AAMMGG100

Hi All,

This is my first post on MBWorld and I wanted to ask a question that may have asked many times in the past. I'm currently an Audi A4 owner and have been driving it for more than 8 years. I want more power as well as AWD with reliability.

What year/model of AMG that is most reliable and fast? I love the V8 sound of an AMG. But I know C63 is rear wheel drive which it may not be the best to drive in snow.

Thanks

SactownP31

Owning an a4 is like having your own personal eunuch. Its docile, quiet and has no bahls. Why dont you step up a little bit and get either an s4 or if your feeling spunky a rs(_). Because if you like audi's, a benz is NOTHING like an audi. The reg 550s are all luxury with some good power. The amg 63s are all performance with a hefty price tag for everything. Its a pretty big jump up in every category. I think a higher numbered BMW is a good compromise. But whatever you decide, happy hunting.

AAMMGG100

Thanks for your response. It seems you are the only one who is willing to share your opinion and thoughts on my question. I appreciate that.

I fell in love with the power and especially exhaust note of an AMG 63s. The S4 (a V6) couldn't produce that sound. There is no comparison between the two cars. The V8 sound in the AMG 63 just excites me. Audi RS cars are hard to find and the latest RS4 was build 2007 which is over 10 years old. The current new RS3 is just too small for me.
I'm not interested in BMW cuz they are overpriced and the interior is way out dated.
My currently A4 B8 is worth less than $10k, so it doesn't make sense to dump more money into the car.
I wanted to get some feedback from the peeps on this forum to help me do the research on an AMG. Any model year car that has the least issues or repairs?

Texas E63

I've had a dozen audi's from old S4 5cyl's to built RS6's and a W12 A8 I tuned...... while living in the northeast Quatrro was great...that said the 6.3 motor is very unique and now living in TX RWD is viable..... I started with a 2010 E63 but jumped to the C63 for power to weight and I like the smaller FL c63 form.... the NA motors are expensive to tune, unlike slapping a tune on a S6 or S7 and gaining 90hp for a grand... but the motor sound is amazing...

I'd target a 2011+ C63 or E63 depending on you size needs.... the C63 4dr has limited rear room but otherwise is more tossable, where the e63 is a great cruiser...

Cheers and happy hunting. !

AAMMGG100

What is NA stands for? I'm in North East too and AWD is helpful. But I don't drive much. My currently 2010 A4 has only 37k miles on it. How bad the RWD c63 in thick snow?
I found a 2009 AMG c63 with 97k miles on it. Is the 2009 model year good?

Adi-Benz

There's a thread on the main page that has all your answers.

RWD sucks in snow unless you get snow tires

SactownP31

Naturally Aspirated. No forced induction. The s4 has that 3.0 v6 which is supercharged, forced induction. Some s and RS models had that 4.2 NA V8 that was pretty savage. The newer rs models have a 2.9 turbo v6, forced induction. Im not sure if yours has a turbo 4 banger, if so forced induction. But back on topic, all 2012 and older 63's have the NA m156 v8 that sounds brutal. After 2012 all except c63 switched over to the 5.5 bi-turbo m157. More power capability but the sound is gone. Now 15 and up 63's all have the new 4.0 bi-turbo.

AAMMGG100

Thanks. I found the c63 common problem thread. I can't believe the c63 also has oil consumption issue?

AAMMGG100

My A4 is a turbo 4 yes.

Thanks for the helpful info. The repair bill is high on a 2012 or older C63?

SactownP31

Unfortunately all mb repair cost is high. AMG is even worse.

roadkillrob

I live in Boston, drive mine year round with snows on it and it is fine, teaches you throttle control for sure. A rear wheel drive with snow tires is still better than an AWD car with all season tires, so if you A4 goes through winter without snow tires, the C63 will actually be better with a good set of snow tires on it. If you run snows on your A4 then no comparison as an AWD car with proper tires in the snow is hard to stop unless it runs out of ground clearance. If I lived in Maine in the country it would be a terrible car, but near the city, all the snow is cleaned up within a day of a storm, so you really don't drive though much if any heavy snow.

My last car was a 2011 S4 and I ran snows and it was better, but for all I drive in actual snow it isn't an issue with the c63

Yuille36

If you decide to purchase a C63, please be aware that maintenance is not cheap on the cars. AMG actually stands for All Money Gone I've owned a C63 for 5 years, not that good in snow unless you have snow tires, then it's marginal. An A4 with snow tires, will handle better then a C63 with the same setup. But if your looking for AWD then would suggest getting a C63S. It has plenty of grunt, with the benefit of AWD. The best of both worlds.

SactownP31

One key thing that neither you stated or we asked is, how much are you willing to spend on the "new" car?

AAMMGG100

Thanks for all the replies... I don't use snow tires on my A4 and I don't get much snow anyway. I don't drive much, I have only been putting 5k miles on my A4 per year for the past 8+ years. Do you guys use all season tires? It's a hassle to switch between two sets of tires every year.
In terms of maintenance, Audi A4 is not cheap to maintain. My water pump broke at 30k miles and I spent $1k to replace it. The transmission maintenance service cost range from $500-$1000 depend on labor cost. The timing chain tensioner issue on my A4 cost at least $1000 to fix. So I would walk away from an used C63 AMG if you think A4 maintenance cost listed are way cheaper than a C63 AMG.

I was looking at used C63 AMG on Ebay. A 2011 C63 AMG with 78k miles cost $26k. Do you think the repair bill will be high on a close to 10 years old AMG c63 with close to 100k miles on it. I know C63 AMG engine is a bullet proof, but I'm not sure about the transmission and other weak points in the car.

My budget is under $30k.

SactownP31

If this is going to be your one and only car, id stay away from older cars. By older I mean cars that are going to be 10 years old soon. When I say expensive I'm not just talking about engine work, I'm talking about everything. From interior stuff to suspension to brakes all the way down to gas. This is NOT the kind of car I'd want as a daily driver even though it can be tame if you want it to be. This is more of a weekend toy or a car to be used to terrorize suburban areas and shopping centers.

AA717driver

AAMMGG100

Is C63S AWD? I haven't seen one yet.

AMGC

Adi-Benz

c43 is a great car tbh.

AAMMGG100

You meant to say RWD for C63.

That's what I thought.
I have done some search online for used C63. There are only a few on the market. I guess no many people own a C63 compare to the number of Audi A4 owners.

Texas E63

A4's are likely 50 times more avail..... the C63 is more inline with the older RS4
Have you driven a C63 yet ? if not that's really the initial thing you need to do....... utterly different feel than a Quattro car - and very different interior etc...

AAMMGG100

No, I haven't test drove a C63. No one has one around here.

I know C63 is tail happy like a Mustang or any high power RWD car.

Does C63 eat motor oil? My A4 burns a qt of oil every 2500 miles.

JonM

I daily mine in Cincinnati, so it's exposed to all sorts of conditions, even salt.

​​​​​​The oil consumption comes down to the oil you're using - for whatever reason, Liqui Moly hasn't burned a drop in my car, but Mobile 1 would.

The engines eat oil, make noise, cost a bunch of money to modify, and running costs are fairly steep, but the overall experience is worth it. The cars are bulletproof and a blast to drive.

Find a late 2011+, which has revised headbolts, and the MCT. Both make your life easier, and cheaper in the long run if you choose to modify the car.

AAMMGG100

What is MCT?

I'm new to MB. But I'm not new to German cars. It is expensive to mod my A4 as well. But I think I won't be doing much mods on an AMG if I have one. It is already fast.

I may need to put a pair of wider tires in the back to improve traction. How much oil do you need to add for every 2500 miles? I found a thread on oil consumption on C63. The OP stated that he had to put 1.5 qt of oil for 1000 miles. In my 2010 A4 owner's manual, Audi claim the car consumes a qt of oil every 600 miles is normal. Ha!

CMartin348

Welcome to the board. I am also new here and just purchased a 2011 Mercedes C63. My prior car was an '04 Audi A4. I'm not deep enough into ownership to be able to answer your questions about oil consumption, but the Audi was not cheap to maintain either. I live in Minneapolis and will be daily driving the C63. I second what other users say about winter tires. The car is an absolute pleasure to drive and a huge step up from the A4. I, too, test drove an S4 in my search for a new car and found it to be quick, but uninspiring. Best of luck in your decision. The C63 is a monster.

Also, I wanted to add: The C63 engines are not bulletproof. Prior to 2011 (and even in some early 2011 cars) there is a well documented head bolt issue. I would highly recommend doing a search on that topic and looking 2011 +.