MarshmanGabriel

Hey everyone,

I'm finally selling my subaru for a new lady! I'm choosing a C43 amg, but I recently saw a C32 AND a C55 that look amazing. The C55 is a teeny bit more than I'd like to spend, but it's such an incredible deal I might have to go for it. The C32 is only a grand more than the C43, but I've heard of issues with the transmission that wouldn't exactly be friendly to the pocketbook. What are your thoughts on these vehicles? Shall I stick with the C43?

C43: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4834708400.html

C32: http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/ctd/4835361347.html

C55: http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/4831883442.html

Even if you do not offer help, at least this post may help someone find a new AMG to drive home, as they are all great deals for incredible cars!

hookah

To begin with the c55/c32 are pretty different from a c43. Although they were designed by the same chief designer from Mercedes, I get a feeling of much better build quality and solidity from the c43. not to say the c32/c55 are not well built. The c32/c55 will probably have a slighty sportier feel, if you upgrade suspension on the c43 it will be very comparable. I have never actually driven a c32/c55 but have sat in one, and used to own a 2004 clk55 which has the same engine as a c55. If I were spending my money I wouldnt even bother with a c32, the c55 gives you amore updated interior and features, plus more power and the v8 growl. The c55 has a great motor and it would be noticably faster than a c43. The c43 and c55 are just different cars, you have to decide what appeals to you, the styling of the two are very different, while the c43 looks more brutish and muscular to me, the c55 is more refined and understated.

MarshmanGabriel

I was feeling it would boil down to the C55 and the C43. Honestly, the C43 is a very rare, well-maintained and enthusiast owned vehicle, and is probably the own I'll go with. I may go test drive the C55 just for fun.

nkctb7

You nailed it with your input and advice! There's so much more appeal to that classic Mercedes styling. The W202 was the last C Class with that classic yet brutish styling. I debated for weeks on pulling the trigger on an '06 C55 with low mileage. I love the motor but the styling of the W203, I could never sell myself on. Just my preference. It is very similar with the BMW E46 styling when compared to the E90.

Fallbangskid

I'm thinking of moving up size wise to an W211 E55 and am looking to sell my C43. Although I say I'm firm on the price because of all the $$$$ parts and service (Needs Nothing) I just put into it, I've been asked to reduce the price several times for a quicker sale.

Please take a look:

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst...826777386.html

Thoughts?


FBS

Ausmbtech

C43 or C55, skip the C32. The C32 performs, but just doesn't have that "something special" feel to me. I'm more than happy driving a C43 or C55 in heavy city traffic and still feel like I'm driving a "special" car, the C32 you need to be pushing it a bit to get the same feeling.

MarshmanGabriel

I feel like it'd be the same way for me.. like everyone says, there's just something about that W202 styling that oozes class and elegance, but it also says "Don't F#*k with me".

Fallbangskid: Your car is without a doubt one of, if not the cleanest and lowest mileage C43 I've ever seen. That being said, at the asking price it's at (which it is no doubt worth that much), you may have to wait a while longer for either a collector or someone with some extra change in their pocket to sell it. at that price, you could also buy a decent w203 E55k. Best of luck with the sale. Whoever buys that will be the owner of one of the finest mercs out there!

PJmak

Do not reduce the price. A true enthusiast will buy iy at that price. I know this because if i had this kinda budget for another car, id have no problem cashing it out. It wont be easy to sell tho...

siideways

While I share PJMak's love and passion for the W202, I don't quite agree with his position about holding firm on your price. Your C43 is certainly a pretty nice low-mile example, and the fact that you performed all the ideal maintenance on it does add value, but you cannot realistically expect to "make back" the money you put into it, PERIOD. Unless we're talking about a pristine Ferrari Dino, cars do not appreciate in value, but quite the opposite. So if you want to sell the car relatively quickly, you're just going to have to expect to get less than what you paid for it (including the money you put into maintenance/upgrades). Otherwise you can expect to sit on her for a number of months or longer. That is simply the nature of the beast.


Oh, and btw, if you do decide to bring the price down to a realistic level, let me know, as I'm in the market!

maxbhp

Get a C43! You'll regret it if you don't.

Fallbangskid - I think you should hold firm on your price if you don't mind waiting. It may be a touch high right now but the values of these have already started to hold and slowly creep up. And when they do, the low mile ones will move up at a faster pace than the others.
However, if you really want to get near that asking price, you do not want to advertise it on the same forum in which you just let everyone know you spent $12k buying the car barely 2 months ago.....I have nothing against a quick flip and have done it many times, but to many enthusiasts or potential buyers it could leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Dziner82

this car is overpriced for sure. nothing wrong with a high starting price but to say your firm on that price means you dont really want to sell the car. you would definitely be raising the standard for all of us in terms of what these cars are worth if you sell it for that price, so best of luck there, rising tide lifts all boats! but someone else said it perfectly; you cant expect to get anything for the extra parts you put on it.

NADA values for that car are just under $11k, so no bank will finance anyone for more than 14000 for a purchase (120% of NADA value) nor will any insurance company say its worth more than that. I dealth with this when i bought mine which only had 54k miles.

its a beautiful car, they only type i would be willing to buy... which is why i bought a 1-owner low mileage car, but there is just no precedent for these cars at that price. keep the mileage low and wair a few more years and it may very well be a different story... see the 1992-1994 500E cars, which has similar production numbers.

Dziner82

to the OP...
I was in the EXACT same position as you when i bought my C43 almost 3 years ago now. search my threads and you will find the discussion.

to help more really need to know what you intend to do with the car: daily driver? weekend cruiser? motorsports? long commute? etc. but here are my general thoughts

C43: best looking by far, most rare, seems to be best build quality. lowest prices of the 3 if comparing really good condition cars. also the slowest of the 3. virtually no aftermarket for this car, but it really doesn't need much, depending on what you intend to do with it. it is an older car though so although it was ahead of most cars in technology at the time the interior features are less than what a decent chevy has now., lets face it the car is 15 years old!

C32: looks pretty much same as C55 obviously. big aftermarket for this car, its almost as fast as the C55 but with $1000- $2000 in mods the C32s can get crazy fast due to the s/c. My previous car i modded the crap out of and after a while it was just a PITA to maintain, basically i ruined the car. i decided not to go with a C32 because of this reason, i knew i wouldn't be able to resist modding it.

C55: newest, more low mileage versions available. most modern features, most expensive. fastest from the factory. I really thought about the C55 but just didnt want to spend 18-20k for low mileage versions. i still want one as a 2nd car in my stable but would never trade my C43 for a C55.

Alex33

I was in a similar situation when I was looking for my C43. I basically scratched the C32 off the list because I didn't want a FI car and I don't particularly care for the looks of the w203 cars. I looked at a few and the interior just isn't my taste. I love the look of the w202 interior/exterior and I wanted a V8 so the C43 was the only one for me. I love my car and I don't think I'll get rid of it any time soon. I have been thinking about adding a C55 for daily use (or just to have).

mickey13

C43 all the way..... Don't even think, just do it.... stop reading now.

mickey13

Drop the price to 11.5 or restore it to 100% original factory, including the original phone hardware. You can't have both, just my opinion though.

MarshmanGabriel

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac...835453807.html Is the same high-priced- w202 as posted earlier? man.. 17k is quite a bit.

PJmak

Look at it like this. Would you rather pay 16k for a nissan or a camry or a c43 amg?

PJmak

There are barely any of these cars left and that allows us owners to demand higher prices. Its on us to bring up the value

siideways

I don't think anybody, especially an enthusiast, would look at it like that at all. If anything, people would look at it like this instead, or at least I would: $16K for a C43, or a newer, pretty damn clean, low-mile W211 E55 or E39 M5? That's how much these latter two cars are priced at these days, just check this forum's for sale section for multiple examples on the E55 or Craigslist for M5s (see example links below). See, that's where the C43 pricing at this level makes no sense. But hey, if he can find someone to shell out that kind of money, all the more power to him. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for maintaining values for the W202, but we need to be realistic too.


http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac...845403299.html (this one could probably be had for around $15K)


https://mbworld.org/forums/mercedes-...ck-so-cal.html (this one could probably be negotiated down to around $17K)

PJmak

I would spend 15k on a low mile pristine c43 over a w211 e55 any day. Thats for damn sure.

There is no BMW i like that much so m5 or m3 is not even an option.



A true enthusiast doesnt buy the best deal his money can get. He knows what he wants and is ready to spend. I think sooner or later w202 amgs will be considered cool enough to collect

///AchMeinGott

Real world, I'd rather pay $16k for an over 5 year newer C55. Heck, decent mileage 03/04 CLK55 are in low teens too.

Not really. That's a very rare case. The real issue is it's a 300hp, 3450lb, 15yo sedan. Is the car itself rare, yes. But those numbers can be reproduced by various cars. VS the obvious comparison, the C55, it's not from a time period of extremely light cars, which would indeed be hard to duplicate as adding hp is easy, adding lightness is not. Being ~100lbs lighter isn't staggering, but being down 60hp and one hefty torque curve is. The interior while some might call classic, is dated.

Compare it to used C32 prices and it gets worse, although the interior is a toss up personally. Or as stated, high teens is now higher mileage E55 money, if you are into bigger cars.

This isn't me bashing the C43 at all, just facts about its standing in cardom. It's a unique car with its small size and V8, but you need to find someone that specifically wants THAT CAR if you expect to get those prices. Someone just spending $16k on a fun sedan, has much better options from an objective point of view.

PJmak

You are tottaly correct. All im saying is that out of all cars mentioned, the c43 has the best chance of being the best long term investment.

Power and torque is not all that matters for some people. The 202 has what no other amg has and thats a fact

MarshmanGabriel

That being what exactly? Aside from the classic brutish styling and build quality, of course. I love 202's as much as anyone here, but for 17k, a 480hp supercharged E class has quite a bit more to offer in every aspect except for the iconic looks and build quality.

PJmak

5-7 years ago an e55 was a 40k car wbile c43s were 15-18k. Nowadays e55s go for 15k while a decent c43 can still go for 10k.

Also if you werent aware, c43 was the first of its kind. A small sedan with a v8 and first car that amg hand assembled. Also its one of the rarest amgs. W211 wont be worth more just because its got 450hp

C36 is even more special being the first official amg ever produced after amg and mercedes came together. Go to the amg museum and youll find a c36 on display, not a w211 e55 which is a beast but its also a mess of wires and sensors which will be impossible to preserve for a long time. W202 chasis is well known for its dtm history as well. If you want an e55 that will be worth something go get a w210 but honestly even those are same price as c43s nowadays. All this should tell you something. Look up an article that was published recently titled "c43 amg get one while you can"

PJmak

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/defa...?storyId=30036