Thoughts on moving from a S204 C63 to facelift S212 E63?

[Bobby Dazzler]

If I did go for an S212 then it would have to be the FL as it looks a bit more modern and I'd forever be comparing an M156 engined E63 with the C63 if I went that route.

If you’re that way inclined then you’ll be forever comparing the M157 to the M156, the S212 rob the S204, etc

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

the 4 ltr V8 is monstrously fast, but lacks any soul in my view (not a fan of fake pops and crackles).

Which year S213 E 63 did you drive? Just reflecting on whether you are likely to be satisfied (or not) with the M157.

2019+ cars with an OPF lose a little volume and character, but the pre-OPF cars are no more/less charismatic than the M157.

 

[ZeeDee]

Which year S213 E 63 did you drive? Just reflecting on whether you are likely to be satisfied (or not) with the M157.

2019+ cars with an OPF lose a little volume and character, but the pre-OPF cars are no more/less charismatic than the M157.

Ah sadly it was a PFL car that I drove. I found the sound almost a bit fake if I'm honest (isn't some sound piped through the speakers?). I guess only a test drive will tell me how they compare.

 

[sgregory124]

Ah sadly it was a PFL car that I drove. I found the sound almost a bit fake if I'm honest (isn't some sound piped through the speakers?). I guess only a test drive will tell me how they compare.

I can't comment on the 4.0TT in the S213, but in my W205 C63S the engine sound is most definitely NOT piped into the cabin. Not sure why people think it sounds fake, from inside and outside the car it sounds positively seismic - particularly on wide open throttle in the higher RPM range (windows up or windows down).

 

[Rich764089]

Active Blind Spot Assist
Active Lane Keeping Assist
BAS with Junction Assist
DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot
PRE-SAFE Brake
PRE-SAFE Plus

I had it on both my pre-facelift and my facelift E63's and it is significantly better and more functional on the facelift car.

Like rocking-horse manure, I'm afraid. Note also that the reversing camera was optional equipment on all but the last year of production when it became standard, so check it's present if you want it.

I really wanted the 360 and reversing cameras but was too inpatient. I don't miss them... for such a large car visibility is very good.

Personally I don't care for driver aids much...as long as there's cruise control...I wouldn't use the rest. So unless it's essential to you I wouldn't let it rule your search.

 

[st13phil]

Personally I don't care for driver aids much...as long as there's cruise control...I wouldn't use the rest.

Completely agree that the driver aids are very much a personal choice.

Before I experienced them I was ambivalent about them, but the Distronic Plus with Steering Assist and Stop&Go Pilot is superb for motorway trips and - perhaps surprisingly - is brilliant in heavy town-speed traffic too. While I wouldn't necessarily have turned down a car without it before owning two that did, I really miss it now neither of our cars have it.

 

[ZeeDee]

For me personally, a big factor in moving from a C to an E Class is the extra refinement and toys I can get, so I'd definitely want to hold out for a car with everything I want, even if that means waiting a while. I'm happy to retrofit an LSD but things like the 360 cam (my wife would be horrified if I turned up in a car the size of an S212 and it didn't have 360 cams lol) are much more difficult fit. Even my C63 has blind spot assist (useful for motorway slogs) so I'd at least want that. Prices are super high at the moment anyway, so unless the perfect car came along, I'm happy to wait to see how the cost of living increases over the coming year has an impact on second hand prices.

 

[Rich764089]

For me personally, a big factor in moving from a C to an E Class is the extra refinement and toys I can get, so I'd definitely want to hold out for a car with everything I want, even if that means waiting a while. I'm happy to retrofit an LSD but things like the 360 cam (my wife would be horrified if I turned up in a car the size of an S212 and it didn't have 360 cams lol) are much more difficult fit. Even my C63 has blind spot assist (useful for motorway slogs) so I'd at least want that. Prices are super high at the moment anyway, so unless the perfect car came along, I'm happy to wait to see how the cost of living increases over the coming year has an impact on second hand prices.

I think there's one ending on collecting cars this evening from memory it's 2015, 39k miles, FSH. Looks decent.

 

[ZeeDee]

That does look like a very nice example. Admittedly iridium silver is my least favourite colour on the E63... It looks handsome but too sedate for me (diamond white with black pack and wheels being the ideal).

 

[st13phil]

(diamond white with black pack and wheels being the ideal).

My facelift car was Diamond White with Night Pack. It’s a lovely colour, but impossible to touch up and incredibly difficult to match if it ever needs a repair. My advice would be to be careful what you wish for.

 

[TrueSpirit]

The 213 is a huge step up in tech and the 4.0l is divine. While it doesn't have the boom of the 6.2l, the pops and bangs are a riot. Couple that with the performance and its in a different league to the 212 and 204. Everything works flawlessly too. Problem is you pay a huge premium and the ride is stiff

The 212 is comfortablish, is a step down from the 213 in every other respect apart from ride and engine. I love my 212 and the engine is incredible, but the transmission on the 213 blows me away as does the ability to put the power down.

I'd say keep the 204 and get the Mrs a qashqai

 

[Mark83]

Is that you, Zish?

I'm looking at a W212 E63 myself but wondering if you're looking to sell my old car.

 

[ZeeDee]

Hey Mark! How are things? Are you still in the M4 Comp?

I've been thinking about selling for a while now since the second baby came along... But every time I go for a proper drive and experience that engine I can't bring myself to sell!

I've also started looking at the C7 RS6... It looks phenomenal imo but the driving experience is very detached and the sound on the stock exhaust is not all that... But it's a comfy family car with a bit of soul, and better than any SUV imo. BUT they are about £15k to £20k more than an equivalent year S212 E63 (basically the same price as an S213) and I just don't get why they're that expensive (obvs it's the supply/demand market price.. but still!). So I'm just watching the market at the moment.... Hopefully prices across the board will have softened a lot by the end of the year.

 

[Engadine]

Yes the RS6 estates seem to have generated a cult following of being cool that the E class AMG estates haven’t. I would take an E63 myself but the image is quite different, for those for whom that kind of thing matters. Maybe that accounts for the price difference.

 

[Steve84N]

It's not just the RS6. Most Audis of a similar model seem to command more money than the equivalent BMW or Mercedes. When I got my 204 C63 for £27k the B8 RS4 was £35k+. I couldn't justify it at all as I found the C63 a far more interesting car.

I think there's more demand for Audis from 'non-car' people and with a wider audience that keeps prices higher. There's no denying they're easy to live with and usually look great too.

 

[sgregory124]

Hey Mark! How are things? Are you still in the M4 Comp?

I've been thinking about selling for a while now since the second baby came along... But every time I go for a proper drive and experience that engine I can't bring myself to sell!

I've also started looking at the C7 RS6... It looks phenomenal imo but the driving experience is very detached and the sound on the stock exhaust is not all that... But it's a comfy family car with a bit of soul, and better than any SUV imo. BUT they are about £15k to £20k more than an equivalent year S212 E63 (basically the same price as an S213) and I just don't get why they're that expensive (obvs it's the supply/demand market price.. but still!). So I'm just watching the market at the moment.... Hopefully prices across the board will have softened a lot by the end of the year.

I would suggest that the additional cost on the Audi is worth if for the superior build quality alone. I've never owned an RS6 (more's the pity) but I have owned 3 other Audi's and they are extremely well put together, way better than anything else i've ever owned. If £20k more got me a rattle free interior made from high quality materials I could justify it.

 

[Steve84N]

I've got no rattles in my C63...

 

[sgregory124]

I've got no rattles in my C63...

Well I have in mine, far more than i've had in any Audi - all of which have felt like they were hewn out of stone. In contrast, my current car and even my original C36 had some questionable materials in the cabin which have a propensity to make noise over our lovely UK road surfaces.

 

[Steve84N]

@sgregory124 I think you're right in general but BMW also manage to be creak free on the whole.

 

[Engadine]

FWIW, Audi, BMW and Mercedes rank together near the bottom of the Warrantywise reliability index. Below Peugeot, Renault, Skoda, Ford, Vauxhall, Citroen, Hyundai, Skoda, Toyota, Honda, Volvo; on a par with Alfa and just about scraping above Land Rover and Porsche. Audis marginally worse than Mercs but probably statistically insignificant

Driver Power survey reveals most and least reliable car brands

Subaru tops the charts for the most reliable cars on sale - but which brands are at the bottom? The Auto Express Driver Power owner satisfaction survey tells all

www.carwow.co.uk

If only the German football team had this mere illusion of quality, imagine how many tournaments England would have won.