newbiec63s

Hey,
I am planning to buy a used 2016 C63s AMG which has 29k on the odo. The car has been serviced in regular intervals by authorized MB dealers as per the carfax report. It has not been involved in any accidents as well. The vehicle has almost another year of warranty period. I have two constraints.
1.) Over all the services, the rear differential service has not been listed in the car fax report.
2.) The car is cheaper than the other cars in the area.
Do I need to look for anything particular? Or is it a safe bet to go for?
Please let me know your opinion

offagain

Couple of practical things to mention:

1) Obvious stuff like condition and wear items is critical - tires wont be cheap and while the brakes are generally not bad, worth checking and could be an indication of why so cheap (just dropped $1500 on a full set of PS4S's and have rear pads at $400 looming)
2) Squeaks and rattles - earlier ones do, so make sure they are OK. Mine does and it can be annoying, but check it out
3) Spec - C63S's tend to be highly spec'ed, but worth checking what options are added. Base spec is good, but do check what it has
4) Odd to see about the diff service, but I would double check on that - mine has way less than that as mileage and I havent had a diff service I believe, so check what the intervals cover
5) Check the radiator, intercoolers and oil cooler - all front stuff and the intercoolers can get damaged (see multiple AMG threads on this), a bit of stone damage is fine, but worth double checking this

Other than that, an independent check is probably worth it. Not sure if Merc dealers offer this, but go for a test drive and have it inspected. They can check suspension, drivetrain and other stuff that might get missed.

Mojo31

Not all service, accidents or body work gets reported to CarFax.

The best thing to do is get a PPI from a mechanic of your choice. If buying from a dealer, insist on a CPO warranty.

The price could mean many things - (a) if being sold by an individual he just wants to unload it for any number of reasons, (b) if being sold by a dealer other than a MB dealer, they are simply using a typical market over acquisition cost, or (c) if on any lot it's been sitting for a while and the dealer has lowered the price to move it. Or, any number of other things.

SimMB

I bought mine at 4 months old and 3k miles, I did wonder why the previous owner got rid, but it's been perfect. It had no service history because it wasn't due and I called Benz to ask.

I bought it, then asked my friend who is a Merc indy to check if it had any running in service, because I was sure it should have had something, and lo and behold the rear diff was done at 2029 miles along with an oil change. Perfect. I didn't even know about that crucial service until I did a bit more research.

I got lucky with that one, but it's definitely worth checking the Mercedes history, don't believe everything people say, check.

TexasEd

You haven't stated the sales price. Price is important as minor things can be overlooked for the right price, and the money saved can easily be applied to the car to bring it up to your standards.

newbiec63s

Thanks, As soon as I saw the car, I could notice a change in the paint job right under the head light towards the right-side of the car. The thread on the tires is not much either. Break pads need to be replaced soon too. The paint job is only towards the front right corner and the gap is quite evident in between the hood and the front bumper as compared to other cars, So are all the C63s. The price is $42k

newbiec63s

Coming to the options, the car is equipped with all the options apart from the AMG Performance Seats, just the way I like it. The sticker is around 90k for a similar car.Is there any way I can find out in detail what service has been done to the car ?

newbiec63s

040U BLACK
04A OIL OFFSET AMOUNT +400 ML OIL
098 STEUERCODE F. APPS API-SUPPORT
12B OPERATORS MANUAL & SERVICE BOOKLET ENGLISH USA/CAN
184 PRODUCTION LOCATION VEHICLE USA
218 REAR-VIEW CAMERA
232 GARAGE DOOR OPENER WITH 284 - 390 MHZ FREQUENCY
233 AUTONOMOUS INT. CRUISE CONT. PLUS (DISTRONIC PLUS)
235 ACTIVE PARK ASSIST
237 ACTIVE BLIND SPOT ASSIST
238 ACTIVE LANE KEEPING ASSIST (FAP)
23P DRIVING PACKAGE
242 ELECTRICALLY ADJUSTABLE RIGHT DRIVER SEAT W MEMORY
246 ANALOG CLOCK
249 INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR MIRROR,AUTOMATICALLY DIMMING
251 INCREASED SPEED LIMIT FOR NAFTA
253 REAR-END COLLISION WARNING AND PROTECTION SYSTEM
264 LICENSE PLATE ATTACHMENT AMERICA
266 DISTRONIC PLUS CROSS SUPPORT (DTR+Q)
268 EXPANDED BRAKE ASSIST (BAS+)
269 BRAKE ASSIST PLUS CROSS TRAFFIC (BAS+Q)
270 GPS ANTENNA
271 AUTONOMOUS BRAKE INTERVENTION/WARN. FOR PED. PROT.
274 TELEPHONE ANTENNA
275 MEMORY PACKAGE (DRIVER SEAT, STRG. COL., MIRROR)
281 AMG PERFORMANCE STEERING WHEEL
287 THROUGH-LOADING FEATURE
293 SIDEBAG IN REAR LEFT AND RIGHT
294 KNEE AIRBAG
299 PRESAFE
300 COLLISION MINIMIZATION BRAKE INTERV./WARNING (CMS)
301 ASHTRAY PACKAGE
309 CUP HOLDER
30P COMPARTMENT PACKAGE
342B INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/HU LANGUAGE - AMERICAN
345 RAIN SENSOR
348 EMERGENCY CALL/SUPPORT SYSTEM
34A REINF.TRANS.SP.VERS.K-PLATE W/ DRILLED FILL.APERT.
35A VGS D4-0, D3 PATTERN
3U2 HEAD UNIT AMERICA
413 PANORAMIC SLIDING SUNROOF/GLASS SUNROOF
427 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 7-SPEED
42V SPEED- + LOADINDEX 93Y XL+98Y XL
448 TOUCHPAD WITH ROTARY PUSHBUTTON
461 INSTRUMENT WITH MILES IND. AND ENGLISH LEGEND
463 FRONT VIEW DISPLAY (HEAD-UP DISPLAY)
466 ACTIVE ENGINE MOUNT
467 ELECTRONIC LOCKING DIFFERENTIAL
475 TIRE PRESSURE CONTROL
488 CHASSIS WITH STEEL/AIR SUSPENSION
494 U.S. VERSION
500 ELECTRIC FOLDING OUTSIDE MIRROR
502 3 YEARS OF MAP UPDATES FREE OF CHARGE
513 TRAFFIC SIGN RECOGNITION
51U BLACK FABRIC ROOF INTERIOR TRIM
531 COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5
536 SIRIUS SATELLITE RADIO COMPLETE SYSTEM
551 BASIC ANTITHEFT ALARM SYSTEM (ATA)
580 AIR CONDITIONER
5P8 CONTROL CODE MARKETING
608 AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAM SWITCH (IHC)
636 DELETION - WARNING TRIANGLE
640 DYNAMIC LED HEADLAMPS, SAE, RIGHT-HAND TRAFFIC
668 PRODUCT PROT. F FREIGHT PACKAG. W TIE-DOWN HOOKS
6P5 STEUERCODE VERTRIEB FUER CODE 475 ANFORDERUNG
705L UNITED STATES (USA)
736 TRIM PIECES - ASH TREE WOOD BLACK (2A70)
763 RADIO REMOTE CONTROL WITH PANIC SWITCH (315 MHZ)
770 AMG 19" SPOKED WHEELS WITH MIXED TIRES
772 AMG STYLING PACKAGE-FRONT SPOILER, SIDE SKIRT
7XXL NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA
806 CHANGE OF MODEL YEAR, THE LAST FIGURE SHOWING THE NEW MODEL YEAR
810 PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEM
815 DVD SINGLE DRIVE
850A LEATHER/NAPPA/SEMI-ANILINE
857A LEATHER/NAPPA/SEMI-ANILINE - RED
873 SEAT HEATER FOR LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SEATS
876 INTERIOR LIGHT ASSEMBLY
877 AMBIENCE ILLUMINATION
887 SEPARATE TRUNK LID LOCKING
889 KEYLESS - GO
893 KEYLESS START
916 FUEL TANK WITH LARGE VOLUME - VOLUME 1
919 AIRCON COOLING POWER PACKAGE
986 DEVIATING VIN WITH MODEL YEAR
989 IDENTIFICATION LABEL UNDER WINDSHIELD
A20 DIRECT START
A21 SHIFT BY WIRE
*** AMG ENGINE MOUNT VERSION
A89 REDUCED-FRICTION
B03 DIRECT START / ECO START/STOP FUNCTION
B51 TIREFIT
B59 TRANSMISSION MODE SELECTOR LEVER (AGILITY SELECT)
F205 MODEL SERIES 205
FW LIMOUSINE
G930 TRANSMISSION CODE VERSION 30
GV AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION REINFORCED
HA REAR AXLE
J7A DSM: STAR2 ELIMINATION I/O-ERROR-CONTROL CODE W 10
K15 CONTROL CODE FOR SERVICE INTERVAL 15000 KM
L LEFT-HAND STEERING
M014 ENGINE INCREASED PERFORMANCE
M177 AMG V8 GASOLINE ENGINE M177
M40 CAPACITY 4,0 LITRE
P44 PARKING PACKAGE
P49 MIRRORS PACKAGE
P60 AMG NIGHT PACKAGE, EXTERIOR
P86 AMG PACKAGE INTERIOR
P90 AMG PACKAGE EXTERIOR
R01 SUMMER TIRES
U09 LEATHER-CLAD INST.PANEL + BELTLINE (ART. EMBOSSED)
U10 FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WITH WEIGHT SENSING
U22 LUMBAR SUPPORT ADJUSTMENT
U25 ILLUMINATED DOOR SILL
U26 FLOOR MATS - AMG
U47 SPOILER LIP
U70 BRAKE CALIPERS PAINTED RED
U71 DVD PLAYER WITH REGIONAL CODE 1, USA
U78 SWITCHABLE EXHAUST SYSTEM
VL FRONT AXLE HALF, LEFT
VR FRONT AXLE HALF, RIGHT


All the options in specific. I have asked the nearest MB dealers and they said they wouldn't do a pre-purchase inspection. I am buying the car from a non MB dealership

newbiec63s

I am buying the car from a non MB dealership. What exactly is "simply using a typical market over acquisition cost" ?

AutoTalent

Like mentioned above, not all service work is reported to CarFax. Any work done at our shop is not reported to CarFax and we can perform any service here. From oil changes to tranny changes. Try and ask to see if any receipts come with the car.

Also, does not hurt to hire a 3rd party company that comes onsite and does a full inspection on the car. I did that prior to flying out to Texas and buying my current car. PM me if you would like their info. Good luck!

offagain

Interesting! Paint job? Worth getting this checked out in my view. I have bought crashed / repaired cars in the past and had mixed results. Had an old VW that was nice, but turned out to be a cut and shut! Damn that thing.

Tires and brakes will quickly add up though. I mentioned that I managed to get a set of PS4S's fitted for $1500 and that was pretty much the best price I could get around here. I could potentially get cheaper, but that was with a $150 discount too! Ended up going with the local dealer! You can go for cheaper tires, but I absolutely would discourage that. These things are pretty serious and need consideration on what tires to fit. There are other options, but the equivalent Continentals were still around the same price. Brakes arent as bad as they could be (previous Porsche Cayenne was something like $2k for a set!). I have carbons on mine and thats one reason for me to sell the car!

I understand that all W205 C63S sedans were built in the US for the US market. While they might not be the best built in the world, they arent bad. Panel fit should be consistent, paint quality solid and everything well fitting. Some of the materials might not be the highest quality, but I cant hold that against the Alabama factory! It should all line up well and any gaps consistent. Anything that looks a little strange needs closer investigation. I would agree with others here and get an inspection. I was fortunate (and paid for it) by getting a CPO from the local dealer.

newbiec63s

I have scheduled a private inspection. I'll keep you guys posted on how it turns out to be. Thanks for all the support. I have listed down all the specifics you guys mentioned and will ask the mechanic personally to stress on those particular areas.

Mojo31

Should have been "typical markup over acquisition cost..."

A lot of used car dealers simply want to make X% over their cost under their business models. They are not always as worried about true value, which is why you often seen variances in advertised price. Their goal is to turn over inventory. They don't make money having it sit on the lot under their floorplan while they wait for the ideal price.

You will also find that the room for negotiation is often smaller on good, clean used cars. That's because you can't go to the dealer next door and get the same car. That's why new cars, especially higher volume cars, sell so cheap compared to invoice. They're commodities. Not so much a good used car.

Mojo31

Tell the dealer you want to run his paint meter over the paint. If you find variances, that will tell you what panels have been repainted. You can also run a magnet over any steel parts that are suspect. That will tell you how much body filler there is (magnet won't stick).

Google "how to use a paint meter" so you know how it works.

Every dealer has one. Don't take "no" for an answer.

newbiec63s

Great I could see he did it but he did not know the reason. Do I need the paint meter even if I have a PPI ? As you said the price of the car was fluctuating. May be the dealer wants to get the car out. But what profit is he making by selling it to me for a lower price ?

Mojo31

The PPI won't reveal the paint thickness unless your guy has a paint meter. Ask him if he includes that. You can also look for overspray and other signs of a repaint, but the meter is the best way to find out what panels have been resprayed. Or, you can buy your own meter for not much moolah:

Dealer might be wanting to move the car. May be tired of paying interest on it. I've known of used dealers losing money on a car just to get it off their lot to make way for something else.

nobbyv

Not at all? It should have been done at 2k. It will be due for another in 1k (30k service).

newbiec63s

Guess it must have been done but not mentioned in the Carfax.

newbiec63s

Yep looked it up on Google as you said. Thanks for the video. The car would not have any mechanical problems right if it is serviced regularly?

Mojo31

I don't know that you can make such assumptions. Owning any car without a warranty is always a risk. You just have to decide how much risk that is and how much you can handle.

My practice is to never own a German car out of warranty. We trade or sell shortly before warranties expire if not sooner. My Jeep on the other hand will stay after warranty expires. But, Jeeps are pretty cheap to fix compared to most higher end German cars. And, if it is an expensive repair, then I can decide whether to ditch the thing. It was $30k new versus $90k for my C63S. I can tolerate the lower dollar risk more than the higher dollar risk.

newbiec63s

The car still has a year of warranty left on it. The car has warranty.

///Bruce

Sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself from not buying this car. And, that you've already made up your mind unless you find someone devastatingly wrong with the car. Keep in mind that no one, no one, is obligated to report anything to either Carfax or Autocheck. I believe you will see a police report on file if one was written at the time of an accident. In the case where someone has trashed their car and takes it to just about any body shop to get it fixed, they are not obligated to notify anyone. Strictly voluntary.... Body shops are not going to spend a minute reporting stuff like that. No money in it.

Add a four wheel alignment to your initial investment. Depending on the damage(?) it might have gotten knocked out of alignment. And that you won't know until after you've bought it....

newbiec63s

I badly want to buy the car just hoping that no major defects would be found in the PPI I have scheduled. I just wanted to get some existing users input on what needs to be checked or how their car is at 30k miles. Yeah, if the front of the car has been re painted I do not want anything on the inside or axle to be disturbed.

waisoserious

Just curious, how/who you found somebody to do the PPI for you. Was it a private mechanic?

C3504matic

Just take it to a Mercedes Benz bodyshop and have they inspect the body ...won't cost much but do not rely on a mechanic to check this as most are clueless . I work for Mercedes in one of their bodyshops and its easy to tell whats been done fairly quickly . Once on the biggest issues w/ fender , h/lamp and bumper alignment is people pulling up on a concrete parking abudment and getting the ft bumper caught and then pulling away which will pull on the bottom of the bumper and in turn pull down on the front of the fender and damage in and the opening around the h/lamp and may have a small buckle in the w/o ...the fender are aluminum and damage very easily ...see it all the time ...look under the bumper and see if it caught on something