Hi everyone,

So I've been looking for an E55 AMG and was looking to spend about 18-22k on an example with about 100 000-150 000km on it. I needed an 03 or 04 because in Quebec we pay 15% tax on the purchase of a used vehicle if the car is newer than 10 years old.

Anyways, I came across a 2003 E55 AMG, black, with 160 000km on it about 10 min from my house so I figured I would go check it out just for the heck of it. The guy was asking 15 500$ for it which was cheap so I figured there would be issues.

EXTERIOR:
From the outside, the car was a 9/10. The front bumper fog light on the passenger side was a little off center because he said that his wife hit a snow bank at low speed. He had the bumper touched up, but the fog light is still crooked. No biggie IMO, nothing I can't fix.

INTERIOR:
The Interior of the car showed that there was some neglect. The door cards, and wheels etc, all were in good condition, but many of the wood trim pieces were cracked, chipped, or worn. This didnt bother me too much though, because it can all be replaced relatively cheaply. The biggest issue however was that the seats seemed to be "coming apart". It's hard to describe but it looked as though the airbags had gone off, and the seat was put back together....having said that everything worked electronically on the inside. Owner also said the car had never been in an accident...obviously I'm going to do a carfax and check the car's history if I decide to entertain the possibility of buying it.

Also the Check Engine Light was on As well a a warning light in the dash saying "bring into workshop" or something like that with a pic of the car and an arrow upwards through the middle of it.

MECHANICS:
Car pulled strong throughout rev range, tranny worked well, but there was a very very slight jerk going into second...but from what I've read here, this is fairly normal. No noises or slipping...seemingly no issues here. Brakes (disks and pads were just recently done (one month ago))

SUSPENSION:
Typical "dead body in the trunk" noise was present. There was a slight knock over imprefections in the road from the front. Otherwise, seemed tight. Noticeable difference in suspension tautness between Comfort, Sport 1 and Sport 2.

SUMMARY:
I think the best way to summarize this car is as one that was neglected. An older Jewish lady is the owner and it seems as though she litterally just drove the car and only fixed things when it was something visibly wrong, an oil change, or a glaring issue. No attention to detail.

Under these circumstances, I would have normally walked away. However the owner is very very negotiable. I think I can pick up the car for $9000-$10 000. If I decide to go forward, the first step for me will be a carfax report on the title of the car (make sure no accidents etc) and then a PPI at MB to make sure the issues I saw and heard/felt are the only issues.

My plans for the car are to use it as a daily all year around, and maybe a tune and pulley, star lowering, and wheels for the summer.



Anyways, I would like to know what the members here think. I am an avid weekend mechanic, capable of working on anything, and working on an E55 won't be an issue. I have my race car, and have built up numerous car, some more simple, and some more complex than the benz before. Looking for your opinions on the "breaking-point" for making a deal like this worth it.

Thanks for your thoughts and help!

 

Run for zee hills in my opinion. If you're ok to spend $18-22k, buy one better. I just bought a mint '05 with 26k miles for $27k and its perfect with warranty. You can do better.

 

new york?

 

It appears you have the correct approach to the purchase. PPI has to be done, and make a list of every little item.
1. Major Items that affect drivability.
2. Upcoming maintenance issues (supercharger low on oil, could be very low at that mileage)
3. Cosmetic, replacement costs to those that cannot be reconditioned.
4. Paint Correction costs (Extreme detailing)
5. Tires

I am sure you have a PPI template, or download one. Then ask merc to let you under the car while they have it, so the tech can show you everything. Ball Joints, and Control Arms can be expensive. I know you can do a lot mechanically, so that will help. But those items that you have to purchase can add up.

A comprehensive list detailing everything will show you what you WILL put into it eventually. Buy accordingly. Always think, what your list totals up too, it might be easier to pass and find a better vehicle to start with. Then again, there would be less tax on bringing it back to life. Just a thought, hope this reaffirms what you were thinking. Definitely wash the vehicle yourself before the purchase. You will find things that you would have never seen. Even the second time and third you will find more.

 

I picked up my spotless 2003 E55 for $ 22k and it had none of the issues you have mentioned. It only had 107 000km on the clock and a full service history.
You can do better. These cars get very expensive very quickly, especially when it comes to the interiors (if you can find the parts). I personally would not touch anything that has a dodgey service history because neglecting the engine is a big no-no in my book. All the little bits and pieces that you think are easily replaceable turn out to cost an arm and a leg and can be a nightmare to fix/replace yourself.
Take your time and look around more because you may end up working to pay E55 repair bills for the next few years if you buy a dog.

 

In Quebec cars usually are more expensive. $15K is good price but I would pay a bit more to get a better car. Try to get 04+ with overall better condition around $22K.

 

Try the 36% import duty we pay here in South Africa if you want to know what expensive is.

 

Why you don't import one from Japan, it will be around 50-80k km and very clean!

 

Import duty should only have to be paid once and its to protect domestic manufacturers. In Quebec its a 15% sales tax at every transaction. That car could be sold 5 times in a ten year lifespan and the province collects 15% at every contract.

 

Buy it.

 

Airmatic components can be quite pricey, make sure and research that a little too. Hopefully she kept the oil changed at the very least.

 

Thanks for everyone's input! MooseJaw is right...sales tax is on every transaction. Plus the "asking" price for cars is generally more expensive in Quebec. So most of your examples of cars at 100 000km for 20-21k will go for 23-24 here in Quebec.

To import a car from Japan in Quebec, the car needs to be 25 yrs old or more...what a wonderful province I live in lol


I'm going to approach the owner today to see if he would entertain 8.5-9k. If it's a yes, I'll start digging deeper into the car, service history, title, etc.

 

Here in Ontario, the MTO has a UVIP (Used Vehicle Information Package) that the owner must provide when selling a car. It sells for 20 bucks and can be purchased by you or her, but what it tells you is if there is a lien on the car, the number of owners the car has had. It also will give you a value of wholesale and retail for the car and tell if the car has ever been branded. For 20 bucks it does answer some good questions and is needed here in Ontario to complete the sale. The carfax will also give you additional info, the best being if the car was in an accident. What I have seen is that there will be an accident registered then you will see the car goes to auction then is retitled in someone elses name ( the next owner). This will show as zero accidents because the insurance company never paid any damage claims, the car was sent to auction. This should give you more information than the owners word.


If you really want the car take 8000 cash and show it to her.
Put another thousand in the other pocket, just in case.

 

Agreed with this. I think it'll be my game plan.

 

From 15,500$ to 9k ? lol that would be one hell of a deal.

The dead body thump isn't "typical" There is either a new shock required or the subframe bolt has broken.

This could become expensive. I had to pay 800$ -900$ to get the bolt fixed. The part itself is $35 but labour is killer because of the place

it's located at.

Also, the jerk from 2nd gear to 3rd isn't typical either and it only happens when you run the car cold. If it's happening when the car is well

under normal operating temperature then something is wrong.

Don't worry about kms though, a car that has had care taken would drive like new even at 300k kms. There are people here who can

attest to that.

Good Luck in your search

 

Interesting note about the subframe bolt. Thanks for the info.

the jerky tranny was really only when the car was cold. After 5-10min is was nice and smooth