GLC AMG43 review

[lemming]

Goal: something with more high speed stability and top end speed as a utility vehicle (compared to 2021 Jeep Willys EcoDiesel)

Search:
1. 2022 E450 Wagon
2. 2018+ BMW X5 with the 3.0L
3. 2018+ GLE450 or GLE AMG43
4. 2019+ GLC AMG63
5. 2019+ GLC AMG43
6. Jeep (all new) Grand Cherokee
7. 2019+ Audi A6 wagon
8. 2019_ Audi A4 wagon

Really focused on CPO E class wagons. Most tend to be 2018-2019s with 25-35,000 miles. In today’s SoCal market they’re going for $65k CPO and the 2022s are $77k-83k new. But all dealers are putting additional dealer markup on them to the tune of $10-15,000.

The 2022 E wagon is superb in terms of fit and finish. But it is gigantic. And I think dynamically it just wasn’t right. And E63S wagons are unobtainium or going for $150-160k right now. So. I was disappointed.

I didn’t make it to the BMW dealership, but i had a short list of CPO X5s if I couldn’t find what appealed to me at the MB showroom.

The GLE is probably a good size. The GLE450 is decent. But it had the same floatiness that is in the 2022 E wagon. GLE AMG43/53s are hard to find at the moment. Except for those GLE43/53 Sport Utility Coupe things. No thank you.

I passed on the all new JGC because markups are there and I don’t trust Stellantis enough on a new model.

Audi? Pretty hard to find what interested me. Even the RS6 wagon looks decent. But then why wouldn’t I get the E63S at that kind of money?

The GLC has never really appealed to me. I like the size. But the GLC300 loaner I had was meh. German four cylinder engines have zero appeal for me.

GLC63s models are unobtainium. So that sucked.

So drove three different GLC AMG43s. And dynamically the vehicle surprised me. The 2018 interior is the same as the 2015/2016, which is to say awful. The 2019 is a little better. The 2021 had the most up to date interior obviously. And a touchscreen GUI. The roll control is good. Damping is good. Exhaust note with sport exhaust is cool. Brakes are great.

The power plant is the real draw. Even though it’s a v6 (this is the M276 power plant), it feels mostly similar to the M256 power plant in the E53.

Probably the thing that was most appealing to me are high speed stability and top end passing power for the crazy ass wide open highways in and about LA. I am/was often bumping up against the speed limited in the JL EcoDiesel and that’s profoundly not helpful when you’re trying to get away from typical shit LA drivers sitting in the left lane.

So. That’s the deal.

991.2/992 search is on hold for now. It’s been too frustrating looking at overpriced stuff that just isn’t 95-100% perfect for me.