W164 ML63 AMG Buyers Guide/Help?

[C63AMGV8M3]

Hi you wonderful bunch

I am new here (found from Google) after trying to research for my first ever Merc and AMG

I have just sold my E92 M3 Competition to free up some money for the house, and these AMG's can be had for around 10-15k. 6.2 V8 producing 500bhp and surely depreciation free motoring? Sounds like a no brainer to me!

Problem is, there are very very few for sale so its difficult for me to go and view any.

Are there any buyers guides for these cars? I have tried using the search function but I'm only finding results from way back in 2011/2012

Now, coming from the M3, I am used to all the scaremongering and Internet stories (Rod Bearings / Throttle Actuators etc.) and having read on the M156 engine I keep seeing head bolts mentioned. My budget will only allow for an early example (2006/2007 with 100k+ miles) so are the head bolts something that I should be aware of? Or am I right in thinking if there was an issue with it would have occurred by this mileage?

Are there any other things to look out for that are common on these cars?

Regarding servicing, is it 12 months/10k miles like usual? I would probably get the transmission fluid, plugs etc changed on any purchase if required just for my own peace of mind.

And are there any must have options?

Finally, any MB AMG specialists in the Leeds area that anybody could recommend?

Thanks for any help or advice!

 

[KeithDee]

Hi, coolant lose could be a tell tail sign of a snapped head bolt, can be any milage but usually the top of the bolt corrodes due to water from watef jacket, the head bolt design itself is not good either. If one snaps the engine will mare than likely need removing due to clearance from the cyl head to body due to the height the head will need to be lifted to clear the bust stud. You can replace the headbolts for the uprated headbolts without removing the heads by charging them one at a time to safeguard any future bolt failures.
When you go to view one of these M156 engined vehicles it's essential the vehicle has been stood at least over night with no start. Lift the bonnet, stand in front of the vehicle and get someone to start the engine. If the is any rattle sound that dissappears after a second or two there is wear in the cam adjusters, there are four of these. They can also suffer with excess cam wear to cam lobes and buckets. Best use a 5w30 5w40 oil as oppose 0w30 or 40 due to excess wear on top cam due to the incine of the V in the engine design.
To replace your headbolts all the cam adjusters and cams have to be removed so can be checked for wear, if the cam adjusters are noisy or rather become noisy in your ownership there is a way of to give them a second lease of life to save buying new ones, Injectors can also fail on these engines. Think that about covers it. The bottom end on these is really good though. My cousin has a late 2010 model ml63 which has old style bolts and around 80k miles so it's going to have some preventative work done soon.
Don't let this put you off though, as you say everything has its issues and some of these do high miles with no issues. Apart from that a brilliant vehicle that's very quick for what it is. A very nice place to be in. Hope it helps. You can reaserch all the above on YouTube on these engines. There is a cut off point on the engine number for when the headbolts were updated by Mercedes but can't think what it is off the top of my head. Easily researched though.
Hope it helps Keith

 

[KeithDee]

060658 Is the engine code last six digits. If its pre this number then old style headbolts unless they have been done.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Hello ang welcome . Nothing like jumping into MB ownership headfirst with an aeging 63 AMG ! Ignore the title , Alex is just giving you the truth and the benefit of his experience.

And as for Tyler Hoover , well...it's just the way his channel works

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[C63AMGV8M3]

Thanks both, really helpful.

Something for me to watch tonight

 

[C63AMGV8M3]

I like the look of this one, funnily enough it's less than 10 miles away!

2006 (56) Mercedes M Class ML63 AMG V8 - Beautiful Conditon - FSH - Huge Spec | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2006 (56) Mercedes M Class ML63 AMG V8 - Beautiful Conditon - FSH - Huge Spec at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

Anything look untoward about the above car? The driver side arch gap looks suspiciously higher than the passenger side to me from the photos, could indicate a faulty shock?

Judging by the ad looks to be a car trader selling it. Previous owner isnt on here are they?

Will ask for a breakdown of the service history. Anything else I need to ask or look out for?

 

[Dickster]

Wow, I like that. They are a lot of car for the money. Check the MOT history, clean with lack of advisories is good. And I’d ask the dealer if everything works. See how it drives, you can usually tell a lot about a car by the way it drives and handles. I.e. steers straight, pulls smoothly, drives quietly with no knocks and rattles. Should feel tight. And of course condition, inside and out.

 

[KeithDee]

Have a look for misting/leaks on rear shocks and any thudding noise from any particular corner of the car on test drive. I have a cls55 that had a misting n/s shock that would hold up few days then slightly drop the car down on that corner, as the shocks get worse the more it will drop and the quicker. Check suspension operation
Make sure everything works, check the keyless go door lock/unlock on all doors. Check it has the remote for rear entertainment though you can get them second hand if need be. Make sure all the gears change as they should, no jerks, bumps, bangs especially under power. Make sure its been stood at least over night before starting it up and as I said previously listen for any noises that dissappear after a couple seconds from stone cold start up, it's distinctive you won't miss it if one of the cam adjusters are worn you will here the difference.

 

[Spider10]

Nice looking car The last service on the database is at 87,000 miles so do check the history, it is a peach of an engine though

 

[Spider10]

They all tick from cold and then go quiet that's normal its more after they are warm and still tick ,it will be in the headbolt era but dont read to much into it , it is a totally different animal than the poxy e92 M3 which I hated goodluck and enjoy

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi you wonderful bunch

I am new here (found from Google) after trying to research for my first ever Merc and AMG

I have just sold my E92 M3 Competition to free up some money for the house, and these AMG's can be had for around 10-15k. 6.2 V8 producing 500bhp and surely depreciation free motoring? Sounds like a no brainer to me!

Problem is, there are very very few for sale so its difficult for me to go and view any.

Are there any buyers guides for these cars? I have tried using the search function but I'm only finding results from way back in 2011/2012

Now, coming from the M3, I am used to all the scaremongering and Internet stories (Rod Bearings / Throttle Actuators etc.) and having read on the M156 engine I keep seeing head bolts mentioned. My budget will only allow for an early example (2006/2007 with 100k+ miles) so are the head bolts something that I should be aware of? Or am I right in thinking if there was an issue with it would have occurred by this mileage?

Are there any other things to look out for that are common on these cars?

Regarding servicing, is it 12 months/10k miles like usual? I would probably get the transmission fluid, plugs etc changed on any purchase if required just for my own peace of mind.

And are there any must have options?

Finally, any MB AMG specialists in the Leeds area that anybody could recommend?

Thanks for any help or advice!

Buy one with an impeccable service history and preventative maintenance completed and you will love it. Stick to main dealer or genuinely respected Mercedes specialist.

As suggested head bolts, cam adjuster, cam lobe and bucket wear are known weak points - the Internet makes them seem cery commonplace and they’re not.

The Internet worries about headbolts but all of those issues are equally likely. Don’t chance it as it’s very very expensive to sort out, so ideally find a car with it all done.

Find a car which has been well maintained, serviced on the button and with the preventative items completed. Make sure there are genuine receipts though.

I’ve only found one with a genuine full service history, most say they have but haven’t. Important items like spark plugs and transmission fluid changes are skipped.

At the mileage you’re looking at expect the air suspension struts to need teplacing if they haven’t been done, and stick to Mercedes struts, you’ll regret it otherwise.

Pay close attention to brakes, they’re also very expensive (maybe £1800) to replace with genuine parts, but they last very well, more than &0,000 miles is possible.

Regarding options, they all came relatively well specified. The car linked to mentions heated rear seats which is genuinely rare if it really does have them.

It also says it has a pan roof which is even more rare! That’s because the W164 wasn’t available with a panoramic roof, only the later W166 which is the next generation.

Those aren’t the original wheels either. Pay close attention. They may be genuine, but quite possibly not. Aftermarket “replica” wheels ruin the ride, so avoid.

The dealer has “borrowed” a spare set from me on multiple occasions when owners complain the ride is poor and don’t believe it’s down to the aftermarket/replica wheels.

If you have any other specific questions then please do feel free to ask.

 

[KeithDee]

Yeah agree they tick, but if you here one with a worn cam adjuster you'll know what I mean, only hear it for second or two when cold, once run you wouldn't hear it after unless obviously it stood for a period of time. It is a prominent noise on start. When you strip the adjuster there's a bright bar steel pin that wears, this can be removed and turned around which will extend the life of the adjuster

 

[C63AMGV8M3]

Hello ang welcome . Nothing like jumping into MB ownership headfirst with an aeging 63 AMG ! Ignore the title , Alex is just giving you the truth and the benefit of his experience.

And as for Tyler Hoover , well...it's just the way his channel works

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

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Thank you for that. A good watch on both vids. Tyler definitely got himself a bargain!

Wow, I like that. They are a lot of car for the money. Check the MOT history, clean with lack of advisories is good. And I’d ask the dealer if everything works. See how it drives, you can usually tell a lot about a car by the way it drives and handles. I.e. steers straight, pulls smoothly, drives quietly with no knocks and rattles. Should feel tight. And of course condition, inside and out.

Yes, MOT history comes up clean. Think there was an advisory for an oil leak many years ago but I expect that to have been sorted by now

Have a look for misting/leaks on rear shocks and any thudding noise from any particular corner of the car on test drive. I have a cls55 that had a misting n/s shock that would hold up few days then slightly drop the car down on that corner, as the shocks get worse the more it will drop and the quicker. Check suspension operation
Make sure everything works, check the keyless go door lock/unlock on all doors. Check it has the remote for rear entertainment though you can get them second hand if need be. Make sure all the gears change as they should, no jerks, bumps, bangs especially under power. Make sure its been stood at least over night before starting it up and as I said previously listen for any noises that dissappear after a couple seconds from stone cold start up, it's distinctive you won't miss it if one of the cam adjusters are worn you will here the difference.

That's great advice, thank you

Nice looking car The last service on the database is at 87,000 miles so do check the history, it is a peach of an engine though

They all tick from cold and then go quiet that's normal its more after they are warm and still tick ,it will be in the headbolt era but dont read to much into it , it is a totally different animal than the poxy e92 M3 which I hated goodluck and enjoy

Where did you get this info from re. The servicing? I will ask for a breakdown and see if there is anything after 87k. The ad states full MBSH so will be interesting to see where the services have been done after this point.

Buy one with an impeccable service history and preventative maintenance completed and you will love it. Stick to main dealer or genuinely respected Mercedes specialist.

As suggested head bolts, cam adjuster, cam lobe and bucket wear are known weak points - the Internet makes them seem cery commonplace and they’re not.

The Internet worries about headbolts but all of those issues are equally likely. Don’t chance it as it’s very very expensive to sort out, so ideally find a car with it all done.

Find a car which has been well maintained, serviced on the button and with the preventative items completed. Make sure there are genuine receipts though.

I’ve only found one with a genuine full service history, most say they have but haven’t. Important items like spark plugs and transmission fluid changes are skipped.

At the mileage you’re looking at expect the air suspension struts to need teplacing if they haven’t been done, and stick to Mercedes struts, you’ll regret it otherwise.

Pay close attention to brakes, they’re also very expensive (maybe £1800) to replace with genuine parts, but they last very well, more than &0,000 miles is possible.

Regarding options, they all came relatively well specified. The car linked to mentions heated rear seats which is genuinely rare if it really does have them.

It also says it has a pan roof which is even more rare! That’s because the W164 wasn’t available with a panoramic roof, only the later W166 which is the next generation.

Those aren’t the original wheels either. Pay close attention. They may be genuine, but quite possibly not. Aftermarket “replica” wheels ruin the ride, so avoid.

The dealer has “borrowed” a spare set from me on multiple occasions when owners complain the ride is poor and don’t believe it’s down to the aftermarket/replica wheels.

If you have any other specific questions then please do feel free to ask.

That's fantastic advice, thank you.

Yeah agree they tick, but if you here one with a worn cam adjuster you'll know what I mean, only hear it for second or two when cold, once run you wouldn't hear it after unless obviously it stood for a period of time. It is a prominent noise on start. When you strip the adjuster there's a bright bar steel pin that wears, this can be removed and turned around which will extend the life of the adjuster

I will make sure to ask for the car to remain stone cold before viewing and listen out for any noises that disappear.


Thank you so much to all, some fantastic points and advice. I will make a checklist with everything advised above and watch out for this if I do go to view the car. First port of call is to ask for a service history/maintenance breakdown and take it from there. I will report back with any findings

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Thank you for that. A good watch on both vids. Tyler definitely got himself a bargain!

Yes, MOT history comes up clean. Think there was an advisory for an oil leak many years ago but I expect that to have been sorted by now

That's great advice, thank you


Where did you get this info from re. The servicing? I will ask for a breakdown and see if there is anything after 87k. The ad states full MBSH so will be interesting to see where the services have been done after this point.

That's fantastic advice, thank you.

I will make sure to ask for the car to remain stone cold before viewing and listen out for any noises that disappear.


Thank you so much to all, some fantastic points and advice. I will make a checklist with everything advised above and watch out for this if I do go to view the car. First port of call is to ask for a service history/maintenance breakdown and take it from there. I will report back with any findings

First make sure that the services were all completeld annually or more frequently if the car covered high mileage in some years. A car serviced within days of the due date will show that it has likely to have been maintained and therefore cared for more than one which has less predictable or even erratic servicing patterns.

If it’s complete, ie no gaps with services completed at the same time every year, then you can check what was actually due at that point by using the Mercedes Electronic Service Sheet (ESS). ESS uses the registration date to work out what is due for that car, but it will accept a date which would be too young or too old for that mode, so simply adjust it.

Mercedes-Benz | ESS

Expect to see an alternative A (minor) service then B (major) service, then A service, etc. Additional items are age/mileage dependent and are in addition to the A/B services. These include brake fluid, air filter, combination filter, spark plugs, automatic transmission fluid, coolant, fuel filter, etc.

 

[badgx]

If your going for a 2006/2007 that will have the female T55 bolts. Don't worry unessessarily but more importantly check the history and how often the antifreeze was changed. Antifreeze will have some anti corrosion additive/rust inhibitors that will wear off in time, so check instead for regular service history which is important.

The ones to cautionously watch out for are the T60 headbolts because these have far less material on top, so again check service history and that the antifreeze was regularly changed. I would say change antifreeze every 2 years regardless.

The revised headbolts are the E14, they are all new, heavy duty with male heads and have more material on top.

For peace of mind, you can change them if you wish to the E14. This will immunise from any future risks.

Also changing head bolts is not the end of the world and can be performed by any competent DIY person and can be performed on your driveway saving you a tonne of money.

While there, I would suggest upgrading the camshaft adjuster plates to hardened steel ones, which are available from my friends at 63motorsport. Again this will immunise any issues around camshaft adjusters. Common symptoms of worn adjusters are a rattle on start up.

Do not be afraid of the M156 engine, its a beautiful engine. I've had so much fun and satisfaction, improving mine and immunising it, from head bolts, camshaft adjusters, bs hydraulic lifters and bs engine mounts.

Here's a link to my happy thread below

Got my camshaft adjuster plates 😀 from 63motorsport | AMG Lounge

Just received my camshaft adjuster plates from 63motorsport. They even supplied a fresh set of pins. Looking forward to strip down and rebuild🙂 Will be doing the head bolts too if it hasn't been changed to the new ones. Will soon see when I open the cover.

forums.mbclub.co.uk

 

[badgx]

I struggling to find some reasonably priced AMG merch, anything poloshirts, t shirts and mugs.

 

[Spider10]

Thank you for that. A good watch on both vids. Tyler definitely got himself a bargain!

Yes, MOT history comes up clean. Think there was an advisory for an oil leak many years ago but I expect that to have been sorted by now

That's great advice, thank you


Where did you get this info from re. The servicing? I will ask for a breakdown and see if there is anything after 87k. The ad states full MBSH so will be interesting to see where the services have been done after this point.

That's fantastic advice, thank you.

I will make sure to ask for the car to remain stone cold before viewing and listen out for any noises that disappear.


Thank you so much to all, some fantastic points and advice. I will make a checklist with everything advised above and watch out for this if I do go to view the car. First port of call is to ask for a service history/maintenance breakdown and take it from there. I will report back with any findings

The information was from the online service booking system it will tell you the last service which is on the data base ie 87k if it has full MBSH it should be up to date ,if you go back on the mot history till the 87,000 miles to correspond with the service it is 2019

 

[Spider10]

Here's the info

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Here's the info

That doesn’t my necessarily mean it was serviced. That was the last time a Mercedes dealer or agent booked the car in but it could be for any kind of work including a free visual health check.

 

[badgx]

Owners of older cars would have taken the option to service their cars at independent garages or local indys. What is important is evidence of the service history and it's up keep. All receipts should retained in order in a folder for all thing's like oil, antifreeze, any parts renewed in it's life span etc

I would stay clear if the service history is thin or digitally thin, showing large gaps in service or worser the absense of service folder altogether.

For a used vehicle I would also check the mot history on gov.uk and see what it has failed. A car which has been highly maintained at a dealership, independently or DIY, will fly through an mot and likely to have a squeaky clean history and a fat service history book.

This is how it should look