Advice re 2003 E55 AMG please!

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TDE1

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
1,379
Location
Worcester
Car
MB & BMW
Hello Forum. I am considering treating myself to one for my 40th, but would appreciate advice about pitfalls and known issues. It's got 45kRM and looks to be in excellent condition. Asking price (trade) £15,000.
MPG / insurance isn't a concern, but I have read that there are reliability problems with the 2003 model. My heart says go for it, but have to convince the other half, and myself, that i'm not setting us up for an expensive fall as I don't have a bottomless pit of money.
Any advice would be very welcome - I'll be new to MB. (Sorry to admit that i currently have a BMW!)
Thanks
 
£15,000 for a 2003 E55 is way too much money.
It should be nearer £11k in my opinion.

If that's your budget, you should be able to pick a 2005ish, or even the E63 at a push.
 
Hey
Welcome

E55 I have had 6 and I love them , not much probs with them , just make sure you get a good example with mb history and I think you should be fine, there are alot of people on the forum who will help if you have any issues,

Acid
 
Help please AMG E55

Thanks both - It does have full MB service history. The last one was 2000 miles ago. I will try and negotiate price down.
Hope this appears on the forum - never done this before! What a great idea. (Only recently agreed to get Internet at home as am bit of a Luddite.) Is it against protocol to name the garage? Its advertised on the web. I'll pitch at 13k with a bumper to bumper warranty and hope to become a member of this fab club!!
Thanks again
 
Welcome TDE1.

Nothing wrong with naming the garage or even putting a link up to the car. It has also been known for a forum members to go have at look at a car on someones elses behalf. Just a look mind!!

CHEERS
 
There's nothing wrong with being a Luddite, they were correct in their predictions....

If you post up the details and location of the car, someone might be able to have a look at it for you if it's far from where you live.

Welcome to the forum by the way.
 
Help E55 AMG

Ha ha just a look then. Its BJH Motors in Worcester. Good reputation as far as I know. Would not have the first idea about making a link, sorry!
 
Thank you sweet pea. It's only a couple of miles. They have my BM in for ABS trouble and I was bowled over by the MB. Don't know what to look out for, so may ask if can take it to the local MB dealer for a look-see.
 
That does look like a good example but it is still a 2003.

Whilst that isn't an issue in itself, as Sweetpea suggested, it is a little long in the tooth to be that price.

Mine is a 54 plate on 49k miles and was £17k back in March - which is nearly six months ago so it probably wouldn't be far off £15k now - I paid a little more to get the colour I wanted and the interior I wanted.

I would definitely not be paying that for a 2003.

2005 MERCEDES-BENZ E CLASS E55K AMG 4DR TIP AUTO + SAT NAV + LEATHER

This one has been on AT for a while - started at £15999 from Toyota (I guess as a part ex) and then bought by a trader shortly after and up for £16995.

It's now down to £14,750 and is a 55 plate with 49k miles!

You just have to put up with the murdered in cold blood seats but I reckon you could get it for £14k or less if you push.

With regards to looking it over, I got my trader to take it to a local inde for me who compiled a report. We then agreed on what they would do and what not.

I'm not sure if Mercedes will look it over for you but might be worth finding a reputable inde off here and taking it to them instead?

Any good trader wont mind doing this - if they do, I'd walk away.
 
I had my E55 AMG back in Feb this year on a 2003 plate. I paid £15k with 55k miles, the serives was due in 3k miles which I have just had done at a cost of £550 for a B service at MB. Great car
 
Fantastic help, thanks JohnEBoy - it does look very good (despite the seats, but could get some of those tasteful bead covers my dad had in his Allegro to take care of that, ha ha) and is rather more keenly priced, granted. Very glad I asked the question. Will make a couple of calls tomorrow and go from there.

It's a relief that nobody has advised that I run a mile from the model - if all that's wrong is that the first one I saw is overpricing, then my mind is at ease. Happy to pursue this to the end now.

Thank you again. I will post the forum with details of which beast I buy. Goodbye boring beemerworld, hello MBworld!

Cheers and regards

TDE1
 
I had my E55 AMG back in Feb this year on a 2003 plate. I paid £15k with 55k miles, the serives was due in 3k miles which I have just had done at a cost of £550 for a B service at MB. Great car

Not sure about you but I certainly wouldn't pay £17k again now like I did in March...

those tasteful bead covers my dad had in his Allegro to take care of that, ha ha

My dad's 1978 sh*t brown one was spared those (weren't / aren't they supposed to be good for the back?) - raw biege coloured cloth stuff. However, they were a welcome relief from the dark burgandy plastic from the previous J reg Austin 1300, which on a hot sunny day would quite liderally burn the backs of ones legs in shorts.

It's a relief that nobody has advised that I run a mile from the model

Although to be fair, you didn't really ask the most unbiased people on the planet...

:devil:

I used to be a huge BMW fan from around 1994 > 2005. I then lost interest in the brand although they make a small number of cars I would possibly consider in the future (535d/335d/335i/130i/123d).

I have to say, the car never stops amazing me even nearly 6 months on - the noise, the power, the handling.

I'm now more in tune with the power and capability of the car even to the point where even last week, I was coming off a roundabout and trying to accelerate hard, but not too hard as for the stability to kick in, but hard enough to feel it starting to lose grip.

Amazing.
 
I cant remember what year it is but I think the 2003 models had an issue with the Valeo radiators leaking and damaging the ECU. Make sure you check this.

Best get a good Indi to check it out. They are brilliant cars and you get alot of car for your money.
 
Remember the all agro well. Two holidays foregone as the 'gold' engine replacement failed at Strencham, just like it's predecessor did on our first effort. It was dads company car, and absolutely relate to the burnt legs! The Fiat supermirafiore which they replaced it with was nice and yellow though.

Will certainly get an unbiased report, and will mention the Valeo radiators, thanks for the tip. Starting to feel very amateurish though. It's great to know there is a wealth of knowledge out there.

And unbiased? Not at all. Anyone fancy a 3 series? Oops wrong site hee hee.

Am completely sold - spent the evening looking at you tube videos of what it sounds like. Madam is only grateful I didn't apply for bike licence!

Oh, the 535d - very very good.



Thank you again
 
PIKYE - that's reassuring. Didn't want to sound tight, and very happy to live with that. Thanks v much.
 
JohnEBoy - thought you may like to know that local car was sold. Looked at the one from Burbage Motors online, spoke to the dealer and paid deposit!!! Off on my jollies tomorrow for a week and didn't want to miss out.

Not seen it yet but sounds Ideal. Full MBSH, receipts, two owners, and a brand new MB service on completion of deal was agreed by dealer. Has all the toys, pirellis, Tracker, phone etc. Fully Hpi'd, including previous cherished plates.

£14.5k as I did want the MB stamp in the book.

Thanks a million for the lead. Off to halfords for the beads now.

Cheers!!

PS, if anyone knows of this car and thinks I've missed something, please tell me!! And sorry if my syntax is off.. Doing this on an iPad.



TDE1
 
Nice one!

That looked a cracking car when I first saw it back in April.

Had I not bought mine the month before, I would have had that one when Toyota were selling it for £15999 - and still knocked it down.

That would have been a cracking deal for me at the time - even though I wasn't quite so keen on black or silver as they are a bit too common for my liking (mine is dark grey).

I'd have lived with the seats or, as you say, put those bead covers on...

Or just find some corduroy curtains in blue from the 70s and simply re-cover...

:D
 
No regrets

Just back from jollies - first time have looked forward to coming home, ha ha.

Will be off to see it at the weekend, and, all being as good as it sounds, to arrange payment and collection.

Can't see there being any problems with the blue corduroy curtains.. Will just use the ones I have hanging in my lounge.

Saw a grey model by the marina in Alcudia and it looked marvellous - fair play to you. Great colour. Also managed to convince my other half when there (which is just as well as I may have omitted to mention that I even wanted one, let alone put the deposit down before we left. Oops.. It's great what a jug of sangria and a trip to the shops can achieve :))

The dealer does RAC warranties too, so being a bit green to this type of
motoring, will pick one up for added peace-of-mind.

Thanks again for the tip-off. Really appreciated!
 

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