Hi All,

I absolutely loved my 2014 CLS550 and have been itching to get back to MB for the last few years after a couple of daily driver detours to a Tesla Model S (my idea and a huge mistake for several reasons - I flipped the car after a year) and an Alfa Stelvio (my wife's idea - it was, at best, merely adequate; I'm not a fan of the vehicle). I've been flirting with the S Coupe, but it doesn't seem as though there'll be a 2021 version. The S560 was also considered, but they really wrecked the interior of the new car by stripping away all of the elegance I treasure in favor of a vastly more tech-forward design language. To my eye, the exposed edges of the driver's screen (vs. having it properly inset in the dash and surrounded with leather and wood) make it look as though an iPad was just stuck on there and the huge new central screen looks just like the Tesla's - in a word, the whole thing looks cheap and entirely inconsistent with the elegance I expect from a luxury car.

Given all that, I looked for a model which at least disguises (if not entirely covers) the edges of the screens, while still having a decent level of luxury appointments. Also, I definitely wanted the AMG this time around, for the V8 as much as anything else. So, the E63S AMG. Working with the DOG, I compiled these specs and sent them in to my dealer this morning:

890 - Lunar Blue metallic
RZX - 20-inch AMG twin 5-spoke in Matte Black with R01 - High-performance summer tires
DA4 - Advanced Lighting Package
261 - Deletion of front-fender engine badges
260 - Deletion of decklid badges
555 - Macchiato Beige/Black Exclusive Nappa leather
H09 - Natural Grain Brown Ash wood
L6J - AMG Nappa leather Performance steering wheel
65U - designo Macchiato Beige DINAMICA headliner
DB9 - Sun Protection Package
432 - Active multicontour front seats with massage
DC5 - Acoustic Comfort Package
U80 - Household-type 115v power outlet
883 - Soft-close doors
U19 - Augmented video
21U - Dashcam
608 - Adaptive Highbeam Assist
DA2 - Driver Assistance Package

Have I missed anything obvious?

Ken

 

The advanced light package is a waste of money in the US. Stupid DOT won't approve it for use the way it was designed to be used. DINAMICA headliner is nice but unless you specifically look up and stare at it you won't notice it a ton. I don't have the soft close doors so I can't comment on them. The doors are very easy to close. Not like my 2020 G63 which require you to legit slam them to get them to close. Good luck! I have a 2018 E63S and love it still.

 

I know that the lights will be hamstrung with respect to their operation in other markets, but they will still auto-dim in the US. I liked that function on my CLS, so I’ve ordered it here. I went for the headliner upgrade less for the material than to match the leather seats and lighten the interior ambiance. Toward that end, I wish there were some interior options for this car that didn’t include any black. As things are, I’m trying to minimize it as best I can.

Glad to hear that you’re still enjoying your 2018. I drove the 2020 a few days ago and enjoyed it enough to order the new one.

Ken

 

Night package???

 

I thought about it, but I prefer the shiny trim. :-)

 

I am not familiar with the 2021 packages, but I personally can’t live without the HUD and Warmth and Comfort Package (although I live in CT - may be less important in the south). The AMG HUD is awesome - you can set it to show your tachometer and selected gear, and I think it might also navigate turns on the track if you use it with Track Pace (but I am not sure, haven’t tracked mine yet).

 

According to the 2021 Order Guide, it appears as though the Warmth & Comfort package is now included. At least, it’s no longer listed as an available option. I was certainly planning to order it. The 2020 car I test drove had the HUD and I thought it was a neat gimmick for those few minutes, but I didn’t figure it to be that useful in practice. I’ll mull it a bit more.

 

Ooh. I think you are correct about the Warmth and Comfort. That is great!

 

I have the stupid advanced lighting package on my 2020 G63 as well. It’s a total waste. You are asking for opinions and I’ve driven 10+ AMGs from 2018 to current. Save yourself $1k.

 

If you purchase the Intelligent Lighting system, you can enable the full intelligent features that non-US folks get for another ~$500 with the CAN plug in module available on eBay or Amazon. Quite nice.

 

I just tried search for that plug-in module and can't seem to locate it. Do you have a link?

 

the IHC+ multibeam unlock is usd449 + postage

https://mbworld.org/forums/w213-amg/...eadlights.html


canfiltermb@gmail.com

 

I would get the ceramic brakes if I were doing it over. I have had brakes replaced already and they aren't cheap and with the black forged wheels they only stay looking clean a few days before the brake dust makes them look dirty.

 

I thought hard about the ceramic brakes (I even had them spec'ed, initially), but decided that they have essentially no function on the street beyond, as you say, brake dust avoidance. Given that I don't intend to track this car with any regularity, it didn't seem like a good value proposition for me.

That said, I definitely get the appeal.

Ken

 

I wouldn't say no function. They don't need to be replaced and your wheels aren't always dirty. Two pretty big functions if you ask me. I'm $1,500 into brakes at 12k miles so if own 50k miles I'm at $6,000 in brakes. I don't have the ceramics so I don't know if they are as perfect as I read they are.

 

How much did the brake repair cost and at what mileage?

 

Ceramics really need to come up to temperature (typically requiring repeated stops from supra-legal speeds) before they function as well as designed. They also have a tendency to squeak/squeal, especially at double-digit speeds. They're really a track tool, where repeated stops from triple-digit speeds without fading is essential and brake noise is irrelevant.

I wash my car weekly (at least), so don't especially care about brake dust accumulation. Having to replace pads (for $1,500!!) at 12K miles does concern me, but not enough to pay $8K+ for ceramics. There's the whole value proposition thing...

Ken

 

That's a lot of braking if you do that with that interval!!! That is in no way the norm though for the AMGs. Do you track your car?

 

Unless you plan to go with custom sound, getting the Acoustic Comfort package and not the 3-D Burmester seems odd. The Acoustic Comfort package implies you're going to spend quality time in the car, like on road trips. The upgraded Burmester is worth every cent for this great touring car. So glad I got it.

 

For me, the acoustic comfort package is for exactly that - a quieter environment in the cabin. I almost never listen to music when driving; maybe a handful of times each year I'll put on NPR for a few minutes here and there, but that's all. The upgraded Burmester would be wasted on me, but adding noise insulation to my primary thinking place is just perfect. If I'm not riding in silence, I'm typically either on the phone or talking to my wife on road trips.

Ken

 

I don't believe this is true for the CCBs on the E63. Mine have never squeaked at all. They offer excellent stopping power even when cold and I haven't noticed any real improvement in braking performance as the brake temps increase.

Have done some pretty hard mountain and canyon driving and have no complaints with the CCBs on my car.

There is an additional small benefit of less unsprung weight.

Oh, and I like the yellow calipers better

 

I got the acoustic package on my car and opted not to get the Burmester upgrade. That's one of the few options I didn't get because I have quite bad high frequency hearing loss and the extra sound quality would have been totally lost on me. A quieter cabin helps with conversation in the car because it can be difficult to hear some speech in noisy environments.

The Michelin PS4s seem to be a bit better for road noise than the stock Pirellis that the car came with but what really matters is the road surface. Some rough surfaces really cause a lot of tire noise to be transmitted into the cabin. I'd hate to think how bad it might be without the acoustic package.

You can still hear the exhaust in Sport+ or Race mode in the cabin, but one time leaving the of office I had the windows and pano roof open and was surprised by how much louder the exhaust was when I punched it.

 

The car comes with the PS4S? That's great news! I put those tires on my old F430 (since sold and greatly missed) a couple of years ago and absolutely loved them. I was already planning to swap them onto the car after delivery.

 

My car came with Pirellis. Apparently they're pretty evenly distributed on the on new cars along with the Michelins.

The front tires were done at right at about 10,000 miles, rear still had good tread left on them. The problem, as noted on other posts was the inner edge being worn due to the high camber the car is set up with.

Ordered new PS4s from the dealer and had planned on burning the rears off in drift mode before taking the car in for the swap.

Unfortunately, the right rear suffered an inner sidewall puncture on a run up Palomar Mt. on the weekend before the the car was to go in for the swap. Was full throttle in a turn in race mode with rear end starting to drift a bit when the car jumped unexpectedly sideways - power cut immediately and the car straightened right up pretty much before I had much corrective input. When I looked I could see the dash was lighting up showing the rear tire failure. The TC and Stability control did a great job.

Was apparently cut by a rock in the road that I didn't see. Mercedes road side assistance came and put the car on a flat bed and towed ~40 miles back to Carlsbad to the dealer, no charge.

Since the replacement tires were already on order, the swap was performed when the dealership opened back up the next day. Main bummer was that I didn't get to burn down the rears playing in drift mode

The PS4s so far are doing OK. Have a little over 5,000 miles on them and they seem to be wearing better that the Pirellis.

 

Good info! I'm going to request the Michelins and hope for the best.

Yep, that's no surprise at all. The PS4S is a great tire. They wear better than the Pirellis, have better grip both wet & dry, and are quieter, too. Love 'em!