C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

Want to buy c55 amg

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Old Apr 4, 2021 | 11:56 PM
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Shariq Sheikh's Avatar
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honda accord
Want to buy c55 amg

Hello everyone,
I’ve been looking around and want to buy a c55 amg. What should I look out for?
how many mile is too many?
is the rear main seal really that bad of a problem?
thank you all in advance, I’m on a tight budget so that’s why I want to plan out any problems that may come across. I’m not sure if a high Mileage one is a good idea.
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Old Apr 5, 2021 | 06:15 AM
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2005 C55 AMG
Other than oil consumption, leaking valve covers, oil cooler, and rear main seals, blue smoke when you floor it, and the transmission electrical connector leaking causing oil to wick up the harness to the TCU, it's a pretty bulletproof car. These are mostly easy and inexpensive to fix though.There are DIYs and videos on YouTube for most of them. Use FCP Euro for genuine parts (don't skimp) - they warranty everything they sell for life, even if it's a wear part or abused.

Also watch out for tail, parking lights, and side marker lights that don't work - could be issues with the front or rear SAM (Signal Acquisition Module - basically a "smart" fuse panel), which could be more complex to fix. There are no fuses for these - they are driven directly by chips in the SAMs.

The rear main seal typically isn't that much of a problem, but it can be fixed without pulling the engine - just the transmission. Look for puddles. The other seals shouldn't leak enough to leave a puddle.

As with any car, I'd be more leery of cars with around 200k. Anything short of that should be ok - it's just broken in. Mine is running strong at 150k, but does consume oil. It's one of Mercedes' most reliable cars due to its simplicity, but they are getting old. I still rely on mine as a daily driver.

Last edited by Spooky55; Apr 5, 2021 at 06:25 AM.
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Old Apr 5, 2021 | 10:42 AM
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honda accord
Originally Posted by Spooky55
Other than oil consumption, leaking valve covers, oil cooler, and rear main seals, blue smoke when you floor it, and the transmission electrical connector leaking causing oil to wick up the harness to the TCU, it's a pretty bulletproof car. These are mostly easy and inexpensive to fix though.There are DIYs and videos on YouTube for most of them. Use FCP Euro for genuine parts (don't skimp) - they warranty everything they sell for life, even if it's a wear part or abused.

Also watch out for tail, parking lights, and side marker lights that don't work - could be issues with the front or rear SAM (Signal Acquisition Module - basically a "smart" fuse panel), which could be more complex to fix. There are no fuses for these - they are driven directly by chips in the SAMs.

The rear main seal typically isn't that much of a problem, but it can be fixed without pulling the engine - just the transmission. Look for puddles. The other seals shouldn't leak enough to leave a puddle.

As with any car, I'd be more leery of cars with around 200k. Anything short of that should be ok - it's just broken in. Mine is running strong at 150k, but does consume oil. It's one of Mercedes' most reliable cars due to its simplicity, but they are getting old. I still rely on mine as a daily driver.
thanks for the answer. Yeah I’ve seen vids of the oil leaks and the transmission connector and they don’t seem to be the bad. Just time consuming. I’ll have to look out for the lights with SAM as I know nothing about electrical stuff. They are very simple cars. The only I’m looking at has less than 100k miles and I want to daily drive it.
I will for sure get an inspection by a mechanic done before I sign any papers. Thanks again
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Old Apr 5, 2021 | 01:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Spooky55
... oil consumption... easy and inexpensive to fix .
How can be this fixed ?
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Old Apr 5, 2021 | 03:46 PM
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There's enough qualifiers in there for you to get the point.

Some people get less consumption by switching to 5w40 from 0w40. I don't burn any oil but so far I drive my 55 less than 2k miles between oil changes.
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