2012 C63 Coupe - To P31 Performance Pkg or to not? Can't decide...
#51
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 832
Likes: 3
From: Melbourne
(a)'12 C63 P/P, LSD, 19" m/spoke,comfort pack. (b)Astra SRI.
I am speculating here, but I wonder if P31 and non-P31 exhausts sound pretty much the same. I had been watching YouTube videos of both all day, and can't come to the clear conclusion. So much is influenced by the temperature and recording, it is hard to be objective. What we do know is that the exhaust sounds on the C63 is driven more by the exhaust, and since the exhaust on P31 and non P31 machines are the same, I would venture to guess that they sound the same as well.
Thoughts? Advice?
I am still struggling with the P31 and Non-P31 decision. I don't really care for most of the P31 bits, but if it makes the Engine/Exhaust sound any better, I am in...
Thoughts? Advice?
I am still struggling with the P31 and Non-P31 decision. I don't really care for most of the P31 bits, but if it makes the Engine/Exhaust sound any better, I am in...
P31 is not just about performance....if performance is all you're after, then just go to a tuner, you'll get better than P31 performance, & ya'll save some dollars.
In Aus, P31 gives you SLS engine internals, better brakes, different steering wheel, C/F rear spoiler, & 19" m/spoke wheels.
We bought P31 because this car was going to mean a lot to us, we were going to have it for a long time, so we wanted the best "factory" engine in the car.....hang the expense!. Also ordered the LSD for the same reason...it was a "factory" performance option...so we had to have it.
I wouldn't be good enough to extend a C63 to anything like its full capacity, but because the car's a "keeper", I feel good about optioning our car the way we have.
For sure, there's plenty of tuned cars that'd demolish our car......but we like it the way we ordered it......and I reckon you've gotta make the same decision (what is best for you).....but like I said, if it's just speed etc, don't bother...ya can just get it tuned.
Cheers, Pickles.
#52
Bad advice. This is not necessarily true. Many dealers will turn a blind eye until you have a serious issue and then all of a sudden your tune, headers, etc are being blamed an you are having a huge fight. If little things go, sure, a good dealer won't care about some mods but something major happens and I wouldn't be taking this advice as gospel. Blow an engine and see what happens if they know you are/were tuned... MB will be investigating and if they find out (or if the dealer knows), you will have an issue.
Last edited by gthal; 09-09-2012 at 06:40 AM.
#53
Bad advice. This is not necessarily true. Many dealers will turn a blind eye until you have a serious issue and then all of a sudden your tune, headers, etc are being blamed an you are having a huge fight. If little things go, sure, a good dealer won't care about some mods but something major happens and I wouldn't be taking this advice as gospel. Blow an engine and see what happens if they know you are/were tuned... MB will be investigating and if they find out (or if the dealer knows), you will have an issue.
As per MB of Austin, as long as the mods do not increase load of stress on the vehicle and destroy's the integrity, the modifications done will not affect the warranty. Maybe they are more lenient, or they just enjoy me and my vehicle, but they will not void my warranty.
That being said, I did contact the dealership about the implication of a voided warranty before any mod. Basically, I got the okay from my service manager every time I did a mod, be it suspension, headers, pulley, or otherwise.
I am sorry if you guys are not getting the same treatment. Try addressing the dealership before your next mod. You never know what will happen.
But if this is not the same experience across the board, sorry. I am NOT trying to give bad advice. Guess I'm lucky!!!!!
#54
Legally, the manufacturer / dealership is not allowed to deny warranty claims UNLESS they can prove that the modification was directly responsible for the failure in question.
So having a suspension swap, for example, would mean they would struggle to claim that your engine failure happened as a result.
That being said, in Canada, various manufacturers have started to claim that vehicles which were being used in a manner in which they weren't intended (ie, drag raced, or taken to track days on a road-course) would result in denial of warranty. BMW did this several times with the E46 M3 (S54 engine) and the M-Z3 (S54 engine and the rear differential). Nissan has also done this with the GT-R (in Canada, at least).
Porsche and Chevy (with the Corvette, anyway) have both taken the opposite approach, in that they will honour any warranty work even if something breaks at the race-track. Their stance has been to say "We designed it to do that, so we expect it to be used like that".
I don't know where Mercedes fits into the picture on this, so I can't comment on that specifically.
Anyhow, all of this aside, I chose to go the Development Pack route for the same reason. I'd rather not have to worry about whether Mercedes will honour the warranty on the car or not....it's their stuff, so their warranty applies, no questions asked, and no fighting involved.
In Canada, it's also a relatively good value, in that it includes the LSD. And after building a couple of race motors for BMWs in the past, $6K is pretty cheap for forged internals when you consider what the labour would be to install them, tune the engine, etc.
I'm going to say one thing that is undoubtedly highly controversial. If spending an additional $75 per month is a big deal to you....perhaps leasing a new Mercedes (particularly an AMG) isn't the wisest financial decision?
Patrick
So having a suspension swap, for example, would mean they would struggle to claim that your engine failure happened as a result.
That being said, in Canada, various manufacturers have started to claim that vehicles which were being used in a manner in which they weren't intended (ie, drag raced, or taken to track days on a road-course) would result in denial of warranty. BMW did this several times with the E46 M3 (S54 engine) and the M-Z3 (S54 engine and the rear differential). Nissan has also done this with the GT-R (in Canada, at least).
Porsche and Chevy (with the Corvette, anyway) have both taken the opposite approach, in that they will honour any warranty work even if something breaks at the race-track. Their stance has been to say "We designed it to do that, so we expect it to be used like that".
I don't know where Mercedes fits into the picture on this, so I can't comment on that specifically.
Anyhow, all of this aside, I chose to go the Development Pack route for the same reason. I'd rather not have to worry about whether Mercedes will honour the warranty on the car or not....it's their stuff, so their warranty applies, no questions asked, and no fighting involved.
In Canada, it's also a relatively good value, in that it includes the LSD. And after building a couple of race motors for BMWs in the past, $6K is pretty cheap for forged internals when you consider what the labour would be to install them, tune the engine, etc.
I'm going to say one thing that is undoubtedly highly controversial. If spending an additional $75 per month is a big deal to you....perhaps leasing a new Mercedes (particularly an AMG) isn't the wisest financial decision?
Patrick
#55
Sorry, not trying to give bad advice. This has been my experience; I have had many issues throughout the life of my 2008. My dealer never balked at my mods and have even gone so far as to tout my 63 about the dealership. I had many employees, in different branches(maint., sales, upper management, etc.) that were in love with my car, knew what I had done, and repair/fixed any warranty issues.
As per MB of Austin, as long as the mods do not increase load of stress on the vehicle and destroy's the integrity, the modifications done will not affect the warranty. Maybe they are more lenient, or they just enjoy me and my vehicle, but they will not void my warranty.
That being said, I did contact the dealership about the implication of a voided warranty before any mod. Basically, I got the okay from my service manager every time I did a mod, be it suspension, headers, pulley, or otherwise.
I am sorry if you guys are not getting the same treatment. Try addressing the dealership before your next mod. You never know what will happen.
But if this is not the same experience across the board, sorry. I am NOT trying to give bad advice. Guess I'm lucky!!!!!
As per MB of Austin, as long as the mods do not increase load of stress on the vehicle and destroy's the integrity, the modifications done will not affect the warranty. Maybe they are more lenient, or they just enjoy me and my vehicle, but they will not void my warranty.
That being said, I did contact the dealership about the implication of a voided warranty before any mod. Basically, I got the okay from my service manager every time I did a mod, be it suspension, headers, pulley, or otherwise.
I am sorry if you guys are not getting the same treatment. Try addressing the dealership before your next mod. You never know what will happen.
But if this is not the same experience across the board, sorry. I am NOT trying to give bad advice. Guess I'm lucky!!!!!
Some mods are way less risky (suspension, exhaust) and some are riskier (tunes, etc). You could have your engine tuned, have a failure and either MB doesn't find the tune or the dealer turns a blind eye. The risk is it causes an issue. As long as people are aware of the risk, big or small, it isn't a problem. Everyone also needs to remember that it is not the dealer who approves warranty claims but MB. If your engine failed and MB decided to investigate (which they likely would), your relationship with the dealer may or may not help you. If MB finds out or is told about the tune, as an example, MB would deny the warranty claim and the dealer would be able to do nothing. Anyway, the risk of something significant going wrong and the warranty claimed denied might not be particularly significant but anyone who mods should be aware of the risk.
Last edited by gthal; 09-09-2012 at 11:07 AM.
#57
#58
#59
Not a lot... I have been in 2 different non-P31s for a couple of drives. You are right, maybe I don't have enough experience in both to comment in a meaningful way. Let me rephrase... in my fairly limited experience, I didn't notice a difference
#60
That's cool. This topic is pretty subjective anyway, considering the non-P31 has such a great sounding exhaust to begin with.
#61
I tune gm products all the time and most want this noise tuned out for a smooth decel sound. it is interesting the benzheads like it so much and associate it with muscle and performance, even though it only happens when decelerating (lol).