• The Forums are now open to new registrations, adverts are also being de-tuned.

E55k future values?

smoothcoupe

Active Member
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
430
Location
WEST YORKSHIRE.
Car
MERCEDES E55K-2001 AUDI S8-MERCEDES 300CE 24V SPORTLINE
I have a 2004 E55. I’ve had it for 6 years, fantastic car but was thinking of getting either a w212 E63 biturbo / CLS 63 biturbo / S63 but also keeping the 55 if future values perhaps would rise. I used to have an 2001 BMW E39 M5 which I sold for £8500 6 years ago and replaced it with the E55. The same M5 now would be £15000 + do you think the E55,s would go the same way or do you think they would end up like most big engined mercs ( worth peanuts as the years go by) ????
 
I have a 2004 E55. I’ve had it for 6 years, fantastic car but was thinking of getting either a w212 E63 biturbo / CLS 63 biturbo / S63 but also keeping the 55 if future values perhaps would rise. I used to have an 2001 BMW E39 M5 which I sold for £8500 6 years ago and replaced it with the E55. The same M5 now would be £15000 + do you think the E55,s would go the same way or do you think they would end up like most big engined mercs ( worth peanuts as the years go by) ????

Being an optimistic person, I hope it follows the M cars but the realist in me says otherwise. I think they will hold as they are but never be an M car.

Saying that, C55 prices have gone up along with R129 prices. Then look at a C126 compared to 3-5 years ago.

Keep it well maintained and enjoy.
 
Last edited:
Being an optimistic, I hope it follows the M cars but the realist in me says otherwise. I think they will hold as they are but never be an M car.

Saying that, C55 prices have gone up along with R129 prices. Then look at a C126 compared to 3-5 years ago.

Keep it well maintained and enjoy.
Of course maintenance goes without saying . But seems such a shame to see such a good model just slump in values.
 
Of course maintenance goes without saying . But seems such a shame to see such a good model just slump in values.

I agree. I think prices to go from sub 10k to more 12-15k is achievable. Once everyone starts advertising them for
A higher price, the market will shift.
 
I think classic car prices will start to tumble, Ev’s and hybrids are getting about and the Eu are against Petrol and diesel.

Don’t get me wrong I’d love to see a increase but I don’t think that’s going to happen.
 
On the other hand, if petrol (and other IC) cars begin to get phased out of production then it could have the reverse effect. Large capacity V8s (and other large engines for that matter) are becoming a thing of the past.

Look at the values of old two stroke motorcycles for example.

I don’t see the W211 becoming a proper classic anytime soon but I guess the 113K engine was pretty legendary and nice examples will always hold their money firm.

Look at the prices of 202s, 210s etc starting to creep up now? Nice ones are becoming desirable :cool:

I can’t see pre existing petrol ‘classic’ cars being banned from the roads anytime soon. And even then, they’ll still have a collectible value IMHO :)
 
I agree that ICE cars will drop in value unless truly special / iconic.

Some people will get burnt too I reckon.

On the E55K, whilst I can't see the prices hitting the floor, I cannot see E55Ks rising to the same heavy heights as say an E39 M5 and I've seen it this way even since I had one over 3 years ago now.

I guess mint late examples will be in the early teens, average stuff around 10 and 5 > 10 for average to crappy examples.

The E55K is too complicated and expensive to maintain for a car at the lower end of the scale.

Whilst it handles well, it's not really on a par with an M5 as it is too soft.

The E39 does not have air suspension and has a lot less electronic trickery too.

The natural competitor is the E60 M5 but that is a different story altogether and my guess is the E60 M5 will be the same as the E55K.

Doesn't change the situation for me that the E55K is a stonking car in it's own right though and I would happily take one over any M5.
 
E55`s are pretty static price wise over the last couple of years. Higher price ones do not shift, lower priced ones eventually go.

seems to be the trend for most cars at the moment
 
^ I'd agree with the above from what I've seen.
The higher priced ones with low mileage seem to take a while to sell, same as those that need lots of work or are rough.
 
Noise cameras are going to be used to phase out fossil fuel vehicles imho, not that they’d admit it. Interesting and sad times ahead I think.
 
I really think it depends on the car for future values. There are lots of average to poor examples of E55K's about in both saloon and estate variants already. I think really good well cared for examples of E55K's will increase in value as there will just be fewer and fewer about. Even now there are not that many good examples around so rarity will bring more desirability, but never to E39 levels.

I agree with John regarding M5's. All were iconic cars up to the E39. Let's face it even though we are on a Merc forum there wouldn't be many of us that wouldn't want an E28 M5 and to a lesser extent an E34 then an E39. All great cars and are increasing in value especially the E28, which can fetch big money. After that the M5's just do not seem so special. Merc, Audi and Jag to a certain extent all had models as good as the M5 of the time since then.
 
To be frank, like Alps says, the prices have been pretty static for a while now:
“Low” mileage (circa 80k or less) E55K’s seem to top out around £12/13k, “average” mileage (100-150k) in good condition with full history seem to be £8-10k and leggy stuff that needs a grand or so spending is anywhere from £6k upwards.

The crux for me though is that even the newest ones are well over 13 year old now so the chances are they’ll need *something* spending even if they’re meant to be “mint”.

Estates *seem* to be worth 10-20% more than the comparative saloons but that seems open for debate.

If anything though, I think the CLS55 is more in with a shout of being a “future classic” than the E55K.
 
Keeping a car that you no longer use or need in the hope that it eventually turns out to be some sort of "investment" rarely works out as you would wish.

No car benefits from standing idle for long periods and so you would have to factor in storage, MOT, tax, insurance, service and miscellaneous costs each year even if the car is barely used. And whilst your BMW may have appreciated by £6500 over those six years, your costs over that period would have negated most if not all of this and the same will almost certainly be true with your E55.

Mag to grid.
 
Noise cameras are going to be used to phase out fossil fuel vehicles imho, not that they’d admit it. Interesting and sad times ahead I think.

Indeed - very sad on a number of levels and whilst petrol-less cars will sound the death of my interest in them, I am 100% behind the change and it has to be that way.
 
Even if the value of the car goes up, it probably won’t outstrip maintenance...
 
I have had an interest in the price of E55's for the last 6 years having searched for and bought one back in 2013.
What I have noticed is that cars in the 90k -130k miles have barely dropped in price at all.
They are still fetching £7.5k - £10k depending on options and condition. There are exceptions that can command, and get higher than that too.
The high price, low mileage cars just don't appear to sell easily.
Too many were made for them to ever become a classic IMO. That accolade will go to the CLS55 I believe.
What isn't in question is the superb engine that even 17 years later still makes the pulse quicken when you are on it.
Selling mine, but it will always be thought of as a great car.
 
Last edited:
The crux for me though is that even the newest ones are well over 13 year old now so the chances are they’ll need *something* spending even if they’re meant to be “mint”.

Mine is a 2004/2019 model. ;)
 
I bought mine in 2013 and the selling prices over the years have been quite stable.

Prices will only start rising once more and more of these cars are written off, so still a while yet to go.
 
They've been pretty stable for last 5 years, I bought/sold mine in that period and 'lost' £500, estates definately rarer though, so I cant really see prices going down as long as you boys keep them running :)
 
As already said the prices have bottomed out and don’t seem to be dropping further. It’s likely they’ll creep up but it’s how long it takes that’s the question.

The E39 M5 has attained modern classic status. The E55 is the left field choice and will simply take longer to reach a classic status.

You’ll likely see the values go up purely with age and the fact that they have that engine.

As mentioned the CLS55 may be creep up we that body design was a real stand out design. First of its kind being a coupe shape with four doors then mates to that V8!
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom