Hi guys,

I have come across a 1998 E55, the W210 E55 is a car I have always wanted to own ever since I saw it at a car show way back in 1999.

I don't have a huge amount of money to spend, and I have come across a fairly cheap ($11,500 Australian), with 209,000 Kilometers on the clock. It isn't in the best shape, the interior is worn and doesn't seem to have been cleaned often, its missing the merc emblem from the alloys, superficial scratches and wear etc, but I was expecting that at this price point. I don't mind it being a bit worn, but it is the mechanical side that concerns me. I would like to know if I could be up for a huge spend to fix the mechanical issues I picked up. These are my observations - and I'm not that educated when it comes to cars so excuse my ignorance.

- Very vague steering, a lot of play int he steering wheel, and when driving at low speeds, felt like you had to make almost a quarter turn before the car reacted. No direct feel, and the car quite unresponsive to steering input.

- Noticeable vibration when at rest while in Drive (such as resting at the lights), though from some research I believe this could be fixed with a transmission mount replacements.

- Headlights completely opaque

- Identified oil leaks and weeping from a quick observation under the bonnet. I took a couple of pictures which I will post below. But there was weeping around the rocker or gasket area at the front of the engine. Also there was a lot of oil grime on the left side of the engine where the spark plug leads go. I also saw oil underneath the car, on and around the corner of the sump guard (or around that area).

- a constant ticking sound from the right side of the engine (though this could be normal)

- warning lights (abs/eps/BAS) constantly on, though the battery was flat when I arrived and we had to jump the car so they could be due to the low power of the battery.

- quite a lot of travel in the break pedal before breaks engage (again this could be a trait of the car that I am unaware of)

Few other tell tale warnings as well - seats and lining dirty and uncared for, rubbish non standard rear view mirror fitted into the right rear view mirror, missing emblems that had not been replaced, front and back tyres mismatched type/brand (and cheap brands I haven't heard of Victra and Roadstone???)

On the plus side, it seemed solid, no rattles, it pulled strongly through the rev range, transmission changed quickly and smoothly, and it is cheap...!

Just was hoping to get the thoughts of the many enthusiasts here. Should I leave it? I can't afford to spend another 6-8 grand to get it up to scratch, though would be happy to spend maybe 3-4 grande.

Would it be better to wait until a better condition car popped up for more money?

Many, many thanks guys. Really appreciate any help you can throw my way.

 

 

Here's my two cents:

1. I would buy a 2001 or 2002 those cars were built with the new facelift I think they look nicer inside and out

2. I recommend that you purchase the best example you can find.

I agree with Mr. Giraffe have it inspected before you buy.

 

Thank you very much for your sage advice. I'm letting emotions rule over logic, I want the car, even though it screams "stay away".

I offered him $8000, and he said no, but did come down to $9500, $2000 lower than his original asking.

Happy to spend $4k fixing it up, but the sounds of it it could be a lot more than that to get it road worthy.

Shame!

 

I just spent some basic stuff in my car like 2 engine mounts, rear tires, bushing/ball joints, alignment, fan clutch, oil change, transmission mount, lower 1 inch... already spent $1650 USD. The previouse owner rebuilt the tranny, new radiator, new AC compressor, spark plugs.... For the last 12 months total $4K easy. Now, my oil level sensor unit has oil leaking.... got quoted for $350 and will fix it when next oil change. If you know how to work on the car, its not bad. But if you are like me then you will spend $$$

 

I would wait and try get a hold of 2000 to 2002 model. Better face lift etc.

Sounds like this one is riddled with problems. It's 'cheap' for a reason.

If you're not mechanically minded or handy with tools, expect it to sit at a workshop with bills after bills. I've been there before with this model.

 

That car is way overpriced. I'd also wait for a 2000-2002 model.

Have you thought about buying a car from the US and having it shipped over? I don't know how many hoops you'd have to go through or what would have to be changed to make the car legal for there. Buying a solid one from the US may end up being cheaper overall than buying one that needs work.