PJmak

Are these cars boring?

Do they never break down so theres nothing to talk about?

Theres a decent amount of active viewers(more than w202 amg section) which is way more active btw.

Naugamanator

Maybe:
(a) Not too many people want to own a 12 year old high performance Benz, and fewer still want to work on them...
(b) Many problems have already been discussed here.

Gramma_Benz

this cars just past its prime, but if you look at how active this forum is compared to others, its THE most active AMG forum.

Not even counting the regular W203 forum.

Look to the far right:

https://mbworld.org/forums/mercedes-benz-amg-vehicles-44/

Accidental L8 apex

Personally, I think it's simply a matter of the 2 cars weak points being well known and the accompanying fixes well documented. I know I looked real hard at the new C63S, but I still need 4 doors and I'm not paying new car prices for the same squeeks and rattles I get for free now.

kbob999

I'm going to say the W203 has issues that are well known, are well sorted once repaired, and easy to work on.
If you want AMG forum activity, go look at the R230 (SL) forum. This car has so many more electronic/hydraulic systems that are difficult to diagnose and fix, that it is always busy. You must have the SDS to own this car, and I do have one. And they are still being made, while the W203 AMG is not.

PJmak

Yea there are always over a hundred people viewing this section compared to 40-60 in c36\c43 w202 section but that section is way more active

kjb55

The C55s are so limited in numbers, probably the most reliable model - and like others have said - they're pretty well sorted by now.

PJmak

Same goes for w202 which in my opinion is more reliable car but somehow for some reason that section is more active even tho you only get about 40-60 active viewers at a time.

austinholloman

I would not say that my C43 was an over all more reliable car than the w203 C55. It has some transmission issues that are a known issues for that car (They should have just used the w210 AMG tranny). I'd say they both are great cars but I don't know that I would put one in front of the other. Unless you're talking about performance and the C55 is hands down the better of the two. The reason I just bought a C55 was the stellar reputation for reliability and the w202 is starting to get a bit too long in the tooth looks wise and it's hard to find a good/clean example out there. That and there is only about a $5k difference in price right now and the C55 is just the better car of the two IMO.

PJmak

I own both cars now and I have to say with the 5.4 swap so far, the w202 feels faster and way more fun overall.

The c55 is sort of confused, as if it doesnt know what it wants to be. It feels smaller inside than a w202 so for a sedan its way small. The v8 doesn suit it in my opinion, the car has a different character

I owned my w202 for a long long time and it has been rock rock solid. I just think the w203 has more things that can potentially fail which makes a w202 more reliable. There are always gonna be terrible examples of each.

austinholloman

Agreed. The w203 does have more tech in it that could go wrong but the engine is the same in both of your cars now. The only difference would be the better transmission in the w203 that was built with the w211 E55 in mind. I do miss my w202, it was a beast and I absolutely loved it. I'd still have it today if it hadn't been totaled. RIP-C43! Correct me if I am wrong but were saying your car has the 5.4l swap or that the C43 with the 5.4l is faster just in general. Either way. I would gladly meet someone at a track to see the outcome, I have always wanted to see that race in person and catch it on video.

PJmak

Sorry about your c43.

One thing to note is the constant valve cover leak on the w203s which is not as much of an issue on the older version of the m113 thats in a w202. Not an expensive and scary issue but still annoying. Some of the c55s I looked at had that done like 5-6 times in less than 100k miles

My c43 does have the 5.4 but its undergoing a slow suspension overhaul. I cant wait till its back on the road so I can do some real comparing

austinholloman

Heck yeah! Lets get that puppy on the track and get some numbers down!