W211 E55 AMG - A perfect storm
Discussion
I've always preferred to buy reasonably quick cars for shed money and then tune and optimise them for fast road performance, such as my old Saab 9-5 and 9000 Aeros, and Ph1 Clio 172:
However, with the resurgence of the electric car and V8s likely to be increasingly frowned upon, and with me about to turn the big 'three-oh', a perfect storm was formed, well in my man maths-centric brain.
I desired something reasonably reliable but don't do many miles and trying to walk and cycle more to offset my carbon footprint. Me and my old man used to test drive cars back when I was 14 and over the summer of 2004 we drove a C5 RS6, E60 M5, E46 M3 and W211 E55 AMG. Since then I've hankered after a supersaloon, preferably German and with a socking great V8. While the RS6 of that era suffers gearbox issues, the E60 M5 common and ludicrously expensive engine faults and the E46 M3 just being a bit common and in my opinion overpriced (although fantastic drivers' cars), I whittled down to the W211 E55 AMG, which when it was launched back in 2003 was the world's most powerful saloon. In the words of Clarkson, 'if you don't mind doing 7mpg when you're on it, this thing aaaabsolutely fliiies.' I read that while the 'big E' still requires fastidious maintenance, the hand built 5439cc V8 with its forged pistons is supposed to be pretty bulletproof, and five speed autobox is the same used in the S/SL/CL600 biturbo, which produces 493 bhp / 590 lb ft, more than the E55's 476 bhp / 516 lb ft, so I guess it ticks the 'over-engineered' box. Throw in the fact that the E55 is around 130kg lighter than its SL55 brethren and you've got a recipe for some serious smiles per gallon.
Also while I'm on the subject of justifying my purchase, consider this. If for example I instead bought an 8 grand Golf TDI, YES it'd be very frugal but it would lose at least 2k per annum in depreciation alone. Considering this E should be relatively depreciation-proof, well that's 2k extra towards fuel and repair bills
While there are myriad E55s for sale, many have been tuned, resprayed or have sporadic/no service history. I came across a silver example with 96k, full service history, brakes done, new engine and gearbox mounts, recent gearbox service, new supercharger belt, new oil and filters, 4 previous owners including the last, and an immaculate interior. Test drove it and yes the back end stepped out when I booted it from the lights. Going to take some getting used to this RWD malarkey!
Goodbye trusty and surprisingly unrusty 9k..
And we enter the world of 500 bhp..
So this morning I collected the 'silver arrow' not too far from the McLaren head office in Woking, and drove it back up north. Driving past the Macca HQ made me appreciate the E55 is pretty exotic, at least in the engine department. After all the McMerc SLR utilised a version of the E's M113K motor, Pagani selected AMG as an engine supplier, and now Aston Martin, so this sober saloon rubs shoulders with some evocative ancestry and lineage.
It's so smooth! Just cruising and not worrying too much about fuel economy it does around 25mpg. With a few full throttle runs its average dropped to a more predictable 18..
Performance-wise it thumps you in the back like my old 340 bhp / 388 lb ft Stage 5 Saab 9-5, but then as the revs rise it goes one step beyond that and pulls harder and harder. The engine note is astonishing, best described as thunder overlaid with a supercharger wine at high revs. It's had some cats removed to liberate some V8 woofle as the stock E55 is a fair bit more restrictive and longer than its SL55 stablemate's.
The only teething issues right now are sometimes it goes into limp mode and loses power, and the gearbox can be quite jerky when you lift off the throttle. It's not very often that the limp issue happens but research indicates it could be the intercooler pump which isn't a huge job. I am a little disappointed the previous owner didn't make me aware of this but he did get a brand new heater motor installed and has really looked after the car so I'll let him off. Interior is spotless and everything else seems to work fine including the Harmon Kardon sound system, but will perhaps take it for a checkover in the next couple of months.
Bla bla natural habitat bla bla bla..
However, with the resurgence of the electric car and V8s likely to be increasingly frowned upon, and with me about to turn the big 'three-oh', a perfect storm was formed, well in my man maths-centric brain.
I desired something reasonably reliable but don't do many miles and trying to walk and cycle more to offset my carbon footprint. Me and my old man used to test drive cars back when I was 14 and over the summer of 2004 we drove a C5 RS6, E60 M5, E46 M3 and W211 E55 AMG. Since then I've hankered after a supersaloon, preferably German and with a socking great V8. While the RS6 of that era suffers gearbox issues, the E60 M5 common and ludicrously expensive engine faults and the E46 M3 just being a bit common and in my opinion overpriced (although fantastic drivers' cars), I whittled down to the W211 E55 AMG, which when it was launched back in 2003 was the world's most powerful saloon. In the words of Clarkson, 'if you don't mind doing 7mpg when you're on it, this thing aaaabsolutely fliiies.' I read that while the 'big E' still requires fastidious maintenance, the hand built 5439cc V8 with its forged pistons is supposed to be pretty bulletproof, and five speed autobox is the same used in the S/SL/CL600 biturbo, which produces 493 bhp / 590 lb ft, more than the E55's 476 bhp / 516 lb ft, so I guess it ticks the 'over-engineered' box. Throw in the fact that the E55 is around 130kg lighter than its SL55 brethren and you've got a recipe for some serious smiles per gallon.
Also while I'm on the subject of justifying my purchase, consider this. If for example I instead bought an 8 grand Golf TDI, YES it'd be very frugal but it would lose at least 2k per annum in depreciation alone. Considering this E should be relatively depreciation-proof, well that's 2k extra towards fuel and repair bills
While there are myriad E55s for sale, many have been tuned, resprayed or have sporadic/no service history. I came across a silver example with 96k, full service history, brakes done, new engine and gearbox mounts, recent gearbox service, new supercharger belt, new oil and filters, 4 previous owners including the last, and an immaculate interior. Test drove it and yes the back end stepped out when I booted it from the lights. Going to take some getting used to this RWD malarkey!
Goodbye trusty and surprisingly unrusty 9k..
And we enter the world of 500 bhp..
So this morning I collected the 'silver arrow' not too far from the McLaren head office in Woking, and drove it back up north. Driving past the Macca HQ made me appreciate the E55 is pretty exotic, at least in the engine department. After all the McMerc SLR utilised a version of the E's M113K motor, Pagani selected AMG as an engine supplier, and now Aston Martin, so this sober saloon rubs shoulders with some evocative ancestry and lineage.
It's so smooth! Just cruising and not worrying too much about fuel economy it does around 25mpg. With a few full throttle runs its average dropped to a more predictable 18..
Performance-wise it thumps you in the back like my old 340 bhp / 388 lb ft Stage 5 Saab 9-5, but then as the revs rise it goes one step beyond that and pulls harder and harder. The engine note is astonishing, best described as thunder overlaid with a supercharger wine at high revs. It's had some cats removed to liberate some V8 woofle as the stock E55 is a fair bit more restrictive and longer than its SL55 stablemate's.
The only teething issues right now are sometimes it goes into limp mode and loses power, and the gearbox can be quite jerky when you lift off the throttle. It's not very often that the limp issue happens but research indicates it could be the intercooler pump which isn't a huge job. I am a little disappointed the previous owner didn't make me aware of this but he did get a brand new heater motor installed and has really looked after the car so I'll let him off. Interior is spotless and everything else seems to work fine including the Harmon Kardon sound system, but will perhaps take it for a checkover in the next couple of months.
Bla bla natural habitat bla bla bla..
Edited by Ph1listine on Sunday 8th December 14:39
slk 32 said:
The way to check if it is the chargecooler pump is once the car is warmed up do a few quick full power acceleration blasts in quick succession.. if it cuts out then it will be the clutch engaging to protect the supercharger from getting too hot.
I replaced the pump on my slk32 with a Johnson marine CM30 pump which is a well known fix; it's cheaper than the original bosch part, has a higher flow rate and also a metal impellor (unlike the bosch which is plastic and disintegrates over time)
Thanks very much, I wouldn't say it cuts out as such it just goes into limp mode for a bit. Reckon based on that it could be the intercooler pump still? Yes been reading the CM30 is the go-to pump.I replaced the pump on my slk32 with a Johnson marine CM30 pump which is a well known fix; it's cheaper than the original bosch part, has a higher flow rate and also a metal impellor (unlike the bosch which is plastic and disintegrates over time)
Caddyshack said:
It will be the super charger cooling pump that makes it go in to limp mode. My one did exactly that and the Merc mechanics said most of them fail.
Brill thanks, will book in to be done. Not a huge job it seems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzv5e7nACpwEdited by Ph1listine on Saturday 7th December 16:52
Alex_225 said:
I'm the same. I bought an early W211 E320 CDI as a daily car over 3.5 years ago. It had 102k on the clock and now over 140k and it's excellent. I do a thousand miles a month in it, spend hours at a time behind the wheel and it still makes me smile.
Like you I can't justify the running costs of an E55 when the 3..2 I6 achieves nearly 50mpg, plus I do have a CLS63 so may be overkill! haha
Fantastic cars the W211 in any guise.
E320 CDI is an amazing compromise between performance and mpg, I hear they respond well to a cheeky remap. I do no more than 5-10k miles a year, much more and I'd get an Aygo / iQ. Any W211 are brilliant, very refined and I get the appeal, although not quite as involving as a fettled fast Saab. CLS63 must be massive fun.Like you I can't justify the running costs of an E55 when the 3..2 I6 achieves nearly 50mpg, plus I do have a CLS63 so may be overkill! haha
Fantastic cars the W211 in any guise.
Edited by Ph1listine on Saturday 7th December 20:48
griffin dai said:
Lovely!!!
I had a w210 E55 AMG around 12 years ago, had a play with a Kleeman tuned e55k and felt like I was going backwards!!! Serious bit of kit!
Always wanted the w211 but my repair bills on mine put me off (lots) and back into Saab’s!
Cheers mate we've had some very similar cars it seems!I had a w210 E55 AMG around 12 years ago, had a play with a Kleeman tuned e55k and felt like I was going backwards!!! Serious bit of kit!
Always wanted the w211 but my repair bills on mine put me off (lots) and back into Saab’s!
My old housemate had a W210, so understated and cool, last of the old school.. seemed pretty reliable, what was up with yours? Yeh would love to turn the wick up on this
TheAngryDog said:
Good choice, I ran one of these for about 9 months (I think). Mine had 140k plus on it and had a remap / pulley, making over 520bhp and 634lbsft of torque as MSL Performance.
The gearboxes are strong but slow. Engines are bomb proof though. Enjoy the bill for the spark plugs, there are 16 of them!
Oh, btw, are you sure it was 2004? The E60 M5 didn't come out until 2005.
Well spotted! I reckon the M5 must've been the last one we test drove, in 2005. Crikey that's ludicrous torque, must've been phenomenal. Think I read your thread on this, will try and find.The gearboxes are strong but slow. Engines are bomb proof though. Enjoy the bill for the spark plugs, there are 16 of them!
Oh, btw, are you sure it was 2004? The E60 M5 didn't come out until 2005.
nobrakes said:
OP - an epic car.
I was behind one and watched him overtake the car in front. The way the big car shifted from about 50 to considerably faster was astonishing.
Like the few above I find my S211 320cdi a great balance of power and size with very reasonable economy.
I’m insanely jealous.
The midrange is phenomenal, like a remapped 737 hahaI was behind one and watched him overtake the car in front. The way the big car shifted from about 50 to considerably faster was astonishing.
Like the few above I find my S211 320cdi a great balance of power and size with very reasonable economy.
I’m insanely jealous.
Edited by nobrakes on Monday 9th December 05:16
The engine is an absolute masterpiece and I'm in awe of it. Gets through some fuel but every drive is such an event. Pure class.
Nath911t said:
Have to love a 55. For not a lot of money, they really are a lot of car.
I've got the CLS version and have no plans to get rid of it whatsoever. In saying that it has thrown up a few big bills this year with the SBC pump, airmatic pump, new front brakes and a few other little things. But. It's worth it for the sound and the performance.
Lovely, I do like the CLS shape. How much we talking to fix the above? The brakes buzz every now and then so could be the SBC, brakes very powerful though. Worked out the E is doing about 16 mpg with a heavy-ish right foot, not too bad when you consider the experience it delivers.I've got the CLS version and have no plans to get rid of it whatsoever. In saying that it has thrown up a few big bills this year with the SBC pump, airmatic pump, new front brakes and a few other little things. But. It's worth it for the sound and the performance.
nobrakes said:
OP - an epic car.
I was behind one and watched him overtake the car in front. The way the big car shifted from about 50 to considerably faster was astonishing.
Like the few above I find my S211 320cdi a great balance of power and size with very reasonable economy.
I’m insanely jealous.
Thanks! Yes 320 cdi sounds like an awesome combination of torque and economy.I was behind one and watched him overtake the car in front. The way the big car shifted from about 50 to considerably faster was astonishing.
Like the few above I find my S211 320cdi a great balance of power and size with very reasonable economy.
I’m insanely jealous.
Edited by nobrakes on Monday 9th December 05:16
Took the E55 on a 130 mile commute today and gave it a bit of a workout. The first 10 miles were VERY stop-start and the average sat at 13 mpg. Oops. And that's just feathering the throttle. Then once I made it onto the motorway put the cruise on and after 40 miles it had crept upto 19 mpg. Had I carried on cruising for the whole journey I could've probably coaxed it up to 24 mpg but I got bored and had a play with an M2. Had to let off haha. I opened the throttle later in the journey and it really is a sledgehammer power delivery, and what a brutal metallic engine note! For the first time I don't care about mpg as every mile I feel like I'm on a red letter day! No I can't comfortably afford to run it but this is what life's about! New intercooler pump next week, chance for trusty family mechanic to get familiar with the brutal Benz.
AmosMoses said:
I adore these, they are absolute brutes and with some tuning they are a 200mph car.
Tempted by some mild tuning but don't want to mess with the car's character. MSL have quoted £1000 for a 77mm pulley, map and dyno session which should be good for around 540 bhp 600 lb ft, an extra 64 bhp and 84 lb ft, another car!Flicking through an old Evo magazine I stumbled upon an old review of the E55 when it was launched. They awarded it 5 stars which while it is a very impressive car, it's a little generous. It isn't a drivers' car, just a missile in a straight line, or as a colleague described it the other day, a 'torpedo' 
Made for some interesting reading, although the editor says the predecessor, the W210 was supercharged. It most definitely wasn't. Another inaccuracy is that the kerb weight in the article is quoted at 1760 kg. I wish! Took it to a weighbridge earlier and it was 1920kg, albeit with 2/3 of a tank, so realistically it's 1860-80kg, perhaps the options it has and panoramic roof add considerable weight.
Made for some interesting reading, although the editor says the predecessor, the W210 was supercharged. It most definitely wasn't. Another inaccuracy is that the kerb weight in the article is quoted at 1760 kg. I wish! Took it to a weighbridge earlier and it was 1920kg, albeit with 2/3 of a tank, so realistically it's 1860-80kg, perhaps the options it has and panoramic roof add considerable weight.Bright Halo said:
I remember taking one of these for a test drive back in the day.
I had a E39 M5 at the time and the E55 was far quicker in a straight line. Considering it’s weight it was also surprisingly good in the twisties.
You would have to be driving in a very aggressive manor unsuitable for normal road driving to find it’s limitations.
It's insane! Had a new intercooler pump fitted today and it's MUCH faster now and also doesn't seem to be going into limp mode any more. What a monster. Having ran a Ph1 Clio 172 made me realise it isn't all about peak performance, so I'd love to try an E39 M5 to experience one.I had a E39 M5 at the time and the E55 was far quicker in a straight line. Considering it’s weight it was also surprisingly good in the twisties.
You would have to be driving in a very aggressive manor unsuitable for normal road driving to find it’s limitations.
cornershop said:
Really nice, congrats 
I contemplated one before i bought my XJR just over a year ago. Main reason was i didn’t want a silver car and that was all i could see available at the time.
Would be an interesting comparison performance wise - the Jag is lighter (1750kg ish) but less powerful/torquier. The Jags performance is more than enough for me, though.
Looks like you picked it up local to me, as I’m 5 mins away from McLaren and i frequent those 2 shell stations regularly (as you’d expect with a supercharged V8!)
Thanks! I love an XJR, very caddish and sinister, and love the fact they had aluminium construction. Got any pics? Bring it to santa pod and we can have a battle!I contemplated one before i bought my XJR just over a year ago. Main reason was i didn’t want a silver car and that was all i could see available at the time.
Would be an interesting comparison performance wise - the Jag is lighter (1750kg ish) but less powerful/torquier. The Jags performance is more than enough for me, though.
Looks like you picked it up local to me, as I’m 5 mins away from McLaren and i frequent those 2 shell stations regularly (as you’d expect with a supercharged V8!)
Caddyshack said:
It will be the super charger cooling pump that makes it go in to limp mode. My one did exactly that and the Merc mechanics said most of them fail.
Thanks for diagnosis! Was indeed that, looks like it was running the original pump. 100 quid pump and 40 min labour and it's running much better now, no nore limp mode and pulls harder when than when not in limp mode.
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