So, I decided to say goodbye to the C63, and get something a little more fiscally responsible.
The main reason for buying this car was the engine. It's so special it's ridiculous. Yes the car is stupid fast, but even just starting it up, and driving at a (relatively) normal pace, puts a massive grin on your face. The one I had also had the performance pack, which upped the power to 481bhp. I ummed and ahhed between this car and an M3 when I was deciding, but I don't think the BMW engine is as special as this one. It's very good, but not as vocal.
I do believe this is one of the last of the truly great NA engines of our time. Turbos, hybrids, electric motors etc. are all going to replace cubic inches, and the latest are actually pretty good at it. But I wanted the chance to own this whilst I could. Just the thought of a four door family sedan with a 6.2L V8 is still hilarious.
I did actually want to get a sticker for the back saying, "Please overtake, limited to 280"
It was actually very practical inside. The rear seats fold down completely flat, so I could get all manner of stuff from Canadian Tire in there. Fuel consumption was about 13L/100km, so not perfect, but not ridiculous either. The seats were just perfect, super figure hugging, not many cars can compare to be honest. Even some 'sports cars' have way wider sofa like seats compared to this, I'll miss these for sure.
The kids (and their friends) also loved it too. The problem with 440lb-ft of torque and 480bhp is that you tend to want to use it a lot. Which means lots of overtaking. I think my kids now have a completely unnatural view of how long an overtake actually takes. I'll have to recalibrate them. The funny thing about all that power is that it's very easy to overtake anyone, ever. So even if you have some muppet that decides their feelings are hurt, and they start accelerating, you just leave them behind, instantly.
Obviously, after a while, you have to learn to rein it in. And that's part of the reason for getting rid of it. For commuting it feels like it's straining at the leash ALL THE TIME, and every time you decide to have a bit of fun, you're well into licence losing territory in a couple of seconds. It actually did pretty well in the Winter. I got some 'AMG look' snows (above), and the electronics are astounding at keeping you on the road in all conditions.
Yes this was my Winter beater.
I did have one final hurrah before trading it in a couple of weeks ago. I drove Elliot and I down to West Virginia and back to visit the Green Bank Telescope which is truly spectacular. I didn't really think too much about the car until we got into VA/WV. Holy sh!t those mountain roads were just a total playground, we had an absolute ball. Which is probably why I had no rear tread left at all!
The scale of this thing is unbelievable.
485ft tall, the area of the dish is 2.3 acres, and it weighs over 16 million pounds.
So, sad to see the car go, sort of relieved I never had a ridiculous repair bill, and very happy to know I was one of the very fortunate owners of a wonderful machine.
On to the new. I cross-shopped a ton of different vehicles, and ended up with a shortlist that consisted of a Honda Ridgeline, a Hyundai Kona EV, a Jeep, and a Golf GTI/R. In order of dealers I visited:
#1 on my list was the Ridgeline. Partly because just once I want to own a truck, and partly because it means I can carry the dirt bike around without having to use a trailer. I looked at a few trucks, and I considered this the best for my needs. But I just couldn't for the life of me get Honda to give me a decent trade in for the C63. No idea why... So that was out.
#2 was a Jeep. The latest new and improved model. I actually still really like everything about owning a Jeep, but I just couldn't get past the shitty fuel mileage. I have a fairly long commute, and it was worse than the C63, without the practicality of a truck to offset it. Also, optioned up, you're getting towards, if not over $50K. Not sure I could justify that for a Jeep.
#3 was the Kona EV. A compromise for sure, but it could get me to work and back twice on one charge. And I believe if you're going to go EV you might as well go all in, I didn't want something that could just do 30-50km on hydro. Also probably way better build quality than a Tesla. I like the idea of having a totally electric car, it's the complete opposite of the C63, and that's OK, that's progression. I already owned the T-Rex. In the end two things killed the Kona. The delivery dates being Feb/March, and the fact that at $45K-$50K, it's such a premium over the gas model it doesn't make financial sense. One day it will make perfect sense. That day I will buy an electric car.
#4, lastly the golf. Like many on this forum, I love FGC's. The design language, the 'character', I don't know what it is, I just keep coming back to them. I decided that I needed to slow down, so didn't need the R, and started looking for a decent GTI. Had a look at a few, and found a really nice 2017, with low km's just down the road from me. Went to see it, deal done. The trade in value also meant I paid no HST which was also a bonus.
Some pics:
So it's the Autobahn model, with the full tech package, rear camera, sensors up the wazoo! I love the interior design, and it's in mint condition, it barely looks like it's been sat in! And the snows I had also fit perfectly. In fact the 235/255 F/R fill the arches very well indeed, love it!
Originally I looked at manuals, but decided to get the DSG, partly so that my better half would feel comfortable driving it (important), but also because the DSG is pretty highly rated, especially by a VW tech friend of mine.
Funny thing is, I went into this expecting to not be blown away, expecting to be just 'satisfied' with my frugal little hatch, but it just keeps exceeding my expectations. The interior is amazing, the technology (adaptive cruise/lane guidance/back up warning) much as I hate to admit it because I'm a 'driver' is frickin' unbelievable. The hatch is just what I wanted from a practicality perspective, the handling is fantastic, and the acceleration is also way better than I expected. The little flappy paddles work well if you feel like using them, the heated seats are really nice, there are just so many things I love about this car, that I didn't know I would.
And on the fiscally responsible side, my fuel bill has dropped by nearly half, and my insurance went down $450.
I'm really happy with this car, can't say it enough. I spend most of the Summer using motorcycles, so when I need a speed fix I will always have that.
Bye bye AMG
