W211 E55 info needed...

[RSTurbo50]

Looks like my CLK will be going on Sunday after taking a big loss on it in the nine months of ownership. One of the options I'm considering is the W211 E55. Their are two I'm considering on this forum....I need to know realistically whether or not I can afford to run one as an everyday car.

In terms of prices can somebody give me some idea for new brake discs and pads, tyres, SBC Pump, a new airmatic compressor, intercooler pump....any other major parts that may need replacing? Are they reliable and is the gearbox robust?

Also can you give me some idea on the price of servicing? Do these AMG models suffer rust like other early W211's?

One thing that is obvious after looking through the classifieds is that these cars don't appear to be easy to sell on so I'm not looking to pay through the roof for one.....£8500 or so appears about right for a decent example?

 

[Graham21]

I paid a bit more than your budget for mine but my car has 57,000 miles on the clock. There are some nice examples in that price range.

My car has just had a new airmatic compressor fitted from a specialist. The price of the pump was £295 for a genuine Mercedes one but you can get cheaper ones. 1 hours labour to fit. I've also just had my gearbox serviced at the same time. That was £170. The gearboxes in the E55 are very good and robust but they need to be serviced at the correct intervals so check the history to make sure this has been done. SBC pumps are known to fail on high miles cars so again if you are buying one with 90-110k on it id try and buy one that has had this done. Not sure on the price of these but I read somewhere that its a 2k bill.

You need to remember these cars are expensive of things go wrong. The main things are airmatic suspension and SBC which are the two really big bills but all the other stuff adds up. Also remember the MPG on these cars is not great especially as a daily driver but if you are looking at an E55 I'm sure you know this.

That being said, if you buy the best one you can afford with detailed history these cars are amazing value for money. I paid more for mine and still had a bill of £1,000 two weeks after purchase. I would DEFINETLY advise getting an independent specialist to inspect one for you. Could be the best £150 you spend.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[whitenemesis]

SBC pumps can now be bought for approx £600 plus fitting.

An Airmatic strut can set you back approx £1200

If the car you go to look at has Dynamic seats make sure they work, a new pump is approx £1000

High mileage examples may well require new engine mounts approx £80 each and a couple of hours fitting.

Check headlamps are in good condition, new ones will be approx £1000

Servicing is not too dissimilar to a 'normal' E class but remember they have 16 spark plugs, a major B service with plugs etc.. approx £900 (independant)

Also worth mentioning, some parts are AMG specific, wheel bearing for example. My dealer had to request from Germany £180 each..

 

[merc85]

Ok here go's using aftermarket parts, (oe quality)

Bosch SBC From £650 plus vat depending on unit fitted

Pump Arnott £245 plus vat

Bosch H/e pump £100 +vat

Airmatic Strut Arnott each £650 +vat

Front discs £110 the pair +vat

Front pads £56 +vat

I'd also budget for a front suspension overhaul on cars over 80k Wishbones etc

You get cheaper than the above but be warned.

Id say forget Vehicles around the £8.5k mark they will require work, 11k should get you a well maintained vehicle, Still worth getting a professional inspection done.

Rust is down to how they are looked after, Non at all on my 2002 car.

I bought a e55k after looking at quite a few, Paid £9.5k then spent a further 5k on it bringing it upto scratch.

Some peoples views of "well maintained" can be different to others. Happy Hunting

 

[AMGeed]

Servicing on an E55 is not a lot more than your CLK. It's when the mileage dependant items like plugs and ATF etc need doing that the price goes up a bit. Servicing isn't an item I'd be unduly worried about.

SBC, if you are unlucky enough to need a replacement pump can be expensive if you use main dealer. They will bend you over for £1500+. Source the pump yourself and have a good indy remove and replace the pump and the job can be done for under £1k.
There is plenty of info here on how to go about it if needed.

As mentioned by Graham above, the Airmatic suspension could need attention , but the compressor pump and air struts are nowhere near as expensive or problematic as the hydraulic ABC on the SL and CL. Again, there are suppliers that do repairs to struts and supply reconditioned ones.

Rust is nowhere near as prevalent on the W210 although poorly looked after examples can show rust. Any rust should become apparent with a proper check by someone who knows these cars. This is where a good indy pays dividends.

You asked about prices of a few things.

Front discs and pads........£200 or less for parts.
Intercooler pump.............£100
SBC pump.......................£750 pump only
Tyres...... decent tyres £100- £130 per corner depending on brand

The E55 is having a bit of a resurgence in price and the good examples still command decent money. £8.5k should get you a 2003/04 with around 100+k miles. Don't be put off by mileage on these cars, buy on condition and regular servicing. Look at the tyres fitted...are they ditchfinders pointing to owner not wanting to spend much.

Check everything electrical works, especially heated/massage seats, keyless handles, door mirror controls and airmatic. Have a look around befor starting the car.........is it level and does it raise evenly on the button by the gearstick. Two red lights means its at its lowest (sports2) setting.
Make sure there are no warning lights displayed on the dash as well although Im sure a lot of this is obvious to you as a current MB owner.

Have a search for E55 buying guide. Someone wrote a thread here a few years back with a lot more info which is worth a read.
Good luck with your search.

 

[MarkACLS]

Great advice. I think it's helpful when working out a budget to think like this : Budget = negotiated price of car + 25% for immediate necessary maintenance / fettling. Running annual maintenance budget = 10% of purchase budget (which excludes annual tax and annual insurance).

 

[icarus51]

My E55(53 plate) has covered over 204K miles now and still going strong! Agree with everything stated so far regards replacement and running costs. Just recently had front discs and pads done cost including fitting was just over £200. GSF were having a 50% off on Brembo discs and pads (OEM of E55 discs) hence silly price. I use OEM continental tyres(last set of rears £320 fitted at ATS). Still on original SBC pump! Have had Arnott rear schocks for last 4 years, not a problem. Front airmatics are originals. Check front wheel bearing play, if they wear the bearing outer race disintegrates and welds itself to the hub carrier £320 per side just for the carrier's(ask me how I know!). I have found servicing to be quite acceptable cost wise but I use a good indy. Owned it now for 8 years and wouldn't really part with it.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Alps]

as above really, usual service items are same as a standard w211, the more options it has the more things go wrong.

just make sure everything works, clunking noises can point to worn suspension bushes .. other than that everything has been said above.

 

[AMGeed]

This was the buying guide for an E55 I was thinking of.

Viewing and Test drive tips - MBClub UK - Bringing together Mercedes Enthusiasts

 

[MWCLS]

Looks like my CLK will be going on Sunday after taking a big loss on it in the nine months of ownership. One of the options I'm considering is the W211 E55. Their are two I'm considering on this forum....I need to know realistically whether or not I can afford to run one as an everyday car.

In terms of prices can somebody give me some idea for new brake discs and pads, tyres, SBC Pump, a new airmatic compressor, intercooler pump....any other major parts that may need replacing? Are they reliable and is the gearbox robust?

Also can you give me some idea on the price of servicing? Do these AMG models suffer rust like other early W211's?

One thing that is obvious after looking through the classifieds is that these cars don't appear to be easy to sell on so I'm not looking to pay through the roof for one.....£8500 or so appears about right for a decent example?

Good news on the CLK! What did you let it go for? E55k. Nice choice.

 

[nickjonesn4]

I would budget approx £2k/year for running costs and that will be about right. It was an £80k car 12 years ago so the running costs are high. Well worth it tho!

 

[Graham21]

Nick makes a good point. The car should still feel very special 12 years on.

Supercar for supermini money. You won't be disappointed!

 

[RSTurbo50]

Thanks for all the comments guys, most helpful. I sold my CLK for £5450... I'm just waiting for it to be collected but Iv spoken to the buyer and he is a genuine guy. I'll be sad to see it go as its been a brilliant car..

With regards the E55, I dont want to buy a money pit or something that is going to cost a fortune from the start. I'm after something that's been looked after and had the majority of the big jobs done. There is a silver one for sale on this forum that I'm very interested in and it appears it has been looked after......I'm mulling it over. The other option is an E350 CDi Sport model....different type of animal but still a decent car. Need to weigh it all up....

 

[Major774]

Unless you know the car's history (i.e. it was a mate's car), the first 1.5 years of ownership will be fix whatever is broken. After that, it should be just fill with petrol and enjoy.

I went in with this mind set when I bought my car.

 

[merc85]

"the first 1.5 years of ownership will be fix whatever is broken."

^That is the problem tho bud, In my case S*** loads was broken/worn out despite having FSH and Stamps in said book. Last owner was a Numpty

My advice, Hold out for a established Members car on here, i know i wouldn't want to sell a duff car within the club/forum

 

[Alps]

Agree totally with Merc85 - low milage wont mean the car is looked after nor that it will be in good shape, if in doubt get it inspected at a local indi. FMBSH doesnt stand for much either.

 

[Major774]

Exactly that, an expensive one could end up with more faults than a cheaper one. It's all in the history.

When I sell my car (in the distant future) the buyer won't get a load of MB service stamps during my ownership because I service my own car, but they will have a good 0.5-1 inch worth of MB invoices . I got everything from screws, plastic clips, suspension parts, right through to adding Distronic to my car.

 

[Abb]

Perhaps........

https://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/classifieds-cars-sale/224017-e55-amg.html

 

[RSTurbo50]

Who do you guys use for car insurance for the E55? Iv got 12 years no claims im 37 years old and the cheapest im getting is over £700.

The C55 was only £400 and I can get an E46 M3 for £430.....

Any ideas??

 

[Graham21]

If you are a member of the Mercedes Benz Club £43 Footman James will insure you. I'm £221 per year doing 5,000 miles per year and guaranteed value.