Snarfalus

I am ordering a C43 Sedan. Do I need that AMG wheel upgrade with the dinimica? How much does it add to the experience? How good is the regular flat bottom wheel? I feel like perhaps the AMG wheel is a bit excessive but I haven't tried it.

Also, is the standard flat bottom wheel chunkier/sportier than say, the standard wheel in a C300 sedan? What do you guys think is this a must have? I did drive the car but I wasn't paying much attention to the wheel.

I did order the exhaust.

aggies15

Definitely a must-have. I didn't realize how much of a difference the steering wheel makes until I drove a C300 loaner. It makes it look way sportier and the dinamica/alcantara section is great for grip.

Snarfalus

Did your C300 loaner have a flat bottom wheel? Also, is the AMG wheel thicker all around or is it just the alcantara sections that are different?

aggies15

I don't know for sure, but the AMG one definitely feels thicker (in a good way). The C300 loaner I had did not have a flat-bottom steering wheel.

DRLC43

FirstMBAMG

That was an important option for me, it adds a lot of style in my opinion. However, is it needed if you want to save a couple hundred bucks on your 65k plus car, maybe not? (But probably is). I like the alcantara, the AMG logo on the bottom and, it’s slightly chunkier.

Heres something to think about, of all the time when you are with the car,What is going to be 1 ft in front of your eyes for 90% of the time owning the car? Hint: it’s the steering wheel.

ErikM

I'm not a fan.. Diminica/ Alcantra gets not so nice after a few 10's of K's of miles.. But it's very nice when new.

aggies15

Also, the paddles are larger on the AMG wheel. If you plan on using them often, it's a must have. You can easily clean alcantara if it gets dirty; my car is over 20k miles at this point and the alcantara (through regular cleaning) still feels the same as it did new.

Snarfalus

Interesting. What does regular cleaning involve?

Lazz83

The Dynamica does get dirty easily but it is easily cleaned. I love my AMG wheel and the car wouldn't be the same to me without it. Dynamica is a micorfiber product and in general microfibers or micro suede's, as some call them are very durable when taken proper care of.

You must clean the Dynamica very specifically to keep it looking new. I use a product to clean mine made by Swissvax, it is expensive but worth it. To get the nap back on the fiber after you have cleaned and patted it dry, wait for it to fully dry, then either vacuum it or use a suede brush to raise the nap. Sonax makes an Alcantara cleaning foam that works also for a 1/3rd the price of the Swissvax- I prefer Swissvax.

Mine is still like brand new and soft as velvet after a year. I usually give it a full cleaning every 3 months and just a brush up every month.

And for god sake don't put dirty hands on the wheel, the Dynamica does nap up easily with dirt. Seems crazy but I always wash my hands thoroughly before driving my whip! Word

Snarfalus

Dude that is more effort than I put into my hair in a three month period. That settles it for me! No! I bet it is wicked but it just does not fit my usage scenario.

munis

I LOVE my AMG steering wheel just because of its D shape. I managed to get out of some really tough spots because how quickly I can turn it. If you look at 0:59 in the video below, you can see just how quickly I can turn the steering wheel because of its shape. May be its just me who feels this way, dunno.

Snarfalus

lol I have already seen this video like five times. I felt sort of the same way about the C300 coupe's flat bottom wheel versus the regular round wheel--it was just easier to whip around. Did you compare with the regular flat bottom wheel at all when you got your car?

munis

Snarfalus

No I absolutely hate my round wheel. It is clumsy and spoils the car. To make matters worse, my current round wheel is very hard and not at all plush like some loaners I have had where the leather/tex or whatever gives some cushion. It does not feel good in the hands at all.

I guess what I am trying to find out is if the regular flat bottom wheel is fundamentally the same shape and diameter as the AMG performance wheel. I did test drive the car of course but I didn't really whip it around and frankly I don't remember which wheel it was. If you look on the Merc build a car site they look like the same size and shape but whenever I see a video with the performance wheel it looks smaller, thicker and more nimble.

Lazz83

Well you need to remember if you get it dirty, it will nap down and get stiff- it does take some maintenance to keep it looking sweet.

Yes, I would say the AMG wheel is smaller and thicker than the standard wheel.

threefirs

You need the AMG wheel. It feels 100x better than the standard wheel.

Garry Singh

Lazz83

I'm surprised he did not eat that Tide pod, lmao

Good video in my opinion, getting all of the cleaner out of the Dynamica is key to get the softest nap back.

aggies15

I clean mine maybe once every 2 months and it doesn't take very long to do so... maybe 30 minutes (includes waiting the 20 minutes it takes to dry). Don't let the maintenance of alcantara turn you off from getting it, it is well worth it.

MT163

The only thing I don't like is that theirs no heated steering option.

Mr. J

The std wheel and the AMG wheel have exactly the same shape and thickness. The only reason to get the AMG wheel is if you prefer alcantara. Alcantara does not wear as well as leather and requires more care and cleaning, that is a fact.

Mr. J

LOL, I've cleaned my leather wheel once since buying the car in 4/2016. It took about 30 sec. No way am I giving up 6 hrs a year to clean a friggin' steering wheel.
Different strokes for different folks I guess...

jake732

110% the AMG wheel is better. Don't go without it!

aggies15

Conventional math says it's 3 hours, not 6 hours; and that's basically being a little OCD with the cleaning, you can probably get away with cleaning it twice a year. Also, the paddles are different on the AMG wheel vs the regular one. The AMG wheel is also thicker. Not sure where you're getting your information from - the Mercedes website advertises it that way.