thinkbenz

Been browsing the threads and figured I'd make my own post.

Considering a S212 E63s wagon, MY 2014.
VIN decoders say release date was 3/11/2014 (i imagine thats the same as 'build date'?).
High kms though. 150k kms = 93k miles. Its saving grace is good maintenance history.

Owner #1 had it for 9 years, and exclusively dealer serviced it. It looks like oil changes were around every 10k kms, if not sooner. There was one ECU reprogramming, but thats common to fix known issues I imagine / technical bulletins.
Owner #2 had it for 1 year and took care of plugs, coils, engine oil filter seals/gaskets, coolant lines, service drive belt/pulleys, front suspension.
Friends of mine (its out of state) drove the car and inspected it, looks mint. No odd sounds or rattles.
An MB service advisor at my local dealership looked it up and also said he was impressed with the maintenance history and didn't see any flags on the ecu/computer. Just recommended a PPI.

Next step would be to schedule a PPI from an recommended indy shop with AMG experience. Will be focusing on leaks, cam position sensor leak spot along harness+ECU, rear air suspension, bushings, and ofc brakes / tire wear.
Would a borescope be recommended as well? Or an electronic compression test? or both? or neither?

Soooooooooooooooo, do I keep going? Or run away?

I can afford the maintenance/upkeep. Just not sure if I'm inheriting a ticking time bomb or not.

cotmfk

You never know. "The algorithm" is showing me tons of higher mileage AMGs lately. I'm seeing cars with near 200k miles or over for sale (granted, they are all older than 2014). These M157s haven't really had enough time to get to those levels yet, IMO. Yes, there was the one for sale with 2xxk miles a few months ago (a year ago?), but that one had a replacement motor somewhere in there. I think the maintenance is key. I would definitely do the PPI (including compression/leakdown) and go from there. Just make sure to have some money in savings just in case, but best of luck!

thinkbenz

thanks! how has your experience been? how many miles now?

bv9900

high mileage?
I would say that per km, it could still do more than double before showing serious problems.
Don't expect a car that is cheap to maintain.
If the compression test is okay, it is a good indicator.
turbo clearance, leaks, coolant color, trapeze clearances, engine silentbloks....

thinkbenz

maybe stuff is getting lost in translation: what do you mean by trapeze clearances and silentblocks?
engine mounts?

bv9900

Right, these are things you haven't mentioned.
I would add them to the check.
maybe it was obvious and you already checked

PeterUbers

Consider this if you haven't already:

https://mbworld.org/forums/w212-amg/...2-amg-e63.html

in this sticky in the first section:

PeterUbers

how long do you want to own this? How will you drive it and how often?

if you can afford a scope and compression test - heck yes. Based on your risk aversion alone, heck yes. Read up on cylinder scuffing etc in the sticky. Bent rods are probably common even in the best and highly maintained non tuned m157s so consider that.

Oil solenoid plug leaks too like the magnets and cps.

Are you ok with a $6000-25,000 bill(s) in the next four years of ownership in the worst case? If not, pass on this car.

chassis

Ticking time bomb like all MB 8- and 4- cylinders.

Avoid. Or set aside $15k-$20k for “whatever comes up”.

cotmfk

I'm currently up to 72k, had it since 35k miles. I am still super happy with the car. I am ECU/TCU tuned, so I have been doing the sparks every 20k miles or so. I had all fluids changed out when I first bought the car. I am doing as much as I can maintenance-wise so that it will last, as I think this will be my last shot at a V8. I am also buying from FCPEuro when I can, due to their lifetime parts guarantee (i.e., I shouldn't have to pay for brake rotors anymore). Repairs: I had a nearly $3k repair bill due to a surprise pothole in Northern Virginia that was awful ($600 for a new wheel, as one was bent/cracked, plus the rest in suspension work), and then had a coolant tank leak. Otherwise, it has been really solid. I list the pothole issue to be transparent, but I don't really regard that as "the car's fault."

thinkbenz

ideally own it for 3-5 years. it'll be a daily, usually running around town doing errands. not a lot of highway driving.
25k over 4 years isn't that bad. 6k i wouldn't even think twice about it.
thanks for the sticky recommendation. doing a lot of reading.

PeterUbers

think of it this way - you're getting the $130k car for a small fraction of new msrp ... so I would agree that if you don't mind $25k and some downtime (you have a second car while it's down) then it's a fun car but it'll be needy as a daily driver over 90,000 miles. Amg's don't like daily driving and errand driving - they need to be opened up and revved on the highway routinely. It's like a thing. It keeps everything healthier and the engine gets a chance to get up to temp. Errand driving won't often let the engine get up to temp.

there is one thing: when it it working well, this car is a fricken awesome pistol of a car and very few vehicles can generate the same feeling that this one does. Period amen.

Cammer88

I have a 155km on my 2012 CLS63, tuned for 40km of that. Aside from regular maintenance, I've had to replace the following:

- Cam magnets (weeping)
- Cam sensors (weeping) - Added the pig tail harnesses
- Coolant line off the water pump

My thermostat is stuck open (happened within the last 3500km). I plan on replacing it, along with the water pump and the coolant lines to the driver side turbo.

thinkbenz

Are you DIY-ing this yourself?
​​​​​​Did stuff break for those three items you listed? Or you dealt with them preemptively?
​​​​​Canada?

Cammer88

I did the stuff myself, they were weeping and technically didn't need to be done. The coolant line off the water pump was slightly nudged and it cracked (super brittle) which is why I plan on doing the coolant lines to the turbo, its only a matter of time..

I'm having an independent shop do the water pump, thermostat and coolant lines.. just don't have the time.

I'm in BC, Canada.

thinkbenz

Will DM you if that's ok?

Baltistyle

The most important item for this engine was mentioned by Peter. The only thing you can not DIY or replace for a reasonable price is the cylinder walls. YOU MUST have this checked before purchase. Its the only negative of the car in my very honest opinion. Even if your harness is wet, it can be cleaned, all sensors can be replaced, clutch packs in trans replaced, everything but the laser thin cylinder liners can be replaced for a reasonable price. Even all plastic getting replaced is nothing in comparison to an engine rebuild.

One thing a high mileage car would benefit from is a carbon cleaning, which can best be accomplished DIY for a few hundred dollars vs paying ten times that at a shop.

The engines can be upgraded and rebuilt but thats going to cost 30k minimum all said and done.

Start with the right car, dont get one thats had any modifications of any sort, and keep it basically stock if the cylinders are in good shape. 4matic cars can produce enough power to start bending metal, inside and outside the engine. Stock is more than enough especially with P30 or as an S model.

Good Luck in finding the right car, they are out there, just concentrate on the right things when you look and compare.

thinkbenz

thanks! i agree! the only reason i was even considerin these many miles/kms was b/c it was (a) dealer maintained by owner #1 (b) forthcoming owner #2 and (c) not tuned.
if i go with this, i'll def. likely do boroscope/compression/leak test.

AMG__POWER

Did you end up buying it? I purchased a 2014 mb dealer car as well with 92k miles at a steal. They scoped it for me etc and it was clean as a whistle