Looking for a clean C43
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
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'13 370z
Looking for a clean C43
I've been searching for a clean C43 in FL and figured I would post here and see if there are any around the forum. I currently drive a 2013 370z and have been considering something new for awhile. Also, is there anything in particular I should look for when searching for a good one? The car would DD to work which is about 15 miles each way.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 620
Likes: 35
From: north jersey
99 c43,90 mustang gt supercharged convertible,07 acura tl type s, Hummer H3t pickup
I've been searching for a clean C43 in FL and figured I would post here and see if there are any around the forum. I currently drive a 2013 370z and have been considering something new for awhile. Also, is there anything in particular I should look for when searching for a good one? The car would DD to work which is about 15 miles each way.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,566
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05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
In ablut 10-15 years youll wish you drove the 370z as your daily not the 43....if you get one 
Good luck on your search. I never had any major problems on my car since I owned it. Its been a very reliable car k ock on wood.
Make sure the tranny shifts normally. Other than that they are bullet proof
Good luck on your search. I never had any major problems on my car since I owned it. Its been a very reliable car k ock on wood.
Make sure the tranny shifts normally. Other than that they are bullet proof
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 620
Likes: 35
From: north jersey
99 c43,90 mustang gt supercharged convertible,07 acura tl type s, Hummer H3t pickup
Yes figure around 3k. Yes timeless design and interiors over built, last forever.I love mine will never sell it.I Have two cars that are my toys and a daily.The 43 is absoloutly fine as a DD.I just don't dd mine,its too nice lol.
Last edited by 99CEEFOURTHREE; Mar 22, 2015 at 08:17 PM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
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'13 370z
I would DD it for the long term, maybe for a year or so before it starts splitting time with another toy.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
Transmission is not prone to failure at all as long as it was serviced normally. Some early examples fell victim to the false "lifetime transmission fluid" b.s. MB was putting out. At this point, those have all LONG since been replaced or rebuilt. When's the last time anyone heard of a C43 or w210 E55 needing a transmission? I can't even recall there being a thread here.
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Super Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 960
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From: Vancouver, B.C., CANADA
2006 E55 AMG/1996 C36 AMG/1999 C43/55 AMG/2021 Toyota Tundra Crew Max TRD Sport Premium
Transmission is not prone to failure at all as long as it was serviced normally. Some early examples fell victim to the false "lifetime transmission fluid" b.s. MB was putting out. At this point, those have all LONG since been replaced or rebuilt. When's the last time anyone heard of a C43 or w210 E55 needing a transmission? I can't even recall there being a thread here.
Well said!
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Super Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 636
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From: MN, USA
C43 5.4, ML320CDI, Fords
I'd go for it. Like others have said, don't believe all the transmission talk. That is purely internet hype, these cars have very good transmissions. If they get replaced it's because the shop doesn't know how to fix it and is trying to cash in on you. I do all the trans work at my dealer and I have dealt with MANY cars in with replaced trans from indy shops and there is no way they needed a trans. They never do actually. I can only think of one time telling someone they needed a .6 trans replaced but that was due to car sitting in a field forever and internally was all rusted up and wasn't worth salvaging.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 61
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99 c43 amg
hey man. Im an MB tech at the Hilton Head, SC dealer about 2 hrs from Jacksonville, fl. I have a clean 1999 c43 w/175k with a 140k/55 engine swapped may be looking to part with. every seal gasket timing chain all replaced. no oil leaks, lowered on h&rs, 15% tint all around, 50% on entire front window, door handles color matched, 18in monos(have stock 17's too) second cat and res deleted. c55 bigger front calipers and rotors, all problematic parts replaced in transmission. serviced extensively, benzslo is right about these transmissions. I do a lot of trans work at my dealer and have seen only a couple .6's get replaced and that was due to lack of maintenance etc. electric connector, shift control module, trans conductor plate all new, trans control unit has never had fluid leak into it. crank sensor, mass air flow etc all new. new radiator, thermostat, water pump, coolant reservoir, new steering shock, ball joints, control arm bushings etc,pretty much everything new. probably tons of stuff im missing. ive put a lot of time and labor in this thing. and everything is done right. no warning lights at all, engine is strong. can do rolling burnouts in first, tires brake loose in 2nd. stomps trailblazer SS's lol. cruise control, a/c and heat, pneumatic, heated seats all work. nothing wrong with car, have driven every day for over 3 years and never had a problem. got it with 120k and completely stock. just thinking it might be time for a new project.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
hey man. Im an MB tech at the Hilton Head, SC dealer about 2 hrs from Jacksonville, fl. I have a clean 1999 c43 w/175k with a 140k/55 engine swapped may be looking to part with. every seal gasket timing chain all replaced. no oil leaks, lowered on h&rs, 15% tint all around, 50% on entire front window, door handles color matched, 18in monos(have stock 17's too) second cat and res deleted. c55 bigger front calipers and rotors, all problematic parts replaced in transmission. serviced extensively, benzslo is right about these transmissions. I do a lot of trans work at my dealer and have seen only a couple .6's get replaced and that was due to lack of maintenance etc. electric connector, shift control module, trans conductor plate all new, trans control unit has never had fluid leak into it. crank sensor, mass air flow etc all new. new radiator, thermostat, water pump, coolant reservoir, new steering shock, ball joints, control arm bushings etc,pretty much everything new. probably tons of stuff im missing. ive put a lot of time and labor in this thing. and everything is done right. no warning lights at all, engine is strong. can do rolling burnouts in first, tires brake loose in 2nd. stomps trailblazer SS's lol. cruise control, a/c and heat, pneumatic, heated seats all work. nothing wrong with car, have driven every day for over 3 years and never had a problem. got it with 120k and completely stock. just thinking it might be time for a new project.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,566
Likes: 421
05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
I'd go for it. Like others have said, don't believe all the transmission talk. That is purely internet hype, these cars have very good transmissions. If they get replaced it's because the shop doesn't know how to fix it and is trying to cash in on you. I do all the trans work at my dealer and I have dealt with MANY cars in with replaced trans from indy shops and there is no way they needed a trans. They never do actually. I can only think of one time telling someone they needed a .6 trans replaced but that was due to car sitting in a field forever and internally was all rusted up and wasn't worth salvaging.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
Totally agree with everything said.
ive owned nothing but w202s. Great cars man. Just the right amount of electronic aids. Not overengineered
if there are w202s that need extra care, they have to be the early 95-96 m104 straight motors.
They tend to overheat and the wiring harness eventually crumbles into pieces.
You simply cant go wrong with a c43. Its a bargain of the century right now
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 620
Likes: 35
From: north jersey
99 c43,90 mustang gt supercharged convertible,07 acura tl type s, Hummer H3t pickup
I'd go for it. Like others have said, don't believe all the transmission talk. That is purely internet hype, these cars have very good transmissions. If they get replaced it's because the shop doesn't know how to fix it and is trying to cash in on you. I do all the trans work at my dealer and I have dealt with MANY cars in with replaced trans from indy shops and there is no way they needed a trans. They never do actually. I can only think of one time telling someone they needed a .6 trans replaced but that was due to car sitting in a field forever and internally was all rusted up and wasn't worth salvaging.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
There aren't really any exclusive parts on a c43 from a regular Mercedes that will be more costly.
For what it's worth, coworker has a brand new 370z nismo and thought he had something for my c43 (with 55 swap). We finally went out on the highway one day after happy hour, let me tell you, the c-class completely destroyed that car, it wasn't even a race. We went 5 or 6 times from different speeds. I'm talking bus lengths, no joke.
Plus the quality of vehicle is more and the ride is much better also, braking is easily as good. Very nice quality cars that are also comfortable and affordable. w202 is one of the hidden great daily driving cars out there that very few people even know about. Jap cars cannot compete with Mercedes.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 384
Likes: 8
From: SF bay area
2012 C63 P31 LSD-Current: My past 1999 C43, 2004 Clk55, 1999 C280 sport, 1995 C280
The handling is not going to be as sporty as your 370z, Ive also had 3 W202's, They are probably one of the greatest built cars for the money. When you throw the C43 in the mix, that just makes the W202 feel even more special. When I drive a different car..and then drive my C43 after that, it becomes very apparent why they are such great cars. You wont regret getting one, just find a well sorted one, lots of little things can add up quick on these cars.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,566
Likes: 421
05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
The handling is not going to be as sporty as your 370z, Ive also had 3 W202's, They are probably one of the greatest built cars for the money. When you throw the C43 in the mix, that just makes the W202 feel even more special. When I drive a different car..and then drive my C43 after that, it becomes very apparent why they are such great cars. You wont regret getting one, just find a well sorted one, lots of little things can add up quick on these cars.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
But the bumpers and sideskirts are the only hard to find and hard to replace parts. Every single other part on this car was standard on a w202 or w210.
The front rotors are crazy expensive, but as we've covered here there are replacements out there (06 C230 Sport rotors are almost exact replacement, no mods needed, considerably cheaper plus drilled/slotted).
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
'13 370z
hey man. Im an MB tech at the Hilton Head, SC dealer about 2 hrs from Jacksonville, fl. I have a clean 1999 c43 w/175k with a 140k/55 engine swapped may be looking to part with. every seal gasket timing chain all replaced. no oil leaks, lowered on h&rs, 15% tint all around, 50% on entire front window, door handles color matched, 18in monos(have stock 17's too) second cat and res deleted. c55 bigger front calipers and rotors, all problematic parts replaced in transmission. serviced extensively, benzslo is right about these transmissions. I do a lot of trans work at my dealer and have seen only a couple .6's get replaced and that was due to lack of maintenance etc. electric connector, shift control module, trans conductor plate all new, trans control unit has never had fluid leak into it. crank sensor, mass air flow etc all new. new radiator, thermostat, water pump, coolant reservoir, new steering shock, ball joints, control arm bushings etc,pretty much everything new. probably tons of stuff im missing. ive put a lot of time and labor in this thing. and everything is done right. no warning lights at all, engine is strong. can do rolling burnouts in first, tires brake loose in 2nd. stomps trailblazer SS's lol. cruise control, a/c and heat, pneumatic, heated seats all work. nothing wrong with car, have driven every day for over 3 years and never had a problem. got it with 120k and completely stock. just thinking it might be time for a new project.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
Not to tell you what to do, but I think you underestimated the car c43amgN843 is selling.
For one thing, miles don't affect these cars the way they do most. Would you like to see pics of the interior of my 99 with 290k miles? It's indistinguishable from one with 25k miles.
But most importantly, c43amgN843 is an expert who has put a LOT of time, effort, and money into making sure his car is top-notch. If I could sell both my cars in time, I'd buy his in a heartbeat.
For one thing, miles don't affect these cars the way they do most. Would you like to see pics of the interior of my 99 with 290k miles? It's indistinguishable from one with 25k miles.
But most importantly, c43amgN843 is an expert who has put a LOT of time, effort, and money into making sure his car is top-notch. If I could sell both my cars in time, I'd buy his in a heartbeat.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
'13 370z
Not to tell you what to do, but I think you underestimated the car c43amgN843 is selling.
For one thing, miles don't affect these cars the way they do most. Would you like to see pics of the interior of my 99 with 290k miles? It's indistinguishable from one with 25k miles.
But most importantly, c43amgN843 is an expert who has put a LOT of time, effort, and money into making sure his car is top-notch. If I could sell both my cars in time, I'd buy his in a heartbeat.
For one thing, miles don't affect these cars the way they do most. Would you like to see pics of the interior of my 99 with 290k miles? It's indistinguishable from one with 25k miles.
But most importantly, c43amgN843 is an expert who has put a LOT of time, effort, and money into making sure his car is top-notch. If I could sell both my cars in time, I'd buy his in a heartbeat.
Newbie
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
1998 C-43
I've been searching for a clean C43 in FL and figured I would post here and see if there are any around the forum. I currently drive a 2013 370z and have been considering something new for awhile. Also, is there anything in particular I should look for when searching for a good one? The car would DD to work which is about 15 miles each way.
