C63 PPP to ML63 ??

[jamied]

Hey Guys,

Been lurking for a while, this is my first post and a very sad one at that.

A C63 estate has been on my list for as long as i can remember, a few months ago i owned a Porsche 997 with x51 power pack, Porsche 944 S2 and a 4.2 Q7 as the Family car, i made the executive decision (without consulting the boss) to change the Q7 (family car) to a C63 Estate, genius idea i thought, power all round!

Ive had the C63 for 3 months and its one of the best cars I've EVER owned and i'm a die hard Porsche guy!, its a genuine choice between which car to take. Everything about this car is awesome, i don't need to tell you guys.

Anyway last weekend the father in law came to stay and my wife asked if i could stick him on the C63 insurance so he could drive her around (the wife doesn't drive she has tunnel vision).

So not really understanding what a C63AMG estate is he whacked it in sport + and floored it (with the wife, my daughter and my wife's guide dog in the boot), brilliant!! When i returned from work the first thing he said to me was "that car is stupid, i had the dog pinned to the back window" hilarious BUT.......

Now the dogs scared to go in the car and the wife is complaining its...........

Too Loud
Too Fast
Too Hard.......

So basically the perfect car!!!!!!

I find myself in a position where I've become hooked on AMG power but need to move back into a 4x4, she wants to get back into a Q7 but i don't want to do that, so the thought is do i move to a ML63 (W166)?

Have any of you made this move, will it scratch my AMG itch? are there any other options? i cant afford a GL63 AMG.

Cheers
Jamie

 

[aquanaut]

Hello, welcome to the forum, great first post! Great choice of car...we all like pics on here!

 

[MancMike]

The noise will be familiar, but I don't see how an ML63 is going to solve the problem. It's still fast and loud and will pin your dog to the back window if your FIL floors it.

Seems you need to show them how gentle, relatively quiet and refined it can be and buy a Corsa for when the FIL comes 'round.

 

[jamied]

The noise will be familiar, but I don't see how an ML63 is going to solve the problem. It's still fast and loud and will pin your dog to the back window if your FIL floors it.

Seems you need to show them how gentle, relatively quiet and refined it can be and buy a Corsa for when the FIL comes 'round.

Thanks guys,

The issue is the ride, the suspension set up is too sport for her, oh and she recon's the seats are really hard! funny i think they are the best seats I've ever sat in......

She wants a softer suspension set up and a bigger vehicle she can sit high up in.

 

[addbuyer]

Previous to the C63 estate i had just about every 4x4 / SUV out there and always the ones with the most power (Touareg V10 & V8, X5sd, Q7 4.2, SQ5 etc) Then for some mad reason i decided i wanted the C63. It had to be an estate for the load space, and i loved it for 14 glorious months.

Then the niggles set in, niggles i had ignored for the first 6 months and tolerated for the rest of the time. (1) RATTLES (2) the hard ride and (3) not being able to just cruise or really enjoy the drive if you like. The C63 always felt like it was on the edge.

The answer..... The E63, not a rattle to be heard and a ride that matches the some of the best SUV's out there. Its just simply a better car for ME.

The E63 doesnt really seem that much bigger but it sure is inside. The sound you hear when driving is better than the C63, might be because of the extra load volume. Another plus is the fuel consumption, used to average 18mpg in the C63 and now getting 22-23.

Maybe you should check out the E63 which might just get your wifes approval as well

 

[amgmaster]

Thanks guys,

The issue is the ride, the suspension set up is too sport for her, oh and she recon's the seats are really hard! funny i think they are the best seats I've ever sat in......

She wants a softer suspension set up and a bigger vehicle she can sit high up in.

i think the ml63 is a brilliant all rounder car comfort, amazing turn of speed,discreet go for the 166 model with the bi turbo engine get one with a performance pack if you can but they do seem to be rare.

 

[jamied]

Fisrt time with photos so bear with.

C63

 

[jamied]

Previous to the C63 estate i had just about every 4x4 / SUV out there and always the ones with the most power (Touareg V10 & V8, X5sd, Q7 4.2, SQ5 etc) Then for some mad reason i decided i wanted the C63. It had to be an estate for the load space, and i loved it for 14 glorious months.

Then the niggles set in, niggles i had ignored for the first 6 months and tolerated for the rest of the time. (1) RATTLES (2) the hard ride and (3) not being able to just cruise or really enjoy the drive if you like. The C63 always felt like it was on the edge.

The answer..... The E63, not a rattle to be heard and a ride that matches the some of the best SUV's out there. Its just simply a better car for ME.

The E63 doesnt really seem that much bigger but it sure is inside. The sound you hear when driving is better than the C63, might be because of the extra load volume. Another plus is the fuel consumption, used to average 18mpg in the C63 and now getting 22-23.

Maybe you should check out the E63 which might just get your wife's approval as well

Cheers, i think she's been put off estate cars for life to be honest, i would be happy driving the C63 as a daily, i don't get rattles, yes the set up is hard but then its not as hard as the Porsche so coming out of that it does feel luxurious to me anyway.

What was the SQ5 like?

 

[jamied]

Porsche

This bone rattler makes the C63 set up feel almost soft and luxurious.

 

[jamied]

i think the ml63 is a brilliant all rounder car comfort, amazing turn of speed,discreet go for the 166 model with the bi turbo engine get one with a performance pack if you can but they do seem to be rare.

Awesome, so do you have a 5.5 bi turbo?

The only car i can find with PP is 65K and at GP cars so going to stay away from that one.

 

[addbuyer]

The SQ5 is my second best car. Great gearbox, nice ride but can handle for such a big motor and it can pick its skirt up and run when you want it to.

 

[andyjay123]

I have had the ML for 2 weeks and its ffing awesome. Switched from a Range over. Very very good all rounder. Quiet and very discreet when pootling around with the family. Once you start to get a heavy right foot enjoy the sound and speed!

 

[Audio Addict]

I always find it strange when people say the ride in a C63 is too hard, I've always found it to be very compliant. Maybe I've just had a lot of hard suspension cars.

 

[RJ C63]

I always find it strange when people say the ride in a C63 is too hard, I've always found it to be very compliant. Maybe I've just had a lot of hard suspension cars.

The c63 suspension is well damped and certainly not rock hard compared to other sports saloons.

 

[jamied]

The c63 suspension is well damped and certainly not rock hard compared to other sports saloons.

I agree with you both, its very well set up suspension, perfect in fact, in my opinion.

But for some one who has been driven around in a Q7 for 5 years i can understand where she's coming from, don't agree but understand.

Going to try and get her out in a ML63 at the weekend see how we get on.

 

[jamied]

The SQ5 is my second best car. Great gearbox, nice ride but can handle for such a big motor and it can pick its skirt up and run when you want it to.

what is your first?

 

[richard]

Missing my ML63 W166 (that another forum member is loving, which makes me feel better) - it was completely a wolf in sheep's clothing and very comfortable even with 21" wheels. Pootle around, or serious fast mile eater. I found C63 (on occasion I have driven them) quite hard and unforgiving. I like the twin turbo because of the massive low down torque. I had a W164 ML63 (same engine as W204 C63) and you had to rev that to make it go properly not so with the 5.5 twin turbo.

You can remap the W166 if you want more power. I think I can turn on the Performance Pack (and the speed limit -> 186) with the diagnostic tools - but I never tried on mine so that kind of remap should be cheap enough. A full proper remap will likely break the warranty on the engine/transmission and I tend to like to have warranty on Mercs (although I don;t on my other AMG vehicle)

Hope that helps
R

 

[addbuyer]

what is your first?

Well it's the AMG Brand C63/E63... maybe I should have said the SQ5 was third best then

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

The W166 ML63 is a fantastic car, as others have said, and whilst the suspension will be less still the dog will still get pinned to the rear window, it will still be loud (and bring back memories for the dog, even when driven sensibly) and it's not a Porsche.

The PP version is rare, but persevere as they do come up for sale. Also given your passion for Porsche, consider a Cayene, another great car and similar in concept and feel to the ML63. We've test driven both generations of the Cayenne, really liked them, but both times went for the ML as they're a bit more discreet.

 

[jamied]

The W166 ML63 is a fantastic car, as others have said, and whilst the suspension will be less still the dog will still get pinned to the rear window, it will still be loud (and bring back memories for the dog, even when driven sensibly) and it's not a Porsche.

The PP version is rare, but persevere as they do come up for sale. Also given your passion for Porsche, consider a Cayene, another great car and similar in concept and feel to the ML63. We've test driven both generations of the Cayenne, really liked them, but both times went for the ML as they're a bit more discreet.

Cheers BD,

I have booked a test drive in a Cayenne turbo this Sunday but as you mention the ML is more discreet i think that might be the clincher.

I have only seen one PP version for sale, do they all command a premium?