So I drove a C63s P97 today...Residual??? might buy over M3
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GT3 Supercup
So I drove a C63s P97 today...Residual??? might buy over M3
I need a more "practical car". So I'm going to get a 4 door. Coming from a Porsche 997s daily driver (That has a roll cage, race seats, and my son's baby seat in the "Front" seat 
) I do about 12 track days a year. I also have a Porsche super cup race car I'm selling. Basically I'm going back to the track street combo idea.
I'm about to buy an M3 when my MB rep calls me up to let me know he has a C63s ready for me to check out. The interior was shockingly better than the M3 and the exhaust... Oh that sound.... dead on...
But there are only 4 downsides I walked away from...
-Transmission slow and no so great in auto mode. I hit a ramp and was expecting a downshift or at least stay in gear with power.. but when I went to get back on the gas got a whole lot of nothing (2 secs worth) then a shift. (Was in comfort mode)
-I didn't like the steering ratio. Don't know if that was real or just a feeling I had because of the flat bottom steering wheel.
-Seat was too high, even for a short guy.. I couldn't figure out how to place it lower. (But the seats are nice)
-Difference in shock settings wasn't as much as I expected. Basically the ride is still rather stiff in comfort... but still is BMW.
It is a great car! I think I would prefer it over the M3.. but it is close. The interior and exhaust are the biggest separators for me.
.... but what really got me was the stark contrast in residual values M3 vs C63s. BMW is quoting 65% on 2015 or 2016 and 2015 MB is 49%
So after all my writing.... My question is: what's up with that? That's a pretty stark contrast in price for competitive models.
) I do about 12 track days a year. I also have a Porsche super cup race car I'm selling. Basically I'm going back to the track street combo idea.I'm about to buy an M3 when my MB rep calls me up to let me know he has a C63s ready for me to check out. The interior was shockingly better than the M3 and the exhaust... Oh that sound.... dead on...
But there are only 4 downsides I walked away from...
-Transmission slow and no so great in auto mode. I hit a ramp and was expecting a downshift or at least stay in gear with power.. but when I went to get back on the gas got a whole lot of nothing (2 secs worth) then a shift. (Was in comfort mode)
-I didn't like the steering ratio. Don't know if that was real or just a feeling I had because of the flat bottom steering wheel.
-Seat was too high, even for a short guy.. I couldn't figure out how to place it lower. (But the seats are nice)
-Difference in shock settings wasn't as much as I expected. Basically the ride is still rather stiff in comfort... but still is BMW.
It is a great car! I think I would prefer it over the M3.. but it is close. The interior and exhaust are the biggest separators for me.
.... but what really got me was the stark contrast in residual values M3 vs C63s. BMW is quoting 65% on 2015 or 2016 and 2015 MB is 49%
So after all my writing.... My question is: what's up with that? That's a pretty stark contrast in price for competitive models.
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Texas
C63 507 AMG DA Car #19
I have noticed the high depreciation rate of AMG products as well.
If you must have the latest model this is a downside.
If you don't mind driving even 1 yr old, it is a boon.
The reasoning perhaps:
1. AMG models evolve so rapidly and so dramatically yr over yr, that there is actually something material MORE to offer in each model year,
2. the AMG owner has the means and/or desire to support this structure/trend.
The m3 is such an iconic car that it has a large fan base for that model, so they dream of it, and save for it, and keep it for a longer period of time.
I'm not saying the m3 is better, it's just different in that way.
If you must have the latest model this is a downside.
If you don't mind driving even 1 yr old, it is a boon.
The reasoning perhaps:
1. AMG models evolve so rapidly and so dramatically yr over yr, that there is actually something material MORE to offer in each model year,
2. the AMG owner has the means and/or desire to support this structure/trend.
The m3 is such an iconic car that it has a large fan base for that model, so they dream of it, and save for it, and keep it for a longer period of time.
I'm not saying the m3 is better, it's just different in that way.
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,589
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From: Texas
C63 507 AMG DA Car #19
agreed c mode is slow to respond.... and if the motor is OFF at an intersection, do NOT plan to pull out in front of someone.... it takes a moment when you let off the brake for the engine to re-start...... then to go again........ S S+ not a problem...... I bet even C without the eco-stop engine function will be better for this.
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2016 C63S
During my test drive the first thing my MB sales rep told me to keep it in Sport plus which I did and I found the car to exceed my expectations.
I don't care for the eco stuff either and will probably never use it.
I don't care for the eco stuff either and will probably never use it.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 167
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W203 C230 SPORT
agreed c mode is slow to respond.... and if the motor is OFF at an intersection, do NOT plan to pull out in front of someone.... it takes a moment when you let off the brake for the engine to re-start...... then to go again........ S S+ not a problem...... I bet even C without the eco-stop engine function will be better for this.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 324
Likes: 9
From: Chapel Hill, NC
2015 C63S E1; 2016 C450 AMG
Start/stop is only available in Comfort Mode, which is the default when you start the car. Switching to any other mode eliminates start/stop.
In addition, there is a button on the center console that allows you to deactivate start/stop even in Comfort Mode.
As an aside, the start/stop mode in the M3/4 is much rougher and the engine takes longer to restart.
I leave start/stop active on those occasions when I am just puttering around town and I barely notice it.
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GT3 Supercup
-Back to residuals and TCO. I've worked out that a similarly equipped C63S vs M3. (Yes I consider the S the true M competitor) The C63s will only cost 7k more on purchase price (I'd pay that), but cost me 22k more over 3 years on Lease due to poor residual values. WOW. That's a 40% difference in cost between the 2 cars! Maybe that will change after a few months? Don't know if it is BMW just being very aggressive or Mercedes trying to hose us on intro hype. I generally don't pay much attention to price, but in this case.... 
-Yes was in full comfort mode when it hesitated, probably doing about 40 at the apex before I slowly fed it more gas. Probably one of those things, different speed, different throttle input, it would have behaved differently. It was just so off in that instant that it actually surprised me.
-The car is stiffly sprung (for a street car). In my opinion, the shocks will need to stay in the softest setting on the road or risk loss of traction. I think folks will find that to be the fastest real world mode. At some tracks (Like Sebring) I would probably experiment with keeping the shocks soft as well.
That's a 40% difference in cost between the 2 cars! Maybe that will change after a few months? Don't know if it is BMW just being very aggressive or Mercedes trying to hose us on intro hype. I generally don't pay much attention to price, but in this case.... -Yes was in full comfort mode when it hesitated, probably doing about 40 at the apex before I slowly fed it more gas. Probably one of those things, different speed, different throttle input, it would have behaved differently. It was just so off in that instant that it actually surprised me.
-The car is stiffly sprung (for a street car). In my opinion, the shocks will need to stay in the softest setting on the road or risk loss of traction. I think folks will find that to be the fastest real world mode. At some tracks (Like Sebring) I would probably experiment with keeping the shocks soft as well.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Ottawa, Canada
2014 C63 507, 2012 R350
-Back to residuals and TCO. I've worked out that a similarly equipped C63S vs M3. (Yes I consider the S the true M competitor) The C63s will only cost 7k more on purchase price (I'd pay that), but cost me 22k more over 3 years on Lease due to poor residual values. WOW. That's a 40% difference in cost between the 2 cars! Maybe that will change after a few months? Don't know if it is BMW just being very aggressive or Mercedes trying to hose us on intro hype. I generally don't pay much attention to price, but in this case....
-Yes was in full comfort mode when it hesitated, probably doing about 40 at the apex before I slowly fed it more gas. Probably one of those things, different speed, different throttle input, it would have behaved differently. It was just so off in that instant that it actually surprised me.
-The car is stiffly sprung (for a street car). In my opinion, the shocks will need to stay in the softest setting on the road or risk loss of traction. I think folks will find that to be the fastest real world mode. At some tracks (Like Sebring) I would probably experiment with keeping the shocks soft as well.
That's a 40% difference in cost between the 2 cars! Maybe that will change after a few months? Don't know if it is BMW just being very aggressive or Mercedes trying to hose us on intro hype. I generally don't pay much attention to price, but in this case.... -Yes was in full comfort mode when it hesitated, probably doing about 40 at the apex before I slowly fed it more gas. Probably one of those things, different speed, different throttle input, it would have behaved differently. It was just so off in that instant that it actually surprised me.
-The car is stiffly sprung (for a street car). In my opinion, the shocks will need to stay in the softest setting on the road or risk loss of traction. I think folks will find that to be the fastest real world mode. At some tracks (Like Sebring) I would probably experiment with keeping the shocks soft as well.
