72killerfish

Hello,

I'm considering upgrading from my 2010 C300 4Matic Sport to a 2011 E550 4Matic. The E550 has the P2 package and just about every option except distronic.

It does need new brakes (pads and rotors) that will be fixed before I would purchase. I did search the forums and found a number of threads on the warped rotor issue. For this vehicle with 72,000 miles, this will be the first time the brakes will be replaced. Net, I'm hopeful it's a non-issue.

Other than potential Airmatic issues, any other concerns I should be looking out for before putting my car on the market to trade up to this vehicle?

Thanks!
KF

jahquan3

Look into the faded wood trim issue. Also, I've just recently read about concerns with the transmission which I have not personally had. I'm sure the other members will chime in shortly.

homeyclaus

The trick with the Airmatic is to find a model that's unmolested by incompetent mechanics. Look into the carfax or VIR for logs indicating work was done, and look under the hood under the front strut caps to see if there are tool marks where people messed with them. Do the same for the compressor and valving, it's under the rear bumper, driver's side.

I just picked up a 2010 that was competently maintained, it's wonderful.

As far as brakes go, I'd go with a top quality aftermarket rotor set. like Brembo or Centric, and likely Akebono Euro Ceramic brake pads. It probably wont save you much over OE, but IMHO that combination has better braking feel for daily drivers, and the Akebonos produce significantly less dust.

Abrown3mtg

If you can get the car on a lift, Look it over for leaks. See if there is any oil weeping or leaking from the transfer case outputs. That is a big one along with the airmatic.

I have a 2010. It is a beautiful car. I love it. That said, I recently have had a chance to drive my friends tuned twin turbo CLS 550. On top of the car being night and day faster and getting better gas mileage, they also resolved the issue I find the most annoying with my car. The transmission seems to have substantial lag when shifting from forward to reverse (put the car in gear, hit the pedal, there is a pause than it engages and starts to move a second or 2 later. It is better if you frequently reset the TCU however this characteristic is very annoying. It is commonly mentioned here as well.

If you can swing the 2012+ model, I would. It has a substantially faster engine, better transmission, fewer airmatic issues as far as I can tell, and updated electronics.

I would not be concerned with the brake issue. I have had it but that is an easy fix.

72killerfish

Wow, thanks so much for the great feedback and suggestions. I'll do 'em all! I should have mentioned the owner is also a good friend of mine so I do know it's been well maintained and only through the dealership. But, we both agree aftermarket brakes may be the best idea.

I would be interested in a 2012, but I doubt I can find one for the price he's willing to part with on this one. Of course, one option would be to wait one year and I'd be good to go with a 2012+. But I'm a fairly impatient person!

Is the engine on a 2012 E550 THAT much better? Seems to me a Naturally Aspirated V8 would be very reliable vs. a twin turbo setup.

jahquan3

As mentioned the CLS550 had a tune and even without a tune and on a NA version of the CLS, I've heard people say they feel faster. Either way a 10 E550 is extremely fast and will be more powerful then 85% of the cars you'll come across unless you're at the track of course. Also, turbo lag has been a back an forth convo at times, some say they don't notice others say they do. With the NA V8 you won't have to worry about that and as you mentioned it's rock solid.

I personally love the airmatic and enjoy the flexibility it provides. I would not like this car as much if I did not have it.

Abrown3mtg

I would agree with Jahquan3. It is a damn fast engine. I have the OE tune and Meisterschaft exhaust on my car. It is a damn quick car. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one again. I too got an incredible price on my car. I simple was mentioning that if the budget allows, the 2012+ is worth considering. However, I would not for a second think twice about the NA which I own. I was skeptical, but the OE tune really made the overall driving experience much better. The low end torque is improved a lot and wakes up the car at a very reasonable price.

blegthbloo

I think the tunes on the NA version are cheaper overall, but having the BiTurbo with the newest RennTech tune I must say the extra cost for the tune is WELL worth the results. As far as lag goes, the turbos are quite small, so you'd notice a transmission lag (being automatic) before you noticed turbo lag. Also, with the tune, you get into boost much faster, so that's not an issue anyway.

belarus27

airmatic , warped rotors , make sure the heating pad works in drivers bottom seat , faded trim , at this point also check bushings and ball joint (at 72k still should be good but just in case) , and then airmatic again lol
other than that nothing major

72killerfish

Checking the bushings and ball joints is a new one to me. I'll be sure to check. Heating pad was new to me as well, but can confirm that both heated and cooled seats work on both sides. Didn't notice faded trim, but will look closer next opp I get. Oh yeah, I'll have the Airmatic checked again and just in case, once more

cetialpha5

Open the doors and look at the trim covered by the door and the exposed trim to see if it's faded or not. Also not sure if you can see some of the wood that's under the center console, if it's darker, then the wood is a little faded.