Mercedes E-Class AMG: Market Watch
With the next-gen E63 looming PH takes a look back at the market for its predecessors
Monstrously fast yet prestigious and practical, both the saloons and estates offer genuinely astonishing performance, nearly all built around various forms of highly-tuned, hand-finished V8 powerplants. The capacity and induction has changed over the years though, with both supercharging and turbocharging employed - alongside normal aspiration - to enable AMG to wring every last horse out of their motors. And that has led to sky-high price tags, not to mention running costs to test the most optimistic man maths calculations.
But that wonder of the used car market - depreciation - has ensure that a few years down the line almost all of Mercedes mighty AMG E-Classes can be bought for just a fraction of their initial cost. So whether it's a boxy W210, a svelte W211 or a cutting edge W212 that most takes your fancy there's a charismatic AMG E-Class out there to suit almost all budgets.
But which - if any - are appreciating in value? Which make the best buys at the moment? And which AMG E-Classes are most likely to become future classics?
Introduction
Mercedes Benz W210 E55 AMG (1996-2002)
Mercedes Benz W211 E55 AMG (2003-2009)
Mercedes Benz W212 E63 AMG(2009-)
Many thanks to Simon Thomas, Prestige Car Service, CKS Performance Ltd, Cliff Mealing, Steve Perrett, Mercedes-Benz World (0870 400 4000), Autoclass MK, the Mercedes Benz Owners forum and the MB Club for their help with this feature
Photos: Tom Begley
Expect to have to fix oil leaks, the gaskets and o-rings on these engines are pretty old now. The traction control is pretty basic and cuts power a bit too much when it kicks in.
Mine has rusty wings and for some reason, someone did a bad job of fitting an aftermarket sunroof at some point in its life which no longer works
But very comfy, refined and comically quick for the money and with 2 of the 4 cats removed it sounds fantastic.
Do it!
The USA is obsessed with hp, so a very high percent of E55's are modded. Also, people drive everywhere and don't blink at 200 mile road trips every other weekend. So again, mileage on average is about 15-20k a year vs. the U.K. 10k. Where I'm going with this is that reliability is a big factor. My research suggests the 5.5 engine blocks (210/211) and transmissions are pretty solid with not many problems reported. Nearly all issues are ancillaries and electrical gremlins.
I'm leaning towards a w211 e63. It being end of model life I believe reliability should be better and it also benefits from the newer mct gearbox (something the article doesn't mention). They are about 15% more than e55's but owners reporting running costs around 30% less. Now all I have to do is find one with sensible miles!
Having compared it to the E63, yes the E63 sounds better and goes much quicker from the off. However, in gear, there's not a lot in it as the 350 has a huge amount of Torque.
I'm more than happy with mine, and can get 50 mpg.
However, if I had an oil well at the bottom of my garden I'd get the E63.
I use my w211 e55 as a daily and it's absolutely perfect as an all rounder.
Nobody bats an eyelid until you floor the throttle and unleash the beast!
Now considering a w212 e63 but just not sure it looks as good - so will probably stick with the 55 for a while longer!
If the wife falls pregnant for a third time this will be my excuse for a '63 7 seater!
http://www.mfatw.com/Pics/2014Surgery/Day6/RustPil...
http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff