Hi all you C43 owners, Im wondering what your opinion on the quality of drive is between the C450 and C43. Is there a massive difference? If so, whats noticeably different apart from the cosmetics?

 

9-speed vs. 7-speed transmission. Makes the big difference. Also the C43 has more rear-wheel bias on the 4matic, AMG menu in the center display like my 63 sedan which has engine oil/water temp display, g-meter, lap timer etc. Not sure if this is important to you but you can get ventilated seats now on the C43 vs. it wasn't available on C450. The performance exhaust also sounds very good. Tons of youtube clips out there if you want to hear it or your local dealer may have one with it.

 

Yeah, no sh--. Bring it on 43 drivers. The car magazine people say the tranny-bias rework-engine combo have it feeling like an noticeably different powertrain and driving experience.

But they only have 'em for a minute.

Now, tell me how much I need to trade up from my 450..........and if you must, how much of a dumbass I was for not waiting a few more months back in March '16.

 

hype train.

the gear box is the only notable difference in terms of driving experience. a 2% increase to power sent to the rear will go mostly unnoticed.

Anyways, I am extremely happy with the 450 at the 16% discount. Transmission may be a little clunky, but I like it.

 

I've test driven both but not back to back. I would say that the new trans really isn't that noticeable, but again, I didn't drive them back to back.


I highly doubt anybody would notice the very slight additional rearward bias in the 4 matic. For the 43 I drove (hard) it is still quite neutral to under steer, definitely couldn't get any over steer on the test drive.


The biggest difference I think is the PE. When in Sport+ and everything open it's a sweet sounding stock system.

 

I'd keep the 450. They're not mechanically different enough to be noticed in daily driving. The 43 doesn't even get the AMG front fascia, so not worth trading-in based on looks.

 

Hmmm. Good points. With the discount + the better than I should've gotten trade-in value, guess it wasn't such a dumb move after all. Not that I really thought it was; a bit self-deprecation, I suppose.

And the transmission? Like it just fine, though I will admit.....don't have the keen senses to differentiate the little stuff that could be improved on.

So, alexasa and Wookii, you're on to something. Slightly improved, but not truly an upgrade nor trade-up worthy, especially since the 43 comes - and I'm guessing - at a higher cost for 2% more to the rear and 2 more gears.

 

Both are fundamentally similar driving experiences - not worth going from a C450 Sedan to a C43 Sedan.

Conversely, if you're thinking of going from a C450 Sedan to a C43 Coupe...then there might be more of an argument to be made about Coupe vs. Sedan.

 

This makes me feel better if its the general consensus... i'm beating up myself up over not waiting 2 months for the C43 to grab the performance exhaust. I love my C450, but have started seriously considering trade uping to the C43. Is it worth the loss of X dollars???

 

I test drove the C450 when it came out last year and simply hated it due to the slow transmission and it ultimately didnt feel that special compared to my 435i with full M Performance addons. After test driving the new C43, the biggest notice you will feel is how much louder and better sounding it is (Its insane how loud it is for a non AMG63 car) and the transmission is much more compliant for those that drive in manual mode, but still lacks behind the ZF8 in the Bmws. The new exhaust simply puts a huge smile on your face whenever you upshift!

I thoroughly enjoyed the test drive of the car and will be trading in my 435i for a C43 this saturday

Go test drive the new C43 and decide whether its worth the change or not.

 

If you really wanted the exhaust of the C43, I'd suggest going to a aftermarket one for quite a bit less then you'll lose on a trade in. Personally no if I had the C450 I would not be trading in for a C43... at least not the first year

 

I had the option to wait, as did almost anyone who got a c450 in the past 6 months. Different badging, 9G tranny, active exhaust and an ever so slight adjustment to the front/rear wheel bias, is simply not enough to compensate for the price I paid.

With almost nothing down on a car that stickered for almost $66k and rolling in the last 7 months of my 335 payment and I am still under $800 a month? I'm definitely happy.

The all-wheel drive is actually why I chose the c450 over the c63 in the first place...why would I want less?

 

would any of you say an aftermarket exhaust on the c450 would beat out/sound betterthan the Performance exhaust on the C43?

If so, which should I take a look at?

 

AWE is the best bang for the buck and sounds as good or better, it just kind of sucks that you can't turn it on and off at will.

 

Now THAT would be the coolest part!

 

Very well said, Jdem22. The AWD was the only box not checked for me with my C63, the reasonable trade-off being the M156 V8 and extra power/sound, of course. Then came the 450 with all those upgrades over the C400 4matic for the - what appears to be - 1/4 to 1/3 of the price of what they arguably could've charged.

And while the 63 was an absolute blast for 5 years and a truly iconic piece, only the V8 and sound is missed, though the 450 sounds quite nice. Also, inasmuch as the 63 was a solid wet weather car when driven with respect, the powertrain purring or slightly buzzing through the accelerator (in a good way) always gave a reminder of how close finding oneself in a ditch could be.

Power? We can ECU these Junior AMGs to make it a poor man's - figuratively speaking - C63 4matic for an acceptable price. One that will, conversely, never try to kill or cripple you.

So, yes, the 43 is a slight but meaningful upgrade, but it could be none of that without the solid foundation put down in the 450.

There, finally convinced myself to have no regerts. (That was a joke. I can spell, too; not eating a Milky Way for all of you in the U.S. television audience.)

 

+1

AWE is going to sound very similar and even be a similar cost.

 

This is heavily dependant on if you are financing, leasing, or bought your vehicle outright.

The only scenario where I would find trading in a C450 for a C43 even remotely attractive is if you are leasing and they are willing to take back your vehicle early without penalty. I'm a firm believer of not trading within the same class - if you were upgrading - then maybe it's not a bad idea....this doesn't seem like much of an upgrade.

 

I've bought the vehicle outright, thanks for your opinions, makes me feel alot better about not waiting.

does anyone have any experience with the meisterschaft exhaust? im leaning towards the AWE exhaust now with everyones feedback, but i'm worried i won't be able to sleep the car when I don't want to be obnoxiously loud. still.. hard to justify an extra 1k for the meisterschaft.....

 

Bringing back up an old thread. I'm also curious about this topic. I just put a deposit on a C450 and I have never driven a C43. From what I can remember on my test drive of another C450, the downshifts with the manual paddles in sport + and M were not the crispest thing I've ever experienced but not bad either. At least there didn't seem to be much of a lag from the time you hit the paddle to the time the transmission takes action to change gears. Upshifts seemed to be quick and gave a nice quick exhaust burble.

I've been reading a lot of threads about people trashing the 7 speed for manual operation. I have driven a lot of manuals lately and considered myself fairly skilled, doing heel toe downshifting for almost every downshift under braking, and will probably use the manual mode in the C450 daily, if not all the time. Is the 9 speed really that much better?

 

Well, it is now about 4 years after the original thread was posted so I'd say the C43 is an overall modern and more refined car than the 450 now. Still, the biggest is the transmission. Have 9 speed can be annoying if you're in stop and go traffic or do a lot of city driving. I would say the decision now is between a C43 pre-facelift or C43 facelift. I would not get a 450 at this time unless it is extremely cheap, and even then there are concerns with things out of warranty and costing a boat load of money.

 

I guess my question is mostly concerning the manual mode (i.e., paddles) of the transmission. What makes the 9 speed so much better? Is it that much faster at downshifting or something? The difference in price between a C450 and C43 right now is about $7-8k which translates to about 25% of the price of a used C450 so it is not an insignificant difference.

 

I have not driven a C450 but the facelift design is what sold me to the C43, as well as the updated digital cluster that still looks like an old school cluster instead of a tablet. The digital design in them is gorgeous especially in the sport+ screen. Its the smallest details I love, with the hexagon like 3d design, and the needle leaving a shadow when revving fast, that adds to the dramatic effect. The updated steering wheel is miles better than the pre-facelift, with the steam punk ish brushed aluminum that accentuates the other matte finishes. I think the w205 is aging very well, and although my only gripe would be not having flared fenders like the 63, with proper lowering and aggressive wheels, the car is a head turner for sure.
Its the girl next door that can get dolled up to go out, or be incognito with sweats and glasses, but everyone knows she's still kind of hot. The c63 is the instagram hotty with big ol' bouncing ******* that gets attention all the time, every where, and guys hitting on you (trying to race you) constantly.

This is my daily for work, groceries, kids in the back, etc., and I believe it strikes the perfect balance if you want a little more attention but not too much.
The C450 will never be an AMG, and the C43 although is controversial, the AMG badge comes from factory and not from Ebay.

I think she's a hotty

 

The 9 speed has shorter lower gears so the acceleration feels a bit better, and the extra horsepower and torque I'm sure helps a bit too. As for it being better in every way, I don't know if that is the case. It sucks having to up shift like 6 times getting to like 35mph between stoplights lol.

The C43 also has the following which I think is worth it:
1. Digital instrument cluster - an option, but definitely need to have. The screen is super nice and the graphics are sharp and vibrant. It's also very useful being able to change what you want to see.
2. AMG Performance exhaust - an option, but definitely need to have. The sound coming from this factory exhaust is extremely nice. It's the first car I think I may not need to get aftermarket exhaust for.
3. Much nicer steering wheel with more convenience functions.
4. Entertainment/media screen is larger by default.
5. A bit more aggressive exterior.
6. Quad circular exhausts look a lot better, although still fake.
7. Warranty - if you buy new or lease, this is a major plus. Buying a used C450, like buying any used "sporty" cars, means you risk having to fix something, which can cost a lot of money for these Benz. Whoever bought the C450 is probably like the rest of us here, looking to have fun and pushing this car hard. This by far is the most important decision to not buy a used C450 or used AMG anything unless you know how to maintain a car or you have buddies who are mechanics...and even then the cost for replacement parts can still be high. The car may also spend a lot of time in the shop. Even if nothing breaks, the maintenance for older cars will cost more due to more expensive parts needing to be replaced.

I leased my 2020 AMG C43 for $550/mo so it's honestly not that bad and it's nice to have the peace of mind with the warranty.

 

Thanks guys. I'm only considering 2016 C450s and 2017 C43s, not whatever face-lift version you are talking about. For me the warranty issue is not a deal breaker. If I bought a 2017 the warranty would run out in 6 months and I'd be in the same boat!
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I found this video below where a guy test drives a 2016 and plays with the paddles a bit. You can see how fast the tranny responds. It is quite responsive. I can't understand why people complain so much about the 7 speed. Surely the 9 speed can't be much faster with the shifting