Discussion
J4CKO said:
TheAngryDog said:
I am quite happy with the standard audio. Radio reception isn't always the best but neither was it in my M5.
I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
Whats it already had done, those engines seem to be nigh on unburstable, and very tuneable, I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
I am sorry I bottled out of getting one now, I do think that as AMG are dropping V8's they may start to be a little more appreciated over time, weird how they are actually quite cheap yet a 190 2.5 is mega money, same with E500s or is it 500E's these are probably a lot better than either if we are honest. That said, looking in March, a lot are still for sale that I was looking at.
Would love to try one, and see what its like compared to my CLS 500, as I still find that quick, and it "only" has 388 bhp, surely with 522 it must be as quick as you ever need ?
I have the dyno graph of my E55, I'll upload it shortly.
TheAngryDog said:
J4CKO said:
TheAngryDog said:
I am quite happy with the standard audio. Radio reception isn't always the best but neither was it in my M5.
I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
Whats it already had done, those engines seem to be nigh on unburstable, and very tuneable, I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
I am sorry I bottled out of getting one now, I do think that as AMG are dropping V8's they may start to be a little more appreciated over time, weird how they are actually quite cheap yet a 190 2.5 is mega money, same with E500s or is it 500E's these are probably a lot better than either if we are honest. That said, looking in March, a lot are still for sale that I was looking at.
Would love to try one, and see what its like compared to my CLS 500, as I still find that quick, and it "only" has 388 bhp, surely with 522 it must be as quick as you ever need ?
I have the dyno graph of my E55, I'll upload it shortly.
ZX10R NIN said:
TheAngryDog said:
J4CKO said:
TheAngryDog said:
I am quite happy with the standard audio. Radio reception isn't always the best but neither was it in my M5.
I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
Whats it already had done, those engines seem to be nigh on unburstable, and very tuneable, I had it dyno'd at MSL on Saturday, it made 444bhp and 534lbft to the wheels. This equates to 522bhp and 630lbft at the fly. The IATs were too high, they reckon it should be between 530 and 560bhp to the fly. Its had a Bosch pump apparently so I am going to fit a new larger heat exchanger.
I'm going to lower it and then that's about it. The miles are too high on it to tune it further and to get over 600bhp will end up costing around another £2500, and I don't think it is worth it, especially as I plan on getting an E63 BiTurbo or F10 M5 next.
I am sorry I bottled out of getting one now, I do think that as AMG are dropping V8's they may start to be a little more appreciated over time, weird how they are actually quite cheap yet a 190 2.5 is mega money, same with E500s or is it 500E's these are probably a lot better than either if we are honest. That said, looking in March, a lot are still for sale that I was looking at.
Would love to try one, and see what its like compared to my CLS 500, as I still find that quick, and it "only" has 388 bhp, surely with 522 it must be as quick as you ever need ?
I have the dyno graph of my E55, I'll upload it shortly.
I just have to wait, no hardship as the CLS is actually a really good car that is fast enough for me really but it remains an unscratched itch, however with the best of a grand in Uni accommodation per month and an extension to do, might be a little while.
Interesting video on YT about a 400k mile E55, that made near as makes no difference, factory power, these engines are something else, never heard of one having serious issues. Any feedback on the reliability of the 5.5 Biturbo engines ?
Interesting video on YT about a 400k mile E55, that made near as makes no difference, factory power, these engines are something else, never heard of one having serious issues. Any feedback on the reliability of the 5.5 Biturbo engines ?
J4CKO said:
I just have to wait, no hardship as the CLS is actually a really good car that is fast enough for me really but it remains an unscratched itch, however with the best of a grand in Uni accommodation per month and an extension to do, might be a little while.
Interesting video on YT about a 400k mile E55, that made near as makes no difference, factory power, these engines are something else, never heard of one having serious issues. Any feedback on the reliability of the 5.5 Biturbo engines ?
Some of the M133k engines have suffered with high oil usage, but that is down to a lot of factors I think. A few have gone pop as well, but again I think that is down to several factors. Mine appears to use no oil at all, which is nice considering my M5 used enough oil to keep the industry going Interesting video on YT about a 400k mile E55, that made near as makes no difference, factory power, these engines are something else, never heard of one having serious issues. Any feedback on the reliability of the 5.5 Biturbo engines ?
WRT the 5.5 BiTurbo engine, I think these are pretty good. I know of one running around 830bhp thanks to Weistec turbo's etc.
Edited by TheAngryDog on Thursday 28th September 13:00
Car is booked in to have new engine and gearbox mounts fitted.
While in the air I am going to get the gearbox leak that it has developed looked at as well.
I have bought some sport pedals, AMG door pins and a finned rear diffuser that I need to paint and fit.
I have looked at lowering the car using the lowering links I have and the fronts are easy, but the rear link is above the diff, this is not going to be that easy to get at.
I also still want more power LOL.
While in the air I am going to get the gearbox leak that it has developed looked at as well.
I have bought some sport pedals, AMG door pins and a finned rear diffuser that I need to paint and fit.
I have looked at lowering the car using the lowering links I have and the fronts are easy, but the rear link is above the diff, this is not going to be that easy to get at.
I also still want more power LOL.
TheAngryDog said:
I also still want more power LOL.
Do what I am doing, drive Citroen C1 for a bit ! then it will feel fastMine is going on Saturday it looks like, going to do a while in the little Citroen, need the space whilst we have our building work done so 1 less big car is a bonus. To be honest it is too big for what I do, am thinking a Golf GTI next, I dont need any faster than that, even in mine I was finding I was doing illegal speeds so a mapped biturbo, not sure I could trust myself.
I loved having an auto but for press on driving they arent great, but may try a DSG.
Migth go back to a big Merc one day though, its been enjoyable.
J4CKO said:
Do what I am doing, drive Citroen C1 for a bit ! then it will feel fast
Mine is going on Saturday it looks like, going to do a while in the little Citroen, need the space whilst we have our building work done so 1 less big car is a bonus. To be honest it is too big for what I do, am thinking a Golf GTI next, I dont need any faster than that, even in mine I was finding I was doing illegal speeds so a mapped biturbo, not sure I could trust myself.
I loved having an auto but for press on driving they arent great, but may try a DSG.
Migth go back to a big Merc one day though, its been enjoyable.
I had a CLS 500 up until 2 years ago and am taking delivery of a new GTI in November. I agree that it is easy to be doing license losing speeds in the CLS. My GTI will be DSG, my wife has the DSG in a diesel Golf and isn't that keen so far, but it has only been a few weeks. I quite like it.Mine is going on Saturday it looks like, going to do a while in the little Citroen, need the space whilst we have our building work done so 1 less big car is a bonus. To be honest it is too big for what I do, am thinking a Golf GTI next, I dont need any faster than that, even in mine I was finding I was doing illegal speeds so a mapped biturbo, not sure I could trust myself.
I loved having an auto but for press on driving they arent great, but may try a DSG.
Migth go back to a big Merc one day though, its been enjoyable.
R6VED said:
J4CKO said:
Do what I am doing, drive Citroen C1 for a bit ! then it will feel fast
Mine is going on Saturday it looks like, going to do a while in the little Citroen, need the space whilst we have our building work done so 1 less big car is a bonus. To be honest it is too big for what I do, am thinking a Golf GTI next, I dont need any faster than that, even in mine I was finding I was doing illegal speeds so a mapped biturbo, not sure I could trust myself.
I loved having an auto but for press on driving they arent great, but may try a DSG.
Migth go back to a big Merc one day though, its been enjoyable.
ars ago and am taking delivery of a new GTI in November. I agree that it is easy to be doing license losing speeds in the CLS. My GTI will be DSG, my wife has the DSG in a diesel Golf and isn't that keen so far, but it has only been a few weeks. I quite like it.Mine is going on Saturday it looks like, going to do a while in the little Citroen, need the space whilst we have our building work done so 1 less big car is a bonus. To be honest it is too big for what I do, am thinking a Golf GTI next, I dont need any faster than that, even in mine I was finding I was doing illegal speeds so a mapped biturbo, not sure I could trust myself.
I loved having an auto but for press on driving they arent great, but may try a DSG.
Migth go back to a big Merc one day though, its been enjoyable.
An update on the car since I have now had it for about 7 months.
Power:
What can I say about it? Well the power and performance is addictive. It is fast, very fast. In a straight line. I don't think much would hang with it due to the way the power is delivered. Just tickling the throttle results in quick acceleration. 30-70mph happens in no time at all. It sounds good as well, especially when just lightly accelerating rather than foot to the floor. The engine is real masterpiece and feels bulletproof. I could throw the kitchen sink at it and would take it without fuss that belies its 139k miles. The low point for me is th gearbox. I know it is strong, but it is an automatic, and saps the fun out of it when making progress. I have tried using the manual shift buttons but they aren't the same as changing down when slowing and using the engine breaking. When pressing on in a straight line the gear changes are ok, but around town in normal driving the changes are slow. It breaks traction very easily and would benefit from an LSD. Why Mercedes do not fit LSD's as standard to the AMG range is baffling.
The handling:
Or lack of. Throwing the car into a corner does not instill me with too much confidence. In comfort mode the suspension is way too soft, in Sport 1 not difference and Sport 2 just to makes the suspension superhard over bumps and pot holes, but doesn't really aid the handling. It is a straight line machine and does this well, but it is not a B-Road stormer. I would even say that a sweeping A-Road is also not really its forte.
The interior:
Taxi!!!! It feels well put together but at the same time feels a little cheap. I guess it may be because I am used to button placement on other cars, but I find the single stalk annoying and some of the button placements odd. I have would have had the Climite Control buttons lower and had the stereo screen higher. The dash clocks are nice, the mix of Analogue for rev counter and speedo and digital for fuel level / water temp is quite good as it makes it easier to have a big speedo / rev counter. The information display has plenty of options which is great if you like that sort of thing. I tend to just leave it on range left.
The seats are suportive, not too firm. I like the dynamic seat bolsters. The massage function is useless. I would have liked the air cooled seats but it wasn't a deal breaker. The rear seats are OK. I haven't spent a lot of time in them but the back feels a little firm. This may be because it has the split / fold rear seats, a feature which is so useful and something I have missed on my last few cars. There are some squeaks and rattles, especially the panoramic roof, but this is a well known thing. I do like the roof, it adds something to the car, though I'd be just as happy without as I never use it / never have the interior covers open.
Audio:
Not a lot to say - best stereo in a car that I have ever had.
The exterior:
It is a handsome looking car IMO. Not as nice to look at as my old E39 M5 though. It is well proportioned and it does look agressive from the front and rear, but not overly aggressive. The 4 pipes at rear are spot on. It does sit too high IMO and could do with being a little lower from the factory but that can be sorted in various ways.
Running costs:
It hasn't been too bad, mainly fuel and the odd oil top up (these engines do use a little oil). It has been reliable so no big bills. I've replaced the engine and gearbox mounts and that is pretty much all I have had to do to the car.
The driving experience:
I have never felt like I drive this car, more so that I just pilot it. When I sit in the drivers seat it feels like I sit "on" the car rather than "in" the car. It is difficult to explain but I am sure people reading this will have experienced it at some point in other cars. It is fast, blends in, isn't really that shouty, doesn't really stand out in the car park which I like. People do know what it is and people have spoken to me when I have parked up / they have seen it outside my house and I've been outside and talked to me about it. It is sometimes fun (and very childish) to bury the throttle from low speed and light the tires up (despite the lack of LSD it can over power the open diff and spin both wheels).
In conclusion:
It is a good car. Not a great car but a very good and competent car. Do I regret buying it? No. Would I buy another? Yes, but with less miles or a CLS55. It is a bit of a one trick pony really. It goes fast in a straight line. Obviously it is a comfortable place to be on long journeys and can get you were you want to be quickly. It is effortless. Overtakes are easy, motorway travel is easy and town driving is easy thanks to the auto box. But it isn't a fun car. Sure I still sometimes laugh and giggle when I mash the throttle and it goes quickly, but I do miss the involvement I had in my old M5. The E55 doesn't make you feel part of the process, my old M5 did. Sure the E55 is so much quicker than my M5, has better audio and less prone to rust, but the M5 is better looking, more fun, isn't slow, has a better interior IMO and as a drivers car is just a lot better. Sure I wish the M5 had better audio and a few of the features that the E55 had, but as something to drive for fun and get more of buzz from, the M5 beats the E55 by a country mile.
Whats next?:
Well, I'll be selling the E55 soon and then I have to make a choice between a few cars. I am considering an E9x M3 (E90 is my preference, it just looks a lot nicer IMO), an Audi S4 B8 (not as dynamic as the M3) or looking for a good E39 M5 in something other than Carbon Black and supercharging it. I still want an F10 M5, but I think I could maybe live without one for a while with a supercharged E39.
TL;DR - Bought W211 E55, decided it isn't as good dynamically as E39 M5, looking to go back to something more dynamic.
Power:
What can I say about it? Well the power and performance is addictive. It is fast, very fast. In a straight line. I don't think much would hang with it due to the way the power is delivered. Just tickling the throttle results in quick acceleration. 30-70mph happens in no time at all. It sounds good as well, especially when just lightly accelerating rather than foot to the floor. The engine is real masterpiece and feels bulletproof. I could throw the kitchen sink at it and would take it without fuss that belies its 139k miles. The low point for me is th gearbox. I know it is strong, but it is an automatic, and saps the fun out of it when making progress. I have tried using the manual shift buttons but they aren't the same as changing down when slowing and using the engine breaking. When pressing on in a straight line the gear changes are ok, but around town in normal driving the changes are slow. It breaks traction very easily and would benefit from an LSD. Why Mercedes do not fit LSD's as standard to the AMG range is baffling.
The handling:
Or lack of. Throwing the car into a corner does not instill me with too much confidence. In comfort mode the suspension is way too soft, in Sport 1 not difference and Sport 2 just to makes the suspension superhard over bumps and pot holes, but doesn't really aid the handling. It is a straight line machine and does this well, but it is not a B-Road stormer. I would even say that a sweeping A-Road is also not really its forte.
The interior:
Taxi!!!! It feels well put together but at the same time feels a little cheap. I guess it may be because I am used to button placement on other cars, but I find the single stalk annoying and some of the button placements odd. I have would have had the Climite Control buttons lower and had the stereo screen higher. The dash clocks are nice, the mix of Analogue for rev counter and speedo and digital for fuel level / water temp is quite good as it makes it easier to have a big speedo / rev counter. The information display has plenty of options which is great if you like that sort of thing. I tend to just leave it on range left.
The seats are suportive, not too firm. I like the dynamic seat bolsters. The massage function is useless. I would have liked the air cooled seats but it wasn't a deal breaker. The rear seats are OK. I haven't spent a lot of time in them but the back feels a little firm. This may be because it has the split / fold rear seats, a feature which is so useful and something I have missed on my last few cars. There are some squeaks and rattles, especially the panoramic roof, but this is a well known thing. I do like the roof, it adds something to the car, though I'd be just as happy without as I never use it / never have the interior covers open.
Audio:
Not a lot to say - best stereo in a car that I have ever had.
The exterior:
It is a handsome looking car IMO. Not as nice to look at as my old E39 M5 though. It is well proportioned and it does look agressive from the front and rear, but not overly aggressive. The 4 pipes at rear are spot on. It does sit too high IMO and could do with being a little lower from the factory but that can be sorted in various ways.
Running costs:
It hasn't been too bad, mainly fuel and the odd oil top up (these engines do use a little oil). It has been reliable so no big bills. I've replaced the engine and gearbox mounts and that is pretty much all I have had to do to the car.
The driving experience:
I have never felt like I drive this car, more so that I just pilot it. When I sit in the drivers seat it feels like I sit "on" the car rather than "in" the car. It is difficult to explain but I am sure people reading this will have experienced it at some point in other cars. It is fast, blends in, isn't really that shouty, doesn't really stand out in the car park which I like. People do know what it is and people have spoken to me when I have parked up / they have seen it outside my house and I've been outside and talked to me about it. It is sometimes fun (and very childish) to bury the throttle from low speed and light the tires up (despite the lack of LSD it can over power the open diff and spin both wheels).
In conclusion:
It is a good car. Not a great car but a very good and competent car. Do I regret buying it? No. Would I buy another? Yes, but with less miles or a CLS55. It is a bit of a one trick pony really. It goes fast in a straight line. Obviously it is a comfortable place to be on long journeys and can get you were you want to be quickly. It is effortless. Overtakes are easy, motorway travel is easy and town driving is easy thanks to the auto box. But it isn't a fun car. Sure I still sometimes laugh and giggle when I mash the throttle and it goes quickly, but I do miss the involvement I had in my old M5. The E55 doesn't make you feel part of the process, my old M5 did. Sure the E55 is so much quicker than my M5, has better audio and less prone to rust, but the M5 is better looking, more fun, isn't slow, has a better interior IMO and as a drivers car is just a lot better. Sure I wish the M5 had better audio and a few of the features that the E55 had, but as something to drive for fun and get more of buzz from, the M5 beats the E55 by a country mile.
Whats next?:
Well, I'll be selling the E55 soon and then I have to make a choice between a few cars. I am considering an E9x M3 (E90 is my preference, it just looks a lot nicer IMO), an Audi S4 B8 (not as dynamic as the M3) or looking for a good E39 M5 in something other than Carbon Black and supercharging it. I still want an F10 M5, but I think I could maybe live without one for a while with a supercharged E39.
TL;DR - Bought W211 E55, decided it isn't as good dynamically as E39 M5, looking to go back to something more dynamic.
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