tpmbz67

Just had the car delivered two days ago, 2018 C43 in polar white. Beautiful lines on the car. Some first impressions and a couple of (potentially naive) questions.

Love the lines on this car. A couple of small quibbles on the finish, coming from a 2016 Audi A4 which seemed to have all the seams perfectly connected and loose ends tucked in. Noticed slight anomalies on the trim or seals above the window, nothing defective or dysfunctional but just a few spots where the continuity is broken when eyeing them. I think this is more apparent on the white cars .. shows up more with the black material against the white. Also there's a small recess in the carpet on the driver's side that is intentional but that I had to tuck back into the plastic. These are incidental things and nothing that would warrant calling the dealer .. on the other hand they show up when you are first scanning the vehicle for small details.

The naive question involves the shifting modes in this car. I understand the different setting, Comfort, Sport, Sport-plus, etc. But in the Audi, the Tiptronic shifter designated between "D" which was fully automatic, and a manual mode where you can shift gears. But the Mercedes stays in "D" at all times, no? So does this mean that the gears can be switched either with the paddles or by using the accelerator, and as one goes into the sport modes the car will hold out for higher RPMs before shifting itself? Just trying to determine the specific difference between this and the Tiptronic. Definitely a newbie question.

Have also joined some discussions on the run-flats. Need to get all-season or winter tires for occasional snow use, but am now thinking that a decent all season may be the best solution because I'm not enamored with these performance tires (the run-flat summer tires) enough to want to switch them out every six months or so. And I don't do much snow driving (maybe four weekends a winter.)

All cars have a learning curve and period of adjustment or familiarization. This one is higher than most. It's driving it subtlly that presents the initial challenge. I could see taking it out on an appropriate road and enjoying the sport mode settings and pushing the car a bit, as this is what it's made for. But the "keeping it under wraps" part and just going from point A to B in everyday driving is what takes getting used to. It really commands a light touch both on accelerator and brakes.

One last question. To what extent does this car "learn" the habits and driving style of each individual driver? How much of it is car adapting to driver vs the other way around? Do the systems really "learn" and gear themselves to my rhythms and tendencies?

Thanks.

jerhu

I'm only going to answer your second question. You can switch gears while in "D" be it up or down. However it will go back to "D" if you no longer switch gears. Typically you do this to drop down a gear and have to make a quick lane change or something to that extent. There is a full manual mode. You need to hit the gears on the center with M. Seen in the pic. It's fully manual at that point all shifts are on you.

RichardCranium3

My best advice is to just drive and experiment! You can always use the paddles at any point while in standard D, regardless of Dynamic Select setting. You can also experiment with how the transmission responds to throttle position/pressure. In D, a quick blip of full throttle (but not to the "button") will downshift to a gear that's acceptable for a pass. Blip the throttle 100%, you'll experience what feels like a button being pressed under foot...this will take you to the lowest possible gear. Also if in D, but using the paddles, it will up-shift automatically. If you're in full manual mode, you'll bounce in to the limiter and it will NOT shift for you.

As far as your "learning" question - it's hit or miss IMO. I drive 80% in S+ and some days, the transmission feels like it's sleepy and will easily float in to higher gears. Other days, I have to manually upshift to get it any higher that 5th gear. I suppose maybe the car knows more about the situation that I realize, but the inconsistency is nothing too concerning for me. This is my first automatic car so I'm still totally used to manually gear hunting. It's been 7 months and just yesterday I got in the car and mashed the brake with my left foot thinking it was the clutch.

As for driving subtlety, I created an Individual mode that has steering and suspension maxed out in Sport+ modes, but has motor/tranny in Eco. Allows for a much longer, more forgiving throttle response and to stay out of the boost if you're looking to maximize MPGs, but still drive spiritedly.

My only word of caution is the pay attention to your gear when coming to a complete stop when driving in S+. Our cars have a slight tendency to not drop all the way in to 1st. You'll sit at the light in 2nd, and when you ease on to the throttle it will unexpectedly drop in to 1st and give you a good bucking unless you're reactive enough to upshift or pull your foot all the way out of it. YMMV on this, but it's commonly posted about by enthusiastic new S+ drivers.

jester1

I drive a GLE 43 AMG.Next year DW will be getting a new car.She thinks her Volvo S90 is too big & also that the side pillar makes it tough visibility-wise to pull out onto a highway.
She's looking to get something smaller like the next generation 2019 Volvo S60.
I'd like her to also look at Audi & Mercedes.
Thoughts on the Audi A4,A5 coupe,vs Mercedes C43 AMG coupe would be appreciated

tpmbz67

Thank you .. this is of considerable help. I haven't gotten near the individual mode yet and am aware that the Sport+ mode can cause a certain bucking at stop signs if you don't handle the car correctly. It's a learning curve and your advice is much appreciated and will be applied.

tpmbz67

I can't speak to the A5, but can cover your other questions with the caveat that my AMG C43 thoughts are an "initial reaction" having only had the car a few days now. My impression of the Mercedes before actually taking ownership of one was of a scaled-down and more refined version of the AMG63 .. or a more "spirited" version of a C class car (which I'd only driven before as a rental.) These ideas have been obliterated in a few days' driving. While I'm certain it doesn't match the 63's all-out beastliness, it isn't a "sporty coupe with extra pep" either. Not sure why I figured this .. something about the all-wheel drive. Instead it is, in fact, a performance vehicle in most every sense. It is a car centered around speed as opposed to a car centered around comfortable driving with the ability to get up and go when you need it. The visibility, at first anyway, feels somewhat more limited than the Audi. Not sure about side-view and I've had no problems so far, but the back window is more narrow, the car more sporty (I got the coupe) and overall it doesn't feel as "airy" or open as the A4. It feels heavier, though I don't think there's more than a few hundred lb difference in the curb weight of the two vehicles.

The C43 interior is more intriguing than the A4 (this is a more expensive car and a more appropriate comparison would be with the S4.) It feels more luxurious and sexy upon first inspection. But I have to say, initial impressions again (and I am in possession of both cars until the end of this week) the Audi feels better tied-together. The A4 didn't have so much as a loose thread in the cabin when I got it, and all the way through the lease. The C43 is more of a knock-out approaching it and when first sitting in it, but in my case anyway I've noticed a few "little things" (a bit of carpet sticking up that had to be tucked back under, an almost "lighter" feel to some of the interior parts (save the beautiful steering wheel and seats) and a general sense that, while still a first-class ride, the folks at Audi are doing an even better job of crossing their t's and dotting their i's.

That said, you really can't compare these two vehicles particularly once you fire them up. I had a few more bells and whistles on the Audi, including a warning beep when I got too close to something backing up .. am now discovering that although I have the rear-view monitoring on the Benz it doesn't seem to make any sound. You live, learn and adapt to new cars almost as you do to new roommates. Compared to the A4, the C43 is a monster .. way more low-end torque, it pops and crackles and growls like a Seven Marine outboard on a lake run .. even without the "make more noise" exhaust button pushed. It's made for opening up, or even better, taking on a coastal road or winding country stretch on a Wednesday afternoon when there's no traffic. A bit less subtle going over bumps around town or in the grocery store parking lot. (Not that the A4 is a cushy ride .. it handles very well itself and you will feel your bumps, just with a little less pronunciation and lateral-sway.)

I would recommend the A4 as a reliable, refined, almost intuitive and easy to maneuver vehicle with plenty of guts and great handling in all conditions (another point .. where some on this forum recommend against all-season tires for the C43 unless you swap them out in the summer, the Audi did fine with the AS's in light snow and never noticed them as under-performers in the summer.) The C43 is kind of trying not to be a "look at me" care (at least when parked next to a 63) but at the end of the day the car calls attention to itself. I'm also getting the feeling it has a longer "introductory period" with new drivers. I'm on a three year lease so I'm not too worried . . but I also suspect that it can get quite pricey if non-warranty parts start giving way. I'm no kid and I grew up a California boy so I've had my share of cars from pickup trucks to 280Z's to Audis to Mercedes E Class. And, somewhat foolishly I suppose, I ordered the AMG without testing one out first. No regrets .. the car is a blast. But my last bit of advice to both you and your wife is, by all means, give this car a spin before taking out your check book. She might fall in love with it or she might say "are you kidding?" And if it's the latter and you go with the A4, your collective wallets will thank you.

jester1

Thanks.I appreciate your input.We're going to an auto show in January so she can start the familiarization process.


When I got my GlE43,I thought there was a defect since I couldn't hear a warning beep like the owners manual says.Turns out my high frequency hearing deficit prevented me from hearing it.

The dealer's service dept. said there were two available frequency settings & three volume levels the system could be set at.They changed it to the lowest frequency & bumped the volume level to the highest setting.


....sigh................I still couldn't hear it.