AnthonyWC

Good job guys you have me convinced that having a c43 coupe to go /w a baby is a terrible idea. So the only logical thing is to get a 2nd family beater car/SUV etc when the baby does come.

hatata

Wow.. at least you’re not bitter

There is not a single professional review online that shares your opinion. I do not in any way believe that you have driven a C43. In fact most reviewers agree that even though the C63 has a ton more fun factor due to the rear wheel drive the C43 makes more sense due to the AWD and the milliseconds of 0-60 performance difference. For city driving that is all that matters.

As an automotive engineer saying a car that produces almost 390 horsepower compared to a 290 horsepower car with much less torque as similar is negligent on your part and just spreading misinformation. Why would an engineer bother to design an engine that produces an extra 100-150 horsepower if the results are the same.

Your gas pedal is not an off and on button. Modulating it properly will produce desired results. Is it a perfect car .. no but it certainly does the sports part of sports sedan perfectly.

jonathan358

Wow you guys are a defensive bunch huh?

I truly believe everything I have said to be valid.

The only things the C43 has got going for it is: price-performance, interior aesthetics (not to be confused with quality; tons of creaks and rattles), AWD, torque, and 0-60.

It does decent for its price point which is why I OWN one. But it is obvious the whole 43 series is targeted towards consumers who aren't serious about driving dynamics or straight line/track performance. It is a consumer car with an added punch to make daily drivability more fun.

You guys obviously don't know what an automotive engineer does, and I don't appreciate the personal attacks. I have nothing to prove and just want to give OP a genuine perspective of a C43 Coupe OWNER. I am a Mercedes fanboy at heart, and I can admit I do not know everything about cars.

But, in response to some of the comments :

DCT comment: The car has a torque converter with no startup clutch. It should not behave like it has one just so it can be "simulated".
EU/US vs Jap comment: The difference is not a magic number of 80... both measurements are off the crank and differ by very little as answered by @Tuxdude .
Gas pedal comment: Obviously. Which is what the car should be able to process wherein it does not, the bunny hopping occurs when low throttle input and modulating the accelerator in Sport+.

Finally, here is the long awaited picture of my car:




Remember to wave as you drive by!

JonWu

I'm sorry, Mr. Engineer, but what did you do to the paint of your car?

Nardoswiss

It's clearly water on the body. Perhaps, it's time to move on already?

JonWu

Water? Are you sure its not silver glitter?

cjaredscott

I've found it interesting to read your posts in this thread. I don't mean this in a mean or disrespectful way, but I honestly want to understand where you're coming from better. Were you expecting more from your car? I mean, marketing BS aside, I don't think anybody would expect a C43 to be much more than a quicker, better looking version of a good car that handles better and makes driving more fun (considerably more fun) BUT has AWD, but also has the luxury and design of a Mercedes, for the price it's priced at (yes, quality SUCKS, which is really disappointing...). It comes off like you're making that out to be a bad thing (except the quality, which totally is a bad thing and could ruin your experience with the car). I think that's just it's intended purpose -- it's the middle child -- it's not a C63, it's not an AMG GT, and it's not meant to be either (yes, there will be some marketing BS to get people in the door, but that's par for the course). For the price, for the segment, it's a very good car. It's way better than an S4 and 340xi/M340xi, at least in my opinion. It's not meant to be a drag car or a race car, or even a true sports car like a Porsche 911, for example -- which you're now saying as well -- but you sound disappointed with your car, and disappointed with this fact. You say "the only things" like it's deficient. And simply "decent." Were you expecting something more, at that price? Do you not appreciate the options, and would rather have had a C63 for the price you paid (for me, I needed every single option, had a budget in mind for this particular vehicle, and the C63's lack of AWD was a huge negative for me, in this case -- as much as I ADORE the C63)? Has the quality ruined your experience with it? (This has happened on my first W205 C-Class -- sometimes I loved it, sometimes I wanted to never see the car again -- so I would completely understand).

And as you know, the actual quoted horsepower is pretty much irrelevant as it's power to weight and actual measured performance that matters -- not to mention, Mercedes is known to underrate their engines. You could say that an Infiniti Red Sport has more horsepower, but my Range Rover Sport Supercharged has more horsepower too... my C450 is still 0.2 seconds quicker to 60 because the increase in mass of the RRS outweighs the increase in horsepower (yes, the RRS has an 8 speed and my C450 a 7 speed, but I don't feel like lookup up the gear and final drive ratios now and seeing how much of an impact one way or the other could potentially come from that -- likewise with torque curves in supercharged V8 vs twin-turbo V6) -- you know and understand this, clearly. But the Red Sport is materially slower than your car. So does the 400 horsepower really matter then?

I'm sorry that you're not enjoying your car. Are you just expecting more than what you got? Do you just want to know you have more horsepower (even if it's slower), or do you want something with a lot more horsepower and acceleration (given the price, it seems to be right where it should be as far as horsepower and acceleration for this kind of car)? Has the quality ruined the car for you? Do you not appreciate the options you purchased which drove the price higher? Was the price of your car high enough that you would have been happier with a C63, in exchange for those options (I mentioned my personal "IMHO" on this above)? I really am trying to understand where you're coming from -- for certain, everyone can and should voice their opinions. Personally, I've driven a lot of different non-Mercedes: plenty of Porsches (911 GTS, Carrera 4S, Turbo S, Cayman S & GT4), BMWs (340i, M5, M850i, etc), Audis (S4, S5, RS7, TT RS), Range Rovers (my Supercharges Sport, the Sport SVR, etc), a couple of Ferraris and Lambos, a McLaren MP4-12C, and so on and so forth. Clearly, I've driven some really fast cars and some great sports/super cars, as well as more "normal" but not-slow cars. But my C450 is not meant to be that. I know what it is meant to be (what I, and even you, said above), I love it for that, and that's why I bought it and love it. It's also why I don't expect the E250 BluTec to be anything like the C450 or RRS or E450 Cab. And I hope you have better luck with your next car.

Also -- perhaps I have a different perspective on the issue because I have the sedan version.

CA400

I own a C400, upgraded the exhaust so its louder then stock, also added H&R drop springs. My son now is 1.5 years old, but I had no issues with the car ride or exhaust sound. My kids actually like how my car sounds, my 5yr old daughter asked for me to make the "popping sound".

As everyone else says I DO NOT recommend you go with a 2 door, you'll hate the car after a while!

My .02 cents,

Alex

BD-C63

It’s always funny anytime anyone says anything negative about C43’s because there’s always someone who massively over reacts. Some C43 owners definitely care about what other people think about their car selection!

To the original poster, I’d go with a 4 door C300 (or a C63!).

jonathan358

Yeah no, I told the dealer to dump a can of silver glitter and add it into the paint mix or I would NOT accept delivery.

Snarfalus

I can’t imagine a less ideal car for a baby than a C43. The suspension is STIFF. Not even taking off the runflats make it comfy. Glad I leased mine. The best choice would be a base model C300 sedan with 17 inch wheels. The C43 brings NOTHING to the table as a baby mobile. Comfort mode is a joke. I’m not even sure comfort mode is the right term for it. It is just less stiff, but still really stiff. And the 18 inch runflats are low profile tires that send shockwaves into the cabin if roads are not perfect.

The tranny is eratic too. Maybe for a toddler it would be ok but not want I would personally pick for an infant.

Honestly I would go C300 or look at the other Germans like the BMW or Audi and see if their car has a more supple ride.

Also, when you drive with a baby, you won’t exploit any of what the V6 has to offer, which is mostly hooligan stuff and noise. The C300 is plenty agile and quick. On 17 inch wheels it has a great ride as well. I’ve had both back to back and the C300 with the 17s will have a better ride. That is for the standard model. If you go coup or amg package on the C300, at that point ride quality is about the same because you then have the steel sport suspension and 18 inch wheels, so you are in C43 stiffness territory.

If you are in the midwest or anywhere where the roads are not good you’ll regret the C43. If your roads are generally in good shape maybe you could pull it off but it is far from ideal.

jonathan358

Thanks for being civil.

I think you are right on the money -- in that I expected more from the car at the price point I paid. When you are +- a couple grand from an RS3 or M2 and within 5-10 thousand from a base spec C63, RS5, M3/4, you ought to expect some buyer's remorse.

Coming from Toyota's, Lexus', and American workhorses, when I made the trade-off for refined power on the German side, I expected a bit more in terms of performance. The internals for our car are not the best when it comes to type, material, and design -- something I should have looked into more before buying.
The segment is very niche, in that it really is just the 340/440i and the S4, so it isn't all that impressive to be "best in class". But, it was in my budget so I bought the car for being good in most aspects.

What turned me sour are the problems exclusive to the C43 that you would not come across with a C300: Crappy 19" summer performance tires, weak alloy "AMG" rims, turbo/wastegate issues, differential whine, exhaust chatters (although exhaust sounds great), jerky behaviour from poorly programmed TCU, ect.
Having driven C300 loaners, they are more than adequate in terms of city driving and having enough power. Especially for a new parent, the savings for the 4-cyl would be much appreciated. In terms of technology and safety, it does not have anything the C300 wouldn't have. If I could start over, I would have went with either the luxurious route with an E400 or sporty with the C63 which is why I suggested OP to save for something bigger and better.

Yes, the Red Sport comment was a little quick to react but it does have more power and is faster at its top end. The C43 definitely puts its power down better and faster down low. But we all know how Infiniti's are (poor interior, quality, reliability) and its performance is close enough to the C43 to warrant the comment.

Bottom line is that I like the car for what it is, but thoroughly believe that this segment can be skipped as a whole. Being a car enthusiast, I certainly look forward to my next car.

zibby43

Are you getting the differential whine as well? It's unbelievable. The '19 C300 I've been driving while my car has been in the shop since September 3 has *zero* diff. whine.

I immensely enjoy the performance, sound, and interior on my C43, but it has had the worst build quality (in just about every area) of any car I've ever owned. It's worse than the F30 M Sport 335i that BMW bought back from me because the electric cooling fan failed and had to be replaced 4 times, my seats and seatbelt hardware had to be replaced due to rust, my Adapative Headlights failed, and my taillight fell off.

jonathan358

Fortunately for me, the whine is not very prominent and really only happens under specific circumstances. I haven't confirmed for sure if it is coming from the differential but it sounds similar to the experiences of other owners.

edit: Seems as though the two trims share the same diff and half shafts so it might be an alignment issue with the C43 or a one-off manufacturing defect. Also seems as though it is more of a sedan issue, could be the difference between Alabama and Bremen plants.

zibby43

Interesting. My dealer has been incredibly reluctant to try changing parts, instead keeping the car until some kind of specialist tech arrives at the dealership this Tuesday.

15 consecutive days in the shop will have tolled by then. If they do order parts, who knows how much longer.

coladin

I am eager to see how the '19 C43 drives in comparison to my 17 C43. My big complaint is the ride, and they said the ride has been significantly improved. I would go with a C300 in your scenario. My car is super stiff, the Continentals are garbage, but other than that, it is a great car, with a great interior, and excellent crash protection...as i just wrote my 17 off yesterday in a high speed accident. For that alone, I would get another one.

alexasa

iTrader: (1)

it's better. retuned not completely changed. but better.

RichardCranium3

You're half way to a lemon law party in many states

hatata

I had a 2017 and just got a 2019. The suspension is much better but its still stiff. Do not expect a bouncy cloudy ride .. on the 2017 the car felt like it was riding a single wooden plank that just had no give. Now it feels like i expected a sports sedan to feel .. harsh but manageable. No rattles or creaks the build quality is much higher.

Tirgoman

Everyone has a personal opinion, for me I've had 6 months of trouble-free driving my 2019 C43. It's a sedan which is far more practical for me and I have no kids at home, just easier to get people into the back seat or open a door and put something in the seat. Has an aggressive look, Cardinal Red, black trim and mostly black wheels. Doesn't attract as many cops as the couple. I can deal with it and I can buy whatever I want. And when I press the peddle it goes like a back out of hell. To each their own. My advise is to take one for a drive a few days, the make your mind up.

zibby43

Yep, I'm keeping a close eye on the calendar. They had it for a few days for the same issue prior to this most recent drop-off as well. The first time, because the vehicle mileage was so low, they wanted me to drive it a bit more to see if the problem got better on its own.

JonWu

Everyone is talking about the 2019 continental tires, but my 2019 sedan came with Pirellis (summer tires). Am I missing something?

RichardCranium3

Regional based typically, if not specified on order. Your Pirelli's are still run-flats however and typically get the same feedback.

TModelle

My '19 came with factory Continental non-runflats. The ride of the 2019 is super soft. The damping in Comfort is not enough for the springs and the suspension oscillates quite badly especially on the highway. Only in Sport+ suspension does the damping begin to be able to control the springs properly. As such, I have to switch to Sport+ suspension every time I turn on the car. In my opinion, Comfort suspension mode should start at Sport+ and have two more stiffness settings above it. It is pretty undriveable in Comfort mode suspension. We don't get the C300 where I'm from, but over here we have the C200 and the suspension is much better sorted than the C43.

JonWu

They feel great though, and I have not noticed any problems with it. However, I'm not a professional F1 driver like everyone else on here who says the suspension or tires or whatever isn't sporty enough.