C32 AMG

[Guy]

Anyone else waiting with impatience for delivery date and even a fixed price for their car? I´d particularly like to hear from anyone with experience of COMAND and Linguatronic -  it´s an awful lot of money if it´s just a toy. Please post your assessment and experiences.
Mant thanks in advance.

 

[Guy]

Advised this morning of price - 44,500 - so I am very keen for advice from those with experience of COMAND - is it worth the money? Spending so much on the car I am keen not to waste any more - but it doesn´t seem like something one could sensibly retrofit, and I don´t want to look back and wish I´d taken the plunge. Is it a useful tool? Any comments greatly appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

Comand is a very useful tool, It is one of the best sat nav systems available. It will come supplied with a cd for UK, other countries are available at a price.

The other thing to consider is the RV of the vehicle.
Most leading Lease companies now insist the vehicles are specced with comand as this helps the resale value

 

[Guy]

Thanks David,
Have organised a test in a demonstrator with COMAND to try it for myself. I know I´ll want it, maybe because of the novelty, and I´m hoping to hear from someone with more experience than an hour´s fun.
Isn´t there anyone who´s been lost and used it? Did it get you where you wanted to go?
Or are you all still trying to find your way home?

 

[JJ]

Hi Guy

Have you ordered yet? Got a build date?
What colours are you speccing?
Went Silver - Black Blue with mine. Would have loved the merlot red, but a bit risky resale wise.
My C32 Estate is due at the end of the year.
My $0.02 - buy with COMAND & Parctronic - at least everything else is standard.

 

[Guy]

Hi JJ,
Don't have to spec my car until 18th Sept. and don't take this personally but am trying to settle on a colour other than silver, since they nearly all seem to be...my dealer has a silver in stock with COMAND and sunroof but no other options, which is unsold! I want to see Tektite in the metal on a C but haven't seen one yet.
Will probably go black with blue inside, if it suits the outside. I am pretty sure I will specify COMAND now, despite the price.
Delivery is late October is all I know.
Guy,
PS have you tried the C32 board at http://personal.lig.bellsouth.net/lig/9/9/996/
It's worth a visit, some of them have got their cars already.

 

[JJ]

Tectite looks good.
I would have liked a dark blue, but in general prefer the C class in lighter colours.
AMG for me is always Silver, and for resale that could be very important.
Black would look good, but I've already vowed never again!

 

[JJ]

Guy

When did you order yours, and which dealer?

Do you know anything about waiting lists, or aren't there any?

I ordered early in the year for an Estate.

I ws surprised at how well spec'd they are. It will be my first AMG car, but I worked out that a C320 Estate with a C32 spec was almost £40,000.

Got any insurance quotes yet for the UK?

JJ

 

[Guy]

No waiting list at Macclesfield Garages - they've got an unsold silver in stock; then mine should come in Oct/Nov and the rest of their allocation is up for grabs.
15 miles away in Manchester the dealer has sold his until Spring next year!
I didn't order 'til July, so maybe I've been lucky.
In the end I went for Tansanite (saw Tektite and was underwhelmed) Black/Blue inserts.
Dreading my Ins Broker getting back to me - we're Gp 19 and he reckons they will insist on Tracker.
Have you got a quote?
In the end about the only option I resisted was the fire extinguisher, so I pray I never regret that...
PS saw a C320 estate AV with 17" and it looked superb, so he AMG should be v. special.
When does yours come?
Guy.

 

[JJ]

Its in Oct build, but I don't need it until Jan 02.

My C32 Estate will have all the std stuff plus COMAND, Parctronic (my Girlie will drive it to work alot!), and Full Climate Control (I'm surprised its an option).

Does yours have the heated screen wash ? I was told it can't be deleted on UK models. Typical option no-one really needs. Ditto dimming / folding mirrors. And a passenger seat with memory - why? Drivers yes, good feature, but passenger?

Tansanite a bit dark for me - always preferred Azurite myself. But it will look cool with the Black Blue interior.

Did you enquire into removing the limiter for 170mph action? A bit irrelevant in UK I guess, but I went in a CLK55 last week and 155mph+ is quite accessable performance wise (in Germany, I add!)

JJ

 

[Guy]

Hi JJ,
Funnily enough it was driving a CLK55 on a 500 mile round trip that got my juices flowing for an AMG, then when the C32 came along I couldn't resist.
I'm not having the limiter off - but I did read about it on the AMG site. 155 mph is enough for me. More interested in licence protection! -  and am researching Geodesy & Bell radar to see which might suit me better. Don't plan (at the moment) on using this car abroad - have to take the family in an estate, and a much more restrained one than yours will be.
The more I read about the car - and the impressions of others who've already got theirs, the more impatient I get.
One thing I have learnt is that AMG is shortly to offer an 18" wheel for the C32. If you're interested I'll let you know details.
Guy

 

[JJ]

The 18" wheels won't factory options though will they? Too late for me any way - I think my spec is frozen.

My insurance is going to be £75 a month - Europe wide, but cheap as I've got a german address/insurance. I'm not allowed to goto Italy/Holland in it though (theft reasons), and the excess is £700. What quotes are you getting?

I'm getting more worried about its fuel comsumption - when using its power (which I'm struggle not too), I fear a tank of unleaded won't go very far.

Let us know when you get your motor.

JJ

 

[BJ]

Collected my Silver C32 4th September, Fantastic.

As for Command, it's a must have.

Linguatronic, still getting used to it (must listen to the instruction cd)

Fuel consumption heavy as 18mph. Hope it's better on a trip.

As for insurance would recommend Tesco.co.uk
They were over £200 cheaper on my C43 & gave me £100 back when I changed the car!

The car is just fantastic, can't stop smiling

 

[Guy]

BJ,
I'm getting so impatient - still haven't got a definite delivery date, just Oct/Nov for mine, but I did turn down one so I could spec my own, so only myself to blame.
Thanks for the tip about Tesco - will check it out.
JJ,
the spec is frozen on mine now too, and the 18" is only aftermarket and not an option.
You can see them at
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/amg/e/fitting/c-klasse/leichtmetall.htm
I have asked my dealer to give me a price as he may be interested in taking the stock wheels as new.
Fuel consumption does sound heavy - but with such performance I guess there's got to be a price to pay.
When I drove the '55' it averaged 27 on the round trip which staggered me - busy motorways, some cruising, some queueing, some low flying...
Maybe BJ will let us know if things improve
Guy

 

[BJ]

Guy,

Rockingham & back last week (approx 200 mile round trip), Motorway, A Roads & traffic managed to average 24.5 mpg & 50mph Ouch!!

But still good fun & worth every penny.

Hoping the fuel will improve with mileage. Now covered 950 miles.

 

[Guy]

BJ
How was Rockingham? Missed the whole thing, even on TV - courtesy of a(nother) slow ride on one of Mr Branson's West Coast boneshakers.
I want my car!
Still no date from dealer.
Guy

 

[BJ]

Guy,

Only went to Rockingham for the Thursday.

Very impressed with the set-up, compared with Silverstone.

As long as next years race is in the summer i'll be there.

 

[Guy]

JJ,
My dealer has a silver C32T in stock which I had a good look at on Saturday - you won't be disappointed; it is a very good looking car. Still find it odd that there's no spare wheel, don't you? I suppose you ring for help if you really mess up a tyre, but I guess noone repairs hi-speed tyres after punctures nowadays - do they?
BJ,
Interested to hear if you have had any problems - or is it just getting better after 1000 miles?
Guy

 

[JJ]

Haven't picked mine up yet - will be Jan 02 when I get it. It is a bit odd not having a spare - loads of the US guys seemed to have complained and got one thrown in for free.
It maybe better to ring up to get help though - a bloke told me that on the X5 changing the hugh spare was such a pain he'd just ring up and get someone out (lifting it out of the boot on the tray is quite some task in its own right)
Has your dealer sold his C32T? I sat in one at the Frankfurt motor show last week - v nice. Silver with Blue-Black.  I think the interior is a bit cheap though for a £44k car. The sliding storage space behind the gear shift is very cheap looking.
The new SL500 was awesome, but I think the SL55AMG looks bloated and the "aplina-ish" wheels are dreadful.

 

[Guy]

JJ,
Why do I feel envious about me sitting in a C32T in Macclesfield and you doing the same at the Frankfurt motor show? Grass is always greener...
My dealer sold both saloon and estate within days of them appearing in the showroom - but there has been no publicity here - no brochures, nothing on the MB website, and no advertising. Apart from Car in the Spring, and Autocar just recently, no articles either. It's almost as if they don't want people to know about the car.
In fact, I don't mind that so much, but the dealers have just got no idea about the car; I was explaining aspects of the C32T to the salesman.
He didn't realise that the car came without a spare - he was completely taken aback when I asked to see the Tirefix kit and he saw the spare wasn't there.
I reckon if you feign unexpected outrage they would throw one in, but I've blown it now!
The interior hasn't disappointed me too much - in fact I hadn't noticed the storage you mention as being poor - time will tell. I guess the driving's the acid test. I'm now told my car has an early November production date, so I should be about a month or so before you.
Hope its not so close to 2002 that I wish I'd waited til Jan like you.
I don't like the multi-spoked SL wheels either, but I don't think I've had a car where I haven't changed the wheels for years.
Guy