ogenec

Hey, newbie here. I realize I'm posting this message for self-selected MB fanatics. But here goes. I have two little girls (2 and 10 months), so the Bimmer coupe has got to go. (Coupes suck for daycare runs.) I always thought I would replace the coupe with a new SRT-8 (300C or Charger). But I had the thought: why not a 2005 e55? Would hold resale value better, more aesthetically pleasing (esp. important for the missus), and has more hp and torque. And my first choice, the E90 M5, is still too expensive.

Problem is, to be in the mid to high 40s, I'm probably looking at an e55 with 25-35k miles on it. When you compare that against a brand-new SRT-8, you begin to worry about maintenance costs etc. I've been lurking on the website for a few weeks now, and I keep hear about blown superchargers etc., which scares the crap out of me.

So, please, try to be objective. Assuming all the attributes mentioned above are a given, is the E55 a better buy even when you factor in higher maintenance costs???? I'd particularly like to hear from folks who bought pre-owned.

Thanks all.

ChicagoX

FWIW, I drove the M5 and the E55 back-to-back and bought the Benz.

The only golden mantra you should repeat whilst shopping for a used AMG is : EXTENDED WARRANTY !!!

You can get a CPO car with coverage until 100k for peace of mind. The usual problem, new or old, is the intercooler pump. A quick $125 and Johnson CM-030 pump later and you're all set.

Don't bother with the 300C if you can swing the Benz. Light-years apart.

adean1979

Go for the E55. Like ChicagoX said, just make sure to get a CPO (extended) warranty.

ogenec

Wow. Very fast responses. Thanks guys. I look forward to more.

Jakpro1

1st and foremost, you have a to get an E55 with factory warranty intact.

It is true. One blown supercharger is near 10k. Should you throw a piston, a new bottom end runs 23K+ and you have to buy the ENTIRE bottom end, not one piston. Bottom line, factory warrany is a must. Extended is great, but my tech just told me last week, they kinda give you more grief on repairs on extendeds. If you get a friendly dealer, they usually swap out the part you need pretty hassle free with factory warranty.

All that being said, I have not had ONE major problem with my 03 E55 and I am approaching 34K on mine. I don't beat the living tar out of mine, but when I ask her to dance, I expect Riverdance and she delivers 100%.

Get an E55 with factory warranty in place and you will be all set.

SRT8's are nice cars though. Very fast and pretty cheap to mod. Then again, she's no AMG.

Hazy1

I have a 10 year old and a 4 year old and bought the car 2+ years ago. It is perfect for daycare runs and other shorter local trips with the kids, but the 1st time all 4 of us traveled for 4+ hours in the car was also the last. The E55 wagon might be better suited for longer trips, but I'm not sure. My 4 year old giggles with delight every time I step hard on the gas.

My car included maintenance up to 50,000 miles, along with the warranty, so I'm now at 53k and have only paid for tires for the past 2+ years. Under warranty, my car received the IC pump, new struts, 3 new articulating cupholders (they are junk), and a new supercharger at my request due to the squeal found in some of the supercharger clutches.

Other than the IC pump, which was a bad design that failed almost universally, my car has been problem free. I don't drive the hell out of the car, but I definitely don't baby it either. I have had 0 electrical issues thus far and everything fuctions as it should, which can't be said of the other 2 MB's that I have owned.

As far as the warranty goes, if you're buying one that only has 20k miles and 1-2 years of warranty left, then you have ample time under the factory warranty to find out if your car is one that might benefit from a $4,000 aftermarket warranty. Mine has been nearly flawless so far, and I'm rolling the dice for the next 2 years that I'm not going to have any major issues. With that said, any A/C, electrical, or motor problem can eat through $4,000 in the blink of an eye on these cars.

V12Godspeed

Just to drop in some info...entire bottom end $39K+12K labor, make sure you get the warranty...

ogenec

Thanks again guys. All helpful info. Sounds like the warranty (inc. extended) is a must-get. Also sounds like the E55 is not well-suited as a family hauler. In my case, we use my wife's ML as the family car, so that's not a problem. Less sure now about the E55 as a daily driver, which is how I use the Bimmer coupe.....

ChicagoX

The Benz is a great DD - plenty of room and safety features.

Being able to waste 99.996% of the cars on the road is a nice perk too.

uurfantasy

The e55 is my daily driver, I put 13k miles on mine in 5 months. I have had no major issues as I am approaching 63k miles. I do have the extended warranty and have minor issues like the IC pump, and a minor fuel leak which was taken care of by my dealer happily. It can be a daily driven car, I dont see any problems with that. Don't pick a dodge please.

MB_Forever

Go with the E55, but like everybody said, definately try to stay covered under some kind of warranty. Mercedes CPO warranty would be best, but even a third-party warranty is better than no warranty.

The E55 is better looking, more powerful, more luxurious, maybe better handling (not sure of this one), and already took the first big depreciation hits that new cars suffer from throughout the first couple of years.

ogenec

Okay, since you said please, I won't pick a dodge :-) MBForever, you summarized my thinking exactly. I'll start my search for a CPO E55.

rflow306

Pistons and Rods are available separately, the problem is the crank and the engine block.
Plus one on the factory warranty.

III II I I AMG

i got a 2003 e55, not exactly a daily driver.. but a daily "beater"!!.. i beats the crap out of this car, and only thing it was in the shop for was ic pump, and some lil stuff with the supercharger, nothing major, but that happend before i reached 50k mileage so it was all covered under factory warranty with no problem, also, if you can get cool with some mbz service managers, it'll help you out alot..

right now my car is at 52k mileage and i still got extended warranty from a different company up to 100k miles, which this company will cover my car better if i decide to mod it later.. and 03 is suppose to be the worst year, so a 2005, definitely no problems, between a e55 and a srt8, theres no reason to even think about not getting the e55, good luck

Skeeter

Ya, no question. The ride and comfort are LIGHT YEARS ahead in the E55. Not to mention general build quality, interior amenities, luxury features, etc. And of course performance.

Consider that these things cost ~$100k when they were new and realize that you are getting WAY more bang for your buck. FWIW I think it'd be a perfect family car.

In fact, I find that if I put the car in 'comfort' mode (the transmission starts in second gear instead of first) and set the suspension to the softest setting, I can throw the keys at ANYONE and they'll think they are driving a luxury car. Try giving your mother the keys to a Viper or modded SRT-8 that'll run 11's and see what reaction you get

Go for the E55. not even a close call.

Skeeter

komp55

Couldn't agree more. Mine's a daily driver and has been virtually flawless. It's definitely all that and more.

tscales

I'm not a fan of the SRT-8, so maybe I'm biases. I agree with all the posts. Get a 6/100 CPO and you're fine.

Seriously consider the 7-seat wagon too. Incredibly useful and just a tick quicker than the sedan

Stephen04E55

I have owned a 2004 E55 and a 2006 SRT8 300 and they both have their own share of pros and cons. The E55 was definitely quicker in the 1/4 and had better build quality. The SRT8 had a great NAV, decent sound system and a trunk that you could actually fold down the rear seats. The SRT8 had lots of cheap plastic and very cheap carpet but the ride was not very harsh and my wife actually preferred riding in the SRT8 over the E55. I liked the E55 personally but they were both decent cars and you won't go wrong with either one. My S600 beats them both in the build quality and smooth ride....it is also quicker than both of them stock.

johnnydee

I think a lot of people are down on 03's because it was the first year and they had production problems. I do believe however that through warranty repairs the issues have been addressed and it is now just as good as any other year W211 AMG!

John

Jrocket

Huh? Where is that?

Timeless

I was wondering that myself....haven't seen mention of that here ever.

ogenec

Not sure that's really germane now, since the consensus is that purchasing a CPO vehicle with a warranty obviates the issue, and that's what I intend to do. But you do see such comments, and the posts above (e.g., Jakpro1) lend some credence to them. As an example, if you look at the E55 versus E63 thread, you will see comments expressing a preference for the N/A 63 over the 55, because folks have experienced problems with the supercharger.

Again, tho', not really relevant to where my head's at now.

regor60

Just to clarify, the problem has been with the IC pump, not the supercharger itself...vastly different problems in terms of price

Timeless

Exactly...the IC pump replaced is less than $300.00. Get an aftermarket Johnson pump and it becomes a moot point.

RAFFIE55

OR; go for the older W210 (1999-2002) like I did and don't worry about the supercharger and the warranty IMHO I like the older body styles better. Find a good one with low miles and you could save 20K too And it will still give the SRT-8 a run for it's money.