1997 C36 AMG
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1997 C36 AMG
Hey guys, I'm interested in a 97 C36 and I had a few questions before I take the leap...
First of all it's a silver c36 with 102,000 miles on it. No up front obvious issues with it aside from a very small amount of rust around the wheel wells. I know the dealer fairly well and he's asking $5,500 for the car right now but I'm sure I can get him down quite a bit. There were a couple things that concerned me when I drove it though... didn't have an opportunity to address any of these with him.
When the car is started and in P, the rpm seems to jump around quite a bit... I'm not exactly sure what the cause of this is. I also noticed that while driving-especially at high speeds-the car seemed kind of loose. I was under the impression that a c36 was a firm ride and I certainly didn't get that... steering wheel seemed to have a decent amount of play as well.
I'm a previous owner of a 99 c230k so I'm aware of the headache that is the monowiper but is there anything else I should be looking out for? I'm looking to use this car as a daily driver so I'm concerned I'm going to have to throw a lot of money into it.
I appreciate any advice and or questions for me to throw to the dealer.
First of all it's a silver c36 with 102,000 miles on it. No up front obvious issues with it aside from a very small amount of rust around the wheel wells. I know the dealer fairly well and he's asking $5,500 for the car right now but I'm sure I can get him down quite a bit. There were a couple things that concerned me when I drove it though... didn't have an opportunity to address any of these with him.
When the car is started and in P, the rpm seems to jump around quite a bit... I'm not exactly sure what the cause of this is. I also noticed that while driving-especially at high speeds-the car seemed kind of loose. I was under the impression that a c36 was a firm ride and I certainly didn't get that... steering wheel seemed to have a decent amount of play as well.
I'm a previous owner of a 99 c230k so I'm aware of the headache that is the monowiper but is there anything else I should be looking out for? I'm looking to use this car as a daily driver so I'm concerned I'm going to have to throw a lot of money into it.
I appreciate any advice and or questions for me to throw to the dealer.
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Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
that sounds like an astounding deal on a relatively low-miles C36. 1997 was the best year, too. Keyless entry, slightly more power, a few minor upgrades over previous years.
The achilles heel is the head gasket and wiring harness. I could be wrong in the notion that it affected 1997 year cars, but it's a widely known fact that all M104 powered cars from 1993 to 1996 (and MAYBE 1997) were built with faulty head gaskets and especially engine wiring harnesses. The insulation was biodegradeable and caused it to chip and flake off after the hot/cold wet/dry cycles in an engine bay. Caused all kinds of rampant issues like misfires, missing power, trouble idling, phantom check engine lights that can't seem to be fixed, and even in some cases cars that won't run for longer than a few seconds. It's a $1000 fix at a shop, or if you're handy you can source one yourself and install it in about 3 hours with a screwdriver, a jack/lift, and a 8mm socket (to attach ground wire to starter).
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
I personally have a deep lust for a pristine C36 and wish I could find one that was a lost-cause basketcase so I could snag it cheap and fix it up.
For the "loose" feeling I'd simply inspect steering and suspension. I've literally never seen a Mercedes with play in the steering, so I can't comment on that one. If you're not experienced DIY, just pay for a pre purchase inspection at a reputable MB shop. Have them pay close attention to the suspension and steering, and they'll fill you in.
I've owned 3 w202's and 1 w124, all with the monowiper and never had a single issue with ANY of them except the faulty relay making my delay setting stop working (simple fix with a soldering iron). So, if your previous w202 had wiper issues, it's unlikely the C36 will have the same problems.
Regardless, 5k is already pretty good for a 100k mile C36. If you really can get him to drop it "much lower" then even if it had all the aforementioned issues, I'd buy it. But that's just me. To each his own.
The achilles heel is the head gasket and wiring harness. I could be wrong in the notion that it affected 1997 year cars, but it's a widely known fact that all M104 powered cars from 1993 to 1996 (and MAYBE 1997) were built with faulty head gaskets and especially engine wiring harnesses. The insulation was biodegradeable and caused it to chip and flake off after the hot/cold wet/dry cycles in an engine bay. Caused all kinds of rampant issues like misfires, missing power, trouble idling, phantom check engine lights that can't seem to be fixed, and even in some cases cars that won't run for longer than a few seconds. It's a $1000 fix at a shop, or if you're handy you can source one yourself and install it in about 3 hours with a screwdriver, a jack/lift, and a 8mm socket (to attach ground wire to starter).
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
I personally have a deep lust for a pristine C36 and wish I could find one that was a lost-cause basketcase so I could snag it cheap and fix it up.
For the "loose" feeling I'd simply inspect steering and suspension. I've literally never seen a Mercedes with play in the steering, so I can't comment on that one. If you're not experienced DIY, just pay for a pre purchase inspection at a reputable MB shop. Have them pay close attention to the suspension and steering, and they'll fill you in.
I've owned 3 w202's and 1 w124, all with the monowiper and never had a single issue with ANY of them except the faulty relay making my delay setting stop working (simple fix with a soldering iron). So, if your previous w202 had wiper issues, it's unlikely the C36 will have the same problems.
Regardless, 5k is already pretty good for a 100k mile C36. If you really can get him to drop it "much lower" then even if it had all the aforementioned issues, I'd buy it. But that's just me. To each his own.
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that sounds like an astounding deal on a relatively low-miles C36. 1997 was the best year, too. Keyless entry, slightly more power, a few minor upgrades over previous years.
The achilles heel is the head gasket and wiring harness. I could be wrong in the notion that it affected 1997 year cars, but it's a widely known fact that all M104 powered cars from 1993 to 1996 (and MAYBE 1997) were built with faulty head gaskets and especially engine wiring harnesses. The insulation was biodegradeable and caused it to chip and flake off after the hot/cold wet/dry cycles in an engine bay. Caused all kinds of rampant issues like misfires, missing power, trouble idling, phantom check engine lights that can't seem to be fixed, and even in some cases cars that won't run for longer than a few seconds. It's a $1000 fix at a shop, or if you're handy you can source one yourself and install it in about 3 hours with a screwdriver, a jack/lift, and a 8mm socket (to attach ground wire to starter).
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
I personally have a deep lust for a pristine C36 and wish I could find one that was a lost-cause basketcase so I could snag it cheap and fix it up.
For the "loose" feeling I'd simply inspect steering and suspension. I've literally never seen a Mercedes with play in the steering, so I can't comment on that one. If you're not experienced DIY, just pay for a pre purchase inspection at a reputable MB shop. Have them pay close attention to the suspension and steering, and they'll fill you in.
I've owned 3 w202's and 1 w124, all with the monowiper and never had a single issue with ANY of them except the faulty relay making my delay setting stop working (simple fix with a soldering iron). So, if your previous w202 had wiper issues, it's unlikely the C36 will have the same problems.
Regardless, 5k is already pretty good for a 100k mile C36. If you really can get him to drop it "much lower" then even if it had all the aforementioned issues, I'd buy it. But that's just me. To each his own.
The achilles heel is the head gasket and wiring harness. I could be wrong in the notion that it affected 1997 year cars, but it's a widely known fact that all M104 powered cars from 1993 to 1996 (and MAYBE 1997) were built with faulty head gaskets and especially engine wiring harnesses. The insulation was biodegradeable and caused it to chip and flake off after the hot/cold wet/dry cycles in an engine bay. Caused all kinds of rampant issues like misfires, missing power, trouble idling, phantom check engine lights that can't seem to be fixed, and even in some cases cars that won't run for longer than a few seconds. It's a $1000 fix at a shop, or if you're handy you can source one yourself and install it in about 3 hours with a screwdriver, a jack/lift, and a 8mm socket (to attach ground wire to starter).
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
I personally have a deep lust for a pristine C36 and wish I could find one that was a lost-cause basketcase so I could snag it cheap and fix it up.
For the "loose" feeling I'd simply inspect steering and suspension. I've literally never seen a Mercedes with play in the steering, so I can't comment on that one. If you're not experienced DIY, just pay for a pre purchase inspection at a reputable MB shop. Have them pay close attention to the suspension and steering, and they'll fill you in.
I've owned 3 w202's and 1 w124, all with the monowiper and never had a single issue with ANY of them except the faulty relay making my delay setting stop working (simple fix with a soldering iron). So, if your previous w202 had wiper issues, it's unlikely the C36 will have the same problems.
Regardless, 5k is already pretty good for a 100k mile C36. If you really can get him to drop it "much lower" then even if it had all the aforementioned issues, I'd buy it. But that's just me. To each his own.
I've considered getting the car checked out at a MB dealer nearby. The guy selling it is a mechanic and a dealer so I'm sure he could check it out but I would just feel a bit better having a third party inspect it.
I'm not an experienced DIY, but I'm feeling like I am going to be learning a lot with this car. I'd certainly like to learn more about it through working on it and hopefully save some money even if it gives me a couple headaches. I'm sure there are a lot of fantastic resources around here for DIY projects...
Do you have experience with winter driving? I'm thinking this car will see a minimum of two winters where I live, but my dealer said the car was garage kept (to his knowlege) in the winter perviously. Regular car washes should keep the rust from getting too bad, and I'm hoping a set of winter tires will keep me on the road.
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
Working on these cars can be rewarding. If you're new to MB, do not buy into that "GEE GOLLY SEE THAT STAR ON THE HOOD? YOU'LL NEED A CERTIFICATION FROM NASA AND A BILLION DOLLARS IN SPECIAL TOOLS AND OH WOW PARTS COST MORE THAN THE CAR BLAH BLAH BLAH"
Simply not true if you have half a brain and google.
Same as DIY on any car. Components are the same, methods are the same, it's just in the layout. People who say these cars are hard to work on have never had to do a lifter job on a BMW or literally anything on a Porsche. MB is a walk in the park by comparison. And the C36 has more room in the engine bay to work with than a C43 with the m113 V8.
Being a 97, you've already got the most up to date belt tensioner which was a source of headaches for years prior, so you likely won't be needing much special maintenance at all.
Can't say much for driving in the winter. Winters in TN are very mild. My silver C43 has seen snow once in its life and it did not handle it well. At all. I imagine a C36 would take it more poorly. The C36 is a more "raw" rear drive sedan. The traction control is more basic and when you turn it off, it's OFF. I can probably name 3 different C36's meeting an unfortunate demise in the last 2-3 years because their new owner was not experienced enough to handle the loose tail on a hot turn. Including RemoLexi's gorgeous navy blue C36 with a 5 speed manual...
Where are you located? I fellow C36 owner has a silver one for sale somewhere in the Northeastern US that's an absolute treasure and has already had all the major issues corrected.
Simply not true if you have half a brain and google.
Same as DIY on any car. Components are the same, methods are the same, it's just in the layout. People who say these cars are hard to work on have never had to do a lifter job on a BMW or literally anything on a Porsche. MB is a walk in the park by comparison. And the C36 has more room in the engine bay to work with than a C43 with the m113 V8.
Being a 97, you've already got the most up to date belt tensioner which was a source of headaches for years prior, so you likely won't be needing much special maintenance at all.
Can't say much for driving in the winter. Winters in TN are very mild. My silver C43 has seen snow once in its life and it did not handle it well. At all. I imagine a C36 would take it more poorly. The C36 is a more "raw" rear drive sedan. The traction control is more basic and when you turn it off, it's OFF. I can probably name 3 different C36's meeting an unfortunate demise in the last 2-3 years because their new owner was not experienced enough to handle the loose tail on a hot turn. Including RemoLexi's gorgeous navy blue C36 with a 5 speed manual...
Where are you located? I fellow C36 owner has a silver one for sale somewhere in the Northeastern US that's an absolute treasure and has already had all the major issues corrected.
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Working on these cars can be rewarding. If you're new to MB, do not buy into that "GEE GOLLY SEE THAT STAR ON THE HOOD? YOU'LL NEED A CERTIFICATION FROM NASA AND A BILLION DOLLARS IN SPECIAL TOOLS AND OH WOW PARTS COST MORE THAN THE CAR BLAH BLAH BLAH"
Simply not true if you have half a brain and google.
Same as DIY on any car. Components are the same, methods are the same, it's just in the layout. People who say these cars are hard to work on have never had to do a lifter job on a BMW or literally anything on a Porsche. MB is a walk in the park by comparison. And the C36 has more room in the engine bay to work with than a C43 with the m113 V8.
Being a 97, you've already got the most up to date belt tensioner which was a source of headaches for years prior, so you likely won't be needing much special maintenance at all.
Can't say much for driving in the winter. Winters in TN are very mild. My silver C43 has seen snow once in its life and it did not handle it well. At all. I imagine a C36 would take it more poorly. The C36 is a more "raw" rear drive sedan. The traction control is more basic and when you turn it off, it's OFF. I can probably name 3 different C36's meeting an unfortunate demise in the last 2-3 years because their new owner was not experienced enough to handle the loose tail on a hot turn. Including RemoLexi's gorgeous navy blue C36 with a 5 speed manual...
Where are you located? I fellow C36 owner has a silver one for sale somewhere in the Northeastern US that's an absolute treasure and has already had all the major issues corrected.
Simply not true if you have half a brain and google.
Same as DIY on any car. Components are the same, methods are the same, it's just in the layout. People who say these cars are hard to work on have never had to do a lifter job on a BMW or literally anything on a Porsche. MB is a walk in the park by comparison. And the C36 has more room in the engine bay to work with than a C43 with the m113 V8.
Being a 97, you've already got the most up to date belt tensioner which was a source of headaches for years prior, so you likely won't be needing much special maintenance at all.
Can't say much for driving in the winter. Winters in TN are very mild. My silver C43 has seen snow once in its life and it did not handle it well. At all. I imagine a C36 would take it more poorly. The C36 is a more "raw" rear drive sedan. The traction control is more basic and when you turn it off, it's OFF. I can probably name 3 different C36's meeting an unfortunate demise in the last 2-3 years because their new owner was not experienced enough to handle the loose tail on a hot turn. Including RemoLexi's gorgeous navy blue C36 with a 5 speed manual...
Where are you located? I fellow C36 owner has a silver one for sale somewhere in the Northeastern US that's an absolute treasure and has already had all the major issues corrected.
Winter wasn't a whole lot of fun with the c230, but I managed pretty well. I'm sure this is a whole new beast though...
I'm in northern Indiana in the U.S. I don't see too many listed out here and am only really interested in this one because it's so close and I know the seller. It's one of those opportunities that kind of presented itself without me looking for it, and it's tough to pass up...
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
Yeah I did a couple very minor jobs on my 99 c230 and it wasn't too bad... I've even looked into part costs for this 97 c36 and it doesn't seem to outrageous. I don't have many tools though, but I suppose this is an excuse to start a bit of a collection.
Winter wasn't a whole lot of fun with the c230, but I managed pretty well. I'm sure this is a whole new beast though...
I'm in northern Indiana in the U.S. I don't see too many listed out here and am only really interested in this one because it's so close and I know the seller. It's one of those opportunities that kind of presented itself without me looking for it, and it's tough to pass up...
Winter wasn't a whole lot of fun with the c230, but I managed pretty well. I'm sure this is a whole new beast though...
I'm in northern Indiana in the U.S. I don't see too many listed out here and am only really interested in this one because it's so close and I know the seller. It's one of those opportunities that kind of presented itself without me looking for it, and it's tough to pass up...
good luck! I hope it materializes into a good buy!
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From: Chapel Hill, NC/Montreal, QC
1995 C36 AMG, 1998 C43 AMG
Hey guys, I'm interested in a 97 C36 and I had a few questions before I take the leap...
First of all it's a silver c36 with 102,000 miles on it. No up front obvious issues with it aside from a very small amount of rust around the wheel wells. I know the dealer fairly well and he's asking $5,500 for the car right now but I'm sure I can get him down quite a bit. There were a couple things that concerned me when I drove it though... didn't have an opportunity to address any of these with him.
When the car is started and in P, the rpm seems to jump around quite a bit... I'm not exactly sure what the cause of this is. I also noticed that while driving-especially at high speeds-the car seemed kind of loose. I was under the impression that a c36 was a firm ride and I certainly didn't get that... steering wheel seemed to have a decent amount of play as well.
I'm a previous owner of a 99 c230k so I'm aware of the headache that is the monowiper but is there anything else I should be looking out for? I'm looking to use this car as a daily driver so I'm concerned I'm going to have to throw a lot of money into it.
I appreciate any advice and or questions for me to throw to the dealer.
First of all it's a silver c36 with 102,000 miles on it. No up front obvious issues with it aside from a very small amount of rust around the wheel wells. I know the dealer fairly well and he's asking $5,500 for the car right now but I'm sure I can get him down quite a bit. There were a couple things that concerned me when I drove it though... didn't have an opportunity to address any of these with him.
When the car is started and in P, the rpm seems to jump around quite a bit... I'm not exactly sure what the cause of this is. I also noticed that while driving-especially at high speeds-the car seemed kind of loose. I was under the impression that a c36 was a firm ride and I certainly didn't get that... steering wheel seemed to have a decent amount of play as well.
I'm a previous owner of a 99 c230k so I'm aware of the headache that is the monowiper but is there anything else I should be looking out for? I'm looking to use this car as a daily driver so I'm concerned I'm going to have to throw a lot of money into it.
I appreciate any advice and or questions for me to throw to the dealer.
RPM jumping could be a vacuum line. See if you can follow all the lines around and make sure there are no cracks/loose ends, or see if you can hear hissing.
From my 2 W202s, yes the C36 is usually a pretty firm/tight car, although I had the older 95. Check steering and susp. parts for play.
Monowiper shouldn't give you much trouble. Just grease the upper arm, and never try and run it with snow or anything holding the arm down and you'll be okay. I've had to replace the whole motor and it's not more than an hour/hour and a half's work.
The achilles heel is the head gasket and wiring harness. I could be wrong in the notion that it affected 1997 year cars, but it's a widely known fact that all M104 powered cars from 1993 to 1996 (and MAYBE 1997) were built with faulty head gaskets and especially engine wiring harnesses. The insulation was biodegradeable and caused it to chip and flake off after the hot/cold wet/dry cycles in an engine bay. Caused all kinds of rampant issues like misfires, missing power, trouble idling, phantom check engine lights that can't seem to be fixed, and even in some cases cars that won't run for longer than a few seconds. It's a $1000 fix at a shop, or if you're handy you can source one yourself and install it in about 3 hours with a screwdriver, a jack/lift, and a 8mm socket (to attach ground wire to starter).
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
.
I also think the 1997's might be immune to the faulty head gasket, but hopefully someone will chime in and correct me. Weak head gaskets causing serious oil leaks, or in some cases causing oil AND coolant to enter the combustion chamber potentially hydro-locking the engine. I had both these issues at about the same time in my 1994 C280 and fixed them both myself.
.
Actually it's listed at $5,500 and I'm thinking I can get him around $5,000, maybe a bit less...
I've considered getting the car checked out at a MB dealer nearby. The guy selling it is a mechanic and a dealer so I'm sure he could check it out but I would just feel a bit better having a third party inspect it.
I'm not an experienced DIY, but I'm feeling like I am going to be learning a lot with this car. I'd certainly like to learn more about it through working on it and hopefully save some money even if it gives me a couple headaches. I'm sure there are a lot of fantastic resources around here for DIY projects...
Do you have experience with winter driving? I'm thinking this car will see a minimum of two winters where I live, but my dealer said the car was garage kept (to his knowlege) in the winter perviously. Regular car washes should keep the rust from getting too bad, and I'm hoping a set of winter tires will keep me on the road.
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
I've considered getting the car checked out at a MB dealer nearby. The guy selling it is a mechanic and a dealer so I'm sure he could check it out but I would just feel a bit better having a third party inspect it.
I'm not an experienced DIY, but I'm feeling like I am going to be learning a lot with this car. I'd certainly like to learn more about it through working on it and hopefully save some money even if it gives me a couple headaches. I'm sure there are a lot of fantastic resources around here for DIY projects...
Do you have experience with winter driving? I'm thinking this car will see a minimum of two winters where I live, but my dealer said the car was garage kept (to his knowlege) in the winter perviously. Regular car washes should keep the rust from getting too bad, and I'm hoping a set of winter tires will keep me on the road.
Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it.
Definitely get it checked out by a 3rd party. Even if they tell you stuff you already know, or tell you little things you don't really care about, you'll at least have a list of things that need fixing. I'm never getting a car without a PPI again. Don't be worried about insulting your dealer friend. If he is insulted that you'd want another opinion, or gives you excuses to not take it there, he's hiding something and you should look somewhere else.
In terms of learning on this car, there's a lot of plusses and minuses. On one hand, you will be learning on a relatively advanced platform which is great, but you will break stuff, you will have a bunch of headaches, and you will encounter plenty of stubborn warn plastics, rusted bolts etc. And while the prices aren't that bad, when you screw up and break something it will hurt more than if you messed up on a Honda. And if you break something that is AMG specific it will sting quite a bit. Foglights, bodykit, "3.6" crossover pipe are all disgustingly expensive parts and barely anyone has extras. So be careful and learn when to step back and just take it to someone who knows what he's doing.
Winters aren't too bad. Just get some snow's for the back and be careful and you'll be fine. When ASR is "off" the car won't reduce engine output, but it will still brake the back wheels when it senses slipping. Just use "W" mode and you'll be set
Hope this helps!
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The rust was mostly on the drivers side front wheel well near the bottom where it joins the bumper/side skirts. I will be heading back out there Saturday to have another look and I've also scheduled a PPI. Costing me around $125 but definitely seems like it will be worth it. I got burned on a couple things with that c230 so this will give me some peace of mind even if I don't buy it.
Thanks a lot for the help so far and expect an update along with some future participation from me around here if I pull the trigger on this thing!
Thanks a lot for the help so far and expect an update along with some future participation from me around here if I pull the trigger on this thing!
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
good points on the rust. you wanna make sure there's no outrageous frame or body rust.
my 98 C43 came from Michigan and the front drivers fender had a rust hole the whole way through it and was in awful shape. However I crawled under the car and found no more rust anywhere else on it. No idea why that one fender rusted so bad. I found a used black fender from a C230 on craigslist for $80, swapped it myself. Good as new after a polish.
my 98 C43 came from Michigan and the front drivers fender had a rust hole the whole way through it and was in awful shape. However I crawled under the car and found no more rust anywhere else on it. No idea why that one fender rusted so bad. I found a used black fender from a C230 on craigslist for $80, swapped it myself. Good as new after a polish.
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1997 Mercedes Benz C36 AMG
I've owned my 97 C36 for 5 months now and it is one of the nicest vehicles I have ever owned. The crossover tube with the "C36" badge on it costs 1,600$ at the local dealership in my area. I had to plastic weld mine to prevent misfiring.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
I've owned my 97 C36 for 5 months now and it is one of the nicest vehicles I have ever owned. The crossover tube with the "C36" badge on it costs 1,600$ at the local dealership in my area. I had to plastic weld mine to prevent misfiring.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 51
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1997 Mercedes Benz C36 AMG
If only it was that easy Sulaco. I love the car to death but my Bernese Mountain dog doesn't exactly "fit" in the back seat.
It also only has 82,000 miles so someone else can enjoy it for a very long time if I give it up.
Gas is also very expensive here in British Columbia so it stings a bit when I fill up at the pump.
It also only has 82,000 miles so someone else can enjoy it for a very long time if I give it up.
Gas is also very expensive here in British Columbia so it stings a bit when I fill up at the pump.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 369
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22 X3, 21 330e, 97 M3, 97 C36 (sold), but on the hunt for a clean, low-mile C43!
If only it was that easy Sulaco. I love the car to death but my Bernese Mountain dog doesn't exactly "fit" in the back seat.
It also only has 82,000 miles so someone else can enjoy it for a very long time if I give it up.
Gas is also very expensive here in British Columbia so it stings a bit when I fill up at the pump.
It also only has 82,000 miles so someone else can enjoy it for a very long time if I give it up.
Gas is also very expensive here in British Columbia so it stings a bit when I fill up at the pump.
I believe I saw your ad in Craigslist. Is your C36 U.S.-spec? I noticed you have sidemarkers, did you add those yourself or are they factory? If factory, I'd venture to guess that your car is Canadian-spec...just trying to see what other differences there may be, particularly for smog/emissions purposes.
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I've owned my 97 C36 for 5 months now and it is one of the nicest vehicles I have ever owned. The crossover tube with the "C36" badge on it costs 1,600$ at the local dealership in my area. I had to plastic weld mine to prevent misfiring.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
Little things like that irritate me!
Unfortunately I have to consider selling it due to dogs, babies and a girlfriend.
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1997 Mercedes Benz C36 AMG
It's part of your intake system. Goes between the mass airflow sensor and the throttle body. If there is a crack or a hole it will cause an air leak and most likely a misfire in one or more of the cylinders. I'm guessing the reason why it is so costly is because its a rare part and because dealerships can. It is honestly a piece of plastic tubing. RIDICULOUS!
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05 c55 silver, 98 Imperial Red C43
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From: Oregon
'97 c36
Make that two.. The crankcase vents in the valve cover broke clear around. Tried everything to get them to stay to the pipe. Believe It or not but just plain old high temp silicon worked the best and has been holding up for the last couple of years.
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I have some good news. The dealer is letting me take the car for the weekend to see how I like it. I'm taking it to a mechanic to have it checked out Saturday morning. Anything else you guys recommend I look into since I'll have a bit more time with it? I'll upload some pictures if you guys are interested in that.
I'M SUPER EXCITED
I'M SUPER EXCITED
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1997 Mercedes Benz C36 AMG
Check and see if the antenna is functioning properly.
Not sure if it has the 4 or 5 speed transmission but make sure it shifts smoothly. (mine has the 5 and I've been told they are prone to issues.)
The fuel level senders are notorious on these and cause a faulty gas gauge reading so watch out for that.
Obviously check the tires and brakes because they are expensive to replace.
Take it for a long rip and watch the needle at idle when you're stopped. If it's acting up you may have an air leak somewhere.
Check the sunroof shade is in good shape.
These are all the things I experienced when I purchased my C36 so hopefully you'll have better luck.
If you're taking it to a mechanic then they should be able to fill you in on any issues and you can adjust your offer accordingly.
All the best!
Not sure if it has the 4 or 5 speed transmission but make sure it shifts smoothly. (mine has the 5 and I've been told they are prone to issues.)
The fuel level senders are notorious on these and cause a faulty gas gauge reading so watch out for that.
Obviously check the tires and brakes because they are expensive to replace.
Take it for a long rip and watch the needle at idle when you're stopped. If it's acting up you may have an air leak somewhere.
Check the sunroof shade is in good shape.
These are all the things I experienced when I purchased my C36 so hopefully you'll have better luck.
If you're taking it to a mechanic then they should be able to fill you in on any issues and you can adjust your offer accordingly.
All the best!
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Ok well it seems that most of the information you guys have given me previously is useless unfortunately...
I picked up the car and noticed it was listed as a 1996... I must have misheard when I spoke with them previously but I looked up the vin and found out it's most certainly a 96...
I also realized after more driving that I'm not sure why it felt loose... the vehicle was amazing to drive but it is still having that idling problem, along with a check engine light which I didn't notice before. I'm sure I'll get more info on that at the mechanic tomorrow morning. What's weird is when the vehicle starts, it's low-less than 500 rpm for a few seconds-then shoots up to 1k plus, the evens out around 500 again. It fluctuates somewhat randomly in that range for a minute or so, then levels out and seems pretty normal. Didn't notice any hesitation when shifting gears.
I've also got a bunch of pictures. I'm not a fan of the wheels... He has the stock wheels in the back, which I will most likely go with. Also a few pictures of the cosmetic issues... front bumper seems like it was detached and not put back on very well... A couple small rust spots... and some of the carbon fiber looking wrap on the B pillar is coming off...
I'll most likely be updating after the mechanic tomorrow afternoon.
I picked up the car and noticed it was listed as a 1996... I must have misheard when I spoke with them previously but I looked up the vin and found out it's most certainly a 96...
I also realized after more driving that I'm not sure why it felt loose... the vehicle was amazing to drive but it is still having that idling problem, along with a check engine light which I didn't notice before. I'm sure I'll get more info on that at the mechanic tomorrow morning. What's weird is when the vehicle starts, it's low-less than 500 rpm for a few seconds-then shoots up to 1k plus, the evens out around 500 again. It fluctuates somewhat randomly in that range for a minute or so, then levels out and seems pretty normal. Didn't notice any hesitation when shifting gears.
I've also got a bunch of pictures. I'm not a fan of the wheels... He has the stock wheels in the back, which I will most likely go with. Also a few pictures of the cosmetic issues... front bumper seems like it was detached and not put back on very well... A couple small rust spots... and some of the carbon fiber looking wrap on the B pillar is coming off...
I'll most likely be updating after the mechanic tomorrow afternoon.
