EVOII_Racer

I tried the search tool but I must be too drunk cause I can't find nothing


Could somebody give some links or your opinion about the handling differences?

Does the c55 has stiffer suspensions? Does it it have a better/stiffer steering feeling?

Thanks for your help guys

hooleyboy

I smell a fight brewing.

EVOII_Racer

Crap...

How can I delete this post?

Damn I don't know how to use the forum

PC Valkyrie

All the info here in this thread:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...n-c55-c32.html

Calspeed

Of course the C32... Ask any c32 owner. Jeez!

SoCalC55

what's the factory claim 0-60 time for the C32? The 55 is 4.8/4.9 right?

FrankW

they were the same. 5.2s 0-100km/h or 4.9s 0-60mph.

in reality they were the same as well. C55 will only pull after that. handling that's a given to C55 as it ran the same time on Nur as the e46 M3 while the C32 was a lot behind if I remember correctly.

1qikctr

^^ditto.

Vomit

Condensed version (all differences are slight, unless indicated)

Initial Lower Price: C32
Less Maintenance Cost: C55
Better Handling: C55
Softer Ride: C32
Better Looks: C55
Acceleration (stock): Wash or maybe slight adv to C55
Low $ Mod-Ability: C32 (pulley, intake, ECU)
High $ Mod-Ability: C55 (supercharger)
Interior: C55

If you are tight on cash or value ride over limits handling, get C32
If the price differential is not a big issue and/or you plan to track the car, get C55

I would trade my C32 for a comparable-miles C55 in a hot second. However, I would not trade my C32 and $10K for a comparable-miles C55.

moosejaw

i take exception to the interior as I do not care for the manual ac unit.
A 60K car should have automatic climate control

EVOII_Racer

Thanks again fo the help guys... Great explanation ''PC Valkyrie''

One more question for the people that drove both the c32 and the c55:
If I understood correctly, the C55 an (even) better ride than the c32?

Any insight is greatly appreciated

c32used

Come on you know we love you.

c32used

+1

Vomit

The C32 has a softer ride. The C55 rides a little harsher, but corners flatter/handles better. It is the classic ride vs. handling trade-off. Which is better for you depends on your intentions (track?) and driving style. For me, the C32 corners just fine, but I really do not push it that hard (except in a straight line). The only time when I really realized the limits of the C32's handling was when I tried to keep up with an E46 around a long freeway offramp sweeper at triple digit speeds. However, for him to pull away from me, his car was leaning so much that it literally looked like the right side of his car was scraping the ground. My point is that the C32 is no slouch handling-wise, but the C55 is better (my understanding is that the C55 is roughly equal to an E46 on the track). If you are a canyon carver, go C55. If you are more of a straight line speed guy, and value ride comfort, get the 32.

FrankW

simple solution: mod the suspension. want C55 handling? run the C55 shocks and springs. sway bars are the same. want even better handling? get aftermarket coilovers.

which interior is better is about personal preference. i.e. I absolutely love my 4-spoke steering wheel (even before I got a Brabus steering wheel). absolutely hate the C55 3-spoke because the 9-3 position doesn't matter how you grab it the back side is too thick where the button is which makes it awkward to grab with your middle and ring finger extended out. I love the C55 seats and hate my own because it slip and slides a little too much. I love my digital climate control vs 55's manual. The rest of the center stack dash is dated vs the 55's. hate the cupholder in the 55 vs the 32's. I also actually like my orange giant speedo dash cluster than the white 55 double ring cluster because the MFD is easier to read and larger.

overall to me the 32 always had a bigger appeal to me. the first AMG not just by stuffing a bigger engine in it. the 55 just didn't feel the same emotionally.

TemjinX2

i'm still hoping one of these days, someone will come out with a twin turbo conversion kit.

SilverBulletAMG

I couldn't agree more. If I had the option to take a 32 or 55 for free, I'd still take the 32. The one thing I do wish the 32 had was the 55s center console with the updated nav system and the seats.

wawy

I've had the pleasure of owning both. There are some things I liked better on the C32 and there are some things I like better on my C55.

JG26_Irish

I just went thru this personally last year when I traded off my old C36. I had the choice of a low mileage C32 or a lower mileage but slightly higher cost C55. The factors that influenced my final choice to buy the C32 were:

1.) Stock power was essentially the same
2.) Styling was essintially the same
3.) Lower cost by about $8k was plus for the C32
4.) I thought the C55 exhaust note was cooler +C55
5.) Mod potential for C32 was much higher ++C32
6.) C32 was slightly lighter +C32
7.) The more exotic nature of the supercharged V6 Kompessor was a plus to me. +C32

I hated the handling of the C32 at first as I came out of one of the best handling C Klasse AMG's ever the the C36. However, with a set of Bridgestone Re050-PP's ditching the POS Pirelli P-Zero's I am 95% totally pleased with the current handling. Tires alone totally transformed the steering precision from vague and unstable to tight, precise and very solid feeling, almost as good as the older car. With simple mods less than $2k the car is much faster than any stock C55 and unless one goes the route Hooley went, they are not gonna get there. The C55 is a very nice car but I am totally happy with my C32. It is true that there is a short list if mechanical issues with the C32 but 90% of them are simple and cheap to fix and most are within the basic skills of this shade tree mechanic. I have replaced pulley idler bearings, smog pump relays, SC'er pulley bearing and the stock battery and brakes.

Irish

PC Valkyrie

In my opinion, it's very straightforward. When replacing the C32 with the C55 as part of the facelift for the whole W203 line, MB/AMG made a number of improvements to make the C55 a better performance car overall when comparing stock to stock.

HP/torque were up a bit with no weight distribution penalty. Handling was improved noticeably. Traction improved when exiting turns due to the electronic system which mimics a LSD (when ESP is turned "off"). A proper "manual" transmission mode which really won't change gears on its own unless you are about to stall the car, along with a more direct steering ratio with better steering feel.

The C55 still was no E46 M3 beater when it came to driving dynamics (much like the C63 still gets beat the E90 M3 handling wise), but the C55 was the first C-AMG car to even come close to a M3 in terms of handling capablility and pace on a twisty track. Previous C36, C43, and C32 cars were clearly inferior to the M3 of their time with regards to handling/dynamics.

The cosmetic stuff inside and outside is subjective.....some like it, some don't. But the C55 was one of the first (if not the first) mass produced MB/AMG model which had unique sheet metal (front end) to house the 5.4L V8, which the original W203 model was never designed to do. It's always going to be something "different/special" when compared to all other W203 C-class models with the grill staying in place when the hood goes up.

The C32 will always have a price advantage in the used car market simply because it is an older car, and more C32's were sold than C55's. And yes, it is much cheaper to get more power with aftermarket modifications from the supercharged 3.2 V6 than the N/A 5.4L V8, so if modding for power is your goal, the C32 is much more cost effective.

Basically, back in 2004/2005, I viewed the C55 as the closest thing to a 4 door M3 (as the E46 M3 never came in a sedan), which was important to me. The B6 S4 was lacking in acceleration, while the upcoming B7 RS4 was way too expensive (>$20000 difference in base price in Canada).

Another practical advantage the C55 has over the C32 is reliability, which many on this forum know. I've owned my C55 for over 4 years now. I've never had to go to the dealer more than once per year for routine maintenance. And people who have been on the forum for a while know my car is driven "hard" at times with no issues whatsoever in terms of overheating or losing power when hot....

TemjinX2

why is this listed as improvement when the c32 has the same feature?

everything else is pretty much spot on.

wawy

I still can't believe the C55 was like $70,000 in Canada when it first came out and now you can get a C63 for cheaper than that here..

TemjinX2

more competition and appreciation of the candian dollar. Couple of years ago the candian dollar was only worth $.60 on the US dollar now its $.81 on the US dollar. I think last yr it was a $1 to $1 ratio for awhile.

FrankW

apart from the steering feel paragraph and 203 wasn't designed for V8 I completely agree. have drove the C55 before i think it feels about the same.

if you measure the distance top support of the front frame to the firewall it is not any different than other 203. i've seen the M113 4.3 stuffed into the 203 with exactly the same clearance as the 55's engine bay. lol unique sheet metal was a big plus still.

PC Valkyrie

If you're talking about the transmission, the C55 has a third mode called "M", in addition to the "S", and "C" (or "W) modes. In this M mode, the car will not upshift at redline (will bounce off rev limiter if you want), and it will won't downshift unless you are about to stall the car. This is the same on all the newer AMG models now too with the 7G-tronic.

In the "S" and "C" modes, the car will automatically upshift at redline, even when you've engaged the touchshift feature manually (at least with the newer C32's.......I have read about some early 2002 C32 models that don't upshift at redline, but I'm not sure about that).


Interesting. I use to have a pre-facelift C240, and I believe the C32 has the same steering rack. I noticed a HUGE difference when I got the C55. The more direct steering ratio was the biggest difference. The C240 felt super stable on the highway, mainly because the slow steering ratio meant tiny steering wheel movements made little impact on the path of the car. With the C55, I distinctly remember thinking....this car feels less "stable" because the car turns with the slightest of steering wheel movements, which is accentuated at highway speeds. On the track, the C55's turn-in response and feedback felt much better thant he C240 too.....(yes, I did track the C240 once.....)

It's not just the C55, all the facelifted W203 C-class cars came with the improved steering rack.