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New member here. I drive a 1985 300D for my daily car but I'm flying out to the East Coast to pick up a 1-owner 2006 E55 AMG and drive it back. Wish me luck.
Nothing like a 1,617-mile test drive. Car looks cherry so I suspect it'll go okay.
Make sure the tires are good- check for wear on the inside edges. Also be aware the crankshaft position sensor can fail in high heat now that it's summer time, if it's original. Also the intercooler pump should be replaced if it's original. The crank sensor can leave you stranded, the pump will not.
Thanks for the tips. My biggest fear is that it is rarely driven. The upside is that is has really low miles.
According to Carfax it was driven:
500 miles in 2013
1,200 in 2014
350 or so in 2015 & 2016 and
200 miles last year
I know the basics of what to look for but not familiar with the peculiarities of this car so thanks. My plan is to run through all of the electronics and make sure they work, check for oil leaks, let it run for a while and give it a short drive (before the long one).
He insists it doesn't settle on the air suspension and "you'd be crazy to drive it in snow -- it'd slide all over the place". He seems like an older gentleman (like me) so I'm optimistic.
Congrats! I'm in Richmond, VA. Also own a 2006 E55 (95k miles). If you run into any issues and you are near here, send me a PM and I'll try to help.
How many total miles and where did you find it? By the way..I cant imagine a more drastic change in power that you are going to experience coming from the 80's diesel...to this monster. Enjoy!
Oh, and it WILL slide all over the place in snow assuming you are running the Pilot Sports/pure summer tire.
The one time the E55 did leave me stranded (but literally happened in front of my house, so I got real lucky), was when my water pump pulley seized and took out the belt and tensioner pulley at around 92k miles. Internal seal on the (original) water pump failed, allowing the bearing grease to leak out/coolant to seep into the bearing. Froze up, and that was that. Replaced all parts using FCP Euro, and all well since then.
At 94k, passenger side front airstrut blew its seal as I just so happened to be in my garage working on my other car. That could have left me stranded as well.
My opinion: Replacing air struts/bags in rear in the 90k or so mile range? Might be good preventative maintenance for the air suspension, especially if you can DIY. Can recoup some of the cost by selling the used parts on ebay. Used (non leaking) w211 airstruts go for $300 and up
I recently picked up a 2004 E55 from a forum member in Arkansas and did a 1200 mile drive to Florida. Everything was great with the car and had a fun drive back besides a ticket I got. I told him I wasn't going to speed and he assured me I would, he was right. If you have a radar detector bring it and if you don't then buy one.
I recommend making sure the oil is is good and the the tires aren't worn or old. If you can pick up a Bluetooth dongle if it has the IPod cable or some cds to listen on the long trip.
This is what the E55 was really meant for. You will love long road trips in the e55 its such a joy and so comfortable. Ive done a few cross country and the car is rock solid. Congrats and be safe!
Update: The car is performing flawlessly with the exception of the headlights. Both not working so I pulled the ballast off (bi-xenon curve following) and found neither side was plugged in. I reconnected the little four pin wire but for the life of me can't get the ballast twisted back on. I'll tackle that when I get home and all the parts around it aren't scorching hot.
Picked up the car in Massachusetts and drove it to Brooklyn Thursday night to hang out with some family. Today I drove it to Illinois (long drive). Tomorrow I'll be home.
The car only had 31k on it and I've driven it more in two days than the previous owner did in 3 years. It still smells new inside. It has a clear bra on the front that is well past it's prime so I'll have to tackle that as well. A little light on options but I bought it for what it was and the low miles from original owner.
Next, is to wash it, do a complete service and enjoy!
Haven't seen that Merlot interior in a while, it's interesting, better on a black car than most colors. GL with the drive back, the cars are fun on the highway, don't push it too hard if the previous owner hasn't driven it much, but I find the more you drive them, the better they get.
I think I saw that car listed somewhere. The 31k miles, and seemingly low price caught my eye. I’m even farther away from it than you are. I’d have been driving for another 3 days, I think...
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
Just did the same thing last October. Flew to PA and picked up my E63 and drove 1,500 miles back to Mississippi. It was fun and had a great time, enjoy the trip and the new ride!
The ballasts unplug themselves when you twist them out. Keeps you from getting shocked by turning the lights on with the ballast out. They won't twist in with the wire on. Take the wire off, then twist them in. You might have to reset the twist mechanism with a pick or something. It's easy once you know what you are dealing with. My wife had to tease me about this when it took me an hour to figure it out. "Did you buy a car smarter than you?" It's a good first lesson for working on these cars. There are tricks and secrets, and shortcuts.
Ahh, so the bulbs probably are bad. I was wondering if I would need to reset something before twisting them in. I'll take another look tomorrow.
Did make it home and the wife loves it. She's been driving it since I got home. Keeps saying what a great car it is and she drives a pretty new Accord.
Thanks for all of the advice. I've got something new to do over the weekends.
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