My original post about this subject dealt with the big differences in the C63 and C63s cabriolets. Thanks to forum member Superswiss, I was able to get the technical information I needed. Besides the inclusion of equipment that is standard on the C63s and optional on the C63, and increase in price of some of the options, the main difference is in performance. Beefier brakes, 9 stage traction control, race mode, and dynamic engine mounts are included in the C63s. These are driving performance features that I don't think I would ever really need given my benign driving habits. Yes, I do like to do a little spirited driving on occasion but really never pushing the envelope. Obviously I would never track my car or get into any pissing contests with aggressive drivers showing off their testosterone. Taking my driving tendencies into consideration, would I be better saving the $4-5k and ordering a C63? Looking at it in another way, I know these cars depreciate substantially. When I go to sell in 3-4 years, would I be making up the $4-5k savings by getting substantially more selling a C63s as opposed to the C63? I know that if this is the biggest decision I have to make, life is good! Any comments, suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated! The knowledge on this forum is amazing!!!

 

I see you have the 911S (vs non S), similar point perhaps? For 5K I would opt up to the S. Not worth the second guessing you will end with. As for resale, will you recapture the full 5K or so? Probably not but maybe half of it. So then what is the real cost?

 

I agree, the S is primarily about additional performance and driving dynamics. It's the trim best suited for the track and dynamic driving. Two comments I would make to that.

First one, the dynamic engine mounts have a comfort/daily driving aspect to them. The main purpose of the dynamic engine mounts is to relax the powertrain for normal driving to increase comfort. Less of the powertrain vibration and jolts will be felt in the cabin, while they can provide a tight mount when the car is driven spirited for better handling and steering response, but less comfort. They solve the basic conundrum between isolating the powertrain for normal/daily driving and providing a tight coupling for spirited driving. The fixed engine mounts in the non-S are essentially a compromise between comfort and handling. The dynamic engine mounts do work. AMG had a bug in the AMG Drive Unit, which made them not work correctly and there is a service campaign to fix it. I've had it done recently and the car shifts and drives noticeably smoother now in normal driving situations.

Second comment is on the traction control. In this car you will make quick acquaintance with traction control even if you don't drive the car hard. There's a lot of torque and power going to the rear wheels. Especially in Florida during the rain you'll spin the wheels with just moderate acceleration. It won't have the weight of the engine over the rear wheels like your 911 to help traction. I hate traditional traction control, because it makes the cars buck due to the relative aggressive cutting of engine power they do at the slightest hint of lack of traction. This is something I hated big time in the past with RWD cars, where I couldn't even get off the ground trying to merge into traffic when the roads were wet, especially at an intersection. The best part about the 9-stage TC is that it smoothly regulates engine torque and works with the e-diff to extract maximum traction from the tires, w/o the typical bucking and aggressive cutting of power.

In terms of the additional cost, the difference will largely evaporate when it comes time to sell the car, and you might have an easier time to sell an S vs. a non-S, because the difference in price will be small at that point. There are many more S in the market. Most people in the USA buy the S, and so there are more choices of S than non-S in the used car market and for many it's a no brainer to buy a used S over a used non-S just because the price difference will be small.

 

I purchased my 2017 a little over a year ago and ended up with the non-S version as it was better optioned than any of the S version cars in my area. I love the car and have no regrets. However, since you are ordering new you will be able to get whatever options you want in either one. If it were me, I would go with the S version and would have if any of the used cars in my area were equally equipped as the non-S car I ended up with. I am a gear head though and like to push my cars when I am able. From your post, you seem to not be of the same mindset. Which one to get is an entirely personal decision and it seems that you would rather save the money instead of spending it on the extra features of the S model that you would rarely utilize. I don't think you would be unhappy with either, so go with your gut.

 

Great advise and insight superswiss and SJGetsome! much appreciated!

 

I recently had the recalls done and noticed absolutely no difference whatsoever. Can't really tell much difference from comfort to sport either tbh.

However, the track pace is really slick, looking forward to using it at the nurburgring, I'd normally take the Porsche, but it's worth taking the 63 with the track layout all pre-loaded and HUD info, plus you get the nice sports seats and decent brakes, much more AMG like in my view.

 

Maybe you should buy a Honda.

 

I suppose that comes down to how sensitive you are in picking up the differences and your driving patterns/style/range. One of the things that's very obvious in this car is that much of the differences in the modes etc. comes out during cornering and quick directional changes, and on bumpy roads when it comes to the suspension and comfort. I still remember on one of my first drives after taking delivery in Germany and driving from Germany to Switzerland, I briefly put the car in S+ just driving along a smooth country road and I had to look twice to make sure I was actually in S+. I could honestly not feel a difference at all. However, as I broke in the car and started to hit up twisty roads and approached the car's top speed on the German Autobahn, the differences quickly became very obvious. I don't really use the overall Sport mode. I used it on the German Autobahn, because the shifts in Sport+ were kinda unnecessarily harsh at full throttle. Here on USA roads I never use it. However, I use the Sport suspension mode. I mostly use I* for daily highway and open road driving. I have it setup with everything in the corresponding S+ settings and transmission in M and I used to have the suspension set to Comfort, however, I was not happy with how the car felt during quick lane changes or going into a bend w/o reducing my speed. There was this sloppiness about the chassis, so I changed it to Sport and that made all the difference. Sport only has a slight reduction in comfort compared to Comfort, but is noticeably tighter and more dynamic in bends and during quick lane changes. Perfect mode for moderate to spirited higher speed driving. The differences might be subtle if you are not picking up on them, but they are there if you know what to look for. On a similar note, I used to put it in S+ with transmission in M and ESP in Sport when hitting up the canyons here, but I now put it in Race with the other settings the same, and the changes to the driving dynamics are quite obvious as I explore the limits. I think the differences become more obvious as the driver's confidence and feel for the car increases over time.

 

And you don't get the steering wheel buttons on the non S, though I think it's all part of the dynamics package, probably the buttons I use the most, really adds to the experience. Quick press takes you straight to individual and it really opens up in the race map with pops on over run.

Get the S!

 

The AMG Drive Unit is a $400 option on the non-S. This is one of the must-have options that cost extra on the non-S and is standard on the S. Another must-have for me were the AMG Performance Seats w/ the yellow stitching accent interior, which is $5090 on the non-S and $2500 on the S, because Nappa leather is standard in the S. So this is where the initial price difference quickly shrinks. I obviously agree with the general sentiment of getting the S. I've gotten the lesser model of cars in the past and always kinda regretted it. Once the car sits in the garage, the money is a sunk cost and really at that price point shouldn't break the bank. As I got used and familiar with the car and starting to notice its limitations, I would have always wondered how much better the S would have been. Because if we take this further, then one really has to look at the C43, as in normal driving you will never use the performance that even the C63 offers, and then if you decided to buy a C43 you really have to admit that all you can really use in daily driving is a C300 and even that has more horsepower than you really need. If you go C63 then go all the way and get the C63S, IMO. I think the non-S is primarily there to have a lower entry price and look favorable compared to its competitors, but really the one to get is the S, just like you should get the M3/4 with the Competition Package.

 

SuperSwiss: This is one of the most interesting comments I've read yet. When I first drove my 2020 C63s, it was so "bucky" and lurchy leaving red lights, I thought there was something wrong with the transmission. Or that I had made a mistake buying the car. It seems to have gotten less bucky over time, but today (after I'd put bit too much air in the tires -- just like the dealer had done when I bought it), the buckiness was back, and I could feel that I'd lost traction a few times leaving red lights. I hadn't yet made the connection between traction control and buckiness. I thought it was simply due to it being a new car with 9 gears.

So what you said made me think that, 1) tire pressure and the resulting changes in traction are directly affecting the car's buckiness, and 2) what settings would you suggest I change to improve it further? I'm still only halfway through the break-in, but I will happily lower the traction control if you think it will help. And I don't think that's against break-in rules.

 

This car seems to have endless adjustability. Basically there are three things that you can adjust to dial it in. AMG DYNAMICS, ESP On/Sport/Off and TC level (only when ESP is off). In Comfort mode and ESP on it won't allow pretty much any tire slip, which is what I'm guessing you have it now, so it will reduce power drastically if the tires have not grip. From there you can choose a higher AMG DYNAMICS setting (Advanced, Pro or Master) and you can further influence it by putting ESP in Sport Handling mode or turn ESP off, at which point you can then control TC and set it to one of the 9 levels. BTW, AMG DYNAMICS Master mode is only available if ESP is in Sport Handling mode or completely off. For spirited road driving I put AMG DYNAMICS in Pro and ESP in Sport Handling mode. That lets me extract maximum traction. In the canyons I put AMG DYNAMICS in Master by putting the car in Race mode. Race mode selects Master as long as ESP is in Sport Handling or off, otherwise it reverts to Pro. Pro is associated with Sport+ otherwise, or you can pick your desired setting in the Individual mode, which is what I use. Ultimately if the car has no traction then you are not going anywhere, but ESP Sport Handling mode lets you play smoothly with the available traction w/o going all the way and turning off ESP and then play with the 9 levels. Those come in handy on the track or with plenty of space to progressively explore the limits of the car, but I wouldn't do that on public roads. I recommend you avoid Master mode unless you know what you are doing. I ended up completely sideways last year while in Master mode and almost crashed. It allows very aggressive drift angles in Master mode. But now that I'm more familiar with the limits of the car and more confident, I use Master mode in the canyons as said.

 

Thanks so much, SuperSwiss, for all that great info. I'll have to read it several times before I digest it, and will happily do so. You're a fountain of great information.

You might consider writing a User's Guide to the C63, and self-publishing through Kindle. I would be first in line to buy it. This is such a complicated car, but I'm not alone in wanting to learn all about it. And the official manual is incredibly tedious, often confusing, and explains more about warnings and how it doesn't work, than how it works (thanks to Mercedes lawyers). I'd happily pay for a guide written by an expert like yourself. Anyway, thanks again!

 

You have the 911 , Take the C63 and drop the top.
Use the extra 7K to mod or drop back into your disposable income.

 

This is excellent advice. I thought I'd sell my 911 when I bought my C63s Cab. But they're so very different that I decided to keep the 911. And I really don't think I would have regretted getting the non-S version. I'm still in the break-in period, and there's already more power than I can really use on the street.

It's a nice day here, so I decided to go for a long drive, and even though my 911 is the more capable sports car, I took the C63s Cab without a moment's thought. Dropping the top, hearing the amazing V8, and rumbling 'spiritedly' through rural roads is just an amazingexperience. I didn't need anywhere close to all the power I have on tap, yet I was grinning from ear to ear. It's not about blistering acceleration or on-the-edge traction, it's about viscerally everything about the driving experience. And I have zero doubt that the non-S version provides exactly that.

 

Just my thought , but then again "I keep posting in wrong sections and getting yelled at" lol

I took the C63 over the C63s only because I don't need Options and HP. [purely personal]
Besides I gain all the WOW factor stuff in 2025 when I jump into a 911 or Mclaren 570

"I was grinning from ear to ear." <<<<<< Best thing i read all day.

hey man , hope you have many more of those.

 

I did sell my 2017 911S. I love my sports cars but not in Love with them. I cannot justify keeping two cars when I put such little milage on them. Several years ago I had a Corvette coupe and also bought a Miata the year after they came out. It was kind of neat having them together but it lost it's novelty quickly. I traded them in together and bought a bought a Corvette convertible.
I have had three 911's and did enjoy them. When I test drove the C63s, for some reason, it seemed more fun. The car was optioned with the full Dinamica steering wheel. Sounds funny but, it really added to the driving experience. It is a nominally priced option but definitely a must have for me. Although I am not a very aggressive driver, I have decided to go all out and get the C63s. What the heck!

 

Funny you should say this, because right after my last comment, I took my 911 out on the same route I'd take the C63s on earlier. It was great, but I didn't enjoy the whole experience nearly as much as the C63s. So I've decided to sell it. It would be a shame to just let it sit like I'm sure it will.

Glad to hear you've decided on the S-version. It's impossible to go wrong with either, but you will never regret going the full bore and getting the S. It's probably the most amazing car I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few. Congrats on your decision, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Great minds think alike! Lol. The thing I'm really going to miss with the 911is how it held it's value. I paid slightly under $115k, sticker was $124k. I kept it four years and lost 23%. If rumors are correct and the 2022 W206's don't have a V8 or Cabriolet option, maybe the present models won't tank as bad.
BTW, because wasn't sure what direction I was going in car decisions, I sold the Porsche outright. I listed it on Cars.com and Carguru. It sold on car guru in2 days. I was lucky to sell it to a broker so I didn't have yahoo's coming out for a test drive. It only had 8,200 miles and was pristine.

 

911s really do hold their value well, particularly in recent years it seems. Mine is a 2000 996 C4 (which is less desirable to some because of a potential IMS bearing issue). So 12 years ago, I was able to snag it for only $29k(!), and it has run like a top ever since -- not a single hiccup. Better still, the previous owner did $35k in upgrades. EVO supercharger, OEM GT2 racing seats, OEM roll cage, aero kit, lots of carbon fiber, suspension, exhaust, the works. It's like a D.I.Y. GT2. lol

It's got 54k miles, and I've got two people begging me to sell it to them for $25k. I'm not even sure what it's worth...but a loss of only $4k for 12 years of pure bliss seems incredible. But it's so much car for that money, I've gone back and forth on selling it 20 times. It pains me to see it somewhat neglected in my garage...but I do thoroughly enjoy seeing it.

 

Kurzweil, IMO, I would not be selling that 911. That might be a big mistake. That car doesn't owe you anything and you would miss it! Taking that car out for an occasional drive would be special. Just my opinion! I hope other forum members chime in and are in agreement

 

I agree, and I go back and forth, but haven't sold it yet. I don't need the money, and I do thoroughly enjoy owning it, seeing it in my garage, and driving it once in a while. But I do worry that 1) not driving it enough will lead to issues and headaches, and 2) that IMS bearing might one day fail and be my problem, and not someone else's. My Porsche mechanic says most of the problems he sees are from people who let their 911s sit.

On the other hand...he also says that if the IMS bearing hasn't failed by now, it's not gonna. And it frequently goes a month or two without being driven, but I keep it on a trickle charger and it's been positively bullet-proof. Just an absolute champ. Does whatever I ask of it, whenever I ask it. So I'm emotionally attached to it. And it's worth $25k to me just being a garage queen, and even if it blew up tomorrow, I wouldn't care about the lost money, but rather the car itself.

Aw hell, I'm keeping it. lmao Thanks for nudging me to go through this thought-exercise. I need to weigh the pros and cons every once in a while, and I always land on keeping it. I've just been so taken with my shiny new C63s -- the new puppy, if you will -- that I'd momentarily lost sight of the gorgeous old Golden Retriever asleep in the corner.