AMG owernship experience

[alfl23]

OK, I'll be less concise:

Whinging about depreciation on a new AMG is nonsensical. Compare it to an equivalent M Series car and it's comparable. More upmarket and tasteful, but comparable in terms of depreciation. If you want to avoid steep depreciation, buy used cars. And be wary of recent classic car price growth - Quantitative Easing has pushed all kinds of money into alternative assets from Art to Astons, but that's a one off jump. Don't expect your million pound DB5 to continue growing in price.

Comparing AMG ownerships costs to a Ferrari is nonsensical. No-one, but no-one can put a Ferrari through equivalent usage without deep maintenance and reliability pain. Look in any showroom and see how many cars have more than 60,000 miles on the clock: hardly any. Ten year old 599 with 20k miles on the clock? That'll be £100+k worth of depreciation, sir, call it a fiver a mile.

OK - my personal ownership experience of Ferrari is only from the 550 and 360, but I have plenty of friends who admit the same. Visit a Ferrari owners club meet and you'll hear the same. They cost big money, and problems are often almost impossible to resolve by the dealers. And this is on cars with less than 20k miles on the clock. In addition, the typical 2 or 2+2 seater Ferrari doesn't have the all round usability of your average AMG. It's not the same product.

All car companies offer poor after sales service, especially at the luxury end. Throw in the example of the Lexus LS and you have an exception but, seriously, the LS600 might be the personal choice of Bill Gates, but no-one else thinks it's an AMG competitor. You can't begin to even consider the LS600 as a competitor to an AMG performance car. It's a great car to drive 250,000 miles round the M25, but Chris Harris will never eulogise its performance.

The message that people appear to be giving you here is not "either get in line with the programme or don't buy." It was don't be naive about how idyllic other brands are, or how idyllic Mercedes used to be. You can run off to McLaren, Bentley or Rolls Royce, but rest assured you'll see similar issues there. While the Mercedes of the 1980's were more unaffordable than they are today, their design, manufacturing, safety and reliability issues were immense. And, frankly, they were neither as fast, nor as safe as today's cars.

Now that's a very useful piece of content, different ballpark, thank you. I think I've been very lucky holding the other cars, and not so much with the Merc. Mileage per car wise though, there's clearly no comparison as you say, I think my logic overstepped that element while looking at spreadsheets, and missing out on many other details in the process, that's a very solid point.

Anyway, happy motoring, hopefully I'll be healthy and in a position to work and do my part to keep AMG in business for some years before I throw in the towel and get a Lexus.

 

[ChrisCLS55]

Comparing the ownership of a Ferrari to an AMG Merc is pointless because the former is not fit for every day driving and if one were to drive one every day in all kinds of traffic it will break beyond a point where it will become unaffordable to repair or maintain. Ferrari’s and cars like that are for people with deep pockets and super garages. Show cars or weekends in the summer. Mind I know a lad that has a Ferrari, he bought it used, saved up for it, over 50k he put into it the rest on finance and he’s had it a few years and it hasn’t been the money pit you think it would be. But then it only goes to car shows and the odd trip to Wales or Scotland. Maybe 2k miles a year if that. He would easily get his money back though if not more.

It’s toy for him. A pure vanity and a statement thing. Good luck to him, he’s a good guy and isn’t a show off. His daily drive is a diesel BMW. But hes’ always wanted one and to be fair, so have I, I think it’s the ultimate would love car of every boy growing up, it was mine and one day I do hope to own one, but only when I’m rich or silly. For me an AMG is an every day car, even the GT really, despite the two seats. They cost a bomb in fuel and are kind of expensive to service and maintain and repair if anything goes wrong, but any AMG should be able to do 200k plus miles around most terrains and roads easily. A Ferrari? No chance. Again give me a C63 used over a new Golf GTI.

I’d say my CLS55 was a reliable car, the break pump went, but that was under warranty and at 79k miles. In my 20k miles, 5k a year ownership, it didn’t give me too much problems, I did many a big trip to London and back, Kent, Southampton, Scotland, Wales, even Torquay. That new was like 80k with all the mods. I got it 4 years ago on a 55 plate for 17.5k at a dealer, probably 2.5k overpriced. I doubt for that money I could have bought myself a better car overall though and it got me hooked on the AMG brand.

Yes today the brand has become somewhat weakened given the 43s and 45s Nd soon the 53 is it with the CLS?, but they are still super high performance cars at the very top of the food chain if you like and again, for me, if a C class in standard form is just as well equipped as an S class so what, why shouldn't we all be able to have a well made, well specked car. People buy an S class for many reasons, status, be they a director or doctor even, for the luxury, the ride, anything. Even if they are paying much more for a car that is basically a much bigger C class. It’s not like other marques arent doing the same.

Nowadays Mercedes are not the car we looked at thought we could never afford (oh Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz), we can, anyone almost. That’s more down to the finance and lease packages than a Merc making them super affordable mind. The result of that is they are as common as a Ford and that means the likes of Ford have to up their game to compete and then Merc have to up there’s to stay ahead. It’s not about the badge now for all but the enthusiasts like us AMGers.

Overall I think cars are getting better in every way shape and form and that has to be a good thing. The AMGs of today are like chalk and cheese to AMG cars of the past. I think what we are doing those who buy these kind of cars, are paying the cost if you like of all the new tech and performance and safety that ends up across the range, but we have that exhaust noise, that torque, that power, that speed and that thing in a car that compels you to drive it, to want one, over an every day hum drum car.

May we never stop wanting such a car, because it’s us that drives the likes of AMG forward and not them us.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I think it's great that Mercedes and AMG aren't what they used to be. There's no way I could have afforded one had they remained the preserve of the very wealthy, but now I stand a fighting chance.

 

[MancMike]

I think it's great that Mercedes and AMG aren't what they used to be.

You're better off with a Lexus, or Hyundai.

 

[clk320x]

now they’re almost every other car I see

Cheap lease deals

 

[MancMike]

Cheap lease deals

They're not cheaper than lesser marques though, or my mrs would be in one shortly. She's taken with the GLA (expensive) or Mazda CX3.

 

[MancMike]

Wouldn't have a clue what call custard means, never heard of it before, the only thing weird about me is I tell the truth, and that is very weird in today's world - isn't.

In the mean time how about you explain why there is more Bull... logically, instead of emotionally. I'll bet you can't. Just like you don't think you should apologize. The only way you will know how to respond to this is to call more BS custard, isn't. Mmmmm?

See this is how weird I am - very weird. More weird than you have ever seen in your life sweetie.

Someone already explained to you what the calling custard reference is about.

Oh and custard is an infamous PistonHeads incidence. A poster was writing about an amazing car collection and in the thread some people accused the OP of being somewhat of a fantasist. So the thread doubters asked for picture of his cars with a tin of custard on each of this fantasy garage. The pictures of the garage with all the cars + custard tin came straight back.

Basically, you claimed to have an S63 AMG, and I am 99% certain that's bullshit.

You also posted this:

Here, and on it goes...trainwreck is MB reliability. SL55 Coilover Conversion

In that thread, the guy bought his car a few months ago and already got the dreaded "ABC visit workshop" message. You read that, and it incremented your "trainwreck is MB reliability" counter. In reality, our reality, where unicorns don't exist and you can't skip along the colourful rainbows, the car is 14 years old and still on it's original shocks. That's remarkable reliability for a large, heavy 14 year old performance car, but you didn't read that far did you.

It's ironic that you talk about logic, over emotion, when every post you make is emotionally charged and illogical, includes music videos for some reason, and cites zero facts. You just spout endless insane, tangential nonsensical waffle, rhetoric and hyperbole.

Your posts incite people to ask what mind-altering substances you're under the influence of. Honestly, how many in this thread alone? Now you're boasting about how weird you are. You're masochistic, somewhere between an oddball, and deranged. I'm almost concerned for you. You're honestly showing yourself up, it's cringeworthy to watch.

I wouldn't be that bothered that we've a resident nutcase, if it wasn't that all you do is slate the brand of car we've all chosen, and make remarks about gas chambers, and sometimes, you post this stuff on new members' topics! They've not even had the chance to learn that they're to disregard this fruitloop yet and they'll have the wind knocked out of their sails when they read your tails of shocking MB reliability when they've likely just pulled all their finances together to get what is in some cases to them, their dream car.

"sweetie", really?

 

[WDB124066]

Pathological liar is where I have you at the moment. About the only thing you may have done truthfully in your life.

Check the title and first sentence of the thread, do you actually own an AMG or had any time what so ever with one financially?

Why would you post here?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I think it's great that Mercedes and AMG aren't what they used to be. There's no way I could have afforded one had they remained the preserve of the very wealthy, but now I stand a fighting chance.

Give it up Rob, you should be at least in a Brabus Rocket with your vast wealth!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Cheap lease deals

All that’ll be coming to a rather abrupt end very soon now the FCA are sticking their beak in plus GFV’s being miles out and the dealers are taking big hits...

 

[WDB124066]

About the most deceitful and cruelest thing you could do to the OP is to accuse people who tell the truth about AMG ownership [which is what he is seeking] of being nuts.

And, why do you do this...?

I'd be willing to make a bet that you and your mates wouldn't have the guts to explain why, but rather hang the poor OP out to dry.

All you need to do OP is search the inet for AMG's problems and take a thumb suck on what may happen in the future. Risk vs reward, both yours and Daimler's

 

[clk320x]

All you need to do OP is search the inet for AMG's problems and take a thumb suck on what may happen in the future.

Isn’t that the same with every single car out there? or have you invented a car where no component will ever fail?

 

[WDB124066]

Don't you think that is a really stupid question?

Are you advocating an AMG is as reliable as any other performance car? Not in our world it isn't, not by a long shot! And that was one of the first questions raised by the OP.

Every fault I referred to is an actual fault on an actual car not political dreamland stuff. I have another car here with 250 000 on it [25 years old] and I have replaced tyres, oil, water, clutch and lightbulbs, such is the reliability - and it is driven very hard indeed. At 38 000 kms it is a completely different story for the AMG. And if anybody doesn't know how fumes get into the cabin to cause the gas chamber effect, again, do your research rather than bleeeeeeeet how dirranged a person is for mentioning it.

Perhaps a bit more factual based research would help in your understanding, that is if you want to understand?

 

[WDB124066]

And to save the poor OP's post from going deeper into a psychological attack on other members may I suggest posts of that nature be directed at the Surely They Can't Be Serious thread on TLVF's and just how destructive they are. A far less selfish option.

 

[BIRMA]

Just to add my experience on matters, many years ago when I first joined the Porsche forum there was a member there who called himself Tomlin he had the most fabulous collection of cars. A Porsche GT (the V10 supercar) an Aventador and a couple of other supercars. I'm not a jealous person but something just didn't add up so I asked in the most polite manner to post up some photo's of the cars. Which he did and low and behold they were just cut and pasted from the internet and he didn't own any of them. It was an interesting experience for me and from here on in when I see someone posting up a collection of fabulous cars I always steer clear unless I meet them with one of them.
I remember a post on Pistonheads where the guy photographed his fabulous car collection with the custard. But I think on the whole the internet does have an awful lot of dreamers who just can't help stepping over the line.

 

[alfl23]

Comparing the ownership of a Ferrari to an AMG Merc is pointless because the former is not fit for every day driving and if one were to drive one every day in all kinds of traffic it will break beyond a point where it will become unaffordable to repair or maintain. Ferrari’s and cars like that are for people with deep pockets and super garages. Show cars or weekends in the summer. Mind I know a lad that has a Ferrari, he bought it used, saved up for it, over 50k he put into it the rest on finance and he’s had it a few years and it hasn’t been the money pit you think it would be. But then it only goes to car shows and the odd trip to Wales or Scotland. Maybe 2k miles a year if that. He would easily get his money back though if not more.
...

Sorry for not copy pasting everything, saving space. I think you're on the money, and you've opened my eyes a bit on the forum. I'm taking a far more serious look into a used C63S or an E63s. They haven't tanked yet I'm sure, but they have more features than an S Coupe and you can get 4Matic which I think for the kind of driving you do in an AMG is extremely important. Going to look around the forum as I've seen people owning that, and complaining about that, but it looks like 3x the value for money, and that 2 years used would give you ~£1k - 1.5 per year depreciation averaged out on a 5 - 7 year ownership, which is more in line with what many of you mentioned here. Cheap wouldn't be the right word, but way more sensible.

Considering just how much trouble I ran into with my S, it's not like I bought that much more car. I've been driving it manually all month cause the gearbox is broken which is fun, very lovely squeaks on the rear suspension(I think) as I drive over bumps, air con not working on one side at all, etc etc. A little but much for a 3 year old car.

I don't know if it's just my car, but also the gearbox can have a mind of its own. Downshifting from 2 to 1 when you come to a stop doesn't happen without a big kickback, and sometimes if you're in sports mode, and you go round a tight bend so you come down all the way to first gear, it gets oddly stuck "in between" gears, so the car lounges you back and forth a few times before it returns to "normal". The shifts all happen in automatic, if I was incorrectly forcing gears I'd shut it. I'm hoping it's just my car, but the 7G tronic has proven to be interesting for daily driving.

 

[MancMike]

Pathological liar is where I have you at the moment. About the only thing you may have done truthfully in your life.

Check the title and first sentence of the thread, do you actually own an AMG or had any time what so ever with one financially?

Why would you post here?

Why do you? You’re not an AMG owner either are you?

I’m a liar? Which bit? Come on, don’t ignore this like you do every other call out.

You still haven’t proven that you did actually buy an S63 in late 2015 like you said.

I never claimed to own an AMG, you did.

You’re the one making stupid statements left right and centre, I’m simply quoting you. How am I a liar? Please give me some examples.

“Pathological liar is where I have you at the moment. About the only thing you may have done truthfully in your life.”

What does this even mean? Do these words just sound nice and poetic as you’re writing them? Do you think you’re writing at some “high level”? It’s all total drivel.

 

[E55BOF]

It’s all total drivel.

That's the word most of us (bar one or two disciples) were looking for...

'Stream of Consciousness' is another possibility. Has anybody read J.P. Donleavy's 'The Ginger Man'? If you have, you'll know what I mean. That's drivel too.

 

[french]

My sides are hurting...please stop

 

[clk320x]

Perhaps a bit more factual based research would help in your understanding, that is if you want to understand?

What AMG do you have?