ramie

I'm looking at purchasing an 2011 E550 convertible. What should I be looking at before I purchase the car. It's not a CPO car, it's got 40,000mi. Very clean car nothing visible that I can see. Any input from you guys will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

ag911

I just bought one a month ago. I'd measured the paint thickness and check all maintenance records, including brakes, cabin and engine air filters, brake fluid flush, battery, etc. I would also verify proper operation of the aircap, airscarf, seat heater, seat ventilation, soft top, and make sure the chrome seat lock handles are not peeling and sharp.

I came from a 2012.5 Carrera S (991), and I love the "new to me" E550 cabriolet! Good luck!

ramie

Thanks for your input AG!

Pennetta

I've had mine since new and now have 79k miles on it. It's been very reliable and only nagging problem continues to be the MB brake disks and pads. I must be hard on brakes as my other MBs had the same issue. Will go with Stoptech next change.

ag911

Thank you for sharing your experience! That's very encouraging to know that your E550 has been reliable. About how many miles do you get on new pads and rotors before you start getting the vibration? And, do you do the brakes yourself? If so, would you have any DIY instructions or tips/advices on replacing the pads and rotors?

Pennetta

I don't know how many miles but there is always about 30% of meat left on the pads.
I think the pad material unevenly transfers and imbedded to the disk which causes the uneven grabbing.

Ptrigg17

See attached

ag911

Thank you!! I'll have to compile these instructions into a single file. Since I'm not a pro, it sure would be nice if we can find some instructions with pictures and/or videos. I've searched YouTube, but there's not much available.

Thanks again for the attachments!

Ptrigg17

Don't waste your time looking for a video, I spent weeks searching and found nothing. If you are at all comfortable with wrenching this is a simple job. The hardest part for me was finding the necessary tools in my tool box. I spent a lot of time searching for a 9 mm hex and after realizing it was not available I spent about 1 hour fabricating my own. When you decide if you want to DIY send me a PM and we can exchange phone numbers and I will walk you through it. Do not buy Mercedes pads as I believe they are a big part of the problem. I am hoping that the Ceramic pads will minimize the recurrence of the issue. if you have never done a brake job before this may be challenging but very doable.

Pennetta

Literally the most exerting part of doing brakes on a MB is taking the wheels off, the rest is straight forward.

ag911

Thank you in advance! Likewise, when your chrome seat handle(s) starts to peel and have very sharp edges, and you would like some tips on how to replace them, email me and I can help you to get them replaced for less than $35 each. I recently replaced both of mine. There's no need to go to the dealer.

Duke

advocado

Your post is very timely (for me). I have a '14 E550 Cabrio with 29,000 miles. At 15,000 miles I had all the brakes and rotors replaced because of warping and shuddering. MBZ covered it under warranty (even though brake warranty is on 12,000 miles). Now, the same problem developed and the dealer says "Tough. $1,400 for the fronts." Other threads on the forum discuss numerous rotor warping issues with vehicles with large rotors (in 2015 MBZ downsized the front rotors on the E550). I looked up the Brake Performance Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors and they have them for this car. Posi Quiet Ceramic Pads also fit. The prices are reasonable. Question -- Has this worked well for you? Getting costly new brakes every 15,000 is not acceptable. Thank you.

Ptrigg17

I have only put about 1000 miles on it so far but I like the braking feel, very smooth and positive, no brake dust. Time will tell if the pulsation comes back . If it does I am covered for the rotors

advocado

Thanks. I'm gonna follow your lead. Anything has got to be better than the current system. Funny how Mercedes recognized the issue was their defective design/implementation at 15,000 miles (beyond the brake warranty) but when the replaced brakes failed the exact same way again after at 15,000 suddenly, "Sorry, out of warranty".

PelicanParts.com

Yep, DIY will help keep money in your wallet. I am here if you ever need anything and this forum should be of great use to you. Good luck!

makinit1212

I have had my 11 for about 6 months. Was a solid deal for me. Has nearly every option sans adaptive cruise control and the parking spot finder thing. Paid 22k with 60k miles and extended warranty. A lot of fun in Sport mode without it feeling like it is trying to do more than it is capable of. Feels right. I can run with so many more cars than I thought I would. This car is fast.
Nice to have cool stuff like adaptive headlights, ventilated seats, auto wipers , etc for a 7 year old car. Only thing I don’t like is the volume buttons on the steering wheel are chipped like many other MBs. If you can find a comparable 12 with the updated interior trim I would recommend it. You can do a retrofit, but the airbag situation looks like too much of a hassle to replace those buttons.