carlosinseattle

I just bought an S-Class, 2017 S550, after not owning one for over 10 years. But after I bougth mine I thought I should have gone with an S63. I test drove one in California the other day, a 2018 with 70K miles. It was beautiflul and very well equipped. But the ride was harsh and the motor was super "growly". I can't think of a better term to describe the amount of engine noise and vibration that came into the cabin. Even in comfort mode the ride quality was much more harsh than I had anticipated. The car was super fast and stable, definitely pinned me to the seat when accelerating. But the ride quality was harsh at any speed, even at low speeds. Going over ANY uneven pavement felt jarring, and again, this was in comfort mode. Is this how they all feel??

superswiss

Personally I have not driven an S63 in particular, but I've driven regular S Classes. However, I'm a performance car guy and drive AMGs etc. What you are describing is absolutely what I would expect even from the S63. It's often said that Sport/Sport+ in a regular MB is softer than Comfort in an AMG 63. AMGs start essentially where the regular MBs stop. You can't have a soft, floaty ride and planted, stout handling at the same time. Those are completely opposite goals. Same goes for noise and vibration. NVH is inevitably higher in an AMG on purpose to a degree. I can tell you that most people expect and want that in a performance oriented vehicle. We wanna hear and feel the engine, the road and the transmission, even in an S63. To me, the S63 has always been a bit of an oxymoron, which is why I never really had any desire driving one, but what you describe is pretty much what an AMG is across the board compared to the car it's based on. In my case I own a C63S coupe and a C300 is quiet, soft and floaty in comparison. AMGs are just very different from their regular MB siblings.

Here's an older thread that might also answer your question: https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...und-level.html

vincheung

Yes, definitely a harsher ride as you describe. I have a 63, drive a family member's 550 from time to time and really notice the comfort of the non-amg in comparison. As for engine feel such as vibration or noise I wouldn't say is noticeable at a disturbing level compared to a 550/560.

carlosinseattle

Thanks for the link above. I read the thread and it kind of addressed what I'm asking, but not difinitevely. The S63 I test drove reminded me of an older MY 2013 S550 that I test drove several years ago. It was kind of "beastly". It didn't feel luxurious, but it definitely felt sporty, even in comfort mode. The S63 I just drove was a couple notches above that in terms of ride quality. Even when just exiting the dealership I could FEEL the bump as we left the parking lot and hit the pavement. You'd barely notice something like that in the S550, but it felt jarring in the S63, even in comfort mode. And everytime we changed the mode, the throttle blipped or something and the engine roared. It sounded cool, but not peaceful. If that is what it is, then so be it. Just wondering what you guys think before I take the time to test drive a different car for comparison.

Anybody else try an S550/560/450 and compare it to an S63 lately?

superswiss

Yes, that is essentially the DNA of an AMG. Beastly is a good way to describe it. They are noisy, shouty and beastly by design. Out of the three German brands, MB has probably the most noticeable distinction between their regular models and the performance models. I don't like a single regular Mercedes-Benz and I've driven many of them. They are all too quiet, too soft and too aloof for me. Not enjoyable. Every single one I have to immediately put into Sport+ to not be completely bored or annoyed out of my mind. The distinction is not as great with Audi and BMW. Audi's performance models are softer in general and they suffer from numb steering and understeer like the regular models. BMW on the other hand are fundamentally sportier even in non-M version. After all, they invented the sport sedan.

stever500

Huh? That's not my experience at all. Mine drives and sounds like a baby. It's got throatiness but nothing like you're describing or even close. Mine's a 32K mi 2018.

carlosinseattle

Stever, you might be in a different league. You have the brand new M5, and the Porsche, so you might be coming from a totally different place in terms of NVH expectations. My wife doesn't like that much NVH, and I like her to want to ride with me. Otherwise I have to let her drive, or drive her car, a Toyota Venza. Nice car but not S-class nice.

stever500

I had to google it. I'm glad for google, never heard of it, had no idea!

NVH is a term used to describe car noise, vibration and harshness that result in varying degrees of dissatisfaction.

superswiss

Yes, NVH is a very common term in automobile design. Surprised you never heard of it. OP is right, for us folks who have performance car backgrounds our NVH tolerance is very different. Particularly here in the S Class forum most people seem to be older with little or no performance car experience and they are looking for a waterbed/old sofa on wheels in terms of ride quality, or they do have performance cars, but are looking for the complete opposite with a daily driver. I guess that's where the S63 really comes in. It's for folks who have experience with performance cars, but want something more luxurious for daily driving yet don't want it to be numb and completely soft and floaty.

carlosinseattle

Sorry I used an acronym instead of typing it out. Here's another one for you. YCMG. Can you figure that one out?

JohnLane

Carlos.... Your S63 has enough miles on it to be ready for fresh engine mounts.

As as for it being beastly.... You bought an AMG car. Smile! You got the beast... though not the most colorful of them. That is the S65. Your car has Airmatic for suspension with sway bars. S65 has Magic Body Control. Still very much the beast but zero body roll and such fun.

As for the car riding harsh.... if tires are overinflated it will crash over bumps... but you’re less likely to pinch a tire on Seattle’s lovely streets. Of course you’re also much less likely to ever be speeding in Seattle. I moved from Washington. Don’t miss the gridlock.

superswiss

^^ OP drove a friend's S63. It's not his. But since you bring up engine mounts, the W222 S63 doesn't have dynamic engine mounts like newer AMG S models have. My C63 S coupe has dynamic engine mounts and the new W223 S63 for the first time has dynamic engine mounts, too. These make a difference with NVH. At low speeds and in Comfort mode they soften the connection between the engine and the rest of the car, so fewer vibrations come through to the cabin, but then tighten up at higher speeds and during more dynamic driving, so the engine moves with the rest of the car, improving its response and turn in.

carlosinseattle

I'm taking some time to go test drive another S63 today. Keeping an open mind.

JohnLane

Be sure to also drive an S65. Land Rover has one in Lynwood if failing memory serves. Careful. First hit is free.

carlosinseattle

Thanks John, I prefer an S65 but need the AWD. My wife's parents live outside of Missoula, MT and we have a lake cabin so AWD is a must for me. I'm tired of driving over in her SUV.

JohnLane

I sure wish that Mercedes would have produced an S65 with all wheels driven.

Couldn’t have the Limo outshine the ‘Sports cars.’

sakodik

Steve's S63 is in the garage! Or older picture.

I will have to agree with OP that the S63 is harsh. But try this, get into a sports car (R8, Viper, any of the Italians, 911 RS) and then hop back into the S63. You will feel the extreme comfort of it even though you're sporting similar ~600HP. There is no question, the S63 is harsh. I felt the same when dropping off an E63 and getting a E300 loaner. It was SO comfortable and smooth. The last smooth AMG s class to me was the S55, it felt similar to the 500, minus the rumbling 5.5 supercharged engine, but I was also 15 years younger. The w221 and 222 made the distinction between luxury and sports further apart with the 63 introduction.

Deckboss

Ditched my E63S for a S63 and I was super soft compared to the E but the AMG suspensions are definitely a bit more sporty/stiff feeling.

PCHVette

First post - I have a 2017 S63 AMG have had a few grips over the years but have never minded the suspension which is not plush by any means but I have never felt like it overly vibrated. I currently have 40k on it. One thing that I have had issues was with the transmission sometimes being rough or hitting hard and sometimes a jerk switching from C to Sport especially if slowly going up hill, if I was going to change would let off the gas and then change. Interestingly enough, I just had the transmission serviced and the plugs changed and first it solved the jerk feeling of switching Sport and the plug change definitely woke it up. Did the tans and the plug service at 40k b/c I drive it hard and wanted to see if there was anything going on as I may have looked for a lower milage S63. Also, changed the plugs b/c I'm thinking about doing an ECU and TCU tune, but still on the fence on that as I haven't been able to find many S63s that have had it done with the exception of people that did the downpipes and exhaust which I don't want to do.

carlosinseattle

To answer my intitial question, no. All S63's are not Rough. I just had to find one that was in better condition than the first S63 I test drove.

Wanted to follow up in case anybody finds this thread. After a months long search I wound up buying a 2018 S63 with 37K miles in September of 2023. In 10 months of ownership, 43K miles now, the car has been superb! It's everything I wanted and more. It's both quieter and and more powerfl than I expected. It does everything my S550 did but better in every way. This car is glass smooth and quiet, both in town and on the highway. And when it wakes up to deliver the power, it's nothing short of amazing. The exhaust sounds in S+ mode is almost comical with the growl, cracks, and pops. I was in traffic a week ago and a guy had a really nice new Mustang and I could hear his exhaust as he drove by me. Before I caught up to him at a stoplight I switched the exhaust to S+. I rolled to about a car length and a half in front of him in the lane next to him. As we pulled off, he rolled down the window to compliment me on the sound of my exhaust. All I can say is WOW!!!

W205C43PFL

The beauty of AMG is the dual personality.

Deckboss

they ride better then the C the E the GT and most other AMG models but you can feel the suspension even in comfort mode.