Trips to the tip will never be the same again with one of our five hot estates, starting with this, the Mercedes-AMG C63. It’s the W204-series model produced from 2008 to 2015 and powered by a 451bhp 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8.
A neighbour of mine has run a 2011-reg example for the past few years. His facelifted model has 50,000 miles on the clock, and it growls sonorously when he does the school run.
It’s a good basis for a buying guide. The firm suspension and 19in wheels have weakened the interior a touch so that it creaks a little over bumps. He has to keep his eye on the oil: up to two litres between services isn’t uncommon. With a heavy right foot, fuel economy slips well into single figures. That might explain why many C63s we encountered in the classifieds could count five previous keepers in the logbook.
Our find has just two. It’s a 2012-reg with 70,000 miles and full Mercedes service history. It rides on 18in wheels so might be a tad more comfortable than my neighbour’s car, as well as a bit tighter feeling.
If we were properly serious, we’d check the condition of the oil-filled engine mounts (they can start vibrating at around 60,000 miles) and the operation of the coolant thermostat. Our find’s full Mercedes service history means the 40,000-mile transmission fluid and filter change is likely to have been done.
The front control arms are a weak spot. It’s a heavy car with bags of grunt so we’d want to see lots of life on those discs and pads. Inside, we’d listen for creaks and rattles and ensure the infotainment works.
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