Anyone had a C63 AMG? Thoughts/experiences?

funtime · 26-08-2013, 08:22 PM

As above really - looking for a GT3 replacement as its going tomorrow. Test drove a C63 today as I've always liked them but couldn't really get much of a feel for it on the test drive. Only thing I was surprised about was how quiet they are inside - they sound monstrous from the outside but just a shame you can't hear much in the cabin! I'm assuming there isn't a switchable silencer on the exhaust which they didn't show me?

What are they like on tyres/fuel/brakes etc?

Obviously not great on fuel and tyres, but just want to see if its stupid to run!

And what are they like on track - terrible? Won't be doing much track work but would be good to do the odd day or two!

Cheers,
James

derek · 26-08-2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funtime

As above really - looking for a GT3 replacement as its going tomorrow. Test drove a C63 today as I've always liked them but couldn't really get much of a feel for it on the test drive. Only thing I was surprised about was how quiet they are inside - they sound monstrous from the outside but just a shame you can't hear much in the cabin! I'm assuming there isn't a switchable silencer on the exhaust which they didn't show me?

What are they like on tyres/fuel/brakes etc?

Obviously not great on fuel and tyres, but just want to see if its stupid to run!

And what are they like on track - terrible? Won't be doing much track work but would be good to do the odd day or two!

Cheers,
James

Lawsey should be able to advise you, he has certainly had one and is a Merc specialist.

NBTBRV8 · 26-08-2013, 09:42 PM

All I know is that they are really hard on rear tyres. My dealer is a MB one as well, and the service advisor told me that in regular driving his customers get 6000 miles from a set of rears.

**AlexGTT** · 26-08-2013, 09:42 PM

Dazza has one. Bung him a pm. Got his after a GT3 as well.

shane@mbtech · 26-08-2013, 11:26 PM

Go 2011 onwards with performance pack.
Close to 500bhp in reality, they run the same forged engine as in the sls.
The 2011 onwards facelift has a slightly different auto box, which uses a wet clutch rather than a torque converter and the difference is marked.,
Response and gear shift times are greatly improved. Revised power steering too, better on fuel.

Pefornance pack comes with composite brakes too.

In a racing drivers hands the difference on track between an e.92 m3 is not much, in normal hands its a big gulf. Because they are more twitchy at high speed they can take a bit of confidence away, but if driven right they are an awesome car!

Servicing wise with somewhere like ourselves, it is very reasonable.
You will chew rear tyres if hooning.

It you want noise in the cabin, open a window slightly

Any questions just fire away. Not much goes wrong on them tbh,

**DazBlackCSL** · 27-08-2013, 08:35 AM

Lawsey is the expert on these so as above .. 6 weeks in after selling the GT3 and love it to bits.. Mine is a late 2010 (31st Dec) so 2011 with Performance Pack + extra few horses and also had the LSD option ticked, would not have one without really especially if you get one with the Perf Pack

Proper Jekyll and Hyde car in a good way, reminds me of the Rangie for comfort when you want it to be a cruiser and then in manual with the paddles it's just mental

Not too bad on fuel but then you don't buy one to worry about that really !!
Not had it long enough to comment on the tyres, but 6000 not too bad ..

Just popped some 12mm spacers on it and now sits even better ...

The noise of the thing is just

from tick over and just poodling around town sounds aggresive to flat out where it sounds like a bloody turbine ...
I've done E36 E46 E92 M's ans 4+ years in the CSL so wanted to tick the C63 box after the 997 GT3 and I'm loving it, for what I need it for right now it's perfect ... Starting to swing it about a bit now and must say does handle pretty well for a big engined beast

funtime · 27-08-2013, 10:02 AM

Cheers for the replies guys, really helpful.

I had a feeling you might say to go for a 2011 model... Whilst I can, I would rather go for a 2008 as they are a fair bit cheaper and the residues will be much better having lost more of their money already.

Performance pack and drivers packs are a must for me, as is the LSD. Am I right in thinking that on the 2008 models the LSD was a separate option, where as on the 2011 models it comes as part of the performance pack?

I was looking at this on which seems to be good value and has all the right bits - what do you boys think?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...-pack/1420436#

It looks like you can get a good 2008 model with the right options for around £27-30k where as the 2011 models are in the 40's.

The other thing that the bird at Mercedes couldn't tell me is if the traction control have different levels? Do the different modes on the gearbox literally just change the gearbox settings or do they also adjust suspension and traction etc?

Do the TC interfere much if it's just simply on or off? I'm no Stig so wouldn't like to drive with it off all the time to have some fun, but a bit of slip would be nice!

Sure I'll think of a few more questions soon!

Cheers,
James

funtime · 27-08-2013, 10:17 AM

Just looking again at the ones for sale - when you say get a 2011 model, do you mean the facelift version with the Daytime Running Lights instead of the round fogs in the bumper? Also the dash is totally different on the newer ones - the sat nav doesn't pop out.

Sounds like an obvious question but if Darren's is an (albeit late) 2010 and that the model you are talking about p, then there are an awful lot of 2011 ,Odell that are pre facelift?

Or are the change in these lights an dashes completely separate from the change in gearbox etc?

Cheers,
James

**DazBlackCSL** · 27-08-2013, 10:44 AM

Not sure on the what's std and what's not on the later face lift ones, mine is the latest spec with the round fogs so right on the change, 18k miles on so still under the merc 3 year warranty.

LSD and Perf Pack and Pack + were all options, from what I can tell the sport turns it all off, 3 settings on the auto box, comfort, sport and manual sport (paddles like the csl) in both sport and manual sport it blips on the down change witch is lovely with that V8 noise..and always makes you grin

Trust me you get slip even with it all on ! Lol it likes to break traction when all the toys are on so don't worry about that... Black Maple or Carbon int pack are nice if someone has ticked a few carbon pack goodies from factory, mine had rear lip spoiler, want mirrors really.

Much more fun than an E92 feels more grown up too if you know what I mean...

funtime · 27-08-2013, 05:51 PM

Oh right ok, god that's confusing! So have you got the updated dash with the sat nav screen in the same pod enclosure thing as the speedo etc? Or is it in the hidden flap on its own?

Description sounds retarded I know but I'm sure you know what I mean?

So assuming the mechanical facelift e.g. Gearbox, is separate to the aesthetic facelift e.g. The dashboard and DRLs etc, how can you tell just by looking at a for sale add whether it has the updated gearbox etc?

Cheers
James

26-08-2013, 08:22 PM	#1
funtime S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sussex Posts: 613 Casino cash: $5830	Anyone had a C63 AMG? Thoughts/experiences? As above really - looking for a GT3 replacement as its going tomorrow. Test drove a C63 today as I've always liked them but couldn't really get much of a feel for it on the test drive. Only thing I was surprised about was how quiet they are inside - they sound monstrous from the outside but just a shame you can't hear much in the cabin! I'm assuming there isn't a switchable silencer on the exhaust which they didn't show me? What are they like on tyres/fuel/brakes etc? Obviously not great on fuel and tyres, but just want to see if its stupid to run! And what are they like on track - terrible? Won't be doing much track work but would be good to do the odd day or two! Cheers, James

26-08-2013, 09:42 PM	#4
AlexGTT CSL Register Uber-poster! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 4,374 Casino cash: $8572	Dazza has one. Bung him a pm. Got his after a GT3 as well. __________________ CSL Register Alcoholics Anonymous Group Leader & Businessman of the Year '93! www.earleyengineering.com

27-08-2013, 08:35 AM	#6
DazBlackCSL CSL Register Uber-poster! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Shaboogling Posts: 7,198 Casino cash: $28466	Lawsey is the expert on these so as above .. 6 weeks in after selling the GT3 and love it to bits.. Mine is a late 2010 (31st Dec) so 2011 with Performance Pack + extra few horses and also had the LSD option ticked, would not have one without really especially if you get one with the Perf Pack Proper Jekyll and Hyde car in a good way, reminds me of the Rangie for comfort when you want it to be a cruiser and then in manual with the paddles it's just mental Not too bad on fuel but then you don't buy one to worry about that really !! Not had it long enough to comment on the tyres, but 6000 not too bad .. Just popped some 12mm spacers on it and now sits even better ... The noise of the thing is just from tick over and just poodling around town sounds aggresive to flat out where it sounds like a bloody turbine ... I've done E36 E46 E92 M's ans 4+ years in the CSL so wanted to tick the C63 box after the 997 GT3 and I'm loving it, for what I need it for right now it's perfect ... Starting to swing it about a bit now and must say does handle pretty well for a big engined beast __________________ CSL Register Lifestyle Coach and Social Secretary

27-08-2013, 10:44 AM	#9
DazBlackCSL CSL Register Uber-poster! Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Shaboogling Posts: 7,198 Casino cash: $28466	Not sure on the what's std and what's not on the later face lift ones, mine is the latest spec with the round fogs so right on the change, 18k miles on so still under the merc 3 year warranty. LSD and Perf Pack and Pack + were all options, from what I can tell the sport turns it all off, 3 settings on the auto box, comfort, sport and manual sport (paddles like the csl) in both sport and manual sport it blips on the down change witch is lovely with that V8 noise..and always makes you grin Trust me you get slip even with it all on ! Lol it likes to break traction when all the toys are on so don't worry about that... Black Maple or Carbon int pack are nice if someone has ticked a few carbon pack goodies from factory, mine had rear lip spoiler, want mirrors really. Much more fun than an E92 feels more grown up too if you know what I mean... __________________ CSL Register Lifestyle Coach and Social Secretary

26-08-2013, 09:42 PM	#3
NBTBRV8 S5 - Full Throttle Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Other Side of the World Posts: 272 Casino cash: $10795	All I know is that they are really hard on rear tyres. My dealer is a MB one as well, and the service advisor told me that in regular driving his customers get 6000 miles from a set of rears.

26-08-2013, 11:26 PM	#5
shane@mbtech CSL Register Uber-poster! Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: warrington Posts: 5,419 Casino cash: $19783	Go 2011 onwards with performance pack. Close to 500bhp in reality, they run the same forged engine as in the sls. The 2011 onwards facelift has a slightly different auto box, which uses a wet clutch rather than a torque converter and the difference is marked., Response and gear shift times are greatly improved. Revised power steering too, better on fuel. Pefornance pack comes with composite brakes too. In a racing drivers hands the difference on track between an e.92 m3 is not much, in normal hands its a big gulf. Because they are more twitchy at high speed they can take a bit of confidence away, but if driven right they are an awesome car! Servicing wise with somewhere like ourselves, it is very reasonable. You will chew rear tyres if hooning. It you want noise in the cabin, open a window slightly Any questions just fire away. Not much goes wrong on them tbh,

27-08-2013, 10:02 AM	#7
funtime S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sussex Posts: 613 Casino cash: $5830	Cheers for the replies guys, really helpful. I had a feeling you might say to go for a 2011 model... Whilst I can, I would rather go for a 2008 as they are a fair bit cheaper and the residues will be much better having lost more of their money already. Performance pack and drivers packs are a must for me, as is the LSD. Am I right in thinking that on the 2008 models the LSD was a separate option, where as on the 2011 models it comes as part of the performance pack? I was looking at this on which seems to be good value and has all the right bits - what do you boys think? http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...-pack/1420436# It looks like you can get a good 2008 model with the right options for around £27-30k where as the 2011 models are in the 40's. The other thing that the bird at Mercedes couldn't tell me is if the traction control have different levels? Do the different modes on the gearbox literally just change the gearbox settings or do they also adjust suspension and traction etc? Do the TC interfere much if it's just simply on or off? I'm no Stig so wouldn't like to drive with it off all the time to have some fun, but a bit of slip would be nice! Sure I'll think of a few more questions soon! Cheers, James

27-08-2013, 10:17 AM	#8
funtime S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sussex Posts: 613 Casino cash: $5830	Just looking again at the ones for sale - when you say get a 2011 model, do you mean the facelift version with the Daytime Running Lights instead of the round fogs in the bumper? Also the dash is totally different on the newer ones - the sat nav doesn't pop out. Sounds like an obvious question but if Darren's is an (albeit late) 2010 and that the model you are talking about p, then there are an awful lot of 2011 ,Odell that are pre facelift? Or are the change in these lights an dashes completely separate from the change in gearbox etc? Cheers, James

27-08-2013, 05:51 PM	#10
funtime S5, Sport Off, DSC M-track Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sussex Posts: 613 Casino cash: $5830	Oh right ok, god that's confusing! So have you got the updated dash with the sat nav screen in the same pod enclosure thing as the speedo etc? Or is it in the hidden flap on its own? Description sounds retarded I know but I'm sure you know what I mean? So assuming the mechanical facelift e.g. Gearbox, is separate to the aesthetic facelift e.g. The dashboard and DRLs etc, how can you tell just by looking at a for sale add whether it has the updated gearbox etc? Cheers James