C63 in my price-range!

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BUG4LIFE

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Subaru Forester STi
Hey all.

As I'm sure you guys do too, I'm always looking at what car I'd like next. I'd love a CLS SB but that would mean getting a diesel [certainly don't have the budget for an AMG]. A C55 or CLS55 would also be high up my list...however, I've suddenly noticed that C63's are dropping into my price-range!

My budget would be around £17k, which would more than likely put me in a pre-facelift without a warranty [if I bought privately]. I guess I need to read up on the deadbolt issue, but other than that it seems these beasts can be pretty reliable cars.

Just trying to figure out the additional costs of running one as a daily-driver compared to my Subaru Forester STi.

I'm sure I'll have a question or two for you guys :)
 
Join the C63AMG UK group on FaceBook. Lots of cars on there for sale at the moment so you should get an idea of what a well maintained example should cost you from a private owner. Most of the ones on there will have had the head bolt issues resolved (but check to make sure) as well as many other little things that have come up on bulletin boards since the launch date :thumb:

Running cost wise you can get away with an A service for a few hundred quid at a good indie but a B service is going to be quite a bit more every two years. MPG is variable in the extreme - I can see very high 20's in C mode on a motorway, down to counting lamp posts in S+/M modes when stretching the legs a bit. Tyres for mine recently came in at c£840 for a set of 4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4's. Brakes and discs vary considerably in cost terms depending on if you have a standard set, a PPP set or the bi-metal set up on my 507 which cost the previous owner serious money to replace discs and pads all round just before I bought the car.

If you can do the man maths you won't be disappointed.
 
Or an E63 Biturbo?

Much more car for similar (or maybe less) money, and much less likely to have had the ar*e ragged out of it.
 
I agree with Phil. E63TT will tick more boxes and be less temperamental coming with a better engine than the M156. It’s a grown up car too with a higher price tag so would be out of reach of those who run their AMG from service to service.

Or go V12 Biturbo. S600 will be in your price range. Most will be scared of the thought of owning one so more choice of cars for you.
 
Join the C63AMG UK group on FaceBook. Lots of cars on there for sale at the moment so you should get an idea of what a well maintained example should cost you from a private owner. Most of the ones on there will have had the head bolt issues resolved (but check to make sure) as well as many other little things that have come up on bulletin boards since the launch date :thumb:

Running cost wise you can get away with an A service for a few hundred quid at a good indie but a B service is going to be quite a bit more every two years. MPG is variable in the extreme - I can see very high 20's in C mode on a motorway, down to counting lamp posts in S+/M modes when stretching the legs a bit. Tyres for mine recently came in at c£840 for a set of 4 Michelin Pilot Sport 4's. Brakes and discs vary considerably in cost terms depending on if you have a standard set, a PPP set or the bi-metal set up on my 507 which cost the previous owner serious money to replace discs and pads all round just before I bought the car.

If you can do the man maths you won't be disappointed.

Don’t worry, I’m already on that Facebook group...that’s what made me realise C63’s are falling into my budget! Might pop a couple of links up to get the opinion of you guys.

MPG would have to be something I kind of keep my eye on as I do 12k a year. I’m currently getting 24mpg from my Forester STi.
 
Or an E63 Biturbo?

Much more car for similar (or maybe less) money, and much less likely to have had the ar*e ragged out of it.

I’d love an E63 but I’m guessing maintenance costs would be a level higher than an C63, and that they’re more complex cars etc (more to go wrong)?
 
Or an E63 Biturbo?

Much more car for similar (or maybe less) money, and much less likely to have had the ar*e ragged out of it.

I’d love an E63 but I’m guessing maintenance costs would be a level higher than an C63, and that they’re more complex cars etc (more to go wrong)?
 
Bear in mind that the trip computer is about 1mpg over optimistic when checked against miles and litres used.
 
I’d love an E63 but I’m guessing maintenance costs would be a level higher than an C63, and that they’re more complex cars etc (more to go wrong)?
I've not owned a C63, but have owned two E63 Biturbos in which I drove 13-14k miles per year and the big costs of ownership are, in order, depreciation, fuel, tyres, VED, Insurance, routine servicing, brakes. A properly maintained C63 would have a very similar cost structure (once the high initial depreciation for both cars has been factored out).

While some C63's are cared for by fastidious enthusiast owners, cheaper ones generally haven’t been. The big difference is that a cheaper 6 or 8 year old C63 will likely have had 8 or 10 owners who couldn’t really afford to run it and thus moved it on every time a big maintenance bill was about to land, while an E63 of the same age will have had two or three owners who maintained it properly. I know which one of the two is likely to result in the biggest “unexpected” future maintenance bill.

Pound for pound, the E63 is a much more complete car, imo. The W204 is a one trick pony (and I accept it's very good at that one trick), while the E63 is a “do it all” super saloon. Once you’re well down the depreciation curve, I’d say that E63 ownership is probably cheaper than C63.
 
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Ditto - an E class is far too large for my needs and the roads i drive.
 
I accept that the E-Class is a big car, but if you’ve ever driven a W212 E63 you will know that it has a strange ability to “shrink” when you’re pressing on. The chassis is a country mile better than the W204.
 
I accept that the E-Class is a big car, but if you’ve ever driven a W212 E63 you will know that it has a strange ability to “shrink” when you’re pressing on. The chassis is a country mile better than the W204.

I have to agree with this. The w212 chassis is so capable and like said the car actually shrinks around you. It is admittedly a big car but as said can really get it going around the lanes. It reminds me of an E46 BMW coupe I owned once apon a time. You can really plant the car if must.
 
Hey all.

As I'm sure you guys do too, I'm always looking at what car I'd like next. I'd love a CLS SB but that would mean getting a diesel [certainly don't have the budget for an AMG]. A C55 or CLS55 would also be high up my list...however, I've suddenly noticed that C63's are dropping into my price-range!

My budget would be around £17k, which would more than likely put me in a pre-facelift without a warranty [if I bought privately]. I guess I need to read up on the deadbolt issue, but other than that it seems these beasts can be pretty reliable cars.

Just trying to figure out the additional costs of running one as a daily-driver compared to my Subaru Forester STi.

I'm sure I'll have a question or two for you guys :)

Hi mate, recently been in a similar situation for a car search, after driving a number of C63's and CLS55's, I loved them both, but found the cheaper C63's hadn't been looked after very well (may be just the ones I viewed?!) and for me the 20K ish ones were the only ones what were worth getting (condition / mileage / S/H), but you might be lucky and get a good one for less.
Only decided on the CLS55 in the end because the right one turned up, and obviously cheaper to buy / cheaper tax.
 
I've not owned a C63, but have owned two E63 Biturbos in which I drove 13-14k miles per year and the big costs of ownership are, in order, depreciation, fuel, tyres, VED, Insurance, routine servicing, brakes. A properly maintained C63 would have a very similar cost structure (once the high initial depreciation for both cars has been factored out).

While some C63's are cared for by fastidious enthusiast owners, cheaper ones generally haven’t been. The big difference is that a cheaper 6 or 8 year old C63 will likely have had 8 or 10 owners who couldn’t really afford to run it and thus moved it on every time a big maintenance bill was about to land, while an E63 of the same age will have had two or three owners who maintained it properly. I know which one of the two is likely to result in the biggest “unexpected” future maintenance bill.

Pound for pound, the E63 is a much more complete car, imo. The W204 is a one trick pony (and I accept it's very good at that one trick), while the E63 is a “do it all” super saloon. Once you’re well down the depreciation curve, I’d say that E63 ownership is probably cheaper than C63.

I’ll definitely look into E63’s. I fear I’d have quite a limited choice in my price-range though. The other issue I have with an E-Class is that I need my car to fit in a single garage. My Brother-in-Law has a W212 Estate so I’m going to do a test!
 

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