Should I Buy A C43?
12-02-2020, 07:22 AM
#1
Should I Buy A C43?
Hi, just joined. I have had a BMW M2 for the past year & for the daily commute it's far too stiff. One must prioritize bumps in the surface over oncoming traffic as an accident would be less jarring. I'm considering a C43 AMG & would be grateful of your input:
EDIT - Sorry moderators - could you move this to the correct C43 forum; applicable for a 2018 model. I cannot understand the forum structure at all; too many variations for me.
- Are you happy with it?
- Have you had many problems; if so what? Seems it's quite prone to interior-rattles & jerky transmission with a few catastrophic transmission failures from my research.
- Typically what's the engine life of a C43? It seems it's more of a sporty cruiser compared to the sports-car M2 (which isn't really fit for UK roads).
- Compared to the M2 there seems to be quite a lot more previous owners on a C43 compared to the M2's generally.
EDIT - Sorry moderators - could you move this to the correct C43 forum; applicable for a 2018 model. I cannot understand the forum structure at all; too many variations for me.
Last edited by Dalski; 12-02-2020 at 07:58 AM. Reason: Wrong Forum
12-02-2020, 11:04 AM
#2
Member
1. I have had my 2018 C43 Cab for almost 3 years. Been a great car. Very attractive and gets a lot of compliments. Mine is black with red interior.
2. Only issues have been seat belts stopped retracting mostly on drivers side. But convertibles have more of these issues. Since its pretty much 3rd gen body i think they worked out a lot of kinks. Honestly its been pretty much worry free. Although I do only have 24k miles on it.
3. Don't know the engine life
I am looking at buying a 2020 AMG GT this weekend. Not because I don't like my 43 but just ready for something different and a bit faster.
2. Only issues have been seat belts stopped retracting mostly on drivers side. But convertibles have more of these issues. Since its pretty much 3rd gen body i think they worked out a lot of kinks. Honestly its been pretty much worry free. Although I do only have 24k miles on it.
3. Don't know the engine life
I am looking at buying a 2020 AMG GT this weekend. Not because I don't like my 43 but just ready for something different and a bit faster.
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Dalski (12-02-2020)
12-03-2020, 04:42 AM
#3
Hey @Dalski,
I suggest you take it on a long test drive and make sure you like it. Especially coming from an M2 which is a proper sports car, you might be disappointed, but depends a bit what you're after. Like you said, it's more a cruiser and not so much a sports car.
1. Personally I'm not happy with it, I had completely different expectations. I bough my pre-fl C43 less than an year ago and it's nowhere near the sporty car I was hoping for:
- suspension is really hard, uncomfortable at times - and I live in Switzerland; I wouldn't mind it if it came with solid body control, but the car rolls a lot; when you turn into a corner you feel it start rolling more than turning; you have to learn how much grip it has and trust that it grips, it really doesn't give you any confidence to attack;
- steering is too slow for a sporty drive on a twisty mountain road; add the body roll and you always feel like there's input lag in the controls; it's simply not sharp enough to react to the inputs;
- there's no middle-ground for the gearbox, when you're in Comfort it's really reluctant to downshift and when it does it's not always sure which gear to select; in Sport it holds on to the gears way too long; Sport+ is reserved for when you're really in attack mode; you'll find a lot of users driving the car in Manual most of the time; shift quality isn't great either, especially when cold you'll get a lot of jolts; also the gear changes are not very fast for today's standards - it might be good enough for a C400 but not something with an AMG badge;
- engine is powerful but has noticeable lag, especially compared to the ultra-responsive engines from BMW;
- design is nice, but build quality is not great, press anywhere on the dash and there are creeks and squeaks which you'll also hear when driving over poor surfaces; sitting position is way too high, I'm 1.75m and my seat is all the way down, still feel it's too high;
- infotainment on the pre-fl model is a joke, even the top Command system - it's slow to respond and lacks any customization;
- top audio Burmester system is average at most.
Compared to the MK7 GTI before, that was a fun car to drive, great dynamical package, I doubt that the C43 could keep up with it in the twisty (I drove them on the same roads), and I dare to say that in some ways the quality was better than the MB. For long high-way cruising it's great, I can agree, but I'm not sure why you'd need a C43 AMG for that.
I really don't understand how this car has so many good reviews, since it's so far of what it's supposed to be. I know my comment won't be very popular, but that's just how it is.
2. Interior rattles, jerky transmission, harmonic vibration.
I suggest you take it on a long test drive and make sure you like it. Especially coming from an M2 which is a proper sports car, you might be disappointed, but depends a bit what you're after. Like you said, it's more a cruiser and not so much a sports car.
1. Personally I'm not happy with it, I had completely different expectations. I bough my pre-fl C43 less than an year ago and it's nowhere near the sporty car I was hoping for:
- suspension is really hard, uncomfortable at times - and I live in Switzerland; I wouldn't mind it if it came with solid body control, but the car rolls a lot; when you turn into a corner you feel it start rolling more than turning; you have to learn how much grip it has and trust that it grips, it really doesn't give you any confidence to attack;
- steering is too slow for a sporty drive on a twisty mountain road; add the body roll and you always feel like there's input lag in the controls; it's simply not sharp enough to react to the inputs;
- there's no middle-ground for the gearbox, when you're in Comfort it's really reluctant to downshift and when it does it's not always sure which gear to select; in Sport it holds on to the gears way too long; Sport+ is reserved for when you're really in attack mode; you'll find a lot of users driving the car in Manual most of the time; shift quality isn't great either, especially when cold you'll get a lot of jolts; also the gear changes are not very fast for today's standards - it might be good enough for a C400 but not something with an AMG badge;
- engine is powerful but has noticeable lag, especially compared to the ultra-responsive engines from BMW;
- design is nice, but build quality is not great, press anywhere on the dash and there are creeks and squeaks which you'll also hear when driving over poor surfaces; sitting position is way too high, I'm 1.75m and my seat is all the way down, still feel it's too high;
- infotainment on the pre-fl model is a joke, even the top Command system - it's slow to respond and lacks any customization;
- top audio Burmester system is average at most.
Compared to the MK7 GTI before, that was a fun car to drive, great dynamical package, I doubt that the C43 could keep up with it in the twisty (I drove them on the same roads), and I dare to say that in some ways the quality was better than the MB. For long high-way cruising it's great, I can agree, but I'm not sure why you'd need a C43 AMG for that.
I really don't understand how this car has so many good reviews, since it's so far of what it's supposed to be. I know my comment won't be very popular, but that's just how it is.
2. Interior rattles, jerky transmission, harmonic vibration.
Last edited by cg_tim; 12-03-2020 at 05:03 AM.
12-03-2020, 06:10 PM
#4
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Looks like we have a duplicate thread here. Maybe the mods can merge them, but I have some thoughts on the above post from @cg_tim. Having grown up in Switzerland and regularly visiting my family I can relate. Was there last year in May and June with my brand new C63S coupe after picking it up in Germany. Driving the C63 on the Swiss Autobahn was an exercise in trying not to be completely bored out of my mind as always. It's super mind-numbing driving at 120 km/h, with other cars passing at 121 km/h. It's always amusing to be back. But the fun can be had busting up a mountain road and crossing all the famous mountain passes, so that made up for it and the C63 is a blast on those roads. While I complain a lot about the low speed limits here in the USA, we don't have speed cameras everywhere, so the speed limits are often more of a suggestion. It's not uncommon for the traffic to flow at 10-20 mph above the posted speed limit, not to mention that radar detectors are legal in most states, so on average I drive faster here than in Switzerland. Speeding in Switzerland with the fines based on your income can get very expensive quickly. But even here, I get the real fun from carving up the many deserted canyon roads in California.
The C43 was never even a consideration for me. I never was convinced of the segment it competes in. The only car I ever owned in this segment was a 2007 Audi S4, but that was when Audi put a V8 in the S4 and competed directly with the M3, while the RS4 essentially blew the M3 out of the water performance-wise. In the meantime Audi realigned their lineup and the RS models directly compete with the M and AMG 63 models, while the S models got watered down. Same sentiment about the M Sport models, although they can finally be had with at least an LSD. Should also mention that the Audi S models can be had with Audi's Sport Differential whereas the C43 has to make due with an outdated AWD system and open differentials. To me overall, the cars in this segment are just kinda neither here nor there. They are trying to be this compromise between the regular models and the full on performance models, but the result is just kinda meh. The C43 perhaps makes more sense on the German Autobahn where you can cruise at triple digit speeds.
Final note, AMGs have always kinda been known as harsh riding, but they have recently focused on improving the suspension and chassis to make it more comfortable for daily duties and more dynamic for sporty driving. For the C, those improvements came with the 2019 FL. They have new dampers and better bushings and they changed how the dynamic engine mounts work in the S models, so I'm really pleased how the C63S rides in Comfort mode. I did end up replacing the stock PSS with a set of PS4S tires and that actually improved the ride even more. One of the many complaints about the C43 are the runflat tires, but I found even the PSS tends to crash over bumps. The PS4S is on another level and after having it as the last set on my previous car, the PSS was a noticable step backwards.
The C43 was never even a consideration for me. I never was convinced of the segment it competes in. The only car I ever owned in this segment was a 2007 Audi S4, but that was when Audi put a V8 in the S4 and competed directly with the M3, while the RS4 essentially blew the M3 out of the water performance-wise. In the meantime Audi realigned their lineup and the RS models directly compete with the M and AMG 63 models, while the S models got watered down. Same sentiment about the M Sport models, although they can finally be had with at least an LSD. Should also mention that the Audi S models can be had with Audi's Sport Differential whereas the C43 has to make due with an outdated AWD system and open differentials. To me overall, the cars in this segment are just kinda neither here nor there. They are trying to be this compromise between the regular models and the full on performance models, but the result is just kinda meh. The C43 perhaps makes more sense on the German Autobahn where you can cruise at triple digit speeds.
Final note, AMGs have always kinda been known as harsh riding, but they have recently focused on improving the suspension and chassis to make it more comfortable for daily duties and more dynamic for sporty driving. For the C, those improvements came with the 2019 FL. They have new dampers and better bushings and they changed how the dynamic engine mounts work in the S models, so I'm really pleased how the C63S rides in Comfort mode. I did end up replacing the stock PSS with a set of PS4S tires and that actually improved the ride even more. One of the many complaints about the C43 are the runflat tires, but I found even the PSS tends to crash over bumps. The PS4S is on another level and after having it as the last set on my previous car, the PSS was a noticable step backwards.
Last edited by superswiss; 12-03-2020 at 07:19 PM.
12-03-2020, 08:27 PM
#5
Member
What is your thoughts about the 2020 AMG GT? You sound like you know your AMG's. I am thinking of trading my 2018 C43 Cab for the GT. Is it worth the upgrade?
12-03-2020, 08:44 PM
#6
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I believe it was Car and Driver who said in their review of the 2019 C63S Coupe that the C63S is the better coupe than the AMG GT and I have to agree with that. As a street performance car that does daily duties as well as a fun car on a canyon road, IMO the C63S is superior. The 2019 C63S got the 9-stage TC that was exclusive to the GT R and even now with the 2020 models the GT and GT C don't have it. The FL C63 was also the second model to get the new AMG DYNAMICS system from the GT R Pro, which all the 2020 GT models have now. If I were to get the GT, it would have to be the GT R or above, but the GT R's main advantage over the C63S is its much higher focus on track performance. I drove both the GT S and the GT R on the track and the latter is a phenomenal car on the track, but if you don't take it on a track regularly, I kinda don't see its purpose. The GT IMO is more of a single focus car. It would end up being a weekend car for me, which is not something I aspire.
