That C63 AMG W205 itch is back

[cheshireE220]

My W211 will be 20 yes old bext autumn.
Very reliable car, never been outside MB main dealer (other than for tyres). Now on 150k miles and as my MB dealer says, it's just run in. Never uses any oil between services, no leaks and long runs gives almost 600 miles on a full tank with cruise control motorway driving to Devon and back (M6/M5 all the way).

But I'm tempted to change it for either another E220D that is ULEZ compliant with the digital clocks and tv screen dashboard or a 4 ltr bi-turbo c63 AMG.

I already have a Porsche 996 Turbo and Maserati Gransport as summer cars.

What is a c63 AMG like as an all-year-round car? I do about 7k miles per annum in the W211. Servicing costs for AMG?

I would buy a E220D or C63 AMG as approved used from MB dealer with the 2 yrs AMG warranty. What are prices like fir 2017- 2018 AMG and E220D?

 

[Blobcat]

Unless you’re covering serious miles I wouldn’t entertain a Euro 6 diesel of any make these days

 

[Conor]

Unless you’re covering serious miles I wouldn’t entertain a euro 6 diesel of any make these days

Couldn't agree more. 7k miles per annum is far too low to justify a diesel I would say.

As for prices. Autotrader / piston heads will give you an idea. I've been looking at a 996 Turbo the last 6 weeks or so and prices really seem to be cooling off.. with an average of about 10% off in that time alone.

 

[cheshireE220]

Couldn't agree more. 7k miles per annum is far too low to justify a diesel I would say.

As for prices. Autotrader / piston heads will give you an idea. I've been looking at a 996 Turbo the last 6 weeks or so and prices really seem to be cooling off.. with an average of about 10% off in that time alone.

996 Turbo prices for clean, low mileage cars with good history still fetch high prices - higher than what a quick look at PH's or Autotrader states. Start to spec the car - manual car (£5k - £8k extra), X50 car will add another £3k, low mileage (under 50k) adds another 5k - 8k to the prices. Then look at the service stamps. Has it all been done to schedule with supporting invoices and Vehicle Health Check reports. Who did the service? Look at tyres - premium tyres or budget cheapo tyres - the latter shows shortcuts will have bern taken elsewhere.

Advertised prices are subject to a PPI. It is not unusual for a PPI to throw up £5k - £6k work on a 70k mile 996 Turbo - much of that immediately and the remainder within the first year of ownership.

 

[cheshireE220]

Unless you’re covering serious miles I wouldn’t entertain a Euro 6 diesel of any make these days

I have 4 cars in the house, so my 10k per annum is spread across the W211 daily car and the two summer cars and my wife's Hyundsi i20 runabout.
The E220D is ULEZ compliant I believe. I love that digital cockpit.

The C63 is lovely - but I'd not want the earlier W204 6 litre car. The C63 AMG needs to be the 9-gtronic. I'd prefer a Dual Clutch car like Porsche Dobbelkupling, but Merc dont do one. The 9g box is described as 'wet MCT' but nobody at MB can actually tell me if this is single clutch or is there a slushy torque converter. I'd want the sports exhaust with the flaps that open. Not sure if in Sport or Sport + mode if the engine blips on downshifts ( a la Maserati in sports mode).

Getting more curious.....

 

[Kev555]

Unless you’re covering serious miles I wouldn’t entertain a Euro 6 diesel of any make these days

Second that, I wouldn't touch the latest euro diesels from any manufacturer I'm familiar with regardless of what miles I'm doing. Petrol or Hybrid all the way for me ATM but it's your money to spend as you wish

 

[Uncle Benz]

I have 4 cars in the house, so my 10k per annum is spread across the W211 daily car and the two summer cars and my wife's Hyundsi i20 runabout.
The E220D is ULEZ compliant I believe. I love that digital cockpit.

The C63 is lovely - but I'd not want the earlier W204 6 litre car. The C63 AMG needs to be the 9-gtronic. I'd prefer a Dual Clutch car like Porsche Dobbelkupling, but Merc dont do one. The 9g box is described as 'wet MCT' but nobody at MB can actually tell me if this is single clutch or is there a slushy torque converter. I'd want the sports exhaust with the flaps that open. Not sure if in Sport or Sport + mode if the engine blips on downshifts ( a la Maserati in sports mode).

Getting more curious.....

It’s a single wet clutch in place of the torque converter. It’s not as smooth at manoevering speed as a torque converter, but if you’ve driven any car with an automated clutch you’ll be familiar with that. The rest of the gearbox is an automatic, so once you have pulled away the single wet clutch remains locked, and all gearchanges are on the Ravigneaux gearset. Essentially the changes are all handled by multiplate clutches and brakes. It isn’t a DCT which operates like a pre-selector manual gearbox with two clutches. The changes with the Mercedes are so quick you’ll struggle to tell the difference between this and a DCT. Try one, you’ll love it!

 

[cheshireE220]

It’s a single wet clutch in place of the torque converter. It’s not as smooth at manoevering speed as a torque converter, but if you’ve driven any car with an automated clutch you’ll be familiar with that. The rest of the gearbox is an automatic, so once you have pulled away the single wet clutch remains locked, and all gearchanges are on the Ravigneaux gearset. Essentially the changes are all handled by multiplate clutches and brakes. It isn’t a DCT which operates like a pre-selector manual gearbox with two clutches. The changes with the Mercedes are so quick you’ll struggle to tell the difference between this and a DCT. Try one, you’ll love it!

Useful explanation. Thank you.

 

[cheshireE220]

Is it me or are people overpricing c63 w205 cars? 2018/19 cars seem to be around £5k overpriced. Any thoughts? If I go for one, it will be mid-2023 before I do.

Struggling to find a Buyers Guide for W205. Anyone got a link to such a guide?

 

[SL63 Mark]

Murphy's law. As soon as you start seriously looking for a car, prices go up. Been there got the tee shirt

 

[Uncle Benz]

Is it me or are people overpricing c63 w205 cars? 2018/19 cars seem to be around £5k overpriced. Any thoughts? If I go for one, it will be mid-2023 before I do.

Struggling to find a Buyers Guide for W205. Anyone got a link to such a guide?

There is still a bit of speculation going on. There are a few about, but they aren’t that common. Supply and demand makes some sellers egg it up a bit. A pal of mine was trying to buy one for almost a year. He’s got one now, but still paid £27k for a 2015 car with 70k. He’d looked at a couple of cheaper ones, but sketchy service history put him off. The 70k miler had a faultless history, so he went with it.

 

[Uncle Benz]

I have 4 cars in the house, so my 10k per annum is spread across the W211 daily car and the two summer cars and my wife's Hyundsi i20 runabout.
The E220D is ULEZ compliant I believe. I love that digital cockpit.

The C63 is lovely - but I'd not want the earlier W204 6 litre car. The C63 AMG needs to be the 9-gtronic. I'd prefer a Dual Clutch car like Porsche Dobbelkupling, but Merc dont do one. The 9g box is described as 'wet MCT' but nobody at MB can actually tell me if this is single clutch or is there a slushy torque converter. I'd want the sports exhaust with the flaps that open. Not sure if in Sport or Sport + mode if the engine blips on downshifts ( a la Maserati in sports mode).

Getting more curious.....

I missed the last bit here. Yes, blips on downshifts, both in sport and louder with occasional pops in sport+. With the sound of the vee eight it’s quite magical

 

[cheshireE220]

I missed the last bit here. Yes, blips on downshifts, both in sport and louder with occasional pops in sport+. With the sound of the vee eight it’s quite magical

That's good. The Maserati does that also in Sport mode. I have taken out the central resonator and replaced it with an X-pipe which gives some bangs and pops on the overrun. No need for music. The sound of the naturally aspirated V8 F136 Ferrari built and blueprinted engine is superb in the Maser.

 

[cheshireE220]

There is still a bit of speculation going on. There are a few about, but they aren’t that common. Supply and demand makes some sellers egg it up a bit. A pal of mine was trying to buy one for almost a year. He’s got one now, but still paid £27k for a 2015 car with 70k. He’d looked at a couple of cheaper ones, but sketchy service history put him off. The 70k miler had a faultless history, so he went with it.

I'd be looking to buy approved used from MB dealer with a 2 year warranty. Mileage-wise I'd look at sub-40k with full history. This is likely to be a high maintenance car, so service history and all mileage-related work must have been carried out.

The cars I saw on the web are all over-priced. So if I go with a c63 w205, I'd want to negotiate as a cash buyer. If they don't shift on price, I'd look at variables that don't cost them as much as they cost me - such as service over the warranty period. But it cannot be easy selling these cars today.

 

[Uncle Benz]

Spot on there in my opinion. The prices have increased significantly. I bought my 2017 car at two years old from watford MB. 18,000 miles, perfect history, £35,995. Looking back it was a bargain.

 

[cheshireE220]

I have a budget up to £40k for a 35-40k mileage car. I'd only buy approved used from MB. I'm hoping come summer, a good 2016-2018 example will be within budget. Any spec that is must-have? I guess sports exhaust has to be one. Is there a Premium or Premium Plus spec in c63?

 

[Uncle Benz]

I think I’ve only ever seen premium pack cars, and I look after a few. I’m not a spec expert, but I think premium gets you the stitched leather dash and beltlines, pano roof. Plus is better Comand and Burmeister audio. Options I have on mine are 360 cam, HUD and switchable exhaust. I wasn’t fussed about driver assistance package myself. I’m on my second w205 c63 estate. I had a grey one first with night pack, but my wife prefers blue. My pal Derek was desperate for my grey one, so it was an easy deal. I look after a white S model estate, Derek’s, and now my other pal Mark has the aforementioned blue estate, and two cabriolets for customers too. They are robust things. I’ve not seen many problems at all.