blaine.douglas

Hey Guys! I am looking at purchasing a 2006 R500. We currently have a 2008 Mazda CX-9 and a Lexus ES 330, but with a growing family, we need to switch out the Lexus with something that offers more space.

I found a 2006 R500 with just under 40,000 miles on it. The price seems in line with other R class vehicles for sale in my area, but most are not 500s.

I have read on this forum that some have been unhappy with their 06 and 07 models and say the more recent years are much better. This 2006 is coming in under $20,000, but is it going to be a money pit? What should I lookout for?

Thanks!!

2008CL63

I have an '07 R63 ... no complaints whatsoever. Great vehicle. I have heard of folks having balance shaft issues with their 6 cylinder engines. Stick with the 8 imo.

bzliteyear

I think 07 better than first yr 2006.
We love our R500 but if not for CPO and 7 yr/100k warranty, we would have spent $10to $15k in past 3 yrs on airmatic, transmission, ac panel, blower motor, etc...
Our car is now out if warranty and we were going to sell it, but it is too nice of a car and we can't give it up
Patrick

blaine.douglas

Thanks Guys! The salesman presented a "Advantage" extended warranty from Protective, but the prices they were showing were extremely high in my opinion. $3,000 would only get me 6 months of coverage?? What should I expect topay for a decent warranty and are there any specific companies/plans you allwould suggest going with? Thanks in advance for your guidance!

bzliteyear

yes, $3k for sure too much for only 6 months.
given low mileage, you should try to get Fidelity Platinum...prob $3-4k for 3 yrs or something like that, though deductible may be $250/visit.
from my experience, if the repair bill is high enough, $1,500+, the mechanic can often offer 10% off and effectively reduce your deductible.
lastly, i can't recall if ALL R500s have airmatic, but if it doesn't have it, perhaps you can just put the $3k aside and self-insuring(after getting a solid pre-purchase inspection and having dealer fix anything wrong).

PeteInLongBeach

M272 (V-6) Engine Up to Serial No. 2729..30 468993 or M273 (V-8) Engine Up to Serial No. 2739..30 088611 the material for the balance shaft sprocket (V-6) and the timing chain guide/idler wheel (V-8) was modified on engines past these serial numbers.

Before purchasing, have the dealer print out a vehicle master inquiry to show all the service history and engine serial number. Compare the serial number to the affected range above to determine if it is affected by the issue. Engines affected by the soft sprockets will wear these down, eventually throwing a code when the cam timing goes out of spec. Repairing the chain idler sprocket is expensive.

supernsx

$3000 should give you at least two full years of comprehensive extended warranty and definitely not for six months. I don't think it is worth it. The key about extended warranty is making sure the company will not go out of business and also the claim process is being painless. There are more bad apples out there than good. Need to be extra careful before you buy.

Regarding reliability, I believe 06 and 07 are pretty similar. Check out my thread. I use it to keep track of all the warranty problems that I have of my 06 R500:

https://mbworld.org/forums/r-class-w...-warranty.html

blaine.douglas

Thanks for the advice! Also, being a R class newbie, how do I know if this R500 has airmatic??

supernsx

It will have an Airmatic button. A suspension symbol with word "sport/comfort" (left from the hazard light)

http://3-photos.ebizautos.com/used-2...430-11-640.jpg