I expected more.........

[ALFAitalia]

I'll try out a W205 C63S first, but feel the bigger W213 E63S will suit me more Paul.
I have a 204 right now and the space inside is somewhat limited compared to my previous W212.

This one has been tempting me for a week or so but I feel its overpriced and has too many owners in its short life. But I love the colour combination. I won't be buying black/black that is a certainty.

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One thing I've noticed looking at 212 and 213 E63 models (213 is too expensive for me...but it's nice to dream)...is that they mostly seem to have lots of owners....some having 6 or more keepers in 8 or 9 years. I think some buy without the realisation of how much it will it will cost....and others buy one and endure the costs for a year or so just to say they have owned one. TBH I could easily turn out to be one of latter......! I also like the Hyacinth with light leather....looked at a CLS in that combo....very pretty.

 

[AMGeed]

One thing I've noticed looking at 212 and 213 E63 models (213 is too expensive for me...but it's nice to dream)...is that they mostly seem to have lots of owners....some having 6 or more keepers in 8 or 9 years. I think some buy without the realisation of how much it will it will cost....and others buy one and endure the costs for a year or so just to say they have owned one. TBH I could easily turn out to be one of latter......!

I agree.
W204 C63 models in particular seem to change owners very often.
Maybe down to the realization they aren't cheap to run with servicing and fuel costs and some just wanting to scratch that itch of owning one.

 

[grober]

Has the E63 saloon not got air rear suspension if memory serves correctly?

 

[AMGeed]

Has the E63 saloon not got air rear suspension if memory serves correctly?

Both 212 and 213 air suspension on the rear only.

 

[PaulG]

I'll try out a W205 C63S first, but feel the bigger W213 E63S will suit me more Paul.
I have a 204 right now and the space inside is somewhat limited compared to my previous W212.

This one has been tempting me for a week or so but I feel its overpriced and has too many owners in its short life. But I love the colour combination. I won't be buying black/black that is a certainty.

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Yes the colour combo is good and as you have said I did have a pause when I saw the amount of owners.
The right one will come up eventually.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I'll try out a W205 C63S first, but feel the bigger W213 E63S will suit me more Paul.
I have a 204 right now and the space inside is somewhat limited compared to my previous W212.

This one has been tempting me for a week or so but I feel its overpriced and has too many owners in its short life. But I love the colour combination. I won't be buying black/black that is a certainty.

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Advanced Man Maths: justifying a £55k car purchase to save “a few quid” on mpg.

Glorious looking car.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I'll try out a W205 C63S first, but feel the bigger W213 E63S will suit me more Paul.
I have a 204 right now and the space inside is somewhat limited compared to my previous W212.

This one has been tempting me for a week or so but I feel its overpriced and has too many owners in its short life. But I love the colour combination. I won't be buying black/black that is a certainty.

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

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www.autotrader.co.uk

Multiple owner syndrome is a feature of most high performance cars: AMG, M séries, 911’s etc

People buy them to scratch an itch but find that they can’t use that 0-62 in under 5 as often as they hoped, that practicalities outweigh performance, or that something else catches their roving eye.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

they mostly seem to have lots of owners....some having 6 or more keepers in 8 or 9 years. I think some buy without the realisation of how much it will it will cost....and others buy one and endure the costs for a year or so just to say they have owned one.

I think what you describe is quite true, especially when cars approach the bottom of their depreciations curve, and are bought by people who might expect the running costs to be relatively inexpensive like the purchase cost. Sometimes their strategy from the start might be to own it for a very short while to avoid incurring any repair and maintenance costs, and sometimes they might reluctantly sell when the reality of a repair or maintenance event bites.

I believe that traditionally when the cars are new or relatively new (top or mid sections of depreciation curve), they have changed hands regularly because they’re bought by people who love cars and want to experience lots of different cars, or are bought by people who might just want to be seen to change cars regularly. Either way an upcoming expenditure item might often be the catalyst for changing, not necessarily because they can’t afford it or expect it but because it reminds them that they’ve had it a while and it’s time to move on.

More recently though there seems to be a growing number of people who expect special and expensive cars to hold their money or even make money. This is often about the car’s value but sometime extends into to running costs generally. This means that there are people who are buying expensive cars new or relatively new who might then react to running costs in the way that traditionally happened at the bottom of the depreciation curve.

Either way it means that finding genuinely well maintained cars - especially later in the car’s life - can be really really difficult because a the bare minimum is often done either because it’s about to be sold, or more likely that a dealer does it ready for resale. As a result additional age/mileage related items are very often missed altogether, and even the basic oil services are late or skipped altogether.

 

[AMGeed]

Advanced Man Maths: justifying a £55k car purchase to save “a few quid” on mpg.

Glorious looking car.

If only it was just to "save a few quid on mpg" Mike.

Being truthful, I should never have sold my last E63. I have owned AMG's for 10 years now and have got accustomed to the performance of these cars, and right now I miss it. I sold the W212 as it wasn't being used often enough and thought it silly to have £25k> of car sitting on the driveway doing 50miles a week at best.
In that respect, I was right. I sold after 3 years of ownership for just £200 less than I paid for it and, looking regularly at Autotrader, notice that the asking price for W212 facelift E63's is still very high. The one's with silly high prices are still on sale as most prospective buyers know what they are worth. Looking at what is on sale right now, the buyer of mine got a huge bargain.

The conundrum I face now is, I want to get back into an AMG and have some performance under my foot, but don't want to wait, as planned, for my missus to pack in work early next year so we go down to one car and do more road trips. So I have been looking but not doing anything about buying, and started using advanced man maths which leaves me even more confused than ever.

I'm asking myself, is the W213 E63 worth the premium over a W212 E63?
What I have discovered is this. I bought a 5 year old W212 E63 for circa £27k and sold it 3 years later for almost as much.
To buy a 5 year old W213 E63 will cost me around £50k and nobody knows its worth in 3 years time.
Is the later car really worth another £20k+ over the externally better looking W212?
Is that lovely W213 interior and superb M177 engine really worth another £20k+? I have my doubts.

So, I'm still looking at C and E63's, totally unsure which step to take next, all the while being unsatisfied with the performance of my S204. It's neither quick, nor economical. And another thought came to me. How about getting a W205 C63S for the interim and hope prices hold firm for another 12months, then PX it for the car I really want, the W213?

Luckily I'm not one for making snap decisions when buying so I can wait, but does anyone else share my confusion?

Multiple owner syndrome is a feature of most high performance cars: AMG, M séries, 911’s etc

People buy them to scratch an itch but find that they can’t use that 0-62 in under 5 as often as they hoped, that practicalities outweigh performance, or that something else catches their roving eye.

Understood. But 6 owners on a 2017 car is too many for me. The service history might prove interesting too.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

If only it was just to "save a few quid on mpg" Mike.

I know, I just had to tease.

Dear Lord, I recognise the issue.

The objective was to tease out your thoughts. For myself I need to find my own replacement soon - which is proving a nightmare - else I'll go off on some tangent and buy an S coupe or an SL55.

If we were rational we'd all be buying BMW 320i's

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

If only it was just to "save a few quid on mpg" Mike.

Being truthful, I should never have sold my last E63. I have owned AMG's for 10 years now and have got accustomed to the performance of these cars, and right now I miss it. I sold the W212 as it wasn't being used often enough and thought it silly to have £25k> of car sitting on the driveway doing 50miles a week at best.
In that respect, I was right. I sold after 3 years of ownership for just £200 less than I paid for it and, looking regularly at Autotrader, notice that the asking price for W212 facelift E63's is still very high. The one's with silly high prices are still on sale as most prospective buyers know what they are worth. Looking at what is on sale right now, the buyer of mine got a huge bargain.

The conundrum I face now is, I want to get back into an AMG and have some performance under my foot, but don't want to wait, as planned, for my missus to pack in work early next year so we go down to one car and do more road trips. So I have been looking but not doing anything about buying, and started using advanced man maths which leaves me even more confused than ever.

I'm asking myself, is the W213 E63 worth the premium over a W212 E63?
What I have discovered is this. I bought a 5 year old W212 E63 for circa £27k and sold it 3 years later for almost as much.
To buy a 5 year old W213 E63 will cost me around £50k and nobody knows its worth in 3 years time.
Is the later car really worth another £20k+ over the externally better looking W212?
Is that lovely W213 interior and superb M177 engine really worth another £20k+? I have my doubts.

So, I'm still looking at C and E63's, totally unsure which step to take next, all the while being unsatisfied with the performance of my S204. It's neither quick, nor economical. And another thought came to me. How about getting a W205 C63S for the interim and hope prices hold firm for another 12months, then PX it for the car I really want, the W213?

Luckily I'm not one for making snap decisions when buying so I can wait, but does anyone else share my confusion?


Understood. But 6 owners on a 2017 car is too many for me. The service history might prove interesting too.

The W213 is definitely not worth the extra £20k, or absolutely worth every penny of the extra £20k depending upon how you look at it. A few thoughts:

The pre-facelift W213 is almost certainly the pinnacle of what we know as an E 63. Relatively subtle, relatively affordable and as fast as flipping fast things.

It’s just before the introduction of OPF for unmuted sound, and very meaty as fast as the the final iteration assuming that it receives the V8 E Performance powertrain.

I’m that context, £50k is a perfect time to buy one. New enough to be confident in the history and maintenance records, old enough to be a slow depreciator.

I wouldn’t buy the C 63 as a stop gap if you need it to keep it’s value, only do it if you can accept “normal” depreciation, as it may tarnish the eventual E 63z

Whatever you decide to do, it will be the right thing to do.

PS Please buy a Selenite or Obsidian S with contrasting interior and impeccable service history. That way I might buy it off you in three years time

 

[AMGeed]

Hyacinth Red, Tenorite or Palladium with Crystal grey / cream interior is the way to go Robert.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hyacinth Red, Tenorite or Palladium with Crystal grey / cream interior is the way to go Robert.

Blimey, it’s been a while since anyone called me that!

 

[Cyclone1]

If only it was just to "save a few quid on mpg" Mike.

Being truthful, I should never have sold my last E63. I have owned AMG's for 10 years now and have got accustomed to the performance of these cars, and right now I miss it. I sold the W212 as it wasn't being used often enough and thought it silly to have £25k> of car sitting on the driveway doing 50miles a week at best.
In that respect, I was right. I sold after 3 years of ownership for just £200 less than I paid for it and, looking regularly at Autotrader, notice that the asking price for W212 facelift E63's is still very high. The one's with silly high prices are still on sale as most prospective buyers know what they are worth. Looking at what is on sale right now, the buyer of mine got a huge bargain.

The conundrum I face now is, I want to get back into an AMG and have some performance under my foot, but don't want to wait, as planned, for my missus to pack in work early next year so we go down to one car and do more road trips. So I have been looking but not doing anything about buying, and started using advanced man maths which leaves me even more confused than ever.

I'm asking myself, is the W213 E63 worth the premium over a W212 E63?
What I have discovered is this. I bought a 5 year old W212 E63 for circa £27k and sold it 3 years later for almost as much.
To buy a 5 year old W213 E63 will cost me around £50k and nobody knows its worth in 3 years time.
Is the later car really worth another £20k+ over the externally better looking W212?
Is that lovely W213 interior and superb M177 engine really worth another £20k+? I have my doubts.

So, I'm still looking at C and E63's, totally unsure which step to take next, all the while being unsatisfied with the performance of my S204. It's neither quick, nor economical. And another thought came to me. How about getting a W205 C63S for the interim and hope prices hold firm for another 12months, then PX it for the car I really want, the W213?

Luckily I'm not one for making snap decisions when buying so I can wait, but does anyone else share my confusion?


Understood. But 6 owners on a 2017 car is too many for me. The service history might prove interesting too.

I know how you feel. I don’t think the 213 is worth the £20k premium especially if you factor in the depreciation dependant upon how long you own it. The 213 is superior to the 212 though as package, but not £20k worth.

If you want to get back in an AMG then the 212 is the better financial
option (similar to what I did jumping back in a CLS albeit the facelift). If the market continues to drop (in general it is dropping, although some cars are still being over priced without selling), then you’ll loose less on a 212 over say a year or two, at which point you can sell on and still have the choice to buy a 213.

With the ongoing economic challenges then the market has to drop and also the amount of people buying will also slow. The last 2 years has seen many people cash in on cars (me included), as the prices rose back in early 2021. This is also a factor as too why quite a few cars have additional owners. For example the Maserati I owned back in 2021 has since had 3 more owners.

Best of luck with your decision and can’t fault your colour choices. When on the hunt for a CLS I did notice the Hyacinth example on the market to be a none seller, it’s still for sale now over 6 months later. Lovely combi though.

 

[E55BOF]

Hyacinth with the cream/ivory interior looks very classy. It's not that long ago that black interiors were the thing to have, but the pendulum seems to have swung back somewhat recently. The interior was why I bought the diesel CLS, and why I had it swapped into the CLS 63.

 

[BigJase88]

Hyacinth with the cream/ivory interior looks very classy. It's not that long ago that black interiors were the thing to have, but the pendulum seems to have swung back somewhat recently. The interior was why I bought the diesel CLS, and why I had it swapped into the CLS 63.

99% of newer Mercs for sale are either Black, Grey or White with a Black Interior.

Sooooo bloody boring

Give me a nice ivory interior with black carpet, or even a brown leather. Something other than black

 

[ALFAitalia]

I'm seeing W212 E63 (both FL and PFL) dropping quite significantly now especially earlier ones....which is exactly what I've been waiting for, for the last 18 months or so....and I can only see that depreciation accelerating with the way the world is at the moment....so I will be waiting a bit longer. Strangely they are a few that have been overpriced and on sale for many months, some over a year on AT and EBay that have recently put their prices UP!. Clearly they don't actually really want to sell them....I'm sure its not what you owners who are thinking about selling will want to hear.....but in my semi professional opinion if your want to sell do it now...I can see these cars tumbling back to pre pandemic levels pretty soon.

 

[leef44]

No replacement for displacement.

Small engines are generally a false economy. If you driving like a grandad then yeah good you will say money however they have to work harder and burn more fuel.

I had a new age 1.5 tsi VW offering. The book figure was around 55-58mpg combined.

I got 36mpg over 12k miles. It was brand spanking new too so had no issues. Just was spinning its wee heart out trying to maintain speed

This is an interesting point.

In my SLK55 on the motorway, it is more efficient on 8 cylinders than deactivated to 4 cylinders. I think when it gets to a slight elevation, on 4 cylinders it has to work so much harder and loses more efficiency than the gains when there is no elevation.

 

[E55BOF]

Mine will go back on to eight if more than a whiff of throttle is needed. I've wondered whether it's really worth usng the Eco mode in motorway use, though. What difference in fuel economy did you see between the two modes, and over what mileage?

 

[AMGeed]

I'm seeing W212 E63 (both FL and PFL) dropping quite significantly now especially earlier ones....which is exactly what I've been waiting for, for the last 18 months or so....and I can only see that depreciation accelerating with the way the world is at the moment....so I will be waiting a bit longer. Strangely they are a few that have been overpriced and on sale for many months, some over a year on AT and EBay that have recently put their prices UP!. Clearly they don't actually really want to sell them....I'm sure its not what you owners who are thinking about selling will want to hear.....but in my semi professional opinion if your want to sell do it now...I can see these cars tumbling back to pre pandemic levels pretty soon.

Hmmm I'm not so sure the FL are dropping much from what I have seen.

I have kept an eye on the prices of these cars for over 4 years, ever since I first looked for one for myself. Prices back then were (FL) starting at £25k and up for higher mileage 13plate cars. 4 years later, the asking price has dropped to £22k+ for similar cars. Not such a drop in 4 years. The cheaper ones now are private sales with higher mileages.

Dealers are still asking, and getting £26k+ for 14plate and newer. Find me a sub 40k miler either private or at a dealer for less than £27995. They aren't dropping, they are holding value and they are 9 year old cars now.
I agree with you, some are vastly optimistic prices with the lower mile late models, but compared to similar mileage W213's they are a bargain.

I'd like to look into your crystal ball for pricing, as I don't see this model dropping sub £20k for some time yet.
And pre pandemic prices were high. That's when I bought mine.
It will be interesting to see who is right.
And if you are going to buy an E63, stop dithering and get one. At what price point will you consider buying?