Used 03 E55 with no warranty, Too Risky?
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 456
Likes: 36
From: Ocala, FL
'08 CL63
I think you can do much better than that.
A few weeks ago I traded in my E320 CDI on a '04 E55. I bought it from a MB dealership with an extended CPO warranty for 100,000 miles and good until sometime in 2011.
Here's the breakdown (not 100%, since I'm not looking at the papers)
'04 E55 w/39,000 miles Loaded except Distronic & Keyless go
remainder of factory warranty (May '08) + 1yr CPO warranty
$49,000
Additional 2 yrs MB warranty (not aftermarket) appx. $4,500
So, I'm in a car 1 yr newer, with 29,000 miles less and a MB warranty for another 3.5 years for 11k more. I'm pretty happy with the deal. As far as the cars being maintenance nightmares... not really, but anything with forced induction is susceptible higher than normal wear, not to mention typically more aggressive driving habits than normal.
It's largely the fact that if you do anything with a MB dealer that isn't covered under warranty, they gouge you like no other. It's just the nature of European luxury cars; hell oil changes run $200+, what do you think they'll bang you for on a supercharger?
A few weeks ago I traded in my E320 CDI on a '04 E55. I bought it from a MB dealership with an extended CPO warranty for 100,000 miles and good until sometime in 2011.
Here's the breakdown (not 100%, since I'm not looking at the papers)
'04 E55 w/39,000 miles Loaded except Distronic & Keyless go
remainder of factory warranty (May '08) + 1yr CPO warranty
$49,000
Additional 2 yrs MB warranty (not aftermarket) appx. $4,500
So, I'm in a car 1 yr newer, with 29,000 miles less and a MB warranty for another 3.5 years for 11k more. I'm pretty happy with the deal. As far as the cars being maintenance nightmares... not really, but anything with forced induction is susceptible higher than normal wear, not to mention typically more aggressive driving habits than normal.
It's largely the fact that if you do anything with a MB dealer that isn't covered under warranty, they gouge you like no other. It's just the nature of European luxury cars; hell oil changes run $200+, what do you think they'll bang you for on a supercharger?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 9,137
Likes: 4
From: California, USA
E63 P30, CL500 Sport
Do NOT buy any AMG (or Mercedes for that matter) without warranty 
Over the last 3 years, my local Mercedes dealership charged Mercedes Benz over $40,000 dollars of repairs on my brother's CL500... Thank God it was all covered under warranty 
So many things can go wrong with these vehicles: navigation system replaced ($4,000), sun-roof, electronic seats, tranny, etc.... I know the E-Class parts are a bit cheaper, but trust me, I think the minimum hit on an AMG will probably be $2,000 per visit to the dealership..... 
Make sure you are covered under some type of warranty or you'll be taking a huge risk.
Good luck........
Over the last 3 years, my local Mercedes dealership charged Mercedes Benz over $40,000 dollars of repairs on my brother's CL500...
Thank God it was all covered under warranty So many things can go wrong with these vehicles: navigation system replaced ($4,000), sun-roof, electronic seats, tranny, etc.... I know the E-Class parts are a bit cheaper, but trust me, I think the minimum hit on an AMG will probably be $2,000 per visit to the dealership..... Make sure you are covered under some type of warranty or you'll be taking a huge risk.
Good luck........
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,958
Likes: 1
From: Ventura County USA
'06 E55, '05 SLK55, a few others
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,597
Likes: 19
From: Kuwait
CLS55 2006, CLS 63S 2015
Here is what I think.
Warranty is a very good thing to have yes. Can you live with out it, might be scary yes, but pretty much doable.
Looking at car history the newer the model the more things it has fixed from mb as it is made.
But to say owning that car over so many miles is bad is some what not true, what proof do you have that if the car is owned over so many miles it will die?
please do not take what i am going to say in a bad way.
From what I understand American cars are designed to last 2-3 years then get replaced. That is how your market works. Things are not built to last; they are built to be used then chucked away. Therefore it is natural for all the American owners to assume that a car with so many miles is bad. and you can not deny this because you are all used to it, leasing replacing etc.
This is not the case in Europe and European cars. Yes they have their fair share of reliability issues, but they are built to last a bit and be driven for thousands of km.
How many SC have broken? or for that mater how many engines?
Look at all the 03 highly moded e55 voiding their warranty, look at all the 05-06 out there to.
So long as the car has been taken care of and has been serviced at the dealer, then I feel if price is ok why not (this is ofc after you have done your research on the car). If all checks out, you are paying little for something good, hope it turns out to be a catch for you
Edit: funny after writing this, i watched the Jeremy Clarkson visit DVD to the US to compare cars and he said something similar about car usage
Warranty is a very good thing to have yes. Can you live with out it, might be scary yes, but pretty much doable.
Looking at car history the newer the model the more things it has fixed from mb as it is made.
But to say owning that car over so many miles is bad is some what not true, what proof do you have that if the car is owned over so many miles it will die?
please do not take what i am going to say in a bad way.
From what I understand American cars are designed to last 2-3 years then get replaced. That is how your market works. Things are not built to last; they are built to be used then chucked away. Therefore it is natural for all the American owners to assume that a car with so many miles is bad. and you can not deny this because you are all used to it, leasing replacing etc.
This is not the case in Europe and European cars. Yes they have their fair share of reliability issues, but they are built to last a bit and be driven for thousands of km.
How many SC have broken? or for that mater how many engines?
Look at all the 03 highly moded e55 voiding their warranty, look at all the 05-06 out there to.
So long as the car has been taken care of and has been serviced at the dealer, then I feel if price is ok why not (this is ofc after you have done your research on the car). If all checks out, you are paying little for something good, hope it turns out to be a catch for you
Edit: funny after writing this, i watched the Jeremy Clarkson visit DVD to the US to compare cars and he said something similar about car usage
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 373
Likes: 1
CL65
I don't think I've seen anyone on this board with a transmission failure. I'm sure someone has had one but if you go to the BMW M5 board, it seems like every other SMG is having transmission problems.
Also I havent seen much with engine problems on the E55 either. I see the belt chirp and ic pump and some other small stuff(small can still be fairly expensive), but I don't think I've seen anyone blow their engine. I haven't even seen anyone mention a blown head gasket.
Seems like most of the problems are with air suspension or comand related or electrical problems.
Also I havent seen much with engine problems on the E55 either. I see the belt chirp and ic pump and some other small stuff(small can still be fairly expensive), but I don't think I've seen anyone blow their engine. I haven't even seen anyone mention a blown head gasket.
Seems like most of the problems are with air suspension or comand related or electrical problems.
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
something to consider
I think you can do quite a bit better price wise. This past June I was able to purchase
an 03 E55 with NO issues, 15,500 miles, cosmetically perfect, with authentic 2006 SL65 rims on it for $46,500 [from an Audi dealership, of all places]. It was out of warranty by less than a month. I picked up a bumper-to-bumper, zero deductible warranty directly from a company I trust for $2300 more.
I'm guessing the SL65 rims were worth at least 3K, so I probably got the car for $43,500. Shouldn't you be entitled to at least a $5K deduction for those extra miles? I'd shoot for $38K if I were you...
Best of luck!
TulaneLaw
an 03 E55 with NO issues, 15,500 miles, cosmetically perfect, with authentic 2006 SL65 rims on it for $46,500 [from an Audi dealership, of all places]. It was out of warranty by less than a month. I picked up a bumper-to-bumper, zero deductible warranty directly from a company I trust for $2300 more.
I'm guessing the SL65 rims were worth at least 3K, so I probably got the car for $43,500. Shouldn't you be entitled to at least a $5K deduction for those extra miles? I'd shoot for $38K if I were you...
Best of luck!
TulaneLaw
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 9,137
Likes: 4
From: California, USA
E63 P30, CL500 Sport
Here is what I think.
Warranty is a very good thing to have yes. Can you live with out it, might be scary yes, but pretty much doable.
Looking at car history the newer the model the more things it has fixed from mb as it is made.
But to say owning that car over so many miles is bad is some what not true, what proof do you have that if the car is owned over so many miles it will die?
please do not take what i am going to say in a bad way.
From what I understand American cars are designed to last 2-3 years then get replaced. That is how your market works. Things are not built to last; they are built to be used then chucked away. Therefore it is natural for all the American owners to assume that a car with so many miles is bad. and you can not deny this because you are all used to it, leasing replacing etc.
This is not the case in Europe and European cars. Yes they have their fair share of reliability issues, but they are built to last a bit and be driven for thousands of km.
How many SC have broken? or for that mater how many engines?
Look at all the 03 highly moded e55 voiding their warranty, look at all the 05-06 out there to.
So long as the car has been taken care of and has been serviced at the dealer, then I feel if price is ok why not (this is ofc after you have done your research on the car). If all checks out, you are paying little for something good, hope it turns out to be a catch for you
Edit: funny after writing this, i watched the Jeremy Clarkson visit DVD to the US to compare cars and he said something similar about car usage
Warranty is a very good thing to have yes. Can you live with out it, might be scary yes, but pretty much doable.
Looking at car history the newer the model the more things it has fixed from mb as it is made.
But to say owning that car over so many miles is bad is some what not true, what proof do you have that if the car is owned over so many miles it will die?
please do not take what i am going to say in a bad way.
From what I understand American cars are designed to last 2-3 years then get replaced. That is how your market works. Things are not built to last; they are built to be used then chucked away. Therefore it is natural for all the American owners to assume that a car with so many miles is bad. and you can not deny this because you are all used to it, leasing replacing etc.
This is not the case in Europe and European cars. Yes they have their fair share of reliability issues, but they are built to last a bit and be driven for thousands of km.
How many SC have broken? or for that mater how many engines?
Look at all the 03 highly moded e55 voiding their warranty, look at all the 05-06 out there to.
So long as the car has been taken care of and has been serviced at the dealer, then I feel if price is ok why not (this is ofc after you have done your research on the car). If all checks out, you are paying little for something good, hope it turns out to be a catch for you
Edit: funny after writing this, i watched the Jeremy Clarkson visit DVD to the US to compare cars and he said something similar about car usage
As for the electronic items and even the "minor" mechanical issues, they can be fairly expensive to fix. Considering an extended warranty may only cost you 2k to 3k, it can definately pay for itself in one or two visits to the dealership easily. Now if you plan to keep the car for 3 to 4 years, then you could end up spending over 10k for fixing things at the dealer (and maybe half of that amount if you fix it at independent mechanics). I've given you my personal example, which is obviously worst case senario, but even a 1/4 of that amount is still way too much. Mercedes cars are expensive: they have expensive parts, expensive maintenance, expensive labor (if fixed at their dealerships), even expensive insurance.........
Many of these expenses can be eliminated if you stay covered under warranty, let them pay for it...... When buying a Mercedes, invest the extra 2k to 3k for extended warranty. One service manager once told me: if you can't afford the extra warranty, don't buy the car. Better to wait for a cheaper one that is affordable after warranty is added.
Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: WA
2005 Porsche Cayenne Turbo
From what I understand American cars are designed to last 2-3 years then get replaced. That is how your market works. Things are not built to last; they are built to be used then chucked away. Therefore it is natural for all the American owners to assume that a car with so many miles is bad. and you can not deny this because you are all used to it, leasing replacing etc.
Holy crap. Are you really that ignorant? Would it be natural for all Americans to assume that? I have a 1995 Ford F250 that has over 114,000 miles. It has zero rust, has given me zero problems and still retains almost 25% of it's original value even after almost 13 years. The thing is a beast at hauling dirt, rock and anything else you want to chuck at it. Trust me, my experiences are NOT unique. Is that considered disposable?
On another, less irritating note, do the MB CPO warranties cover all the same parts of the car that the "regular" warranty covers? Even though I'm still pretty sure I want a new C63, I have toyed with the idea of getting an '04/'05 E55 and driving it for 1.5-2 years. Just in case a DSG transmission comes out for the C63
Last edited by SeattleBum; Nov 8, 2007 at 12:22 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: P'cola, FL
'03 E55
