So, I’m in the market for a car, and I really really like the look of the e55/e550’s and the performance is definitely a plus. I already have a r6 so my speed demon side is taken care of for the most part and I don’t need this car to be fast if that makes sense (to put it in perspective I was actually looking at corvettes before I got my r6…..) I’m mainly looking at the benzs’ for comfort and class and the performance is a plus. So my question is, is the e55 truly worth it for the price difference? Because around me I can find e550’d all day for around 10k with good mileage and super clean, but the cheapest e55’s are like 18k….. I love the e55’s and have heard once you go amg you wont go back, but maybe a better idea would be to get the e550 then maybe later on upgrade to a e63 even?

 

The E55 is going to be more reliable and maintain it's resale value.

 

Do it once and do it right. These are two different cars for 2 different people. Drive both and see which group do you belong to.

 

How much did the R6 cost? Get the best E55 that you can afford or that new 2022 Honda Civic Si Sedan for more affordable maintenance but with manual transmission driving pleasure.

 

Okay, since I more just got into the Mercedes world another question, how much are e55’s normally, like without the crazy market that’s been of recent. Cause if the actual difference is only 3-5k I’d take the e55 but almost double was my main reason for thinking about going with the e550, so do you guys think that e55’s will be 12-15 soon rather than 18-20?

 

I'd go with the E55! Looks better and has more power. Just my opinion

 

The E55 is basically a E550 with a supercharger fastened on top (Please, no cheap shots from the peanut gallery about SBC, auxiliary battery, etc). Adds complexity and makes some maintenance more labor intensive. The E55 fuel delivery electrical system sucks; I've replaced melted relays, sockets, connectors multiple times. Plus the filter and fuel pumps will run you ~$1000 every 60,000 miles. Supercharger clutch dog bone springs can fail resulting in cut oil lines and destroyed thermostat housing (remedied with clutch scatter shield). Rebuild the supercharger idler pulley versus purchasing a new one; again, every 60,000 miles. EDIT: if you ever have to go into the supercharger because the rear bearings' grease dried (front bearings are oil bath), be advised there is a six-month to one-year lead time on a run of custom bearings out of Japan unless you can find someone with a pair in stock (Australia should/might have the bearings in stock). Note the rear bearings are a non-standard, custom bearing. You might consider going to the Whipple 2.9 liter supercharger in lieu of rebuilding the stock supercharger.

If you lean towards reliability, go for the E550. If you want the thrill of feeling the supercharger engage and rock your world, go with the E55. Just recognize the E55 is going to cost you a lot more money and time to maintain. And I do not recommend "dyno mode" on the street unless you are looking to submit an insurance claim for totaling your E55...