speedfreak81

As these cars are ultra rare.....finding one a ta dealer is VERY hard. I came across a PRISTINE black '98 car, didnt have MUCH time to look at it today because it was snowing outside but from what I could tell it looked VERY good, absolutely NO curbrash or discoloring on the rims, interior and leather looked almost BRAND new, car has 66,000 miles on it and they are asking $19,900. What do you guys think about her??? Also....did all C43 cars come with Xenon HIDs? or was it an option??

p.s. heres the link to the autotrader ad: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...g=en&cardist=0

e320newbie

"The C43 AMG bows as a successor to the late C36. Featuring an AMG-modified 4.3-liter V8 with 302 hp, the new C43 promises a high-performance thrill ride"" I love it!

stox

HID's were an option. You can find the number imported, by year, at the mbusa.com website. I see it is listed at a dealer, no harm not to try and haggle a beter deal.

feeny

I am in the process of buying a 98 c43 now. Im in Australia, so my price is *way* over the top of yours. What I have found helpful is going through the books - in my case not for service histories (which I wouldnt understand) - but in this case I found a little receipt with the name of the previous owner. I telephoned the previous owner and asked about the car (helpful) and about how much he sold it to the dealer for (very helpful).

The one I am looking at has done 100k, the dealer was asking USD 30,000 for it, and it was sold to the dealership by the previous owner for USD 21,000.

Find that out

e320newbie

every year of the C43 is the best year my brotha dont u know? haha

knvs

2000s are the rarest. only a few were made that year (under 50 so i've heard) and they have the touch shift tranny. 1999s have been known to have more tranny issues out of all of them due to a more agressive software for the tranny. 1998s are not as agressive,but still have tranny issues....

Substance

"only 25" , 2000 C43s were shipped to the US.

Teleaid system, shiftronic (automanual) tranny, AMG 5 star 170 wheels( ones on CLK AMGs). smaller antenna used on the 00> Mbs are the differences from 99 and 98. also parktronic was available in europe but none of the us version 00 C43s have this option.

Importance of the shiftronic tranny is debatable but you will notice asking prices on 2000 ones are much higher than 99s. (very close to 02 C32).
2 are listed on autotrader, have been there for half a year or so)

In my opinion they are the best C43s but I cant really say the Best value C43s(money/performance). Probably 99s are the best value now.

e320newbie

mmm 99

ProjectC55

I think the 2k trannies have upgraded internals.I've never had a problem with my tranny especially since dropping in the 5.5L TQ beast and chging the tranny fluid often.I have a 98

Vardar

1999 C43 is the best! Because that's what I am driving.....

ProjectC55

On Guard!!!

kchristos

Is it really true that the 2000 C43 trany was modified from the the 1998 and 1999's? I thought that it was just the interface (touch shift). It doesn't really make too much sense to me to design a new upgraded trany just to sell 40-50 cars in the US and probably another 50 or so to the rest of the world!
From what I read in the forums it sounds like most problems were created by bad maintenance (not changing the trany fluid as often as it needed). Also, even if the trany is not maintained properly, the problems usually come around 60k miles, which means that MB didn't know about the problem 2 years after lanching the 1998 C43 so why would they modify the 2000 model?

knvs

My speculation is that after 1999, AMG started making more models like the S55, CLK55, ML55, G55, ect. In order to keep them fairly reliable they beefed up the trannys. Thats my guess. Before 2000 there was only the C36, C43 and E55 in 1999

e320newbie

ALL C43's ARE THE BOMB!!!! GET ONE !

Substance

Before 2000...there were E36(w124), E50(w210), E55(w210)...SL60(supercharged, very rare), SL73....C36(w202), C43(w202), C55(w202, very rare)....I am not sure but I have heard a few times that there was an AMG -class too...I dont what sort of engine was used....out of these only C36 C43 and E55 was sold in the US

e320newbie

schooled , well done sir!

ProjectC55

I would not be surprised if you're right. I have 85k ,change my fluid often and have had no problems to date.Also the touch shift is an easy mod for my present 98 tranny.All I would need is the mechanism for the touch shift,the module,the interface for the console and I'm all set.But to be honest I felt it would all be a waste of time as my 5spd tranny serves me very well at the track leaving the car in third gear. And yes the touch shift tranny in the 2k and the tranny in my 98 are basically the same.

amgv8

Checking on the part numbers for the major components of the transmission for all three years, I found the following:

Transmission: 98 and 99 are the same: 202 270 39 00. 2000 is 202 270 52 00.
Torque Converter: 98 is 140 250 06 02. For 99 and 2000: 140 250 0902.
Valve Body: Same for all three years.

It appears that the difference in the 2000 transmission is limited to the changes to the external linkage to accomodate Touchshift, otherwise it's the same as the 99. I suspect this is the reason the trans part number changed, but the internals are essentially the same.

Mike

ProjectC55

Ashkan's C43

were all options the same from 98-00 or did they change in the latter years by becoming stockie?, I know 2000's also had different wheels, I wanna say r170 someone check on that though, could be wrong...