BMW 135i owner, now looking at 4.7L SL500 or 4L C63

[Stevejm]

I drove my W204 from Manchester to Jena in East Germany and back again, via Haalstad in Austria and Grindelwald in Switzerland. That was a good trip. Last summer I drove my current car from Manc to Hanover, including a 2 day stopover at the Nurburgring where I did 13 laps. Another great trip. I thrashed both cars.
From someone who has owned both cars over a long period of time - the 4.0 with switchable exhaust sounds so much better than the 6.2. Own both, try both - you'll

I drove my W204 from Manchester to Jena in East Germany and back again, via Haalstad in Austria and Grindelwald in Switzerland. That was a good trip. Last summer I drove my current car from Manc to Hanover, including a 2 day stopover at the Nurburgring where I did 13 laps. Another great trip. I thrashed both cars.
From someone who has owned both cars over a long period of time - the 4.0 with switchable exhaust sounds so much better than the 6.2. Own both, try both - you'll see.

sounds like you’ve had a good time in both cars. I’ll stick with my c63 w204 cause there’s no substitute for cubic capacity and there more exclusive and increasing in price.

 

[Iggu]

sounds like you’ve had a good time in both cars. I’ll stick with my c63 w204 cause there’s no substitute for cubic capacity and there more exclusive and increasing in price.

sounds like you’ve had a good time in both cars. I’ll stick with my c63 w204 cause there’s no substitute for cubic capacity and there more exclusive and increasing in price.

Fabulous cars mate and a potential future classic for sure.

 

[Flyingsparks]

Have you got other cars in the household? When I got my 55 I think the first quote was around £1,200, and I’d never bothered with multi car policies before. I ended up with the 55 and three other cars on a policy for less than the original quote - through Admiral. It more than halved my car insurance costs. The savings can be huge...

No other cars!

Quote from my insurer was £850, but that's not terrible considering I'm in London. They would want a tracker fitted as well though - they said that's normal for a car of that value?

Compare the market about £950.

My 135i with JB4 declared was £430 last year!

12yr NCB but obviously young enough that they don't want me getting this beast haha.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

cheapest new now list is £80k, before the huge discounts

Tbh I couldn’t be ****d to get list prices - I was trying not to use the analogy “best house on the worst street & worst house on the best street” to describe the two!

 

[Flyingsparks]

Can someone please tell me..

What does the designation SpdS mean? Some models for sale seem to have this.

Lots of models are advertised as having the premium pack. Is this website accurate? Are there 3 levels? 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Premium Package Or is this just for 2017 models onwards..?

BTW I'm most likely looking at a 2016 model.

 

[Flyingsparks]

Ok, this site suggests there's premium 1 pack and premium 2 pack for the 2016 models..?

Autotrader - page unavailable

 

[Lennox]

Ok, this site suggests there's premium 1 pack and premium 2 pack for the 2016 models..?

Autotrader - page unavailable

And top spec Class will have 3 things:
1. Burmester sounds- look for nice aluminium speaker grills. If they are black is a base spec
2. Memory seats - you will see these beside the door seat controls
3. Panoramic roof.

I had a w205 Premium plus 4matic night edition and it had all of the above. It needed them. Plus if you can get the black wood interior, I had this in my w205 far better than the gloss black and aluminium. I now have this in my A35 and it's horrible. Going carbon once China makes a RHD version.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

No other cars!

Quote from my insurer was £850, but that's not terrible considering I'm in London. They would want a tracker fitted as well though - they said that's normal for a car of that value?

Compare the market about £950.

My 135i with JB4 declared was £430 last year!

12yr NCB but obviously young enough that they don't want me getting this beast haha.

C63 are highly nickable - my neighbour had his stolen at knife point from his drive last year.

 

[ShaunB]

They would want a tracker fitted as well though - they said that's normal for a car of that value?

If you proceed and purchase, then whatever you do avoid tracker network - they're absolutely useless.

 

[Iggu]

C63 are highly nickable - my neighbour had his stolen at knife point from his drive last year.

Nasty. Where was this if you don't mind me asking? I think they are targets but they aren't as targeted as cars like Golf R or Audi S3/S4 or RRs, mainly because the chavs wouldn't be able to control them on the getaway and the parts aren't as interchangeable.
I have a StopTrack tracker on mine -£400 and worth it - and also the Ghost which was about £400 again I think.
I've never had anybody sniffing around mine - but they did come looking at my wife's Golf GTi one night.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Northamptonshire countryside

He replaced it with a CLS 63...which mysteriously disappeared a few weeks later....

His son is a bit chavvy and drives around with the front plate in the windscreen so maybe was hanging out with the wrong sort..

 

[Flyingsparks]

Thanks for this info guys

And top spec Class will have 3 things:
1. Burmester sounds- look for nice aluminium speaker grills. If they are black is a base spec
2. Memory seats - you will see these beside the door seat controls
3. Panoramic roof.

I had a w205 Premium plus 4matic night edition and it had all of the above. It needed them. Plus if you can get the black wood interior, I had this in my w205 far better than the gloss black and aluminium. I now have this in my A35 and it's horrible. Going carbon once China makes a RHD version.

Thanks for the info about the speaker grills - can see that in some ads now.

I think the night edition is separate to the premium packs?

Can anyone point me to a list of exactly what's included in each of the premium packs? I just spoke to a main dealer and they said that there's the premium pack and premium plus pack..? I can't tell them apart on autotrader though.

This is from that website I linked, is it correct?

" The Premium 1 package consists of keyless entry/start, satellite radio and blind spot assist, while the Premium 2 package has LED lighting at both ends, a 13-speaker Burmester audio system upgrade and heated front seats "

And I assume you can't have the premium 2 package without having the premium 1 package?

Is the switchable exhaust a separate extra to the above packages?

Anyone know what SpdS means? Seeing this a lot in ads: " 4.0 C63 V8 BiTurbo AMG (Premium) SpdS MCT (s/s) 2dr "

 

[Steve84N]

It means Speedshift and it's just marketing babble about the gearbox. It's a decent enough unit but not that speedy ironically, the 9G reacts better to the paddles. The shifts themselves are quick but there's a bit of a delay after you pull the paddle.

 

[Flyingsparks]

Thanks Steve. The 9G in the 2019 models you mean? (out of my price range) Does this mean that all 2016-2018 are the same (ie. they are all "speedshift")?

 

[unimog]

Thanks for this info guys



Thanks for the info about the speaker grills - can see that in some ads now.

I think the night edition is separate to the premium packs?

Can anyone point me to a list of exactly what's included in each of the premium packs? I just spoke to a main dealer and they said that there's the premium pack and premium plus pack..? I can't tell them apart on autotrader though.

This is from that website I linked, is it correct?

" The Premium 1 package consists of keyless entry/start, satellite radio and blind spot assist, while the Premium 2 package has LED lighting at both ends, a 13-speaker Burmester audio system upgrade and heated front seats "

And I assume you can't have the premium 2 package without having the premium 1 package?

Is the switchable exhaust a separate extra to the above packages?

Anyone know what SpdS means? Seeing this a lot in ads: " 4.0 C63 V8 BiTurbo AMG (Premium) SpdS MCT (s/s) 2dr "

SpdS is the AMG Speedshift 7 speed auto gearbox.

Satellite radio is only on US cars, those look like US specs.

If you get a C63s model, you get 510hp, electronic rear diff lock (better) and the premium plus pack all thrown in, and the switchable exhaust as standard (I was schooled by another thread on this recently) The C63 just comes with premium pack (lower sound system, no pano, a few other bits missing) and switchable exhaust is optional in these cars. It also has 470hp.

Premium plus is the one to have.

 

[Flyingsparks]

Thanks unimog...so they all have that gearbox right? Except the newer ones with the 9 speed?

Can you get the premium plus pack on the normal C63 model? Do you know what's included in it?

The S model is a bit more than I'd like to pay...I'd have to choose either the S model or 20,000 less miles on the clock...I think I'd rather have the latter (especially if you can get both premium packs on the normal model)

 

[Steve84N]

All the gearboxes are the same, they switched to the 9spd when it was facelifted.

 

[Flyingsparks]

Ok great, that answers that question...so I can ignore the "SpdS" that some adverts have, and some don't...

 

[unimog]

Thanks unimog...so they all have that gearbox right? Except the newer ones with the 9 speed?

Can you get the premium plus pack on the normal C63 model? Do you know what's included in it?

The S model is a bit more than I'd like to pay...I'd have to choose either the S model or 20,000 less miles on the clock...I think I'd rather have the latter (especially if you can get both premium packs on the normal model)

I stand corrected, Member 540YMX posted this the other day, the 63/63s only had an optional premium pack available in the UK from launch which included:

Artico (plastic) Leather dashboard top (looks good still)
Keyless go
Panoramic roof
Burmester Sound
LED Intelligent lights.

Page 41 of this brochure:

C Class 2017 Brochure

Tuning wise you won't get much more than 600hp with out doing down pipes which is a gearbox out job. Bigger turbos and down pipes is easily 850hp+. Tuning possibilities are abundant. You will need a uprated diff if you go the non S car and start tuning.

 

[unimog]

Page 62 of that manual also shows the switchable exhaust was OPTIONAL in all 2016/2017 Saloon and estate cars. Coupe is definitely standard from 2017. Also on the none S cars you don't get 'race' mode in the AMG dynamics set up on the pre facelift cars.