[Palmnuts]

A fellow forum member has just brought this to my attention

Whilst far from perfect, this was one of my favourite cars that I've had and now it's in the hands of the independent trade

http://www4.autotrader.co.uk/classif...1501?logcode=p


So, whilst the suspension and steering column rigidity (or lack of!) on these C63's was always a bugbear of mine, I still reckon this is the best pre-facelift example in the country.

I'm biased, yes, but it has to be....I don't reckon any other example has the combination of several £k's worth of leather covered dash, Alcantara headlining, uprated exhaust manifolds and race cats plus properly set-up KW V3 suspension (assuming the previous owner hasn't messed with them too much) to fix that roly poly suspension of the standard car. OK, a tad harsh on the standard car but I never understood why they took away the firmer suspension set-up of the earlier (non-Plus) Performance Pack cars.....and, if like me you've recently compared one to the Jag's I'm now used to, you'd know exactly what I mean!)

It's certainly held it's money well enough and should be well worth the extra over a standard car. Just a shame it now appears to have grown a fake carbon wrap on the roof the steering wheel and gear knob are now shiny and the cream leather has lost it's 'newness'

Anyway, sales pitch done....will someone just buy this car and then come and visit me. Id; love to see it again and for it to go to a good home.....it's my baby after all I even went and collected it from the factory!

[Jedimindtrix]

Stunning car, but I wouldn't touch that dealer with a barge pole.

I've got family in the trade in Leeds and heard some horror stories about Shaks.

[rich1068]

Is that your postcode Mr Nuts? Usual thing with Autotrader links.

[rogerxp]

Wohoo - Party at Palmers

[A_P]

^ lol haha

[Dannyrado]

Oh god help it. It's at Shak's.

[Palmnuts]

Postcode issue fixed....thanks chaps! You can all go for a party at the address I lived in 6 years ago

Now, being at the dealer would put me off and I don;t even know them....it just looks dodgy. I've seen cars there before that I might have considered but theres just something about it....the fact they advertise some top end cars on the side of the road just doesn't sit right with me.

However, unless the previous owner hasn't decked the car, it should still be OK. I reckon thats attainable for £36.5k.....with a cheeky offer of £35k to start the bidding! After all, the leather needs a good clean!

[dxb335d]

Lovely motor. I will end up with one of these at some point!

[Jedimindtrix]

A large majority of the cars at Shaks are very clean, it's almost as if they've been laundered by the previous owner.

[sives]

funny thing is that i saw this car on wednesday.

went to huddersfield for my graduation.

know a few mates who know the owners of the dealer. he gets some nice car tho.

been there a few times when i was in uni there , nice car mate

there is a seat leon cupra k1 which got sold. that was on e of my mates one. was pushing 350 bhp. one heck of a crazy car.

[SteveC]

The problem with a car like this is how it compares to a new car on finance. By the time you take into account the manufacturer's discount, dealer deposit contribution, special finance incentive and the bath they take on the hand-back residual, its unlikely the dealer will be able to offer this car at significantly lower deposit and finance than a new car.

[gIzzE]

£399+vat a month for these a while back, not sure what deals are around now though.

[Palmnuts]

Yes, yes, you can buy one new on cheap finance...but they're not that cheap once you've added some options. Properly spec'd with PPP, LSD, uprated audio etc etc and they're still going to be in the region of £700pm.

Anyway, the cheap finance is the reason I had two - I bought the first one as ex-demo before the crazy deals (so no cheapo credit) then, when Merc started subsidising them with a crazy deposit contribution and low APR's, it made my monthly payments cheaper by selling the first one (just 6 months after buying it) and buying a new fully loaded Performance Pack Plus! I then blew what I'd saved (and more!) on making it a decent car

In the end, your new one on cheap finance still buys you one with floppy suspension and a plastic dash (although is a leather dash now a factory fit option?)....spend £36k'ish on my old one and you get around £8k's worth of very good quality upgrades.

Which, I'll admit....means nothing to 99.9% of punters. And if I'm being honest, even I'd personally still buy new and do it all again as thats half the fun to me!

[briers]

I've decided as of last night a c63 will be my next car.

I think i would like a change from BM, although the e90 M3 is the better car i simply can't ignore the fact the c63 sounds proper filthy, it's got bags of torque and it's kid friendly in the saloon shape. When i heard Andrews c63 on one of the meets i fell in love with the sound. I like the jags for that too.

I was quite impressed with how easy the 335d is to drive, the c63 is quite meaty in that respect, always been a petrol guy so the 335d was my first diesel

I think i need to give up coupes for now and the c63 or m3 are the only cars that interest me at the mo.

Think i will have to wait until after xmas and i get paid most importantly then i may message sheps, maybe he will be fed up by then.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by briers

Think i will have to wait until after xmas and i get paid most importantly then i may message sheps, maybe he will be fed up by then.

Sorry to disappoint, but mine is leased!
That said, I wouldn't let it go anyway - I love this car, and you'll love it to.

If you want to get together over the Xmas break so you can have a proper go in one (and not a sanitised 10 minutes run accompanied with a nannying salesman sat next to you) give me a shout and we can meet up and you can leather about in mine.

[briers]

thats an awesome offer thank you sir

Shame i would love to buy from another member as i know all you guys looks after your motors.

I think there is another guy on here Dave i think but he has an estate and i know it's very new for him.

Good your still loving it! I will keep my eye out for a nice black performance pack saloon

[Palmnuts]

Briers...have we met then? (Sorry but I'm terrible at putting faces to forum names doh!)

The M3 is the much better handling car and in DCT form, has the better gearbox. They each have things I dislike (but then what car doesn't with me???) and I yet I like them both almost equally.

If you're used to a 335d, theres the risk you'll find the M3 a little disappointing and hard work at first (I came out of a bog standard 335i into my first M3 and thought that....it took a good few months to really appreciate the M's finer points)...a standard M3 is certainly no faster than a lightly breathed on 335d in a straight line as someone proved time and again to me at Santa Pod In contrast, when I got my C63 coming out the M6, I never wanted for more go! (and as Carlos will agree, the C63 IS faster than a 335d )

If you spec a new one, I believe you can now choose the stiffer springs from the original Performance Pack. My recommendation is to do that as it brings the car much more into line with the M3 chassis stiffness (and it's definitely not too hard like some journo's claim) and is far simpler and cheaper than the aftermarket route that I took with mine!

Anyway, what do I know....I change my mind every time I think about which one of these two I prefer! Go and test drive these back to aback and enjoy the buying process!

[briers]

Thank you Andrew, i hadn't realised you could spec the springs as an add on. A quick look revealed the bog standard model is still low £400's so with some optional extras it's quite tempting to have a brand new car, normally buy them 2 or so years old.

I was within a gnats whisker of putting a deposit down on an M6 at my local BMW dealer but i found the rear legroom surprisingly crap even though it's a much bigger car than mine (i need rear legroom for 2 kids who are growing up rapidly). Paul with the 650i mentioned the lack of rear legroom too.

I thought it sounded like a performance bargain, they are so cheap now.

Anyway, i was there at the Stafford meet when you have your white c63. There were so many people there, my first bmw meet we never really had a proper chat, i spent ages chatting to Tony about his car build and mark and John 2 other local guys to me and Helen about her interesting car history. I didnt make it to the dinner as i had been away that day.

I just remember standing in the car park and the local chavs bowling in on their mopeds revving them on the other side of the car park and you started the car up and gave it a few blasts and them promptly stopping. Reminded me of the bullet tooth tony scene out of snatch when he was describing the desert eagle .50 against the replica glock. - i just loved the sound it made, it just sounded wrong which is why i love it but i was aware you had modified the exhaust in some way.

[Palmnuts]

Yes, the sound of the AMG's is simply rude - with my XKR, it's my favourite sounding car. The Jag sounds very Aston-like and is much more raspy, the AMG sounds, well, like an AMG. Nothing, sounds like them.

In fact, I'm pretty much alone in this opinion but I'd have the sound of the Jag, AMG and even the M3 over that of the Maserati, which to me sounded like a chavved up Corsa (OK, a bit extreme but it wasn't a classy sound). As I said....I'm on my own there as some reckon it's one of the worlds best sounding cars - I just don't get it.

Love the story....the bit about the chavs on their mopeds being like the Snatch scene....hilarious. But it was lost on me on the day... I didn't notice that situation! Listen to us though.....'the chavs'! Standing around in car parks and revving our engines....what are we other than the same but quite a bit older . Oh, just me then huh?

The M6 was great but it would shock the hell out of you if you're coming from a 335d....never mind the rear seats, even a C63 makes that V10 seem frugal! I used to average in the region of 11-13mpg and town driving hit the dizzy heights of 7-9mpg!

The exhaust mods on my C63 (which I assume are still on it) were very discreet but awesomely effective. Firstly, on the inside it was no noisier than standard yet outside it took on a slightly harder-edged bellow. I had bigger manifolds and 200 cell primary cats fitted, both of which left the car looking standard and sounding familiar.....just a little bit ruder!

I totally get the appeal at £400/month....and although it will be more like £600 once you add VAT and some kit, it's still a bargain. It's a £55k+ V8 sports saloon for similar monthlies to what poor old Roger was being quoted for a Scirocco!

[rogerxp]

C63's for all

[Palmnuts]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

C63's for all

You could do worse old chum It's surely a better way of spending your £600pm 'budget' than the other things you've been looking at?

Anyway, good to see you're busy posing on the forum during working hours. Is this typical? Either you're skiving or your job is far too easy

[chris330D]

A C63 is a right of passage, you simply must if you can afford it . In estate form they are just mental and there is nothing like blasting past someone in a sports car with the dog looking out the back at them