Hellow W212rs, I'm a w211 E350 owner and it got into an accident and has a major check engine light on. So basically I'm in a market for a new car. I really want the W212 E63 AMG or also considering BMW 550i lol. I've been wanting an AMG for a very long time but with the budget, W212 E63 fits in I believe. And I do have a few questions or concerns you owners can answer or point me forward from here on...

Now, these might have been answered a few times in the past but I couldn't locate the thread. If someone can provide the link to the thread pls post it.

I've heard the W212 AMG came with defected Head Bolts and it is an expensive repair to make? This is the only major issue I've come across by googling around. Any other major issues anyone else had dealt with? I came across a few listings on Craigslist and most of the owners mentioned that they haven't had any issue such as head bolts or haven't even heard of it coming up. One even failed to clarify why his AMG holds a rebuilt title. Not sure how common is the head bolts issue is, but that's the only issue I'm trying to avoid and the reason my second option is 2014 BMW 550i. W212 AMG would be my first choice as the price for these two are pretty much the same except the year of make.

I have to throw my W211 to a junkyard for some cash sooner or later so I need to look for one now, ntn to feel bad about I already got the insurance money from the accident lol got more than the car's worth.

Please, any advise or suggestions would be great, even tiny ones. This will be garaged and used for school/personal/family rides as I will use my Camry for commuting at work.

 

I have a 2011 E63 no head bolt issue, love the car. You can look up the series of VIN s that do have the head bolt issue and then make sure you do not purchase one of those by checking the car's VIN. Also several people have had Pano roof problems including me.

 

Now pls guide me how can i check that by VIN. Pan roof issue isn't a deal breaker for me lol I can manage to live with it. I was really hoping for 2012+ AMGs but they run pretty high on price. I'm looking for something around 25k. Because the head bolt issue was only among 6.3L engines, including C63, as far as I can remember reading around and 2012 came with 4.4L TT and they were fine.

Any other problems with 2010-2011 AMGs?

 

2010/2011 are both 6.3l. Only 2011 have the potential to have headbolt and cam issues resolved from factory.

 

 

I have 2011. The head bolt issue mainly resides in the 2010's with some in the early 2011's. I did not have the head bolt issue in my car. I actually have a worse issue at the moment with a rod bearing at 64,000 miles. I posted this in a separate thread.

I also had the pano "pop" issue when I first bought it. I had 1 year left on the factory warranty at the time and the dealer fixed it. Basically they dropped the headliner and re-torqued all of the perimeter mounting bolts. The problem has not returned since, 3 years later.

Depending on what happens with my rod bearing issue, I very well might be moving up to a 2015 e63s ! a $3,000 ecu tune from AMS puts that beast at 700+ Hp and 830 Lb-ft of torque! Woah Baby! lol

Good luck with your search.

 

Yes, I've heard F10 BMWs with N63 or N63tu engines had issues but I heard they were soundly cured at 2013 year that's why I was looking a step further into 2014. All the recalls were from 2011/12 and from '13 I only found 1 or 2 recalls on some models, minimal recalls. Plus, IMO, 5 series with M bumper looks pretty aggressive than Benz E550. Power wise, not much of a diff. Now I'm actually thinking of 2014 E550. I can go for 2010/11 AMG but I know those years were notorious for AMGs with head bolts issue... a turning point. 2012s are out the 30k budget lol

I was going to wait about 2 more years and ride my stanced E350, but they were also plagued with Balance Shaft issue lol so I need to get rid of it. Check engine light had been on for a few months now lol

Maintenance wise, I have a friend who can do it. I usually go there and have him tell me what and how to do so I do my thing while he does his work at his shop. Free for me and I get to learn more. I've been reading forums and recalls/issues...I think on reliability level, E550 is topping 550i. I just don't want to risk it with 2011 AMG.


However, one question. Few listings I've read said it has an extended or some kind of warranty that covers everything, A to Z, till certain amt of miles or date. Those kinds of warranties exist? lol Meaning any little to a major issue, say engine failure lol, must be covered then?

 

 

didn't the n63tu start in 2014 when they upped the power by 45?

 

I also just talked to a friend who works at BMW dealership and said N63-N63tu come with engine related issues and other problems. I don't want to spend 30k and another 20k over 5 years just fixing it to just keep it running. Like E550, I find CLS550 more appealing. Yes, it's a four-seater, but four-seats are perfect. 90% of the time, it'll be just me driving alone for school and weekends. For commuting, I have a Toyota.

I believe E/CLS550 are pretty much same, right? I've found more CLS550s than E550 closer to me. The engine is the same and the interior is pretty much the same as well, but with a different body. Just like BMW 5/6 series. BMW looks like a beast with M-Sport bumper in black, but all the things I hear about its reliability, I must opt out of it.

 

 

I'm trying to find one as newer as I can under 30k budget and + taxes and fees. There is a wide selection of CLS550 available in the local area than E550. I'm in talks with this dude who has salvage title due to front right end small accident. Claim's to have all receipts for repairs and parts ordered from the dealership. He's a start-up dealer. Buying from the auction I believe. Fix and sell.

I've been reading on CLS550. Yes, forums and reviews claim it to be sportier and better handling compared to E. But one thing I hate about almost alllll brands, the interior is exactly the same in every line-up. I also have a C250 and this CLS...major price difference but interior dashboard and infotainment system are the same. I'm heading for the CLS now. FK the bimmer lol

And doesn't the CLS come with air suspension?

 

 

Yea I saw the air struts are about 700 bucks each to replace. Because I was pursuing E55 earlier and the owner said air strut needs to be replaced and will accommodate with the price of the car. But since I already own E350 of the same model I'll be basically buying the same car with just a diff engine and few other perks. So here I am.

Yea I passed on from that one and told him to give me some time to think abt it. It's just hard to spot 550s for sale here with the right price tag. I made an appt with a dealer on Sat here. They carry a clean 2013 cls550. Price seems to be a bit high but according to KBB, it's listed below the market rate lol 26k with 76k miles. But i think it doesn't have the dynamic seats option :/ I wanted that lol I'm offering 24.5-25k max. In my head that still sounds a bit high due to miles. But if I compared to other listings, they're for the same price but 90k miles and specifically looking for black and white will be the last option.