Anyone got 25 grand burning a large hole in their pocket?

[miro]

If so, may I recommend this?

http://www.sovereigncarsales.co.uk/vehicles/sports/c55amg.htm

One of only 7 RHD cars?

What is that black slither around the rim ?

 

[Tan]

The key drawback for me with this car is the mileage. I know 52k may not sound alot, but when i bought my C43 with 58k miles i thought that was low and the car "isnt broken in yet" as they say. Although i still like my C43 and i plan to hold on to it for a long time, i must admit it has cost me a frotune in expensive repairs and had hosts of problems as documented in my posting late last year. The trouble is people dont buy C55 or C43 for the Sunday afternoon Tesco shopping trip, but these are cars that are driven hard, floored and many are abused on the street and on track days etc.

This car had three owners, not one and this also is a negative for it, even if it has FMBSH (my car had one owner and with FMBSH and still cost me more than £6000 in repairs/maintainance in the last one and a half years).

just my two pennies worth !

With those kind of expenses it may well be worth considering some warranty cover. I have AA cover and it has saved me a small fortune.

 

[John Peerce]

Tan, I see your point and having been to the AA website it does seem to make sense to get the parts and labour cover (i am already AA member). However, much of money i spent on repairs would probably not been covered by the AA, because it would not have been seen as a "breakdown". For example, the Air Con Condensor (£450), and the Air Con Compressor (£700) both of which had to be replaced would not have been covered, as they are not causes of a car breaking down, as such. Even the starter motor, which was failing would not have been covered because the car would eventually start the second or third time you try the ignition.

Still, if i had bought the car from a main dealer it would have been covered by a 1 year signature warrenty, which would have truely saved me a bundle, as most of the repairs had to be done in the first 12 months. I bought it froma regular, non MB dealer, and it came with a commercial warrenty not worth the paper its written on.

 

[GrahamC230K]

John - what went wrong that was of particular expense due to it being a AMG model?

I guess aircon parts etc are common W202 part.

 

[John Peerce]

Graham, you are right in saying that many of the C43 parts a regular mercedes parts. All of what i had to replace were regular, non AMG parts.

From the first week i got the car things started to go wrong, and i made the fatal mistake of taking the car for a B service at a main MB dealership one month after buying it, where labour charges per hour are at par with charges of consultant cardiologists.

Things that needed fixing in last 18 months: leaking diffrentials, new starter motor, L5 cranskshaft sensor, replaced 16 spark plugs twice in 18 months as the first batch burned out quickly, duo valve, new air con condensor and compressor, new MAF sensor, replaced coolant pump twice (and still shows up as a fault on star diagnostics but i ignore that now), other things such as tensioner and belt, had to be replaced too etc.

I know people with c220 , c180, or c280 etc and they dont get half of these problems over say a five year period let alone one a half years. I can only conclude that the way the c43 is designed means that components are stressed too quickly. Its a 4.3L V8 engine with 307bhp and 310nm torque, and yet its in the body and chasis of a w202. Maybe all this means that the car ages prematurely, hence my comment that 52k miles might be too high for car of this type.

If i had to do it all over again , i would still buy a c43, as its such a joy to drive, however i would buy one with less than 30k miles, and get the RAC to check it (so as to get their 10000 gurantee/cover).

 

[GrahamC230K]

Thanks for the advice. Trusty C230K (don't mention MAF Sensor or ECU!) staying for the near future!

 

[GregE240]

John, if you don't mind me asking what led you to think the first set of plugs you had in were rubbish?

I ask this because my 240 has had the same set of plugs now for 55K. I've noticed over the last couple of months a marked unevenness in the car both on tickover and on the road - it just doesn't have the "get up and go" it used to - perhaps not C43 get up, but you know what I mean!

Last week MB Birmingham slapped the trusty old Star on it and it didn't show up anything. Nothing at all. But I'm having the plugs changed tomorrow, come what may.

I'd be interested in your thoughts and experiece of the first set of plugs.

All the best,

Greg

 

[John Peerce]

John, if you don't mind me asking what led you to think the first set of plugs you had in were rubbish?

The car started cutting out while in motion i.e engine goes to sleep. It showed up on the star diagnostics as fault P300,P301, etc which was "multiple cylinders misfiring, TWC damaging" (TWC = Three Way Convertor). When the plugs were pulled out, the tips were worn out (ie the electrod "gap" at the top of the plug was very wide).

These are the advanced symptoms of failing plugs, and ideally one shouldnt wait until these happen before changing the plugs, as misfiring can shorten the life of the cat convertor very quickly (and this can cost £££ to replace).
To avoid this its best to have at least one of the plugs, if not all, inspected for signs of being worn out every 5000 miles. With the right tool this inspection shouldnt take more than two minutes per plug..

Hope that helps...

 

[GrahamC230K]

I ask this because my 240 has had the same set of plugs now for 55K. I've

Greg

The benefit of only 4 plugs and independant servicing. They actually check the plugs every ~10K miles when it goes in and with only being 4, normally chnage them as it's only a few pounds more to do so whilst they are out.

I am no expert at all, but circa 50K miles for filters and plugs seems a long time, when they are so cheap and you have to have pit stops for oil anyway.

 

[Tan]

Tan, I see your point and having been to the AA website it does seem to make sense to get the parts and labour cover (i am already AA member). However, much of money i spent on repairs would probably not been covered by the AA, because it would not have been seen as a "breakdown". For example, the Air Con Condensor (£450), and the Air Con Compressor (£700) both of which had to be replaced would not have been covered, as they are not causes of a car breaking down, as such. Even the starter motor, which was failing would not have been covered because the car would eventually start the second or third time you try the ignition.

Still, if i had bought the car from a main dealer it would have been covered by a 1 year signature warrenty, which would have truely saved me a bundle, as most of the repairs had to be done in the first 12 months. I bought it froma regular, non MB dealer, and it came with a commercial warrenty not worth the paper its written on.

John, the AA have two types of warranty the type that you have mentioned and a more comprehensive policy that is similar to the signature cover that the MB Dealers supply.
http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/warranty/warranty_home.jsp

This link should get you through to the relevant pages.

BTW: They covered the cost of my MAS sensors and Climate control unit amagst other things.

Regards

Tan

 

[John Peerce]

Hi Tan, yes indeed it seems that i was looking at the wrong thing on the AA site. I have been to the link you posted, and having put my car's details the quote is £472 for the cover...

 

[Tan]

Hi Tan, yes indeed it seems that i was looking at the wrong thing on the AA site. I have been to the link you posted, and having put my car's details the quote is £472 for the cover...

Thats roughly what I pay for the SL. Its alot of money but I like the peace of mind, I am on my second year of cover now. Besides when I had the Climate control work done the work cost the beside of £1000 i believe i get my money's worth.

 

[GregE240]

The benefit of only 4 plugs and independant servicing. They actually check the plugs every ~10K miles when it goes in and with only being 4, normally chnage them as it's only a few pounds more to do so whilst they are out.

I am no expert at all, but circa 50K miles for filters and plugs seems a long time, when they are so cheap and you have to have pit stops for oil anyway.

Mate, you're spot on. Believe me, if I had a 4 potter and the plugs were dead easy to get to, I'd do them myself.

But oh no, us poor V6-ers have 12 of the buggers and the engine designer obviously thought we were all callous-ed up hard knuckled contortionists. I looked at the invoice when mine were last changed and the plugs were just over £5 a pop. Labour was 93 quid however - thats MB dealer labour too.

I will be interested to see what state the plugs are in when they pull them out. I'll ask to see one or two.

John, many thanks for your speedy reply.

Greg

 

[aka$h]

V6's have 12 spark plugs?

 

[sym]

Yep. I suspect V8s have 16, and V12s have . . . . you guessed it . . . a lot !!!

S.

 

[Mambo]

My mate has built his own C55 from a C43! has had it a year now, he has now managed to source a 5.5 Kompressor engine which will replace the engine in his C55, will take detailed pics when he starts and will post them!

Let me know how that goes!!

 

[fuzzer]

Both my Grannies are now for sale ...

Offers in a PM

 

[GrahamC230K]

Both my Grannies are now for sale ...

Pics?

 

[PJH]

Both my Grannies are now for sale ...

So you haven't got round to selling your Mother yet then....

 

[fuzzer]

So you haven't got round to selling your Mother yet then....

How do you think i got my current car