MB AMG55

Though I have spent a lot of time reading various topics on this forum, this is the first time I have posted a question. There are many knowledgeable people on this forum and I would appreciate it if some people could give me some advice in comparing the 2005 C55 to the 2005 E55.

My new 2005 C55 got hit by some stupid driver only five days after I got it, my poor car at the present time has no front end. I don't know what this guy was thinking but he turned left into on coming traffic, and I was the on coming traffic.

Anyways, I am now thinking about getting a replacement for my car and was thinking about spending a little more and getting the E55. I have heard lots of good things about the E55. However, I have read that some people have not liked the Suspension and steering setup with the E55, and many people have complained about he electronic brakes too.

I didn't have much experience with my C55 (five days) but I did like the way it handled and it did not have too much body roll on corners. Though I did find the ride to be a tiny bit bumpy in the city. I thought the C55 moved like a bat out of hell but I would imagine the E55 can really rocket.

Anyways, any advice would be much appreciated. I have other questions too but I don't want my first post to be overly long.

Thanks in advance.

k-white330ci

i see u r from vancouver as well,
sorry to hear bout the accident,
anywayz, get the e55 u wont be disappoint,i have the c55 on order as well, and its due to come next week, i would like to compare the difference between the two as well,

Ray J

go for the E55, for the pure rocket launch factor, it puts grins on my face everyday, while i haven't driven a C55, i have sat in one, and it did seem very fast, but the E55 has the edge, and the edge you can really feel.
Once you get the E55 you can put a lowering module on it, it handles a little better then.. more room too..

vitaman

I had a C55 for 3 months before trading it back for the E55.
That 5 days of a little bit bumpy can turn into months of discontent. Almost the worst suspension I've driven (WRX may have it beat). Did not do well on challenging road surfaces and there was little handling pay off for the discomfort.

MBE55AMG

The car on the higher plateau, E55.

It's simple. Compare the horsepower and torque of the C55 (362hp and 376 lb-ft) to the monstrous E55 specs (469hp and 516 lb-ft).

SamE55

Although I've never driven the C55 I'd certainly go with the E55 if the price difference is not an issue. I think for the luxury and power/performance you get the E55 is a good deal. The brakes are great but I'll have to agree with you that steering response feels sluggish but I can tell you that after I replaced my stock wheels and put 19" HREs with PS2 tires the ride improved tremendously and it will even be better once I do the lowering.

FloridaE55

Go with the E55 - more available options..

rguy

I find this thread kind of funny because almost everyone here has never driven a C55 but is sure they would go with the E55 over it. How do you know?

Anyway, I have driven both extensively. Someone on here has the line that they actually decided against the E55 before they decided for it. I am the opposite, I actually decided for it before I decided against it. On paper, which seems to be the vast body of experience here, the E55 seems like the clear winner. More room, variable air suspension, eight-piston brakes designed with computers that help you stop shorter, real room for four adults or five people, extra horsepower, extra torque, better factory times in a straight line. So, I definitely see where you guys come from with making your recommendation. I also can see where some of you may think the C55 is too stiff, if you are a senior citizen and already have back problems, but otherwise I think the suspension complaints are heavily overblown. The M3 suspension is something to complain about, the Viper suspension is something to really complain about, the WRX suspension, let's just say I believe vitaman.

The truth is though, that the paper lies a lot in this comparison. The e55 has poor turn in, the worst zero-feedback brakes in the industry for feel, almost a thousand pound weight gain, an "air" suspension that is difficult to tune and certainly cannot react as fast to weight transfer as a metal spring can, and a host of other undesirable things. It is unquestionably, the king of the straights and it is unquestionably roomier, you know if you need that kind of thing. But it also costs thirty thousand dollars more than the C55 and for roughly a third of that, you can gain all the handling and lighter weight benefits and have around 560 hp from Kleemann, which will surely outgun an E55 in the straights, albeit not by much, but everyone seems to hang on a tenth or two of a second in these forums.

All AMGs understeer like crazy, something about lawyers putting there admonishments where they don't belong I am sure.

Someone here, whom I shall allow to remain nameless hit it right on the head, that the E55 and the C55 both get the job done, but that ultimately the C55 feels better doing it. Seriously though, if handling is anywhere on your radar screen and you don't want to pay big bucks to fix it over the big bucks you have invested in "upgrading", and if you like to know how the brake pedal position relates to what is going on with the brakes on the wheels, then pass on the E. If you want to hit the drag strip out of the box, like to do some driving, but really don't car about carving corners that much, and want serene transportation with room for four from A to B, then go with the E.

I obviously made my choice, having first hand knowledge of both, and they obviously made their's, having no real knowledge of both, but ultimately it isn't up to us, it is up to what you want. Hope you found this useful, as I have tried to be as unbiased and unoffensive to both C and E owners as possible. To all, try not to take it personally our cars regardless of model are still some of the best in the world.

DFW01E55

I had the opportunity to hammer the daylights out of both cars at the AMG Challenge.

In the end it comes down to driving preference, do you like the luxo-cruiser that can sprint (in straight line) to 100 as fast as almost anything on the road? Or would you prefer almost the same speed with better handling in a smaller car?

For me, it's about size. I sold a chipped S4 to go to the E55 because the S4 was too small inside. Today, the E55 is getting smaller inside and I'm looking for a deal (steal) on an S55.

Wanna' be king of the corners in a 4 door? C55.
2 door? 911.

I'll be the guy going from 20 to 90 through the on ramp - mostly straight.

onesixeight

I've driven both extensively (not just a trip around the block) and I agree on a lot of points with rguy.

I personally like smaller cars, but for me, the choice was easily when I needed the extra space to shuttle family and clients around town. The E55 fit my needs for a quick and fun daily driver. I wasn't looking to do any track duty with my daily driver, so handling was not priority number 1 on my list. Sure, I'd love to have a great handling car, but for a daily driver, not at the expense of comfort. For the twisty stuff, I've got other cars to drive that will do that job.

Vetluver

The C55 can't touch the E55. I have driven both extensively and the E55 is a true wolf in sheep's clothing. The E55 is a bargain at the price. It will routinely outperform anything on the road including Porsche TT. After pushing it to the limits recently I have a new found respect for the acceleration and handling which is sometimes maligned.

To me this is a no brainer. BTW I bought mine without driving one. I have not regretted anything about buying it. I LOVE MY E55.

MB AMG55

Thank you for everyone's replies and insights into the goods and not so goods about both cars. You get much more valuable real world experience information here than on other forums.

I will test drive the E55 in the next week or so and I think it should be pretty fun to drive. I am planning on adding the Kleeman or Renntech packages soon after I make a purchase. I was leaning towards the Kleeman S8 package for the C55. I agree with "rguy" that for about ten or eleven thousand you can have a supercharger bolted on and reach well into the 500hp range.

I guess my quetion is for a whole package purchase would people lean towards the C55 with some Kleeman upgrades. (I believe the K S8 comes in about the same price as an E55 - I may be wrong though.) Or would you just get the E55 and make some Kleeman LSD, suspension and tire changes. I am leaning towards the second.

Also does anyone know if the 2006 E55 has had the brake feel improved. I have heard that the brakes on the CLS are much improved in comparison, and they are electrohydraulic too.

Oh and I am not a Kleeman sales associate, I am just starting my learning process and still am reading about other aftermarket guys.
Thanks


Here's the Car and Driver link on the 2005 Kleeman 55S8 if anyone still hasn't seen it yet (highly unlikely in this forum.)

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

MBE55AMG

E55 with mods. There's no substitution.

Vetluver

[QUOTE=MB AMG55
Also does anyone know if the 2006 E55 has had the brake feel improved. I have heard that the brakes on the CLS are much improved in comparison, and they are electrohydraulic too.
[/QUOTE]

I have recently AB's the braking modulation of the CLS55 vs E55 in the newest iterations and they are identical. They are much improved from the 03 that I had. I don't even notice that they are "drive by wire" anymore. All I know is that they have tremedous stopping power. No fade whatsoever with repeated stops on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 120 to 20 was effortless. Incredible brakes. My M3 has better modulation but will fade with heating them up.

It really doesn't matter what we say. When you test drive it, push it. Don't baby it. They can take it. Unless you are into a smaller more nimble vehicle I think appeciate what kind of monster this is. :v

rguy

If you do the whole S8 package, which includes cams, headers, valves, ecu, kompressor, and some other stuff, then you should have to pay quite a bit more than the 12k, but honestly, and I have looked into this extensively, you really only need the kompressor, ECU, headers, LSD, suspension, and supplemental warranty. You will have close to 600 ponies, the ecu makes your fuel map perfect and the headers lower your exhaust gas temperatures by something like 200 degrees fahrenheit. The suspension makes your handling crisper and the LSD gives you more traction. With this setup you should have a fairly reliable 600hp and a great deal of trackability with a full car warranty (not just kleemann parts) for 1-7 years (your choice).

This should cost you no more than 25k, and that puts you (with a loaded C55) at about 85k, about the same as a fairly stripped E55, but a much better car in my opinion, especially after the mods. The only thing the stock e55 would have on a Kleemann C55 is rear seat space. If you want to work on the e55, then I am sure it would be a minimum of about six grand, plus the cost of a well equipped e55, about 92.5k and you are at about 98.5k versus 85k. I don't think the modded E55 is 13.5k better than the modded C55 nor for any price, honestly in my opinion. The fact that the C55 is even being considered against the E55 for over thirty grand less (nicely equipped to nicely equipped) should be shocking to everyone, and it suprises me that mercedes went ahead with it, but I took advantage before they came to their senses.

Sorry for the length, but there was a lot to describe. Hope this helps. You know what I would do, but it only matters what you would do. Have fun above all else and don't look back, with either choice you are likely to slap yourself for not having picked the other.

MB AMG55

Thanks Vetluver,

So it sounds like MB made some changes on the brakes over time on the E55. I will drive this car sometime next week, and I'll try to give it some gas.

Oh and what does the abreviation "AB" mean? Sorry if that's a stupid question.

MB AMG55

Thanks rguy for your response. And no your replies are not too long, the more info the better for me.

I talked to my MB dealer before I bought my C55 (now broken) and he said that if I made any after market modifications to the car I would void the warranty. Now I think that you all may have better warranties in the States than up here. I will definately have to look into it further. Anyways, do you know where I can get any warranty information on the Kleeman equipment. I've searched their website, and haven't found anything. I may just end up calling Colorado on Monday. The extended warranty is definately something I would get as I plan on keeping the car for a bit.

Rguy do you think that amount of power in the C55 may be too much to handle over the long run, in regards to not blowing up the motor. Though, I like the Kleeman stuff and on a dollars per HP basis it seems affordable. I know that many people on this forum race their E55 and they seem to handle well.

Anyways, I will be driving the E55 soon and will also drive the C55 again to boot.

Thanks Again.

rguy

As for the warranty, calling Kleemann USA in Colorado is definitely the best thing to do. They warrant all their parts free of charge, but also offer a total car warranty that extends to all affected driveline parts for a nominal fee. You can get 1-7 years of coverage. I suggest you take this coverage if you plan on keeping the car for awhile. MB dealers are not the most knowledgeable about what will and won't void a warranty, and they are probably saying the warranty on your drivetrain would be void, but I fail to see how something like your power locks not working would be blamed on a blower upgrade.

I think the C55 can take it. You have a balanced and blueprinted large block v8. You have tolerances that other companies have drilled out to as much as 6.1 liters of displacement. You have some of the best hands in the business inspecting every single part as it is put in, again by hand. The beauty of an AMG is that you get an engine that has had every part weighed, balanced, loved, caressed, and inspected for defects. AMG meisterwerkers would have to go out back and flog themselves if they found out their engines were poorly constructed. It takes something on the order of twelve years to become a meisterworker, or roughly the time it takes to train as a neurosurgeon after college.

I plan to do it, but I am not a long long run kind of guy. I have yet to have an AMG or other benz that hasn't lost it's specialness. I also have yet to heavily modify an AMG, so perhaps this will cure my seemingly bottomless appetite for high performance cars of unusual make. You can be the judge of whether the E55 handles well or not. But, in my opinion, even when you fix the balance problem on that car, you still don't feel right about it. The car may have neutral balance, but that balance and where the car is isn't communicated to the driver properly, it is distant or isolated, kind of like watching a television and knowing from the real world where things are in three dimensions, yet you are clearly watching a two dimensional display. That is about the best I can do to draw the analogy. In the C, everything is just more direct. In terms of feel, the C55 is a little on the M3 side of half-way between the M3 and E55. For me, the M3 didn't have enough grunt because you had to rev it so darn high to get any juice out of it, I like the ability to smoke the tires off the line at the tip of the throttle. You just get so much more torque with the C55. So I went with it. I love the luxury of the car, now that they upped the ante to the nappa leather, the blackbirdseye maple wood veneers, and other nice goodies that make the C55 more luxurious than the previous C32. I was actually on the waiting list for an E55, drove one extensively that someone had passed on, and knew immediately that it wasn't the car for me. The power was nice and all, but every other performance measure for me wasn't as good as the C55 I had driven extensively. Anyway, you are going to have to decide what is right for you, but I wouldn't bat an eyelash at the thought of the C55 not being able to take it. The 55 is basically the same engine in all forms, just slight differences between the supercharged and non-forced versions.

Many people on the forum do race their E55, albeit most of them race it on a drag strip which doesn't exploit the performance potential of a sporting vehicle too much. I think they just don't mind watching the TV screen. They like interpreting what should be felt and making corrections based on that, and impressing people with how a large sedan can make it around a track. Personally, I never got into this to impress people. The experience is about my enjoyment, maybe a buddies who is in the passenger seat, but other than that, I could care less whether the guy in the next car gives me my props. I think the C is less showy than the E too for that matter, because it doesn't advertise as much, it is less flashy in my opinion. Of course, I picked a sedate color. I took off the big tri-star, flashy just isn't my thing. Again, I think the E is a great vehicle, but I like the C for my purposes better, and I think that after my kompressor install, it truly will outperform the E in every performance category. Internalize as you like.

Vetluver

AB'd (sorry for the typo). It means "compared" one to the other at the same time. It's stereo term like listening to one speaker then switching to another using the same program material.

BTW your talking about the Kleemann upgrades made me look at the SLK55 S8 and I've decided that's will be my next 2 seater. That was IMO the most impressive vehicle at the AMG Challenge. Very nimble and screamed. I can't imagine putting 600HP in that sweet ride.

rguy

That would definitely rock.

MB AMG55

That sounds totally cool Vetluver.....there's only one problem.

I don't think the roads in North America can handle that amount of power, you may tear them up in the process. Better check with the Department of Transportation for some kind of permit first.

SamE55

It would be interesting to see how you will outperfom the E in every performance category once you modify your C55. I personally would prefer to buy a car that already has the kompressor originally installed by the manifacturer but again it's a personal choice. Hope it works well for you

rguy

Thanks for realizing I am not flaming E55's. You can modify pretty much anything to beat anything. I just didn't want to spend that much to do it. I thought the C was a better starting place.