2009 M3 vs C63 in stock prices

[Mako]

well I am still a hardcore M fan (have owned an M Coupe and M roadster in the past) but this weekend decided to buy a C63 over the M3. It broke my heart to not get a M3, but I have driven both and the performance is outstanding on both, I might go to the tracks once a year, so this is more for everyday driving and I had to get a sedan, the difference between the two to me was marginal.

Anyway the best price I could find on a M3 sedan was invoice, After e-mailing several Mercedes dealerships and using one against another I was able to get $12,400 off a loaded (minus compt package) C63. Paid $59,000 out the door (plus $1500 for a 4 year maint package). The car's MSRP was $66,880.

I know everyone on here are M3 fans but after crunching the numbers I paid about $10,000 less than I could have gotten a M3 E90 for, equipped the same with the same MSRP, both brand new 2009s. Even factoring in the $1500 I paid for the maintanence its a $8,500 price difference. Sounds like Mercedes is giving $8K directly to the dealers right now to move 2009 models out the door. I might have even gotten a few hundred more off but it was already 2 days e-mailing and the dealers were all starting to get pissed at me I love the car and am happy with it, my wife knows I will eventually get a M3 or the new M5s when I am done with this, but made me agree to keep it at least 3 years

I know most of you will say the M3 is still worth $8500 more but with a 6 month old baby and possibly another kid on the way soon, that $8500 can go a long way. And my father actually just bought a E92 M3, and said he will trade cars with me whenever I want

[Nawaaz]

I was so close to getting a C63. I can understand why someone would choose it over the M3. I really, really like the C63. The difference between the M3 and the C63 was marginal upon the time of my test driving too. I feel that the main advantages for the M3 are that it's lighter and more nimble to drive, and it can be had with a 6 speed manual. Other then those two things, both the M3 and the C63 are truly special in their own ways.

If my Merc dealer would've had the same incentives a few monts ago, I would've proably been in a C63 right now. I have to admit though, I'm crazy about my M3 since I have it now and I've got to know its sharp, sports car nature.

You made the right decision regardless. The C63 is truly an amazing performance car. The exhaust note is just ohhhhhhhhhhh my!!! I'm lovin it man.

[bim14]

I woke up at 7:30 am on september 8th 2008...and i was looking forward to going to pick up my black/black c63 at about noon...however, something made me change my mind, and i was in a 2008 s5 then so i decided to hold off on the deal, and just drive the s5...and then in Nov i picked up my e92 m3...lol, honestly i wud like to have a c63 at this point, but also keep my m3...however we cant have everything

[warzilla]

Originally Posted by Mako

well I am still a hardcore M fan (have owned an M Coupe and M roadster in the past) but this weekend decided to buy a C63 over the M3. It broke my heart to not get a M3, but I have driven both and the performance is outstanding on both, I might go to the tracks once a year, so this is more for everyday driving and I had to get a sedan, the difference between the two to me was marginal.

Anyway the best price I could find on a M3 sedan was invoice, After e-mailing several Mercedes dealerships and using one against another I was able to get $12,400 off a loaded (minus compt package) C63. Paid $59,000 out the door (plus $1500 for a 4 year maint package). The car's MSRP was $66,880.

I know everyone on here are M3 fans but after crunching the numbers I paid about $10,000 less than I could have gotten a M3 E90 for, equipped the same with the same MSRP, both brand new 2009s. Even factoring in the $1500 I paid for the maintanence its a $8,500 price difference. Sounds like Mercedes is giving $8K directly to the dealers right now to move 2009 models out the door. I might have even gotten a few hundred more off but it was already 2 days e-mailing and the dealers were all starting to get pissed at me I love the car and am happy with it, my wife knows I will eventually get a M3 or the new M5s when I am done with this, but made me agree to keep it at least 3 years

I know most of you will say the M3 is still worth $8500 more but with a 6 month old baby and possibly another kid on the way soon, that $8500 can go a long way. And my father actually just bought a E92 M3, and said he will trade cars with me whenever I want

Couple of questions:

- What was the MSRP of the M3 sedan you spec-ed out? (since you are saying you paid $8500.00 less then a comparable M3 sedan)

- You said you paid $59,000.00 plus $1,500.00 for maint package. This makes a total of $60,500.00. Was this including the taxes and fees? If yes, what was the buying price of the car?

Observation:

Seems you really wanted the M3 since this post gives me the impression you're justifying the purchase of the c63 base on cost and your personal situation. You tested both cars, you brought the c63...be happy with the choice. But it is a M3 board so you know what I think you should have brought

[Hans Delbruck]

Not too bright. Dropping 60 large on something you don't really like. Did you actually need a new car or did your wife just give you permission? How old are you?

oh yeah, congrats

[mPlasticDesign]

Originally Posted by warzilla

Observation:

Seems you really wanted the M3 since this post gives me the impression you're justifying the purchase of the c63 base on cost and your personal situation. You tested both cars, you brought the c63...be happy with the choice. But it is a M3 board so you know what I think you should have brought

Observation:

You keep saying 'brought' instead of bought. Besides, we all bruy what we want to bruy....

[zenderm3]

Drove the c63 - liked the car's engine/basic handling - wasn't a huge fan of the interior... and overall... loved the look of the M3 - there really isn't anything like it. I can't wait.

[Nawaaz]

Hans,

You ordered a 135i? How come still no M3?

If you would've ordered an M3, it would've been so awesome that you'd own both the M3 and C63!

[Vic55]

I went the other way. I could have got a C63 back of invoice and then taken the dealer cash off that for an additional 7500. So essentialy 12-13k off MSRP like you got but I wanted the M3 at invoice which is about 6k off MSRP. I didnt compare the actual savings since the price points are different but I did compare the MSRP savings differential. The 7k was not enough to go back to the Star (Ive had 2 E55's and a CL65).

For me, since money was not the issue, I wanted the car that would make me happier. Ill be securing my E92 M3 later this week. This will be my 4th M Car having owned an E46 M3, E39M5, E63 M6, and now this car.

[Mako]

Originally Posted by Hans Delbruck

Not too bright. Dropping 60 large on something you don't really like. Did you actually need a new car or did your wife just give you permission? How old are you?

oh yeah, congrats

I never said I didn't like the C63 did I? In fact the more I drive it the more I love it! After getting rid of my M Coupe I had to drive my wife's Audi A4 until her lease was up (now) and going from that to anything with over 300 hp is a huge +. For keeping in my budget of $60K out the door and the options I wanted on a car, this was my only choice (other than a used M3). Wasn't going to go for a S5 since they are really overpriced right now.

Gotta say that the one thing I like a lot better on it are the seats, amazing seats with two seperate back supports (lumbar and lower back), seats hug you like nothing I have been in before (including the M3) interior is just as nice as the M3 to me, not sure why people knock it.

[Mako]

Originally Posted by warzilla

Couple of questions:

- What was the MSRP of the M3 sedan you spec-ed out? (since you are saying you paid $8500.00 less then a comparable M3 sedan)

- You said you paid $59,000.00 plus $1,500.00 for maint package. This makes a total of $60,500.00. Was this including the taxes and fees? If yes, what was the buying price of the car?

Observation:

Seems you really wanted the M3 since this post gives me the impression you're justifying the purchase of the c63 base on cost and your personal situation. You tested both cars, you brought the c63...be happy with the choice. But it is a M3 board so you know what I think you should have brought

Beautiful thing for me is I can drive an M3 whenever I want (parents live 30 minutes away, so I can drop off the kid and switch cars for the weekend since my dad just got a M3 E92).

with all the same options the E90 would have stickered at $68,200 with gas guzzler, the Mercedes stickered at $68,080, so you are right there is a $120 difference , of course the gas guzzler on the C63 is almost double the M3).

The biggest discount I could have gotten on the M3 was $4K putting it at $64,200, the price before taxes on my C63 was $54,700, not add $1500 to that because I wanted maintenance included and you are at $56,200 which is a difference of $8,000 plus $600 more in taxes!

Guys I am still a big fan of the M3, but the C63 is just as nice to me for $8600 cheaper, so I bought it (although the tire thing is bothering me, gotta find some decent tires to use, the OEM only last 5,000 miles!) I don't track my cars more than twice a year, so the advantage on the track for the M3 was not really an advantage to me.

[shakan]

Originally Posted by Mako

Beautiful thing for me is I can drive an M3 whenever I want (parents live 30 minutes away, so I can drop off the kid and switch cars for the weekend since my dad just got a M3 E92).

with all the same options the E90 would have stickered at $68,200 with gas guzzler, the Mercedes stickered at $68,080, so you are right there is a $120 difference , of course the gas guzzler on the C63 is almost double the M3).

The biggest discount I could have gotten on the M3 was $4K putting it at $64,200, the price before taxes on my C63 was $54,700, not add $1500 to that because I wanted maintenance included and you are at $56,200 which is a difference of $8,000 plus $600 more in taxes!

Guys I am still a big fan of the M3, but the C63 is just as nice to me for $8600 cheaper, so I bought it (although the tire thing is bothering me, gotta find some decent tires to use, the OEM only last 5,000 miles!) I don't track my cars more than twice a year, so the advantage on the track for the M3 was not really an advantage to me.

With such deep discounts, I wonder what the monthly lease payments would be. I saw somewhere that the money factor for the C63 is quite high while residual on a 36 month lease is less than 50% Maybe it's a good deal if you buy.

[Hans Delbruck]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

Hans,

You ordered a 135i? How come still no M3?

If you would've ordered an M3, it would've been so awesome that you'd own both the M3 and C63!

Yeah.... I know! I would have loved an M3 + the C63, but I can't justify an M3 as my "daily beater" -- I did try! And, the M3 and C63 are too similar for me to justify having both. "We" (spouse and I) already have quite a variety. To have M3 + C63 is a redundancy that only means we won't be able to buy that Caterham next The M3 is a great-looking car and I love the refined V8 engine/exhaust sound -- nothing else like it IMO. But, that extra 20-grand over the 135i is 20-grand more than I want to spend on a "daily beater." The 135i will replace my Evo, which I drive 100 miles a day r/t to and from work. (dang, I love the Evo so much I might have to hold on to it!) My daily beater has to be a car I don't worry about, one that I can beat up, drive hard and park anywhere.... I just wouldn't be happy doing that with an M3. So... I made my choice in this particular "automotive genre" last year and it was the C63. As far as beaters go, I think a 135i is pretty awesome and I feel very fortunate.

The M3 is a wonderful car though and it does turn my head and perk up my ears.

And to Mako, here's a proper CONGRATS on your new car. It's ok to buy an AMG "Benz." Life is short, sample what you can, learn what truly makes you happy

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by Hans Delbruck

Yeah.... I know! I would have loved an M3 + the C63, but I can't justify an M3 as my "daily beater" -- I did try! And, the M3 and C63 are too similar for me to justify having both. "We" (spouse and I) already have quite a variety. To have M3 + C63 is a redundancy that only means we won't be able to buy that Caterham next The M3 is a great-looking car and I love the refined V8 engine/exhaust sound -- nothing else like it IMO. But, that extra 20-grand over the 135i is 20-grand more than I want to spend on a "daily beater." The 135i will replace my Evo, which I drive 100 miles a day r/t to and from work. (dang, I love the Evo so much I might have to hold on to it!) My daily beater has to be a car I don't worry about, one that I can beat up, drive hard and park anywhere.... I just wouldn't be happy doing that with an M3. So... I made my choice in this particular "automotive genre" last year and it was the C63. As far as beaters go, I think a 135i is pretty awesome and I feel very fortunate.

The M3 is a wonderful car though and it does turn my head and perk up my ears.

And to Mako, here's a proper CONGRATS on your new car. It's ok to buy an AMG "Benz." Life is short, sample what you can, learn what truly makes you happy

hahaha..Completly understand man. I too used to have an Evo, but I gave it up to get my M3. I wish I could've kept the Evo......But unfortunately I can only afford the one car that makes me the most happy like you said.....