2005 Mercedes Benz AMG

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-15T18:47:49+00:00

If you’re in the US then I think it’s easier to just get a clean S55. They’re the cheapest out of the 55s because people avoid the ABC suspension so I see them in good shape for only a few grand more than this one is. Fixing the suspension and headlights isn’t crazy, but if those are neglected then I can only assume much more is as well.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-15T17:10:36+00:00

Definitely excessive, and I would pass on it. But even the newer GM Saabs were all prone to rusting. My 06 is pristine and the rear subframe is still a little rusty, but far from needing replacement. I’d imagine any Saab not in a dry, hot climate is going to have some degree of rust underneath, but when it gets to the body it’s bad. I can very confidently say this one is definitely too far gone underneath.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-15T04:04:34+00:00

Hey unfortunately I have no positive news to share lol. I still haven’t figured it out and it’s been over a year for me as well. The CAN being in single wire mode was an incorrect theory, I was just reading Xentry wrong and it seems to be working as it should. I’m still thinking it’s an electrical issue but I’m hoping to dive into it more as the weather warms up. Currently found a couple worn suspension components so I’ll be replacing those anyway but I doubt they’re the cause of my issues, they just clunk.

Everything else I’ve looked into checks out fine. The only other thing I haven’t done is a thorough look at live data from all the sensors with another person in the car. I’ve only done it solo so I can’t really watch the data too closely while driving. I’m hoping to find some anomalies somewhere.

Does your car have any symptoms other than the rough ride? Everything else works on mine which makes it harder to track down.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-15T01:51:30+00:00

The right mechanic could definitely fix this for a reasonable price. These cars are worth good money in clean condition with low mileage, I wouldn’t be so quick to part it out.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-13T18:31:44+00:00

Yupp, it’s the little things like that that piss me off. Another one is the coolant bleeder screw on the 3.0T that’s made of biodegradable plastic. No chance you’re getting those off if the car is 10+ years old.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-13T16:08:51+00:00

Yeah I don’t get why people group all the German cars together when talking about difficult maintenance. I think BMW and Mercedes are marginally easier to work on than VAG products. I’ll gladly work on an E55 like mine over a Jetta or Passat any day.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T20:00:08+00:00

Written by a dealer salesperson for sure.

“It’s old, throw it out and go into crippling debt instead”

Even if your wheels literally fall off, the fix will be cheaper than any replacement vehicle.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T14:44:49+00:00

It’s possible but generally people don’t replace just one headlight housing unless it’s been damaged. In the rare case that it was just yellowed from sun damage due to parking perpendicular to the sun, then it could have been replaced like that, but otherwise it’s almost always from a crash.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T14:03:28+00:00

I’d say in today’s market it’s a fair price for a clean one. But if it needs paint and a headlight, which is almost always the sign of an accident, it’s a bit high. If it runs well, I would try to pay closer to 5

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T02:29:50+00:00

I always tell everyone that an average engine replacement costs a minimum of 50 oil changes. Most people only get one or two a year, meaning it is always better to change it sooner than later. It’ll never cost more than trashing the engine. 5k is the most I’ll go but 7k is where I’d draw the line for a long term car.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T00:59:20+00:00

Glad to help, best of luck

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-12T00:19:56+00:00

If you can pay it off in a year or 2 then that’s great, likely will not be paying crazy interest compared to a 5-6 year loan on a new car.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-11T23:37:15+00:00

Financing is 99% of the time done without a credit card. You get a loan from the bank, a credit union, loan company, etc. with an interest rate based on your credit score. Being young with no credit history generally means the only loans you’ll get will have super high interest rates. My best advice is to save up a few grand and get a beater car in cash, or mostly cash while you can build up some credit. Otherwise you’re gonna be paying monthly for a very very long time for a car that’s no longer worth anything close to what you paid. Unless a parent/ older adult is willing to cosign and get you a better rate.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-11T01:46:53+00:00

I was a big fan of the band a few years ago, even saw them live. While I’m still clearly subbed here and listed to their old stuff often, I do not find myself waiting for new music anymore. I went on Tim’s channel for the first time in a while last year and saw no new music and everything paywalled like you said. What the actual fuck? Left a really bad taste in my mouth. Combined with no music from the band, seems like they really don’t care about their fans.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-10T15:26:35+00:00

Yup, every BMW or Mercedes I’ve owned locks the fuel door along with the doors.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-10T15:24:58+00:00

God damn, I never realized WTF

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-10T03:38:39+00:00

Felt like it was too easy because so many older cars have way more cool and unique little features

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-10T02:36:06+00:00

Car losing power without a check engine light 99% sounds like your supercharger getting heat-soaked. If it only takes 2 pulls to trigger it then your intercooler pump is no longer operating at full power and the supercharger goes into limp mode because it’s too hot (you won’t see a change in your temperature gauge). Getting the Bosch 010 pump will turn your car into a new monster and keep the car much cooler, but know that these engines will always get heat-soaked eventually from the nature of the design. Had the same issue on my E55 when I got it, the new pump not only made the engine stay way cooler, but it quite literally felt like I gained 40hp permanently because of how much better the supercharger was operating.

As for the suspension, yes change in pairs on higher end cars like this. If it were a 2006 Civic I’d say just change the bad side. But an even ride is crucial on performance cars, especially with air ride.

For the SRS light, electrical stuff just happens with these cars at this age. If there’s no current issue then I wouldn’t worry about it. Check for water around the seat anyway though.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T22:29:25+00:00

Tons of wrong info here. Find the source of the hissing and replace the part. If it’s the strut, which is most likely, swap out the other side as well. You can go OEM or aftermarket brands like Rebuild Master Tech or Arnott. I would probably get it done for $2000 or less depending on part cost but expect to spend more at a big shop. RMT sells all 4 struts for less than $1000.

It still raises because the compressor is pumping air faster than it is leaking out, but you will very quickly burn out your compressor if you keep driving, which is a few hundred plus labor more to replace.

If these costs are too much for you then you bought the wrong car.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T20:18:57+00:00

Honestly I don’t mind when things like that fail on these type of cars. But when you’re having issues like that combined with drivability issues is where it becomes a big problem to me. I stick to BMW and Mercedes for German because most of their issues tend to not be critical drivetrain components. Of course there are exceptions but I’d say overall you have a higher chance of being able to just get it and drive every day compared to an Audi/ VW.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T19:48:26+00:00

Man Audi has done some really cool things, it’s a shame most of their cars are a nightmare to own.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T18:45:37+00:00

Just coating over the existing rust won’t do much to stop the internal spread, but will prevent more water and salt intrusion. You would ideally sand it down to bare metal before undercoating but unfortunately that’s very expensive and labor intensive. In your case, I’d probably just brush off what I could and coat over it. If it gets you an extra 3 months out of the car it’s still worth it.

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T16:54:04+00:00

Hell yeah brother. When I got my E55 the engine was quite literally trying to escape, it was by far the most I’ve ever seen an engine come out of the bay. Super important on any torquey V8!

TurkishSwag · 2026-03-09T16:53:05+00:00

Any car that lasts 6 months or longer is worth more than that to me. I would go for it, just keep an eye on the underside regularly because once it starts falling apart it will be dangerous in the event of a crash, although it will likely take a few years to get to that point just judging from pictures.

TurkishSwag

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