G_Money

I'm going to be checking out a 2003 E55 AMG with ~75k miles on it. Are there any special considerations I need to take when looking at such a vehicle? The carfax appears to be good, except a front left side collision was reported, although from the pictures the seller has it was repaired well. I have already scheduled an inspection with the service department of the local MB dealer, but I was just wondering if there is anything else i should be looking out for? Thanks!

Sorry if this is a dumb question or asked a lot, I'm new to the forum, and hopefully a soon-to-be AMG driver just trying not to get burned!

need4spd

03 have faulty radiators, check for gas smell inside, supercharger bearing, motor and trans mounts just to name a few

WHTEVO

First thing would be to use the search button. Plenty of threads on this exact topic. Good luck.

Aaron

Baronet1

IC pump, fuel smell in the cabin, bearings, front ball joints, motor mounts, and airmatics would be the first things I'd look for on an 03 E55.


EDIT: Just saw it was hit. A history like that and being an 03 with almost 80K...Don't walk, RUN AWAY!

forcefed4door

Hopefully the price is real low. Otherwise ide say there are alot of other choices out there with no accident history... I personally would never buy a car that had any paint repair due to accident... never a perfect match and will not hold up like oem, and of course there are many other reasons to not buy a car that was hit. GL.

G_Money

Thanks you for the replies! I will definitely be looking out for these. The plan is to have it inspected by the Mercedes dealership that is local to the seller. Is there anything they might miss, or would I be able to take their word if they tell me it's solid? I have been reading a lot about this gas tank issue, and it almost seems like MB is ignoring it.


ETA: They are asking just under $15k for it, which is one of the reasons I'm going to check it out. The thing about the hit, is that on carfax, thats all it says, so it's kind of hard to tell if it was just like a broken headlamp or something much more. No structural damage or anything like that was reported.

Sir-Boost-a-Lot

iTrader: (1)

You should spend some solid time reading searching and reading older threads here before pulling the trigger on a car.

And never let Carfax be a substitute for common sense or a good PPI.

Htownbrother

Be sure it has a full tank of gas, pull the rear seat and on the driver side, unscrew the cover. What you see next will tell you if it needs at a minimum the fuel pump replaced. The passenger side has a cover too and that's the sending unit. My Auto Haus replaced both together.

Lawrence1

While accident history could be an issue, it would depend on the extent of the damage and how it was repaired.

As far as it being an 03 with 80k+ miles... that's a bunch of non sense that keeps being repeated on this forum by those that have never owned one and have no clue what they're talking about. Make sure the car has been well maintained and you have nothibg to worry about.

FromM3toAMG

buyers inspection.

KEEP IT REAL

Be smart and take it to MB Dealer you pay about 120$ and they will check for any problems or errors and will give you full list with repairs cost, any MB dealer does that. That would be smartest thing to do. I've done it myself and pretty happy abt it

green1212

sometimes carfax may not tell the "whole" story, several years ago i went to sell a car to carmax and they were able to pull up info on the car that i never saw on carfax?? 1) i want to say about a car thats been in a fender/bender, dont expect to get full price back for whatever its worth when you go to sell it in the future....i tell people when you buy a car that you know been in an "accident" just feel like you will keep the car for life, that way, no disappointments! 2) dont know if the valve covers have the notorious oil leak due to worn gasket and/or old age but look for the faint smoke from back of engine with the hood up while engine is idling and/or just take a mirror and look around the seal of the valve covers should be able to see oil if leaking, 3) agree with previous post, the service history is most important, these cars can go over 200k miles, with no problems as long as its been taken care of, u will have water pump failures and other wear/tear issues but the engine and tranny can go a long way and seeing the service history documented at mb dealership especially, can take you a long way... i say mb dealership records will have more weight b/c we all know the stealership is looking for every little thing they can do, change, improve or replace to get every last bit of your money so a car thats been maintained via mb dealership, thats a welcomed sign!!! and lastly, the ppi is worth getting done and the dealership inspections are ok, but after all that is done, you get in the car and you drive it and dont be bashful either, drive and accelerate to make sure all gears are run thru and if there is something not right, or the tranny jerking around, you will know, that lumpy feeling gets into your stomach and there will be something telling you "something just not right here" and after all said and done, you may still get a surprize here or there, but it shouldn't be something very bad or very expensive, i HOPE. good luck!

forcefed4door

Holy long sentence haha. Good points though.

WoodyBang

,

Baronet1

I owned two 03s before buying an 06. I'm speaking from experience. The 03s are straight money pits, I'm sticking to my word.

Even well maintained ones always having something else go up or another gremlin come out.


OP- get a later year E55, you'll thank me later.

G_Money

Why do you say that? What did you encounter with your '03s that you haven't with your '05?

ArmoE55

Do you have anyone you know at the dealer? Have them run you a VMI report. That will detail everything from maintenance to warranty issues brought in for repair etc.

Most SAs at dealers won't do it, but if you have family or friend, they can run it with the car's VIN.

I'd suggest that as your first measure and then find a reputable PPI Indy shop that is detailed to inspect the car thoroughly by a Mercedes guru. I'd ask some regional folks where they'd recommend to take the car.

bstudey01

I don't agree at all, I have had no issues with my 03 at all. It was a very well maintained, documented, and non abused car with low miles. The only money that I've stuck into it was due to my addiction from modding!! In that aspect it definitely is a money pit!! Would I rather have an 06, maybe, but it all came down to money at the time. At that time a 60K mile 06 was a 35K car which I couldn't swing.

G_Money

Well, good news. I was able to call my local dealer and get a VMI on the vehicle. Contrary to what I had read on various forums, the person with whom I spoke was more than accommodating with the VMI information. Everything appears to be good, some minor warranty work (heat exchanger seal, rear shock replacement, air suspension strut), all recall campaigns were cleared, and that the vehicle had received regular dealer service. Pending the PPI, everything seems to be looking good! Thank you guys for the great info!