farrk007

Been shopping for an E55 for the last little while and i'm goin to take a look at an 01, with just over 107K miles...If it turns out to be the one, i plan on having some sort of PPI done before i pull the trigger.(as im sure there would be no chance in hell for an aftermarket warranty based on year and mileage)

Visually i'd like to know what to look for(other than the obvious) and what to expect during the test drive.

btw..its in a used car lot and asking price is $11,8K

Swim Wagon

Would this be the 01 black/black in Illinois?

Looks sharp! what to look for... Hmm.. I usually discern the ad.

See if the written word matches with the spoken word in face to face conversation. I observe the car as a whole. Is there signs of wear? More so than normal.

I make a list of small items that need attention. Those small items can add up to one big price tag. (tires, brakes, missing items like CD magazine or extra key or dead pixels)

See if the dealer held on to all of the service records. This helps to explain and preserve the history of the vehicle.

If you decide she is right for you, definately go for the PPI,

Good luck!

farrk007

yeah its the same one.....ended up not going today,had to see another car instead.

Thanks for the advise though...those guys seem to have good bargains every now and then so i'll have to at some point pay them a visit. prolly on my next day off.

Swim Wagon

How was the one you checked out today? Anything good? Your thoughts?

I would still head over to that dealer. Crawl all over the car. Give it a strong test drive. Give it a once over, even if it doesn't turn you on. At least you have some experience and will make your eye sharp for the next one!

farrk007

well....see I've been torn for last little while between a W210 and a W211 E55 So thats what i went to look at.....Great chasis in my opinion. Love the Power!!

Schweinhund

The W211 will expose you to a lot more potential repairs to keep it all running.

mfletch69

+1

These cars are no longer under warranty and are very expensive to have repaired. I did not want anything to do with adjustable air suspensions. The W210 is a much simpler car and, IMHO, exactly the kind of car to own out of warranty.

armaniE55

+10,000

Hell some aftermarket warranties are no longer covering the W211. Jump in the W211 forum and take a looksie. Unless you have money to burn. I'd say stay away. For the same reason I dumped my S500 when the warranty was up. Airmatic as well but very, very expense to fix. I think I clocked around 15k to 18k in repairs minus the SC. This is probably why Merc. is no longer SC their cars. Yes you can buy pre-owned certified but at one point I'm sure Merc. did away with the SC for a reason.

*speculation only

farrk007

I absolutely agree with you guys.