PFEAMG

Hi there MB World,

Now that I’ve had my car for about 6 weeks, I thought I’d share some of the options I could have maybe done without and some that maybe I wish I did spring for.
As with everything, car options are mostly subjective and is really based on what each persons individual needs are. But I thought some of our experiences might be insightful to those in the market for a new c43 or trading in an older model. You can of course read about what the options are and try them out during a test drive but until you own and live with the car you may not really know if it’s worth the extra coin or not (this forum really helped me when I was looking).

Here is my spec/options:

• ’19 C43 Coupe-Overall absolutely love this car! Worth putting on a short list and taking a test drive.

Options I don’t REGRET:

• Brilliant Blue metallic paint ($720)-completely a matter of opinion but to me it looks fantastic. I’ve had black/gray/silver cars for 25 years and wanted something different (at least for me). This fit the bill and really pics of this color do not do it justice.
• Cranberry Red/Black leather ($1620)-Love it, the interior is gorgeous. I asked to see a car on the dealer’s lot before I ordered this color…glad I did as I thought it looked great. The other colors are also really nice but had them all before or at least something similar…never had red seats. Leather is not as soft as my Lexus was, but it’s still pretty nice. IF however you are considering black, the standard seats were also very nice and will save you $1600 on black leather seats.
• AMG Carbon Fiber trim ($975) To me the carbon fiber looks awesome…and overall not sorry I ordered it because the other offerings were not my cup of tea. BUT… $975 is a lot of money for what really is very little carbon fiber. I think there should have been some other additional CF placed in the cabin such as on the doors, steering wheel or other parts of the dash board.
• Ventilated front seats ($450)- This is a very controversial option as posted in other threads. I knew going in that these were ventilated seats not AC seats. I also belong to the minority that thinks they work really well. However, I test drove the car in Feb/March and didn’t need ventilated seats nor did I try them. This could have been a regret or disappointment for me. I think if you are considering this option you definitely want to try to them out before you decide.
• Inductive wireless charging and NFC pairing ($170)- This is one of the least expensive options on the list, so not a regret. One thing to note, I assumed incorrectly that with NFC pairing I would be able to use Apply Car Play wirelessly. You can’t…should have done my homework a bit more on this. But again, for $170 the wireless changing was well worth the price at least for me.
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster ($750)- Was on the fence about this as I’m old school and really like analog gauges. But after seeing it at the dealer and using it on my car…it’s one my favorite features. Also recommend having a dealer show you a car with it even it’s not on the car you test drive.
• AMG Performance Exhaust System ($1250) LOVE IT…A MUST HAVE LOL

Options I REGRET:

• 19-inch AMG twin 5-spoke w/black accents ($850)- truth be told I was not crazy about any of the C43 wheel offerings when I ordered the car. But now that I have the car I do like them much better and really go well with this paint color. That being said it may have been better to have ordered the car with the standard wheels and swapped them out for aftermarket wheels and tires (which I probably will do anyway). And from what others have noted who have swapped out their tires, the ride is much harsher with these run flat tires.
• 64-color LED ambient lighting/ AMG illuminated front door sills ($310) This was a lower cost option and not really a regret, but not sure I would get it again. Not terrible, but not blown away either. Kind of “meh” on this one.
• Multimedia Package/COMAND Nav ($2300)- This is one of the most expensive options on the car. And if I didn’t order it and not have it today I may have regretted it especially for the improved voice commands it offers. But regarding the nav/live traffic and other items it offers etc…I don’t really see the value for the money here.

Options I Regret I DIDN’T get
I ordered this car, so there really isn’t too many other options I wanted that I didn’t consider and/or order above. However, the following are maybe a few I may have enjoyed or found useful.

• Parking Assistance Package ($1090)- This probably the biggest item I wish I did order. I didn’t get it because I live in the suburbs and probably have needed to parallel park a handful of times in 35 years of driving lol. But, I wish I had the 360 camera. Also at the time I thought it was a lot of $$$ for the camera, but now rethinking that decision.
• HUD ($990) - The heads up display might have been cool, but $1000 for something I didn’t think I would really use that much seemed a bit excessive...or maybe not lol.
• AMG Track Pace ($350)- Not really planning on tracking this car, but this was a relatively low cost option that I did see reviewed on some other videos and looked really cool. Maybe I should have sprung for it.

What are you spec regrets (if any)? What do you wish you ordered or wish you didn’t waste your money on?

Haasboss

As someone looking to order a 2020 C43 this post is incredibly helpful. Thank you for the insight!

zibby43

Fantastic thread. I ended up buying my car off the lot. The car has a majority of the options I wanted, but there are a few I would've selected if I would've had the chance to build it.

Options I regret NOT getting:

- AMG Performance Seats. The heavily bolstered seats on my W204 C63 sedan were awesome. The "comfort" seats on the C43 are very comfortable and supportive, but I definitely miss the extra bolstering that I once had.

- 19" wheels. The ride quality provided by the 18" wheels is great because of the extra tire sidewall, but the spec of wheels I got look identical to the wheels on a C300 Sport. Would've loved to have gotten wheels that looked a bit more unique.

If I can add a category, it would be entitled . . .

Options NOT available on the C43 that would've been nice:

- Rear painted caliper covers. The W205 C63 also has single-piston sliding rear calipers, but they have a nice painted caliper cover that matches the front. I think it looks a little odd to have silver-painted 4-piston calipers up front and unpainted, bland single-piston hardware in the rear.

arnold0523

Multimedia Package - if you didn't get this, you wouldn't be able to get the 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster. Correct me if I am wrong.
I have ordered the 2020 C43 sedan, that's what's showing on ordering guide. When I can get access to apple CarPlay with googlemap and apple map, it's a waste of money to get multimedia package just to get the map and so called live traffic. However, I need driver assistance package as well as 12.3 digital cluster - I have no other choices but to get this.

brakingbad

I ordered the 2020 coupe with the digital instrument cluster and no multimedia pkg.


I would not have ordered the 64 color ambient lighting but it is now standard equipment. I tested a 2019 with the HUD option and decided not to spec it. The HUD disappears with polarized sunglasses. I recommend testing before you buy. I did spec the exterior lighting pkg with high beam assist. I haven't heard anyone mention it. I did not get to test it out before ordering. Is it worth it? I do a lot of night driving.

Tuxdude

The above two are must-haves IMO. The digital cluster is well worth the price. In terms of quality, the display quality is definitely higher end. The display is very good for displaying many AMG specific gauges and highly customizable.

It adds a nice touch to the interior and love the customization here too. It is standard I believe starting with the 2020 models.

I was going to get this option initially on my C63S, but after I found a deal that was too good to pass on a car which didn't have the Multimedia/Nav package I researched more about this option. Since my car had the MB Entry SD Card based Nav and I relied mostly on Android Auto anyways, Nav was not a big deal. It added another feature like Car-to-X which I realized was also not something I would miss a lot. I tried the Touchpad based UI navigation. Although it added value, the non-Touchpad based UI was fairly easy to use as well. The steering wheel anyway has a touchpad if needed. On the C63S, the multimedia package also added Track Pace which I loved and probably one thing I missed. But given it's mainly for tracks, and there are full fledged track day apps I was okay with this tradeoff.

I would not get another car without a 360 camera. It has come in handy for all kinds of parking.

Since I wear Polaroids, the HUD disappears unless I remove my glasses or switch to other kinds of non-polarizing Sunglasses. The awesome deal I found didn't have the HUD and was actually glad it did not, otherwise would have paid for something that I would have rarely used.

arnold0523

My bad, I double checked, you can order it without multimedia. The driver assistance however must have this package selected I thought driver asssitance was crappy but after I used it, I liked it, especially when driving highway with fatigue (though still a crappy system before facelift)

Conv_GSDriver

I have a 2020 Sedan on order and I have all the options you listed except the following:

• Inductive wireless charging and NFC pairing ($170)
• 19-inch AMG twin 5-spoke w/black accents ($850)
• Brilliant Blue metallic paint ($720)

I kept mine polar white exterior and kept the stock 18s. After reading about all the tire issues I didn't see the need to get upgraded wheels. I see the point being made here by others on the multimedia pkg $2300. I use apple car play so it is understandable. But another way to look at the way you optioned your vehicle is when it comes to resale value. on private sells you may be able to get a better selling price by having a well-optioned vehicle even if you don't use some of them. Those may be appealing to someone else.

alexasa

iTrader: (1)

pretty happy w/ spec - always wish i had a color i don't have. But would be no happier either way - just always want what you don't have

PFEAMG

Awesome, and good luck on your search!

PFEAMG

Thanks, all good points/insight.

Regarding the AMG Performance seats, I did not have an opportunity to sit in them or test them however I would suggest anyone that does to test them out. I think if you are going to track this car they may be a must have, but for me and from what others have said and reviews I've read etc, they can make the car very harsh to ride in. Also, you can only get them in in black leather or the standard Black MB-Tex Dinamica. ( I wanted red leather).

And very good point and spot on about the Brake Calipers! I would have also like to have gotten them painted red...but yeah the back not matching the front is kinda finky lol.

PFEAMG

I didn't opt for the Driver Assistance package ($1800) as I don't even use my regular cruise control lol. And a lot of the other safety stuff I would have paid extra for such as Attention Assist, Blind spot monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Presafe, Adaptive bracking etc all come standard. Although according to YouTuber Doug DeMuro Distronic/adaptive cruise control is a MUST have as they now work in stop and go traffic. I agree that would be fantastic in commuter traffic for example, but I work from home and don't have to deal with it. Plus it's a pretty pricy option.

PFEAMG

Congratulations on your new 2020 order!
I think you made the right call on the wheels. And you can always swap them out down road if you so desire (not something you can do with some of the other options.)

Great point about resale value! It can make a big difference when you go to sell the car or trade it in.

PFEAMG

Great points and yep agreed with everything you stated lol. I forgot the Ambient lighting is now standard, thanks for pointing that out.

arnold0523

Multimedia package from 2020 Model had just adjusted the price from $2300 to $1250. Ordering guide shows 8/6/2019 new price changed. I can't justify the original price for just the touchpad+navigation+voice control.
Touchpad and voice control: I rarely use them, especially the voice control
Navigation: in NYC, it's not ideal compared to googlemap or apple map. As Apple CarPlay is standard, I would use it instead of MB Navigation.

$1250 seems to be ok to have. I had to opt for this one simply because I needed the driver assistance package...


Then I have a question for you guys, when ordering 2020 AMG models, were you able to select U88 AMG Drive Unit? It's showing on ordering guide, but my dealer wasn't able to find it from ordering system. (same thing applies to wireless charging & NFC Pairing option) Sounds odd when you have it available in ordering guide, but not available for order...

PFEAMG

[QUOTE=arnold0523;7827318]Multimedia package from 2020 Model had just adjusted the price from $2300 to $1250. Ordering guide shows 8/6/2019 new price changed.

Cool, that's good news. However looking at the Mercedes US Web site it's still showing the $2300. Are you in the US?

PFEAMG

Thanks for the feedback and congrat's on your 2020 order!

I sorta felt the same about the HUD, although others swear by it...agreed if you test it out first before ordering as it's pretty pricey IMO.

Regarding the lighting pkg I have only driven the car twice at night in the past 6 weeks lol. And I liked the way the standard headlights look both off and on. They are still LED and light up the road really well.
But if you are driving at night a lot, this package may be a must have for you. I think it would be interesting if anyone was able to do a side by side comparison with the two systems. Hard to do during a test drive.

EdC43AMG

I hope next month to receive mine. I ordered a sedan, november last year, and there has been delays, but no idea why, then it was the Model year change in June, and finally gave me production date now in August, expected delivery september/october (Production in East London).

Also in Brilliant blue.

I took the chance to add, with the delay and final production date, as it will be a MY2020, the U88, The AMG drive unit, add the rear airbags and the 360ª camera.

first thing I already requested to the dealer is to take out the runflats, when the car arrives.

I am happy, because I ordered with quite a lot of equipment.

For those considering the car.

The Musts;

Sport exhaust. This car without the sport exhaust, sorry but it has no sense. One of the biggest selling points of it and moreover this days of "fakes ound exhausts", Particle filters that "mutes" the exhaust sound etc... it's to have some exhaust note.

AMG exterior package. Includes the Night package, plus all the spoiler, spliter etc.. bits. To me this is a must with the brilliant blue, plus the multispoke 19" black wheels. That gives the exterior an agressive, sportiness look that need. Possibly the front spliter it should be a little bit more agressive. Anytime I did the configuration of the car in the website, the first things selected, are these ones. The other color I like it's the slenite gray.

Digital cluster. Considering it's an "old" design it gives to the car some modernisation, but also the cluster compared to other brands it's quite good in relation of customization, options etc..

Things to consider;

Check the command & multimedia packages and options. By default the car comes with a small screen in the dashboard, not the 10.25 inch one.

I ordered mine with the sound insulation glass, considering the number of complaints about the wind noise etc.. I think it's worth it.

Other Thinks I included.

Premium Package, that includes the Command & 10,25 central screen and adds the digital cluster, Multibeam led, heated seats, midline sound system, ambient light 64colors, phone wireles charging.

Then I added the brown leather seats, electric seats and ventilated seats

As I added the Command due the "premium Package"(includes all the multimedia goodies), then just added the Multifunction telephony & Digital Key for the Mobile phone. Also the wood dashboard and blind spot monitor and for MY2020 the DAB radio, also due My2020 as commented above, the AMG drive unit.

Possible regrets.....? well the first one, not going for the C63.... considering sooner or later could be the last V8 in the AMG brand, I was thinking on it several times.

Burmeister sound system. I am not an "Audio fan", I don't need it, but just for the asthetics of the speakers. The midline ones in black do not look quite well to be honest.

Not adding the AMG exterior package in carbon fiber.

Other things I didn't add, are the driving assist packages, with the lane assist and Distronic. Personally I don't see the point, I know I won't be using it.
Also the panoramic roof, three zone climate, AMG track pace and the AMG sport seats.
THe pre-safe and keyless go it's part of a big package. Personally the kelyess go I don't like it and the pre-safe fine, but if I put that then I just simply prefer to spend all that money on the c63 directly.

Abyssul

I didn't get to spec out my 2017 model as I got it slightly used, but I got really close to what I wanted (which was nearly fully loaded). This is the option list that I was shopping for by priority (I ended up getting all of it):

Selenite Gray Metallic or Lunar Blue Metallic (992U)
Advanced Lighting Package (640)
Black seat belts (U17)
Multimedia Package (448)
Burmester Surround Sound (810)
Driver Assistance Package (269)
Night package (P55)
Black leather / red accents (241A)
Black Grain with aluminum trim (736)
AMG 19" Multi-Spoke Wheels (606)
HUD (463)
Parking Assist Package (P44)
Performance Exhaust System (U78)
Panorama Roof (413)

Options I don’t REGRET:

• Lunar Blue Paint - I was tied between the Lunar Blue and Selenite Grey colors. I don't think I would've been unhappy with the grey, but the blue has grown on me a lot that it looks damn classy with the wheels.
• AMG Performance Exhaust System - What else is there to say? I researched on the forums here to find out the "go-to" options and this one was at the top of the list. I'll join the echo chamber and saying that this is a strict requirement.
• Drivers Assistance Package - This might have been higher than the AMG performance exhaust. Adaptive cruise control was one of my main motivators for buying a new car and all of the extra features in this package made it a must have. I'll never buy a daily car without adaptive cruise control.
• Parking Package - I don't think I've once used the parking maneuver system, but I DO use the 360 camera system way more than I thought I would. The resolution is really good too.
• 19-inch AMG w/black accents - Pure preference here, but this is my perfect spec for a wheel. I love the wheel size on this car and multi spoke diamond cut with black accent finish. I believe they don't even offer this after the refresh.
• Panaramic Roof - Another option I ended up enjoying more than I thought. Even if I didn't use it as much, it makes the car feel more open with the shade open. The main downside is that it gets really hot in the cabin during the summer though I don't have much to compare it to.
• HUD - With the HUD, I rarely look at the gauge screen even though I keep it on the AMG page most of the time. I wouldn't call this a must-have, but I would definitely pay for it although I can see why others wouldn't.
• Burmester Surround Sound - Not completely happy with the sound, but its decent. I love my music so I will always opt for the higher quality systems without dropping $5k on overpriced systems.

Options I REGRET:

• Multimedia Package/COMAND Nav - I would not get this if it wasn't required to use adaptive cruise control.
• Rear Windshield Shade - This option is neat I guess, but I rarely use it or need it.

Options I Regret I DIDN’T get

• AMG Performance Seats - I am still on the fence about this one. I'm not really happy with the bolstering in the standard seats and I find myself sliding around too much. I was afraid that the performance seats wouldn't hold up well on long drives. I sat in the performance seats at a dealership, but it was hard to tell without an extended period.
• Ventilated Seats - Probably not an option on the performance seats if I opted for them, but this one sucks to not have on the all black leather seats in the summer. My previous cars were alcantera and fabric so I didn't realize how annoying this was.

evoi19

This is one I do regret actually. I used it once or twice and that's about it. I do plan on tracking it but it'll probably be only once or twice also since brake pad options are limited out there. I opted for it because it was pretty cheap overall and figured what the hell, go for it.

evoi19

For me there are just a few things I regret and don't regret:

Regrets:

• Obsidian Black - While I love the metallic flakes and color, it's tough to keep clean. My first black car and I park outside most of the time. When it's clean though, it shines!
• AMG Track Pace - Like my above post, I don't really use it but it was much to add on as an option.
• NFC Wireless Charging - It charges slow to me and I have Apple CarPlay so it's plugged in most of the time. Not much of a cost difference though

No Regrets

• Cranberry Interior - Love the red tone. It's not a bright red but a darker shade which sold me.
• Digital Instrument Cluster - Coming from a C450, i wanted a more up to date look and fee and considering this is something i'm going to look at everyday, I wanted it.
• Advanced Lighting - I like the look of it and the adaptive feature. Works well for me.
• Black Package - No brainer for me. I don't like chrome or polished bits and pieces
• AMG Exhaust - No brainer again....must have

On the Fence

• 19" Black accent multi-spoke wheels - I like them the more i look at them, but I also like the matte black option as well. I didn't opt for those because I like some contrast with the color of the car. Plus it was a bit more in price.
• Sunroof - I only use the tilt feature because i hate the look of the roof when it's fully opened. That windscreen in the front kills it for me. If they had just a pano roof option that'd be perfect.
• Multimedia Pack - I like the nav and i wish i saw what the other options looked like before ordering. I may have opted not to get it in the end. Plus I have CarPlay and can always use that

DVision44

What's the difference between the driver assistance / adaptive cruise control between facelift and pre facelift? I have an 18 and love the feature. Only time I have issues is in very poor weather. Works great when I don't want to use my hand controls..

There really isn't any features I regret other than not getting the all leather performance seats. I had those in my 17 and they are more adjustable than the alcantara version in my 18

brakingbad

When are prices expected to be available? I ordered my car the first week of June and I still don't know what the price will be. My 2020 coupe order guide has TBA nearly everywhere a price would be listed.

Conv_GSDriver

I placed my sedan on order last month and the order sheet had prices available. I posted on this forum MY20 price changes based on what I ordered compared to the MY19 prices currently reflected on MBUSA. The was a slight increase in the MSRP of the base car of about $700. I am however curious about the price for the multimedia pkg being decreased from $2300 to $1250 I think as it was quoted on here. I would have to look at my build sheet but I think it still showed $2300 but it could also be not all prices are updated.

You should be able to go to the dealer and see the current build sheet pricing.

PFEAMG

Ah man I remember your other posts...feel bad you still have not received your car. Hopefully it will be soon.

Your post actually brings up a great point regarding how different the specs are depending on what country you are ordering from.

For example, in the US the Burmeister sound system, Pano sunroof, keyless go and the ambient lighting is standard. And we don't have a "Premium package you can order. My point is other people ordering may want to make sure they double check their options and standard features closely when ordering as they may think they are getting something included when it's really an option depending on where you reside.

Regarding the C63, I'm actually not sorry I didn't get it. It is of course an awesome car, but did you have a chance to test drive one? I was more impressed with how close the C43 was to the C63 than anything. And look at all the delays/issues you are having getting your c43. The 63 is even harder to order/obtain unless you find one on a dealers lot. And of course it is more expensive. Just my 2 cents lol