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The headbolt problem can be solved in a preventative manner if you install ARP head studs. Budget $1k for the studs, some more for gaskets, etc, and whatever your time is worth if you are ambitious and capable enough to do it.
I really appreciate all the input. Im so confused on what to do now though ha. It's such a hit or miss because i could get the car, do regular maintenance and drive it nearly problem free for tens of thousands of miles. OR i could get the thing and it not even make it home before running into the head bolt problem.
I will agree that the headbolt and cam wear issues are one that will make me pause from buying a M156 engined car regardless of mileage or year. I wouldn't care if the car was BRAND NEW with a warranty, I wouldn't buy one period. I typically keep my cars 5 to 7 years so that rules out any piece of crap M156s
That being said, prophylactically replacing the headbolts one after the other is not that tedious or expensive to do at all. I believe ARP makes headbolts for the M156. Cam wear on the other hand.....
I remember someone doing that on the M156 without removing the heads, taking out a bolt at a time leaving the rest torqued down and not having a problem doing it that way.
Forgot to mention too, i believe the closest MB dealer to me is about 4 hours. So that is why i planned on not using the dealership alot. Heres the deal. I owe around 17k on my truck. It has 196,842 on the odometer. I kind of want to get out from under it before it hits 200, hence why i was looking for one of these. I do not make a lot of money, well compared to alot of the people on this forum i dont. I could afford maintenance on this e63 (regular maintenance) but if a huge repair came up... i would be totally SOL. That's what im scared of. It almost scares me to the point of hanging on to my truck, waiting until i have more money, and then maybe get into a 2012+ e63. At the same time, my trucks value is plummeting and this e63 in houston seems like a great deal for what it is, THAT IS if it were to hold up to the m156 problems. My note for the e63 wouldn't be too much more than what i have been paying for the Denali, so that isn't the problem. My Denali hasn't been perfect either, i have around $5000 or more simply in repairing things on it, not regular maintenance. For instance, i went to start it one morning, and bam, engine knocking. I am extremely **** when it comes to maintenance and i know the previous owner cared for the truck. Turned out the valve seat in the head dropped, allowing the valve to fall on the piston. Messed up the head beyond repair and put a nice dent in the piston. After a brand new cylinder head and a new piston, its back up and running. I kind of had to scramble to pay for that repair. Now if that happened on this e63 im looking at? Again, id be totally out of luck. I really want to get in an AMG, but if its going to kill me with repair costs i can't. My truck runs great now, id take it cross country in a heartbeat, but if i end up keeping it, i will just keep it until i pay it off. By then it would definitely have 300,000+ miles
Forgot to mention too, i believe the closest MB dealer to me is about 4 hours. So that is why i planned on not using the dealership alot. Heres the deal. I owe around 17k on my truck. It has 196,842 on the odometer. I kind of want to get out from under it before it hits 200, hence why i was looking for one of these. I do not make a lot of money, well compared to alot of the people on this forum i dont. I could afford maintenance on this e63 (regular maintenance) but if a huge repair came up... i would be totally SOL. That's what im scared of. It almost scares me to the point of hanging on to my truck, waiting until i have more money, and then maybe get into a 2012+ e63. At the same time, my trucks value is plummeting and this e63 in houston seems like a great deal for what it is, THAT IS if it were to hold up to the m156 problems. My note for the e63 wouldn't be too much more than what i have been paying for the Denali, so that isn't the problem. My Denali hasn't been perfect either, i have around $5000 or more simply in repairing things on it, not regular maintenance. For instance, i went to start it one morning, and bam, engine knocking. I am extremely **** when it comes to maintenance and i know the previous owner cared for the truck. Turned out the valve seat in the head dropped, allowing the valve to fall on the piston. Messed up the head beyond repair and put a nice dent in the piston. After a brand new cylinder head and a new piston, its back up and running. I kind of had to scramble to pay for that repair. Now if that happened on this e63 im looking at? Again, id be totally out of luck. I really want to get in an AMG, but if its going to kill me with repair costs i can't. My truck runs great now, id take it cross country in a heartbeat, but if i end up keeping it, i will just keep it until i pay it off. By then it would definitely have 300,000+ miles
I think in the above paragraph you have answered your question. How about a compromise and go for a 2010 E550 with sport package. Then i a few years go for a 2012 or 2013 E63. The maintenance on an E550 is much lower and you can find one for less than an E63.
Dinman based on what you have posted last, I would pass on that car. Its obvious you are looking for a relatively nice but reliable car to drive and I will not recommend any MB in that price range. Yes the 550 will be cheaper, but it does have the airmatic suspension and quite a few of the goodies the 63 has so outside of the M156 issues, the 550 will require the same maintenance costs as a E63
I looked at the e550's as well but the seats are one of the things that has me hooked on the AMG. I dont know why, but they're so damn comfortable.
So, if i were to get this car and install the upgraded head bolts before it even became a problem, would it then be a pretty solid vehicle? That's really the biggest thing im worried about. Either way, i should be getting close to getting to the dealership this time tomorrow to check it out
Well... you guys may say im dumb for it but i think im going to get the car. Another somewhat major problem popped up on my truck, so fixing that and have a guy waiting to make payoff on it. The car, i went and drove it yesterday and totally fell in love with it. The only issues i could pinpoint was the unlock button on the door had a little wear on it, one tire has a bulge in it, and one of the reflectors on the front bumper has a small crack. . They will obviously replace the tire. I had an oil sample sent off to see if it has trace elements of coolant. Had a clear bra on the front and on mirrors, so paint seems to be great. Dealer agreed to have it sent to Eurocharged in Houston to have the upgraded head bolts installed if i wish. Anyways, pics.
Looks good man. Assuming the oil analysis checks out (good idea btw) then you shouldn't really have many problems with it.
Only other thing I can suggest is to view the car first thing in the morning before the dealer has had a chance to start the motor and hear it on that first cold start. As long as you don't get any type of clatter (vvti cam adjusters), then you should be fine. Of course you've probably already listened out for unusual camshaft lifter sounds and I'll assume you're satisfied with it. You should be fine man.
I checked KBB.com and the $27,000+ price is just ok. Best price is about 25,000 on an E63 with that high number of miles. Check ALL electrical items including the oil cooling fans and transmission oil cooling fans. Operate the panoramic roof repeatedly. Use the cruise and wiper auto setting. check the cooling fans and heat in the seats. A bad heated seat or cooling fan can cost 1500.00 each to repair. The seats are very complicated and require some special MB tools. I had to have my drivers seat fan repaired under warranty and the cost would have been close to 2000.00 and it took the Mercedes tech a day and a half to do the repair.
Even I agree with everyone on this thread. The engines and trannies in these cars are expensive. Its not like an american v8 that can be rebuilt, drop in a crate motor etc for fairly light money. I woudn't buy mine until I could find a somewhat reasonable extended warranty. Headbolt issue is one thing. The headbolts could be swapped out. But what if the engine or transmission goes? Big big bucks. I'd maybe take a chance if whoever you are buying it from is offering some type of limited warranty, at least you could get whatever is bad fixed to start.
Originally Posted by medici78
I'm surprised at all the doomsday scenarios folks are suggesting. If the car checks out mechanically and drives as it should it might be worth the gamble. Houston is a big city and it's not uncommon for people to have 60-80 mile round-trip commutes. Add in miles for errands, etc and it adds up quickly. As we all know, highway miles don't do much harm.
I'd sooner trust an immaculate car with miles from a picky owner/enthusiast than a mystery low-miler. However, that's assuming you know the owner or at least can meet them face-to-face. This is from a used car dealer so you would want to perform your due diligence. The rims don't do much for it but otherwise it looks great in the pics.
With any out-of-warranty high-end car, be prepared to put money aside for inevitable repairs.
Most 3rd party extended warranties will not cover bolts and nuts.....headbolts are still bolts. I saw that happen in both the M156 and the 6 cyl E350 forums where people were complaining that their warranty companies refused to cover things like that
From a fellow member in Louisiana i would say do your due diligence and buy the car if everything checks out. The M156 engine is one of the best NA V8 left and can go the long miles if well maintained. Sure you have the headbolts issue but how many cases have you seen so far. I'm pretty sure you can count them with your hands. You have more chance to get struck by lighting (here in Lousiana)! lol!
I've seen several C63 owners passed 100k miles mark with no problems. I'm not saying it cannot happen but for piece of mind you can get an extended warranty like easycare (really good company). Or have some money aside ($20k or so) for it.
I would ask $25k for that car in Houston. Again do a PPI or I can tell you quickly what you should look for. GL
I checked as much as i could possibly check when i was there. All seat functions work along with the pano roof. Honestly here were the imperfections i found
Scrape on underside of front bumper
Cracked bumper reflector
Bulge in tire (will be replaced before pick up)
Slight wear on the inside driver door unlock button, two small chips of the coating peeling
Some wear on the overhead handles in the back
Slight scratches on the passenger side of the console next to cupholders
That's really all i can think of. I think when i got to the car and cranked it up, it hadnt been cranked in 5 hours or so. I want to get there and cold start it, but when i cranked it the other day there were no strange noises. I have looked at three of these things, and i guess this is normal, but when you first crank it it idles a little higher for a few seconds. Then it drops down maybe a few hundred RPM. It does it smooth though, no choppiness in the idle.
It's really not even totally because of the car i want to do this, but the truck as well. I owe $17,xxx on a truck that has 200,000 miles. Noone else will be willing to pay $18,000 like my friend is. It's a lot of miles but i know it has been meticulously cared for. It will get me out of this truck before its value plummets into the ground. Later down the road, i will pick up a truck just like my old one. I had a 2003 Silverado with around 300,000 miles, All original paint and drivetrain. i Beat on that truck daily and it never gave up. Still regret selling it. But these trucks can be found for cheap, itd be nice to have as a "beater" to keep wear off the e63.
I checked as much as i could possibly check when i was there. All seat functions work along with the pano roof. Honestly here were the imperfections i found
Scrape on underside of front bumper
Cracked bumper reflector
Bulge in tire (will be replaced before pick up)
Slight wear on the inside driver door unlock button, two small chips of the coating peeling
Some wear on the overhead handles in the back
Slight scratches on the passenger side of the console next to cupholders
That's really all i can think of. I think when i got to the car and cranked it up, it hadnt been cranked in 5 hours or so. I want to get there and cold start it, but when i cranked it the other day there were no strange noises. I have looked at three of these things, and i guess this is normal, but when you first crank it it idles a little higher for a few seconds. Then it drops down maybe a few hundred RPM. It does it smooth though, no choppiness in the idle.
It's really not even totally because of the car i want to do this, but the truck as well. I owe $17,xxx on a truck that has 200,000 miles. Noone else will be willing to pay $18,000 like my friend is. It's a lot of miles but i know it has been meticulously cared for. It will get me out of this truck before its value plummets into the ground. Later down the road, i will pick up a truck just like my old one. I had a 2003 Silverado with around 300,000 miles, All original paint and drivetrain. i Beat on that truck daily and it never gave up. Still regret selling it. But these trucks can be found for cheap, itd be nice to have as a "beater" to keep wear off the e63.
So all you have noticed are just cosmetics and can be fixed/or lived with.
As far as the engine goes yes the car idles at roughly 1000rpm for 30 seconds and comes back down to 500. It is normal. You should have heard the secondary air pump kicking in during that time to balance the mixture being too rich at cold start. And this confirms a cold start since when the engine is warm it does not do it.
Did you open the hood while the engine was running? Any whistling noise or loud ticking noise? No CEL?
Did you inspect the brakes/rotors?
Also the wheels are aftermarket not OEM. Therefore you do not have OEM specs tires. Hence the bulge. They might be too stretched and prone to road hazards. Ask the dealer if he has the wheels size/width/offset.
Does this car has LSD? If yes you might want to make sure it has been flushed. Otherwise it is something you need to do at 40k miles.
So all you have noticed are just cosmetics and can be fixed/or lived with.
As far as the engine goes yes the car idles at roughly 1000rpm for 30 seconds and comes back down to 500. It is normal. You should have heard the secondary air pump kicking in during that time to balance the mixture being too rich at cold start. And this confirms a cold start since when the engine is warm it does not do it.
Did you open the hood while the engine was running? Any whistling noise or loud ticking noise? No CEL?
Did you inspect the brakes/rotors?
Also the wheels are aftermarket not OEM. Therefore you do not have OEM specs tires. Hence the bulge. They might be too stretched and prone to road hazards. Ask the dealer if he has the wheels size/width/offset.
Does this car has LSD? If yes you might want to make sure it has been flushed. Otherwise it is something you need to do at 40k miles.
Engine ran super smooth with no strange noises, No CEL. I listened to it idle while under the hood for a good 5 minutes or so. The screen within the gauges all went red while i was test driving and i freaked out, but it was just a message saying the rear right tire was low. This led me to look at the tire, which is when i saw the bulge. The tires in the back are way too small/stretched in my opinion, but i will get aftermarket wheels and new tires in due time. Rotors were replaced around 25k miles ago, and pads were done in early OCtober. I do not believe this one has the LSD.
I did notice that its has the carbon fiber option on the trim inside unless someone has used the fake stick on stuff. You may want to check that. If its the real carbon fiber then that is a plus.
I did notice that its has the carbon fiber option on the trim inside unless someone has used the fake stick on stuff. You may want to check that. If its the real carbon fiber then that is a plus.
'tis real carbon fiber. If it was fake it would almost push me to the point of not buying
I have always had a bad taste in my mouth over carbon fiber because there are SO many fake vinyl wraps and hydrodippings of carbon fiber that look absolutely trash. I was actually searching for the Black wood trim in one of these, but the Carbon fiber looks great in person
Yeah this one has the OEM carbon fiber interior trim + previous owners have added extra pieces like the AC control panel or the gear selector contour as well as the stripe on each door's armrests.
How did the transmission feel when you drove it? Not too jerky?
Yeah this one has the OEM carbon fiber interior trim + previous owners have added extra pieces like the AC control panel or the gear selector contour as well as the stripe on each door's armrests.
How did the transmission feel when you drove it? Not too jerky?
No, i heard of that being an issue so i was trying to see signs of it in this one. I dont know what to classify as "jerky" though. I tried accelerating from a stop at different levels of throttle to see if it would act strange. Seemed smooth to me.
I mean you went from 1 through 7 in all modes (C|S|S+|M) as well as downshifted?
Did all of that except got into M mode.. Drove about 20-30 minutes. Again, im used to sloppy american transmissions so this one absolutely shocked me with how responsive it was. Now that i think about it i dont know why i didnt put it in manual and see how it was
01-07-2016, 05:31 PM
