When I first set out to buy a new (used) car, my main objective was that I get a dd that performed well, looked good, and wasn't too common in the wild. My current weekend car is a 2010 E63 M6, w/only 48k on the clock. My current daily driver is a '15 mini-cargo RAM van ... which I actually like driving to work and back, trips to the grocery store or home improvement store as it has loads of open cargo space with no back seats, and is almost 300hp so it isn't all that much of a slouch on the road. Nonetheless, it is a mini van and I wanted an actual car as a daily driver, while I keep the van as a spare for hauling stuff around if I need to.
I've mentioned in earlier threads that my initial search started out looking at the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport, as one of my requirements was that it couldn't be such a huge drop in hp from my M6. The Q60s actually does the same 0-60 time as my M6 despite being a V6 and 100 less hp vs my 500+ hp V10 M6. But that's where the similarities end. It felt cheaply built and I didn't really think it was worth the money when an AMG C43 could be bought in a similar price range. I began looking at C43's, but decided I'd rather spend the extra money and upgrade to a C63 and the rest is history! And while I ended up with a dealer build of almost the exact C63s I would have built, I plan on keeping it as a low mileage example (4-5k/ year max), being that it's the final production year of the C63 V8. So the daily driver part of my objective somewhat failed ; )
Which leads me to today. I really love the C63s. It's got me thinking about trading in my M6 for a PFL C63s coupe to use as a daily driver. My M6 runs flawlessly and is in excelent cosmetic and mechanical condition. I absolutely love the car as its raw, analog N/A V10 is such an thrill everytime I drive it. But the car is almost 12 years old at this point and the tech is very dated. If I plan to keep it beyond 60k miles, I'll need to drop at least $5-6k in PM on the rod bearings, vanos lines, etc..In other words it can be a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, as these S85 engines are notoriously prone to spinning a rod bearing or two within the next 10-15k miles.
So my question is, does this seem like a good trade? I don't want to look back in a couple of years if the value on them skyrockets and think, damn, I had one of these and it was the final production year no less! In today's market, I can probably get close to what I paid for mine 5 years ago ($37k), but will still have to put in at least an additional $30-40k to be able to drive off in a low mileage 2018 PFL C63s.
Comments and opinions welcomed, especially from C63 owners who are also past or present BMW / M / S85 owners!.
(Here's some pics of my beast, in black sapphire metallic)
I think you would appreciate the build quality in the C63S (facelift) as compared to even a new BMW. I haven't owned an M car, but have had lesser BMW models, as well as Audi S cars and prior MB. IMO the C63S is a beast of a car, but also well refined, and when properly equipped, has all the tech for safety and convenience. I always wanted this car, and when I heard 2021 was likely the last V8 I jumped on it before the mad rush.
I think you would appreciate the build quality in the C63S (facelift) as compared to even a new BMW. I haven't owned an M car, but have had lesser BMW models, as well as Audi S cars and prior MB. IMO the C63S is a beast of a car, but also well refined, and when properly equipped, has all the tech for safety and convenience. I always wanted this car, and when I heard 2021 was likely the last V8 I jumped on it before the mad rush.
Thanks for the reply! I should have been more clear in pointing out, I already have a 2021 C63s, so this would be trading the M6 for a 2017-2018 PFL as a daily driver, and it would have to be in obsidian black, iridium silver, or magno gray like yours since my C63 is diamond white.
In that case -- maybe consider the 43 - I got this one for my lady, however it's turned out to be a pretty damn good daily driver - it does everything you would want -- and when you want more, well you hop in the 63
I think a C43 coupe would be a good compromise. The AWD is nice for a daily and if you pick one up with the performance exhaust, it sounds good for a V6.
If you are open to a sedan, an E43 is a good option as well. Much more muted but very comfortable, tons of space and decent power.
Don’t sell the M6. It will only appreciate in value. And if you had a receipt for the rebuild, it would increase in value all that much more. Having owned an ‘09 650 coupe, I know there are aftermarket nav and Apple CarPlay upgrades. Since you didn’t mention what tranny you have, I would guess the SMGIII. It would be worth even more if it was a manual.
I sold it back to BMW then bought my Macan.
Former S85 owner, still one of my favorite cars of all time even with the SMG transmission. PFL C63 as a daily is a great idea, you are right that your M6 is 100% a ticking time bomb at this point. HOWEVER, who knows what the value of the V10 cars will be in future years now that even V8's are endangered?
When I first set out to buy a new (used) car, my main objective was that I get a dd that performed well, looked good, and wasn't too common in the wild. My current weekend car is a 2010 E63 M6, w/only 48k on the clock. My current daily driver is a '15 mini-cargo RAM van ... which I actually like driving to work and back, trips to the grocery store or home improvement store as it has loads of open cargo space with no back seats, and is almost 300hp so it isn't all that much of a slouch on the road. Nonetheless, it is a mini van and I wanted an actual car as a daily driver, while I keep the van as a spare for hauling stuff around if I need to.
I've mentioned in earlier threads that my initial search started out looking at the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport, as one of my requirements was that it couldn't be such a huge drop in hp from my M6. The Q60s actually does the same 0-60 time as my M6 despite being a V6 and 100 less hp vs my 500+ hp V10 M6. But that's where the similarities end. It felt cheaply built and I didn't really think it was worth the money when an AMG C43 could be bought in a similar price range. I began looking at C43's, but decided I'd rather spend the extra money and upgrade to a C63 and the rest is history! And while I ended up with a dealer build of almost the exact C63s I would have built, I plan on keeping it as a low mileage example (4-5k/ year max), being that it's the final production year of the C63 V8. So the daily driver part of my objective somewhat failed ; )
Which leads me to today. I really love the C63s. It's got me thinking about trading in my M6 for a PFL C63s coupe to use as a daily driver. My M6 runs flawlessly and is in excelent cosmetic and mechanical condition. I absolutely love the car as its raw, analog N/A V10 is such an thrill everytime I drive it. But the car is almost 12 years old at this point and the tech is very dated. If I plan to keep it beyond 60k miles, I'll need to drop at least $5-6k in PM on the rod bearings, vanos lines, etc..In other words it can be a ticking time bomb waiting to go off, as these S85 engines are notoriously prone to spinning a rod bearing or two within the next 10-15k miles.
So my question is, does this seem like a good trade? I don't want to look back in a couple of years if the value on them skyrockets and think, damn, I had one of these and it was the final production year no less! In today's market, I can probably get close to what I paid for mine 5 years ago ($37k), but will still have to put in at least an additional $30-40k to be able to drive off in a low mileage 2018 PFL C63s.
Comments and opinions welcomed, especially from C63 owners who are also past or present BMW / M / S85 owners!.
(Here's some pics of my beast, in black sapphire metallic)
yes do it! Get the coupe and get the full carbahn kit plus downpipes. You won’t regret! It’ll be your weekend driver after all
I wouldn't make the trade. Considering you have a C63S already, not much difference PFL vs. FL models. It'll get boring quickly essentially having the same car. Not saying getting rid of the M6 is a bad idea, but I would just get a different type of car considering you already have a new 63. My 2 cents. M6 V10 is a badass car... always loved them.
If you can sell the M6 for close to what you bought it then it's a win-win. I would not sell it to own a second C63. These cars (C63) are not exclusive enough to hold their value.
What I did was... my 991 is my weekend/fun car, the C63 is my 2 day a week DD and my CX5 fills in are the rest of the commuting duties.
Quite honestly that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Let's forget about trading the M6 for a moment, but just the idea of a PFL C63 as your daily and the FL as "weekend" car doesn't make much sense to me. If anything, then the other way around. The FL is arguably the better daily with its revised suspension and better, more efficient transmission. It also has the more modern cabin tech that you would probably use more often than on a weekend car. I get the desire of wanting to keep the mileage low on the AMG, but perhaps the better idea is to just get a normal daily/commuter car for the mundane errands etc. and reserve the AMG for more interesting drives during the week. It will also keep it feel special as driving the normal car recalibrates one's senses. That's kinda what I'm doing at the moment. I often take my wife's Beetle to just get from A to B to pick something up around town. If she needs her car, or on weekends or if I'm out longer then I take the AMG. Combined with the pandemic, I haven't been putting many miles on it lately.
EDIT: I'd almost argue for getting an EV for daily duties to be frank. That's where EVs really make a lot of sense. They don't mind short trips, have good performance and if you plug it in every night you have enough of a charge for the day.
That idea makes no sense. You already have a new C63s coupe. Why get essentially the same car to daily drive? These cars are mass produced and aren't going to be collectible. Drive your C63s and enjoy it.
I'd keep the M6. Yours looks great and you already don't drive it much, so that'll push the potential time bomb aspect even further out. If you're really that worried about it though, sell it while prices are high and then wait for car prices to come back down to get a replacement.
Don’t sell the M6. It will only appreciate in value. And if you had a receipt for the rebuild, it would increase in value all that much more. Having owned an ‘09 650 coupe, I know there are aftermarket nav and Apple CarPlay upgrades. Since you didn’t mention what tranny you have, I would guess the SMGIII. It would be worth even more if it was a manual.
I sold it back to BMW then bought my Macan.
Nice 6 series you had and thanks for the input. Yes it’s an SMG, I had an opportunity to buy a 6-speed for around the same price with similar mileage at the time, but I chose the SMG due to the crappy Houston traffic which would take a toll on my left foot. I like the convenience of shifting without a 3rd pedal and the SMG shifts faster from what I’ve read. Today, the 6-speeds command a $10-15k premium as less than 400 total 6-MT M6’s were built throughout the entire production run.
It would have to be a C63 if I do trade, as I don’t think a C43 would be a comparable trade. Maybe if I was trading an M3/M4 it would be? I’ll look into the aftermarket tech upgrades if I decide to keep the M6 and will keep meticulous records of the rod bearing job and other pm should I go that route.
Quite honestly that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Let's forget about trading the M6 for a moment, but just the idea of a PFL C63 as your daily and the FL as "weekend" car doesn't make much sense to me. If anything, then the other way around. The FL is arguably the better daily with its revised suspension and better, more efficient transmission. It also has the more modern cabin tech that you would probably use more often than on a weekend car. I get the desire of wanting to keep the mileage low on the AMG, but perhaps the better idea is to just get a normal daily/commuter car for the mundane errands etc. and reserve the AMG for more interesting drives during the week. It will also keep it feel special as driving the normal car recalibrates one's senses. That's kinda what I'm doing at the moment. I often take my wife's Beetle to just get from A to B to pick something up around town. If she needs her car, or on weekends or if I'm out longer then I take the AMG. Combined with the pandemic, I haven't been putting many miles on it lately.
EDIT: I'd almost argue for getting an EV for daily duties to be frank. That's where EVs really make a lot of sense. They don't mind short trips, have good performance and if you plug it in every night you have enough of a charge for the day.
Good insights, and the main reason I would daily drive the PFL is to keep the FL a low mileage example. I also want to mod/tune the C63 which I don’t want to chance while it’s under warranty. If I get a PFL, I won’t have that obstacle. I don’t mind the less comfortable suspension and transmission. After years of driving the M6, the PFL is still an upgrade in both aspects!
That idea makes no sense. You already have a new C63s coupe. Why get essentially the same car to daily drive? These cars are mass produced and aren't going to be collectible. Drive your C63s and enjoy it.
I'd keep the M6. Yours looks great and you already don't drive it much, so that'll push the potential time bomb aspect even further out. If you're really that worried about it though, sell it while prices are high and then wait for car prices to come back down to get a replacement.
Good points as well…the C63’s might not be collectibles today but I can see them holding much of their value a decade from now.
I’ve been doing Blackstone oil reports on every M6 oil change, and while they’re not 100% reliable, they’re been coming back with flying colors. I also change my oil every 3-4K miles so that does help reduce bearing wear. Still if I were to keep it, just for peace of mind I’ll get them replaced.
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.
... which I actually like driving to work and back, trips to the grocery store or home improvement store as it has loads of open cargo space with no back seats, and is almost 300hp so it isn't all that much of a slouch on the road. Nonetheless, it is a mini van and I wanted an actual car as a daily driver, while I keep the van as a spare for hauling stuff around if I need to.
