And I thought there was universal love for the C63 AMG. Not in my street there isn't and it's not the noise of the thing waking people up that's caused the bother.
Recounting the details of this just depresses me but the basics are having lost the Eunos's lock-up I've now got more cars than spaces so on a rotation I've been leaving one of them at the end of a nearby dead end street where nobody else parks and a good distance away from any of the houses on it. This, clearly, has been too much for a territorial cretin who started with the passive aggressive notes, graduated to full-blown tyre sabotage and then decided to hammer home the point with a six-inch gouge into the paint above the driver's door handle. This despite me leaving my name and number on the car with an offer to discuss it like grown-ups if there really was a problem with a legally parked car studiously NOT being left outside anyone else's house.
Lack of sidewall disguised pressures sabotage
The paintwork is upsetting. But the tyres are another matter. Whomever did it was sneaky enough to let both rear tyres down by exactly the same amount - high enough that they'd appear inflated but sufficiently low that if the AMG didn't have a tyre pressure warning system I'd have nailed it round the tight slip road onto the fast-flowing dual carriageway that starts my commute with exactly 15psi in each rear tyre rather than the recommended 45. Much as I like a bit of sideways action I'm rather glad the strident bonging and warning lights on the dash were more awake than I was when I'd got to the car because with the lack of sidewall on the 19s I'd not noticed. This in a family estate with a child seat clearly in view in the back too. The mind boggles at the mindset that makes someone do such a thing and much as it pains me to yield to such petty minded idiocy there are only so many paint shop credits available to me with the Mercedes press garage. Who have done a seamless repair on the tricky to match Designo Magno Platinum paint. Extrapolate this down from the £3,660 option price and, for one brief moment, I was glad I wasn't the registered keeper of the 507. The real forces of law and order took it seriously but we agreed their options were limited. Let's just hope the karma police have more clout. It's a faint hope but all I've got, beyond considering a programme of doing rolling burnouts up and down the road at unsociable hours.
Seemingly how they do parking tickets my way - grr
Anyway. If nothing else my week without the C63 only underlined how much I love the thing when I did eventually get back in it. It took all of 50 metres across the car park and I was beaming. September is going to come around rather too soon.
With all the big talk of wanting a bit of tyre smoke and speed for this report it's a shame to have to report the above. And also that my plan to score a 'ring sticker to join the PH smiley on the bootlid didn't quite pay off. I'd intended to drive out to Destination Nurburgring in the 507 and pick up the F-Type I drove on the event from the JLR test centre. As it turned out 'my' Jag came from the UK fleet so I drove it out and back, leaving the AMG at home. Pity; it would have been mega on a lap or two. I've got promise of some track action at Goodwood in a couple of weeks as part of an AMG press event so I will at least get to stretch its legs properly soon.
In the meantime it's just doing what it's always done. Namely put a big fat grin on my face whenever I drive it.
Oh, and the promised informal C63 owners' meet I've been talking of organising? PM me if you're interested in doing one and let me know where you're based and whether you'd prefer to do a weekday evening or early weekend morning and I'll try and contrive a time and location that works as the best compromise for all. That way anyone who wants to avoid a large group of C63 fanboys dreamily eulogising over their AMGs can give us all a wide berth.
FACT SHEET
Car: 2013 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507
Run by: Dan
On fleet since: March 2014
Mileage: 10,343
List price new: £68,470 before options (£80,075 as tested, comprising Privacy Glass £330, reversing camera £390, Lighting Package £150, three-zone climate control £590, Keyless Go £665, AMG Performance Media £2,040, Comand Online with six-disc changer £250, DAB £335, Harmon Kardon surround sound £650, phone pre-wiring with roof aerial £290, Designo Magno Platinum paint £3,660, rear axle limited-slip differential £1,745 and 19-inch wheels £510)
Last month at a glance: Not everyone's a fan of the C63, unfortunately
