LSD for the C63 AMG, a luxury or essential?

[Benjy]

I have to agree with Adam because my reason for buying my C63 with LSD was as much from a safety aspect as it was for a bit of track fun and to be honest in the wet it is an essential for this sort of power as I found out early on in my 63 ownership as it got me, a very un experienced high level driver, out of a serious situation when the back came round on me at 40 mph when I put my foot down overtaking a car as it kept the back end all in shape. Wouldn't have another rear wheel drive car without one.

But everyone to their own and tbh it isnt cheap as an optional extra so it would come down to cost.

 

[Benjy]

Shame they have now overpriced the GTR as I may agree but considering they are now over £70k and a standard 63 is £53.....theres quite a lot of difference!

Nuff said in my opinion!

 

[John]

standard 63 is £53.....

That really is cheap...

You'd probably have to opt for a used GT-R but that is a lot of car difference.

Each to their own...

 

[Benjy]

Yeah totally agree....Its a great car the GTR and I have to say I do hold a soft spot for it but as soon as they hit over the £70k mark it started to lose its appeal with me. Still a great and technically amazing piece of kit, would love to take one round a track.

 

[Oli]

I didn't have any idea the Skyline had gone up that much, I thought they were around £60k new, I know you can get a couple of year old one easily for around the £40k mark now, still far too pricey for me though, but what a car for the money, 3.2 secs to 60 with launch control?, and beat a 997 Turbo around the Nurburgring, would love to have a go in one they sound a serious piece of kit.

Still the tuning potential in the new MB 5.5 bi turbo must be pretty impressive, although again it will struggle with getting the power down until it's moving at a fair old pace.

 

[andylinney]

I think it's a case of deciding what the truth is about your reason for buying the car and it's real intended use.

If you're buying it simply to enjoy the grunt in a measured manner at an appropriate time then it comes down to being honest with yourself about your skill levels. Does your driving style and skill make an LSD a worthwhile investment or will it sit redundant as you carefully nurse the throttle in difficult circumstances?

My time in a seriously quick car taught me more about being realistic about my skill levels and also about what was appropriate on the roads I used. Despite the fact that the car was capable of it and I'm honest, I was paying enough attention then I could powerslide my way around town and country in all conditions. But, it soon got tiresome and gave me more reason to chill out and just enjoy the grunt when it was proper to do so, the local lawyer in his White Aston hated seeing me in his mirror ;-)

So, if I were buying the car to commute and occasionally embarrass a kid in a Corsa then I'd spend the LSD money on something else. If I was buying it to take it to the track and generally abuse it then I'd spec the LSD.

I'm not jealous, honest...

 

[amgmaster]

That really is cheap...

You'd probably have to opt for a used GT-R but that is a lot of car difference.

Each to their own...

55k is basic for the c63, to get a bit of spec on it it will be 60k to have most of the bits on it it will be 70k+

 

[John]

Sorry - I was being sarcastic as he left the 'k' off the end of £53k.



However, I imagine the same is true of the GT-R...

 

[BenzedUP]

a standard 63 is £53.....!

put me down for 10 of them at that price

 

[Benjy]

You know what I meant

 

[gIzzE]

Does your driving style and skill make an LSD a worthwhile investment..........

Edited for accuracy...

Does your driving style and skill make an LSD a worthwhile omission..........

 

[Adam230K]

Advanced traction control would sort that for you ;-)

Yes it comes down like an anvil but on the engine rpm and the offending wheel. I actually get mental images of this when it happens;

YouTube - ‪Little Britain - Carol says No - Computer says No‬‏

 

[scumbag]

I have a C63 .

I don't have LSD

I did ask the same question before buying.

After buying, real world ownership, driving round scotland in the snow with it, using up its rear tyres in 3700miles, and having a go on the MB world track would I buy a C63 with LSD?

NO


There has been no occasion ever, when my right foot, or the ESP system has not been able to control the car.

And as far as I can see, unless you are actually racing on a race track, not just hooning about on one for fun, it provides no benefit at all in real world conditions.

And for those talking about pulling out into fast moving traffic, in the wet etc...might I suggest you have go down at MB world as you get to find out how the systems work to help you. If you still have problems pulling out into traffic which requires you to have LSD, might I suggest you have other issues to deal with.

You don't need to tick every box when buying a car like this. It demolishes roads without LSD. And if that (arguably) reduces the second hand value of non LSD cars, then there will be some huge grins on people who buy a cheap 63.

Others may share a different opinion, however, this is one from an owner. So I am the least qualified to comment as my opinion is spoilt by fact.

 

[andylinney]

There has been no occasion ever, when my right foot, or the ESP system has not been able to control the car.

Thanks, that's the crux of the point I was trying to make. If you're respectful of what's under your right foot then you'll drive according to the prevailing conditions. Unless you feel that you'd genuinely benefit from it being there, the LSD would be nothing more than man jewellery.

 

[Palmball]

Between Adam230K and Gizze, they have summed it up perfectly.

You don't have to be going fast to get the benefit of the LSD...you'll feel it when pulling out of a wet side road. As I have said countless time on this forum, yes traction control will sort it out for you but with an LSD, The traction control intervenes later so you benefit from an increase in mechanical traction - i.e. what the car can develop itself.

Now, it also means that you can hold lovely drifts round your local roundabouts and annoy people who look on at you like you're a lunatic....and no doubt reading some of the responses to this about how such things aren't necessary, well, you're probably not the kind of people that such cars or devices are aimed at.

If you actually know what you're looking for you can feel the LSD hook up and deliver much more meaningful forward thrust. I had a BMW 335i a few years ago (and more recently my other half had a 135i) both without an LSD and I used to be spinning that inside wheel (or, more specifically, see the yellow light flash on the dash) all the time yet my M3 and latterly my C63's didn't suffer to the same extent. Unlike some people, I am not happy to let the ESP system control my car....I want to control it myself up to as close the limits of the car as feasible (and at the most, have the ESP there for if I get it very wrong). Obviously, if you feel the C63 doesn't need anymore forward thrust and you're happy for the electronics to reduce what thrust it can deliver, then the LSD is probably not worth it (indeed, is the C63 even worth it in that case?)

I've actually given up trying to convince people to have an LSD as it appears it's wasted on the majority of drivers. So, here's my final thoughts....it comes down to a similar situation to those BMW 1-series drivers who don't know whether their car is FWD or RWD....it just doesn't matter to them because they'll never use the car in a way that makes the most of the RWD setup.

If you're considering a C63 without an LSD then it's probably likely you're someone that won't benefit from having it as you either don't know how to make the most of it (and likely wouldn't appreciate it when it is benefiting you) or you simply don't wish to make the most it.

So, contrary to everything I've said on this subject previously, if you're even asking whether you should have it then save your money and put it into something like a driver development course which will help you get the most out of your car as it is and maybe, just maybe, convince you that next time, the LSD would be worth investment.

 

[Palmball]

After buying, real world ownership, driving round scotland in the snow with it, using up its rear tyres in 3700miles,

It is entirely possible they would have lasted a smidgen longer with an LSD as you wouldn't have been spinning all that power away and leaving as much rubber on the road

 

[prprandall51]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz coming from a DIEsel driver.

Genius post. It is sad you haven't got the wit or intelligence to write something even vaguely insightful. Your ignorance shines through like a beacon in every post you make.

 

[DSLiverpool]

Remember age is also a factor, when I was 18 I used to spin my XR2 wheels away from the lights - now I'm 47 I dont.

 

[Palmball]

Remember age is also a factor, when I was 18 I used to spin my XR2 wheels away from the lights - now I'm 47 I dont.

Lol!

Come on Dave, even at 47 you must still have the slightest desire for being a bit naughty??

 

[DSLiverpool]

Lol!

Come on Dave, even at 47 you must still have the slightest desire for being a bit naughty??

I now drive a hybrid, today I have purchased sandals I intend to where with socks and I'm writing to Toyota at this moment as I can only get 43.7 mpg not the 49 they claim at 56mph. Myself and my partner have been up since 7am on the M53 trying to better the mpg to no avail

In reality I have had Anna on the stopwatch seeing if we can get below 6 seconds 0-60 (we obviously can't ) best we have achieved in the wet is 7.8 seconds. Maybe get 7 or less in the dry, those electric motors take no prisoners lol

Enjoying the Mas ?