2007 C55 AMG estate - buying advice

[Dammit]

Hi all, I've viewed this car once, and I'd like to buy it.

It has surface rust in all four wheel-arches, and the current owner and I have discussed this and negotiated a small reduction in price.

The two rear arches:




I've discussed the car (and sent the photographs too) the place which has painted my 911: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8131181@N05/albums/7...

They provided the quote which I then used to negotiate the price.

The concern of the body shop is that there may be more serious rust where it cannot be seen, further round into the wheel-arch - this (in their words) would be "walk away" rust.

What's the best way of making certain that this is just surface rust, which can be buzzed off with a wire-wheel, rather than deep rot?

Also, what else should I look at?

[Dammit]

Is it worse that it's been previously repaired (poorly)?

Edited by Dammit on Saturday 17th March 19:07

[Dammit]

Yes, I would think so, but that's not going to be possible before buying the car so I'm hoping that someone else has experience of this and can offer the benefit of it.

[Dammit]

What I'm most worried about is an un-winnable battle with rust that ends up here, despite spending £5,000 at the bodyshop:

[Dammit]

I remember that that was in the history as having been done.

[Dammit]

78,000 miles, 11k

[Dammit]

It’s low mileage for its year and I’ll only add 3-4,000 miles per year, I think it’s worth saving, there’s only a few of these that were produced- and likely fewer left of that figure (55 IIRC).

[Dammit]

[Dammit]

Liking it a lot - it's fast and comfortable, has many more toys than the Volvo 850R that it replaced and whilst not, ultimately, as fast, it is significantly more comfortable and the automatic gearbox was a significant reason why I wanted to change.

= I'm no longer willing to drive a manual car through stop-start London traffic.

I think it's a really good partner to my 911, between the two cars I've got a lot of bases covered.

[Dammit]

I have to get from South East London to Reading once per week, it's a hellish journey no matter the means of transport, but hopefully the C55 will make it better.

The rest of the week I either cycle or run to work (when it's not bloody freezing).

I popped out to meet a friend earlier in it and was getting 15 mpg, so consider me aware of the fuel situation.

[Dammit]

The advert is here: https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Dammit]

Thanks all. I now have to resist the temptation to return it to a concours standard.

[Dammit]

I would like a TCU map that blips the throttle when changing down, don’t know if that is possible through. Is 400 bhp only an X-pipe and map away?

[Dammit]

That was my feeling. I’d also like to keep this as stock as possible- although that said I’d genuinely like a +blip TCU map that sped things up a little.

I’m making a list of little bits to do, and will drop it off at the body shop soon.

They’re going to strip the arches, then paint the inner arch with stone chip before respraying Iridium Silver.

They’ll also drop it round to a Mercedes Indy (I’ll be in Australia for work) to get a full service done and a report on overall condition.

[Dammit]

I ordered the official Mercedes Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the phone connector in the arm rest.

My 911 cost me £9,500- and then £11,000 over two services to bring it up to standard. I’m hoping that that doesn’t happen again here.

[Dammit]

That’s good to know, I’m planning on using an Indy but only fitting genuine parts.

I’ve ordered a 2017/2018 update disc for the Comand system, shame it can’t do full post code but it seems quite good (context: previous car was a 22 year old a Volvo).

The Harman Kardon Logic 7 seems to do a good job of Radio 4

[Dammit]

This car had to be an automatic, it was one of my selection criteria- the others were that it was an estate and had more than 4 litres of swept displacement. Oh, and be petrol.

If the TCU map brings a little more speed and a rev matching blip on the down shift then I am sold.

[Dammit]

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.

[Dammit]

That I don’t know.

[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.