2007 C55 AMG estate - buying advice

[Dammit]

You were right, the drivers side seat base heating element would appear to be AWOL, the seat back on the other hand is very effective.

I have started The List.

[ArmaghMan]

Welshbeef said:

Dammit said:

I’d take a C43 NA V8 over a C32 supercharged V6, and any C63 in this price range will have the snapping headbolt issue.

Isn’t the C43 just a standard Merc model and not built by AMG?

No

[Welshbeef]

ArmaghMan said:

Welshbeef said:

Dammit said:

I’d take a C43 NA V8 over a C32 supercharged V6, and any C63 in this price range will have the snapping headbolt issue.

Isn’t the C43 just a standard Merc model and not built by AMG?

No

Sorry to be clear is that no it isn’t made by AMG or no it’s not just a standard merc?



Note the 2018 C43 is something very special indeed.

[ArmaghMan]

Welshbeef said:

ArmaghMan said:

Welshbeef said:

Dammit said:

I’d take a C43 NA V8 over a C32 supercharged V6, and any C63 in this price range will have the snapping headbolt issue.

Isn’t the C43 just a standard Merc model and not built by AMG?

No

Sorry to be clear is that no it isn’t made by AMG or no it’s not just a standard merc?

Pretty special.....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_C-Cl...



Note the 2018 C43 is something very special indeed.

[Dammit]

Looking in the boot on the left hand side there is a cubby hole that one opens by pressing a button with a medical sign on it, this reveals the jack, safety triangle etc.

Presumably a first aid kit is meant to go in here - but where? I can't see a logical place for it to go, is it just shoved in there?

[AC43]

Welshbeef said:

Dammit said:

I’d take a C43 NA V8 over a C32 supercharged V6, and any C63 in this price range will have the snapping headbolt issue.

Isn’t the C43 just a standard Merc model and not built by AMG?

The C36 was built while AMG were still independent.

The C43 was the first AMG to be built after Mercedes bought the company.

Anorak fact; if you were properly wedged you could buy a W202 C43 and send it back to the factory to have the engine, diff and brakes from the E55 fitted. The first, and ultra-rare, C55. Although a few people have since done it themselves.

Edited by AC43 on Monday 26th March 20:35

[AC43]

Dammit said:

the drivers side seat base heating element would appear to be AWOL

They all do that, sir. No, really, they do.

[Welshbeef]

AC43 said:

The C36 was built while AMG were still independent.

The C43 was the first AMG to be built after Mercedes bought the company.

Anorak fact; if you were properly wedged you could buy a W202 C43 and send it back to the factory to have the engine, diff and brakes from the E55 fitted. The first, and ultra-rare, C55. Although a few people have since done it themselves.

Edited by AC43 on Monday 26th March 20:35

Thanks

[Dammit]

AC43 said:

They all do that, sir. No, really, they do.

Is there an known fix that doesn’t involve £3k to Mercedes?

[AC43]

Dammit said:

AC43 said:

They all do that, sir. No, really, they do.

Is there an known fix that doesn’t involve £3k to Mercedes?

I think it's relatively straightforward and the parts are cheap but does involve stripping the seat down. Just ask on mbclub.co.uk. Very common problem/fix on 203's.

If you find a good indy it shouldn't cost too much to maintain a 55.

Most of the components are shared with the common or garden Mercs. And the oily bits are well established. Deffo worth checking/changing the gbox oil, though. But that's the same for all Mercs or indeed any auto with a "sealed for life" box. It's not.

[Dammit]

If I recall correctly the place the bodyshop I use recommend is DDR in Epsom, I've asked the bodyshop to take the car over to them in order to get a service done (just because, largely - it's got 4,500 miles showing on the dash before the car wants servicing), mainly to get them to give the car a very thorough going over to make sure it's in good shape.

I'll get them to fix the seat, provide a cover for the boot power socket, and any other little jobs.

[Dammit]

And to answer my earlier question, I just shoved the first aid kit into the recess underneath the warning triangle, where it fit reasonably well:

[AC43]

Dammit said:

I'll get them to fix the seat

There are quite a few threads out there so I'd get someone's advice who's done it in the UK.

There seem to be a few options as to how to tackle it involving MB and 3rd party components.

EDIT; I only mention that as I recently had to get one of the seats stripped in my E Class to get a seat cooler fixed.

Edited by AC43 on Tuesday 27th March 19:39

[Classy6]

Dammit said:

And to answer my earlier question, I just shoved the first aid kit into the recess underneath the warning triangle, where it fit reasonably well:

They're normally shoved in there from factory.

[Dammit]

Great, thanks for the info.

[mini me]

My first aid kit is also “shoved in”.

The seat base thing is deffo a thing. And as has been said. They really do all do that sir. The big issue is that the heater elements are actually part of the seat base covering. I.e. they are sown into the leather. Hence huge money to fix as you need to buy new seat covers. Also guaranteed to go wrong again.

Worry not though there is a much cheaper way. I did both my seats myself by fitting some carbon elements from a place in Colchester I believe? The instructions to do so are online and it wasn’t a scary job although I do know one end of a spanner from tother.

Give me a while and I will do a search and see if I can find them. They will also do the Job themselves for a price if memory serves me. The only small downside is that they take a bit longer to heat up than the seat back as they are fitted under the origional seat base trim so are sort of insulated from your bum more. I have 0 regrets going this route though. Apparently they are more robust than the original merc elements too. Il see if I can dig out some details.

[mini me]

Think I got em. From memory I think I payed around £100. Can’t remember if that was per side or total. Best bet is to give them a ring and ask the ask. They offer the full kit With buttons and wiring etc or just the pads which are compatible with your current wiring/ switches.

http://www.dkschweizer.co.uk/mercedes-heated-seats

Here is a link to everybody moaning about seat base heaters failing. Plus if you scroll down a handy sort of guide which shows you how to fit the pads.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c55-amg-w203/32...

Edited by mini me on Wednesday 28th March 19:58

Edited by mini me on Wednesday 28th March 20:01

[Dammit]

Thanks!

[mini me]

No problem. Happy to help if I can.

[edc]

Look at the Waeco pads or kits to see if they can be integrated to the current working and switch.