Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

hello

well my r34 has been for sale for some time now and in the mean time im just weighing up my options

im now looking at getting something naturally aspirated and a bit different, rare, special etc

lately ive become very fond of german sedans but newer models are just so damn expensive!

anyway ive gone through most models on carsales and the latest cars that have caught my attention are the mercs c36 and c43 there are only 3 for sale of each model and pricing isnt that bad i guess...

just wondering, has anyone here ever owned one of these or know someone who does etc? would love to hear some feedback anything really...

i know its a long shot its not even a jap car but yeah no harm in trying and i cbf signing up on merc forums etc

thanks!

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/
Share on other sites

  • Replies 54
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

A close friend has owned a C55 AMG for a year or so, it's been a superb car and 100% reliable. Admittedly it was a real standout car done a log booked 40,000klm and appears new.

Be aware to outrageous parts costs. Some grub stole the little mesh parts that fit around the inner lights (no doubt for his C180) and they cost over $1500 to replace.

Nice daily driver, and in my opinion, a better car (no not as fast) than the current C63 AMG.

Edited by Marlin
Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5376025
Share on other sites

C63 Rocks - if for no other reason than the sound. They're a bit small for my liking (bit cramped in the back seat for adults) but make an awesome cruiser and good for track days if you're game.

Have you consideres the BMW equivalents? Don't know what sort of $$ you're looking at, but the E39 (1998 - 2003) model M5's are around the $40k or less. 5L 400hp V8 with 6 speed manual - A lot of perforomance for not a lot of money.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5378893
Share on other sites

The W202 shape AMG’s are getting a big long in the tooth now.. As are they kays on them. I’ve driven some ratty ones as well as great ones. When they start going pear shaped the cost’s are ridiculous, but so are most car’s I guess.

A mate of mine has a C36 with 230,000 and it’s always in getting something fixed.. There weren’t that many C43’s delivered to Australia, if your budget can stretch to one don’t even waste your time with the C36.

If you can afford a good C43 and aren’t that fixed on the hot V8 exhaust note, C32’s are better buying IMHO.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5378962
Share on other sites

We owned an AMG C36 brand new. It was ordered with AMG E55 running gear and brakes in red with black leather and carbonfiber inside. The car was never delivered and sat at the dealership for 4 months, untill we picked it up.

It was a quick car, especially back then. Beautiflly constructed. Handling was very well ballanced and predictable... The car was regularly driven on a Targa Tasmania stage (work was at the end of it).

It was quiet and smooth over 240km/h ha ha ha.

ahh... the good old days.

It was much much quicker than my mildly modified r31 coupe (around 215rwkw).

Hope that helps,

Cheers

Justin

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5379020
Share on other sites

Have you looked at the E46 model BMW's 2000 onwards?

I would suggest looking at a 2000-2002 BMW 330Ci. 3 litre in-line six, great on fuel, 230bhp @ the flywheel, leather, sat nav, tv, bi-xenon headlamps. And in the eastern states you can pick one up for around the $30,000 mark in immaculate condition.

AND, contrary to popular thought, they are not that expensive to own or service. I've owned one and so does my brother. They are a cheap car the maintain.

Just some food for thought :domokun:

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5379026
Share on other sites

I test drove a C36 maybe 5 years ago, and I was quite impressed with it. Motor felt strong and decently rapid, though I wouldn;t call it fast. Build quality was nice, interior was comfy, rear leg room was quite good.

I was turned off in the end by the high km's and prospect of resale value, and the fact it couldn't tow despite having over 400nm's of torque.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5379042
Share on other sites

cheers guys

should have mentioned that my budget is no more than 25-30K :/

would love a c63 or m5 but way out of my budget lol

never been a fan of VW's or any other BMW's other than m3/5s although i do like the z4 and an audi s4 b5 would be nice but prefer N/A...

another car i have in mind is the merc R129 range always loved em that body shape just never gets old

im aware of the costs of parts and servicing that such cars require. however i service/fix my cars myself so i will only be paying for parts. i know maintenance will never be as cheap as japs and parts not as common but in my opinion such cars are worth the extra $$

btw my next car will mostly be used as a weekend cruiser so im after something comfy for long drives yet still have decent power for the occasional squirt here and there

any other suggestions would be great anything from the mid-late 90s or even newer as long as it doesnt exceed my budget :)

thanks again!

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5382111
Share on other sites

Yeh I had to read it again - 5L 400hp could be read as 500 in a quick glance. The V10 jobbies were good for 500hp apparenlty but still out of my price range.

Personally I wouldn't care if there are hundreds of mockups going around. If anything, it will stand out less (I'm not into standing out in a crowd). If you have the real thing, who cares whether there are wannabes trying to make their 318i look like a M3. Makes them a bunch of tossers, but doesn't detract from the genuine thing IMHO.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/330967-amg-c3643/#findComment-5387423
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Latest Posts

    • You just need to remove the compressor housing, not the entire turbo. I would not be drilling and tapping anything with the housing still on anyways. 
    • So, I put my boat on a boat. First of all, I'm going to come out and say it. Why is Tasmania not considered a holy goal, an apex that all road-legal modified cars go to, to experience? This place is an absolute wonderland of titanic proportions. If people are already getting club runs for once in a lifetime 30 person cruises to Tassy then I've never seemed to see it. It is like someone replaced the entire place with an idyllic wonderland for cars, and all of the people living there with paid actors who are kind, humble, and friendly. Dear god. After doing a lap of almost all of the place I've found that it's a great way to find out all of the little things that the car isn't doing quite right and a great way to figure it all out. All in all, I drove for 4 hours a day for a week and nothing broke. I didn't even need to open the engine bay. This is by all means a great success, but it has left me with a list of things to potentially address. I also now have a 3D printed wheel fitment tool which annoyingly hasn't got any threads in it to actually assemble it. I might be able to tape it together to check the sizing I actually want to use, but it'll likely involving pulling the shocks out to properly measure travel at least at the front, and probably raise the car while I'm at it, at least in the rear. I scraped on quite a few things and I'm not sure how else to go about it. I was taking anything with a bump at what felt like 89 degree angles. And address those 10 other tasks. And wash the car. God damn it is dirty. And somehow, the weather was perfect the entire time - And because I was on the top of Mt Wellington it turns out it was very much about to freeze up there. I did something I typically never do and took some photos up there in what must have been -10 and the foggy felt like suspended ice, rather than mere fog. If you own a car in Australia, you owe it to yourself to do it.
    • Damn that was hilarious, and a bit embarrassing for skylines in general 😂 vintage car life ey. That R33 really stomped. Pretty entertaining stuff
    • Hi, I have a r32 gtr transmission. Does any of you guys have an idea how much power it will hold with the billet center plate and stock gearset? At what power level and use did yours brake with or without billet plate? Thanks, Oystein Lovik
    • Saw this replica police car based on a Mitsubishi Starion XX parked next to a 'police box' (it's literally a box) in Hirohata, Himeji City in Hyogo prefecture the other day. It's owned by Morii-san who is a local Mitsubishi Starion enthusiast. According to a local radio station blog post, he always wanted to make a police car himself based on ones he saw in his favourite Manga comics.  As it's illegal to modify a car to look like a police car and drive on the road, Morii-san tried many times to get permission from Aboshi police station headquarters nearby. They refused initially by after they got tired of that they granted him permission. However, the car can only be displayed on private property and obviously can't be registered as long as the police livery is present. The car was completed at a cost of 1.5 million yen (US$ 10,000) in addition to the car cost. A location was chosen outside Hirohata Police box where the car can easily been seen from the street. Morii-san has two other Starion road cars, both widebody GSR-VRs.
×
×
  • Create New...