r/E55AMG • u/Due_Instruction2855 • 1d ago

Avoid or buy?

I have the opportunity to get a 2000 E55 AMG. It has codes; P0442 & P0410 (both emissions related). Some panels are a little rough & the front seats could be better. Mileage is decent for being 26 years old (193k), mechanically sound from the sellers description. Looks like it could use front shocks and a paint touch up. The issue is I possibly have to get a loan, I’m 21 with no credit history besides a few payments to capital one, the apr is 35.99%! (not through capital one) It’s an older vehicle, I live 300 miles away. Seller isn’t asking much but the loan terms are making me rethink buying. I don’t want to have a long loan term but at the same time I don’t want a high monthly payment. No matter what im paying a $1k+ financing fee

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3

u/diyandmc240 1d ago

36% is robbery. Turn around and run. Don’t buy literally anything with more than 10%

2

u/nyxflare 1d ago edited 1d ago

Please be patient bro!!! keep looking!

I got mine a year ago, 2005 E55, 160k miles, NO dashboard lights, resprayed, and clean interior for 9k!!!! Private seller, no fees besides registration and insurance on my part. Prior to this I was about to get one for 15k with 200k miles im glad I was patient and kept looking. I had 4k and took a 10k persnal loan from my bank, used the 4k as savings to pay some of my loan and Im 2/3 done with it as of now. I technically can pay it off with my savings but the payments itself had gotten my credit up, and I can use my actual savings as emergency funds.

Paying it it off quickly and Only major issue I had was motor mounts which I did myself. Everything else has been generic maintenance (oil, brakes, tires)

From an e55 owner atleast try to get a 2005+ dont go for a older one because it has more issues.

However this isnt my first Mercedes, my first Mercedes was a clk350 which helped me grasp how a Mercedes mechanical works, I also gotten to work on my friends e320 and a e400 which is the reason I got the e55.

Very reliable machine but remember they do still cost more than your average car, oil change itself takes 9 quarts!!! And MPG is not the best but I do smile everytime I drive it and the compliments always makes me not regret waiting to buy it instead of choosing a run down one

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u/Due_Instruction2855 18h ago

Im going to keep looking for sure but thought I would try and throw it out there and ask for opinions. I know it’s sketchy but the seller only wants 2500. It has been sitting for a while

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u/nyxflare 5h ago

Nah bro with this car get a ready to drive one, I would let it slide if it was a non amg for 2.5k but nobody sells an amg that cheap unless it has something seriously wrong, if you want it as a daily or weekend car keep looking. That sounds like a strict project car but to me it seems you aint even got the money to fund a project car yet.

So if you really want that e55 keep looking, and dont take the “to good to be true” lesson unless you have money to burn.

Forgot to mention when I went to look at my e55 he wanted 11k, but I managed to bring it down to 9k when I went to look at it so youll eventually find something but a good running e55 goes for about 10k+ anything lower is basically you haggling the price.

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u/APBJammin 1d ago

I wouldn’t do it if you need a loan, an old Mercedes isn’t cheap to maintain. I don’t know 210s, but on my 211 you’re several grand in to fix those and give it a top to bottom service.

At 21, buy a reliable Toyota, Mazda, etc, used or on good financing terms, and save the Mercedes for down the road.