First time Mercedes buyer
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Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 101
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First time Mercedes buyer
Hi all,
Currently I have a Renault Clio 1.4 Auto 15 years old and with about 80bhp. It was making some grinding noises and so thought I'd get another car just in case. After a rather drunken search on the internet I decided impulsively on this
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg1.jpg
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg2.jpg
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg3.jpg
Told my wife it was a 1.8.
8 years old and only 1 owner and 40 000 miles. Not one mark on the alloys.
Here's where I ask for advice ! I am used to chucking various front wheel drive cars into corners over the years and letting understeer turn into swing lift off oversteer. However the only car that I have ever owned that was rear wheel drive was my first which was a Morris Ital ( no laughing at the back there ! ) with a long wheel base and 67bhp which made it great for oversteer in mud, or light snow .. but of course is no guide to my new car.
Any tips to get me into the swing of things ? What would be a good technique to start to investigate what it will do without putting my first ever nice car into a hedge ? Roundabout maybe ? Which gear, what speed etc etc.
I have to admit to being very tentative at this moment. My particular car seems to have a long pedal action ( are they all like this ? ) so you can press and nothing happens and then it goes.
I hope your experience will expand my safety net before I even drive it in anger, so many thanks for any advice.
Regards
Andy
Currently I have a Renault Clio 1.4 Auto 15 years old and with about 80bhp. It was making some grinding noises and so thought I'd get another car just in case. After a rather drunken search on the internet I decided impulsively on this
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg1.jpg
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg2.jpg
http://www.aocb77.dsl.pipex.com/amg3.jpg
Told my wife it was a 1.8.
8 years old and only 1 owner and 40 000 miles. Not one mark on the alloys.
Here's where I ask for advice ! I am used to chucking various front wheel drive cars into corners over the years and letting understeer turn into swing lift off oversteer. However the only car that I have ever owned that was rear wheel drive was my first which was a Morris Ital ( no laughing at the back there ! ) with a long wheel base and 67bhp which made it great for oversteer in mud, or light snow .. but of course is no guide to my new car.
Any tips to get me into the swing of things ? What would be a good technique to start to investigate what it will do without putting my first ever nice car into a hedge ? Roundabout maybe ? Which gear, what speed etc etc.
I have to admit to being very tentative at this moment. My particular car seems to have a long pedal action ( are they all like this ? ) so you can press and nothing happens and then it goes.
I hope your experience will expand my safety net before I even drive it in anger, so many thanks for any advice.
Regards
Andy
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,278
Likes: 377
From: San Jose area
'19 E63S sedan
Andy
Congrats. Mercedes, and even AMGs, are very forgiving. Lots of understeer makes it hard to get into trouble so long as you work your way up gradually. But the characteristics of the W202 and W203 are very different, so you might wish to repost in the C36, C43 forum next door. We recently traded my wife's C36 (six-cylinder predecessor of your C43) for a C55 (eight-cylinder like yours, but in the later body), and I can confirm they behave quite differently.
Martin
Martin
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 101
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Oh hell .. I wonder where my post had gone when I looked in the C43 part of the forum. I probably have made a terrible faux pa .. thanks for not giving me too much of a kicking 
Maybe I'l lwork my way up to a c55 and then be able to post here with pride at some point !
Regards
Andy
Maybe I'l lwork my way up to a c55 and then be able to post here with pride at some point !
Regards
Andy
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 25,523
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From: Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA
'05 C55 AMG '15 Jeep SRT '11 G37S
Nice car...love the C43. Appears to be in perfect condition from the outside!
Also, it looks to have brand new PS2's on it as well...sweet.
What did it run you, if you don't mind.
Also, it looks to have brand new PS2's on it as well...sweet.
What did it run you, if you don't mind.
