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In a very short period I've done quite a bit on my C43. Panamericana grill, Upgraded LEDs, chrome delete, black badging, MST intake, Weistec BOV, Renntech evm, Focal audio, JB4, H&R VTF springs, and 20" Vossens some other minor aesthetic upgrades. I know people give this car crap about not being a true AMG and because I literally bought the car in September it was kind of disheartening. I was not very familiar with the Mercedes brand prior to do research in possible proper replacements for my S3 and had a very short time to make a decision so pulled the trigger on the C43.. Yesterday I had the opportunity to test drive a W204 507 Edition and a 2017 C63S (before they nerfed the sound). WOW is all I can say... First it was the 507.. Aesthetically, the huge fender flairs and black series hood scoops made this car look so menacing..popped the hood and it's engine bay looked amazing. The signature on the engine made me kind of understand why some AMG purist would feel upset that the AMG is being watered down. Interior was Alcantara, carbon trim etc, but still couldn't help it felt dated..Now it was time for the test drive.. In a straight line from a stand still my C43 felt quicker then the 507, but then again even my tuned S3 felt quicker because of launch control then my C43. The 507 released a huge roar and the immediate power was addicting. I was a little timid on the throttle because it's been quite a long time since I've driven a rear wheel drive car with this much power. Stepping on the gas and hearing the grumble of the V8 just put massive smiles on my face, but my C43 also sounds great in its own right with the performance exhaust, res delete and evm. Because I'm not specifically AMG purist and the C43 is my first experience into Mercedes I still was not convinced that I'd be willing to trade in my C43 for the more dated 507. I can easily see why a petrol head and purist who tracks their car would want the 507 edition and the legendary engine tho. Now I was on my way home when I decided to stop by another Mercedes dealership. A C63S with every single package/add on in obsidian black was just advertised. The owners lease had just ended and brought it back, but photos of the car and pricing was still not available..the car wasn't even on the lot yet. After a little discussion with the salesman and manager he let me follow him to its location and had called before hand so the car was waiting for me on the ramp. From a distance the car didn't look too different then mine. However, closer I noticed the fender flares in the front..carbon lip, diffuser, wing, night package, AMG Performance seats in black Nappa, HUD. This car had everything. It was already late at night so I really didn't expect them to allow me to test drive, but the manager gave the okay 👌 and they didn't even ask me for my license or insurance..
Driving off the lot I could already tell I was going to love this car..the salesman was an AMG enthusiast and had raced most of the AMG cars on a track because they sent him for training. The guy encouraged me to punch the gas and have some fun. The same V8 roar, but with pops and bangs unlike the 507. I drove the car around a bit, allowed the tail end to swing out etc...man...this was fun. I can honestly say that i do not get the same feelings from my C43. I was smiling like a kid the entire time in the C63S.
We went back to the dealership and I asked how much did they plan on listing it for. $57,999. I was stoked until they ran the numbers and how much I'd get from my used C43.. It would put me under and the total exceeded 80k. My monthly would be 1300. Sadly I left the lot..when I returned home my wife encouraged me to go ahead and buy, but financially it wouldn't be the greatest decision. I literally had dreams of the
C63 Last night. Had I waited and knew about the C63 prior to purchasing my C43 I could have gotten this car.
Perhaps next year....😭
I test drove a PFL c63s coupe and a PFL c43 coupe back-to-back, I ultimately bought the c43. While the c63s was obviously more expensive, money was not really the deciding factor. I have had high horsepower cars in the past, and putting the power down was usually the limiting issue. I really like the c43’s ability to hook from a dig and its “stop light to stop light” acceleration (especially with the stage 2 tune, intakes and FI Exhaust). From a roll, the c63s was a riot to drive, but I always hated the “let’s go from a roll” plea when driving in Mexico. Don’t get me wrong, the c63s is an AWESOME car, but I have zero regrets going with the c43.
I test drove a PFL c63s coupe and a PFL c43 coupe back-to-back, I ultimately bought the c43. While the c63s was obviously more expensive, money was not really the deciding factor. I have had high horsepower cars in the past, and putting the power down was usually the limiting issue. I really like the c43’s ability to hook from a dig and its “stop light to stop light” acceleration (especially with the stage 2 tune, intakes and FI Exhaust). From a roll, the c63s was a riot to drive, but I always hated the “let’s go from a roll” plea when driving in Mexico. Don’t get me wrong, the c63s is an AWESOME car, but I have zero regrets going with the c43.
I can see that, but I rarely race or definitely not enough..if i wanted a fast car I would have traded my S3 for an RS3. I think the V8 rumble and its combination of luxury and performance is what was so appealing. The C43 coupe is still a sexy car, V6 sound with PE exhaust is probably second only to the F-type. However, I do wish I waited a little longer. Gas isn't an issue because I daily my car and live within a 10-12 minute commute..
I came from a 507 sedan. Totally different car. Love my C43 wagon, but from a rawness/performance/put a smile on your face perspective, there’s no comparison. That’s the main reason why people (including me) say the C43 is not a true AMG. It’s a fantastic car in its own right, but as you discovered, the C63 is in a different league.
No regrets on switching to my C43 wagon though. Suits my needs much better than the 507 did.
Last edited by toosteeley; 12-27-2020 at 07:58 PM.
I came from a 507 sedan. Totally different car. Love my C43 wagon, but from a rawness/performance/put a smile on your face perspective, there’s no comparison. That’s the main reason why people (including me) say the C43 is not a true AMG. It’s a fantastic car in its own right, but as you discovered, the C63 is in a different league.
No regrets on switching to my C43 wagon though. Suits my needs much better than the 507 did.
I had a bit of buyer's remorse until I found a convenient way of pushing over 530~ hp with this car, and any car would sort of have to blow it out of the water (both performance, exterior and interior) in order to justify the price that it would probably incur over the 43 + a few mods... the 63s is a pricey monster, however, the M276 is capable of showing up to it's V8 with the right mods and still come out cheaper
When I was shopping for my 2020 C43, I test drove quite a lot of cars, even cars outside this class and price range. However, the closest was the M340i. The price was about the same, the M340i definitely had better performance in regards to straight line acceleration. However, I hated the interior of the M340i, the design and materials look cheap, and I hated the digital cluster, and the sounds did not compare to the AMG Performance Exhaust. I picked the C43 because it was a better overall package. However, I still wonder if I should have decided on the M340i due to its faster acceleration and much smoother transmission.
On another note, there was also a brand new 2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio that the dealership discounted to $62,000 USD (MSRP $80,000 USD). This puts it in the price range of the C43 for me. The performance was of course in a different league than the C43. The interior design did not look as luxurious as the C43 but I think the material quality was better. I did not end up getting this car simply because it was an Alfa Romeo and I've heard horror stories regarding this "Ferrari" engine under the hood. A lot of the big named car reviewers on YouTube literally had issues with their press car as they were filming their review...which kind of worried me. That performance for the price still makes me wonder if I should have just pulled the trigger...
C43 is for my "wife" when I got it 2 years ago. She's happy she got another benz and told her I will be getting a "car" for myself when the c43 is paid off. Thinking about manual lotus or c8 if they ever make z06 in manual
12-27-2020, 04:26 PM
