Experiences with 200,000 kms AMG

[T-Modell]

Hi down under,

two weeks ago and after a bit of more than 8 years I clocked the 200,000 kms on my E63 S211 AMG. Just wanted to share some experiences and a warning to you guys (just be aware, that I drive the car a bit different here on the Autobahn, so I guess the stress in Oz is not that extreme):

2017-02-22 - 01 - E63T 200000km_1024x576.jpg

To summarise it: It is still the second-best and most unreasonable decision of my life! As a daily driver used for business, every single kilometre was just fun, especially since the penis-extension-exhausts were removed. It's just not comparable to a turbo motor, when you have 6.3 litres which start at around 1,100 rpm and you switch gear again at 7,200 rpm!

Pros and Cons:
Very reliable, main repairs were a rear diff @ 80,000, the motor hood cable got stuck once, and one cat had to be replaced. I had a noise from the servo pump which required a replacement. All the electronics incl. dynamic & electric seats, command, telephone, linguatronic, etc. etc. worked fine, no probs.

An oil analysis at 180,000 kms turned out to be perfect, hardly any particles.

Oil consumption was constant from the beginning; between 0.2 and 0.25 litres / 1,000km. Fuel consumption was between 10.2 and 23 litres with an average of 16.3 litres overall. Not bad for a 2-ton-station-wagon driven at the limit most of the times.

Surprisingly, brake discs at the front were only changed every 50,000kms, at the rear at 150,000kms (some people have them done at 20,000kms). Typres at the back around 20,000 kms (which is good too, as there are specialists acc. to my dealer who need some every 7,000kms).

Cost: Driving an AMG (or a 6.3 or a 6.9 ...) is just expensive. As a private person I wouldn't drive that car. ONE front brake disc is already over 800 Euros. Total cost of all inspections and repairs: 25,700 Euros, Tyres 10,500 Euros.

Summary: It's absolutely fun, but VERY expensive. Don't buy a used one with a small budget, it eats you up. I took really care of the car, never used the power until the oil was properly heated up etc. etc.

With my best regards
Thomas

P. S.: At kilometre zero:

2008-12-06 - Ubernahme t-modell kompr.jpg

[TheMadRacoon]

Thanks for posting, Thomas. Always very interesting to get real world figures, even if not directly translatable to our local setting. Still, EUR 4,500 per annum isn't bad at all, although of course depreciation and interest have to be factored in. Less the short-haul airline tickets you didn't have to buy, and your time not wasted to/from/at airports!

Mind you, the depreciation on lots of cars is horrifying but if it's tax deductible....

Glad you enjoyed every moment of it (and to hear it's been reliable).

[Ivanerrol]

Best thing is.
Here's an example of an AMG being used as it should be - out on the autobahn at high speeds.
Used as a business tool - but that's OK.

[T-Modell]

Thanks,
of course there were more cost involved. Biggest part definitely the depreciation in value. Also around 16,300 Insurance and Tax and 48,000 Euros for fuel.

All in all it was around 50 EUR-Cent per km without depreciation and 85 EUR-Cent with it. Expensive hobby

Thomas

[Ivanerrol]

Time is money Tomas.
How much time did you save by not hanging around airports and paying for taxis back and forth?
How much in airfares was saved?
And then you had the use of your own vehicle without paying for hire cars or taxis.

And then the enjoyment of a very capable driving car on capable roads.

[T-Modell]

Yea and no Ivanerol,

I have to use the car because most of the time I have too much material to transport. Whenever possible I use the train and the plane. We have a pretty good system of high speed trains here ... and you can work while travelling. That's one reason, why I only made around 25,000 kms/year; in the past I came up to 35-40,000 kms ... my E320 I sold after 3.5 years with 150,000kms ...

I'm also not complaining about the money; the fun was worth it. I just want to send out a warning to - especially young - guys, who think a used AMG is so cheap ... it's not. It's those guys who post questions in forums like "I found the AMG brake disc on ebay for a third of the price, is it any good?"

Regards
Thomas

P. S.: One of the best stories ever with that car: we had an Aussie couple over here. We made a day long tour and drove back at night. My wife and I thought, they were asleep in the back, the Autobahn was empty, so I said to my wife, let's try the 300km/h. We made it to the max, not knowing, that they probably prayed a lot ... 9 months later we met in Melbourne and that story came up. He said, that he told friends in Melbourne that story, i. e. driving 300km/h. His words were "I saw their minds working ... 100 ... 200 ... 300 ... shaking their heads and couldn't believe it

[T-Modell]

Hi guys,
time marching on ... today I clocked a nice number ... 222,222 kms ... still going strong!

2018-02-14 - 01 - E63T S211 222222km_1024x576.jpg

Regards
Thomas

[AMG]

Just proves that if a car is properly maintained the km shouldn't be a concern.

It's funny you mentioned the ebay thing.

I recall not long ago someone complaining about the cost of brake pads and rotors for AMG vehicles.

Sure, they're whingeing bastards - most of the time they are exactly as you said... cheapskates.
I guess prevention of a potential fatality isn't worth that much money..... so they buy used parts from a wrecker.

This mentality is especially prevalent in certain demographic location strip that stretches form arncliffe to liverpool.

[T-Modell]

Hi,
after having a failure of the water pump in October, it was pretty scary seeing the car overheating without warning (!). But it survived and still going strong. Two days ago, the 240,000kms were done ... still it will have to go next year at around 245,000kms ... need something reliable for business.

Good thing: The dealer - after a bit of pressure - offered 15,000 Euros gross for a 10 year old car with 245,000kms ... more than I expected.

Nevertheless, the total cost over 10 years and 245,000kms including depreciation and REALLY ALL bits and pieces (down to car wash) ended up in 82 Euro-Cents per km, i. e. driving 100kms costs you 82 Euros, pretty expensive. But that's the truth.

Thomas

[AMG]

Perhaps compared to a modern shitbox like a Golf or audi etc.

Not expensive compared to identical expenses on an older vehicle per km though.
Like say.... a Range Rover

124 coupe is $3.55 per km with all the stuff I've experienced (3 transmissions incl) since 2008

r107 - ha who's kidding who. price of one bolt is more than that. I've spent more than the purchase price on it in 12 years and 1/5 of that was a top-end overhaul. I've lost count on tyres, etc which most I did not keep reciepts for.

201.034 - even higher maintenance again - most of it is routine precautionary. So for the last 12 months It's cost approx $1900 per km. It hasn't done a single km in 12 months. Based on maintenance an km prior to that it was approx $8 per km.

Lurch was cheap - about $2.80 per km (did quite a few km in that).
Sabine (red 201.029) by far the cheapest at $1.33 per km. It cost me more in wax and polish than it did in maintenance items.

That's for maintenance and rego. Fuel is not factored into it - because the price fluctuates too much and I can tell you my fuel bills are well over $600 per month.

I reckon you got a good deal all things considered.

When I look at the service receips for Schultz, the Previous owner had full history with receipts totalling $168,885 in the 21 years He'd owned it. On top of the purchase price in 1987...

Then again, I'd hate to be buying a new S class these days and watching it's resale drop to 20% of the purchase price in just 4 years.

[T-Modell]

Hi Joe,
hardly anyone calculates the real cost, I'm just interested. Here's the details as of today:

240,341 kms
Depreciation: 75,395
Inspection, repairs: 33,006
Insurance, tax: 19,663
Tyres: 11,377
Oil extra: 389
Fuel: 56,636
AOB: 1,207

Regards
Thomas

[AMG]

Oh, I didn't factor in depreciation.... omg if I did that I'd be

There is one redeeming factor in all of it.

I enjoy driving them, regardless.


So do you or you'd have rid yourself of it years ago

[T-Modell]

Hi down under,
today last drive, last fill-up ... it made - without further hickups - 245,395kms ... total cost per 100kms was 81 Eurocents. Served me well for 10 years, such a motor will never be there anymore. Monday it will be picked up and Thursday I'm on my way to Sindelfingen

Regards
Thomas

[CraigB]

That's a bit sad to read and must be hard, but no doubt a logical thing and I see a smile at the end so you must be pleased at the next 'relationship'.

[T-Modell]

Yep Craig,
it's a bit sad ... so that photo is the background pic on my phone

Regards
Thomas

[CraigB]

What's amazing about that photo is that at that speed it was obviously still smooth enough to take that pick. Looks like you still had revs to go but not much room on the speedo! I had my rotary mazda up to 210 on the clock when i was young and silly but no way I was taking a photo of that at that speed! What is the quoted top speed for your car?

[AMG]

Craig, I'll give you a hint:
In that pic Thomas has one more gear left and another 1.1krpm before the redline in 6th

[T-Modell]

Hi guys,
it's pretty simple: the S211 E63 is limited to 250km/h except you ordered the performance package. Then the limit is 300km/h. In the pic above, the car ran against the limiter, i. e. the 307 are "real" 300 roughly. It achieves this speed in gear 6 of 7.

There's not a lot more to come, maybe 5km/h. At the time, there was an Alpina 5 Series station wagon with around 500hp; it had a vmax of 305.

One night I drove back from Frankfurt Airport (same track). I was in 7th gear, Autobahn empty. I then noticed that I was at around 280, so I kept accelerating without getting back in 6th. The power of the car was equal with the aerodynamic resistance at exactly 296km/h ... so 307 in 6th and 296 in 7th

You see, important information
Thomas

P. S.: My wife took the pic at 6AM Sunday morning ...

[CraigB]

Code: Select all

Number of points come to mind

• Great to see that in normal usage you can actually use that sort of speed - unlike here where people rightly say "what's the point in that when you can only do 110

• I was thinking.... I wonder how he got that shot with the camera between the door and the steering wheel......

• Your wife had steady enough hands to take the photo..... mine would have been screaming back at about 130kmh..... or even worse, go silent!

[T-Modell]

...]I was thinking.... I wonder how he got that shot with the camera between the door and the steering wheel....

Craig,

as we're driving on the RIGHT side of the road (opposite to wrong ), the shot is taken from the passenger seat. My wife has a really good figure, but she wouldn't fit between me and the driver's door

Thomas

[CraigB]

Aahhhh Yep.... I worked that one out before.... but only after you mentioned in your message about your wife taking the photo - funny how things are instinctive and then you think about it logically ... doh! And how many times have i walked up to a car in a LHD country and opened the passenger side door and thought - where's the steering wheel gone. Or looked for the eyes of the driver (a skill learnt early from motorbike riding) and thought "who's driving the bloody car!". I'm sure you have been back and forth enough that it doesn't happen and you get used to it. Thinking back to my first ventures into Brit bikes and hitting the back brake to change gears but after a while you can move from one to the other fine.... or my Amilcar has the accelerator in the middle and the brake where the go pedal normally is.... you get used to it!