2016 AMG c63 estate - what to look for

[dank]

Hi, I am very tempted as my new work car / weekend away car the 2016 C63 estate! It looks awesome, and is significantly cheaper than an RS6 that i am also looking at, and same price as RS4's which I have read have awful issues from new with the auto boxes.

Does anyone have any pointers what to look for with the AMG C63 ? Are they reliable, well built interiors etc etc, any information would be appreciated.

Also i am coming from 4wd B7 S4 V8, to a RWD car, is the AMG very very snappy to drove in the wet, or is it is totally usable in all weathers????

thanks

[Fat hippo]

I’ve got a 2015 C63 saloon that I bought in December following the theft of an Audi S4 B8 avant late last year.

Early days yet but reliability seems good, build quality seems fine, the interior feels a bit more special than the Audi but i’m noticing a fee more squeaks. I don’t think the 19” wheels on my c63 help in this regard (my S4 had 18s).
Ride quality is much firmer in the AMG evennin comfort mode, performance is on another level. Acceleration is brutal, and you need to learn to be careful witht the throttle. Coming out of side roads and going into roundabouts you cant just plant your foot likenin the Audi and get a quick getaway - it will just spin the tyres.

To sum up, the S4 was a capable fast estate to cover ground quickly especially in the wet, and securely and relatively discretely. The C63 is more like a muscle car. It has much more character and the engine dominates. It is much more of an experience. I love it.

[dank]

Thanks for your review!

I am totally intoxicated by the exhaust note, recently saw a saloon manoeuvring a low speed, and the deep growl was amazing, and also saw an estate the same time drive by and it was like thunder.... wonder if they had standard exhausts as the one I am looking at doesn't have sports exhaust, hoping that the standard exhaust sound is perfect and doesn't need me spending more to get the right noise!

I see the extended warranty is expensive, £2700 per year, wasn't sure if that included MOT and service, which i am sure I read somewhere...

As much as I will miss the 4WD of my S4 or possible RS6 - Is the C63 very tail happy in the wet??? you are always worried about it loosing the back end, or do you have to push pretty hard i slippery conditions to get it out of shape, would prefer a car I can relax and drive briskly, not flat out as I realise then you have to be very switched on

[playalistic]

The TC is very well calibrated and will let you have varying levels of fun depending on the driving mode. When it does start to move around it's very benign for a car of this size/weight. My recommendation is to ditch the factory contis and get Michelin PS4S on there if they're not already. The grip they offer over the stock tyres is incredible plus they wear a lot slower too.

[dank]

thanks for that!

I am very excited as I feel this is going to be my next long term / work car! What a car!!! I'll be keeping the 911 Turbo alongside it, and not bothering with the Gallardo!

[Mitch16]

I bought a C63 in January. 66 plate.

In the cold and wet it is perfectly driveable you just can’t push that hard. I used mine daily and sometime the lack of straight line traction drove me mad. I got out dragged by a fiat 500 on one icy morning!

However it does make it exciting to drive (I had an S4 before too) and once the weather warms up a bit, it is a weapon. First car I have owned (I have had a few) that I know i will buy another one when the current one gets too old.

You have to drive it rather than just point and go. I love that about it and the noise. Oh the noise. Must have is the performance exhaust.

As playtastic said I hear the PS4s improve the traction, I just can’t find any rear tyres in the right size. My car is on 19” Michelin PSS.

Hope you find one and enjoy. Sadly days are numbered for v8 salon cars. It really is a weapon. Enjoy.

[Mitch16]

Oh and i got a 2 year warranty from the merc dealer. I think all second hand AMG get that

[dank]

Thanks for the info

The one I am looking at doesn’t have the performance exhaust - but the car / history / colour and spec and all spot on, can’t wait for another to come up that has the exhaust ! They don’t seem to be that common a car do they!?

Would the performance exhaust cost loads to retro fit ?

[jon-yprpe]

I part exchanged my c63 coupe today.

The performance exhaust is awesome for the first month, after that it becomes tiring and a bit ‘look at me’ so I wouldn’t bother again with it.

[Chaz645]

Had my 66 plate c63s estate for a few months...epic car. Mine came with all the bells and whistles but the bits that stand out would be the HUD and the nite pack. I like the performance exhaust and it’s switchable so when it’s too much just turn it off.

It has a few interior rattles but nothing too annoying (v8 vantage certainly worse) and the brakes can squeal (again I’ve experienced worse)

I have PSS all round and fairly happy with those, but will try for PS4S when changing. As mentioned, the car makes you concentrate before just planting your foot, but that makes it more enjoyable!

[playalistic]

When my brakes start squealing I’ll just head off to a quiet road and do a few big stops to glaze the discs. Seems to work for a month or so in my case anyway!

[dank]

I have put my deposit down on a very nice 2016 AMG C63 Estate, very excited, will post pics and details when i collect it ! Doesn't have performance exhaust, but hope the normal exhaust sounds good enough in sport+ mode?

[Tomatogti]

Like others here we've also got an S4 (the wife's B7 avant) and I have just got a 2019 C63 wagon. Whilst the S4 is very capable it's just not special. It's sounds ok and has a nice parp on gear shifts. It's also a safe car just going about it's business swiftly but with no issues (but also not much excitment).

The C63 is very different, standard exhaust is louder than 99.9% of cars out there and sounds great, the performance exhaust (standard on the facelift C63, whereas you had to have the "s" before to get as standard) just turns the volume up to 11. For an estate it doesn't feel that big (coming from an M135) but it's always an occassion driving it (only had a month so there's also the new car excitment too but I can't see it wearing off any time soon!)

From reviews these engines are well built and should last a long time if properly cared for. I'd always want a warranty though.

Enjoy - you will not regret it!

[dank]

Thanks for the info

Is there any way to make the exhaust louder, whilst not messing up the AMG warranty? Is it just a reprogram of the ecu to keep the valves open all the time?

also, anyone know of a decent boot liner, cover?

thanks

[playalistic]

dank said:

Thanks for the info

Is there any way to make the exhaust louder, whilst not messing up the AMG warranty? Is it just a reprogram of the ecu to keep the valves open all the time?

also, anyone know of a decent boot liner, cover?

thanks

The non-performance exhaust isn't valved so you have no options other than replacing it with something non-OEM, as far as I understand. I suppose you could have the cats removed from the secondaries or the downpipes, though not sure how much difference that would make with the non-perf exhaust?

[Chaz645]

Can’t help with the exhaust but I bought a Gledring rubber boot liner from eBay for mine, about £40, and it’s spot on

[dank]

Thanks for the info

I won't bother with an aftermarket exhaust, don't want it to sound chavvy and too loud, or invalidate the AMG warranty!

I'll check out the boot liner

thanks

[dank]

Been reading up a lot on the C63 AMG estate's in the wt and i am still non the wiser. I am used to driving briskly in my S4, wet or dry, so what i am wondering is in comfort mode can does the c63 drive like any other car, safe in the wet, no wheel spin, aquaplaning etc, it's only if you switch off esp, put it in sport + in the wet you might get the back out of shape. I do need to be able to reliably drive int eh wet UK as my daily driver, is the c63 likely to just loose the rear end for no reason in the wet, making it scary and unpredictable?

[Welshbeef]

Does anyone know what all the blanked off buttons should be if options are selected in the screen/strip above the trust light switch?

[mako111]

C63 in comfort, S or S+ won’t try to kill you. The traction control, abs etc. will be fully active and will cut the power if you spin the rears. You have to deactivate traction control to slacken off the driver aids to let it give you power and slip together. From memory there are a couple of levels of off with TC and only properly off would be scary in poor conditions with a heavy right foot.

If you want to find out how these cars handle on various surfaces I’d recommend an experience session at MB Brooklands. The facility is setup to show you how the tech protects you from AMG power (until you turn it fully off) with wet circle, ice simulator and high speed straight. Plus a couple of short circuits to show how the cars handle.

dank said:

Been reading up a lot on the C63 AMG estate's in the wt and i am still non the wiser. I am used to driving briskly in my S4, wet or dry, so what i am wondering is in comfort mode can does the c63 drive like any other car, safe in the wet, no wheel spin, aquaplaning etc, it's only if you switch off esp, put it in sport + in the wet you might get the back out of shape. I do need to be able to reliably drive int eh wet UK as my daily driver, is the c63 likely to just loose the rear end for no reason in the wet, making it scary and unpredictable?