MNL ICE

Just read the same topic on the M3 forum and they didnt say bad about the C63...most of their replies are the same with us...C63 if your not going to track it and M3 if you wanna track it and if you want manual.

MikeG_C63_AMG

And...Who in there right mine would pay that? I'm sure you know what someone is asking and what the market is willing to pay for it is night and day. That person or dealer needs there head examine. BMW plans to produce more E92/E90 M3's then the previous E46, so there will be excess supply and low demand in the used market. The resale will thank especially on the 08's cause of the older IDRIVE.

C63 DTM AMG

i agree that they will be cheap and of course i know the difference between the two prices. but i was just stating how the resale value on the m3s is great when compared to a c63. I mean there are c63s advertised for around $50k USD with only around 8k miles. Its just interesting how much better the m3 is in resale value

iftwb

Hi all, first post! Posting from Sydney, Australia.
In about a weeks time, I'm going to put my order in for a C63 AMG in Obsidian Black with black interior. I'm getting very excited!

Just to give you Yanks a heads up, your going to get shocked at the price of how much luxury, high performance cars cost here in Australia. Straight to the facts:
1. Mercedes-Benz W204 C63 AMG costs $160,000AUD - $144,000USD.
2. BMW E90 M3 costs $170,000AUD - $154,000USD
3. BMW E92/E93 M3 costs $180,000AUD - $163,000USD
You guys can buy 65' AMGs with that sort of money can't you?

Well, initially I was in the same dilemma. I couldn't choose between the E90 M3 Sedan and the W204 C63 AMG. Obviously coming from a background of owning both Mercedes-Benz cars and BMW cars; it was a very hard choice. Throughout almost 2 decades of owning both brands, I've developed a distinct view of both car brands: 'You ride in a Mercedes-Benz, you drive a BMW'. In actual sense after owning several vehicles from both brands, its kind of true - to an extent.

The first thing I did was obviously test drive both vehicles. I can't stress that this is the first, foremost important thing you should do when you can't decided between two cars - and it would help to test drive them both on the same day. How'd they went?

C63 AMG Performance/Handling - My reaction was priceless - my jaw just dropped driving this car. I couldn't fathom how much power this car had. The power, torque and of course that infamous exhaust sound, are all equalling contributing factors to the addictive feeling this car creates. The suspension, handling were all fine. I didn't feel any harshness over different roads or bumps - something you'd expect from AMG wouldn't you?

The sound is by far the most prominent feature about the car, apart from its obvious monstrous power and torque. It's sound is as about as reputable as the infamous E60 M5 V10 sound, but obviously in a different category of sound - that being the 2nd most beautiful V8 sound I've heard in my life. 1st being the 7.0L LS7 V8 in the Corvette.

I just love the fact that the off-the-line acceleration needs acceleration modulation in order to get the the best traction possible. After a good solid 20 minute session test drive, I can simply say, this car is a power monster at anyone's disposal and its purpose is best served on big open roads, highways or motorways.

E90 M3 Performance/Handling - Okay, I expected a lot from this car because I've driven a family friends E46 M3 quite often and I must say, it is rightfully deserves a place as one of the best vehicles ever produced - and the E46 M3 CSL just compliments this fact. My expectation of this car was the highest I've ever had with any car. Its history is a legacy developed from the E30 M3 that won soooo many motorsport races. It's a legacy that formulates that distinquished image of M division, an image parallel to what a Porsche represents - the real driving experience.

Giving the E90 M3 a drive, I must say, it lacks a little in both performance, handling and of course, driving experience/feeling compared to its Coupe, 2-door E92 derivative. Simply put, I'm saying that the M3 should have never been a 4-door saloon. I know it was a move by BMW to facilitate for a wider customer base, but I can't stress that point enough. It just didn't feel like I was driving an M, more so just some different luxury, high performance car; and not an M3!

The performance of the car is great. The 4.0L V8 is very responsive, in fact more responsive than the C63 AMG. I know that there is a 5000rpm band before you harness most of the power, but its responsiveness was awesome across all bands. It felt tamed and not as unleashed as the C63, and power was only unleashed when I wanted it to. I felt more in control, especially with the M-DCT. Of course, the handling was superb. Not overall greater than the C63's, but definitely more enjoyable and comfortable. It's a BMW for crying out loud, there is an embedded expectation that its handling, suspension and comfort are out of this world! Overall, the driving experience of the E90 M3 was much more involved, fun and enjoyable. That's only if you don't have the windows down to hear the exhaust of the C63 AMG.

But before I made any final decisions, I decided to wait a bit and do my own research about what the rest of the world thinks. Obviously posting my question on a brand-specific car forum, I'm going to get even more biased opinions so instead I just looked up plenty of car reviews.

I must say, that after looking around at almost every YouTube video of the typical M3 vs C63 comparison, automotive articles and journals and actually counting them; I found that at least 60-70% of the reviews voted in favor of the M3. Some to mention: Edmunds, Top Gear UK, Top Gear AUS, Fifth Gear and a couple of German comparisons.
I wasn't suprised at all though because I immediately thought about the overall package of both cars, not just the mere power comparison between the two cars. I knew the C63 AMG was a power monster, but I realized that you would have to expect this, it is after all a 6.2L engine which is already 2.2L bigger than the V8 found in the M3; and that's going to provide you with more power and torque.

I also found that the E9x M3 is definitely a faster car around most of the tracks that both cars were compared on. Notably, Top Gear UKs power track and of course the infamous Nurburgring. But in the end:
I went with the C63 AMG. Funnily enough...

Why? Simply put in the most basic explanation I can possibly give:

Get the C63 AMG - if you are simply put, a power hungry car enthusiast. You're into just simply stepping on that lovely gas pedal, and feeling your car go a few car lengths ahead of those you race. You want simplicity with your driving experience, not complication. You want to just step on the pedal and off you go.

Get the E9x M3 - if you are simply put, a pure track car enthusiast. You're into the whole package and most importantly the handling is your advantage over those with more power. Buy this car if you want to drive around knowing that you bought a track legend, a legacy in automotive engineering. You want an involved car, you want to be in control, you want to feel like your buying an actual sports, high performance car like it was made for!

I chose the C63 AMG because it was going to be my daily driver. All I was going to use it for was driving to work which mainly involved open highways and motorways. That was it, and I would probably track it every now and then at my two local track courses. So if I am going to be commuting like this often, why not get the car that has more power, make the most of the power from the bigger engine and just have fun on open roads?

If I was a track car enthusiast, or if the E9x M3 had equivalent power to the C63 AMG, I would buy the M3 within a heart beat. I can't stress it enough, M3 is a legacy that will never be forgotten. It is the driver's car...

bhamg

Great writeup!

Vic55

I concur 100%...

sflgator

Excellent reviews, iftwb!!!! Glad you're enjoying your C63 AMG!!!

C63 DTM AMG

iftwb...why didnt you join this forum earlier!?

iftwb

Thanks guys, glad this is a smooth transition from E46fanatics.com and E60forums.com. I'm glad I could help from down under!
Just to let you guys know, I haven't got my C63 yet. I'm ordering it within a few weeks time at a dealership near mine - if all turns out to plan; that is I get the most of trading in my E60 530i.

Honestly, to the OP, find out what your purpose for the car is and work from there. They will both handle great (irregardless if one is better at the track by any significance). They will both offer you great power either way (irregardless if one is giving you more) and most importantly, they will both be great, awesome, quality rides; being that their BMW and Benz for crying out loud!

Honestly, I honestly think that the sentence I'm about to say is most likely going to be true for a lot of people when trying to make decisions about the typical: 'Benz vs BMW'.

Not to mention if BMW had a supercar to compete with the SLS, but if BMW had a range of cars that had the equivalent monstrous horsepower/torque as the top end 63' and 65' AMGs; a lot of people would choose the BMW.
Why? Think about it this way, if the E9x M3 had that monstrous 6.2L V8 inside of it, and it still handles the way it handles notoriously as the 'M3' that come from that infamous 'M' headquarters. I think we have a car that is...f**king .

But unfortunately, BMW M are not like Benz AMG, they don't believe in building big engines with enormous amounts of power and torque; and as a result the M3 doesn't have a 6.2L V8. ... and that is why BMW loses a lot of its customer base. Everyone knows...more power and torque releases our inner child; not its ability to go faster around the track. We just want to go faster, and faster, and faster. How often do any of the majority of people go take their cars to the track. Most of the customer base that do buy these sort of cars do it once in a full moon. It's a waste buying a car for the sake of knowing its the better track car, unless your going to track it! So why not get the one with more horsepower and torque, and use it for the times and places you do in fact use the car for!

How else does the M3's 4.0L S65B40 V8 engine manage to just be a couple of hundreths of a second slower than the C63's 6.2L M156 V8 engine in the straights, and partially quicker on the track (irregardless of any form of tune - stock bone vs stock bone).

MBDog

drive them back to back until you know which one over multiple days, a good dealer will let you take your time until you know its the right car

Questions

Same. I don't know if the suspension loosened up (especially on these harsh, harsh roads) or if I got used to it. Probably both.

longbow0404

If you are not going to track the car I will go with a c63 all the way... for only street use and maybe some highway pulls is better than the M3 (M3 < 335tuned < C63)

c63canada

great comparo iftwb.

My C63 is my daily driver and I love it. Auto transmission is great in morning rush hour traffic. A manual will always be better in my book but I'm glad I got the C63 with the auto box for the type of driving that I do wich is bumber to bumper every weekday morning.

And don't forget those C63 brakes. The m3 brakes look pretty bland. On the other hand the C63 brakes look like they came off a Lambo. If you own a C63 you know the stares those brakes get you at the stoplight.

jfo53

I am lucky to own both a 2009 C63 and a 2011 M3 with twin clutch. If the transmission is very important to you, the M3's twin clutch is wonderful. The 7 gears are closely spaced and the sound track is what you would hear at a LeMans track. The C63 manual shift is too slow to respond to be taken seriously. Might as well drive it in full automatic. If the E63's MCT goes to the C63 next year as rumored, then that will solve the problem. The M3 is 4 liters versus the 6.3 (6.2 really) for the C63 so that the M3's exhaust side is more barotone and the C63 more bass. The M3 develops strong power after 5000 while the C63 is rocketlike from 2000. As you probably know, the C63 always comes out second to the M3 on any track although it certainly sticks well (it wears through tires amazingly fast). But he M3 is the "sportier" choice with its nimble, less weighty chassis. Driving each one has its own pleasures not shared by the other. But both drink a lot of gas when driven hard. You cannot go wrong with either choice. Enjoy a V8 while we still can. In ten years the only choice may be driving a 3 cylinder electric hybrid.