theunderlord

Hey guys and gals... Been lurking here a LOOONG time...

I hope some of you guys can share your ownership experiences with me.

Overall, are you happy with your decision to buy a E63? I've been test driving the C63, E55 and E63 and am looking at getting some realistic reviews from forum goers.

Is the 63 worth buying over the 55? Are there any options that you guys are kicking yourselves over not having?

For those of you that chose E class over C class, was that the right decision?
I can't decide if the larger car would be worth it for me or not.


appreciate any responses,

-kevin

JAYCL600

oh no...

Ryououki

A lot of what you are asking is personal preference.

I personally researched the C63, E55, E63, and S65 before settling on the E55. One of the things I wanted was a nice sized 4 door. I was previously in an SLK32, but it proved too difficult to have fun with the wife and son at same time in that car, and time with my family is a priority. And we still have the little SLK230 for warm days.

Second was power. All 4 cars were huge power makers, so no issues there. The front runners for me were the E55 and S65 due to amount of power to be gained in upgrades. I am in no rush to do upgrades, but it's nice to know they are easily attainable.

Third was pricing. That put the E55, E63, and C63 at the front for me in that order due to average pricing. The S65 was more than I wanted to spend.

Fourth was space within the vehicle. The S65 was the obvious choice there. And the C63 the least favorable in this area.

So after weighing out my options, I decided to find the best equipped E55 with decent mileage and warranty availability. The options that had to be on the car for me were Pano, Keyless-Go, Active Heated & Cooled Seats, Electronic Trunk Closer, Navigation, and Rear Sunshades. The sunshades were only a requirement because I hate empty option buttons and seeing the blank button on the dash would annoy me. Yeah, I know, it's a stupid reason, but it's still my stupid reason. I originally had to have the distronic cruise control, but once I found out it wasn't too hard to add, I dropped it from my list as finding one with both Pano and Distronic was proving to be fruitless. I ended up with my 05 E55 with 47K miles and it had all the options I wanted, minus the distronic, but also had Parktronic. I would have liked Satellite Radio and Phone, but those are quite easy to add.

But honestly, it depends on what YOU are looking for. All 3 of your choices are awesome cars! Try them out and see what works best for you.

theunderlord

thanks man, appreciate the honesty. I know it's all about personal preference, but I value what you guys have to say on the matter.

I definitely think the S is too big for me, definitely the C and E are where my mind is at. Basically a fun weekend car, with an occasional jaunt to work midweek. The Golf is the commuter for now.

Thanks for the info on what's easy to add and what you had to have, appreciate your advice

stevieg

Underlord-I was out in the Seattle area recently and was amazed at how mindful people are with the posted speed limits. I don't think I saw anyone drive over 60. So if you get the E55 brother you will be the Michael Schumacher of the City !!!
I have only owned my E63 for two months, but the differences I see between my car and the 55 is the E63 is a bit more refined and the 55 is more slanted for performance. Plus if you reside on this forum for more than a couple of days you will see the sky is limit for go fast parts for the 55. Can't comment on the C, but like one of the other guys said, it really comes down to what you want the car for.

Let us know what you end up getting and post a pic. Plus try to start a trend out there and get people to drive a little faster.
Here in Atlanta we keep it simple....we just add a 1 in front of the speed limit !!!

Good Luck.

DAGREEKNYC

i think the 63 looks far better of the two . the 55 looks a lil old school compared to the 211 63 pretty much because of the bumper covers and side skirts .performance pretty much identical until the modding begins . 3k on a 55 can get you 100 hp while 3k on a 63 will get you 20 hp .

Pushing_Tin

I've had my 63 since July and so far I LOVE it. My two previous cars were a Jaguar S-Type R and a 370Z. I also had a Lexus IS350. The 63, is the best of both worlds. It can be a quiet, sedate soft cruising car or, it can be a fire breathing monster. It sounds great and even my 2007 is quiet and rattle free. The quality because of the initial price point is obvious. There are a few interior things that I don't care for and the nav is pretty worthless, but I bought it to drive, not to be a tech geek. For the few times I really need nav I can use my iPhone with turn by turn.

Coming from a Jag I am pretty used to expensive parts and repairs. I did pick up a two year warranty that is bumper to bumper so I don't need to worry about that anymore. The only issue that I have, and one that seems to be common is ESP shutting down due to a faulty steering wheel sensor. The airmatic seems to be problematic for some, but no issue with mine as I just rolled over 39k miles. I bought mine it Portland and got a pretty good deal. I see they have an E63 for sale right now as a matter of fact.

http://grandprimotors.com/details-20...lass-NjQ2.html

Here's mine

Quadrobenz

We have an E63 as well as an S65 and a couple of SL600's here in SoCal. As you commented the S is a big car, a bit large for everyday use. I have never owned an E55 or a C class.
If I could only own one Mecedes it would be the E63. It is a great size, performs well, feels very tight and precise when driven. As far as options we have all but Distronic, Designo, and the P030 sport package. I have Distronic in the SL600 and it is definitely personal preference if you like it or not.
One feature we really like on the E63 is the folding rear seat, we use that frequently. Of course the wagon version would be nice if you like that body style. The E63 also has the seven speed transmission which is a really nice unit. I do not think there is a bad choice among the models you are considering.

Nanky

I am happy with my 63. The only things I don't have are the rear side window shades and the performance package and miss neither one. I have only used the distronic a few times and it worked fine. It just takes some getting used to. It is a great car that can go from gentle to obnoxious in a split second. Its looks are definitely deceiving.

So far, a strut and ball joints have been replaced at 32k miles. The only thing I will not get if I had to do it over is the pano roof. I had it on an E500 I sold and it accounted for 90% of my visits to the dealership. I just couldn't deal with the creaks and other noises it made. I should have learned my lesson but repeated the option on my 63. True to form, the experience with the creaks is the same. So far, I have spent $800 only to dampen the noise temporarily. It is not always that I have the radio on and just don't have the appetite to tend to it at the moment. Some have better luck with the option to share but I am not one of them.

Get an extended warranty or service contract if you get a pre-owned unit. It is worth it and there are folks here who can help you select a reputable provider. I did not consider the C because I am 6'2', a big guy and needed something roomier. Good luck!

infantry

Yes, I am really happy with my 2007 E63.

Only thing I wish I had was the p30 performance package. But I could just install an LSD and call it that.

No major problems so far, and i have 65,500 miles on it, bought it CPO with extra 2 year warranty for a total of 4 years 100k miles.

Had the motor mounts replaced under factory warranty at about 50k miles, they weren't cracked but the good guys at Schumacher Mercedes here in Scottsdale felt they weren't up to par for the beast.

My car was chained down to the floor at the dealership I bought it from in San Diego! Truly a beast.

Only thing I wish this car really had was coilover's or at least a nice strut spring setup from factory.

Juggernaut23

I am very happy I choose my 07 E63 over the others mentioned. I considered them all and I am glad I choose the 07 E63 for my needs.This is my personal opinion and my preference.I looked at all the others closely and driven the mall before grabing my E63.I am NOT saying the E63 is better than any of the others mention but I am saying it is better for me.You have to find what fits you best.

sunil517

I have a 07 e63 with basic mods with out taking a second mortgage. I am making 467 RWHP. That is all I need. If you are into mods the 55 is the way to go. I like the dash and the look of the E53 over the 55 plus small others. Flit Gray with Ash and Pano KG....If interested I might be selling.
It will come down to price and what you like in the end.

theunderlord

Thanks everyone.

This is confirming my thoughts on the 63.. 40K buys a LOT of car... Prices seem pretty close coast to coast. It seems like the p30 option package is a must have, but hard to find. Glad to hear that you guys are having good success and not problem after problem.

- oh and YES.. Seattle drivers are mostly car hating robo-droids, so they're awful at piloting motor vehicles. I'm a 10 over in the left lane kinda guy myself.

keep the replies coming, love to hear more opinions.

Peter_02AMG

No complaints on my 07..only thing that worry me is the airmatic struts, you never know when it will fail and get you straned.

infantry

I have yet to hear anyone with an 07-09 E63 have a failed airmatic.

I hope AMG did good with the newer airmatic system than the E55.

lawguy

My front airmatics failed 2 months ago. '07 e63 with 32k miles.

zx11blade

I like my 08 E63. Nice looking car with plenty of GO! So far installed Bluetooth and remote start.

infantry

: ( ?

Interesting, I've done double that mileage at 65k on mine, and no problems.

Yuille36

Here is my sweet beauty.

theunderlord

So the airmatic thing is a pretty spendy fix, and if you're out of warranty, it's all on you I bet?

hyperion667

I have been having a great time in my 2011 model.......
very fast for daily driving and lots of comfort too....
love the dyno seat.....
and the sound is nice too....when you want it

Yuille36

You got it. It's not so much the parts, its the labor rate that kills you. That's why most people either do it themselves, or they find a independent shop that can perfrom the task for them at a cheaper rate.

theunderlord

Gotcha, so it doesn't have to be a dealer only thing.. that's good to know. thanks man.

Peter_02AMG

Yeah it cost about $1500 for each strut not including labor. My car is still under warranty so I'm not to worry about the cost but the inconvenience if it failed while you're on the road. Once these strut collapsed you can't drive your car to your destination. You have to pull over and get it towed to your local MB.

Yuille36

But you can buy the struts cheaper from Arnott. They run about $500 for the fronts, and I heard that they are also working on the rear air springs.
And the best part is that they have a life time warranty, unlike Mercedes.