Last edit by: IB Nolan
Table of Contents "S55's Endless Build Thread"
1. Car Forklifted Onto Delivery Truck Because Auction Had No Key
2. Finally Sees Car and Damage In Person on Delivery Truck
3. Videos of S-Class Forklifted Off Delivery Truck And Slid Into Garage
4. Additional Rear-End Damage Photos
5. Cost Breakdown For Vehicle and Parts as of 3/12/16
6. Key Arrives! First Start Up.
7. First Test Drive, Warning Lights Abound
8. Fixed Electrical Issues(?), Replaced Battery and Alternator
9. New Woodgrain Steering Wheel Installed
1. Car Forklifted Onto Delivery Truck Because Auction Had No Key
2. Finally Sees Car and Damage In Person on Delivery Truck
3. Videos of S-Class Forklifted Off Delivery Truck And Slid Into Garage
4. Additional Rear-End Damage Photos
5. Cost Breakdown For Vehicle and Parts as of 3/12/16
6. Key Arrives! First Start Up.
7. First Test Drive, Warning Lights Abound
8. Fixed Electrical Issues(?), Replaced Battery and Alternator
9. New Woodgrain Steering Wheel Installed
I finally bought it Fellas!
#502
MBWorld Fanatic!
I'm just saying does it make sense to take a chick on a whirlwind tour of Europe and propose in a hot air balloon over Paris when you probably could have just taken her to McDonalds and gotten laid on the second date anyway?
#503
MBWorld Fanatic!
Suddenly now you're thinking about unforseen circumstances, long term costs and financial merits? I thought this was a pure, sentimental labor of love, reason be damned. Look, this thread might be more headache than it's worth. Maybe ask a mod to close it, and start a new thread when the car is finished, showing all of the steps along the way.
#504
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s55K / s550 4Matic / GX470 / A8L /
But OP situation is different even after the tour and ballo0n ride this this would turn out to be a turn down
#506
MBWorld Fanatic!
Well even a base S Class is still an S Class. You get the excellent ride quality and comfort (although those non-active seats are stiff as hell). Just cosmetically not that cool to look at (for me) as the AMG Sport or actual AMG cars. You can live without the options of course although a lot of them really do increase the satisfaction and enjoyment of the car.
For a first S the base low optioned car is fine for a couple of years, but it won't be long before he's eying something a little more fleshed out.
For a first S the base low optioned car is fine for a couple of years, but it won't be long before he's eying something a little more fleshed out.
#507
MBWorld Fanatic!
#509
Member
Originally Posted by Mike5215
Well even a base S Class is still an S Class. You get the excellent ride quality and comfort (although those non-active seats are stiff as hell). Just cosmetically not that cool to look at (for me) as the AMG Sport or actual AMG cars. You can live without the options of course although a lot of them really do increase the satisfaction and enjoyment of the car.
For a first S the base low optioned car is fine for a couple of years, but it won't be long before he's eying something a little more fleshed out.
For a first S the base low optioned car is fine for a couple of years, but it won't be long before he's eying something a little more fleshed out.
#510
MBWorld Fanatic!
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
#511
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2015 S550
If the quarter panels are the same, then yeah thats the same price.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
#512
MBWorld Fanatic!
Originally Posted by nycphotography
If the quarter panels are the same, then yeah thats the same price.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
My point was only that for all the rigmarole, money, lost keys and fork lifting it would have been cool if the end result was something more interesting. And before someone cries foul over an aftermarket bumper, the guy planned on banging out the crushed quarters with a mallet, so either way we're not talking about a rotisserie restoration here.
#515
MBWorld Fanatic!
If the quarter panels are the same, then yeah thats the same price.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
But every single AMG specific part costs like 4x as much.
An AMG bumper cover is like $2400. At least it was for my '08 CLK63 Cab. A M156 oil cooler is like $500. Etc etc etc.
An S550 has infinite used parts available, particularly on the east coast. An AMG much less so.
#516
MBWorld Fanatic!
I'd have put an S63 bumper on it anyway as long as I was buying a bumper. 1/4 of the way to a full AMG body kit. I did a kit on a 220 that way, just picking up parts on eBay cheap as they became available. Did the exhaust on this car survive BTW?
#517
Junior Member
I guess by risk v reward I mean the risk is great, but the reward...a 2008 high mileage S Class probably wasn't worth that big a gamble.
Like if you found a 1969 Mustang in a barn and paid $12k thinking it might just need cleaning up to be worth $60,000 at Jackson Barrett, that would be high risk high reward.
This is more like you paid top dollar for a mail order bride who, on her best day, is maybe a 6. But what the heck. Ya flew her over here and signed her visa papers. May as well just start boning her and hope it works out.
Like if you found a 1969 Mustang in a barn and paid $12k thinking it might just need cleaning up to be worth $60,000 at Jackson Barrett, that would be high risk high reward.
This is more like you paid top dollar for a mail order bride who, on her best day, is maybe a 6. But what the heck. Ya flew her over here and signed her visa papers. May as well just start boning her and hope it works out.
#518
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2008 S550, 2006 911, 2006 M5, 2005 F-150 King Ranch
How I can't wait for the key to go in ignition!!!!!
Suspense is killing me. I'm sweating over here, you would think it's my car.
Listen OP, most on here giving advice are your dad's age and we all have done crazy things before and we've learned from our mistakes. Hell I remember when I first got on ebay in 1999 and bought 1992 Mercedes s500 cheap. I was so excited, hit the buy it now, had the car shipped. Totally trusted the seller. Got it home and it was not what I expected. Not a bad car but everyone's perception of "perfect condition" is different. I did not think twice about talking to the owner, having it inspected and hearing it run. After that experience I said to myself it could have been a lot worse. How can people buy cars on ebay and not speak a work to one another. I now have sold every one of my cars on ebay, probably over 20 and still it's about 50% or more who I never speak with and have the car shipped.
Me personally and have done this before is to part out the car. If you have the room and time you could make back more than double. The time I did this I bought 2 wrecked Audi S8. One with rear damage and one with front. Put them together and sold the rest and covered all my costs on parts alone selling them.
Suspense is killing me. I'm sweating over here, you would think it's my car.
Listen OP, most on here giving advice are your dad's age and we all have done crazy things before and we've learned from our mistakes. Hell I remember when I first got on ebay in 1999 and bought 1992 Mercedes s500 cheap. I was so excited, hit the buy it now, had the car shipped. Totally trusted the seller. Got it home and it was not what I expected. Not a bad car but everyone's perception of "perfect condition" is different. I did not think twice about talking to the owner, having it inspected and hearing it run. After that experience I said to myself it could have been a lot worse. How can people buy cars on ebay and not speak a work to one another. I now have sold every one of my cars on ebay, probably over 20 and still it's about 50% or more who I never speak with and have the car shipped.
Me personally and have done this before is to part out the car. If you have the room and time you could make back more than double. The time I did this I bought 2 wrecked Audi S8. One with rear damage and one with front. Put them together and sold the rest and covered all my costs on parts alone selling them.
#519
Junior Member
How I can't wait for the key to go in ignition!!!!!
Suspense is killing me. I'm sweating over here, you would think it's my car.
Listen OP, most on here giving advice are your dad's age and we all have done crazy things before and we've learned from our mistakes. Hell I remember when I first got on ebay in 1999 and bought 1992 Mercedes s500 cheap. I was so excited, hit the buy it now, had the car shipped. Totally trusted the seller. Got it home and it was not what I expected. Not a bad car but everyone's perception of "perfect condition" is different. I did not think twice about talking to the owner, having it inspected and hearing it run. After that experience I said to myself it could have been a lot worse. How can people buy cars on ebay and not speak a work to one another. I now have sold every one of my cars on ebay, probably over 20 and still it's about 50% or more who I never speak with and have the car shipped.
Me personally and have done this before is to part out the car. If you have the room and time you could make back more than double. The time I did this I bought 2 wrecked Audi S8. One with rear damage and one with front. Put them together and sold the rest and covered all my costs on parts alone selling them.
Suspense is killing me. I'm sweating over here, you would think it's my car.
Listen OP, most on here giving advice are your dad's age and we all have done crazy things before and we've learned from our mistakes. Hell I remember when I first got on ebay in 1999 and bought 1992 Mercedes s500 cheap. I was so excited, hit the buy it now, had the car shipped. Totally trusted the seller. Got it home and it was not what I expected. Not a bad car but everyone's perception of "perfect condition" is different. I did not think twice about talking to the owner, having it inspected and hearing it run. After that experience I said to myself it could have been a lot worse. How can people buy cars on ebay and not speak a work to one another. I now have sold every one of my cars on ebay, probably over 20 and still it's about 50% or more who I never speak with and have the car shipped.
Me personally and have done this before is to part out the car. If you have the room and time you could make back more than double. The time I did this I bought 2 wrecked Audi S8. One with rear damage and one with front. Put them together and sold the rest and covered all my costs on parts alone selling them.
#520
Senior Member
Yesterday's episode here is rubbish! Stop the bickering. Can we keep this civil? There really is nothing else to say here until the key arrives. There are many of us rooting for you mercedesbenzs55!
#521
Member
Here's one as per Mike's recommendation.
It's an S63 with what appears to be damage with no airbag deployment.
The auction closes in 6 hours. Was at about $4,300. Might be in the same cost range to make it roadworthy. It does look like more work though.
http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/1833243...hId=1420447156
It has more enthusiast interest when done. If parted out, lots of desirable parts.
ABC might be a huge headache though. Definitely not boring.
It's an S63 with what appears to be damage with no airbag deployment.
The auction closes in 6 hours. Was at about $4,300. Might be in the same cost range to make it roadworthy. It does look like more work though.
http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/1833243...hId=1420447156
It has more enthusiast interest when done. If parted out, lots of desirable parts.
ABC might be a huge headache though. Definitely not boring.
#522
MBWorld Fanatic!
Originally Posted by TechSuperstar
Yesterday's episode here is rubbish! Stop the bickering. Can we keep this civil? There really is nothing else to say here until the key arrives. There are many of us rooting for you mercedesbenzs55!
#523
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Join Date: Nov 2014
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2015 S550
All that BenzS55 has to do here is come clean, then the attitudes of most, if not all folks here would change to cheering him on. Things he should do:
1. Admit that he really isn't a perfectionist if he planned on repairing that car to perfect standards by banging out some panels and throwing on a used bumper and taillights.
2. Admit that it was just a pie in the sky idea to repair that car to make it safe and presentable on a $1000 budget.
3. Admit that nobody purposely damaged those rear panels after the fact in order to try and defraud the insurance company.
4. Admit that it's going to cost him a lot more than his original budget and that the car is going to take a lot more work than he originally thought to make it right.
5. Admit that the advice of many of the detractors on following through with this plan wasn't really economically feasible, especially on the limited funds he said he has to do the project.
6. Admit that this was just an ill-conceived idea, but that he's just going to follow through on it any way to challenge himself and help others understand whether they should ever consider something like this.
I think that when the OP finally comes clean, all of the detractors are going to get on his side and will be anticipating watching the progress. This thread is already over 20 pages, and the car is just sitting in his garage and hasn't even been started yet. That thread about the guy who did the body work to restore that wrecked SL63 on a limited budget and to a very high standard for somebody who'd never done it before was a great example. That thread is only 6 pages from start to finish and showed the entire process with lots of pictures. He was realistic about what he was getting himself into and had no detractors along the way. That's what I'd like to see this thread morph into. But the OP needs to come clean first and change his original outlook to something that is actually realistic. Maybe he should just start a new thread with proper expectations and let this die off into the MB World Hall of Shame.
After he gets his car all fixed up, then he can begin creating the same kinds of threads that everybody else does by *****ing about how their dealers are screwing them over on repair costs, how to do their own repairs, figuring out the strange noises coming from their car, why is their car slammed to the ground, would these 22" wheels look good on my car, should I purchase a warranty, etc.
1. Admit that he really isn't a perfectionist if he planned on repairing that car to perfect standards by banging out some panels and throwing on a used bumper and taillights.
2. Admit that it was just a pie in the sky idea to repair that car to make it safe and presentable on a $1000 budget.
3. Admit that nobody purposely damaged those rear panels after the fact in order to try and defraud the insurance company.
4. Admit that it's going to cost him a lot more than his original budget and that the car is going to take a lot more work than he originally thought to make it right.
5. Admit that the advice of many of the detractors on following through with this plan wasn't really economically feasible, especially on the limited funds he said he has to do the project.
6. Admit that this was just an ill-conceived idea, but that he's just going to follow through on it any way to challenge himself and help others understand whether they should ever consider something like this.
I think that when the OP finally comes clean, all of the detractors are going to get on his side and will be anticipating watching the progress. This thread is already over 20 pages, and the car is just sitting in his garage and hasn't even been started yet. That thread about the guy who did the body work to restore that wrecked SL63 on a limited budget and to a very high standard for somebody who'd never done it before was a great example. That thread is only 6 pages from start to finish and showed the entire process with lots of pictures. He was realistic about what he was getting himself into and had no detractors along the way. That's what I'd like to see this thread morph into. But the OP needs to come clean first and change his original outlook to something that is actually realistic. Maybe he should just start a new thread with proper expectations and let this die off into the MB World Hall of Shame.
After he gets his car all fixed up, then he can begin creating the same kinds of threads that everybody else does by *****ing about how their dealers are screwing them over on repair costs, how to do their own repairs, figuring out the strange noises coming from their car, why is their car slammed to the ground, would these 22" wheels look good on my car, should I purchase a warranty, etc.
#524
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
Here's one as per Mike's recommendation.
It's an S63 with what appears to be damage with no airbag deployment.
The auction closes in 6 hours. Was at about $4,300. Might be in the same cost range to make it roadworthy. It does look like more work though.
http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/1833243...hId=1420447156
It has more enthusiast interest when done. If parted out, lots of desirable parts.
ABC might be a huge headache though. Definitely not boring.
It's an S63 with what appears to be damage with no airbag deployment.
The auction closes in 6 hours. Was at about $4,300. Might be in the same cost range to make it roadworthy. It does look like more work though.
http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/1833243...hId=1420447156
It has more enthusiast interest when done. If parted out, lots of desirable parts.
ABC might be a huge headache though. Definitely not boring.
This S63 has dmv fees.. How much would i have to pay? It has a key and power but the mileage doesn't show?? What if it has 150k. It is going to end up costing much more than my car. From the dash you see a warning like,to me that's a red flag. Where it's the pic of the engine?
This S63 was most likely purchased of copart already, then saw that it had much more underlying damage asked put it back on copart. I know this because its too clean. Looks like a bait car.
I bought my car as a base model specifically with the least amount of gizmos so that offer time there is less that needs replacement.
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-11-2016 at 10:26 AM.
#525
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
You, Mike, and your brown nosing Dildil do not make up most or all the attitudes of folks on here. Most people here are positive, and I thank them for thier uplifting spirit.
Last edited by mercedesbenzs55; 03-11-2016 at 10:30 AM.