Hope you get to test drive it soon! If you ever are passing the Brampton dealership stop by. They have a few!

 

CLA 45

 

Yes, US cars technically have a vin and a fin as well. For example, the lowest serial numbers of that batch of cars at the Columbus delaership is W1KAF8HB0PR034152. In this case, W1KAF is for all C Classes (an S Class would be W1K6G) (technically W1 is for all MBs that have some production in Europe and K just means sedan), 8HB marks it as a C43 (a C300 4Matic would 4HB, a C300 RWD 4GB), 0 is a security code that's semi randomized, P marks it as a 2023 model year, R is the factory (south Africa), and the last 6 are the serial number. This car's FIN is W1K2060871R034152. W1K is the same, 206 is the chassis, 087 is the baumaster (C3004M is 047, 2WD is 046, and C63ES is 080), 1R is again the factory, and then serial number.

I assume Canada is the same. I just know this because I paid attention to the patterns. So i remmeber that the switch from 2022 to 2023 C300s was right around serial 67000 and that lines up with what I've seen with C43s - the lowest vins I've seen consistently are right around 69000/70000. So when I saw these cars with numbers much lower, and I happened to remember that 34000 was 2022 model year for the C300 and was still 2021 production, I got curious. I also noticed that the car was listed with nappa leather which I knew wasn't possible to order, so I decoded the vin on mb.vin. Sure enough it had code 101 Production Trial 1, which with that and a few other condes that I just have seen a lot and know, I was able to realize it was able to confirm it was a pre production car.

I don't know what vin number started regular C43 Canada production, but in theory you can go on dealer websites and look through and pick up the patterns, and if you eventually see one that's way way earlier and seems out of place, it may be pre production.

 

Totally

 

Hopefully when I find time.

 

?

 

I see.

 

Got it. Not liking that it's front biased AWD because it started as a FWD car. I'd very much like to dive a C43 to compare/contrast. With my lease ending in August, I am looking at purchasing a C43 or leasing an EQE500 (I know, weird combo). The CLA 45 is just a bit too small for my 6' 4" frame when getting in and out. 😅

 

A couple more things that might make your wait longer (sorry). Your vehicle will be inspected at the VPC for damage during transport and any fixes necessary will be done. If your car wasn't damaged in any way, no delay. There are also options that are installed at the VPCs so, if you have any of those on your vehicle, it will take a bit longer.

Hope you get it soon!

 

I guess you all are aware of the fuel pump recall issued right? Assuming that fixes the check engine light some of you folks has been getting at some occasions? https://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...d-217340.html#

 

Found the NHTSA document: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...3V445-9258.PDF

 

Anyways the original post the link was from: https://mbworld.org/forums/w213-amg/...ml#post8807119

 

Hardly affects our cars as the production date in question ends at the end of Nov 2022. Since then, the manufacturing process has been changed

 

Hmmm never mind.

 

I had 10 minutes with a C43 today, so I'm going to be giving my very quick impressions of it! I'm headed to vacation for 3 weeks, so hopefully I'll have more time with it when I get back.

Perspective: I've never owned a Merc, but I've spent some time with them in the last 3 years, so any references I will have are with a C300, which I drove for a week an a W205 C43 which I had 2 days with. My daily in the past was a MK7.5 Golf R and more recently a 2022 VW Taos. I have recently purchased a Giulia QV. Before I landed on the QV, I did test the M345i and S5, as well as an older M3.

Anyhow... No highway time, just large avenues with some traffic and neighborhood streets:

• Interior is VERY well put together. From an aesthetics point of view, really classy. I didn't not notice much ambient lighting as it was the day, and I don't care for ambient lighting. I'm not a clubber
• I have serious issues with touch controls, so I know I'm very biased here when I say "F**K OFF WITH TOUCH CONTROLS ALREADY. IF THIS IS A JOKE, IT'S NOT F**CKING FUNNY ANYMORE!!!!
• I did notice 'jerkiness' in the transmission, but it wasn't as bad as many make it out to be, and it wasn't all the time. It was just inconsistent. Sometimes it would, sometimes it wouldn't. Maybe that's just called "personality"?
• Because of the 4WS, car feels smaller than it actually is at low speeds. I can definitely notice the decrease turning radius.
• The car feels heavier than I think it should feel on higher speeds...Not in a bad way, just really solid feeling. Again, not highway speeds.
• Acceleration: I didn't time it, feels slower than my Golf R. Feels WAY slower than my QV. It's still fun, just not silly. Which is okay; I don't think it's meant to be silly.
• The sound was louder than reviews indicated. It didn't sound great, but didn't offend.
• I thought I would have liked the look of the steering wheel better in person, but I don't. I don't like it at all. Less so than when I first saw this style in pictures. It may grow on you over time though...like mold.

I think the absolute WORST thing I can possibly say about this car is that it doesn't possess any single virtue that makes it stand out for me. It's very easy on the eyes from the outside. Interior-wise it looks very nice, save for the capacitive touch on pretty much everything, and the driving dynamics, at least at the speeds I was going at, is compliant. It's not absurdly fast, it's not going to win any awards for track times, but it's also not going to destroy your *** when you're going down the street to get groceries either. It's just....there. It does everything *well*. There's just no defining characteristic for me. Did it lose something when it lost the V6? I think so; not sure yet.

That being said, I think it's a good package that straddles the fence between a daily driver and some weekend fun competently. You can't REALLY go wrong with it, especially with the discounts you folks are reporting. Comfortable, sort-of-sporty, but more on the luxury end of the spectrum.

Obviously, this is only 10 minutes with the car, so I'm sure there's much more of it I didn't see. If I get some more time with it I'll try and get some more impressions!

 

Slower than a golf R? I think you may have test drove the wrong car. You sure it was a c43 ? Haha

 

These are just my driving impressions so forgive me and my lack of scientific method. I did not launch the C43. I do have a fairly good grasp of acceleration speed, I think.

To humour your assessment (could not tell if it was sarcastic), I did do a bit of digging, On paper, it seems like they are very comparable. Manufacturer specs are within 0.1 seconds of each other. VW has a tendency of being pretty conservative with their ratings. I have first hand experience with that. Merc seems to be… more on the optimistic side, no?

Regardless. The Golf R feels faster. It could be the weight, or how it’s sprung, much like how a go-kart feels ridiculously fast even when it’s not.

 

You may be right. I haven't driven a golf R since 2018, maybe the new ones are changed. The 2018 i drove was almost a 6 second 0 to 60.

 

I think the GTI is just under 6.0 seconds now. My MK7.5 R is quite easily 4.2.

Thing with the Golf though was that the interior wasn’t great. They also got “touch-ified, so it’s actually gotten even worse.

 

Great impressions OP, I am wondering if the weight has to do with the tires, dealerships usually inflate them with too much air as these cars sit on the lot and they want to prevent flat spotting (well, minimize it, it wouldn't stop it).

 

I held out a while but I'm officially a owner (leasing) a c43.

Held out and got 12% off msrp. 1000 loyalty bonus. 750 mfg incentive on c class. So came out ok. Wish the apr was better but nothing can be done there, I got the base apr/mf

 

Amazing deal! I’m sure you will enjoy it! Would love to hear your impressions of it once you drive it for awhile. This thread has sort of died off thr last little bit. Hopefully it’s because everyone is busy driving their new toys!

 

Will do! I'm coming from a 2020 C43. So I'll do a review and comparison. Only thing, this might be just mental, but i feel the speedometer is off? On highway something felt wrong. My speeds showing were much higher then i expected. I tested (not scientific) by going behind a 18 wheel truck. He was doing almost 68 which is unheard of here (55 for trucks). Idk need to have a friend follow me. When i drove 65 i was being overtaken constantly as if i was driving slow. Maybe just a weird day?

 

Have you tried using google maps or Waze and seeing what the speed on that is? Usually its 2-3mph off (4-6kmh) from what Ive seen. That may give you some idea.

 

Haven't yet. Will try that later today. Is google maps speed accurate within +/- 5mph? Never knew how accurate that gps was