pcpedroariel

Good morning, guys

(I may be writing in the wrong section, as I am newbie and noob)

I am from Brazil and recently I have bought a fantastic car which is a brand new C63 AMG. I also have in my garage two other cars (one most people won't know so I won't even mention it), which is a Jetta Highline 2.0 TSi (Brazilian version equivalent to the American GLI). Unfortunately Brazil, is a very expensive place to live in, and those cars cost me a fortune, reason why I couldn't enter this very nice club before, and I only managed to buy them, because car leasing he offers reasonable options.

My car is a C63 P31 with all the options there is available here. It cost me the ridiculous sum of $195,000, and this is because it is 12/13 model which is 0 mileage, and was left there untouched. If it was 13/13 standard with no optional features, it would have been even more expensive.....

My other car is a Jetta TSi with all the options available as well at the time I bought it for, which cost me the unrealistic value of $50,000. I also have made two upgrades (installing launch control and an intercooler).

In Brazil, the cars are pathetically expensive. A Ford Fiesta intermediate version costs $25,000. All cars here are expensive there is no work around it.


Both are lovely cars, and I am going to write a bit about each.

Engine:
You can't deny that the C63 is an extremely capable car. WOW. The performance of it is staggering. It beats practically any car there is here.
0-100 (60mph) measured once with dynolicious using super fuel (called Podium here), in about 4s. The mpg I expected it to be much worse, especially as it is a huge 6.2 engine, but I managed to get about 17 mpg in city, about 28 in the road (this is when I am not accelerating). Another thing I like it that unlike the Jetta the power delivery is stong but sutile, I can easily floor 25%, and still reach 100 (60) in less than 10 sec, which is how I ride normally.

Jetta, I never managed to floor this car down properly, and I have owned it for about an year. It has 240HP (on dyno tested twice, VW says 200HP), and it is very, very fast, and uncontrollable, as the turbo kicks in strong, and a lot of wheelspin comes (even with ASR on) on first second and a bit on third. It does 0-100 (60mph) in 6.5s. It is also very economical. I manage to get 22 mpg in the city, and on road 35mpg. It is also powerful in low rpm, which gives me the ability to drive like I do with the C63 just flooring a bit.


Transmission:

I can't deny that the MCT is an astounishingly good gearbox, but that the ZF and DSG are still better. It has never let me down, but the gear changes when in WOT in the DSG are more sutile, besides in steep uphills (common in Brazil) both DSG and MCT disappoint me, as at first they put a gear which leaves the rpm too low (normally 4th), then I press the paddle shift to reduce one (MCT takes about 1sec to understand in confort, DSG just does it in much less time), both cars do, soon after they go back to the automatic mode and put the rpm down again. The next steep uphill I face MCT changes the way it behaves based on before, however instead of keeping the rpm where I want, no it just keeps a very high rpm, near 4-5k, which is absurd and unnecessary, as all I wanted was something around 3k.

Suspension:

Both cars do well here, as the C63 through the Agility suspension system in any mode is confortable (however deeper holes, common here in São Paulo), affect the confort a little, as it can absorb it partially but not totally. On the other hand it is a very neutral car.

Jetta, it is confortable (a bit more than the C63) on the other hand, it is stable but not even as close as the C63.

Standard features:

C63 is well equipped however, here in Brazil the Distronic and the Blind Spot Assist have been disable, and the worst part is through the car's computer system (don't know how to translate this properly from portuguese) there are all the options there. I am wondering if there is any way to activate it later, as other features from the packages are available in the car. It comes with all features standard, such as Parktronic, 10GB music, power seats and steering wheel with 3 memories, and much more.

Jetta- comes pretty close to the C63, it just doesn't have the memory options for seats and steering wheel (which is not power adjusted as well), besides not having xenon headlamps.


Overall:

I love both cars. I am very pleased at their performances. I wish I had the opportunity to have cars as good as this before.

Engine sound:

Forgot to mention this. The C63 has a wonderful sound, which comes from both the engine and exhaust. The Jetta on the other hand has a pleasant engine sound however a terrible exhaust sound (sounds like a Corolla)

ilumunus

Congrats on the car and awesome review! We'd love to see pictures some time!

And yes, this is the right section!

Zeee_Q

Congrats and welcome! I'm sure it's not often you see a C63 down in Brazil.

pcpedroariel

Thanks guys for the support.

C63 are cars which are rare in Brazil, however in São Paulo, we can see at least once a week a C63 in the richer neighborhoods. On the other hand, C250, C200, Jetta TSi, Passat, Audi A4 aBMW 328i, and 320i are very common cars here, as they are the cheapest ways to get access to a german vehicle. You can find them virtually anywhere.

pcpedroariel

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pcpedroariel

Guys (who see this and own a Galaxy S4)
can you explain why GS4 pictures come in this low quality when I send it to my computer (Mac)?

pcpedroariel

BTW this images were made in a stop on the only trip I have made with the car. I got it with 16km (like the interior picture shows of me taking it from the shop), and now it has only 400km (2 weeks after)

pcpedroariel

Jetta pictures
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pcpedroariel

Jetta pictures come from an IPhone 4 (my old cellphone)

pcpedroariel

Moreover to add I have to say I love both cars, and eventhough they set me back large quantities of money, I am pleased with them. In Brazil both cars are expensive to keep. Firstly the super gas here costs a fortune so to fill the Jetta's tank I spend $100 and the C63 $120. The insurance is also near the 3k zone C63 and 1.5k Jetta. Maintenance is about the same costs as in any other place

pcpedroariel

Sorry for making another post forgot to add the downsides:

C63:

MCT Gearbox - Once you have had a car with DSG or ZF gearboxes, the MCT feels a bit clumsy. It is great to use as the gear changes seem to happen when you want, however when using the paddle shifts, things do not go very well (except in S+ mode). The shifts take long to happen, besides sometimes the Reducing and Increasing paddle shifter, does not react when I want it to, so I have to sometimes press the paddle shifter twice for it to react.

Jetta:

Front Wheel Drive- For a car with the power delivery it has, it is just mental to be front wheel drive. It causes the car to understeer terribly in low speed corners accelerating, besides causing a lot of wheelspin in first, second and a bit in third gear.

pcpedroariel

Guys I would like to know if there is any way to activate Distronic and Blind Spot Assist on the C63 as mine already comes with it pre-installed.

otakki

It's crazy how much cars cost in other countries. With $195K in the US, you are in the SLS and S65/CL65/SL65 park.

pcpedroariel

I know prices in Brazil are absurd, Brazil only loses to China in this aspect, and Spingapore. For instance a SLS costs in the $300,000-$400.000. A normal everyday car in America (Toyota Corolla) costs pathetics $45,000 in a version equivalent to the States one, and still lacks behind in safety (only 4 airbags, and no ESP). A Prius here in Brazil costs $70,000, and to finish off a Ford Raptor truck $110,000. São Paulo with this in mind is a very rich city, as cars that cost from $25,000 (Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit) -80,000 (BMW 328i, Mercedes C200 and C250, Audi A4) are very common here.

abcut973

Oi Pedro. Tudo bem?
First welcome! That's a really nice c63 you have. Like you said very rare in Brazil as most foreign cars are expensive (almost doubly taxed) in order to protect the local market. Volkswagen are really common and cheap.
I lived in Sao Paulo for 2 years so I know what you are talking about. You only see nice cars in the upscale neighborhood. Needless to say they all have bullet proof windows/windshield. Car jacking can be bad.
The common fuel there is alcohol (made from sugar cane) so premium gasoline is expensive too! Apart from that it is a really nice city. I did enjoy my stay and food is so good

bhamg

Welcome aboard and enjoy your ride$. Nice writeup too. Whenever I read stuff like this I'm reminded how ridiculously cheap car ownership is in this country compared to the rest of the world. Today I paid $52 for 14.7 gls of premium gas. In 2009 I paid $64k for my fully loaded (every option but Mbrace ) car that carried an msrp of $75k.

pcpedroariel

Bom dia, vai tudo bem e você?
Thank you for the warm welcome, and thank god now there is someone in the forum who knows Brazil well (Brazil is so rejected here, there is not even a South America community)lolol.

I never got my head round armored plated cars (now it is so common, that even people with the cheap small 1.0liter engine cars are doing it). I have a friend who has a Jetta just like mine, armored plate BIIIA, level three which can hold even machine guns, and we changed cars for a week, besides doing some drags and so on. The difference was not so bad in acceleration, however the cars behaviour changed significantly. It understeered and oversteered (oversteer epic, understeer ****) much more even with ESP and ASR on, besides becoming really unconfortable in my daily drives.


Now abcut973, even alcohol is expensive, the government wants to squeeze maximum profit from Petrobras (the company that sells this). It is costing $1.5 $ liter, normal gas $1.75 liter, and premium gas (super fuel, podium whatever) around $2. It is absurd.

However Brazil has its upsides, with delicious food, multiculture, and fantastic turistic spots. Just the government which is very corrupt, and destroying Brazil. However Northeast Brazil still offers great opportunities as land costs half of the price in São Paulo, and food, medicines, and most everyday stuff is much cheaper. Only cars which there is no way around it.

BTW nice C63 you got there, pal. I am planning of in the future (as mine has the P31 package with engine bits of the SLS)installing an ecu upgrade to a SLS one, lets see who that goes (not now, already spent enough to get the car, and there will be no way I can convince my wife to spend more and its power is imense so no problem to keep it stock for now)

pcpedroariel

Thanks man, you are one lucky guy. I wish that for $64k I could take out of the dealer a fully loaded C63, but in Brazil that is barely enough to get a C180!!!! Tell that to yourself everyday, if you lived anywhere else, this car was going to cost more than $150k, with the exception of European countries.

Enjoy your rides too.

abcut973

Beleza, tudo bem ai tambem.
I'm from French Guiana one of your northern neighboring country and I'm a big fan of yours. I think i got this from my father . I was in Sao Paulo between 2007-2009 so I can imagine things have changed a bit since it was the beginning of the booming era (technology wise). I've been visiting a lot between Rio, floripa, bahia, belo horizonte, etc... This country is so big the difference in weather between north and south is surprising. The warmth and humidity of the northeast vs the cold/mild in Porto Allegre. Since you (SP) are below the equator when we (US) are going towards winter you guys will enjoy summer!
Do you track your car at Interlagos? I've been there twice for the Brazilian F1 GP. Man it was a great experience. I wish i could run my car there. By the way thanks for the compliment. I imagine modding yours will be another PITA money wise. We are so lucky in the US...

pcpedroariel

Thanks man. French Guiana is a lovely place which I have the intention to visit at least once in my life. Brazil has changed significantly since 2009 however it still is a lovely place. The only problem is too much corruption, SOB family members, and definitely the crap quality of life in SP. Most people become maniacs. This has resulted in the drivers which drive very poorly. Crashes are frequent and turning lights are something which people rarely use, besides mirror checking.