400HP55

Hi all. Thanks for taking time to read this post.

I have been a MBworld member for some time and have owned and extensively worked on various AMG's. I've been in the market for a sedan for about a year and have been taking my time to choose one. Yup, I was forced to sell my coups for a family car by the boss lol.

I've looked at S550's, 750LI's, Range Rovers, and other luxury vehicles. I decided not to go with any luxury long wheelbase vehicles because I have the need for speed and I know I would not be happy with one. I have seriously looked at over 50 cars and trucks over the last year. In all honesty, I've spent about $700 during this research period.

So I started research on the E63 a few months ago. I know its not a super car by definition but the thing does 0-60 in 4 flat, give or take. It does have nice luxury features and such. The engine is bulletproof. It seems like a solid safe car. From what I read it is reliable.

I am almost positive I am going to go with the 2007 - 2009 E63. I know the E55 has more potential but I've been down that road. I'll wind up spending $15k on mods and she will kill me.

The E63 seems very well built though I have not test drove one...yet. I will be out and about looking for one in August.

I just had a few questions for those who own/owned an E63. I do most of the maintenance myself.

1. Does anyone else do their own maintenance on the E63 and how complex is this car to work on (brake jobs, spark plugs, motor mounts, regular maintenance other than oil and transmission)?

2. What is your true cost to own over a period of time?

3. What does the regular maintenance bill look like on a regular check up?

4. What are the major services required and what milage?

5. Should I consider another vehicle (CLS63)?


Any feedback would be much appreciated. I have around $35,000 for one.

Thanks!

P.S. To anyone who comes across this post read this thread for the reliability of the E63.
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...tenance-2.html

6. How is the ride?
Found the answer to this question. Here it is for others to read in case there in the market for an E63:
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...s-e55-e63.html

As always, AMG are very reliable cars.

Enigma94

35 grand should net you a really nice E63, hopefully a CPO vehicle. I'd suggest to go for the 08-09's and stay away from the 07s as they had some issues that didn't carry over into the later years, and with 35k you should be able to get a 08-09 with around 5ok miles or less.

1.) there are quite a fe people on here that do their own maintenance. It's not a super complicated car as far as the nuts and bolts go but the computer/electronic end is another story. Regular maintenance shouldn't be too hard if you skilled and doing the same job on other platforms.

2.) cost to own is pretty significant, but in line with a $100,000 car. Remember that's what they were new so parts and other things will reflect that in their pricing.

3.) regular maintenance really depends on if you're taking it to a dealer or a Indy shop. I'd say, generally every 40k miles you'll be long at a major service. Tranny flush, motor mounts, and brakes. Granted, this is not set in stone but from what I've seen most people get a good 40k worth of driving before having to do the bigger maintenance items so keep that in mind.

4.) I'll attach a pick of the recommended service intervals from my dealer, along with prices.

5.) anything with a M156 will have relatively the same engine issues. The major ones you need to watch out for are the cam/lifter wear which are more prevalent in the 2007 models(mostly c63's for whatever reason) and also the head bolts. If you search these 2 issues you can fin a TON of info on both of them. also, the airmatic shocks WILL go out, they run around 7-800 for Arnotts(aftermarket replacement) or around a grand a piece for stock ones. Just be prepared to replace a few if you plan to keep the car for a lengthy amount of time.

6.) The car rides great, with the airmatic you can somewhat adjust the ride damper. I drive everywhere on sport 2(hardest setting) so I wouldnt be able to tell you much about the comfort setting. It handles pretty good for a 4300lbs car but when you really get into the turns you can really tell it is a heavy car. You wont grow tired of the power, ever. In my mind its the perfect package of power and luxury without swaying too far to either side. I drive around 2k miles a month, mostly on 3 hours road trips out of town to see family and I have yet to regret buying the car.

400HP55

Outstanding and thanks for your feedback Enigma94.

That chart is what I had in mind in terms of cost to own. It isn;t really that bad for such a nice car!

Ya, there are a lot of similarities between AMG's when I got down to the bottom. I think that a N/A motor is more dependable than a S/C motor. This is one of the main reasons I choose the E63 as a final selection.

One of my friends owns a Silver Star with an MB diagnostic machine. This cuts way down on the electronic costs thankfully. I was paying him about $200 for a service B and I would do the Service A.

On my other AMG's I would have to change the mounts and such at about 70k so seems like I will have to do it sooner but its not that hard at all, just time consuming.

It seems, from what I read, that there is more room in the E63 vs the CLS63. I think that the big cost is going to be the brakes.

I found a good thread about the ride on these cars. Seems that there are two different options...

"There is an optional performance package that can be ordered on the E63 designated with the alpha numeric code P30. The P30 performance package comes with different wheels, stiffer suspension (mainly programming but there maybe hardware changes as well), ECU delimited to 186 mph instead of your standard 155 mph, alacantra steering wheel, AMG limited slip differential. So yes, there are two different suspension setups available for the E63. This was also available on for E55s, but for the European models only NOT U.S. cars."

Enigma94

added the pic above. I totally agree with the fact that a NA motor is less work. Even though most feel the e55 motor and tranny are way more reliable than that of the E63, I still find having less things in the engine bay will always work out to be less stuff to fix.

Having a friend with access to equipment will help you a great deal when it comes to servicing the car, or having to fix anything you dont want to deal with so thats a BIG plus.

i'd say the safe area for them to go out is 40-70k depending on your driving style really. I havent had to change mine since i just bought the car 6 months ago but i'm sure its not difficult if you have access to a lift.

From what i've seen, I would agree that the E is bigger than the CLS as far as trunk space and rear seating. The space is the biggest reason I bought my E63, coming from a C55 it was a night and day difference.

As far as ive read nobody has been able to confirm there being 2 different part numbers for the air shocks between the P30 E63 and the normal E63, so im not sure about there being much of a difference between them, unless it has to do with a different program for the airmatic control unit. The P30 does have a LSD though so if you could find one with the P30 package i'd definitely pay a little more for it.

400HP55

Thanks Enigma94. Whats your take on the head bolt problem? Seems like this is the only major problem that I would be concerned about...

Are you talking 700-800 each for the Arnotts?

Here is Top Gear's comparison with the E63 and M5

400HP55

USED CPO - $40k
2007 Mercedes E63 AMG 0-60 mph 4.1 Quarter mile 12.4

USED CPO - $190k
2009 Ferrari F430 0-60 mph 4.1 Quarter Mile 12.5

USED CPO - $60k
2009 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan (6-Speed Manual) 0-60 mph 3.9 Quarter Mile 12.0

USED CPO - $75k
2008 Lotus Elise SC 0-60 mph 4.4 Quarter mile 13.3

USED CPO - $65k
2009 Maserati Quattroporte S 0-60 mph 4.7 Quarter Mile 13.3

And the list goes on and on and on and on. Not to mention the reliability of the E63...

Enigma94

I honestly havent seen many E's with the head bolt problem. It seems to be mostly on the c63 side from my limited research. I personally waited for a CPO car because I didnt want to have to deal with the repairs myself or try and find a legit aftermarket warranty that wouldnt screw me on the little stuff. So in that aspect I really havent looked up the head bolt issue much because I'm under warranty. I payed to extended the CPO warranty another 2 years as well with the plans to sell the car with 1 year left on the warranty which should put me at around 85-90k miles. Hopefully at this point ill be able to afford a 5.5TT E.

If youre going into it without the expectations of a warranty(which is ill advised unless you're looking to mod the car extensively) then you can just have the head bolt issue addressed for probably around 2k or less through your indy. It may be a good question to ask you buddy what he would charge to do it. Most people replace the cams and lifters at the same time while they're in there. personally 3-4k in a warranty is well worth it to not have to worry about these issues.

MIKESV8

i'll be looking to get into something else in the next few months, possibly look into mine.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ip-review.html

Critter

Enigma94 " I'd suggest to go for the 08-09's and stay away from the 07s as they had some issues that didn't carry over into the later years,"
Could you elaborate on that comment, 07 E63 120K owned 5 years-- Battery, AC compressor/dryer DIY in driveway, Sparkplugs, Tires, Awesome car, Gas+ Oil changes.
Not bad for a 8 year old car with a get up and go personality.

Enigma94

I'm not saying that all 07's are prone to this issue but most people who had the headbolts issues had 07's and most of which were C63's. You could buy a 07 and have no problems just like yours but I just wanted him to be aware that the earlier M156 motors were the ones that experience the highest percent of issues.

400HP55

In 2011, a class action lawsuit was filed in United States District Court in New Jersey against Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG for alleged defects in the M156 engine contained in AMG vehicles built in 2007-2011 model years leading to premature wear. The plaintiff claimed the combination of cast nodular iron camshafts and 9310 grade steel valve lifters contributed to the premature wear, but the defendants had known about the defect since 2007.

The lawsuit lasted approximately 14-months. In November, 2012, litigation came to a halt when the New Jersey District Court dismissed the plaintiffs’ first amended complaint for lack of standing. The plaintiffs were given the opportunity to further amend their complaint to show that they had standing to sue, but plaintiffs made no further filings with the Court. On January 7, 2013, the Court signed an order closing the case.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...ad-issues.html

400HP55

Here is a good walk around for the E63

Jon2007E63P30

146k on mine since bought new. See my DIY write ups.

Most annoying thing on the engine is the oil filter does not stay attached to the cap which can result in a mess.

Had to replace intake manifold gaskets. $40 in parts and a day of my time.

Brake rotors, fronts at 89k, rears at 100k. If not a car you might take on the track, go with solid rotors on the front and save $1k.

Time for new clear bra and windshield.

Change tranny fluid every 40k at dealer.

Change brake fluid every 2 years.

Engine oil every 7500 or so. My engine oil analysis indicates excellent wear. No cam issues.

Great car

400HP55

Ok thanks all. Very helpful. Just what I need to know. Now onto the next part...

What options should I be looking for?

Need Vs Want

Enigma94

The biggest option that has differing opinions is the pano roof. Some love them some hate the . The pano roof WILL make noise, as in creeks and such but I personally don't mind it as I don't ever drive without music on so it's not a big deal to me.

Keyless go, some people avoid it because of malfunctions and repairs, which don't seem to be very often but some just want to avoid having to pay for the repairs. I personally love not having to take the keys out of my pocket to unlock the car or start it so it's a must have for me.

All other options are really personal preference and pretty self explanatory.

400HP55

Enigma94,

do you have a list of the options available for the E63 in 2008?