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Mercedes C63 AMG W204 (2008-2014) Buyers Guide

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A sonorous V8, knee-trembling thrills and luxurious build all for less than the cost of a Nissan Qashqai.

Built to compete with the BMW E92 M3 but with a massive 6.2litre engine, the W204 C63 just edged it in most magazine reviews as a result. Where it couldn’t quite measure up the E92s dynamism it won over on being an outright driver event every single time you fired up that monster of an engine and rolled off the drive.

As we creep into 2021 the raucous Merc is still a great buy, at a very affordable price-point. 0-69mph is achieved in 4.4seconds and like its rivals at top speed of 155mph is possible. Although with the optional Performance Pack this is raised up to 174mph.

In 2011 the coupe version followed on from the saloon and saw the introduction of the coveted Black Series which brought with it 510bhp and was followed by the last of production run of 507 edition cars.

Merc W204.jpg

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR WHEN BUYING

Engine

Displacement6208cc (Naturally Aspirated V8)
0-62mph4.4 seconds
Power451bhp
Torque599nm
Top Speed155mph (standard car)

engine.jpg

According to various independent specialists these engines are pretty solid. Some earlier cars suffered from excessive wear on the camshaft lobes and tappets but these were rare. There's also been the odd report of head bolts snapping but this is even rarer. Sticky injectors have been an issue for some which, when stuck open, can flood the engine with fuel and result in broken conrods. All of this is unusual and unlikely when buying one of these cars these days but given the complexity of the machinery under the bonnet it's always worth getting a proper inspection done before purchase.

As for later cars, the facelifted C63 introduced in 2011 is mostly bulletproof and comes with a superior gearbox than older cars. Much like the F10 M5, these cars use a lot of oil so you should factor this into your running costs and keep an eye on the level as part of your regular maintenance regime.

Gearbox
This isn't known for being troublesome with almost zero reports of failure in the grand scheme of things. LSD equipped cars provide a better driving experience but if the car didn't leave the factory with one this can always be retrofitted with various aftermarket options available. Even then. it's hardly essential but if you fancy one of these cars for the track then it's certainly a great upgrade to consider.

Running Gear
Squeaky bushes and leaky shocks can be prevalent on cars that have munched a lot of miles but by and large these cars rarely have any major problems with the suspension. Usual rules apply on your testdrive - listen for knocks and look out for slack in the steering rack. Don't let these put you off an otherwise good example as these issues are relatively easy to sort and don't cost the earth to put right either.

Brakes are a highly consumable item on a car like this but unusually on the standard set up discs are cheaper than pads but even then you're looking a fresh set of both on the front for less than 300 quid. The fancier set-up on Performance Pack cars is good for 25k miles but a new set of discs will set you back around two grand! So choose when browsing through the classifieds make sure you choose your weapon carefully.

Everything Else
As with all performance cars of this nature, check the bodywork carefully for evidence of crash damage. Other than that the bodywork and cabin is extremely well put together as you would imagine. No issues with the electrics either.

Running Costs
Miles Per Gallon28.9 combined (Mercedes) - 19 (real world)
Servicing Costscirca £200 Minor, £500-£900 Major
Tyres£550 for a full set of OEM spec Goodyears
Oil£15 for 1 litre of Castrol 5w40
VED Road Tax£580 per year
 
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