a grope from a mates mum, with time you will learn about cars...
At least you're honest about sounding like a bell end. 
0-60 in 6 secs is fast. There is a much wider range of cars these days which can accelerate that quickly, but that does not change the fact that it is still fast. I would be interested to know the % of the UK driving population who have a car that does 0-60 in 6 seconds or less.
10%? And of that, how many would actually regularly do full-bore acceleration in the lower couple of gears in order to experience what 0-60 (or 10-70) feels like in 6 seconds?
For the vast majority of the general public, the C36 is a quick car.
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