hemismith

Since there isn't a general AMG forum ... My wife is looking for a sporty 4-door. I've had a couple Porsches, an Audi S4, and a BMW 335, but have always liked AMGs and made the mistake of letting her drive one. Now she wants one, but my budget is only about $40k so we can't afford a new one, and I'm worried about maintenance costs. I assume the "real" V8 AMGs will be more expensive to maintain. And it seems all German vehicles have issues, and it seems Mercedes reputation has gotten worse. Should I stay away from them entirely, or are there any that can go 100k miles without huge unplanned expenses? Another caveat is that awd would be best where I live, but that really narrows the field.

Thanks.

chassis

Welcome! Best suggestion is to do thorough research on the target models you are considering. There are some good ones, and some not so good ones. Many owners report exceeding 100k miles.

Search this site for M156 V8 (2010s C63 and other models) head bolts and M113 V8 (early 2000s E55 and other models) superchargers and intercoolers.

You asked about engines, but also do the research on airmatic suspensions, which can be problematic depending upon year and diligence the previous owner(s) put into maintenance.

Fun cars, for sure, but it pays to do the research. A higher mileage C63 with M177 V8 engine from 2015-2016 can be had in the $40k neighborhood.

hemismith

Thanks, I will dig into the subforums, but thanks for a heads up on those items. And especially the suspensions, I forgot all about that.