The Godfather

Ok, I'm strongly considering selling my E55. Here are the basics: It's a 2000 E55, with 134k miles. I bought it with about 80k miles a couple years ago, so yes, I drive the car! Despite being a show car, it's daily driven to work (17 miles one way, freeway in smooth traffic -gotta love living in San Luis Obispo, CA ).

The Kelly Blue Book for private party sale is: $20k, which is in between the wholesale and retail value. The car is immaculate for its mileage and year. The car is garaged daily.

I'll also include in the sale the stock metal hood (in perfect condition), and a EUROPEAN trunk lid, which I was gonna put on but never found the time to do. I can arrange to have the European trunk lid painted and installed for free for the lucky buyer of this car.

As you can imagine, I spent a pretty penny on the modifications.

I'm looking for $28k OR BEST OFFER.

Don't bother lowballing me, but at the same time, don't hesitate to make me a REASONABLE offer. I've put the car up for sale in the past but kept it due to my attachement to it. I turned down a $33k offer less than a year ago. But I've done almost all I can do with this car. There's more stuff to be done for shows, but I'll leave it to the new owner to do! (custom trunk setup, interior mods).

The maintenance has been done by either the dealership or my local indy Mercedes mechanic. Spark plugs, O2 sensors, MAF, have all been done in the last 10k miles or so. Oil change is done every 3500 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic oil only.

The car runs SUPER strong. Registration is good till November '07. When I had it smogged, a certain criteria for E55 usually yields 15 to 35 ranger in Cali, but mine did... ZERO, meaning it doesn't pollute and RUNS SUPER FINE. I was told that my car has the best MPG you could ever want because of that number.

The car was dyno'ed shortly after I bought it at 292WHP. I forgot what the torque was but it was 300 something, in the norm.

I'm located in San Luis Obispo/Pismo Beach 1/2 way between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

NOTE that the car sits lower in the back now as subwoofers weren't in at the time of the pictures.

The modifications are as follow:

Wheels/Brakes/Suspension:
 IForged Daytona 2 piece wheels 19x10 rear, 19x8 front
 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Tires 275/30/19 rear, 245/35/19 front
 H&R springs
 Bilstein Sport Shocks
 Brembo GT Gran Turismo 4 pistons 14.1” front big brake kit.
 Brembo GT Gran Turismo 4 pistons 13” rear big brake kit.

In Car Entertainment:
 Alpine IVA-D900 7” motorized retractable LCD monitor with DVD/MP3/CD/Radio player
 XM Satellite Radio
 Alpine Navigation Unit
 Alpine TV Tuner
 Playstation 2 with RF wireless controllers
 Kicker ZX750 750watt Amp (benched by Kicker at an actual 936watts)
 2x 12" MTX 5500 Thunder Subwoofers with MTX ported Box.

Engine Mods:
 RBtech Carbon Fiber Air Box
 K&N Air Filters (2)
 Resonator Delete


Interior Mods:
 AMG wood and leather gearknob
 AMG illuminated door sills
 AMG carpet with blue piping/emblems
 Brabus door pins
 Maybach 62 Pedals

Exterior Mods:
 Brabus Carbon Fiber front spoiler/lip (only one in USA)
 3M Clearbra on front end of the car (hood/fenders/mirrors/bumper/CF lip)
 VIS Carbon Fiber Hood Custom PAINTED
 Lorinser Roof wing
 Brain Cadena trunk lip (1 of only 2 outside of Japan)
 Blacked out trunk emblems
 AMG flat hood badge
 European Impact Strips for front bumper
 Blacked out grill
 DEPO Headlights with custom made 2006 E55 Bi-xenon shield and motors projectors.
 7500k HID kit headlights
 7500k PIAA High Beam Halogen
 7500k PIAA Fog lights Halogen
 Brabus style LED Puddle lights (5 on each sides, blue).
 Lexus style LED license plate lights




The won the following awards:
2005:
-2nd Place Euro Class @ Nisei Week Showoff 2005
-1st Place 4door Street class @ Hot Import Daze Pleasanton 2005
-Overall Best Luxury @ Battle of the Imports Finale 2005
-3rd Place Mercedes Class @ Showoff Classic 2005

2006:
- Mercedes DTM Showoff (above 1st place) @ Chinatown Showoff Feb. 5th 2006
- 1st Place Mercedes-Benz @ EXC Luxury Showoff Aug. 12th 2006
- 3rd Place EXC Style @ Nisei Week Showoff Aug. 20th 2006
- Auto Fashion (afEXE) Japanese Magazine feature, on Japanese newsstands May ’06.
- VIP Car Japanese Magazine feature, on Japanese newsstands April ’06.
- VIP Style Japanese Magazine feature, on Japanese newsstands April ’06.
- Maxi Tuning French Magazine feature, on European newsstands June ‘06


The car is confirmed to be shot for Performance Auto Sound Magazine (PAS -U.S mag).

It's been on Speed Channel and on Meguiar's Car Crazy TV.

Here are some pics:

The Godfather

Pictures below were taken before new CF hood and new hood grill were installed, and clear bra put on.

The Godfather

article before CF hood, clear bra and with old subwoofer box and amps, and older grill.

Click on each picture for full size.



Translation:

Page 1:

“New tendency in the USA, the VIP style is a Japanese style inspired by the Yakuza’s cars, the Japanese Mafiosos. As with the DUB style, this style is about modding a large sedan, but here you can forget the bling that so many American rappers love. Everything should only be sobriety, comfort, performance, and luxury.

Page 2:

You remember that TV ad for the Peugeot 607, the one where the other cars hide away in fear? Well, that’s about the same effect that Mike (a Frenchman who lived for the last 10 years in L.A.)’s E55 AMG has. Not that the guy is mean, quite the opposite. We spent a day with him and we can promise you, he’s adorable.
The problem comes from his car, an abyssal black ship equipped with a 5.5liter and 365HP power plant made by AMG. When we first see it, we try to imagine who may be at the wheel. Usually, there are only two types: A star of the show business or a Mafioso. By fear that the latter is the one, we quickly look away from it and keep going our way….
Too bad, because with a trained eye, you could’ve noticed the details that made this Benz win numerous awards at the biggest American car shows due to its very “VIP” style.
Mike’s E55 is the perfect illustration of the VIP style.
The body, of a deep black, is accented by tasty and tasteful mods, such as the front bumper spoiler in carbon fiber, a Brabus creation that Mike is the only one to have in the USA. The trunk lip spoiler is a Japanese model made by Brain Cadena, here too a rarity as only two of them ever left the Japanese soil.
We could also talk to you about the headlights. Originally found on the new E55, Mike purchased these bi-xenons for a small fortune to break them….so he could retrofit them onto his 2000 E55! And as for the front hood grill, Mike found this from an entry model E class. Curious at first, this choice is understood once we learn that Mercedes only exports top of the line E-classes in the USA, thus making this hood grill unique in the States!

Lower caption:
Inside this type of black Benz, we find either a show business star, or a Mafioso….

Page 3

Top left:
In line with the VIP style, the interior shouldn’t be cheap but luxury, pure and hard. At this little game, Mercedes is a master, so the leather interior is thus preserved. But for the little details, Mike also knows how to do it right. So as you open the doors, a kit of 5 small LEDs light up the ground for you so you can avoid walking where you shouldn’t. A little gadget signed by Brabus (wow!) and in perfect harmony with the AMG door sills’ blue. As for the door locks, Mike admit himself that he has lost it! A luxury that master Brabus charges 120euros…each! But such is the VIP philosophy: favor quality over quantity.

Middle right:

One of Mike’s prides, this Brembo “Gran Turismo” big brake kit sports 4 pot on 330mm rear rotors and 358mm in the front. To be certain that nobody will miss seeing them, Mike asked iForged to create for him a set of 19” wheels that lets easily see the Brembo hardware. As opposed to the DUB style, the wheels VIP should be sober, so no crazy super sizes and certainly no chrome! And so that the Benz stays planted on the ground despite the AMG power plant, Mike decided to put his trust in Michelin Pilot Sports and in a Bilstein/H&R combo for the suspension.

Bottom left:

A limo style ICE setup is installed in the E55 AMG. Other than the stock sound system, not very far from being perfect in this type of luxury car, Mike added an Alpine source with retractable monitor and a navigation system. To muscle up the deal, he also added JL subs, boosted by a dedicated 1,250 Watts amp. Finally, for entertainment, the Benz sports a PS2 with a certain Electronic Arts game playing all the time….can you guess which one? The virtual world meets the real world when we discover on the driver side a Valentine 1 radar detector and a scanner to listen discreetly to police frequencies. A little gadget that comes very handy when one’s motor has been done by the engineers at AMG.
The funny thing in all of this, is that in California, it’s legal to use for as long as it is not used to escape cops….Go figure that logic!

Page 5
Top Caption:
This E55 AMG breathes exclusivity and luxury, with hardware imported from European and Japanese tuners!

VIP ONE

So sad to see it go goodluck man. I cant wait to see your next project.

carlssoncclass

Bump for a nice car!

lowphat

One baaaad a$$$$$ benzz. Good luck with your sale.

rlee02135

sick car!

alden168

No doubt someone will take it...its the godfather of MB....good luck

BeNzTeK

NICE RIDE and thats a dam good price if you ask me I will ask around for you !

The Godfather

Thanks for the comments. Hope it goes to a good home

Alexbenz

whats next momo

Eurosport

Doc, nooooooooo you know you're just putting her for sale, and you'll still keep her for another year come on you can do it heeheh
btw i didn't see anywhere in your post that you won't part out, and i'm sure you don't want to at this point, just fyi b4 all the questions from people come in

next project what could it be hmmm, i'll guess, it'll be a black car ;p

Stiggs

Why are you selling the car? I assume its all paid off. For all that work you put into it, might as well just keep it.

Personally I think the only thing that will hold it back from selling is the price is too high with the high milage. Also Mods don't add value when you go to trade a car in, so I would say realistically you would get more like $20K. Why didn't you take the $33K offer? What changed from then to now?

Good luck man. I hope it sells. Its a very nice car.

The Godfather

Of course the price is high, I added room for the hagglers. I'm not dumb and put my rock bottom price lol. The bought the car cash back then when I first got it. yeah, I might as well just keep it, but that prevents me from getting another project car, can't be rocking two rides at once like that.

What's next is gonna be white actually and is gonna be Lexus.

I don't wanna part out though.

But I won't sell the thing for $20k, that's too low. But like I said, don't hesitate to throw some numbers my way.

John Major

The way you have the mods on there, it looks factory. Which to me GIVES the car value. It's not all riced out like some of the other mods out there. $28k is a good price. I'm guessing your lowball is around $25k. Mileage is not that high either. I'm at 122k right now (99 E320, mods coming soon). Some people forget that it's a MERCEDES, aka "bulletproof engine". And given your reputation, I know that car's been well taken care of. Either way, damn best E320 I've EVER seen. Wish it was mine.

Now, since I just rode your dick, can I get that Brain Cadena lip?

The Godfather

25k isn't lowballing. ill take it. 22k is lowballing. also if the car doesn't sell within 2 weeks the subs and amp will be gone but don't expect a drop in price more than 100 bucks lol.

and its an E55 AMG NOT A 320!!!

clkal

hahahha.....

good luck on the sale, Mike.

Saprissa

Mike mon ami,

please bring the E55 down to the Jan 20th Irvine MB Meet for us to drool on one last time !

I can't believe you're letting go... I love your car !

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

Dan Wang

Carlos, are you back from Costa Rica for good?

Alexbenz

[quote=John Major;1926005

Now, since I just rode your dick, can I get that Brain Cadena lip? [/quote]

wowwwwwwwww!!!! i knew mike was gay!!!

2K6E55

One of the nicest W210 I have seen. Good luck w/the sale.

TruTaing

only if this car were up in washington

sexy car, loved it since the first time i saw pix of it.....

-j0hn

The Godfather

I'll pay for shipping. How's that? I buy my cars throughout the US, it shouldn't be a problem for you

Anyway, here's the bottom line: MAKE ME AN OFFER OF AT LEAST $20,000 and the car is yours.

The Godfather

New Offer> See Above> Priced To Move!

TruTaing

I am not in the market for an eclass, but my dad is..... but of course, i show him the best e class ive seen and he goes.... i dont wanna spend so much money on gas..... cant get the 5.5 supercharged v8........... BAH!

Ima spread the word to a few of my automotive buds, maybe they'll be interested..

i just noticed your sig: you khmer?

-j0hn

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