211 E55 - Thoughts?
 

Hi All -

I have an acquaintance that is looking into purchasing a 2005 or 2006 E55 AMG. In searching the archives I find lots of discussion on just how bad & problematic are the 211 chassis, but surprisingly few specifics. The actual 211owners seem reasonably well satisfied with them.

So - What actually does go wrong with a mid-vintage 211? Assuming no warranty, how much per annum is reasonable to maintain and repair the car. He intends to use it as a fair weather toy, so mileage will be low, maybe 5K/year.

And are there any specific concerns with the supercharged AMG motor, driveline, brakes, etc?

Thanks,

- JimY

I have had a great time with my E500, but do live in fear of something breaking.

I believe the E55s have an airmatic suspension, as does mine, which can be problematic. The electronic brakes are known as well, but MB warrantied them for 10 years because of it. I have yet to have an issue with either of them.

The only issue I've seen first hand with that motor is the supercharger getting hot and kicking itself off in a friend's CL55. Then the car becomes a dog. Anything AMG specific, such as the brakes and motor components, is going to hurt.

Is there any reason he's wanting to go E55 over E63? Supposedly they are much better motors, and the electronic brakes were eliminated. Quality ratings for MB went up quite a bit starting around then as well, and the styling upgrades were fantastic. Both would kill just about anything at a stoplight, though.

Yeah, everyone is scared of the brakes, but nobody seems to actually have any problems with the electro-magic braking system. Besides, it's under extended warranty.

Regarding E55 vs E63, it's a price thing. Here in Dallas we are seeing nice 2005 E55s in the very low 30s. Don't see so many E63 cars, but a quick look at ebay shows them just a hair below 50. It's a whole lot more money.

I've driven the E55 years ago, but not an E63. I'd have to try both to say which I like better, but the big torque curve on the supercharged engine is appealing. My friend at the local MB dealer says the E55 is a lot stronger from idle to 5000RPM, but the E63 pulls harder at high RPM. So the E63 posts better numbers, but the E55 is quicker and more useful in everyday driving. Pick your poison, I guess.

Because accelerating at WOT is part of every-day driving? :confused:

You'll find that many of the people that speak out so strongly against these cars have never been in the driver's seat of one. The only 2 things I've seen happen to other vehicles is an airmatic shock crap out (S500) and the supercharger issue (CL55) I described. I'm not sure if its a common one though, but is was a costly repair.

So far my car has run me $600 in maintenance and repairs in 6 months of ownership. That's all so far (knock on wood). :o

All of the people that I know with W211 AMGs say they are pretty good/reliable cars.


They do say that AMG parts are more expensive than standard MBZ parts, but still reasonable in that they are "high performance" parts.


I do know one person thats shredded 3-4 transmissions in his E55.... But he does drive like a maniac.