Audi guy, looking for Benz!
 

Hey everyone. Name is Dan. Always been and Audi guy but have always had a thing for MB's.

Currently have two Audis, but one going under the knife as a project car for next few years. Looking to pick up a c55 amg for a daily driver. Was looking at a4s, C55s, and SHO's, but opted for the c55 because I have always liked them and wanna keep all of my cars German. lol

I have done some research on here and on some other sites and will be picking all of your brains soon when i pick one up. I saw some info on the chips and exhaust cut outs and headers, and tuning is a little different than what i am used to with the Audis. So i am a bit outta my league.

Just wanted to say hello.
Here are a few pics of my rides and some older ones as well. As you can see, i like the German rides.

First German ride

88 Merkur Xr4ti- a tree fell on it! lol


http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...di98/merk1.jpg


The A4 i got right after.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...8/DSC01570.jpg

Upgraded to the allroad- 2.7 biturbo with the 6 speed manual. 1 of 59 all green manuals in the US.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...april12027.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...road/audi8.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../rally/312.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...lly/audi-1.jpg

The wifes A3

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ownmeet009.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...ownmeet018.jpg


The bike, just sold recently though. :( 05 Triumph Daytona 650.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...e/100_0158.jpg

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...untitled-5.jpg

Nice pics Dan, OUCH for the Merkur! Nice Audis and Triumph too!

Plenty of good folks here to assist, good luck on your C55 search. I'm sure you will be as amazed as I was!

c55 is a great car, you will not be dissapointed!

Welcome and some nice iron you have there!
Everything is for sale! :D

nice cars, I like the 88 Merkur Xr4ti the most out of them. Enjoy your c55 when you get it!

Yeah, i really miss the Merkur. one day ill get another to play with. Such a fun car. RWD and turbo with a 5 speed is just a recipe for fun!

Will let this one go for @3k - only 39k miles

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...98035242&Log=0

Will let this one go for $23k - only 39k miles

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...98035242&Log=0

If you're still looking, I'll let this garage queen with only 30k miles go for $23K.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...98035242&Log=0

So, picked up a 06 C55 AMG with 90k on it. High miles but in incredible shape. Bought it from an actual Benz dealership in Columbus Ohio. Great place to work with and car was very very well maintained. Body is in great shape for 90k. Interior is spotless. And this car runs extremely well! Price was hard to argue with. As i was leaving the dealership, an R8 pulls up next to me on the highway. Guess the Audi gods are mad I bought a Benz! lol

Only issue is on start up, sounds like it whines a bit. But then goes away after a few minutes after warming up.

Also, i havent had an automatic in over 15 years so it is fairly different driving one. Sometimes i do notice on C mode, it does downshift a little harsh sometimes. Is that expected? Its not bad, just noticable.

Looking next year to tune it and possibly get the eurocharged ecu and tcu. Anybody have any luck with those? Positives? negatives? May not do headers right away unless neccessary since pretty pricy from what i have seen. Got a baby on way so cant blow 2-3k on headers right now.

Thanks for all of your help. Im sure ill have billion questions for all of you!

Few pics!

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...94450374_n.jpg
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...di98/sig-1.jpg


Garage fits all three
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1...98/garage0.jpg


INTERIOR
http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g1.../interior8.jpg

Very nice, we did the same recently. We found a 05 C55 with 79k miles and warranty for another 6k miles for 15k. Apparently the engine whine seems to be normal. Since we had warranty, went to the dealer and told them about the whine on start up. They replaced both bixenon headlamps and a pulley. Apparently the bixenons had a noisy adjustment motor. Well, the whine was still there after all the work was done. So I figured everyone else has it and mine didn't go away, must be normal.

Yeah, before i bought the car, they gave me a receipt of everything they did once it was traded back in. They replaced a pulley as well. The whine seems more powerstearing related in a way, it adjusts tone when you play with wheel. but after a minute or two its gone.

I am worried i should get warranty on the car but sometimes those can be a waste. The underneath looks very clean, the valve covers show no signs of leaks, and I make sure i let the car warm up and cool down everytime for at least 4-5 minutes. So hopefully it will last me a few years before i can pay this thing off. I wanted a reliable daily so i could start upgrading the allroad, so i hope it lasts a while. If it can last to 150k with little issues, ill be happy. lol

My C32 is at 150k and I've just done the common maintenance. So the C55 should be about the same.

-Plugs and wires
-Brake pads, rotors, brake fluid
-New trans gasket, filter, and fluid flush
-Various oil changes
-Rear differential fluid change
-Air filters
-Cabin filter
-Battery
-Tires
-Coolant flush and change

Problems
-Leaky valve covers - soon to be done
-rear main seal -may live with this until I decide to drop the tranny or replace the engine?
-oil cooler/oil filter housing leak - replaced gaskets and all is good
-power steering fluid leak - I rebuilt the power steering pump myself and added new fluid.
-Replaced Crank position sensor
- A few other things specific to the supercharger that do not apply to the C55.

Nice catch biturbo, congrats! 150K with regular maintenance should be no problem at all. Also, if you were wondering, the AMG Master Mechanic who built your engine is Sven Knothe :y

AWESOME! Thanks. I was actually wondering that! lol I do miss being in the audi but this car is soooooo much fun to drive. I really do miss the RWD. Little scary in the rain but getting used to it. I really want to upgrade this car but may just keep it stockish. I am saving up for tial 605 kit for the allroad. 500+ HP wagon would make a fun sleeper! lol My goal is to have 1000 HP in my garage. lol Got 140 to go!

Nice cars and nice pictures!

Thanks. just checked your site. Im sure any part i need ill be coming your way!

We have one Audi and one Merc right now. Amongst many differences two things stand out;

-Audi USA is MUCH more responsive than MBUSA. Audi USA paid for all costs on an ignition coil failure on the wife's TT that was out of warranty with only one phone call. It took eight dealer visits and many calls to MBUSA, including the last one when they hung up on the wife, to get a nav system problem fixed on warranty on the C55.

-Any Merc, especially a C55, is not fun in the snow.

As for C55 issues, we had two idler pulleys replaced under warranty that were squealing. It could be a weak point.

Back to Audis, I sure wish that they'd bring the Allroad back to the states. And I mean the real A6 one and not the new A4.

Congrats on the purchase! Car looks great. C55 sounds great with just resonator and secondary cats deletes.

I was looking for the Allroad a few years back as well, but decided to go with 4.4 X5. I still regretted that decision.

Wow that Merkur pic broke my heart

Do a tranny flush just in case with the comfort mode jerk in you transmission. It should have been done 30K miles ago. However the C32 Im borrowing now has it still and i did it @ 60K.

I just did the eurocharged TCU tune two weeks back and i found while in S Mode the tranny slip to be non-existant at all when it was there before