C55 amg with no history, should i be afraid?

[Petrol Pete]

OP , you are overthinking this , for £7K just get the thing home and don't sweat the small stuff. It's not a estate so not as rare as the seller will have you believe, pretty rare but no where near as rare as the S (estate version) . Check the dates on the tyres , but will probably need changing , they are a common size and you can go as cheap (not reccommended) or as expensive as you like. £400 for all 4 is do-able.

Same with brake parts 345mm cross drilled vented Brembo (OEM) discs are widely available for not that much money, same with pads. Rear brakes are off the C32 (your indi might know this but expect blank stares from a main MB dealer when your brakes don't look like the ones on his computer screen). Seal kits are cheap and I remember seeing brand new rear calipers for less than £100 once. They are used on other cars (Volvo I think from memory) . Not that I needed them , just info I discovered.

It is a very 'analogue' car by todays standards with no fancy braking/suspension systems to go wrong . Full stainless exhaust that will still be around years after the rest of the car has returned to dust , same for the engine.

Worth finding out when the spark plugs were last replaced , there are 16 of them and they are not cheap, but more to the point anecdotal 'evidence' suggests that if not (at least) removed every 50K miles they can seize in the head.

The rocker cover gaskets (and breather gaskets) WILL leak a bit of oil which is an easy fix , the rear crank seal will also probably start leaking one day , but again annoying no big deal . Engine and transmission mount replacement , again not very expensive . Steering rack fluid (just over 1 litre) should probably be replaced . The steering rack is different (ratio) from other C class cars , so probably best to look after it.

The Comand system looks OK but is dated , lots of modern replacement stuff available , if you go down this road make sure you keep everything you remove.

The sunroof is standard (It was £50K new and was pretty much fully loaded as stock) The sunroof is subject to safety recall I got my letter ages ago if you have no letter just call MB recall and give them the VIN . Don't panic three quarters of a million MB's worldwide were recalled for sunroof check.

Lot's more to tell you if you buy it . One question : Do you plan on doing any of the work required yourself or will you need to take it to a mechanic for everything that needs doing.

PS expect no more than 16 - 25 mpg...no matter what others tell you .

 

[Sam87]

Not available any more.
Did you buy it @Lukas1985 ?

 

[Lukas1985]

Thats a very detailed informations. Thank you a lot.
Most of the works I will be looking doing myself
I am well known to sub 20mpg car as a daily. I am doing maybe 200miles a month and mainly weekends anyway so won't bother about consumption

So in your opinion is worth even without history sub £7k ?

OP , you are overthinking this , for £7K just get the thing home and don't sweat the small stuff. It's not a estate so not as rare as the seller will have you believe, pretty rare but no where near as rare as the S (estate version) . Check the dates on the tyres , but will probably need changing , they are a common size and you can go as cheap (not reccommended) or as expensive as you like. £400 for all 4 is do-able.

Same with brake parts 345mm cross drilled vented Brembo (OEM) discs are widely available for not that much money, same with pads. Rear brakes are off the C32 (your indi might know this but expect blank stares from a main MB dealer when your brakes don't look like the ones on his computer screen). Seal kits are cheap and I remember seeing brand new rear calipers for less than £100 once. They are used on other cars (Volvo I think from memory) . Not that I needed them , just info I discovered.

It is a very 'analogue' car by todays standards with no fancy braking/suspension systems to go wrong . Full stainless exhaust that will still be around years after the rest of the car has returned to dust , same for the engine.

Worth finding out when the spark plugs were last replaced , there are 16 of them and they are not cheap, but more to the point anecdotal 'evidence' suggests that if not (at least) removed every 50K miles they can seize in the head.

The rocker cover gaskets (and breather gaskets) WILL leak a bit of oil which is an easy fix , the rear crank seal will also probably start leaking one day , but again annoying no big deal . Engine and transmission mount replacement , again not very expensive . Steering rack fluid (just over 1 litre) should probably be replaced . The steering rack is different (ratio) from other C class cars , so probably best to look after it.

The Comand system looks OK but is dated , lots of modern replacement stuff available , if you go down this road make sure you keep everything you remove.

The sunroof is standard (It was £50K new and was pretty much fully loaded as stock) The sunroof is subject to safety recall I got my letter ages ago if you have no letter just call MB recall and give them the VIN . Don't panic three quarters of a million MB's worldwide were recalled for sunroof check.

Lot's more to tell you if you buy it . One question : Do you plan on doing any of the work required yourself or will you need to take it to a mechanic for everything that needs doing.

PS expect no more than 16 - 25 mpg...no matter what others tell you .

Not available any more.
Did you buy it @Lukas1985 ?

Certainly I am I had a drive and gearbox smooth, suspension no knocks or loose, no excessive oil only on one side of engine assume valve cover need doing. Will get a thorough check with specialist over weekend. After a long drive (140miles home), no overheating or any unnecessary bits. MPG on motorway is also not that bad as i thought and fairly punchy

 

[alexanderfoti]

A car that has been sat for 10 years will need recomissioning, and almost certainly some remedial works (brakes workign ok?) all rubber items will need to be looked at etc.. Price in a recomissioning

 

[W1ghty]

A car that has been sat for 10 years will need recomissioning, and almost certainly some remedial works (brakes workign ok?) all rubber items will need to be looked at etc.. Price in a recomissioning

It’s really only 7 years because time stopped for the 3 years of Covid

 

[alexanderfoti]

I have no memory of covid, only a void of darkness.

 

[Sam87]

Congratulations!
Sounds like you got a good car. If you got it for the offer you made, I think it's a great deal!

As for not being used for 10 years, it wouldn't worry me too much. If it was stored in a dry place, nothing would have been damaged/perished and I speak from my own experience. I've bought cars that have been stored for a very long time and the underneath looked like new. I've also had a couple of my own cars that I didn't use for 3+ years and nothing happened to them.
If it's just been serviced then I would check to make sure the brakes are still good and the tyres. Apart from that, just enjoy the V8

 

[Lukas1985]

Congratulations!
Sounds like you got a good car. If you got it for the offer you made, I think it's a great deal!

As for not being used for 10 years, it wouldn't worry me too much. If it was stored in a dry place, nothing would have been damaged/perished and I speak from my own experience. I've bought cars that have been stored for a very long time and the underneath looked like new. I've also had a couple of my own cars that I didn't use for 3+ years and nothing happened to them.
If it's just been serviced then I would check to make sure the brakes are still good and the tyres. Apart from that, just enjoy the V8

Ye looks clean, plenty of spider webs and some dust. At least I know no one tried to clean and hide stuff.
Tyres defo need changing, 2010 year. Tread is good but plenty old cracks, as why hasn't push much car and hasn't properly tested it. Brakes also seams stiff and weak, I think they will need doing.
Anyway as for 7k I think worth a risk.

 

[Lukas1985]

A car that has been sat for 10 years will need recomissioning, and almost certainly some remedial works (brakes workign ok?) all rubber items will need to be looked at etc.. Price in a recomissioning

I have allowed with my offer for small remedial works. Most of them in good mechanical state with millage less than 110k are worth over 10k anyway. I think spare 3k will do better knowing I done these bits than buying blind and guessing if someone actually done it.

 

[merc85]

Congrats buddy!! Start a project thread

 

[Lukas1985]

Congrats buddy!! Start a project thread

Thanks
Not yet. Hasnt decided do I actually want to modify it or keep completly stock. I will wait until next year with decisions. Will enjoy few months completly stock and just fix some issues Maybe small mod pre winter with wheels

 

[Bortig]

Hope you enjoy the car

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Congratulations, looks lovely

 

[Petrol Pete]

Well done Lukas on 'pulling the trigger' on this car . Modifications ? Some say Not really worth it on this car with a N/A engine means quite expensive mechanical changes will result in only moderate performance gains . Long tube headers , secondary cat removal , bit of a ECU tune from the like of MSL . Possibly a TCU tune on the gearbox ?

Up to you ...or just buy a C63/E55.

I took mine out for a 'burn' today (to pick up parts for my Toyota Yaris ) It's quick enough for what it is , and for the roads around my way.

Feel free to ask me - and everyone else on here - any question you like about C55 ownership . How's the foot (hand) brake feeling . ?

 

[Lukas1985]

Well done Lukas on 'pulling the trigger' on this car . Modifications ? Some say Not really worth it on this car with a N/A engine means quite expensive mechanical changes will result in only moderate performance gains . Long tube headers , secondary cat removal , bit of a ECU tune from the like of MSL . Possibly a TCU tune on the gearbox ?

Up to you ...or just buy a C63/E55.

I took mine out for a 'burn' today (to pick up parts for my Toyota Yaris ) It's quick enough for what it is , and for the roads around my way.

Feel free to ask me - and everyone else on here - any question you like about C55 ownership . How's the foot (hand) brake feeling . ?

Thanks. I am known to NA engines having previously VR6 r32 so understand what need to gain power. I will think about exhaust and long tube headers along with tune but will leave it for next year.
I was thinking about e55 also but turns out bit too much for space a have, also having supercharger and air suspension more things to go wrong so c55 is safer pick.
Foot hand brake I have a receipt of replacing. I am more concern about hand release latch, not used to it and not sure if it feel as should. Got a friend with also C55 will check his and compare.

At the moment most important will be to evaluate healt check and stuff that need replacing. Definately brakes feel weak, tyres need new, problems with A/C and radio. Also 1 mirror don't fold. I could expect some wiring issues after car in such a long time not running. Looking forward for it as I can feel it matches my driving preferences, driving positions and experience.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Lukas, very wise to put any tuning considerations to one side for now, plenty time for that. The handbrake can be compared to any W203 C class as they are all the same , good to know you have some access to another C55 that will be good for comparisons.

The wiring on the mirrors is very fragile and the normal advice is not to fold them unless you really have to.

Handbrake , what does the receipt actually say ? If it says (for example) ' Handbrake rear shoes replaced' but make no mention of the cable splitter cassette that lies below the rear seat you may still have potential parking brake problems on the horizon.

Here is a picture of the handbrake release cable (marked with arrows) as you can see there is little or no adjustment , the balled end simply slots into the pull handle. If the foot pedal comes back reluctantly the fault is almost defiantly beneath the rear seat where there is a return spring .

Ask me how I know ..... PS: the bulk of this image is relating to the ident 'clicker' (2a and 2b) . Not related to 'sticky' return of pedal.

 

[Lukas1985]

Thanks @Petrol Pete I'll have a look on the recipt when back home. I am quite sure there was no mention on any cable. Or this just be a MB thing as this is first Merc I ever had or driven myself so brand new adventure.

 

[Petrol Pete]

It certainly is an 'MB Thing' The foot operated handbrake is something MB persevered with for many years over numerous models . Bit of a 'Marmite' thing for owners , some love it , others not so keen . Must be interesting to use in a manual car on a hill start.

The design flaw 'Achilles heel' is the cable splitter cassette below the rear seat. On some cars there is no access to the adjuster from inside so it has a big access hole in the unit so it can be adjusted from below , the hole has no cover so the prop shaft throws gunk up into the unit, the spring pivot seizes and the spring snaps.

On all models it can only be replaced from underneath the car .

Replacing it on a C55 means partially dropping the fuel tank , disconnecting the drive shaft from the differential, and partial removal of the exhaust system.

Here is a bit of what is involved.

 

[philnewmerc]

This thread appeared under 'similar threads' on my screen. It stood out though because this car was for sale 6 or so months later when I was looking for an ang. I was only put off by the v short ownership (perhaps wrongly)... Wonder what happened?

 

[ernie]

This thread appeared under 'similar threads' on my screen. It stood out though because this car was for sale 6 or so months later when I was looking for an ang. I was only put off by the v short ownership (perhaps wrongly)... Wonder what happened?

The OP was last seen earlier this year so you may or may not get an answer from him. It would be interesting to have an update as he seemed to have clear plans for the car.

Ernie