Mercedes-amg C43

Our German estate garners positive attention, but there are doubts about its durability

‘Therearenowafew creaks and rattles that undermine the premium image’

MY AFFECTION FOR THE BLACK BENZ – ‘Blitzen’ as I call it – continues to grow, to the point where it’s reached the evangelical stage. There’s always the danger of being a car bore in such situations, but plenty of questions invoke the emphatic answer of ‘buy a C43 wagon’. The C43 may be subtle, but it’s surprising how many petrolheads clock the badging and wander over to ask ‘What’s it like?’ My answer is almost universally positive, bar a few minor reservations, it must be said.

One of these is the gearbox, which now seems to have added an occasional low-speed clunkiness to its inherently slothful behaviour during high-rev upshifts. It never seems troubled in auto mode, but if you’re using the paddles for a manual downchange it can really thump and lurch sometimes at lower speeds.

Neither does the C43 quite live up to that time-served stereotypical image of Germanic build quality. On the surface the mix of materials and design is undeniably eye-catching, but there are now a few creaks and rattles, from the nearside dash and the load area, that undermine the premium image. I am doing my best to ignore them, but I know subconsciously they’re really winding me up.

Oh, and there’s the keyless entry system, as well. Maybe it’s me, but whether you can unlock with the mere presence of your hand or have to get the key out of your pocket and press the button seems to be entirely random. It’s a bit embarrassing to be seen pulling on the door handle in a car park with nothing happening – you get the sort of looks that suggest you might be trying to steal it…

Grumbles aside, I can also supply supporting evidence to show that the C43 is very practical – exhibit A being a photo of bikes and paraphernalia in the boot with the seats down. So configured, there’s a surprising amount of space for what doesn’t feel like a particularly big car by modern standards.

I’ve also noticed that the front tyres may be nearing the final stages of their lives as we pass 8000 miles. This has been exacerbated by using the C43 in the role of high-speed photography tracking car on a circuit – it’s surprising just how fast you have to corner when you’re driving in front of a 911 GT2 RS. The shoulders of the Bridgestones are looking very second-hand, but then the C43 is entering the autumn of its life at a fact I’m doing my very best to ignore. evo,

Date acquired January 2018 Total mileage 9150 Mileage this month 1502 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 27.6