Hey everybody! I have been on a quest for a new Merc. Read post "selling the Grand National" I was first looking at a C36, C43 or a C32. I have used my "Touchshift" and changed gears.....I am now tossing up a 1992 500E or a 2000 E55. The 500E is $30,000 Canadian ($23,000 American?) with 127,000 Km's on it. I can purchase it for $1,200 a month and own it after 3 years. The E55 is around $60,000 and I can lease it for $1,200 for 3 years with a $24,000 buyout. Both are close when it comes to tax advantages for my business but that isn't the issue. I can't lose with either way because I have read every post on each car and their review. Anything else I should know before considering? I want a car that is close in power to my Grand National but with the refinement of the Merc. This is why I was looking into the C 32. At 127,000 (one owner) kms (65,000 miles?), what do I need to look out for on the 500E? The E55 will still have warranty. Tough call One a collectable and rare Car that is a bullet on the highway (almost untouchable) and the other a new technology, refined, and modern (AMG to boot) car. Thoughts, opinions please...

Shaun

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1992 Pearl Black 500E (08/91) SOLD
1997 White C36 AMG (T-Boned by Chevy truck)
2003 Silver C32 AMG (lease due, traded up)
2002 Pontiac Montana VisionSOLD
2007 Volvo XC90 3.2
2005 E55 AMG (newest ride)

You should have bid on the E60 renntech on ebay if you can write it off for your business.

If you want a refined car go with the w124 500E. I think it is the best built out of your choices. I would try to get a more late model one. 1994 1995 e500 would be nice. Something with low miles or just had a lot of recient work done to it.

Id pick the 500e/e500.

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

omegabenz. Thanks for the reply. Are you saying the E55 isn't as refined as the 500E Do you mean as performance orientated? This is my thinking. Is the slight performance gain and reliabilty (newer) of the E55 (AMG/Mercedes connection)worth a three year lease and buyout vs. the 500E (Porsche/Mercedes connection) owning it after 3 years and possible "used car" problems (please chime in if you are aware of any with 92 model). I have driven the 500E and will test a 2000 E55 this week.

The one for sale is a 1992.

Cheers!

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1992 Pearl Black 500E (08/91) SOLD
1997 White C36 AMG (T-Boned by Chevy truck)
2003 Silver C32 AMG (lease due, traded up)
2002 Pontiac Montana VisionSOLD
2007 Volvo XC90 3.2
2005 E55 AMG (newest ride)

1992 500e see what the build date is. I hear from some members the brembo aluminum calipers are noisey.

Its always best to buy the most late model you can afford because they have all the updates, thats why I suggested the 1994 1995.

Watch out for timing cover reseal, overheating, I think the throttle body is expensive because the connector for the asr is there and it always screws up if it gets too hot.

I dont own either one...but I remember what I hear, unless its a demand or a gf saying it.

I think the w124 is built better than the W210. late model 210 e55 would be nice, they drive well I hear.

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

Thanks again omegabenz I think I am leaning towards the 2000 E55. You never know......

Shaun

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1992 Pearl Black 500E (08/91) SOLD
1997 White C36 AMG (T-Boned by Chevy truck)
2003 Silver C32 AMG (lease due, traded up)
2002 Pontiac Montana VisionSOLD
2007 Volvo XC90 3.2
2005 E55 AMG (newest ride)

Shaun, a couple questions:

1. Will this be a daily driver?
2. How long are you planning on keeping the car?

el presidente. Preseidente was the beer of choice when I was in the Dominican Republic in January. Sorry, I just love beer To answer your questions, yes it will be my daily driver and I will keep it the 3 years of the lease. I am definately leaning towards the E55 now. Depending on how things go, I may buy out the car for $24,000 and put a Kleemann supercharger on it or just buy a used 2004 E55.

Shaun

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1992 Pearl Black 500E (08/91) SOLD
1997 White C36 AMG (T-Boned by Chevy truck)
2003 Silver C32 AMG (lease due, traded up)
2002 Pontiac Montana VisionSOLD
2007 Volvo XC90 3.2
2005 E55 AMG (newest ride)

Shaun,

Beer = Necessary life supplement IMHO

The only consideration I would have for using the E55 as a daily driver would be your local road conditions and/or how much snow you'll have to deal with. The 18" wheels on the E55 will likely get more punished on potholes, etc. than the 16" 8-holes that come stock on the 500E.

The cheapest used 2003 E55 AMG I could locate is $89,900 and I couldn't even locate a used 2004 E55. You could lease a 2003 E55 for $1200 a month though. I think that would be a much better than leasing a 2000 model E55 for the same price.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I have the original aluminum Brembo (Bootsy Bembos per the Doc) front calipers on my early build 92 500. I have been running stock pads, and the last 1000 miles, the calipers/brake system started to talk. They speak in some low-frequency tounge that comes in around 40 mph. Tap the brakes, and they stop talking.

I just changed the pads to the EBC REDs, and now, no more back talk from the Brembos.

I'm hard on my brakes ... performance is okay ... little fading with the stock pads; don't know about the REDs yet, but so far, I like them ... little brake dust!!!!

Eventually, I will be changing the calipers ... SL500, SL600, or aftermarket.

Hope this helps ...

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

I too had "talking" on my 92 500E Brembos. EBC reds and new rotors solved the problem.

I have driven both my parent's 2001 E55 and my own 500E every day. While both are "INCREDIBLE", I do have a slight preference for the "weighty more solid feel" and inherent "characteristics" of the 500E. Parts consumption is obviously higher on a 10 year old car than on a 1-3 year old car.

Perhaps because I drive the 500 everyday and obviously a little harder, I am more at home with the 500E. However, actual go, I can't help concede that I believe the E55 to be faster, better handling (albeit my experiences are a relatively low speeds in the E55, but the E55 seems to have higher limits...while the 500E seems to be more forgiving/predictable at the limits) the E55 still has a warranty (important factor), and lends itself more readily to supercharging (more power).

My Dad has a supercharged suburban and a supercharged C-5 and blowers are the way to go. Excellent reliability, no voiding of the warranties, No adverse affects to gas mileage (unless your foot is really "in it") etc. I can only imagine the E55 with a blower.

My emotions belong to the 500, fit, finish, history, nastalgia, fun factor with the tail end out and your hair on fire, etc., but my heartbeat jumps at a supercharged (pre-2003/4) E55.

I just haven't warmed up to the new (2003/4?) E55. The lighter, more powerful, unrestrained (potentially supercharged) 1999 to 2002? E55 would to me be a much better car than the new factory supercharged version. But then I haven't driven the new one either, and time hasn't had its turn with the E55 either.

Best of Luck, you cannot go wrong with either one.

Dwight

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dwight

It is common knowledge that the 500Es wiring harnesses and a/c blowers go, among other annoying parts... But the 500E is amazingly solid and well put together, perhaps better than a newer E55.

The E55 would seem the better fit in terms of the warranty, technology and creature comforts without the FU, look at my bulging fenders. Faster too, but not by much.

Tough decision for sure... but as said before...you probably can't go wrong or be unhappy with either one.

I also was looking at C36s and C43s a few years back and then decided on the 500E. The E55s were still way high in price at the time and besides the big AMG rims, the looks didn't really move me like the 500E did.

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Jim

1992 500E
2007 CLK63
2003 Audi RS6
2001 Audi allroad

I got a 1992 500E. I love it and it cost much less than a C36, C43, and E55.

Shaun