W204 C63 or E92 M3?
Discussion
Hi guys,
Looking to get a weekend toy to accommodate my F31 330d M Sport Touring. I had a W204 C63 a few years ago and honestly it was in at Mercedes under warranty more than I had it on the road, I think I was unlucky but after 8 months i moved it on. I was gutted as it was always my dream car. I do think I was unlucky because generally iv heard they are pretty reliable. BUT the E92, facelift M3 is another car im thinking about. I think maybe the M3 looks a little smarter but has anyone on here owned both and if so which did you prefer? Both sound great and I love the induction roar from the M3. Price wise i have a maximum of £23000 but it has to be clean, good history and not looking for one thats had loads of owners. W204 wise im looking for a coupe but wouldnt rule out a saloon either.....
Any thoughts?
Looking to get a weekend toy to accommodate my F31 330d M Sport Touring. I had a W204 C63 a few years ago and honestly it was in at Mercedes under warranty more than I had it on the road, I think I was unlucky but after 8 months i moved it on. I was gutted as it was always my dream car. I do think I was unlucky because generally iv heard they are pretty reliable. BUT the E92, facelift M3 is another car im thinking about. I think maybe the M3 looks a little smarter but has anyone on here owned both and if so which did you prefer? Both sound great and I love the induction roar from the M3. Price wise i have a maximum of £23000 but it has to be clean, good history and not looking for one thats had loads of owners. W204 wise im looking for a coupe but wouldnt rule out a saloon either.....
Any thoughts?
For me, the option to have a manual gearbox for a weekend toy trumps the other accolades.
Subsequently, I'd take the e9x M3.
If it was going to be used more frequently, but not on track the C63 is more fun hooning about in (in terms of asbo unintentional wheel spin and back end mischief).
Subsequently, I'd take the e9x M3.
If it was going to be used more frequently, but not on track the C63 is more fun hooning about in (in terms of asbo unintentional wheel spin and back end mischief).
I have a CLK63 & my brother has an E90 M3, we've both had them for 10+ years, in between that my OH had had two C63's.
My car has easily been the least heavy in terms of maintenance, my brothers is now fully sorted with all the issues taken care of & has been 100% reliable for the last four years.
They're very different in character the 63 feels like an event at any speed whereas the M3/4 is a car (imo you have to up the pace a bit to access that special feeling) the 63's engine is a peach of a unit,
The E90 suits the dct better than it does the manual, this is just my personal opinion they don't have the greatest manual box.
A car that often gets overlooked is the RS5 (if you're considering an M3 I'd also look at one of these.
Here's a review:
https://youtu.be/I8anqtoNEi8
I'm bias but get the C63
My car has easily been the least heavy in terms of maintenance, my brothers is now fully sorted with all the issues taken care of & has been 100% reliable for the last four years.
They're very different in character the 63 feels like an event at any speed whereas the M3/4 is a car (imo you have to up the pace a bit to access that special feeling) the 63's engine is a peach of a unit,
The E90 suits the dct better than it does the manual, this is just my personal opinion they don't have the greatest manual box.
A car that often gets overlooked is the RS5 (if you're considering an M3 I'd also look at one of these.
Here's a review:
https://youtu.be/I8anqtoNEi8
I'm bias but get the C63
Another vote for the C63. I had an E46 M3 before and the C63 is a much more fun car to drive in my opinion. The gearbox doesn’t detract (provided it’s MCT) and the engine is fantastic. I don’t think either car will be light on maintenance at this age, but it helps if you can do little bits yourself.
The problem with the E46/E92 as someone else has said is that you need to really thrash them to enjoy it, and because there is limited opportunities to do that it can be a frustrating thing. Not to mention you go straight into license losing speeds. If this is going to be a part time track car then the BMW’s are a much better option, if it’s just to blast around on the weekend the C63 is much better.
If you do go for one, get the secondary cat taken out and that is absolutely perfect sound wise. Quiet when you need it to be, no drone, but sounds incredible under a bit of load, plus a few pops and crackles as well!
The problem with the E46/E92 as someone else has said is that you need to really thrash them to enjoy it, and because there is limited opportunities to do that it can be a frustrating thing. Not to mention you go straight into license losing speeds. If this is going to be a part time track car then the BMW’s are a much better option, if it’s just to blast around on the weekend the C63 is much better.
If you do go for one, get the secondary cat taken out and that is absolutely perfect sound wise. Quiet when you need it to be, no drone, but sounds incredible under a bit of load, plus a few pops and crackles as well!
ZX10R NIN said:
I have a CLK63 & my brother has an E90 M3, we've both had them for 10+ years, in between that my OH had had two C63's.
My car has easily been the least heavy in terms of maintenance, my brothers is now fully sorted with all the issues taken care of & has been 100% reliable for the last four years.
They're very different in character the 63 feels like an event at any speed whereas the M3/4 is a car (imo you have to up the pace a bit to access that special feeling) the 63's engine is a peach of a unit,
The E90 suits the dct better than it does the manual, this is just my personal opinion they don't have the greatest manual box.
A car that often gets overlooked is the RS5 (if you're considering an M3 I'd also look at one of these.
Here's a review:
https://youtu.be/I8anqtoNEi8
I'm bias but get the C63
A CLK63?! Rare as rare thing, indeed. My car has easily been the least heavy in terms of maintenance, my brothers is now fully sorted with all the issues taken care of & has been 100% reliable for the last four years.
They're very different in character the 63 feels like an event at any speed whereas the M3/4 is a car (imo you have to up the pace a bit to access that special feeling) the 63's engine is a peach of a unit,
The E90 suits the dct better than it does the manual, this is just my personal opinion they don't have the greatest manual box.
A car that often gets overlooked is the RS5 (if you're considering an M3 I'd also look at one of these.
Here's a review:
https://youtu.be/I8anqtoNEi8
I'm bias but get the C63
I have a w204 c63 estate and an e46 M3. As said you have to work the M3 to get your thrills, which is great on the right type of road or say the ring. Where as the C63 is fun at any speed but less rewarding on a B road. With the E9* M3 it's going to be much of the same as the E46 but with an even higher threshold for your thrills. So I think it depends on what type of road you can get the car out on at the weekends.
I had a W204 C63 for 3.5 years and it was an epic car. Every single drive was an event and the engine never gets old.
I now have an OG M2 and whilst it’s a chunk slower (C63 was mapped running approx 520bhp) it is a far better drivers car.
I did consider an E92 instead of the M2 but I wanted a more modern car and frankly the E92 would feel gutless day to day after the C63 with the very limited torque.
Don’t believe the fuel and tyres cobblers from people who haven’t owned a C63. Mine averaged 22 mpg over 22k miles just using it as a car, road trips with the family and a trip to the ring.
I only replaced my PS4s because I had a puncture in one so replaced all four with PS5 but no excessive wear if you don’t do burnouts in car parks at night.
I had a Quife ATB diff installed which improved the handling but it will never reach the dynamics of an M car.
As an experience though, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.
I now have an OG M2 and whilst it’s a chunk slower (C63 was mapped running approx 520bhp) it is a far better drivers car.
I did consider an E92 instead of the M2 but I wanted a more modern car and frankly the E92 would feel gutless day to day after the C63 with the very limited torque.
Don’t believe the fuel and tyres cobblers from people who haven’t owned a C63. Mine averaged 22 mpg over 22k miles just using it as a car, road trips with the family and a trip to the ring.
I only replaced my PS4s because I had a puncture in one so replaced all four with PS5 but no excessive wear if you don’t do burnouts in car parks at night.
I had a Quife ATB diff installed which improved the handling but it will never reach the dynamics of an M car.
As an experience though, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.
Brett748 said:
I had a W204 C63 for 3.5 years and it was an epic car. Every single drive was an event and the engine never gets old.
I now have an OG M2 and whilst it’s a chunk slower (C63 was mapped running approx 520bhp) it is a far better drivers car.
I did consider an E92 instead of the M2 but I wanted a more modern car and frankly the E92 would feel gutless day to day after the C63 with the very limited torque.
Don’t believe the fuel and tyres cobblers from people who haven’t owned a C63. Mine averaged 22 mpg over 22k miles just using it as a car, road trips with the family and a trip to the ring.
I only replaced my PS4s because I had a puncture in one so replaced all four with PS5 but no excessive wear if you don’t do burnouts in car parks at night.
I had a Quife ATB diff installed which improved the handling but it will never reach the dynamics of an M car.
As an experience though, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.
Without wanting to derail the thread. What’s your view on the OG M2 after a C63? It’s actually a consideration for me once I’m ready to move on. I now have an OG M2 and whilst it’s a chunk slower (C63 was mapped running approx 520bhp) it is a far better drivers car.
I did consider an E92 instead of the M2 but I wanted a more modern car and frankly the E92 would feel gutless day to day after the C63 with the very limited torque.
Don’t believe the fuel and tyres cobblers from people who haven’t owned a C63. Mine averaged 22 mpg over 22k miles just using it as a car, road trips with the family and a trip to the ring.
I only replaced my PS4s because I had a puncture in one so replaced all four with PS5 but no excessive wear if you don’t do burnouts in car parks at night.
I had a Quife ATB diff installed which improved the handling but it will never reach the dynamics of an M car.
As an experience though, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.
I had this dilemma 7 years ago and ended up going the C63 route. It's been a great car, so much so, that I still have it.
I'd always wanted an M3, but when push came to shove the C63 won.
Day to day, it just seemed a better car. Its more of an event to drive at normal speeds, more powerful, faster (in a straight line anyway), and the noise. Phenomenal.
The M3 is meant to be the sharper tool, but on public roads that means very little unless you want to go to jail. Different if you intend doing regular track days.
Either way though, its a nice choice to have.
I'd always wanted an M3, but when push came to shove the C63 won.
Day to day, it just seemed a better car. Its more of an event to drive at normal speeds, more powerful, faster (in a straight line anyway), and the noise. Phenomenal.
The M3 is meant to be the sharper tool, but on public roads that means very little unless you want to go to jail. Different if you intend doing regular track days.
Either way though, its a nice choice to have.
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