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1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by BigBodyBH
Yeah swapping out the emblem myself I’m not worried about, however if the dealer is willing to swap it out for free then that saves me some time and money 😂
That is interesting though. I don’t believe there’s any sort of “Stealth Package” on US cars. At least, I didn’t see one in the configurator. Is anyone able to confirm?
We don’t have a stealth here. You should’ve gotten a black chrome emblem, so it seems they messed up on your car. I’d let the dealer know, hopefully they don’t make too much of a fuss about it
Wow that is actually a pretty good deal, I’d honestly jump on it. How much down?
That’s what a W205 C43 was leasing for before Covid. I haven’t done too much digging but the dealers around me want 1k-1.2k+ a month for a C43. The C300s are going for 700-800 a month. A base bare bones one would go for 650 if you are lucky. And they all want something like 4500 down. I find that absolutely insane but somehow they can’t seem to keep any inventory. These new C classes are flying off the dealer lots in SoCal. I have one who is still charging over MSRP and yet they can’t hold any inventory whatsoever. In November I had a salesman tell me he just signed someone into a new C300 for 900 a month. My jaw dropped.
EDIT: I just read some guy on leasehacker get quoted 1700 a month for a new C43…
4.5k down making it about 830 effective a month.
900 for a c300? Must be heavily optioned. The national offer is 549 with 4k down for c300 I thought.
National offer for c43 is 799 I think with 5 down or something like that. I'll have to check the site.
For me it's still more then pre covid. im paying 598 a month for a medium optioned 2020 c43. With 3.5k down. So for me it's higher, around 150 more a month or so.
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by eatmydust
4.5k down making it about 830 effective a month.
900 for a c300? Must be heavily optioned. The national offer is 549 with 4k down for c300 I thought.
National offer for c43 is 799 I think with 5 down or something like that. I'll have to check the site.
For me it's still more then pre covid. im paying 598 a month for a medium optioned 2020 c43. With 3.5k down. So for me it's higher, around 150 more a month or so.
Most of the dealers around me are throwing those nation offers out the window and giving you more of a “take it or leave it” offer lol. You got a pretty good deal on your C43. I was getting quoted around 650, my friend paid 700-ish. I actually ended up with a 2020 C300 with the AMG line for 370 with 1500 down which was a steal of a deal so I jumped on that instead. Still a fun car, handles very well, definitely a different experience from the floaty boaty base C300, but also not the animal that is the C43. Very happy I went that route because I don’t know if I’d ever be willing to give up that glorious sounding V6. This time when my lease comes to a close I’m going for the C43 though.
What dealer offered you that on the new C43 if you don’t mind me asking?
Great spec! This poses an interesting question though: I also got both Night packages on mine, however mine came with a regular chrome Mercedes emblem on the rear. On yours I see it has the black chrome 🤔 I’m wondering if this is a mistake from the factory and a dealer can swap it out for free? I’d much prefer the black chrome for the cohesiveness.
Pic for reference
Ya... no that can't be right, it should also be dark chrome since you said you got both night packages, so night package two. Basically, all badges in the rear will be dark chrome not regular chrome including the star. I don't see why your dealership is unwilling to swap it back to what it should be. As for the "stealth package" that is a a term used in the Canadian market, first is night package second is stealth package (which really is night package 2). There is also some sort of "studio package" available in Canada like MBUSA but some options seems to be slightly different.
@W205C43PFL
Drove the C43 today. It was actually quite a fun drive. Very sporty. Felt good inside the cabin. The sound was def less pronounced than my 2019 C43, but on upshift theres a nice loud backfire. The "burbles" on downshift definitely arnt great, but its not a deal breaker.
Very nice to drive and quick. I also did not notice any transmission jerkiness.
Last edited by Mayur999; Jun 11, 2023 at 09:09 AM.
@W205C43PFL
Drove the C43 today. It was actually quite a fun drive. Very sporty. Felt good inside the cabin. The sound was def less pronounced than my 2019 C43, but on upshift theres a nice loud backfire. The "burbles" on downshift definitely arnt great, but its not a deal breaker.
Very nice to drive and quick. I also did not notice and transmission jerkiness.
Thanks for tagging me and telling me about your impressions with the car. Sounsd good, your impressions seems to be positive with it, I like how you mentioned there are no issues with the transmission, so whatever it was, was either blown up or it really was an issue but now fixed. Lucky you to have a chance to drive one already, I think if all goes well hopefully I will be test driving one next month. Inventory as you expect is still on the tight side for the W206 C 43 around this area.
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
It is, I just like how MB finally offers "dark chrome" or otherwise darken out badges being an option from factory.
As for the looking like a C 300, to be honest even the standard fully chrome (at least from the rear) stand out from the C 300 with the chrome quad exhaust pipes and the huge I mean huge chrome lower area, where the diffuser is (or around that area).
Fully agree. The easiest way to differentiate from a C300 AMG-line is to just get the C43 without any exterior upgrades with the chrome. Might be a route I end up going in the future. I honestly like the way it looks with the all the chrome.
Fully agree. The easiest way to differentiate from a C300 AMG-line is to just get the C43 without any exterior upgrades with the chrome. Might be a route I end up going in the future. I honestly like the way it looks with the all the chrome.
Are you getting a 2024? Will be exciting to start the build process now
For me, I am considering test driving one sometime next month (as mentioned in my previous post, inventory tight here or perhaps I can try a different dealership) latest and if all is as good as I thought will place an order for a 2024 unless something better pops up from MB or from competitors.
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Are you getting a 2024? Will be exciting to start the build process now
For me, I am considering test driving one sometime next month (as mentioned in my previous post, inventory tight here or perhaps I can try a different dealership) latest and if all is as good as I thought will place an order for a 2024 unless something better pops up from MB or from competitors.
I most likely will end up getting something from dealer inventory. While most SoCal dealers can’t seem to hold inventory, these cars seem to be sitting on dealer lots in other areas and I do like a bit of a trip to pick up a new car. My 5 series and E class were both purchased in San Francisco and it was fun to road trip them back home. I know what I want roughly but I am one of those people who chases the deal more than the spec. I did the same with my W205 and ended up with a car 95% of the way I would have ordered it. Can’t say that’ll happen again though lol. One of my must haves is the 19 inch wheels (hopefully starling blue but there’s other colors I’d “compromise” for) and I’d prefer a car without the pano roof.
I look forward to reading about your build process though!
I most likely will end up getting something from dealer inventory. While most SoCal dealers can’t seem to hold inventory, these cars seem to be sitting on dealer lots in other areas and I do like a bit of a trip to pick up a new car. My 5 series and E class were both purchased in San Francisco and it was fun to road trip them back home. I know what I want roughly but I am one of those people who chases the deal more than the spec. I did the same with my W205 and ended up with a car 95% of the way I would have ordered it. Can’t say that’ll happen again though lol. One of my must haves is the 19 inch wheels (hopefully starling blue but there’s other colors I’d “compromise” for) and I’d prefer a car without the pano roof.
I look forward to reading about your build process though!
Pano roof is standard here which is not something anyone should complain about (I mean, it is free...!.... ) but I rather too not have it. It eats headroom and is just another big piece of glass that heat gets in from. Plus I rarely if ever use the sunroof, pano or and sunroof for that matter.
Will let you know once I test drive one or begin the build process : )
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Pano roof is standard here which is not something anyone should complain about (I mean, it is free...!.... ) but I rather too not have it. It eats headroom and is just another big piece of glass that heat gets in from. Plus I rarely if ever use the sunroof, pano or and sunroof for that matter.
Will let you know once I test drive one or begin the build process : )
Exactly, and the added weight and reduction in body rigidity are also reasons I’d rather have a car without one.
Good Luck! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it after your test drive too!
I don’t know if I agree with that thread. There are normally three structural beams in the roof made of very high strength steel. They connect to the A, B and C pillars. A pano roof cuts a hole where that would be. Sure it gets replaced with glass but glass is not as strong as very high strength steel. I’m sure in modern cars the difference in negligible thanks to our new advancements in tech but I’ll still pass. Either way it still adds a lot of weight at the absolute highest part of the car.
The E61 5er wagon I mentioned earlier was only available with an pano roof in the US. It was commonly known to have reduced the structural rigidity of the car. The body on those used to creak pretty badly when entering things like driveways at and angle because the chassis would flex too much due to the hole in the roof that was cut. My first W205 had a pano roof and my second doesn’t. I wouldn’t say there is a big difference in structural rigidity like there was with the BMW (it is also a car from two generations later so tech has obviously advanced), but I can confidently say I feel the weight difference. My second one feels lighter on its feet with the weight lower in the car. After all it’s ~ 150 lbs less (or so I’ve been told) at the highest point in the car. I will admit they look very cool both from the inside and from out.
must've been lost in translation, not only does any glass in the roof add weight, but it messes with the center of gravity. Even the acoustic glass option on c43 adds weight.
Note that most sports don't came with glass roof and even sunroof is no cost option.
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by Dima
must've been lost in translation, not only does any glass in the roof add weight, but it messes with the center of gravity. Even the acoustic glass option on c43 adds weight.
Note that most sports don't came with glass roof and even sunroof is no cost option.
Exactly! Hence why many BMW M cars have the option for a carbon roof. I was absolutely shocked to see that MB wasn’t offering any type of carbon or slick roof for the new C63. It would help a lot to get rid of that insane amount of extra weight compared to the previous C63.
Exactly! Hence why many BMW M cars have the option for a carbon roof. I was absolutely shocked to see that MB wasn’t offering any type of carbon or slick roof for the new C63. It would help a lot to get rid of that insane amount of extra weight compared to the previous C63.
Moonroof vs carbon roof on the new M2 is only a 13 lb difference. Hardly something anyone is going to notice considering the heft of these cars.
From the rigidity aspect, a carbon roof panel is bonded in, same as a potential moonroof, so I would think a bonded fixed panel vs a bonded fixed panel are going to be similar there with the main difference being a mechanism for a tilting/sliding pano roof.
A solid steel roof that is welded might have marginal gains for rigidity - but with how good adhesives are nowadays the entire conversation might be moot (or it's even possible that the steel roofs are also bonded and not welded depending on the car).
aka - none of this is all that important with 4,000+ lb cars seeing as it's ~1% of the total weight. Fully forged wheels would make a much bigger difference than any of these things.
Exactly! Hence why many BMW M cars have the option for a carbon roof. I was absolutely shocked to see that MB wasn’t offering any type of carbon or slick roof for the new C63. It would help a lot to get rid of that insane amount of extra weight compared to the previous C63.
Is stock C63 roof steel or alum? If it was a full powered sunroof, you're looking at a 50lbs weight savings max when going to carbon. I think both steel and alum represent smaller differences; I probably wouldn't say "insane" amounts, but the range would be moderate to significant.
1986 Light Ivory R107 560SL & 2024 W206 Starling Blue C300 4MATIC AMG-Line, Exclusive Trim
Originally Posted by flocons
Is stock C63 roof steel or alum? If it was a full powered sunroof, you're looking at a 50lbs weight savings max when going to carbon. I think both steel and alum represent smaller differences; I probably wouldn't say "insane" amounts, but the range would be moderate to significant.
Not sure if it is steel or aluminum. The number I’ve heard multiple times from MB was that the panoramic roof (including all the motors and added packaging) added ~ 150 lbs to the car on the W205 (slick top). This means that the difference between a Pano roof C63 and a carbon or slick top roof is probably north of 50 lbs and probably passed 100. I didn’t say it would be an “insane” amount in reduction (although 100 is definitely sizable), I said the new C63 gained an insane amount of weight compared to the previous gen.
I really think MB should’ve taken some better measures to help lower the weight of the C63. The new W206 (C43 aside) has gained a lot of weight, primarily through its construction. Many things that were once aluminum like the doors on the W205 are now steel again like they once were on the W204. Considering how expensive the new C63 is going to be, I really think they could’ve tried a little harder to keep the weight down. They say it’s to keep costs down but the result is a heavier car. The new C43 has a lighter engine, transmission and 4Matic system compared to the previous gen, yet it weighs pretty much the exact same because all the weight reductions are nullified.
I personally prefer the C43. I completely dismiss the CLA for its FWD characteristics that are impossible to get around. The 45 may help with that but it is still not enough for me. I think the studio pack does a lot to help differentiate the C43 from a normal C300 with the AMG-line. It adds a lot of visual excitement to the car, especially a lighter color. All the added “accents” and “flics” are gloss black so it won’t have nearly the same effect on a black car as it would on a silver, white or starling blue car. It probably would’ve made a big difference on your car. It is not a “must have” for me because the majority of the studio pack seems pretty easy to add after the fact.
Have you driven the AWD CLA 45 and found it lacking or are you dismissing it because the lower spec CLAs are FWD? Curious on how you arrived at C43 > CLA 45.
I don’t know if I agree with that thread. There are normally three structural beams in the roof made of very high strength steel. They connect to the A, B and C pillars. A pano roof cuts a hole where that would be. Sure it gets replaced with glass but glass is not as strong as very high strength steel. I’m sure in modern cars the difference in negligible thanks to our new advancements in tech but I’ll still pass. Either way it still adds a lot of weight at the absolute highest part of the car.
The E61 5er wagon I mentioned earlier was only available with an pano roof in the US. It was commonly known to have reduced the structural rigidity of the car. The body on those used to creak pretty badly when entering things like driveways at and angle because the chassis would flex too much due to the hole in the roof that was cut. My first W205 had a pano roof and my second doesn’t. I wouldn’t say there is a big difference in structural rigidity like there was with the BMW (it is also a car from two generations later so tech has obviously advanced), but I can confidently say I feel the weight difference. My second one feels lighter on its feet with the weight lower in the car. After all it’s ~ 150 lbs less (or so I’ve been told) at the highest point in the car. I will admit they look very cool both from the inside and from out.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
