Debating on a C55
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GL350, C350
Debating on a C55
I have a practically new C350 sedan that I am considering selling in order to fund a C55. I've only had the car about 9 months but I'm craving an AMG and that V8 sound, plus there are practically zero mods for the M276 motor. It's stock at 302hp and a tune will get me to about 320hp, but it's still not an AMG. The idea is to sell the car, find a low (relatively) mileage C55, and use the equity from the C350 sale to make upgrades. Am I way off here? Any input is appreciated.
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From: Atlanta Metro
Current: C217 V12TT AMG Previously: C55 AMG, SL65 AMG
I would say yes, you're way off here.
You want to take a car that's 10 years newer, with a nicer interior, newer technology, newer navigation and amenities, and you have the 350, not the lower 250 or 300. Keep your C350, that's a nice car.
If you are dying for an AMG and a V8, you should be dumping your (older) GL350 and looking at an ML63, the prices on those are fairly good nowadays.
You want to take a car that's 10 years newer, with a nicer interior, newer technology, newer navigation and amenities, and you have the 350, not the lower 250 or 300. Keep your C350, that's a nice car.
If you are dying for an AMG and a V8, you should be dumping your (older) GL350 and looking at an ML63, the prices on those are fairly good nowadays.
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2010 C63 AMG
My cousin recently was in the market for a car came down to w203 c55 or w204 pre facelift c350 and yes c350 felt newer and more modern but the driving experience was hands down c55... Needless to say he went that route and has had no regrets go test drive one and see if you share the opinion
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From: New Zealand
Thats tough. C55 would be way more fun but... the 350- an almost brand new car with warranty, lower running costs, much lower maintenance (at this stage not a lot required). C350 is the sensible choice and you will no doubt lose a pile on selling or trading in. C55 is the fun choice which is why we are all here.
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From: Atlanta Metro
Current: C217 V12TT AMG Previously: C55 AMG, SL65 AMG
My cousin recently was in the market for a car came down to w203 c55 or w204 pre facelift c350 and yes c350 felt newer and more modern but the driving experience was hands down c55... Needless to say he went that route and has had no regrets go test drive one and see if you share the opinion
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GL350, C350
I'd like to do that but unfortunately there aren't too many C55 out there. There are three I have found searching around (within my parameters) and the first one I called about was already sold. It was a one-owner '06 with less than 50k miles listed at that was traded in to an MB dealer. It went quick.
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2016 Chevrolet SS, 2006 Cadillac STS-V
Yeah, I can't say I would want to go from a 2014 to a 2005-2006. Plus, there aren't many mods for the C55, so you need to keep that in mind also. The C55 is a great car, no doubt, but you definitely need to drive one before you make your decision.
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From: Downingtown, PA
none... for now
I'd like to do that but unfortunately there aren't too many C55 out there. There are three I have found searching around (within my parameters) and the first one I called about was already sold. It was a one-owner '06 with less than 50k miles listed at that was traded in to an MB dealer. It went quick.
So if you're really interested in one, be preparred to drive to get it. Heck, be preparred to drive just to test drive one. I'm waiting for a low mileage C55 and 05/06 manual GTO(~15,500 made but a RIDICULOUS # of them totalled) to pop up nearby just to test drive back to back on a weekend I'm not busy so I can finally make up my mind. When it comes time to actually buy, I have no problem driving out 500+ miles to pick it up. I just hope whoever drives me there doesn't
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From: Atlanta Metro
Current: C217 V12TT AMG Previously: C55 AMG, SL65 AMG
@166,000 miles here and counting. I want something new to change it up but I hate to get rid of it for the market price they're going for nowadays. There's no $9k car out there better than mine.
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2016 Chevrolet SS, 2006 Cadillac STS-V
It is crazy how mileage determines the value of a car more than the condition these days. I would rather have the car that's in better shape with more miles than a lower mileage car that doesn't look like it was washed ever.
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From: Downingtown, PA
none... for now
Sure, the guy that waxes twice a month and oil changes every 3500 miles is gonna have a nice, protected finish and healthy engine, but there's more to a car then that. 10 years and 150k miles of 0-100 degree temperature changes, road debris, and wear and tear add up. A dented and ding 2 year/15k mile car still has near factory fresh rubber hoses, shocks, tightened clips and just overall tightness. I can still undo most of whatever damage they did. You can always maintain, but that's exactly what you're doing. You can't reverse aging. At 150k miles, a motor scares me, but so does the a bad cat/rear wheel stud/ front right caliper/strut nut.
I know where a 12k mile Mach 1 is for very cheap and looks mint in pictures, but even then being run that little isn't good either. Without fluids flowing things aren't lubricated, rubber rots, condensation builds up where it shouldn't, and it can be nearly as bad for a car. I'm tempted to say forget having a quality interior and pull the trigger, but I'd have to go over it with a fine tooth comb first.
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From: Kirkland, WA
2005 C55
Two years on after nabbing a 2005 C55 at 108K, now has 130K, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Driveline has been bulletproof so far. Get a nationwide search running on one of the car websites, and wait for some to come up near you. It'll happen.
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From: arlington, va
2005 c55
Naugamanator how well maintainted was yours when you got it? I bought mine with 80K and am dealing with a number of things like brakes and rotors, trans pilot bushing, worn bushings and the motor mounts. Sometimes I think that one with 100K might be ideal if someone took care of the common wear items. I have not heard of a C55 making it over 100K on the original motor mounts and no way it still has the same control arm bushings. Looking forward to getting through all the stuff on mine.
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From: Kirkland, WA
2005 C55
Hard to say how well maintained it was, as I don't have the records. Called up the dealers in the area where it spent most of its years, and all they could say was that it was regularly serviced. The used car lot said they replaced the lower control arms, brake pads, drive line elastomerics, and engine mounts, but since I was just forced to replace the engine mounts, the last part was a lie. Considering the much larger amount of components that many M3 owners must replace on a regular basis, I believe the C55 to be a relatively low-maintenance and reliable high performance automobile. A Toyota Camry it isn't, and thank the maker for that. :>
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From: arlington, va
2005 c55
I never had considered a dealership to buy one of these. You have to look at it like this. They are in the business to make $ as they might of got the car at trade in or auction and unless something is 100% noticeable they are not spending $ on it as I would imagine many things are still needed. By the way did you do your own motor mounts and what symptoms did the car have that you knew they were bad?
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From: New Zealand
Just part of the fun. Wait for a higher mileage car and someone would have put off the maintenance longer or it didn't quite wear out as fast and is still on original engine mounts etc. Tires, oil change, transmission fluid change, electrohydraulic bush change, rotors, fluid and pads, bushes and control arms are items any new buyer should expect to have to do immediately. Unless you have merecedes itemized receipts you can assume a private seller may lie about it. I knew mine was when I bought the car.
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From: Kirkland, WA
2005 C55
Suit yourself, but if you don't look at dealers, you're going to miss a lot of potentially good cars. That's just the nature of the market. I had a nationwide search going for more than a year at autotrader.com before finding this one near L.A. It was well within my budget and appeared to be in reasonable condition.
It's probably not realistic to expect a 10 year old car to be in perfect condition when it goes up for sale, but of course we all try to find the ones that are babied.
Engine mounts: The tip-off is a lot of vibration through the pedals at idle. The ultimate test is to open the hood, hold the brake, and rev the engine. If that big chunk of aluminum tries to jump out of the engine bay, you know you need new mounts!
It's probably not realistic to expect a 10 year old car to be in perfect condition when it goes up for sale, but of course we all try to find the ones that are babied.
Engine mounts: The tip-off is a lot of vibration through the pedals at idle. The ultimate test is to open the hood, hold the brake, and rev the engine. If that big chunk of aluminum tries to jump out of the engine bay, you know you need new mounts!
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From: GA
2016 Chevrolet SS, 2006 Cadillac STS-V
I never had considered a dealership to buy one of these. You have to look at it like this. They are in the business to make $ as they might of got the car at trade in or auction and unless something is 100% noticeable they are not spending $ on it as I would imagine many things are still needed. By the way did you do your own motor mounts and what symptoms did the car have that you knew they were bad?
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From: Atlanta Metro
Current: C217 V12TT AMG Previously: C55 AMG, SL65 AMG
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From: Downingtown, PA
none... for now
The fully loaded thing cracks me up. I got 3 very visible options to look for. That's it.
If dealers were enthusiasts, we'd all be screwed. I've thought about becoming a car salesman actually, but my knoweledge wouldn't come in handy for like 90% of sell me "a car" buyers.
If dealers were enthusiasts, we'd all be screwed. I've thought about becoming a car salesman actually, but my knoweledge wouldn't come in handy for like 90% of sell me "a car" buyers.
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2016 Chevrolet SS, 2006 Cadillac STS-V
