Preowned 2018 S63 Cabriolet being delivered to me today!
Last edited by AlphaG; Feb 8, 2020 at 01:41 PM.
Maybe the cabriolet is different bu I'm 6'2" and a lean 200lbs, and and the Coupe is the most comfortable car out there for me.
@AlphaG congrats !




Once I had the lower cushion back far enough it would automatically tilt the seat back forward cause it hit the rear seats....... played that game for a bit then decided just wasn't for me... I do have long legs even for a guy at 6-2... been blaming it on that...
Once I had the lower cushion back far enough it would automatically tilt the seat back forward cause it hit the rear seats....... played that game for a bit then decided just wasn't for me... I do have long legs even for a guy at 6-2... been blaming it on that...Trending Topics
I’m not particularly tall at 5’11” so should not be a problem for me. Delivery delayed until the morning, unfortunately, but still very excited about my first Benz! This is definitely a classier color scheme than my old M3 which had a Superman color scheme, blue on red. Still, I loved that car. If only the dealer in town was the least bit competent regarding service.
Anyway, I have learned to wrench on my own cars when it suits me. Still learning the complexities of DIY on modern Merc’s, but hopefully I can do some stuff. I do have a two post lift in the man cave to make my life easier!
I’m guessing brakes will need some servicing in 10-15k miles (car has around 8k miles), so I will have to decide between converting to carbon ceramic for longevity or paying the seemingly exorbitant prices for a set of steel rotors and pads. I wouldn’t track a heavy cabriolet.
Anyway, I’m getting well ahead of myself! Want to just enjoy the car for a while before making serious repair/maintenance decisions!
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
I do think the steel brakes are a relative weakness on these heavy cars, particularly the 2018+ which are way more aggressive in S+/Race modes than the earlier cars. I had steel brakes on my 2015 and they produced prodigious dust, even after replacing the pads with Porterfield low dust pads. Went with the ceramics on my 2020 and they are fantastic - a little more grippy but no noise and zero dust, and I have much more confidence in their stopping power. And they'll never wear out with street use... for suburban/urban driving, like here in Scottsdale where there are traffic lights everywhere, you're lucky to get 30,000 mi on the steel brakes. And most if not all dealers will force you to replace the rotors and pads, rather than just pads with rotor resurfacing.
CCBs are a costly retrofit but nice thing about buying one of these pre-owned is you get the car a a big discount which makes it easier to put some $ into it, and if you put enough miles on the car they'll eventually pay for themselves. And unlike many other options CCBs will increase the resale value as they are probably the most rare option on the C217/A217, including the S65 which had other costly upgrades like the 3D Burmester as standard equipment.
Not sure why anyone would track a nearly 5,000 lb car - but those who do on any regular basis would be best advised to have steel brakes as they are much cheaper to replace when worn. Advantage of ceramics for track use is resistance to fade more than longevity - I know many 720S owners who track their cars regularly have converted to steel brakes since the ceramics wear down quickly and replacement parts are extraordinarily expensive.
https://www.racingbrake.com/ProductD...Code=MB-CRK-04
Still, at nearly $13K that would be a heck-of-a DIY brake service! We will see. I will wear out the factory steel first! I would definitely order the ceramics with the car if using new. The upgrade cost for genuine AMG CCB is a bargain! I’ve seen around $20K for AMG CCB if adding on after the fact!
https://www.racingbrake.com/ProductD...Code=MB-CRK-04
Still, at nearly $13K that would be a heck-of-a DIY brake service! We will see. I will wear out the factory steel first! I would definitely order the ceramics with the car if using new. The upgrade cost for genuine AMG CCB is a bargain! I’ve seen around $20K for AMG CCB if adding on after the fact!
Note that the dealer would still need to reprogram your coupe for use with CCB’s. You don’t just install them. They will not operate correctly. Install wise, it takes an expert a few days to install (i.e. someone who has done it before and knows the drill). It's a job that's easy to screw up and damage the expensive parts. YMMV but think it over before doing it. Your life will be riding on these breaks.
Finally, if you don’t use a dealership (at least for the reprograming), the CCB’s won’t show under your VIN, and won't be covered under warranty. That is done by MBUSA when you retrofit at a MB dealer. They reprogram and register the upgrade (2 different steps).
Last edited by Dan_B; Feb 22, 2020 at 01:29 PM.
Note that the dealer would still need to reprogram your coupe for use with CCB’s. You don’t just install them. They will not operate correctly. Install wise, it takes an expert a few days to install (i.e. someone who has done it before and knows the drill). It's a job that's easy to screw up and damage the expensive parts. YMMV but think it over before doing it. Your life will be riding on these breaks.
Finally, if you don’t use a dealership (at least for the reprograming), the CCB’s won’t show under your VIN, and won't be covered under warranty. That is done by MBUSA when you retrofit at a MB dealer. They reprogram and register the upgrade (2 different steps).
Hundreds of car enthusiasts (Camaro 1LE, GTR R35, Porsche 991, Ferrari F430, Corvette Z06, BMW M3/M4, Mustang GT350, Jeep Trackhawk, Dodge Viper etc. including MB S and CLS550) have converted from factory standard iron to RB-CCB brakes w/o any issue and never had to deal with so called "reprogramming"* which is known as a "dealer scare" to warn you must bring your car to the dealers.
Not only it's witnessed by those customers, I have a CLS550 2016 which has been switched to a complete CCB brake system (rotor, caliper, pads) 2 month after deliverey, and I have been running CCB and using it to test different brake pad compounds and refurbished rotors since w/o a hitch.
At the same token there are about 1/3 of customers converting their factory CCB to RB iron rotors (mainly from track racers for the replacement cost) which we also offer but neither they had to do any "re-programming".
We are responsible to the above statement based on our real life experience and knowledge in brake technology. In addition to rotors we also offer compatible brake pads, and rotor refurbishment program which shall be released in about 2-3 month.
Warren-RB
https://racingbrake.com/carbon-ceramic-rotor/
Rear kit - 390x32mm CCM rotors with 4 pot caliper
Forgot to mention our CCB upgrade for Tesla which is known to be the most technologically advanced car manufacturer, customers from both Model S and Model 3 installed RB-CCB brakes w/o any issue.
RB offers the most comprehensive brake upgrades for Tesla than all the brake companies combined.
https://racingbrake.com/tesla-1/
Hundreds of car enthusiasts (Camaro 1LE, GTR R35, Porsche 991, Ferrari F430, Corvette Z06, BMW M3/M4, Mustang GT350, Jeep Trackhawk, Dodge Viper etc. including MB S and CLS550) have converted from factory standard iron to RB-CCB brakes w/o any issue and never had to deal with so called "reprogramming"* which is known as a "dealer scare" to warn you must bring your car to the dealers.
Not only it's witnessed by those customers, I have a CLS550 2016 which has been switched to a complete CCB brake system (rotor, caliper, pads) 2 month after deliverey, and I have been running CCB and using it to test different brake pad compounds and refurbished rotors since w/o a hitch.
At the same token there are about 1/3 of customers converting their factory CCB to RB iron rotors (mainly from track racers for the replacement cost) which we also offer but neither they had to do any "re-programming".
We are responsible to the above statement based on our real life experience and knowledge in brake technology. In addition to rotors we also offer compatible brake pads, and rotor refurbishment program which shall be released in about 2-3 month.
Warren-RB
https://racingbrake.com/carbon-ceramic-rotor/
I had done this twice on my 2 S63 coupes. I am sharing my experience as an AMG coupe owner and MB customer. I know my dealership is trustworthy. They take great care of my 3 AMGs. My cars were reprogrammed at the MB dealership, registered as upgraded by MBUSA, and they run flawlessly. So I am happy.
I don’t know who you are, what your reputation is, and frankly I don’t care as I will never be your customer. Those who are or will be can decide for themselves and do whatever they want to whatever they own. Their choice.
I will stick with my MB dealership. I know and trust them. And you are welcome to take or ignore my post as it is my point of view.
Last edited by Dan_B; Feb 27, 2020 at 01:52 PM.
Also for those more in the know on MB warranty, will using alternate rotors such as Girodisc or FCP Euro cause any warranty issues at dealers? In the past it was always acceptable to use pads and rotors of personal choice, but I suspect the dealers are looking for brake job revenue most fervently these days. I would love to hear group opinion on this, and whether anyone has had good/bad experiences with Giro FCP or other rotor brands on this particular car.
Congrats again!




