Palmball

Being based in the UK, I tend not to post on here very often but I check out this forum on almost a daily basis. So, I thought I'd share my latest treat!

I currently own an '09 C63 with PP and was recently offered a good offer to sell it. As someone who likes to change their car every 6-12 months I thought I'd take the opportunity which then left me with a problem....what do I replace it with?

I've already owned an e92 M3 and an M6 and I prefer the C63 to both of them. No, it doesn't handle as well as the M3 and isn't quite as quick as the M6 but overall, in most other respects I prefer the Mercedes.

So, I wasn't going back to BMW and therefore considered a couple of 'British' options (why not support my local economy huh??). I looked at a new Jaguar XFR and a 2007 Aston V8 Vantage - both very similarly priced at around £50,000 (yes, thats about $78,000!).

The Aston was, frankly.....crap. Yes, really! Apart from the gorgeous looks and THAT badge, compared to my current C63 I felt it was underpowered, poorly made and the technology was well out of date. After test driving one, I was glad to get back in my C63!

The Jag however, was awesome; very fast, very refined and it had a lush interior. But...it's a Jag and (in the UK at least) you don't have a Jag until you're nearly dead. Thing is, despite the image problem it was just sooo damn good that it nearly convinced me but in the end it was just a bit too big and not involving enough for me. Also, it didn't have that ultimate AMG trait...the sound!

So, I get back in my current C63 and think...what would this be like with the same sort of power that the M6 had?

Well, I still don't now but I'm going to find out soon as I've just ordered a new Calcite White C63 with the PPP (P31 to you?). I think I'm going to like!

I've also gone for the Sahara Beige interior which, in the UK at least, is a risky colour combination with the white bodywork. Has anyone seen this combo and do you think it will go together?

Other niceties that I've splashed out on are the Designo leather dash (admittedly an utter waste of money at over £2,000...thats nearly $3,500!), Harman Kardon, 19" wheel upgrade, Comand, Rear Camera and Intelligent Lighting so it's pretty much fully loaded. The bad news is that these cars are seriously expensive in the UK and at £62,000, it's right at the top of my budget. The cost of C63's in the USA appear to be much cheaper - I mean, can you imagine paying nearly $97,000 for a C63!!

The good news however is that I've also opted for the factory collection option - one of the advantages of being based in Europe. Mercedes fly me out to Stuttgart business class, put me up in a hotel, provide me with a factory tour and then I get to drive my new toy back home! Apart from the cost of fuel, this is all provided complimentary as they don't have to pay to deliver the car to me.

I was also lucky enough to get one of the last allocations in the UK for the factory's March build (the last build of RHD AMG's before the next batch in June I believe) so I should be able to collect the car by the end of March. I can't wait

BerBer63

Take lots of pics, congrats

KCviper

Congrats! I'm sure you will enjoy......

sflgator

Congrats! Nice writeup on the 3 cars. Get your C63 AMG ecu flash tuned, and you'll be ~ as fast (or faster with a couple more mods) as the BMW M6.

sjhugh

Yes I can imagine it. About $135,000 USD here in Australia ($155,000 AUD) and equally as expensive in some other parts of the world.

Enjoy the car, you already know what you’re getting.

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avengerboater

Very nice! White on beige is a sexxxy color combo!

Palmball

Wow - that IS expensive! Is it just imported cars that cost so much in Australia or is the domestic stuff expensive too?

sjhugh

Not just imports, everything is expensive here. A geographically big country with a small population (22 million) equals a small consumer market for all products, local and imported. This is coupled with high import duties and taxes to try and protect the local manufacturers who find it difficult to compete with the big players.

An example is the Pontiac G8, designed and built in Australia and exported to the US. They are the equivalent to our Holden Commodore with some changes to the body kit. They were sold in the US cheaper than we could buy them here.

Still the cost of goods here is somewhat offset by our higher incomes compared to many other countries. The average yearly wage in Australia is $61,850 in US Dollars, though the real yearly pay packet for most Australians is more like $45,000 USD.

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doos

higher income, higher income tax, and stupid high car price.

australia is crap. how i wish i am living in the usa.

Cerano

imagine a c63 costing over 250k USD here in Singapore mate

doos

wat about the car loan interest rate of 10% here in aus compared to sg's 2% ??

Cerano

holy ****. thats damn high interest rate. nahh we dont get 2% closer to 3%. but you guys usually pay up in cash right

Cerano

and you know our roadtax isnt like yours paid through the pumps.

the c63 has an annual road tax of around 6k USD per year thats before insurance costing another 3-4k USD at least

crazjayz

THIS. I know a bunch of students from Singapore that are studying abroad in Cali, and when they finally decide to buy a car (since you can't live in LA without a car), almost all of them get Astons or Lambos b/c they're "dirt cheap" here.

patboyy

Well, guys. difference system in difference countries, but we all love the AMG.

Cerano

Wow

how much does a lambo cost there?

a gallardo LP-540 costs at least 500k USD here

doos

a lambo LP 560 cost approx 650k aud which is around us$600k in perth .

i think the states are selling like 1/3 the price ? or at least half price.

how i wish i live in the states !! lol....

Cerano

if i am right cars in aussie cost 2/3 the amount in singapore.

cars in singapore cost around 4-5 times as much as in the states

1st amg

Congrats Palm, I remember when you posted here at the time of you taking delivery of the 2009 C63, very good write up, I as well sit there once in a while and try to come up with an alternative to this car once my lease expires and I keep thinking this is the best bang for your buck....good thing you took advantage of this new performance package with the last year of the 6.2 engine for the C63, they are apparently changing over to the blown 5.5L motor for MY2011....I will miss this normally asperated motor with all its torque and ferocious sound. I might have to get out of my 2008 C63 early to possibly take advantage of the last year of production for this motor on the C63.

doos

for luxury car, it is no longer that ratio, taking into consideration of exchange rate, interest rate etc... sometimes it is either same price as in singapore or even more expensive!

but for those cheap japanese cars, then yes those cost maybe 1/2 of what u will pay in singapore.

i was from singapore originally so i know the prices pretty well.

c63canada

great writeup palmball!

I also like to change cars.

But when I look at what other cars I would change for, I keep coming back to the fact that money wise, C63 beats them all.

AlexCim

That is just too cool. I would choose that option too, but I don't know how I'd go driving home to Australia... haha

Palmball

Well you could go the long way round across Asia...or the 'shortcut' down through Africa. Either way, you'd have to get on a boat for the final leg of the journey lol! (well, so have I as I've got the 20 mile English Channel to cross!)


Thanks for all the nice comments guy's - I'm still very nervous about my colour choice as tastes here in England are a bit more....traditional (read : greys and blacks all the time!). I've been to LA a few times (my favourite city, I love that place!) and white cars / beige interiors look SO good! But over here, under the *****ty British grey skies and the rain it might not look quite so striking!

I'm also truly amazed at some of the prices from around the world...I thought we had it bad here in the UK for car prices but some of the ones mentioned are crazy!

It costs me about £450 (US$800) for the road tax every year on a C63 and about £80 (US$140) to fill her up with fuel every 200 miles or so! So, whilst the car tax isn't too bad compared to other places in the world, how many places have fuel prices like we do (which is mainly tax anyway )?

Seems like the only place to own a car in the world is in the US...cheap cars and cheap fuel!

Cerano

i calculated for my c200. c&c sells it for around 110k USD right now. australia sells it for around 80k USD i think

Cerano

well i dont think i can use 10k USD of fuel anytime. and fuel here costs 1.50/L USD for V-power