New 2001 E55 owner, I think....

Eddie 500 · 09-30-2009, 10:13 PM

Found a real clean obs bl,red/bl int,nav(no cd),60K mile,real nice cond locally. 16.5 is the price. gotta get a PPI first, but what should I be worried about since the maint hist is weak? 3 prev owners,prolly came from an auction. Haven't run the VIN yet....

What should I look for- motor mounts bad? brakes? rotors? What else gents??????

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AMS Performance · 10-01-2009, 12:15 AM

Make sure tranny shifts smooth, at 60k its probably not wearing out but no guarantees (I've seen them to bad as early as 50k depending). Shocks could be shot since its an 8 year old car. Also make sure engine is responsive, if not could mean new O2 sensors and/or MAS. A simple fuel injector service cleaning may be in order (and/or fuel filter). Most of the time just basic maintenance (which isn't necessarily cheap so factor this into your price when purchasing). Luckily AZ autohaus has most of this stuff for a relatively low price.

Hope that helps,
~AMS~

Eddie 500 · 10-01-2009, 07:49 AM

Sure does help,thanks for the tips.

Any others?

nicobaires · 10-01-2009, 08:46 AM

Check rotors also, those aren't cheap at all

saintz · 10-01-2009, 09:10 AM

There are threads here and on benzworld.org detailing common problems to look out for (most of them are common to all W210 models). Make sure it drives fast and quiet. See if the trans fluid has been changed (it will have a red replacement push pin on the dipstick, instead of the factory black pin, it's located on the passenger side of the engine near the firewall). Check tires, they're expensive.

Also, that price seems high. W211 supercharged models with only 10k-20k more miles are going for under $20k now. That's a lot more car for under $5k.

Eddie 500 · 10-01-2009, 09:50 AM

I thought 16.5K was a bit hi also. Its in real nice,well kept shape. Not a door ding,not a scratch. Tires are 90%. Not sure about rotors or trans fluid as of yet(no PPI done yet).

I know the W211's are much more powerful, but I don't see any in the NY metro area for $20K.....closer to $25K for an 04....

saintz · 10-01-2009, 11:42 AM

Edmunds says $17k for dealer retail for that car. Still, that seems high to me. How long have they had it?

saintz · 10-01-2009, 11:50 AM

Here's a car, in NY, very similar specs. Opening price of $10k, no bids, buy it now of $18k. I think no bidders at $10k tells you something.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...=p4506.c0.m245

You have options. Depending how hard you want to haggle. I would think $14k-$15k is fair if the car is very clean and fully checks out mechanically.

Eddie 500 · 10-01-2009, 01:49 PM

Dude-Thats the exact car I'm talkin' about!

Whats a good purchase price?

AMS Performance · 10-01-2009, 02:08 PM

watch out for Rust, Instrument panel pixels are bad (you can DIY this but if not it can be pricey to replace).

For any northern AMG the prices are usually lower compared to a TX or CA AMG simply b/c they are rarely in as good of shape (rust, weather etc).

I think $14-15k price mentioned is the real money on the car. Remember these AMGs are very tough to sell so as a buyer you have a lot more power than you realize. Most AMGs will sell for a good 2-3k under their asking price just don't budge from your price and usually seller will come down.

Eddie 500 · 10-01-2009, 04:04 PM

I'm gonna see if 14K floats......winters coming and the recessions deepening...

saintz · 10-01-2009, 06:33 PM

You could bid at $10k (lowest bid price but it's below reserve). If no one else bids, you have a strong case to say you'll pay $10k and that's what it's worth because the eBay market (which is huge, btw) has spoken. He'll either counter at a reasonable level ($12k to $15k), or he might be keeping that car for a while longer.

Really just depends if you want the car more than he wants to sell it. The car is losing value, so it's in his best interest to sell at the first reasonable offer. Some people realize this, some don't quite realize how low a reasonable offer is, and some just don't get it.

I got mine very cheap. I found an ad on Craigslist. I knew they had it posted for months. It looked like it was a second car (already replaced). I figured they wanted it gone. I got pictures and a list of issues (worn tires, etc.). I wrote an email like this:
Edmunds private party price is blah. The tires cost blah. The broken antenna on the roof is blah. Blah minus blah and blah is blah. I can hand you a bank check tomorrow for that amount.

They took it, no questions. It was $3k or $4k below asking. They had previously had an offer for more from the dealer to trade it when they bought a new car, but they realized at this point the car wasn't worth that much anymore. It also required some reconditioning (I put a few hundred bucks and a few dozen hours into it), so they knew it wouldn't fetch top dollar anymore. They wanted it gone, and I had a check. That'll do it, eventually.

Eddie 500 · 10-01-2009, 06:55 PM

thx Saintz

Rareamg · 10-03-2009, 04:28 AM

Looks like my car. Good luck!

Eddie 500 · 10-03-2009, 11:03 AM

well, ran the vin and theres been some trans work done in early 08 that the seller did not disclose or know of....gonna pass on this one, especially since he's pretty firm on his 16.5 price.

AMS Performance · 10-03-2009, 11:27 AM

There are plenty of decent ones out there for less so take it as a blessing in disguise

K-A · 10-04-2009, 06:58 AM

Yeah $16K is a rip. I love these cars, but being an aging M-B, and an AMG, just like all the rest of them, they are such risks and expenses to keep running, the market allows for very good steals.

Personally, for a multi-owner E55 with over 60K Miles, I'd try and keep it around $10-12K max, not gonna be easy, but the fear of the problems and expenses of keeping it in top shape make me think anything more is pushing it. That's me though. If you have your heart set on the car, and are willing to pay for a top example, it's a different story.

Andy McCarty · 10-05-2009, 08:30 AM

I have one you may be interested in. I sent you an Email.

KL2DC · 10-05-2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie 500

Found a real clean obs bl,red/bl int,nav(no cd),60K mile,real nice cond locally. 16.5 is the price. gotta get a PPI first, but what should I be worried about since the maint hist is weak? 3 prev owners,prolly came from an auction. Haven't run the VIN yet....

What should I look for- motor mounts bad? brakes? rotors? What else gents??????

Just for your reference, I bought my 00 from a 2nd owner, with 80k in July for 12k locally. Super clean (no dings, flawless leather), only big cosmetic flaws were curb rashes on the wheels. Could've paid less but the car came with a stack load of receipts from an MB dealership (not indie) with fresh tires (michelin pilots), brakes, trans flush, engine mounts etc. Also came with the argos BT and sirius radio installed.

Only thing I had to do so far was replace the rear flex disc (it was making some chafing noises). I replaced car battery, front wheel bearings and transmission mount and did a fresh oil change and coolant flush for good measure. My indy said the car was mechanically clean and sound. I remain happy with my purchase

Lawrence1 · 10-05-2009, 11:33 PM

transmission work might not be a bad thing. if it was properly rebuilt, it should add value. either way good luck with your purchase but keep in mind that ~60k mile clean cars are not in the "give away" price range.

10-01-2009, 09:10 AM	#5
saintz MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 1,797 Drives: 2003 CL600	There are threads here and on benzworld.org detailing common problems to look out for (most of them are common to all W210 models). Make sure it drives fast and quiet. See if the trans fluid has been changed (it will have a red replacement push pin on the dipstick, instead of the factory black pin, it's located on the passenger side of the engine near the firewall). Check tires, they're expensive. Also, that price seems high. W211 supercharged models with only 10k-20k more miles are going for under $20k now. That's a lot more car for under $5k. __________________ 2003 CL600 - Eurocharged 2009 C300 (wife) 2001 E55 AMG - RENNtech Stage 1, Lorinser (sold) 1999 CLK 320 (sold) 2003 WRX, Stage 4 (sold)

10-01-2009, 11:42 AM	#7
saintz MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 1,797 Drives: 2003 CL600	Edmunds says $17k for dealer retail for that car. Still, that seems high to me. How long have they had it? __________________ 2003 CL600 - Eurocharged 2009 C300 (wife) 2001 E55 AMG - RENNtech Stage 1, Lorinser (sold) 1999 CLK 320 (sold) 2003 WRX, Stage 4 (sold)

10-01-2009, 11:50 AM	#8
saintz MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 1,797 Drives: 2003 CL600	Here's a car, in NY, very similar specs. Opening price of $10k, no bids, buy it now of $18k. I think no bidders at $10k tells you something. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...=p4506.c0.m245 You have options. Depending how hard you want to haggle. I would think $14k-$15k is fair if the car is very clean and fully checks out mechanically. __________________ 2003 CL600 - Eurocharged 2009 C300 (wife) 2001 E55 AMG - RENNtech Stage 1, Lorinser (sold) 1999 CLK 320 (sold) 2003 WRX, Stage 4 (sold)

10-01-2009, 06:33 PM	#12
saintz MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Charleston, SC Posts: 1,797 Drives: 2003 CL600	You could bid at $10k (lowest bid price but it's below reserve). If no one else bids, you have a strong case to say you'll pay $10k and that's what it's worth because the eBay market (which is huge, btw) has spoken. He'll either counter at a reasonable level ($12k to $15k), or he might be keeping that car for a while longer. Really just depends if you want the car more than he wants to sell it. The car is losing value, so it's in his best interest to sell at the first reasonable offer. Some people realize this, some don't quite realize how low a reasonable offer is, and some just don't get it. I got mine very cheap. I found an ad on Craigslist. I knew they had it posted for months. It looked like it was a second car (already replaced). I figured they wanted it gone. I got pictures and a list of issues (worn tires, etc.). I wrote an email like this: Edmunds private party price is blah. The tires cost blah. The broken antenna on the roof is blah. Blah minus blah and blah is blah. I can hand you a bank check tomorrow for that amount. They took it, no questions. It was $3k or $4k below asking. They had previously had an offer for more from the dealer to trade it when they bought a new car, but they realized at this point the car wasn't worth that much anymore. It also required some reconditioning (I put a few hundred bucks and a few dozen hours into it), so they knew it wouldn't fetch top dollar anymore. They wanted it gone, and I had a check. That'll do it, eventually. __________________ 2003 CL600 - Eurocharged 2009 C300 (wife) 2001 E55 AMG - RENNtech Stage 1, Lorinser (sold) 1999 CLK 320 (sold) 2003 WRX, Stage 4 (sold)

10-03-2009, 04:28 AM	#14
Rareamg MBWorld Fanatic! 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central Coast/The Bay/Colorado Posts: 1,426 Drives: 2003 C32 AMG LeMans Blue on BBS RS-GT/2000 E55 AMG Black on Carlsson 1/6 EVO	Looks like my car. Good luck! __________________ BBS Wheels F/S http://mbworld.org/forums/wheels-tir...w210-w211.html

10-01-2009, 12:15 AM	#2
AMS Performance Former Vendor of MBWorld Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,935 Drives: AMG	Make sure tranny shifts smooth, at 60k its probably not wearing out but no guarantees (I've seen them to bad as early as 50k depending). Shocks could be shot since its an 8 year old car. Also make sure engine is responsive, if not could mean new O2 sensors and/or MAS. A simple fuel injector service cleaning may be in order (and/or fuel filter). Most of the time just basic maintenance (which isn't necessarily cheap so factor this into your price when purchasing). Luckily AZ autohaus has most of this stuff for a relatively low price. Hope that helps, ~AMS~

10-01-2009, 07:49 AM	#3
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	Sure does help,thanks for the tips. Any others?

10-01-2009, 08:46 AM	#4
nicobaires Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: NNJ Posts: 361 Drives: 99 E55 92 400se	Check rotors also, those aren't cheap at all

10-01-2009, 09:50 AM	#6
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	I thought 16.5K was a bit hi also. Its in real nice,well kept shape. Not a door ding,not a scratch. Tires are 90%. Not sure about rotors or trans fluid as of yet(no PPI done yet). I know the W211's are much more powerful, but I don't see any in the NY metro area for $20K.....closer to $25K for an 04....

10-01-2009, 01:49 PM	#9
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	Dude-Thats the exact car I'm talkin' about! Whats a good purchase price?

10-01-2009, 02:08 PM	#10
AMS Performance Former Vendor of MBWorld Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,935 Drives: AMG	watch out for Rust, Instrument panel pixels are bad (you can DIY this but if not it can be pricey to replace). For any northern AMG the prices are usually lower compared to a TX or CA AMG simply b/c they are rarely in as good of shape (rust, weather etc). I think $14-15k price mentioned is the real money on the car. Remember these AMGs are very tough to sell so as a buyer you have a lot more power than you realize. Most AMGs will sell for a good 2-3k under their asking price just don't budge from your price and usually seller will come down.

10-01-2009, 04:04 PM	#11
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	I'm gonna see if 14K floats......winters coming and the recessions deepening...

10-01-2009, 06:55 PM	#13
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	thx Saintz

10-03-2009, 11:03 AM	#15
Eddie 500 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 150 Drives: princess diana shoe box	well, ran the vin and theres been some trans work done in early 08 that the seller did not disclose or know of....gonna pass on this one, especially since he's pretty firm on his 16.5 price.

10-03-2009, 11:27 AM	#16
AMS Performance Former Vendor of MBWorld Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,935 Drives: AMG	There are plenty of decent ones out there for less so take it as a blessing in disguise

10-05-2009, 11:33 PM

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10-04-2009, 06:58 AM	#17
K-A MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Earth Posts: 8,833 Drives: '13 BMW 535i M Sport / Ex M-B's: '11 & '10 & '06 E350's, '02 S500	Yeah $16K is a rip. I love these cars, but being an aging M-B, and an AMG, just like all the rest of them, they are such risks and expenses to keep running, the market allows for very good steals. Personally, for a multi-owner E55 with over 60K Miles, I'd try and keep it around $10-12K max, not gonna be easy, but the fear of the problems and expenses of keeping it in top shape make me think anything more is pushing it. That's me though. If you have your heart set on the car, and are willing to pay for a top example, it's a different story. __________________ '13 F10 BMW 535i ///M Sport : Jet Black/Black-Anthracite : Premium & Technology Packages/Sport Auto Trans/Camera/Park Distance Control/Heated Seats/Tinted Windows/Blacked Out Markers/Performance Spoiler. Ex M-B's: '11/'10/'06 E350's w/ AMG Sport Package, '02 S500 w/ Every Option.

10-05-2009, 08:30 AM	#18
Andy McCarty Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lexington Kentucky Posts: 60 Drives: 2000 E55, 2007 2500 Duramax Crew 4x4, 2006 CTS	I have one you may be interested in. I sent you an Email.

10-05-2009, 11:33 PM	#20
Lawrence1 Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 159 Drives: 2003 E55	transmission work might not be a bad thing. if it was properly rebuilt, it should add value. either way good luck with your purchase but keep in mind that ~60k mile clean cars are not in the "give away" price range.