Potentially buying an E55

[outlaw2312]

Hey everyone.
I'm looking at potentially getting an E55 AMG. I've got about £10,000 to spend, so I'll probably be looking an 04 plate (hopefully a bit newer).

It'll be strictly my weekend toy as I have a van for work and my mrs has a fiesta I can do my town trips in. I've been reading up on all the potential problems and what to look out for (although I may pay for an AA check before purchase). I'm also pretty handy with motors which is a bonus.

So stupid question is....what is the SBC? I've read about it, but don't know what it stands for!!

And the big question...is it worth getting quite an old car for the risk of the potential problems. I've been looking at all sorts, but I think its the HP that has swayed me to the AMG.

I'm currently selling my Chrysler 300c CRD which has been a bit of a lemon over the past couple of years tbh. And my only worry is I'm going to trade one set of problems for another (although hopefully not)!!

Cheers guys.
Mark.

 

[Ginger55k]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensotronic_Brake_Control

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/classifieds-cars-sale/196534-mercedes-w211-e55-amg.html

 

[outlaw2312]

Cheers! I did spot your car in the classifieds Ginger!

 

[GordonTarling]

To replace an SBC unit, you're looking at £1000 - £1500 to get it done at an indy. I don't think it's something you can do yourself unless you have a STAR machine and know how to use it. Either factor the cost of replacement into your purchase, or look for a later, facelift, model that doesn't have SBC.

 

[Ginger55k]

To replace an SBC unit, you're looking at £1000 - £1500 to get it done at an indy. I don't think it's something you can do yourself unless you have a STAR machine and know how to use it. Either factor the cost of replacement into your purchase, or look for a later, facelift, model that doesn't have SBC.

SBC is generic across the range, potential ticking time bomb for most 211 owners, dont think the 55's came with anything other than SBC you would need the later 63.

To be honest costs have not been much more to maintain than the oil burner.

16 plugs as an example increases costs, engine/gearbox wise its bullet proof, i agree factor in money for the airmatic/struts before buying.

I replaced my airmatic pump recently not because it failed but star indicated it was not reaching optimum pressures, rather than waiting for it to fail causing more problems to other systems i exchanged it.

 

[AMGeed]

To replace an SBC unit, you're looking at £1000 - £1500 to get it done at an indy. I don't think it's something you can do yourself unless you have a STAR machine and know how to use it. Either factor the cost of replacement into your purchase, or look for a later, facelift, model that doesn't have SBC.

If you don't mind doing some legwork yourself, it can be replaced far cheaper than that Gordon.
Buy it direct from Germany and get an indy to fit it at a couple of hrs labour and I reckon £800 is nearer.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/2129465-post138.html

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Though I agree regarding Engine and Gearbox being pretty much bullet proof something to be aware of is noisy pulley bearings, leaking rocker cover gaskets none of which would stop me buying the car, but rather to be used as leverage for haggling.

 

[E55BOF]

Outlaw 2312, if you might want a seven-seater '03 estate in silver with window tints, 142K miles, decent nick, MoT to June 2015, for £7500 (not a scam, not a misprint), call me (I can't seem to PM you) for more details on 07753-310995. I need to get it gone asap to make room for the other one...

Kind regards

Dennis Eves

 

[DavidL]

So did you buy the blue one Dennis?

 

[E55BOF]

Not yet, but I think I'm going to - if I can agree a price. The 'book' forecourt valuations (CAP, What Car and the like online) - are hopeless; nothing much over the £8k mark, and confused.com reckon the forecourt value is under £7K . OK, so where can I find one for that? Thought not...

I haven't insulted him by offering that; E55K S211s come up so rarely for sale that it is difficult to reach any meaningful average value. It's worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but as it has been welded to the showroom floor for a few weeks, nobody has been willing to pay the asking price so far. He reckons mine is worth about £6250 as a trade-in, which is not far off the 'book' value; but again, like the forecourt price, it is difficult to come up with a meaningful value. I'm going to see what mine's notional forecourt value is, and work on a proportionate price difference between the two based on the 'book' values as a basis. I'll have a word with him again tomorrow...

 

[E55BOF]

Just to add (slightly too late to edit the post above) that I haven't found a spread of much more than £1500 between lowest and highest values - trade in, private or forecourt price - for the cars from any of the online valuers, even allowing the most optimistic value for the blue one, and the most pessimistic for mine. Hence, a trade-in value for mine £4700 less than the asking price for his isn't really on. I don't mind having my leg lifted a bit to get the car I want, but not that much of a lift...

If I can't reach agreement, I'll just keep mine; there's nothing wrong with it, except that it isn't blue.

 

[DavidL]

Not yet, but I think I'm going to - if I can agree a price. The 'book' forecourt valuations (CAP, What Car and the like online) - are hopeless; nothing much over the £8k mark, and confused.com reckon the forecourt value is under £7K . OK, so where can I find one for that? Thought not...

I haven't insulted him by offering that; E55K S211s come up so rarely for sale that it is difficult to reach any meaningful average value. It's worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but as it has been welded to the showroom floor for a few weeks, nobody has been willing to pay the asking price so far. He reckons mine is worth about £6250 as a trade-in, which is not far off the 'book' value; but again, like the forecourt price, it is difficult to come up with a meaningful value. I'm going to see what mine's notional forecourt value is, and work on a proportionate price difference between the two based on the 'book' values as a basis. I'll have a word with him again tomorrow...

Having just bought an s211 e55 I have been watching prices for a while.
Bramleys have a w211 with similar miles to yours up at 9850.
Now s211 command a premium but Bramleys will want top dollar but I assume will offer full backup (a friend bought an overfinch classic range rover and I gather they did quite a lot after the sale to sort it for him).
So I feel a dealer would want £10-11k for yours (depending on the "type" of dealer and their support) but it would need to be gone over and advertised better than that.
£7500 for a private sale is pretty keen but good for a "quick sale". £8500 and a bit of negotiation would be where I'd put it.
I'd feel a bit peeved if someone offered barely half what they were asking for very similar cars everything else being equal.
I'd say £10k was a fair figure for the blue one and closer to the £7500 you are asking for a px for yours, so a 2500-3000 figure to change. Certainly not nearly £6k. It also gives the dealer towards £3k in margin less prep and its necessary he makes a profit.
There are lots of assumptions here on condition etc
Just my thoughts and it would be interesting to see what others think as I've only been here 5 mins!

 

[E55BOF]

Put your finger on it - the cost to change. Essentially, the dealer is valuing his at £3k above book, and mine at book. He can't have it both ways as far as I'm concerned. The blue one is a rather better spec than mine, but it's not a seven-seater, and it's on cheap tyres; mine is a seven-seater, and it's on decent Michelins. I think I'd settle for a £3k cost to change, but anything more than that is taking the p*** a bit. I don't need a seven-seater, and I like the better spec, and the blue colour, more, but not £4500 more. And there's still that rather foul wood interior!

 

[Major774]

Put your finger on it - the cost to change. Essentially, the dealer is valuing his at £3k above book, and mine at book. He can't have it both ways as far as I'm concerned. The blue one is a rather better spec than mine, but it's not a seven-seater, and it's on cheap tyres; mine is a seven-seater, and it's on decent Michelins. I think I'd settle for a £3k cost to change, but anything more than that is taking the p*** a bit. I don't need a seven-seater, and I like the better spec, and the blue colour, more, but not £4500 more. And there's still that rather foul wood interior!

If it helps, that car has optional active cornering headlights, rear side air bags, 805 build, Keyless Go, Comand, can't see any Harman Kardon badges though, sunroof, parktronic, dynamic seats (I can tell from the pictures).

I was tempted to change myself... But I like my saloon too much, just looks more sporty.

 

[E55BOF]

I prefer estates myself; much sleeker-looking. Besides, I need one for my dogs anyway.

The datacard shows all those, plus the sunroof, which mine does not have. According to the datacard it doesn't have the HK audio, but neither does mine. I've never felt the need for something other than the standard set-up in mine; maybe I have tin ears...

What was/is the difference between the 804 and 805 build, and how do you tell which anyway?

It's a better spec than mine, but not £4500 better at this age. The seller wants 35% over top book, and if you add 35% to the worst bottom book for mine, it comes to £8500. That's a £2500 cost to change, and I'd go £3000, but that's it. Wood apart I like the blue car, but not at a cost to change of £4500.

 

[merc85]

804 Build apparently suffer with electrical gremlins and some with rust, 805's i believe are galv and dont suffer with either. 804's have a slatted grille in the top of the dash 805's are a mesh grille.

My s211 e320 cdi is a 804 and hasn't got any electrical nor rust issues anywhere. i may of course miss understood the differences and stand corrected if anyone knows different.

 

[E55BOF]

Thank you for that. I can't see the dash top in any of the posted pics, though; apart from the 200 mph speedo (can't see that either), do you know if there's any other way to tell, other than the date of manufacture?

 

[merc85]

i think the 805 build had the 200mph clocks 804's were 160mph, mybe incorrect tho sorry :/

 

[AMGeed]

i think the 805 build had the 200mph clocks 804's were 160mph, mybe incorrect tho sorry :/

Unless you looked at my dash and saw an 804 build slatted grill and then a 200mph 805 build speedo (It's an 804 with updated speedo)

 

[Major774]

It's off Autotrader now... Probably sold.