FLYNAVY

I get around 25-26 mpg in the C43, reduced down to 24 in town if it is really stop and go. I couldn't really tell you for comparison what the C36 gets, but keep in mind they are both performance motors and will burn more gas accordingly.....after all your fuel burn is proportional to the amount of power you are making (or really the amount of torque you are making, but that just over complicates the relationship for the purpose of this discussion).

Maybe you don't like BMW which is fine, but the e36 M3 is a far more focused compact sport sedan than either the C36 or C43 IMHO.

ProjectC55

If your big worry is gas mielage ,I would not bother buying either AMG W202. These cars are not built for gas mileage,they are built for performance. They both probably get the same gas mileage city or hwy.
Wanna save gas then get one of the 4 cyl Kompressor cars.

£ C43 £ AMG £

It is bias for me to say that the C43 is a better car as I have one, it completely down to personal preference.

Both are great Mercedes AMG's and are value for money. My friends C36 feels fast and nimble but my C43 never fails to deliver acceleration at a constant rate in a straight line.

Both will last and give satisfaction as long as they are maintained

ProjectC55 you are quite serious about things and you seem to know your facts but hey why would anyone admit that their car is NOT as good or better than someone elses....................I understand Dr36 ....................I would love a Lamboghini Gallardo Spyder but because I can't afford one its no way better than my car!

e30t387

i dont know if there is something wrong with my buddy mikes c36 but every time we go at it i really dont see the competition before the charger i mean. but i agree with project my c43 has 84,000k on it and never had any tranny issues and now with the charger its been on for quite some time now and still no issues and for gas mileage i would just go for a c280 or something def wouldnt got for a c36 or c43 for gas saver.

£ C43 £ AMG £

Gas is fine on mine, if I drive like an old granny the petrol gauge doesn't move at all (300 miles at least on a 60litre tank of petrol). If I drive it hard, well you know what the answer is (less than 250 miles on a tank), I had a 300bhp ESCORT COSWORTH in the past and that used more petrol and that was a lighter car. The torque on these C43's makes for very little effort, 4 people in the car and I notice less of a change in performance than when I had the COSWORTH.

As for the gearbox, I have had the oil changed and its got 115,000 miles on it and as far as I can tell it drives very nicely with smooth changes. I do kick down alot! so it does get a bit of abuse make sure you check the passenger footwell where the gearbox ECU is for oil, mine was quite bad and I changed the gearbox loom plug, easy and cheap job but could have cost a hell of alot more......thanks agian to the guys on the forum.

Dr. C36

w202s in general just aren't fuel efficient cars. My E55 modded was very fuel efficient (when I wasn't deep into the throttle). But honestly these cars are meant to be enjoyed, not to be used as a honda civic grocery getter.

Either way you can't go wrong.

£ C43 £ AMG £

I don't under stand,

please explain how can the W202 C43 be less efficient than an e class, I had an E320 1997 Lowered AVANTGARDE and that was quite thirsty maybe the same or more than the C43 and I had to slow down for coners alot more as it drove like a boat.

The C43 has a smaller engine displacement=less fuel and is also less wieght than an e class=less fuel

SeeKlasse

Fly, dont mean to pick your words apart, but 25 mpg in a c43? are u sure? i hardly ever break 300 miles on a tank, and thats high 19's. and i do ALOT of highway driving. maybe if i get it chipped itll get a little better.

projC55, my friend has a 05 c230 komp (the 4 cyl) and it ROCKS the gas mileage, 35mpg! ridiculous

i once recorded 31.06 mpg in my old '97 c280 (5spd auto), it was chipped, and had some intake and exhaust work... but also had bigger tires than stock. to say that no w202 can get good fuel economy is a lie, i testify to this fact.

c55m8o

I agree pretty much. I'm in a unique position to say, having done an engine swap.

I regularly "drive it like I stole it", just to set context... So when using the throttle liberally but not race style WOT for extended periods, I'd get from the high 16mpg to about 17.5'ish MPG in the C43 w/the 4.3L engine... I now get about 16.5 MPG in the c43 w/the 5.4L engine from a 2001 E55, and ECU flashed w/a mod'ed E55 program over it. A 5.7% reduction, not a 25% fuel economy reduction for a 25% increase in displacement; and I get to speed a bit sooner/faster.

So apples to apples, the engine [4.3L] w/25% less displacement is going to give you better absolute fuel economy; no doubt there's no raised eyebrows about that. It's also not nearly as fast for the same throttle angle; no doubt no raised eyebrows about that either.

When I decide "I'm gunna force myself to take it easy" or when it rains, I switch the W|S switch to W, to give me 2nd gear starts, and tranni will also switch into the next higher gear @ a lower RPM. In that case I get 17.5mpg or a bit higher from the 5.4L engine. And there's so much torque, I'm still taking off as fast as I would be w/the 4.3L engine. So in those instances in keeping the RPMs down w/a 25% larger displacement engine, I'm getting the same'ish performance (starting from only 2nd too) and same'ish mpg. ...& what's on tap is dramatically more.

I'd have to say it's a more efficient engine too.

bagelsjustbagel

Well since my main worry is that i was going to be screwed too mcuh with the C43 and i was planning to settle with the C36 for sake of gas. But sense it appears to be that they are ABOUT the same. I think the C43 is for me. now time to find one...
I've heard of "weak C43's" Ive never driven one before so how do i know if it's weak when i go to look?

silence

i can't figure out a single reason i'd prefer a stock or mildly modified C36 (and this includes all the little mods that anyone on here has done to a C36 other than going turbo) over a similarly equipped C43

FLYNAVY

I know it seems crazy, but yeah those are very solid figures collected over the last 4 months. 2 cross country drives, and a lot of daily hauls to work and it is pretty much consistent. On the freeway generally was able to pull 400 miles between stops. Now that my gas indicator has been giving me problems, I have been manually tracking every fill so that I know exactly what kind of gas mileage I am getting (so I know how much I have burned, etc). I'm sure driving styles and the tune of your car may vary....I also almost exclusively keep it in winter mode unless I want to get up and go, as it is sort of jerky around town starting in 1st (when I don't want it to).

PJmak

c43 = tranny problems

c36 = head gasket and wiring harness


both cost about the same to fix

id be satisfied with either car

as a matter of fact i see my self ownin both in the future


good luck, if you have some spare money, dont be afraid to go for an older one with high milage


c43 gets good gas milage for a v8 so i wouldnt be tooooo worried about it

unleas ur planing to use it as a daily

SeeKlasse

wow thats wild! i cant believe you get 400 miles between tanks even with highway driving... im so jealous. is your car chipped?
i know about the winter mode i leave that **** in winter mode all the time for the very same reason...

silence

my C43 with all my mods gets 25 on the freeway...

i consider that great gas mileage

FLYNAVY

No chip / reflash or anything.....100 % standard

bagelsjustbagel

I do plan on using it as my daily. And im still in Highschool (last year thank god.) I dont think ill be driving it that much as to be a HUGE concern

PJmak

at least youll be the coolest kid in your school

Z06EATER

brother don't even ask about gas mileage, my car drinks gas like nothing! N I MEAN DRINK! so there not much of a diff, these inline six's are a bit modded, as the 43's are straight from the e classes so yea, i like the 43's but i love the 36 body more, and power is almost the same. to me at least.

Jons95c36amg

[QUOTE=ProjectC55;2922470] Not biased at all. Just stating the facts really. I also feel that the E36 M3 is a better all around performing car than the C36. Where is the C36 better than either one of these cars?

Omey,now where do you get your facts from. The CLK 55 has a bigger heavier diff than a C43. It also has bigger heavier axles than a C43. The C43 has a 3.06 final drive rear diff vs the 2.82 rear diff final drive ratio in the CLK55. The W209 CLK55 is even heavier but uses a 3.07 Final drive ratio in it's diff which is also heavier than my diff.
To appreciatate a C36 more than a C43 would be almost the equvalent to liking a C36 more than a CLK430 or even an W208 AMG CLK 55 which was the fastest AMG built in late 1999 early yr 2k.


You keep saying I'm biased. That's not so. The power curve from the 4.3L v8 is also better than the pwr curve in the M104 I6. You are doing nothing but alot of speculating as far as i'm concerned,in comparing the potential and power of the M113 4.3L motor. If the M104 motor was such a potential power house, why would MB use the M113 V8 4.3,5.0,5.5L motor to this day? How many yrs are we talking now,1998 to 2006(8 yrs)

If the I-6 was such a Godsend performance wise,wouldn't MB have used it in it's AMG's as long as BMW and BMW "M" have used it's M50,M52,S50,S52,N52,N54 not to mention the earlier Euro version I-6's used in the E36 M3. I-6 motors in it's 3 and 5 series cars?

Show us a dyno of your car where it has more tq than a C43. A Modded C43 will stomp your modded C36 and I could guarantee you that. F/I modded or modded N/A.

Show us the dyno's for crying out loud. Show us some 1/4 mile #'s. I bet you my 99 M3 and my 94 M332i(converted 325i OBD1 all the wrk dne by me) would have slammed your modded C36.

Show us #'s and facts and not pure bias and speculation. You sound alot like some of the "M" guys on the m5board.

C36 is old technology,C43 is newer and improved technology. FACT!

Dude you kill me! You are obviously talking about a modded C36 vs a Stck C43. Can we talk modded C36 vs modded C43 PLEASE!

By the way,where are your dyno's?

Dude are you dreaming again? You obviously can't be talking about Ralston's or Jeffrey's C36 TT. Whatever dude!

It's hard to relax dude when you like to post misinformation or non factual unsubstantiated points in many of your posts. However I really should have known better than to respond to your posts to tell you the truth.

Come out with some facts and not opinion next time.




Carl the w208 CLK55 has a 3.40 axle ratio 2.82 final drive. The w209 has a 3.06 axle ratio 2.54 final drive I have the Motor trend copies My CLK55 has good gearing 1st goes to 41mph,2nd 62mph,3rd 110mph,4th never got to it

Jons95c36amg

Carl I'm usually at OBI Sundays.

Z06EATER

hey man i get your point about 43's being "better" than c36 but don't shove it up our C36 owning ***'s for godsakes damnit chill out....i don't care i love my c36...n that's really messed to bash it's design like that. i'm only 19 n i'm very happy to own one...

myc43amg

I would drive it till it almost switches 1st gear than let off the gas pedal than FLOOR IT. You will know after that! But, dont worry to much about landing a "weak" c43. All you will need to do is change plugs,OILS, and filters (I like GREEN filters, better than K&N as they don't come soaked with oil), seafoam or whatever to clean the injectors. This is what I do to all the cars I buy and it usually brings the car back to life. Just make sure the trans is shifting good and you will be good to go. BTW, if you buy a c43 with high milage have them clean it at the dealer or pepboys. Pepboys charges $118.00 to run some strong injector cleaner with a injector cleaning kit. They also said they do 2 other things which is part of the cleaning process but I forgot what they were. For me I rather take the injectors out and send them to this man (www.cruzinperformance.com) and than re-install them knowing they are 100% CLEAN. He does a great job as I have used his services before.

You be surprised how different the car runs after such a cleaning.

Jons95c36amg

To each its own. I wouldnt give up my daily driver C36. Its dead reliable with over 101k miles.

thebenzbar

+1

However I do agree that an e36 M3 is arguably a better overall performer than the C36/C43 AMG cars... I have an e36 M3 that hugs the road like glue and has great torque and speed in stock form. BUT on the other hand, I am a much bigger MB/AMG fan than an M fan so I'd still take a C36 anyday to complement my E55. Everyone has their own preferences... different strokes for different folks. In any case, much respect has to be given to both C36 and C43 models. They are still desirable worldwide and both still encompass MB's qualities along with the AMG trademark. Both of these cars can evoke on many of us... on a daily basis!