C32 AMG - buying advice please...

[maars]

I'm thinking of buying a C32 AMG estate, with a budget of around £18-20k. Looking on Autotrader/ebay/Pistonheads most seem to have around 50-70k miles on them. What advice can you give me on:-
* what to lookout for
* what are the service intervals
* how much the minor/major services are
Thanks!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I'm thinking of buying a C32 AMG estate, with a budget of around £18-20k. Looking on Autotrader/ebay/Pistonheads most seem to have around 50-70k miles on them. What advice can you give me on:-
* what to lookout for
* what are the service intervals
* how much the minor/major services are
Thanks!

Heated seat elements fail regularly, and the Intercooler pump goes at around40,000 miles. Listen for suspension noises as the bushes are prone to failure too. Beyond that just look for the usual stuff. A search on this forum will ellaborate further - I'm sure I've posted plenty in my time!!

Service intervals 10,000 miles, with minor (A) services being about £250, major (B) services around £450. Also budget for a transmission fluid change at around £150, and spark plugs at around £300.

 

[maars]

Thanks for the info. I know some cars have to have major work at certain intervals e.g. cambelt change, etc. Is there such a point for the C32 AMG? Anything I should ask/look out for on a higher mileage car e.g 60-70k miles.

 

[Wil]

You have a cam-chain on your engine which should last the lifetime for the engine that's one less thing to worry about. The other major items to look out for are things like discs/pads, worn bushes, worn dampers etc. in which can be done by any independant garages other than Merc which should save you some £££. Just ask for a basic service (for the service stamp) and take it somewhere else for other issues. Most of the common problems with this engine tends to be with the intercooler pump causing intermittent loss of power, sounds like a major job but in fact the part is approx £150 and is fitting is a doddle, but I'm a sort of person that will give anything a go before resorting to the garages. Other than that the engine itself seems to be very reliable.

 

[maars]

And what sort of mpg can you see from the car?

 

[Wil]

My last £30 fill up lasted me approx. 130miles (~18mpg) thats mainly town, start/top driving. I have achieved upto around 25mpg on a light motorway cruise with some town driving.

 

[andy_cyp]

And if you wanna clean one mines for sale,,,

Im sure bobby and grav can vouch for that

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

On a motorway cruise, around 27mpg is about the norm, although I saw 29mpg on the 'puter once!! Town driving around 21mpg. Rush hour town driving about 17-19mpg.

60k miles will be fairly pricey as it will need plugs and transmission fluid if not done already, and s0ds law says it will be a B service and brakes around the same time!!

 

[maars]

And if you wanna clean one mines for sale,,,

Im sure bobby and grav can vouch for that

I'm really after an estate, black if possible....thanks for the offer though

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

There aren't many C32s about - especially estates. A non-silver estate is quaite rare - but it will be out there if you look hard enough and for long enough.

I personally would go for the car in the best condition, with best service history, unless you're happy to wait a long time (or get lucky straight away).

 

[andy_cyp]

There aren't many C32s about - especially estates. A non-silver estate is quaite rare - but it will be out there if you look hard enough and for long enough.

I personally would go for the car in the best condition, with best service history, unless you're happy to wait a long time (or get lucky straight away).

violet one on ebay

 

[maars]

Going to look at it this weekend hopefully I've found a black one too ...but it will require a 4 hour trip to see it. Fingers crossed it's a good-un!

 

[andy_cyp]

Going to look at it this weekend hopefully I've found a black one too ...but it will require a 4 hour trip to see it. Fingers crossed it's a good-un!

Good luck in your hunt....

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Going to look at it this weekend hopefully I've found a black one too ...but it will require a 4 hour trip to see it. Fingers crossed it's a good-un!

Any news yet?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Service intervals 10,000 miles, with minor (A) services being about £250, major (B) services around £450. Also budget for a transmission fluid change at around £150, and spark plugs at around £300.

Update: A-service completed today by MB main dealer, supplied my own Mobil 1 oil (cost £47 from Costco) and it came to £135, and that included the additional 4-year checks for which a small additional charge is applied.

Not bad for an AMG, eh? :bannana:

I probably managed to drink £10 of their profits!!