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    Mercedes E63 S AMG (2018) - Short Review (updated on a regular basis)

    PROLOGUE: Just in case someone is wondering, let me make one thing clear before I have to do a lot of explaining: This car is not a replacement for my R8 V10 Plus, it is my family car, nothing more and nothing less. 

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    To start this review with: I never actually planned to get an E63 S AMG, never had this car on my radar, especially since a burnt child dreads the fire and I've already had a bad experience with a E55 AMG (V8 Supercharged, 2WD) and a Panamera Turbo S (970). So it took a lot of thinking and analyzing before I decided to go for the E63 S AMG, I didn't want to regret it. It took me two test-drives to make the final decision because I really had a SUV on my radar, not a sedan again.

    I put a lot of thought into the configuration of my car but unfortunately, I made a couple of mistakes and I blame a little bit the sales person here, even if he was great overall, especially when it came to the lease offer and service.

    So where did I make these (configuration) mistakes?

    1. I didn't order the 360° camera. I thought I didn't need it but unfortunately, the front camera comes only with the 360° camera system and this front camera can come in very handy when parking such a big car. Also, apparently, there is no remote parking feature without the 360° camera system. Haven't really figured this out (yet) and I'm not even sure I wanted this possibility but now I regret not getting the 360° camera.

    2. I didn't order the illuminated door sills, a stupid 170 EUR options, not expensive at all. Why would I regret it? Well, in my Edition 1 model, there are floor mats with yellow stitching (same as leather in the car) and a yellow AMG logo. If I would have ordered the illuminated door sills, I would have gotten a yellow illuminated AMG logo, which looks very nice. 170 EUR option only, retrofit basically impossible for this kind of money.

    3. I didn't order the smaller exterior carbon package, which offers carbon mirror covers and a carbon rear spoiler lip. I didn't realize that the Edition 1 package contains black mirror covers but a rear spoiler lip colored in the car's color, not in black. It doesn't bother me that much but a black or carbon rear spoiler lip would probably have looked better on the car. We'll never know.

    So let's start with the short review in relatively short notes:

     

    PRO

    - Exterior Design: Car looks much better live than on photos, especially in that special color Designo Selenite Grey Magno. The Edition 1 cars also include the Night Package, which basically replaces almost all chrome accents with a glossy black color. Rear window and rear side windows are also heavily tinted in black, which gives the car a very sporty and sinister look. Well done, Mercedes. The black wheels are also a nice contrast to the golden Ceramic Brakes calipers, definitely eye candy on such a car. One can debate those black side stripes which come with the Edition 1 model but to my surprise, they really fit the car. Another advantage of the matte grey color (which has a liquid metal vibe under certain lighting conditions): I drove through heavy rain and you can barely see that the car is actually...dirty. Very forgiving color for dirt. The Panamericana grille would certainly fit the car much better but I guess this is something Mercedes wants to leave for the facelift. The black Panoramic roof also adds to the positive looks.

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    - Interior Design: The interior with that Widescreen Display (standard on the E63 models), the Ambient Lightning system, the Carbon Package, the AMG Performance Seats with black inlays (instead of the regular silver ones) and the bit of unconventional design in the door panels, etc., looks stunning and sporty. It never gets boring looking at it, even if I never was a fan of this styling. It seems to "work" though. Everything seems to be in a "flow", which makes it fun to look at it. Some people may call it over-styled and they may be right but I think Mercedes found it's own design language. The yellow stitching looks amazingly good and is apparently only available with the Edition 1 package. The quality of the leather, the stitching and the materials used is impeccable, pretty much S class quality. The Edition 1 steering wheel with the black inlays (instead of regular silver ones) and the Edition 1 imprint looks also very good and it is small and thick enough to feel amazingly well in your hands. Just perfect!

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    - Usability (Widescreen Display/buttons/controls): While the car seems to be overloaded with technology and buttons, you get used to this fast and never feel overwhelmed by it, which surprised me a lot. I do not easily feel overwhelmed by technology, especially since I love technology but I am actually a little bit disappointed that there isn't more to adjust, set-up or push. Seriously. I actually wish Mercedes would have put even more functions and features into that infotainment system called COMAND and I wish there were more buttons to adjust this and that but overall, I think Mercedes nailed it when it comes to usability. Also no touch buttons, everything works perfectly fine and feels natural. The touch pad works as good (or bad) as in any other modern car, so nothing to complain here. The Widescreen Display (or should I say displays because there are actually two displays one next to each other?) is not a touch display, which is a bit disappointing but not as disappointing as I expected it to be. The touch-less operation works well, no real usability issues here. I wish the CarPlay GUI would make better use of the large display, it just looks a little bit "blown up", even if resolution is fine but overall, I like it. CarPlay "crashed" twice (shut off) but came back after a few seconds by itself, so I guess there is some room of improvement here but it works well.

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    - Seating/Comfort: To my surprise, the AMG Performance Seats are very comfortable and you can adjust them quite a lot. There is no massage option for them (bummer Smiley) but you can inflate/deflate the side bolsters, which is nice and they also have adjustable lumbar support. The memory option comes in very handy because these seats are these kind of seats everyone wants to adjust individually. The whole ride is very comfortable, even in the sportiest (Sport+) suspension setting. If you put the car in C (comfort mode) and leave the sport exhaust button turned off, the E63 S feels like a Mercedes S class, unbelievable. Interior noise, I do not have the Acoustic Package (to lower noise), is basically only made by the wind and...the tires. My kids sat in the backseats as well and loved them. You need to know that my kids can be very very picky when it comes to seating comfort in a car. They love it. I ordered the A/C option for the rear as well, where they can individually adjust the temperature and air flow by themselves. There are also vents in the rear B pillar, which helps to delivery sufficient air to the rear. Very good for the rear passengers. I also ordered the USB option (two USB ports) for the rear. There is also a 220V/110V option instead, so you can plug in your devices directly but I found the two USB ports option to be more suitable for the needs of my kids (iPads/iPhones). Legroom is also fine for the kids, no issues here but a very tall adult could get into trouble.

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    - Luggage Room: There is enough room for a couple of suitcases, no worries here. I ordered the split rear seats option, which offers some variability just in case we need it. There is also some more spare room under the bottom of the rear trunk since I didn't order the bigger Burmester sound system.

    - Engine: Break-in period is a frigging 3000 km. Yes. Smiley For the very first 1500 km, I need to keep the car under 4500 rpm, I cannot drive faster than 140 kph (seriously) and I am supposed to keep the car in C (comfort) mode only, no kickdown or more than 1/3 throttle usage allowed. That said, I have to admit that I am dying a slow death here while driving the car. Smiley It is also required to have a rear axle differential oil change after the first 3000 km, apparently this particular differential is one of the reasons why the car must be broken in properly. The other reason seems to be engine power/performance, there is a very strong rumor that the proper break-in is essential to the engine power output. This has been confirmed by an AMG engineer in the AMG Owner's Lounge but I still find it strange that a modern engine would require such a proper break-in. I will stick to it but I don't have to like it. At the (low) speeds I was using this engine so far, it feels power and sounds very good. Throttle response is OK in Comfort mode. Fuel consumption is a bit on the higher side, at constant 140 kph, I had around 12 liters / 100 km but driving in the city at lower speeds, fuel consumption went up to 17 liters or so, not really that low. Car is still new, so is the engine, maybe it gets better over time.

    - Chassis/Suspension: There are various settings, no worries here. You can switch from comfortable to super sporty with the push of a button. My car came with Pirelli PZero M01 (instead of the expected Michelin Sport 4S) and so far, they feel good and sporty but I am worried that the Michelin is the sportier tire. I cannot be sure since Mercedes seems to use these tires on a random basis (there was a new E63 S AMG Estate ready for pickup in the delivery hall at Sindelfingen at the same time with my car and this car had Michelin tires) but if I don't like the PZero, I can easily switch to the Michelin, no problem here. So far, they feel good (steering precision, grip) but I'm not even sure I have the proper tire pressure yet. I will update this review as soon as the break-in period is over and I get to drive the car at a faster pace and speed.

    - Exhaust Sound: Well, it is very noticeable, even under 4000 rpm. I love it. Deep V8 growl. People turn their heads, so it is noticeable. Not as much noticeable in the interior I'm afraid, especially if the music is turned on or the windows are closed. Not a problem though. I ordered the Performance Exhaust, I would definitely recommend it. There were some YouTube videos with aftermarket exhausts but I think they do not really improve the sound (unless you remove the cats and/or keep the exhaust flaps open the whole time) and the OEM Performance Exhaust from AMG is the best option. I was lucky to get one of the last cars without particulate filter, all E63 S starting with June production have a particulate filter. Maybe they sound the same, maybe not but definitely not better. Smiley

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    - Steering: Even in C (comfort) mode, the steering feels quite direct and precise. I switched once to Sport+ mode and the steering was very sporty and provided a very nice feel to it. I may be wrong but I think that in C mode, the steering "adjusts" to the driving style. Sometimes it is more light, sometimes more firm, it feels OK but also a bit weird. Hopefully this happens on in C mode. 

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    - Brake System: The optional Ceramic Brakes feel good, very precise braking point, very firm. They also look very good in my opinion. Can't say more about them since I'm still in the break-in period. I am happy I ordered them though, they "fit" the car and it's look perfectly.

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    - Burmester Sound System (small one): Highly recommended. I tested it with Digital Radio (DAB) and my iPhone X, the small Burmester System is really worth it's money. It sounds better than the Porsche BOSE system and delivers a nice base and a very good resolution of sound. The BOSE in Porsche cars usually sounds a bit dull, the small Burmester in the E63 S does not sound dull (which is a great relief since I couldn't go for the bigger Burmester system). Now I am pretty sure that the bigger Burmester system sounds amazing but I am happy I saved some money and didn't get it instead of the Ceramic Brakes. I would put it, sound-wise, between the Porsche BOSE and the Harman Kardon system of my Audi R8. For the price Mercedes is asking, definitely worth it.

    - COMAND (infotainment) system: The Widescreen Display(s) is amazing, no doubt about it. High resolution, very nice looking. GUI looks a little bit outdated but it is OK. I wish there would be more styles for the speedo cluster because if I'm honest, none of the current styles (three of them) appeal to me. There is even more room for improvement though. For example displaying the engine data: It basically shows power and torque but it is pretty much useless because it doesn't really say much. The values are theoretical, not real ones (of course). Also, there is a digital boost gauge but as a visual bar only, not as a value (for example 1.0 bar or so...). Worthless, again. The Mercedes Me (Online) stuff is nice but also not very helpful. I tried to listen to Internet Radio but it says I have to buy data packages from Vodafone. Of course I can't do that from the Mercedes Me App in the COMAND, I need to use a computer or smartphone. Bummer. The car delivery a bit of telemetric data to the Mercedes Me app on my iPhone but other than knowing how much fuel is left, there isn't much to do. OK, I can remotely open/close the doors (even close open windows) and I get an alert if the alarm system is triggered (which is a nice option), even if someone is hitting the car only (for example a parking incident) but otherwise, not much to do here. There are a couple of additional services I can order but so far, I haven't figured out what the potential of this system is. Not impressed...yet.

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    - Safety: Traditionally, the Mercedes E class has many safety systems standard. My car even has brake assist standard. I ordered the rear compartment safety package, which included side airbags and...hold your breath, belt bags. What they heck are belt bags? Well, read here about them:  http://media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko.xhtml?oid=9361685 . So far, it seems that the new E class is one of the safest cars in the world right now. Good to know.

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    CONTRA

    - Design/Looks: Not a sleeper, unless you get it in a more subtle color. I was courageous to take it in the color I took it but in retrospect, I am a bit surprised how much attention this car attracts. Didn't expect that (or maybe I did in my subconscious and this is why I ordered this color Smiley). Cautious: It looks much more "in your face" than on photos, keep that in mind if you order this color. Also weird: The car has the night package, blacked out silver parts but there is still some chrome on the car, including the front grille. I don't expect all silver parts to be completely black but the contrast to the amount of silver color in the front grille is a bit too much in my opinion.

    - COMAND/Online features: Expected more in the year 2018 but maybe I haven't figured out everything yet.

    - Break-in period of 3000 km and the first 1500 km not faster than 140 kph: They must be kidding, right?! It seems that AMG is taking this very seriously.

    - Random tire installs, some cars get Pirelli, others get Michelin, so you never know if your car achieves the same performance with the tires you get. I wish AMG would offer a tire choosing option, even at cost.

    - No electronic "dipstick", you need to check engine oil level manually. Big surprise for me.

    - Larger 80 l fuel tank (my car has this option) costs extra money. Should be a standard option, considering the fuel consumption of the car.

     

    UPDATE 1 (May 22nd 2018), first break-in period of 1500 km already passed: 

    - No issues so far, knock on wood. Car has almost 1800 km and runs perfectly.

    - Oil level measurement: Correction, there is no manual dipstick but an electronic one, which is easy to use (after you learn where to find it Smiley).

    - Multibeam LED lights are fantastic, they work quite well, highly recommended if you are on the road at night very often.

    - Pirelli PZero tires feel very safe in the wet and pretty good on dry pavement as well. Will need to push them more to learn what they're capable of though.

    - Interior noise level, even at higher speeds (200 kph), pretty low. You can listen to music and talk with passengers at a normal voice level, pretty cool.

    - Best option for getting the best exhaust sound is...shifting manually. I created an individual setting with the sportiest settings possible, manual shifting as well and use it to "produce" exactly the amount of exhaust sound I want or need. A good exhaust sound requires higher rev figures though. The sound below 3000 rpm is mediocre at best, the good stuff starts over 4000 rpm and it is really really loud (for a turbo charged car). Compared to the new Panamera Turbo, I'd say the E63 S is twice as loud when fully accelerating. At least this is how it sounds. Very nice V8 sound, not as deep as I wanted it to be but also not as high pitched as in the new M5 for example. Almost perfect.

    - Shifting: Well, you can put the gearbox into S+ (Sport+) and automatic mode and it still upshifts when needed, which is pretty cool. Other manufacturers usually program their gearboxes to stay too long in that particular gear, which can get annoying at times. For a nice but subtle V8 rumble, you want to drive the car in C (Comfort) and automatic mode, just make sure you don't accelerate too much. In Sport+ mode, shifting is quite fast, especially when shifting manually.

    - Throttle response: Well, no matter which driving program, the turbo lag is always present. In C (Comfort) mode, the turbo lag can be annoying, in S (Sport) mode is it acceptable but only in S+  (Sport+) mode, it is fun. I actually prefer the Race mode when it comes to throttle response but there isn't much difference (if any) to Sport+. I know now, again, why I prefer the n/a V10 in my R8, there is no substitute. People who aren't used to n/a engines may argue otherwise but in a family car, the throttle response lag is acceptable. My 991.2 Carrera GTS Cab is slightly better in this domain (in Sport Plus mode) but not by much I'm afraid. Yes, I'm spoiled, I know (R8).

    - Engine: The engine throws a punch, it is incredible how this 2 ton car pushes forward. I cannot say much about how powerful the engine is, I broke it in properly the first 1500 km and I am slowly raising the pace but overall, I think that the engine is a treat. Have I mentioned how good it sounds for a turbo engine?!

    - Fuel consumption: Oh well...long story. During break-in, I managed to get 12 l / 100 km in average on the Autobahn, around 16-17 l / 100 km in the city. Average fuel consumption was around 14.5 l / 100 km during break-in. After the 1500 km first break-in period, the fuel consumption went up to 24 l / 100 km. Of course I was driving differently but not full throttle and not over 230 kph. So there is room for improvement Smiley...I guess I will see the 30 when I hit over 300 kph. Smiley Bottom line is: I don't know how someone could get 12-13 l / 100 km average consumption on this car, I can't and it isn't even broken in yet.

    - The matte color of the car is a delight in and after bad weather. It kind of always looks...clean. Smiley OK, if you look closely, you see some dirt and/or water spots but overall, like I said before, a very (dirt) forgiving color. Not so easy to keep clean and shiny...oops...matte though, since I cannot use many cleaning and polishing products. Will require some adjustments in the cleaning/paint maintenance department. 

    - Forgot to order the (free of cost) Track Pace (COMAND Online). Description: 

    Customers can use the app to analyse and improve their driving style on the track as well as sharing with other AMG drivers via Facebook, YouTube or the AMG Private Lounge.

    The app for the Apple iPhone® connects to the AMG GT models by WiFi. The vehicle then sends a wealth of data to the app in real-time, such as speed, gear, steering angle, time, position and acceleration.

    Lap or sector times on racetracks can be saved. Numerous track profiles are already stored on the app for this purpose. Drivers are also able to record and save further race tracks themselves. In addition, the Apple iPhone®camera records the performance on the race track, the driver then receiving an interactive video of their racing experience with all the telemetry data superimposed.

    Since this is a cost-free option, I thought this comes with the COMAND, so I didn't order it. You don't want to know how long I looked for it in the COMAND system, it was driving me nuts not finding it. Bummer. Luckily, there is a way to get this software installed with a COMAND Online software update at the dealership. Unfortunately not a cost-free option anymore but let's see, if my dealer is generous.

    Why do I need it? Well, it is basically a built-in Performance Box/VBox.

    - Setting up the built-in Mercedes Me Hot Spot (WiFi, both 2.4 and 5 GHz) in Germany is a pain in the ass. You need to register separately with Vodafone Germany, incl. a video identification process (anti-terror laws and all...) and you get the first 1GB for free. Now I made the mistake to connect my iPhone X to this Hot Spot and guess how long the 1GB data package lasted? Exactly. Not even a day. Smiley 

    1GB costs almost 10 EUR and is only valid for 4 weeks. 6GB cost 35 EUR, valid for 4 weeks as well. The 12GB package is valid for 1 year but costs 110 EUR. Crazy. Who pays this kind of money for these crappy data packages? I have a monthly 25GB data package with my phone and I end up with 1 or 2GB left at the end of the month. Keep in mind that I am on a WiFi network (office or home) most of the time, so... I will order the 6GB option for a short family trip to Italy (kids don't have the data package I have in countries outside Germany) but it is really a crappy offer from Vodafone.

    - AMG Performance Seats: They look great but are they comfortable? Yes, they are but only if you have some meat on you. Smiley The upholstery is a little bit thin and if your bones stick out, you may feel it. My son is very thin (beanstalk Smiley) and he says the seats were a bit uncomfortable for him because he "felt his bones". Smiley I consider them to be very comfortable though. So before getting them, you may want to try them first.  

    The rear seats are, according to my kids and my wife, very comfortable and the climate control in the back of the car is also excellent (I have the optional individual A/C temperature/air flow control). My wife got a bit car sick yesterday in the back seats but this probably had to do with my driving, not the car. Smiley Smiley 

    - Panoramic Roof: I didn't want to order it but I am happy I did. Especially the rear passengers love the open "sky", even if the roof cannot be opened in the rear, just in the front part of the car. If you have claustrophobia, definitely worth getting. Smiley

    - Assisted Braking System: I turned it off. Even in the most sensitive setting, it was too intrusive for my spirited driving. At some point, the system did a full stop and almost broke my ribs (belt), so I was pissed and turned it off. Definitely a great working system but not if you drive like me. Smiley I need to remember to turn it on again when my wife drives though. Smiley Smiley It seems you can program profiles for every user/car key, so I will try to do that.

    - Fuel tank (80 l): Definitely too small but I like how fast the fuel tank is filling up. At my two favorite fuel stations (Shell and Aral), filling up is slow with my R8, my Mini JCW or my 911 Carrera GTS Cab. With the E63S? That thing fills up in no time, amazing. Weird.

    - Mercedes Me Location Services: I was finally able to buy that 3 year (99 EUR) location services package. I had issues doing so because I forgot to enter the home phone number, I only entered the cell phone number and apparently this wasn't enough. Smiley These location services are basically a tracking service for the car with a pretty amazing accuracy. 

    - COMAND navigation maps updates: So I pick up a brand-new E63 S AMG at the factory in Sindelfingen in May 2018 and the navigation data is V9, dated April 2017 or so. Smiley No problem, there is an update to V10, it can be done remotely through a COMAND download, so pretty convenient. It takes two attempts and two COMAND resets (announced!) while driving but the new V10 is installed without any further action on my part. Cool. Well, not so cool is the fact that the navigation data V10 is from Nov. 2017. Smiley Looking inside the Mercedes Me Portal, there is another update available for my car, V11.1 dated April 2018. Oh boy... Smiley No problem, I can update that too...until I notice the fine print...the V11.1 update needs to be done at the dealer during the next service appointment. Oh boy...again. Smiley I guess I will have it done with my Track Pace software update, whenever I get it.

    OK, I managed to get a download (don't ask Smiley), so I'm good. Didn't know if updates work with an USB stick only or through a SD card as well but they do (SD card). Over 11GB, not exactly small (Germany and a couple of European countries, not all of them).

     

    UPDATE 2 (May 24th 2018), at around 1850 km:

    - Chassis/Suspension: S class comfort? Not exactly. The car felt very comfortable in C (Comfort) mode but on roads with transverse joints (I really hope this is the right English expression, I don't have a clue Smiley), no matter in which suspension setting (Comfort, Sport or Sport+) you're in, it feels horrible and bumpy. The base setup is very stiff, so when the roads get very bad, so does the ride comfort. Even in C (Comfort) mode. Not that it really matters to me but it is worth mentioning. This is no S class in this regard.

    - Did my first Launch Control start, used the new Dragy to measure the result: 0-100 kph in 3.60 seconds, 1/4 Mile in 12.32 seconds. Now this sounds crappy but keep in mind that the car has 1850 km only, the tank was full, I had a passenger (80 kg) and I tried it only once. Also not sure how accurate the Dragy is, especially since it was the first usage and it may need a bit of calibration but I like the concept of this little thing and it's app a lot. Since the break-in period isn't over yet, I didn't want to give it another try.

    Also tried a 0-100 kph run without launch control: 4.26 seconds. Without launch control, the car doesn't spontaneously accelerate from standstill, there is a lag. However, from my experience, these lags disappear after hitting a couple of thousands of kilometers, sometimes even over 10000 km. It may be some sort of gearbox/drivetrain protection mode. This run was from complete standstill.

    - Finally received my quote for a Track Pace retrofit (requires a specific AMG released COMAND software update which only the dealer can do, car needs to sit at the dealership for one to two days for that), a whopping 250 EUR. It wasn't really my fault I didn't order it because it is a cost free option for the COMAND system and the sales guy didn't mention it at all when we went through the final specs list together but the sales guy was always nice, he always replied to emails within an hour (my Porsche guy usually needs one to several days to do that Smiley) and he always really went the whole nine yards, so I don't want this to affect our "relationship".

    - I noticed a weird behavior in C (Comfort) auto mode: When accelerating harder and then releasing the throttle, the gearbox keeps the gear, it doesn't upshift in auto mode. In Sport or even Sport+ auto mode, it does upshift at some point. Doesn't make much sense in my opinion.

     

    UPDATE 2 (May 28th 2018), at around 2900 km:

    - Car seems/feels to get faster, Dragy measurements confirmed it (see photos, tested under similar circumstances, same road, almost full tank, one passenger in car, similar temperature). First one at 1800 km, second one at 2900 km.

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    According to various owner claims and one AMG sources, it seems that the E63 S gets it's "final" power after hitting around 5000 km, with another possible small bump at around 10000 km. Not sure if this is software related (rumors indicates it is because it happens very suddenly, maybe a way to protect drivetrain parts?) but it seems to be a common agreement that it happens in the 5000-10000 km range.

    - Drove almost 1000 km to Italy and back to Germany, no issues whatsoever. Car runs and runs. Italian parking lots are clearly not always suited for such a big car. You should have actually seen how I exited this parking lot. With a sportscar...impossible. Why? I had to take a sharp turn to the right (without a way to maneuver back and forth) and this turn was going up a hill inside the turn, so I had to raise the suspension of my car to be able to do that (otherwise I would have "hit" the road surface, damaging the underside of the car). They should put up a warning sign, I don't want to know how many sportscar drivers scraped their underside there. Smiley

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    - Exhaust system (optional Performance exhaust) started to get louder, there are now also some extremely loud high pitch "farts" which sound like real gun fire. I am not kidding, this is the loudest OEM car "misfiring" noise I ever heard. Not a fan to be honest because in Italian tunnels, it was so loud that it felt almost annoying inside the car. I don't want to imagine how loud it was for bicycle riders, pedestrians and other drivers. Smiley The worst part is: You cannot really always control these "farts", they happen even if you think they won't. There is some control possible through throttle usage but like I said, not always. I wish AMG would give the E63 a louder exhaust sound but less "farting". Smiley My son of course loved it but I am pretty sure I annoyed the hell of some tourists and this really wasn't my intention.

    - I noticed at higher speeds a weird but subtle humming noise. After a while I realized that this noise is wind and tire noise. If I do not accelerate over 4000 rpm, the engine is pretty quiet and the only things you will hear at higher speeds are the wind and the tires. The exhaust noise is barely noticeable in the car under 4000 rpm but it is noticeable outside the car.

    - This weird looking dot appeared on my front ceramic brake discs. I don't have a clue what it is but my mechanic says it is normal. The internet doesn't provide much information, there are conspiracy theories of these dots being some sort of wear indicator but I consider this to be crap. My car is almost new and I haven't tracked it.

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    - Oil consumption is still low, now around 1/3 missing (0.33 l) after 2900 km. Not bad.

     

     

    UPDATE 3 (June 4th 2018), at around 3150 km:

    - Did 306 kph (191 mph...speedo reading) for the very first time, car felt very stable and planted at that speed. Unfortunately at around 290 kph, a "whining" noise appeared, which may or may not be related to the (mandatory, in Germany) plastic pieces in the rear wheel arches (see photo). I will remove them to find out. The tire pressure was almost 4.0 bar in the front and over 3.0 bar in the rear, it felt a bit like driving on egg shells but surprisingly safe (did some wider curves at 240-250 kph and it felt safe enough not to get sweaty hands). I reminded me a little bit of my former Shelby GT500, minus the scare. Smiley I still feel that the brakes have a too soft breaking point at first, they require a bit more pedal force and this is not a good setup in my opinion for a ceramic brake system. Porsche did their PCCB homework better.

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    - Now that I was driving full speed on the Autobahn, with speeds exceeding 260 kph most of the time, I got a more realistic fuel consumption. Over 25 liters/100 km...ouch. Driven hard, this monster eats fuel a plenty. Smiley

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    - This car is a monster in the 260-306 kph speed range. A friend in his 991.2 Turbo S drove with me to lake Ammer on the B17/A96 and in the 260-306 kph speed range (speedo reading), he started falling back very slowly. Smiley Below 260 kph, he was always closing in, slowly but steadily. We were both quite impressed. He told me that he had the pedal to the floor, so...wow.

    - Shifting manually is not always the best idea, the car often enters ESC activation territory, for whatever reason. The Sport+ auto program is the better choice, especially when starting off from standstill or driving on the Autobahn. The manual mode is actually only fun in the city or on country roads, when you can actually "control" the exhaust sound with your throttle and choice of gear to keep the rev a bit higher, so you actually generate some sound.

    - Since I switched this weekend quite often from my E63S to my R8, back and forth and even drove a Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder in-between most of the time, I can tell you for sure that the E63S is no sportscar. Not even close to it. It is a four door monster, the perfect Autobahn car but it isn't even close to the fun I had in my R8 or the Performante Spyder on country roads and in the city. Two completely different shoes. I start to wonder why that guy from Vehicle Virgins (YouTube) got himself an E63S. This is not a car for young people without family, it makes zero sense. I would even prefer my 991.2 Carrera GTS Cab over the E63S if I wanted a sportscar. The E63S is what it is, an amazing sedan for the whole family, offering some extra fun for daddy. Nothing more and nothing else. I don't care if the E63S is faster than many sportscars out there, it is no sportscar and doesn't deliver the driving fun of a sportscar. Period. I still love the E63S but I would probably be sad not to have a sportscar in my garage to be honest. Completely different drive feel. 

     

    UPDATE 4 (June 7th 2018), at around 3350 km:

    - New navigation data is available. When I picked up my car at the factory in Sindelfingen, the Navigation data was V9. Two weeks ago, I updated my COMAND to V11.1 and now I am downloading the V12.0 update. Since the voice data (different languages) cannot be updated OTA, I always download and install the packages manually. Works quite well and doesn't take too long (up to 20 minutes though because data is around 13GB, Germany and many European countries).

    - No issues so far.

     

    UPDATE 5 (June 19th 2018), at around 3600 km:

    - Fuel consumption is an issue. I normally don't care but this car really enjoys fuel. Smiley Average in the city is around 20 liters / 100 km. I have to admit that I drive in Sport+ and manual mode most of the time, will probably switch to Comfort and Auto now because 20 liters are too much for a daily driver. I will see how the fuel consumption will drop afterwards but be prepared to have a high fuel bill if you drive this puppy. Talked to another E63S owner and he claims that 15 liters should be easily doable in the city if I drive in Comfort and auto mode only. We'll see...

    - No technical or quality issues so far but my mother (she is over 80) complains every time she enters my car because of the AMG Performance Seats: Apparently she gets "stuck" with the seat cushion side pads (they are high indeed) when she tries to sit down. I get it but it is not the fault of the car. Smiley

    - The more I drive the E63S, the more I realize how much I love n/a engines (R8 with V10). I couldn't live with a turbo charged engine in a sportscar anymore, this is for sure. Too nervous, too much lag, not my thing. The E63S engine is perfect for the Autobahn, indeed and it is a comfortable engine for the city (if you drive in Comfort mode and barely touch the throttle) but if you drive in Sport+ mode and want to enjoy the power, everything switches to a pretty nervous behavior. Actually, the E63S engine reminds me a bit of old school turbo engines, where you accelerate and after a second of thought, you get that kick in the back and the car propels forward like a rocket. The E63S can never be a sportscar replacement, thank god I have the R8. Now I realize why I wasn't happy with the Panamera Turbo S... I love the E63S but if I had to choose a single car, it would certainly not be this one.

     

     

    UPDATE 6 (June 30th 2018), at around 4300 km:

    - First technical issue and I was pretty scared because I heard of many of these issues and all resulted in the car getting a new engine, engine parts or returning the car back to the dealer: The engine control lamp lit up and throttle response was bad, I even felt throttle hick-ups. It happened when I left my house this morning and I also noticed that the sport exhaust was off, no sound change switching through the various driving programs or pressing the exhaust button. Once I stopped the engine and immediately restarted it, everything was back to normal and it has stayed this way through the whole day. I suspect that the sport exhaust valves (flap function) had a malfunction (for whatever reason) and the sport exhaust didn't open the flaps, causing a higher back pressure and thus throwing the engine into the emergency program. Just a wild guess though. Let's knock on wood that it wasn't/isn't anything serious because these engine control thingies usually end up badly with the E63S (according to various owner reviews). Funny: I checked the engine control unit for any memorized errors and there are...none. Smiley So maybe it was really just a sport exhaust "glitch". It happens, electronics and all.

    - Keeping the paint clean is tricky since you cannot use the usual means to clean the car. Handwashing is highly recommended, using automatic brush operated car washes puts the paint in danger because of the washing substances and the "polishing" done. The matte paint could start looking greasy and nobody really wants that. I still love the paint because you can barely see dirt on it, even if the sun shines but cleaning the car is a bit more difficult than I have bargained for.

     

    UPDATE 7 (July 2nd 2018), at around 4340 km:

    - Engine control lamp lit up again and didn't go off anymore, even after turning the engine off and on. Idle was pretty rough, throttle response was also bad and there was no change in sound when I activated/de-activated the sport exhaust. I let my son look inside the exhaust pipes to see if the exhaust flaps are moving but they moved only a tiny bit when I switched the sport exhaust on. I did some driving then and noticed that with the sport exhaust activated, the throttle response had some sputter in it but when I turned the sport exhaust off, the throttle response was perfect.

    In conclusion, I think there is something wrong with the exhaust flap control and the car is already at the dealership to have it fixed after a proper diagnosis. I hope to get the car back this evening or tomorrow morning (if a part needs to be ordered) but let's hope it is nothing serious. This morning, the engine control lamp was still on but the car was driving normally, with the sport exhaust fully functional. No rough idle, no throttle response issues, nothing. I just hope the repair shop doesn't just erase the error and gives me the car back unfixed. They gave me a GLC43 AMG loaner for free, so I'm good. Let's hope they fix the problem.

    The car gets also the planned AMG COMAND Track Pace software update, so I have Track Pace in the car (forgot to order it but AMG is nice and offered a retrofit...for 250 EUR Smiley). Usually, they don't do these retrofits but my car has all sensors needed, so they sent my dealer a clearance for my car to do the update OTA.

    Update on the above situation: Dealer found that three cylinders misfired but car works 100% OK now, so they are clueless why it happened. My mechanic did the only rational thing: He contacted AMG directly (TIPS). Now he is awaiting the clearance from AMG to return the car back to me or to get a hint why the cylinders misfired and maybe to fix it. A possibility for the cylinders misfiring could be the ignition coils, apparently a "weak spot" of the V8 4.0 Biturbo according to someone I talked to. Another suspicion could be fuel quality (but unlikely): I use Aral Ultimate 102 (102 octane Europe, 97 octane US). The ECU could "push" the ignition into knock sensor territory because of that, it is a well known fact that this engine reacts pretty well to better fuel qualities. AMG suspects a different reason though and they say that there is going to be a software update at some point. Right now, there is no update available, so the ignition coils may or may not be the only viable culprit. I'll keep you updated.

     

    UPDATE 8 (July 13th 2018), at around 4630 km:

    - Engine control lamp (OBD error) came on again but disappeared after turning the engine off and on again. It happened two times already, so this is not going to go away until Mercedes AMG makes that software update happen, sometimes in August or September. It is annoying but I got used to it. I get the feeling the OBD error only appears in certain driving modes, it does not seem to appear in Sport+ (my usual driving program), so I am going to stick to driving in this one all the time, just to be safe. Mechanic assured me that I don't have to worry, even if the engine sputters or whatever when the OBD lamp comes on. After I turn the engine off and on, once or twice, the car will exit the emergency program and I can drive normally, even if the OBD lamp should be on. I hope he is right but so far, it seems he is. 

    - I may be wrong but with every single kilometer passing by, I get the feeling that the car is getting more powerful. The engine is a monster, the boost is so much fun but I hate to say this, this is a typical Autobahn car for high speed driving. Yes, it is fun to drive through curves with it, no doubt but the engine produces so much torque and there is a turbo lag, so it is basically impossible to enjoy this kind of monster power in the city for example.

    So if you want a sportscar, the E63S is definitely the wrong choice, you won't be happy with it. In my case, as a powerful family mover, the E63S is just perfect. I love this car and I just hope that the OBD issue will be solved soon with a software update.

     

    Update 9 (July 28th 2018) at around 5600 km:

    At a speed of 130 kph and at 170 kph, the engine stutters under full throttle and the boost pressure drops to 30% (instead of 100%). It started 40-50 km after I fueled up the car at a Shell station with VPower. Previously I used Aral Ultimate 102. I suspect the fuel quality is not really VPower. Why? I called a guy who knows AMG engines well and apparently at the speeds I mentioned, the engine has the highest boost pressure at full throttle, so if the boost pressure drops, this could indicate a bad fuel quality. Since the OBD lamp doesn't come on and there are no errors saved, it is very likely the fuel. I will empty the fuel tank as much as possible before fueling up again, so I know for sure. Even with bad fuel the car is faster than a 991.1 Carrera 4S Cab we met on the Autostrada in Italy. Car was fully loaded (6 suitcases) and four persons and I still drove away in every speed range. Nice family car.

     

    Update 10 (Aug 2nd 2018) at around 6300 km:

    Apparently the issues with the dropping boost pressure and engine stutter was caused by bad fuel (low octane figure and/or impurities, water, whatever). Drove around 420 km in Italy, fueled car 2x up with Eni 100 octane fuel and everything seems to be back to normal. Drove back home over 500 km and the engine doesn't stutter anymore, it just stuttered in the beginning twice for a much shorter period of time at 170 kph and never again. 

    I still have a Mercedes workshop appointment to check out if there are any saved error codes to be on the safe side but I think I'm good.

    I feel so annoyed that this happened, I have reported this (with the location of the fuel station I put the fuel in) to Shell, maybe it helps.

     

    Update 11 (Aug 5th 2018) at around 6600 km:

    Well, the engine stuttering problem I mentioned certainly wasn't bad fuel since it appeared again but now at 220 kph only. So weird! The car is in the repair shop now to find out what is going on. Got a brand-new CLS450 4matic as a loaner, interesting car.

    I have to admit that I feel annoyed with these little issues, I just don't have the time (or the nerves) to go to the repair shop every couple of weeks.

    Another issue: We had almost 35°C outside while driving on the Autobahn and look what happened with my tire pressure... Smiley No track racing, just simple Autobahn driving (fastest speed was 293 kph...usually more in the 240 kph range) and car was not loaded. Quite disappointing. Drove with my R8 and Cup 2 tires yesterday on the same Autobahn at similar speeds, highest temperature was 63°C and the Cup 2 usually gets around 10°C warmer than the previous PZero under the same conditions. 

    IMG_3456.PNG

     

    Update 12 (Aug 10th 2018) at around 6700 km:

    The "saga" with the engine stuttering continues, the repair shop didn't find any technical issues and now they involved AMG. AMG requested a complete printout of the diagnostics, also some additional stuff. The analysis isn't finished yet but my car probably has to go back to the repair shop next week. They also did some additional fuel system diagnosis but I haven't seen the results yet. Stay tuned... 

     

    Update 13 (Oct 11th 2018) at around 7600 km:

    No issues (anymore) so far, so that engine stuttering was clearly related to the very hot summer temperatures. Shouldn't happen of course but... Smiley So far the car has been perfect, no issues, engine seems to gain power with every day passing by. Sound is also a bit louder than in the beginning, the exhaust system seems to "breathe" more freely now. I caught myself thinking at some point why the heck anyone would need a sportscar if he can have this car?! Of course I love my R8 V10 Plus and I tremendously enjoy driving it from time to time but the E63 S really makes an additional sportscar (almost) pointless. I love the E63 S. Smiley

     

    Update 14 (Nov 5th 2018) at around 8950 km:

    Just had the winter wheels installed, 265/19'' front and 295/19'' in the rear. Pretty impressive width for winter tires, Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 M0 (Mercedes rating). The rims don't look too good in my opinion but at least they aren't completely silver (they look silver in the picture but in reality, they have are titanium colored, a grey tone, not silver). After I had them installed and drove away from the dealership, the tire pressure sensor needed some time to adjust and in the end, I ended up with two errors. I had to drive back to the dealership and they had to exchange one (apparently) faulty sensor. I lost four(!) hours that afternoon, pretty annoying. 

    The Michelin tires feel/are a bit soft for such a heavy car, wonderful tire for drifting Smiley Smiley but I wish it would have better side grip. Tires are still new, so there could be some improvement but so far, I'm not a big fan of these tires. Haven't had the chance to try them on wet or snowy pavement, so maybe they excel in these environments but so far, I'm not impressed. Maybe I only need to adjust the tire pressure, right now it is set to maximum load but I think this might be one of the issues why they feel so "soft" and with the proper lack of side grip.

    With that occasion, they also checked my ECU again for error codes since I had encountered that engine/throttle "stuttering" again when it was warm outside. Result? No error codes, pretty frustrating, especially since I am 99.9% sure that the stuttering issues will re-appear once it warms up outside again in spring. Smiley

    Otherwise, car runs and runs, no issues and I have to admit that I am pretty fond of it. I love driving it, it is perfect as a daily driver, very comfortable and fast. Fuel consumption in the city is an issue but since set up an Individual driving mode (sporty chassis, sporty exhaust sound, comfort throttle/engine response), fuel consumption has dropped in the city to an acceptable level (aprox. 16 l /100 km).

    IMG_5158.jpg

     

     

    Update 15 (Nov 21st 2018) at around 9800 km:

    Exhaust sounds better and better (according to my mechanic, the exhaust sound should be the same like it was from the start since there is no material in the exhaust which could "burn off"), not only me noticed that. Weird. Not that I complaint. Smiley Especially at speeds slightly over idle, the V8 provides that classic V8 "hammering" sound. Beautiful. 

    Unfortunately, I got that check engine light turned on again, incl. some engine stuttering but it went away after I turned the engine off and on again. It happened two times, each time (different days) at around 0.5° C, so it could be outside temperature related. Still, very annoying since nobody knows the reason for this.

    IMG_5317.PNG

    Otherwise, the car runs perfectly, no issues, winter tires (Michelin Sport Alpin PA4) are great, especially on wet pavement and I do not regret a moment that I got this car. I just wish these electronics gremlins would go away.

     

    Update 16 (Mar 8th 2019) at around 12300 km:

    Engine check light came on and didn't go off again. According to dealer, a cylinder misfired shortly, they deleted the error since it happened only once. Otherwise, the car runs just fine, no issues but I am waiting for the stuttering issues to come back once it warms up outside. Average fuel consumption so far has been 19 l / 100 km (mixed driving, city, Autobahn, everything).  

    Update 17 (May 16th 2019) at around 13500 km:

    Mercedes updated the engine software of my car and the OBD issue disappeared. Same goes to the stuttering at certain speeds. Unfortunately the car got quieter(!) after the software update, which is very unfortunate. Especially at idle and during cold starts, the car is now pretty much quiet, which is not really great. I will address this with my mechanic on my next visit to the dealership but I doubt there is much he can do. 

    Car runs very well though, as you can see by these numbers:

    0-100 kph in 3.28 seconds and 1/8 Mile in 7.14 seconds (two persons in car, full tank, 21°C outside temperature, launch control, normal road tarmac, no drag strip, car is stock).


    IMG_8416.PNG 

    1558709772127IMG_8417.PNG


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)

     


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Good Luck RC,

    All 3 of the lemons in our life have been Mercedes, the last being the 2014 e63S wagon.  Fast and fun dog car... unreliable.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    watt:

    Good Luck RC,

    All 3 of the lemons in our life have been Mercedes, the last being the 2014 e63S wagon.  Fast and fun dog car... unreliable.

    RC, can you please change the thread title to "Fast and fun dog car" Smiley

    On a more serious note, thanks for the write up. Looking forward to pics Smiley


    --

    2017 991.2 Carrera 4 GTS | GT Silver Metallic - The GT3 Killah!
    2013 Audi S3 | Glacier White


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    watt:

    Good Luck RC,

    All 3 of the lemons in our life have been Mercedes, the last being the 2014 e63S wagon.  Fast and fun dog car... unreliable.

    Sorry to hear that but the only lemon I ever had was a Porsche...the 996 Carrera.

    Had three AMG Mercedes (ML55, E55 Supercharger, C63 PP Coupe) before in my life and two normal ones (E190 2.6 and CLK 320) but never had any issues with these cars.


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Excellent write up kiss

    I could not do an under 4000rpm for 3000km break in, that is absolutely ridiculous and for sure most owners (and especially leasers) will not abide by this. These long break ins are crazy, the standard format is keep the engine above 2000rpm and vary the load yet you are driving in comfort mode which constantly puts you in the highest possible gear below 2000rpm and most people who will do the 3000km will do it on long motorway type runs where the revs are stuck at 3000rpm  - the whole thing is stupid. My run in advice...... get it fully warmed up and just use it how you want to but vary the revs, no holding it flat out for more than a few seconds at a time indecision


    --

     

     

    997 GT2 2014 3.9 Mezger, 800PS @ 1.2 bar

    2018 McLaren 720S 

    993 Turbo, 2006 built 3.8, 577PS/797NM, 1440kg DIN sold to a worthy enthusiast.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Thanks RC

     Very informative 👌👌

    cant wait to hear your views once the bugger is run in !!


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    bluelines:
    watt:

    Good Luck RC,

    All 3 of the lemons in our life have been Mercedes, the last being the 2014 e63S wagon.  Fast and fun dog car... unreliable.

    RC, can you please change the thread title to "Fast and fun dog car" Smiley

    On a more serious note, thanks for the write up. Looking forward to pics Smiley

    HAHA - Labs here and children there, same need for space but I bet RC's rear seats are up, and ours never wereSmiley

    PS RC - shifter would lock in gear, so e.g.,  if you were 3 point turning across a road in a K turn:

    -start car, put in drive, first move in drive, turn car off.  start car shift into reverse, make reverse move.

    -turn car off. turn car on, shift into drive, drive away.

    Quite dangerous as you may imagine unless Sky was drivingSmiley After 30 days service and lawyer threat letters, MB forked over initial cost, which was nice since they depreciate like stones falling in water


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    TB993tt:

    Excellent write up kiss

    I could not do an under 4000rpm for 3000km break in, that is absolutely ridiculous and for sure most owners (and especially leasers) will not abide by this. These long break ins are crazy, the standard format is keep the engine above 2000rpm and vary the load yet you are driving in comfort mode which constantly puts you in the highest possible gear below 2000rpm and most people who will do the 3000km will do it on long motorway type runs where the revs are stuck at 3000rpm  - the whole thing is stupid. My run in advice...... get it fully warmed up and just use it how you want to but vary the revs, no holding it flat out for more than a few seconds at a time indecision

    The most essential break-in period is the 1500 km period. 

    According to my sales guy, Mercedes takes this very seriously if there are technical issues with the car afterwards (engine, drivertrain, etc.). They can (and will) "track" if the first 1500 km were kept below 140 kph and 4500 rpm. Afterwards, it is very important to keep the car below 250 kph, to drive at various speeds but not constantly full throttle and no track usage. 

    I passed 1800 km, so the pain is (almost) completely over. Smiley


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Ami the only one to find these break in conditions unacceptable in 2018?


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Yes they are. They are for the manufacturers benefit and not the consumer. 

    Christian, this car is a lease. Even if you buy into MB’s bs about break in procedures why do you let them handcuff you with your car. What do you care if from a longevity concern you need to follow the break in procedures?


    --

    Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    nberry:

    Yes they are. They are for the manufacturers benefit and not the consumer. 

    Christian, this car is a lease. Even if you buy into MB’s bs about break in procedures why do you let them handcuff you with your car. What do you care if from a longevity concern you need to follow the break in procedures?

    In this case, the break-in serves two important purposes: The rear axle differential is very sensitive and needs to be broken-in properly because of the massive torque figure, same goes to the MCT gearbox (one reason Mercedes uses the MCT and not a DCT system). Advantage of proper break-in: Basically no drivetrain issues during the lifetime of the car. 

    The second break-in reason is...engine power. I know it sounds ridiculous in the year 2018 but according to AMG engineers, this engine is sensitive to proper break-in. This could be of course BS but I rather drive carefully for 1500 km than risk having a less powerful engine. Smiley I am thinking of putting my car on a dyno when I hit 10000 km anyway, just for fun. This claim (engine power, proper break-in) is very strong in the AMG community, so I will not ignore it.

    I don't care anymore anyway, my car already has 1800 km. Smiley Drove from Munich to Frankfurt with my son, we really enjoyed ourselves, listened to music, did some bonding, a little road trip as he said. Was fun and 800 km were done. The last 200 km, before hitting 1500 km, I did at night on the Autobahn. This is where I learned how good the multi beam light is, very nice and working very precisely. 

    Next stop: 3000 km...by next week end.


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)

     


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    You put more miles on your car in a week than I did in seven months.indecision


    --

    Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    RC:

    I don't care anymore anyway, my car already has 1800 km. Smiley Drove from Munich to Frankfurt with my son, we really enjoyed ourselves, listened to music, did some bonding, a little road trip as he said. Was fun and 800 km were done. The last 200 km, before hitting 1500 km, I did at night on the Autobahn.


    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)

    And this is where the BS creeps in, your Munich to Frankfurt trip would have been at constant (lowish) revs for the duration of the trip (unless you took back roads ?) which is precisely what the manufacturer prohibits.

    These types of break-ins are nonsense in 2018 and pointless on a leased car Smiley


    --

     

     

    997 GT2 2014 3.9 Mezger, 800PS @ 1.2 bar

    2018 McLaren 720S 

    993 Turbo, 2006 built 3.8, 577PS/797NM, 1440kg DIN sold to a worthy enthusiast.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    TB993tt:
    RC:

    I don't care anymore anyway, my car already has 1800 km. Smiley Drove from Munich to Frankfurt with my son, we really enjoyed ourselves, listened to music, did some bonding, a little road trip as he said. Was fun and 800 km were done. The last 200 km, before hitting 1500 km, I did at night on the Autobahn.


    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)

    And this is where the BS creeps in, your Munich to Frankfurt trip would have been at constant (lowish) revs for the duration of the trip (unless you took back roads ?) which is precisely what the manufacturer prohibits.

    These types of break-ins are nonsense in 2018 and pointless on a leased car Smiley

    First at all, AMG does not prohibit low revs, AMG prohibits revs above 4500 rpm.

    Second, German Autobahn...you cannot drive from Munich to Frankfurt at a constant 140 kph. The speed varied all the time. Break-in also requires using C (Comfort) automatic(!) mode only, so it is basically a low rev break-in because it is basically impossible in this mode to get higher revs, unless you start off from standstill. 

    It has been confirmed by two AMG engineers, one of them in the AMG Owner's Lounge. There is something about that 4.0 Biturbo engine which seems to require a proper break-in. The "results" (most E63 S customer cars have much more than the factory claimed 612 hp) speak for themselves, so true or not, I will not do something else. Smiley


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)

     


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    The real question is who will really care that a car with too much power to start with gains or looses a few if not broken in properly... Break in is nice for the driver to get used to the car. But if the manufacturer says you could create a problem is the car isn’t broken in properly is very sketchy and not a gauge of confidence.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    SciFrog:

    The real question is who will really care that a car with too much power to start with gains or looses a few if not broken in properly... Break in is nice for the driver to get used to the car. But if the manufacturer says you could create a problem is the car isn’t broken in properly is very sketchy and not a gauge of confidence.

    You're clearly overthinking this.

    Mercedes AMG has a certain guideline, the first 1500 km are essential (if you pass 140 kph, 4500 rpm on a regular basis during those 1500 km, your warranty can be affected). After that, you need to take it slow(er) than you would drive the car when the break-in is over. At 3000 km, there is a mandatory oil exchange for the rear axle differential. AMG owners know this from older cars as well, nothing really new. There is a reason for that (otherwise this oil exchange wouldn't happen). No engine oil exchange necessary (but I will probably do it anyway, it makes me feel better).

    I know, I know, this is a lease and I should give a rat's ass about this car but I am a car guy and I love cars and I would never abuse them, even if they're not "mine". Sorry. Smiley


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    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    RC:
     

    I know, I know, this is a lease and I should give a rat's ass about this car but I am a car guy and I love cars and I would never abuse them, even if they're not "mine". Sorry. Smiley

    x2 Smiley


    --

    ⇒ Carlos - Porsche 991 Carrera GTS


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    RC:

    I know, I know, this is a lease and I should give a rat's ass about this car but I am a car guy and I love cars and I would never abuse them, even if they're not "mine". Sorry. Smiley

    I think it's great that you do care means you are really bonding with the car.

    I found the AMG 4.0 break in instructions below, exactly as you said....

    I was kind of thinking about my incoming G Wagon but TBH I can't see my Mrs EVER exceeding 4500rpm so I'll probably just tell her to leave it in comfort and get on with it.....

    If you treat the engine with sufficient care from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of the engine's life.

    Observe the following notes on running-in the engine:

    • you should therefore drive at varying road speeds and engine speeds for the first 1,500 km

    • drive the vehicle mainly in drive program C for the first 1,500 km

    • do not drive at speeds above 140 km/h for the first 1,500 km

    • only briefly allow the engine to reach a maximum engine speed of 4,500 rpm

    • avoid overstraining the vehicle during this period, e.g. driving at full throttle

    • do not exceed  of the maximum permitted engine speed for each gear

    • in manual mode M and the temporary manual drive program, shift up in good time

    • do not perform a RACE START

    • do not shift down a gear manually in order to brake

    • try to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point (kickdown)

    After 1,500 km, you can increase the engine speed gradually and accelerate the vehicle to full speed.

    You should also observe these notes on running-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced.


    --

     

     

    997 GT2 2014 3.9 Mezger, 800PS @ 1.2 bar

    2018 McLaren 720S 

    993 Turbo, 2006 built 3.8, 577PS/797NM, 1440kg DIN sold to a worthy enthusiast.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    TB993tt:
    RC:

    I know, I know, this is a lease and I should give a rat's ass about this car but I am a car guy and I love cars and I would never abuse them, even if they're not "mine". Sorry. Smiley

    I think it's great that you do care means you are really bonding with the car.

    I found the AMG 4.0 break in instructions below, exactly as you said....

    I was kind of thinking about my incoming G Wagon but TBH I can't see my Mrs EVER exceeding 4500rpm so I'll probably just tell her to leave it in comfort and get on with it.....

    If you treat the engine with sufficient care from the very start, you will be rewarded with excellent performance for the remainder of the engine's life.

    Observe the following notes on running-in the engine:

    • you should therefore drive at varying road speeds and engine speeds for the first 1,500 km

    • drive the vehicle mainly in drive program C for the first 1,500 km

    • do not drive at speeds above 140 km/h for the first 1,500 km

    • only briefly allow the engine to reach a maximum engine speed of 4,500 rpm

    • avoid overstraining the vehicle during this period, e.g. driving at full throttle

    • do not exceed  of the maximum permitted engine speed for each gear

    • in manual mode M and the temporary manual drive program, shift up in good time

    • do not perform a RACE START

    • do not shift down a gear manually in order to brake

    • try to avoid depressing the accelerator pedal beyond the pressure point (kickdown)

    After 1,500 km, you can increase the engine speed gradually and accelerate the vehicle to full speed.

    You should also observe these notes on running-in if the engine or parts of the drive train on your vehicle have been replaced.

    Smiley It wasn't really that bad, I enjoyed the car, some alone time with my boy ("road trip"), I visited Frankfurt (for five minutes or so, took a couple of photos of the Skyline, so my wife actually believes me Smiley and headed back home), not a bad time.

    Now let's hope that the sacrifice was worth it, I am rooting for those 690 horses Renntech "found" on a customer's stock car. Poor Renntech... Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    congrats RC....get rid of the stickers above the sills.

    amg are fantastic cars.


    --
    Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary... That's what gets you.

    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    I stop diving into it when I saw similar procedure must be followed if a part of the driver train was replaced...enlightened

    break-in period for ever...angry


    --

    GT Lover, Porsche fan

    991.2 GT3 manual, 991 GT3 2014(sold)

    Cayenne GTS 2014


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    intouch1:

    congrats RC....get rid of the stickers above the sills.

    amg are fantastic cars.

    Not a fan either but kids and wife love them, so maybe I should wait a little bit before I get them removed. Smiley

    Thank you. Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    ...yes, keep on waiting, young padawan...the dark (decal) side is already taking over...Smiley

    On a more serious note, these decals on your car are quite subtle and I would assume that they do not attract a lot of attention when driving...(,maybe the driver does considerable more...Smiley)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review

    B6ED3A8F-5967-42A1-AAE1-1D406FECAB35.jpegAt first I did not realize that you had ordered the E63 with the optional massive granite spoiler SmileySmiley...one of the main features is that is give plenty of downforce both at low and high speed. 

    All the best with the new toy Smiley

     


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review

    tso:

    B6ED3A8F-5967-42A1-AAE1-1D406FECAB35.jpegAt first I did not realize that you had ordered the E63 with the optional massive granite spoiler SmileySmiley...one of the main features is that is give plenty of downforce both at low and high speed. 

    All the best with the new toy Smiley

     

    Smiley Smiley

    Funny that you mention this: After taking the photos, I noticed a stupid green colored portable toilet next to the car and it was in almost every photo. I had to select and crop them carefully to exclude that stupid portable toilet showing up in the photos. Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS Cabriolet (2018), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018), Mini JCW (2015)


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review

    I would loose the decal too. It is out of place on this car. The wheels are already a bit sore to the eye and the decal just accentuate the effect. Plus you want the car to be kind of stealth and this decal looks aftermarket.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review

    Do not remove them, it is just another thing to make it different from E Class cabs.

    At the least, they don't look as obnoxious as decals on some of the Porsche 911s.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Your car, you drive it, family likes them and that's the only thing that is important.

    .....opinions of strangers on the internet commenting on your car are totally irrelevant and equally important to what you left in the toilet yesterday.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review

    SciFrog:

    I would loose the decal too. It is out of place on this car. The wheels are already a bit sore to the eye and the decal just accentuate the effect. Plus you want the car to be kind of stealth and this decal looks aftermarket.

    I think the wheels look good but agree the decal doesn't suit this car at all - FWIW which some people obvs think is FA Smiley


    --

     

     

     

     

    997 GT2 2014 3.9 Mezger, 800PS @ 1.2 bar

    2018 McLaren 720S 

    993 Turbo, 2006 built 3.8, 577PS/797NM, 1440kg DIN sold to a worthy enthusiast.


    Re: Mercedes E63 S AMG Edition 1 (2018) - Short Review (incomplete)

    Brilliant car as far as I read.

    I'd have gone for the estate, in black/navy blue or some other dark colour and without decals. Other than that you've a terrific machine, congrats!

    How does it drive compared to the RS6? Looks like Mercedes has not only overtaken Audi design wise in this last generation but also in been the benchmark in the wagon segment, traditionally exclusive feud of Audi.


     
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