Dr Chill

It will be going back to the dealer tomorrow for a problem with surging when I accelerate. Over the last 6 months it has been at the dealer 3 times getting the supercharger clutch fixed, the a/c fixed (stopped working), and now this. Each time it is a major headache with the service dept for one reason or another, but for an $80,000 car this is unacceptable. Sure it looks great, but the car handles and brakes like a fat pig on a dolly, and replacement parts are ridiculously expensive, and aftermarket parts are non-existent.

The Z06 is a pleasure on the other hand and with mods, the sky's the limit. No more MB's for us in the near future.

vraa

Aftermarket parts are plenty bro! Evosport has a ton of cooling upgrades and powr upgrades.

Do you think you have a lemon?

wiz357

Funny, that is exactly how I felt when I had my Z06 and my S55. My Z06 was great, and not a single warranty repair. While the S55 was nothing but headache. The S55 was just a POS. On the other hand, I've been extremely happy with my E55. Sorry to hear your experience with your E55.

E55Soon

I reluctantly have to agree with you Dr. Chill. Get a load of this guys...
I have a 2003 E55 with a retrofitted factory issue command Nav system. Every once in a while it spontaneously shuts off in the middle of operation only to power up again a few moments later. I was told that all i probably need is the audio gateway update and the Command head unit update, both of which were available by merely inserting a CD rom into the head unit and uploading the update from there. Calabasas Motorcars and my crap service advisor Trevor Drake wouldn't do it on account that it was a retro fitted set up! Can you belive that crap? Never mind the fact that the audio gateway needs it regardless of which command head unit is installed in the dash. And this was after they kept my car for 3 days to fix other maladies, one of which was the TPMS system spitting out fault codes... 3 days and they didn't even bother fixing it? This and the deletion of factory service will probably send me right down the street to the BMW dealership next time as much as I hate to do it!

houston

When it rain it pours - I think after one problem, many more come after... I've been lucky enough to have no major problems, just a few minor things here and there but nothing to complain about, most of the things I've taken it in, I've waited and done it while it was time for an oil change. Don't forget as well some of you guys have 03's which to my knowledge is first production year for W211's right?

E55Soon

Houston:
You have a point about the fact that 03' was first year for W211 E class! What I bemoan is the sheer stupidity of my service advisor and his idiot service manager. Look how easily they could have made me happy? All they had to do was stick the lousy CD Rom in the slot and upload the update! So what if M Benz of North America wouldn't have paid them for the procedure. Is it really much of a procedure anyways??? They had a GOLDEN opportunity to win me over as a customer and they screwed up big time! What's worse, I hear there are dealerships in other parts of the country that are squeezing factory service reimbursement dollars from M Benz of N.A. for fixing the supercharger chirp. Of course, the idiots at Calabasas Motorcars have heard nothing of this either. These a-holes love to stick their fat heads in the sand and pretend that problems don't exist. They just want their customer surveys filled out favorably!
Man am I peeved!

vraa

That is more of a service issue than the car. I feel the same way about it.

Dvinn

Don't have any problems with braking and handling. I would blame the 19s for the reduced braking power.

houston

I don't have problems with braking and handling either, but the fact is it COULD be ALOT BETTER... You tend to realize it more the more you drive other vehicles especially since the Doc has a nice handling vette.. I really notice the deference when I don't drive my car for awhile, I tend to really forget how heavy it is and how it's hard to throw around the car when you don't drive it for awhile. My W210 00 E55 seemed to be much lighter as I recall and remember it. Even driving my friend's Honda S2000 (it's super light) and then jumping back into my 55 seem like it was a rhino. Regardless of anything, it's still a heavy ****, and the best we can is take care of unsprung weight. Even doing that It'll problably still feel heavy as hell, but It's what it is and we bought it knowing it was a Heavy ****.

houston

I too had my service advisor or the service manager.. Next time I will actually go to the location closer to where I live.. I only bring it to the same dealer I bought mine from cause, it's been the first time I serviced it there and secondly cuz it's where my salesperson works where I bought it from. He's such a nice guy.. I've called him and ask for the new DVD Navi disc and he just tells me to come and with my laptop and he'll give me the disk and all I gotta do is copy it there and give him back the original.. When I first bought my car, since mine is an 04 but a Nov. build 03 it came with 03 navi disc. I complained to him and he took my 03 navi dvd disc and gave me an 04 disc.. I also later a few months brought one rim back cuz the clear coat had a marks and was about to peel if I didn't fix it.. I didn't even need to talk to service or parts ppl. I gave it to him and he handled for me and fixed it right up. It's totally stupid how they really dont' even have to go outta their way.. It's just those simple little things that'll make ppl really switch dealerships or service departments.. I'm harsh when it comes to **** like that and I don't take it anywhere I go. But when I buy a Benz that's worth this amount of money they better treat me right.

OzE55

You should contact Steve on this forum and get him to send you the disc. I understand they are inexpensive. Perhaps this problem could easily be fixed - though dealers can be jerks. Sometimes they miss the big picture - happy customs buy more cars.

W210

My observation is that Mercedes-Benz factory stores, such as most dealerships in Canada, offer MUCH better service thant he US counter-part.

onesixeight

Dr. Chill...

I'm with you on this one. As much as I love my E55 and the great torque crushing power...I've been having some issues that I've sort of just learned to live with. My car surges from time to time as a result of the bliping the throttle to prevent the car from stalling...I guess this was the fix to my earlier stalling problems.

I've been following your write ups and track reports and you have been a great member on this board. I'm with you 100% on the pig handling and braking comments. Those 8 piston calipers may look like they can stop the world from turning, but they lack a lot of feel and modulation.

Good luck to you and I hope to see you back here one day

Sean03S55

My S55 is in for service quite often and for many repeat problems as well. Service has tried to repair my TPMS atleast 4 times now and it still doesn't even work, it says error visit workshop or something along those lines. The car burns alot of oil 2L or so per month and Benz said that's normal. My steering wheel buttons only work when they want and the radio volume *** also only works when it wants. I feel I should definately write Benz a letter demanding a refund for the TPMS option as it has never worked well from a few days after I purchased the car.

The wifes SL500 is another story, trim pieces are coming apart, noise from the rear window, and already 2 recalls both involving the stupid drive by wire brake system.

Dr Chill

The 19's which are lighter than the stock 18's should not brake worse. On the track I ran 18's with R compound tires and race pads with brake ducts and the brakes were mediocre.

The calipers are made by Brembo but are a very cheap version of their 8 piston calipers and are much heavier. The rotors are the same part number for both wheels with drilled holes in the correct direction for one side and the reverse direction on the other. The brakes are a poor attempt at performance and are mostly for looks. The electronic braking system albeit better on the E55 than the non AMG W211, takes away real feedback from the pedal. I doubt there is anyone out there who has done as much brake research and modification as I did. Now my car is stock again and relegated to trips to the mall and around town.

Remember the W211 was out for 1 full year before the 2003 E55 was released (late May 2003) and the SL55 9 months before the E55. I don't believe there were any significant improvements other than COMAND for 2004.

04E55 AMG

I must be fortunate, but I have been enjoying the beast for close to 2 years and never had a problem and love it. Yea, it has the chirp and all the other bizzare noises but at the end of the day it always puts a smile on my face.

Could not imagine having any other family four sedan with close to 600HP and 650TQ that runs 1/4 miles in the 11's with no effort and gives you the comfort and everyday ease as this car.

BTW- We must remember that I have spent over $20K transforming my car so I better like it

Fast55

Your problem is Calabasas. My 55 is the last car I will ever buy from them, not because of the salesman, but because of their service? dept. Silver Star has been much better.

Jakpro1

I think the moral of all this is............

"NEVER keep the beast past her warranty."

Sure convinced me....thanks for the info.

BTW, just rotor trouble on mine so far. They won't replace under war, so I will wait til it gets too wobbly, then fix at 470 a pop.

E55Soon

One of the problems is that I didn't buy the car from them... There was just no way I could considering what they were quoting me for E55's at the time...besides, I wanted a short lease, the 03 E55 I got was a lease assumption with only 30 months left on the lease and o takeover fees.
No way they could match that!

zoink

Very ironic..... my '01 E55 no longer has warranty but has so far given a lot fewer problems (only instrument cluster and driver's head rest) than my lemon '03 E55 that was in service 50% of my 3 months of ownership

I still consider myself lucky to have the dealer bought my car back in full price including tax.... than to have these kind of problems thereafter.

I think it's just when german electrical engineering tries to go high tech to compete w/ japanese... Man, how I wish we had a car whose all but electronics made in germany and the electronics made in japan. It would be an awesome car w/o any electrical problems.

E55Soon

I have been told on this forum not to blame the car... just the dealer. The problem is that the car itself and my local dealer go hand in hand. Without one, I can't enjoy the other.

Fast55

Well, I never break my rule of thumb on cars (after learning the hard way)after owning 25+ different cars and trucks. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, by the first production year of anything, no matter how much you want it, how good it looks, or who makes it.

E55Soon

The first year production issue is very accurate! However, all of my complaints would be resolved with a bit of Dealer attention

Kerr

i wish i could buy your E55.

If it will make you feel better, Mb has paid out $19K in warranty clames on my benz, and they still tell me my car is not a lemon..

Rock

Man, this is a depressing thread. Can't you let us new guys enjoy our cars for awhile before we realize they are a POS?