I’m torn between a 2024 43 or 63. While HP is an obvious difference, I enjoyed how nimble the 43 felt due to RWD. However I can’t get past my concerns around the V4. I loved the rumble and growl of the 63 and the V8 is tried and true but it drove heavy to me.

This will be my daily driver. I do ~18,000 miles annually. Has anyone had any servicing surprises, like brakes needing to be replaced at 5,000 miles?

Thanks in advance!
Michelle

 

I have a SL55. The biggest surprise was that the front tires were down to the wear bars at 6k miles. However, it goes to show how enthusiastically I like to toss it around corners and curves. The car handles well. The tires don’t squeal. The awd is terrific. Absolutely no wheel slip taking off from red lights even in the rain. I prepaid for maintenance for three years so the 1st service did not have any additional charges.

 

SL63 for me. 2023 model. I have really babied it so far. Every once in awhile I floor it, but I don’t let it rev very long. Some aggressive low speed cornering, but no high speed attempts at cornering.
I have had intermittent SOS inop, but after a software update, it’s less annoying now.
Some lurching from a stop, not unmanageable.
1 instance of recognizing a much slower speed limit from a close parallel street, and a moderate deceleration that was surprising but not unmanageable.
All in all a 9 out of 10, if not slightly better.

 

Not a V4, it's an I4.

 

I don't know what the difference is between the maintenance cost of a 43 vs a 63, but generally you pay an AMG tax with these cars. Parts and services are more costly, at least if done at dealerships and if using OE parts. Brakes and tires are probably the biggest things that add up with an AMG. As mentioned above, AMGs tend to have more aggressive camber in the front, which leads to early front tire wear. The inner edge will get chewed through fairly quickly. Like the poster above, my front tires on my C63S coupe, which is lighter than the SL, are done at about 8k miles. The rears last a few thousand miles longer, despite being RWD. You can extend this somewhat with all-season tires as they have a harder compound. As for the brakes, in my case they last about 16k miles and if I were to have them serviced at a dealership using OE parts they would want about $5000 for a complete brake job. Instead I source my own parts and have them installed at my indy for a fraction of the cost. I source the parts from FTC Euro, which has lifetime replacement warranty, so I get full store credit after sending back the worn parts. So effectively a full brake job costs less than a $1000 as I only have to pay for labor. I also buy my own tires and have them mounted at my indy, although the dealerships are quite competitive when it comes to tires. The main reason is that I don't use OE tires anymore and dealerships refuse to sell non-OE tires.

Some of this depends on your specific driving. For example if you mostly do open highway driving and rarely use the brakes, they will last a lot longer. But keep in mind, an AMG tends to make you wanna drive more spirited. A lot of people seem to underestimate the increased wear & tear they'll get simply from driving more spirited, because the car invites that kind of driving.

 

I had my first service a couple months ago right at 10k miles for an SL63. Total cost was ~$475. It included the basics: oil change, filters swapped out, etc. Nothing major.

 

FWIW my first service was done in February (annual), only cost me $292.53 (SL 55).

 

The first service is not much more than an oil change. On a normal car that's something that should cost less than $200, so already you can see that a simple oil change done at the dealership comes at a premium. From there it goes up. AMGs require regular transmission service and 63 models require regular service of the rear locking differential. Those services cost over a $1000 at a dealership. Every 5 years or 50k miles whichever comes first you need new spark plugs as well. That also costs over $1000 for an AMG done at a dealership. I believe they are supposed to change the coil packs at the same time. For comparison, non-performance models generally use lifetime fluids in the transmissions and differentials, so you never need to service the drivetrain. Only engine oil and filter changes. Spark plugs is still something that needs to eventually be changed in any engine, but a high-performance engine is higher strung and therefore more susceptible to worn spark plugs and the parts in the engine have higher demands and therefore need a higher performance envelope, read more costly parts. Also 8 spark plugs in a V8 cost more than 4 spark plugs in an I-4. The job takes longer and the parts cost is higher. On top of all that margins are higher on AMGs and higher end models. The more expensive the vehicle the more they can charge for a service. Somebody with a $40k CLA 250 isn't gonna pay a $1000 for a service, but somebody with a $100k AMG isn't really gonna flinch at the same. Going into AMG or any high-performance car ownership should come with the understanding that you have to pay to play. Doesn't mean you should be clueless and just pay dealership rates and OE parts. Be smart about what work to get done at a dealership and what work can be done at an indy, keeping in mind that building a relationship with the dealership can potentially help down the line with goodwill repairs and the dealership willing to go to battle with corporate if you have an issue with the car.