Newbie needs advice!

[zanderman]

Morning all!!

As you can probably tell I am new round these parts and am looking for a little advice!

I am in the market for a used, large, pretige and fast car and have been looking at the E55 AMG!

I dont know much about these cars other than they are fast and look great! Am lookin at an 03/04 car with low (ish) miles. Changing a 996 911 C2 which I love but need something a little bigger. Am really sad to let the 911 go as I love it but needs must!!

So I have a few questions if anyone can help!?

- What is the reliability on these like?
- Dont know much about them other than they are fast and look great! Can anyone give me some insider info and what they are like to live with, the handling etc.
- The engine/performance. Can some one give me some stats? (what size/bhp engine etc and how fast!)
- Anything I should be weary of when looking to buy?
- Any other general advice?

I am looking at the BMW M5, Audi A8 4.2, Audi RS4 ans Jag S-Type R.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[stumpy]

Hi Zanderman and welcome. I can relate to your situation. Last year we sold our 996 C4, I own an E39 M5, and I have looked at E55s in the past. I didn't buy an E, partly because the dealer didn't bother to call back regarding my px. But also, I found the car to be a bit dull. Very very fast, too fast in fact, and very comfy, but not exactly fun. (All my opinion of course. I was a bit concerned by the reliability issues too.) To put the speed into perspective, in a straight line, your old 911 would be left for dust.

As for the M5. Which model are you after - 39 or 60? I had an E60 on order untill the test drive. I cancelled the car then. Again, a dull boring drive. Rubbish gearbox and reliability that makes MB look like Lexus. Check out bm3w.co.uk if you don't believe me. Then there is the range. As little as 150 miles on 60 quid of juice. One forum member reckons he spends 50p per mile just on fuel. The E39 is much better I think, that is why this one is my second and a keeper.

Of the cars you listed, my fave is the Audi RS4 (new one, but the avant is so much cooler than the saloon), but to be honest, none of them are going to feel as alive as the 911, but maybe that's what you want.

 

[nick-E55]

I had a new 997 S cab early lastyear, and switched to an E55 last Oct. I have just sold the E55 (see pistonheads. the guy's supposedly picking up next week). A statement of the obvious, but you'll find it a totally different car in every repsect. I'm not selling because it's a bad car, far from it. It's quite hard to fault, except in terms of handling, but then it's wasn't built to handle like a 911, or indeed like an M5. Against that, altho i've not had it long, it has always felt 100% reliable. I would say that if one has to do a lot of long Mway type journeys, you couldn't find a better car. THey look great, relatively discrete and i suspect a tad cheaper to run than an M5. In terms of performance, there's many on this site that have huge technical knowledge, but basically, 476 bhp, 60 in about 4.7, and more impressively 100 in a shade over 10. I would say the brakes are the most impressive element along with the comfort level and spec, and lack of traction, especially in the wet, is the biggest downside.


My wife has an ecalss 320 sport estate which we are both really impressed with, and i also have a toyota landcruiser, which is far more fun than i ever thought it would be. Am gonna do some off raoding and chug around in the it for daily use, till i decide what to replace the E55 with.

I want a car that handles and sounds like the 911, has the comfort, reliability and build quality of the E55, is not an M3 or M5, has 4 half-decent seats, is no bigger in size than a 3 series... etc etc.... Everyone will probably think i'm mad, but am toying with the idea of a new Audi S3.....

cheers,
Nick

 

[daveenty]

Pretty much what Nick says.

Quick, quiet & comfy.

Had a couple of problems fixed under warranty, but apart from that love it. I was torn between the RS6 and the E55 at the time of buying. Glad I decided on the E.
Bad bits? Vague handling and steering (but there again it is a genuine 5 seater saloon car with a large boot) Can't put power down in the wet (again as Nick says).
Good bits? Loads. Still makes me smile. The mid range acceleration (60 - 90ish) is incredible. The noise is good too

Make sure you get one with full MBSH, ideally from a MB dealership with a full warranty.
Just that *if* they go wrong they tend to be expensive to fix

 

[Dave's E55 AMG]

*****dito******