I'm contemplating upgrading my C350 for an E550 coupe or C63. I had originally bought the C350 because I thought I'd drive it more and wanted to be more frugal, but I've only driven the car 4400 miles in a year and a half of ownership. So which one do you guys think would be a better upgrade? Also, if you don't think either cars are good, please list your recommendations.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

I'd go with the E550 coupe. While the C63 is a beast I think the new E coupe is just downright sexy.

Another car I'd look into is the Audi A5/S5

 

I would also go with a E550 Coupe. Great power and fun to drive. When you get board of the you can go back to a C63, then on to a E63. If you go to a C63 then you might have a hard time finding a car that meets you power needs later. If you want to keep in the MB family. And ya the E coupe also looks awsome.

 

It depends on what you intend to use the car for? Very different machines. Need to focus your objectives with more clarity. then your purchase will not be an emotional one like the C350 might have been/was.

 

both cars are a C at heart. I dont know if I would go from a C to a C63 because everything but the engine is still the same. But the E coupe is really just a C so i dont know if I would spend almsot 60K on that. I mean the interior door design is the same as the C, it doesnt even get the new E class door design. That being said, I like either of the cars.

I would wait for the new CLS.

 

Doesn't the C63 have suspension settings to switch around? Stiffer suspensions I assume? Bigger brakes? Bigger tires? Bigger ego? Bigger everything?

 

You hit the nail right on the head. The C350 was really an irrational emotional purchase. I really do like the car, but I don't really drive it much except for the weekend. I have another DD that I use for a beater and parking on the streets of NYC. My thinking is...If I really like my car with 268hp...I would fall head over heels for it with 451. lol I know it sounds stupid. I'm still trying to legitimize losing 10+k on trading my car in. I do like the idea of the E63, but the E styling just doesn't do anything for me.

Thanks for listening to me rant. I really appreciate all your input and feedback.

 

Take the c63 out for a test drive, it's a completely different animal. When you're looking at A5's or E550's it's totally different from an S5. The drive is awesome on the v8's, gives you an exhilarating feeling.

 

I really don't think a high power car is worth getting here in NYC. I live here as well so I know how it's like. You rarely have the chance to go over 60 mph! Stop signs and traffic lights every 30 seconds ruins all the fun

 

Hahaha...I was thinking the same thing, except mine was Floor it from light to light until the cops turn on their lights. lol You forgot about the Huge potholes and steel plates on the ground that forces you to naturally slow down or blow out your tires and rims.

Still...the new car bug has bit me. I gotta resist the urge.

 

Personally, I would not switch from the c350 to a c63, it really is too similiar for me. Yes, teh c63 is very fast and a beast, but it still looks 90% like the same car, and is pretty much the same car with performance upgrades. If you could stick it out another 10 or so months, get the C-Class coupe that is waiting in the wings, should be released 2012. By then you won't be selling your car right when you have the biggest depreciation hit. You will pretty much have a new different car. And they even will offer that in 6.3L engine (or comparable, they seem to be switching back to 5.5l engines, but adding bi-turbo) so you will get better economy, especially in city driving. It just seems like the "smarter" thing to do. If you find it hard to wait that long, mod your vehicle a little. Add tints, tint the headlights/foglights with lamin-X, looks cool, buy the gloss black c300 grill with chrome accents for around $150.

I dunno about you, but when I mod my vehicles, I tend to get less bored with them. And the mods I do are easily reversible, and don't cost much, $60 for lamin-x headlights & tail lights (if you install yourself) and the grille is like $150 like I said (if you install yourself) and all are very easy jobs that can be finished within an hour. It also adds to the personal attachment to your vehicle, if you do a lot of the work yourself,you appreciate it more. And then when you go to sell it, the lamin-x will just peel right off, along with any window tints and just sell the grille on ebay for like $60 and replace with the original or just leave it in and sell the original, and there you have it. But thats just me and my advice, and thats all I can give you. If this is not your DD, but rather your joy-car, perhaps a used Mercedes from a higher class would be of interest? My father bought a 2003 SL 500 amg (looks the same as 2007 sl500) and only had 25,000 miles for around $25,000... Great deal, and it looked and drove like a new car, simply amazing. Nothing beats teh v-8 engine sound, and all the goodies this car offers (air suspension with different ride heights and air-ride -- smooth as baby skin) and then there is the hard top convertible, the ventilated seats and a bunch of other cool gadgets like the ABC body control. I live out on long island, where most of my driving is mainly highway and empty suburb, so the environment allows me to use the ABC body control allows me to take turns at amazing speed and balance.

 

CLS Class - the 550 "is" sex...

 

CLS is being redesigned next year.

 

Thanks for the feedback. It's not dire that I have to replace the vehicle. Like I said before, I just have the itch to get something else. I can resist it..(My girl will just have to keep doing this to me ) lol

 

I've gotten so many tire bubbles in the past on a BMW. Those holes can get sneaky at night. The low profile tires on a nice car will get destroyed asap

 

Haha yeah. That could work. What helps me relieve the urge is to take a trip outside new York to another state. Then you see what crap boxes the majority of the world drives. In a road trip to florida, maybe 10% of the cars I saw were newer (aka) newer than 2008. And the ones that were relatively new were cheaper budget vehicles. I could probably count the the number of cars I have seen that were "expensive" (a c-class would classify as expensive,
Even being only a baby Benz) and relatively new on my two hands. I think that we just get so blind sided living in new York where the majority of the people have very nice and expensive cars.

In just my small neighborhood alone there are many brand new s, e, c and 7 and 5 and 3 series everywhere. Its like a 24/7 car show. It is very rare to see a vehicle that cost cheaper than 30-40k in my neighborhood. It is actually kind if sickening when you think about it. And it is just a constant reminder and contest to get the newest and the best. But I think this time around I will not give in to societal pressures and just stick with my c class for like 10 years. Or as long as it will serve me. Just modify your car slightly (don't make it rice) just enough to distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack.