XJR vs E55
 

My supercharged 318ti just isn’t doing it for me as a daily driver, so it will be up for sale soon. To replace it I’m considering another X308 XJR or possibly a W210 E55 AMG, I’m looking for a little comparison between the two, particularly related to the E55. I’ve owned a 2000 XJR, so I’m well aware of the pros/cons associated with it.

XJR Pros: cheap to buy, reliable, power everywhere with the supercharged V8, engine sounds like it’s ingesting a swarm of angry hornets, excellent slushbox (same as E55), beautiful interior materials, very nice build quality, ultra comfy seats, easy to mod for more power (not like it’s needed), easy to fly under the radar, old school styling, great ride for a daily driver, lots of character
XJR Cons: very long body, small rear seat, potential Nikasil issues on the pre-2000 cars, needs the chain tensioners upgraded to be reliable, only 20 MPG on the highway, a bit more body-roll than I’d like (stiffer sways and springs available), old school styling, supercharger adds complexity

Has anyone owned a W210 E55 AMG? Ever compared the two? Here’s what I see as the pros/cons with the E55:

E55 Pros: Milled from a solid block of steel, great looks, known to be bulletproof, a bit quicker than the XJR, more sport focused, excellent build quality, normally aspirated means less stuff to break, I haven’t owned one yet ;), more parts and aftermarket support, slightly better MPG than the XJR (23 MPG highway)
E55 Cons: More expensive to buy, not as “stealth” as the XJR, lacks the instant supercharger torque and cool noises, typical dark and serious German interior, interior materials aren’t quite Jaguar nice, harder ride around town

Before I get the inevitable M5 responses, I’m not buying one. My impression of them after looking at and driving several is that they’re not as well made, not as reliable, and overpriced.

Moses loved his E55. Hopefully he'll chime in.

I think he has one of the newer (W211?) supercharged E55s. Sweet cars, but a bit out of my price range. I would have to make do with the mere 347 HP 5.4L NA version.

I've only ridden in one E55, and I was appalled at the poor build quality. The materials and design were terrible. Come to think of it, they remind me of early 996s.
I think XJRs are much nicer inside (and they look better outside too).

I'm surprised by that Graham, I had a W202 C36 AMG that was very well built, and I've driven a W210 E420 that also seemed very solid. Both were vastly superior to comparable BMWs.

I may not have been clear... It drove fine and was solid, but the interior was crap. For instance, there were lots of worn spots in the upholstery with that shiny plastic look, and it just didn't feel as solid as a Jag or even a BMW.

In my opinion, the only area where the XJRs fall short is in handling and braking. But that's not what they're about anyway... they're a fast, very comfortable, and very good looking way for four people to get around.

Frankly I haven't been impressed in my BMWs either. My Jaguar was VERY nice.

This is so not like you.

Crazy huh?

i liked my jag xjr...but i didnt have the v8 model. have you thought about a C32 AMG?

I got a drive in an e55 2 years ago and thought it was AWESOME. Ride was a bit firm for my taste but got used to it pretty fast.
I've been driving a w210 for 3 years now and just love it... great solid car, easy to work on and parts are cheap.
unrelated, but I drove a C63 AMG the other day... holy %##% !

Go for a supercharged E55...trust me.

I'm interested in spending about $10k, neither of those fit the price range unfortunately.

Actually scratch that, the C32 is cheaper than I thought. Guess I need to do some research on those as well. Any comments on the C32?

they look like a beast. the reason i suggested it, was because ive been looking at them and they're seemingly cheap. in the same realm as nice slk/boxster territory. i did a search on youtube of them....seems to be pretty sweet. i have no first hand experience, though

I had something nagging me on the C32, so I did some reading.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/460643-c32-amg.html

I thought I had looked at those in the past, hence that little nagging voice in the back of my head. I think I'll pass.

what years are you looking at? i think any of the 2000-2006 mercedes' would have issues, especially hard hitting, since they're out of warranty. we used to get e-class cars of that vintage into my shop all of the time for wiring harness issues, fried computers, etc.

i guess it's just a crapshoot.

This.

I love, love, LOVE my E55. It's a 2006. 56,000 trouble free miles of torque filled rage. The fit and finish are great. The leather doesn't show much wear. It's been the best car I've ever owned.

The W210 E55 is 1999 - 2002, the C32 is 2001+ with the older models falling into my price range. The biggest E55 issue that I'm aware of is the transmission computer that will get fried if you spill a drink near the shift lever. There's also the issue of "lifetime" transmission fluid that seems to only last about 50k, but MB changed the official interval to 50k and most cars seem to list a transmission service. Like every German car there's the occasional broken seat motor or other electrical gizmo that goes bad, but no real huge gotchas.

Most of the C32 issues that I've found seem to relate to the cheaper build quality of the W203 as well as some supercharger issues, mostly sensor related. I'm still doing some digging on them, as I do like the cars.

Amazingly enough there's both a C32 and E55 for sale in Wichita, which is freaking amazing. Normally this town is an automotive wasteland. When yesterday's 8" of snow melts I'm going to drive both, hopefully by Friday.

The outlier is a 500E. If I could find one of those somewhat nearby, I'll have a very tough decision to make.

Matt, what do you not like about the 318ti?