Just picked up a new (to me) grocery getter...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by june82000

After a bit of haggling I got it for $14,250; or about $2,000 less than a new Kia Rio. NADA books it at around $20K but they are selling for less - mostly between $16,500 and NADA price. It's a one owner car, even still had the window sticker included with the documentation. It cost the original owner $87,000 dollars in 2005. I don't know, but he may have paid even more than that since these cars often sold above MSRP. It has seats that massage you while driving for cryin' out loud!

2014 Kia Rio ($15-17K)

Um.... yeah, but the Kia will only need gas/oil/ and filters for a decade (and gets around 30 MPG highway)... good luck getting that out of the E55

[weseeeee]

Congrats, that's a good looking ride. I miss my MB, something about that ride made me enjoy driving just a little more.

[slow&rusty]

Congrats! I own an '06 E55 that I bought when it was just over two years old so have had it now for almost 5 years. The car has been mechanically perfect and still drives, looks and even smells like a new car (now has 51,500 miles). These cars have depreciated quite drastically, so they are the horsepower deal of the century.

Some of the issues that I had replaced all under warranty:
1) Rebuilt the seat pumps and replaced all the lines on the Dynamic Seats - $4,300
2) Replace the Command head unit - $1,800
3) Replaced the wiring harness and actuator for the electronic trunk closure - $2,600
4) Small paint blemish - $1,100

I also had a minor valve cover leak and fixed it at home for less than $75 using Genuine MB gaskets. I do all my own maintenance oil changes, plugs etc at home and also bought the STAR DAS system to communicate with the car for diagnosis and troubleshooting.

If you add the above list up it is a lot of money, but again spread over a 5 year period. At the end of the day these cars were $100,000 brand new, so be prepared to have adequate funds for maintenance on a $100K car not a $15K Kia Rio appliance. I know many people who own these cars and have 150K+ miles on them and drive them everyday, like most Benzes if cared for will last and can be enjoyed.


Enjoy yours!
Yasin

[notfarnow]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

They are fun cars! If you fill up and smell gas afterwards, park the car and check the fuel pumps. They have a tendency to leak at the top and sometimes the wiring harness will have a burn on it as well. You can get rebuilt Airmatic shocks from Arnott Industries.

Arnott also sells a coilover conversion kit that is worth considering. If/when I start having airmatic issues on my w211 e500, that's the route I'm going to take

[HHI944]

Arnott reman air struts rock! I rode in an xj with their coil over conversion and it left a lot to be desired. Replacement is a bit tricky if you don't have the computer crap to reset ride height parameters, but not complex, just a bunch of back and forth.