Reggaerider

New to the site and i feel like im swimming with ankel weights, tons of info ....I need help to make a decision,so here is the story. I have a 2005 gsxr 1000 for sale(craigslist) and (gsxr.com) . I have recieved several trades for mustangs transams and the such. I would really like to trade it for a tahoe or 4 door truck. Well I recieved a call from a young man that has a 2001 e55 amg with 155,000 miles that he has for sale and asking 8000 for. By the way I have my bike listed for 5800. ( could ask for 6grand but wanted a semi quick sale). Long short. i Thought hmmm benz for my bike. I went and looked at the car and the car has small issues,the guy drives it every day . BUt the headliner is sagging the truck got broken into and the guy never replaced the lock the switch that activates the screen in the back glass has fallen into the console. Has very small oil leak.Check engine light is on. Guys says 02 sensor needs replace,thats why check light is on . He is asking me to trade my bike plus 1500 bucks. He says that he won the car in the divorce and will be gettin title from his lawyer in a week. My bike is a 7 on a scale of 1-10...He wont need to do any work at all but ride ,she has 18000 miles on her. I want to know am i jumping into a bottomless pit. I am mechanically inclined actually i have a part time shop i run , very small it just me in the evenings and days off.I am very interested one its a car that has speed and 2 its a benz its cool. Should i take it and get it checked out b4 i pay or does the items i listed not a big deal. I have not driven the car yet,i have heard and seen it run in person but not drive....ok enuff PLEASE HELP

503C43 ////AMG

I would pass, this car clearly hasn't been taken care of. Who knows what is about to go next...

I will say you have the right idea though, sell that gixer and use the money to buy a nice E55. You can find ones in good condition for $9-$12k.

AMG X

^ I second that motion. Stay away, the car seems to have been abused and not taken care of.

callmiro

You dont think it's stolen?

It's been broken into through the trunk and it's beaten up....if he won it through divorce wouldn't his or his wifes name be on the title?

How does he drive it as a daily driver without a title

Reggaerider

I did the DMV check and its title to a lady in kingman kansas, R. Thompson. Records shows it has a lien with a bank in kansas) (kanza bank , Kingman , Kansas ). I called the bank ,but seeing I am not the owner she would not release any info. I also did the auto check and it came back clean no records of it being stolen.The car has had 4 owners prior . Most of his story lines up , the previous owners , A small dealer ship in San Antonio texas named Concourse Motors. Do you guys think its a good idea to call them....per the records it was purchased last year in july for 10k + . The vehicle being stolen hmmmm i dont think so the up keep on the car is my concern. I dont mind the small stuff like headliner ....im concerned about tranny and engine and rearend. Also he told me that the supercharger has been tuned to the max and the car has an after market chip in it , that was in it when he bought it. I am really thinking that i need to take this car to a shop and get it checked over before i make the transaction....oh by the way, he told me the car was finaced in someone elses name for him.

AMG X

Something doesn't add up to this story.

-He doesn't have the title, if he had won it in a divorce settlement, then the title would have been transferred over immediately.

-In addition to the title, the car still has a lien on it and is financed by someone else. Maybe the real owner or a co-signer? Either way, the title won't transfer over to you unless that person pays it off first. It's the bank's car. Don't be surprised if he leaves you with a stolen car and out of your bike in the end, craigslist or any other site on the net are full of scammers. It could just be that he will fork up this fake title and try to convince you his story before the real owner gets home to discover that the car is missing. The broken into trunk sounds very suspicious at this point.

-W210 E55's don't come with a s/c engine, they are n/a unless this car has had an aftermarket bolt-on. And if that's the case, which I doubt it is, then the lack of maintenance records and care to the car sound even worse. It's a big red flag, I understand you feel you are capable of working the issues out even if the car was really his, but things will get technical and expensive fast.

Don't get carried away with this one, be careful. I would just walk away at this point if I were you.

CharlyE500

Engine light on, NOT GOOD specially for E55 !
Plus, 150K + Miles.... too high for the age. Mine is 2000 with 87K miles today on clock. No leaking and perfect condition paid for $11500.

503C43 ////AMG

That rang bells with me as well... As AMG X has stated the W210 NEVER came with a S/C engine the W211 was the first E55 with the S/C engine.

It sounds like you really want an E55 (you keep trying to point out the good in this car but are neglecting the bad) and I can't blame you. The next AMG I am buying will be a W210 E55 as well but this particular E55 doesn't sound like the one you want, move on and find one that is worth the $$$$$$

Reggaerider

As a father instructs his child i will accept your instructions.I will walk away. You guys have pointed out good things. Sometimes our eyes get cloudy from excitement and we make poor calls. yepperz sure wanted to be a part of the e55 family. Anyone interested in a clean gsxr 1000.Oh by the way what is an s/c engine

CharlyE500

s/c engine = Supercharged engine

503C43 ////AMG

Wise decision to walk away from this particular E55 but I do not want to discourage you from E55's in general. They are GREAT cars and you would not be disappointed in owning one as long as it has been maintained.

aghakauve

Tell him to send pics of the engine..

Reggaerider

Well i researched it , and not to change my mind. But the 01 e55 amg had a Lysholm supercharge on it.

503C43 ////AMG

I'm sorry to say you are incorrect.

The W210 E55 was built with an M113.980 5.4L SOHC 24V V8 that was normally aspirated (no supercharger) and produced 349HP and 391 ft/lbs of torque from 1998-2002. The 2003 model, chassis designation W211, was the first E55 to have the supercharged engine

The W211 E55 was built with an M113 ML55 5.4L V8, this is the motor that was equipped with the lysholm supercharger and produced 469 HP and 521 ft/lbs of torque from 2003-2009.

Strigoi

Like 503C43 ////AMG said, you are incorrect there. I've got an '01 E55 and it sure as hell does not have a supercharger on it. There was never a factory supercharged W210 E55 made.

MBFLO

I would tell the guy to meet you at a local benz INDI shop .. Have them figure out what type of supercharger is bolted on there if there is one , If he refuses then he shady . SHlT if its a kleeman you might make out with some money .. 155 is alot of miles but hell i bought mine with 100k and at almost 140 not one issue except a cps sensor in almost 2 yrs of driving daily . Some ppl who get these cars and dont know anything about them bugg out at first sight of check engine light lol I know I did but if the motor , tranny and rear end are solid n maintained you never .. I would tell him straight trade for the bike obviously he wants a bike . If it aint a lemon it could last you nother 100k miles . But thats just my opinion and prob alot differnt then others

Reggaerider

See MBFLO , we are of the same heart. I am now thinking if i take it to the dealer of my choice locally in austin . And they give it clean bill of health, i might have something. What do u think , and make an even trade.

Strigoi

If you trade for it (which is a bad idea IMO), be sure to check the brakes as well. You're looking at $600+ in parts just to do the front rotors and pads.

There's not a chance in hell I'd buy that car and if it has an aftermarket supercharger on it there's no way I'd even consider it.

210 E55's are awesome cars, but that one just sounds like a money pit.

503C43 ////AMG

The current owner hasn't replaced the broken lock on the trunk, the sagging head liner, or fixed an oil leak but he has a $15k supercharger...

From the description the OP has given this car has been beat to $h1t and if it does have a supercharger the engine is probably about to blow from lack of maintenance

CharlyE500

It has to be after market supercharger, HPS, Kleemann, renntech... or this Lyric... Just open the hood, you can see it right there.

Reggaerider

I did look under the hood and he said chrger was under that big plastic cover. I know what a charger looks like and i saw none. I just believed him that it was under that plastic cover.He also said that the computer chip was swapped out for a high performance one and it was under the dash. Any of you guys have a high performance chip and is located under the dash ? I am really gettin bad vibz from this and the fact that 3 of the four after market rim have nice dents in them , also speaks volumes.

503C43 ////AMG

sigh, I thought you had decided to pass but after one member backed the idea to take it to an indy you have now done a complete 180°.... Look at all of the other members posts, all of them have (including me) have told you several reasons to pass on this particular E55.

I am going to try and save you one more time:

The black plastic cover is the stock engine cover, the stock black plastic cover would NOT be able to fit on top of an AFTERMARKET supercharger not to mention AMG doesn't even cover the stock superchargers that come on the E55 or SL55 with a black plastic cover.

Here is a picture of the supercharged AMG engine, see the supercharger in the middle:http://www.derekspratt.com/Images/Au...%20E55%205.jpg

Next is the "performance chip under the dash" These cars have ECU's that are located under the hood, not under the dash and they do not get "chips" added to them rather the ECU is reprogrammed with a tuners file. Look up Eurocharged, OE tuning, Renntech, Kleemann, etc... All of these companies offer tunes and none of them use a "chip".

To end it:
This car is a piece of crap, the guy is a liar and a cheat, and you would be a FOOL to purchase this vehicle after what we have all told you

CharlyE500

Under the plastic cover is the engine, no charger. I have 2 E55, one W210 and one W211. The chip is ECU tune only so this guy is not legit at all. You did good decision to walk away. There are few good E55 around, take your time to shop if you want.

Reggaerider

503c43 , really I have not changed my mind on backing out. I sent the guy a text askin who the person is on the Title and his response was as if I where asking to make question...semi quoteing here " Man you are gettin a benz for a bike " ....end of semi quote. As if he where giving a gr8 deal. No As i said in my original post , tons of info on this site....and you guys are very helpful and knowledgeable...but If this guy is either lieing or he has no idea about the car , then that is bad news. So I am bowing out gracefully and I do hope i get myself a e55 so i can be a part of this forum. THANKS GUYS AND OR GALS ....

503C43 ////AMG

WISE CHOICE!!!