Is there an affordable AMG?
Is there an affordable AMG?
Author
Discussion

HiHoSilverSLK

Original Poster:

354 posts

193 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
You know how it is with stuff.

You want it and and can't wait to get it, then five minutes after you've got it you want something bigger, faster and more exciting.

I am, in fact, talking about cars here and not sexual partners.

I like my car. However, recently, every-time I get behind something with "AMG" on it's arse I get like a dog when there's a bh, sorrry, "Lady Doggie" in season in next doors garden, panting, drooling, barking and whining (no big red erection though).

So, that set me thinking, is there a reasonably priced way into owning and driving every day an AMG, hand fettled, decent performance car?

Nothing considered that does 12 M.P.G.and nothing that can't out-whizz my SLK350 and nothing brand new that costs a gazzillion quid - affordable, like I said.

Your whizz-dom will be appreciated.


Phooey

13,796 posts

198 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
No


They cost a lot to feed. Great fun though smokin

SLacKer

2,622 posts

236 months

Tuesday 12th June 2012
quotequote all
Slk32, C55, CLK55

All good, not to bad on the fuel.

Sir Snaz

571 posts

215 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
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I recently (3mths ago) bought an 04 (53plate) W209 CLK 55AMG coupe as a run around ....full history, all big jobs done (including tourque converter), new rears, 59k miles....and pretty much immaculate (appart from the few odd stone chips)...£9k .....lovely V8 grunt!! ...stupid amount of car for the money smile

SFO

5,180 posts

212 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
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drive an AMG, you will want one, and then buy one, sooner or later.

wotnot

383 posts

203 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
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My 02 plate C32 estate, which I've owned for three years now, is a ridiculously practical everyday car, having taken me and the family all over the country, acted as support car for various cycle races and is even used for runs to the tip. When it's not doing all those various jobs it's making me giggle like a school girl with its amazing acceleration and its performance as a top 'sleeper'.
I cover around 9,000 miles a year in it and, apart from an average of 22mpg, it isn't excessively expensive to run. (Wouldn't try it on a shoestring, mind).
It cost less than 10 grand to buy and is now worth probably around 7.
Performance for pound, it doesn't get much better than this.

sim16v

2,177 posts

230 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
I'd say they are affordable, but find a decent, trusted specialist.

A lot of AMGs are parts bin specials, with the special bits in the smaller cars coming from the top of the range normal models.

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

265 months

Wednesday 13th June 2012
quotequote all
Cheap is such a dreadful term when applied to such wonderful machines .
The trouble is , unlike some performance cars , they can stand neglect for a length of time , and as the cars get older and less valuable , certain people buy them hoping for all the enjoyment without the responsibility of upkeep .
Having said that , my father in law has an SLS which he bought new in 2010 . The first year service was under £300 , and the computer says it`s doing 22.7mpg . Positively good value I think .

lombardo8

105 posts

175 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
mickyveloce said:
Cheap is such a dreadful term when applied to such wonderful machines .
The trouble is , unlike some performance cars , they can stand neglect for a length of time , and as the cars get older and less valuable , certain people buy them hoping for all the enjoyment without the responsibility of upkeep .
Having said that , my father in law has an SLS which he bought new in 2010 . The first year service was under £300 , and the computer says it`s doing 22.7mpg . Positively good value I think .
Worst "My wife's father is rich" post ever!biggrin

sim16v

2,177 posts

230 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
lombardo8 said:
mickyveloce said:
Cheap is such a dreadful term when applied to such wonderful machines .
The trouble is , unlike some performance cars , they can stand neglect for a length of time , and as the cars get older and less valuable , certain people buy them hoping for all the enjoyment without the responsibility of upkeep .
Having said that , my father in law has an SLS which he bought new in 2010 . The first year service was under £300 , and the computer says it`s doing 22.7mpg . Positively good value I think .
Worst "My wife's father is rich" post ever!biggrin
I actually think that is expensive.

If i'd just spent £130k plus on a car, i'd have expected free servicing for a couple of years!

kevinpsw

147 posts

227 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
Affordable depends on who you are.

Think of it in another way. Assuming my projections on maintenance costs are reasonably accurate, driving a CLS 63 for 6000 per year will cost a little less than £1 a mile over 4 years (33p petrol and the remainder is insurance, tax, maintenance and depreciation). Driving a new decent spec Mondeo the same number of miles over the same period would cost a little more than £1 a mile (admittedly less if mileage was much higher).

So, unless you are a youngster with horrendous insurance costs, a W219 CLS63 can be more affordable than a Mondeo. Anyway, that was my excuse for buying it!

rubystone

11,254 posts

288 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
My CLK 63 AMG will do 26 mpg. For the sake of balance, it will also do 9 mpg. OK, to be honest, it probably sees closer to the 9 than the 25, but a decent average is 20 mpg.

I think it might eke out a bit more if I didn't use it in "manual" mode as often as I do...but the noise, oh the noise...is worth the extra fuel cost.

I should also add that it only runs on 98 RON, whereas my trusty old C43s ran on 95 quite happily.

Mine is also debadged on the rear, which makes for fun too...

AdYa

804 posts

202 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
rubystone said:
My CLK 63 AMG will do 26 mpg. For the sake of balance, it will also do 9 mpg. OK, to be honest, it probably sees closer to the 9 than the 25, but a decent average is 20 mpg.

I think it might eke out a bit more if I didn't use it in "manual" mode as often as I do...but the noise, oh the noise...is worth the extra fuel cost.

I should also add that it only runs on 98 RON, whereas my trusty old C43s ran on 95 quite happily.

Mine is also debadged on the rear, which makes for fun too...
What happens if you run it on 95 RON?

rubystone

11,254 posts

288 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
AdYa said:
What happens if you run it on 95 RON?
Perhaps it might hole a piston. Or even worse, perhaps it wouldn't make a sound like the hordes escaping from Hades?

Seriously though, Mercedes state that it must run on 98 RON minimum. Who am I to dispute that?

NorthernBoy

12,642 posts

286 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
Well, you don't say what cheap means, but you can have my SLK 55 for £16k.

HiHoSilverSLK

Original Poster:

354 posts

193 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
I'd like an SLK55 more than I'd like a larger penis, and have given the possibility of aquireing one some serious and pronged consideration. My sensible side holds me back on the basis of fuel and servicing costs. Maybe. Some-when. Perhaps.

Phooey

13,796 posts

198 months

Monday 18th June 2012
quotequote all
HiHoSilverSLK said:
I'd like an SLK55 more than I'd like a larger penis, and have given the possibility of aquireing one some serious and pronged consideration
Me too. I just can't stand needles and blood smile

UltimaCH

3,181 posts

218 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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I'm happy with a C43 and will be happier when I get a 55 N/A engine swap installed. With secondary cats and resonator deleted, it sounds like what it should have sounded when leaving the factory

Edited by UltimaCH on Monday 18th June 15:44

ipd57

112 posts

185 months

Monday 18th June 2012
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In answer to the original question, I think yes. I recently acquired an SLK55 for my wife. Full service history, big one done as part of the deal incl. spark plugs, repaint front end and sills for stone chips and has done only 25k miles. Runs like a dream ! Looks great and we are having great weekend fun going out just for a drive. Road tax is only 245 or so and it is getting 25-27 mpg. All in I wouLd call it a good deal for the level of vehicle we are talking about.

Oh, and did I mention the noise" even has the wife converted.........that Fiesta she wanted is just a distant memory.

benzito

1,060 posts

188 months

Thursday 21st June 2012
quotequote all
Another way to answer the thread question is to consider the following:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

incredible car, cost new probably 80-100k. price now 4k-ish with a bit of haggling.

Problem: could easily cost more than 4k to maintain per year!