Enjoy the hunt!

Jun 25, 2024,18:11 PM
 

The problem with these things is that they consume way too much fuel. A US Gallon is 3.78 liters and costs around $5.39 US dollars or around 5 Euros currently. It was as high as 6 Euros earlier. The cost to operate these cars is just too high - especially if you drove them in Europe at high speeds. This car consumes 16 liters per 100km! In Europe, with the stop and go city driving and the ultra-high-speed free way driving, I wouldn't be surprised if that number approaches 20 liters per 100km! And now that electric cars offer similar acceleration and performance at a fraction of the price with even less maintenance - these dinosaurs just don't make sense anymore.
So, a little bit more about the M113K engine. The M113K that is in the W211 chassis E55 AMG cars is very reliable. It is the engine that is similar to the one in the Mercedes SLR-McLaren. That SLR McLaren has a near identical engine but with a dry sump lubrication system and more forged internals. The big Achilles heel for the SLR McLaren - it ruins the car - is the slow shifting automatic transmission. The SLR McLaren shares the identical transmission as the E55 AMG - the same 5 speed transmission that is in the E55 and the S600/CL600/SL600 V12-engined cars. This 5 speed transmission shifts very slowly and the gear ratios are slightly odd - they're spaced more like an American muscle car than an European sports sedan, the gap between some gears are quite large and the gap between other gears (like 4-5) appear quite small. Compared to the current 9 speed you probably have in your current car, this 5 speed is what will make the car feel a bit dated. The 9 speed transmission also "brightens" even a dull engine - as it just shifts so smoothly that it minimizes the power loss and the power interruption - a 4 cylinder E300 feels cheerful and "bright" with the 9 speed transmission! So... The SLR McLaren, having this transmission really didn't suit the car's character. The slow shifting transmission was out of place for a 2 door sporty car. But this slow-shifting 5 speed transmission was appropriate for a 4 door sedan car.

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The Nike car β˜‘οΈ

 
By: KMII : June 12th, 2024-03:51
Enticing you to β€˜Just do it’ with the swoosh 😁 ...  

E T-Model

 
By: KMII : June 12th, 2024-03:56
Making families and Labrador retrievers go fast since years 😁

I don't have pics.

 
By: patrick_y : June 13th, 2024-05:26
I have an e55 amg that I drive on the weekends. It used to be a daily driver before I switched to my Tesla.

Ah, very cool πŸ‘ŒπŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»

 
By: KMII : June 13th, 2024-06:16
First, naturally aspirated one, or the Compressor one? Definitely both cars I would still like to add to the garage at some point 🀞🏻

The Kompressor one.

 
By: patrick_y : June 14th, 2024-00:22
I do like the naturally aspirated one in the 210 chassis a lot. A fine machine. The 211 chassis E55 is very nice as well - I just don't like the poor reliability of the air suspension.

It's possible.

 
By: patrick_y : June 17th, 2024-18:44
Although you can't do it with official Mercedes Benz parts. Although aftermarket options do have some options.

The rest of the car is actually pretty good. Just the air suspension is the only problem.

 
By: patrick_y : June 17th, 2024-18:45
The engine is very reliable, transmission is very solid, differential is reliable as well. Just that air suspension is the Achilles heel!

We had an E class of the generation back in the day…

 
By: KMII : June 18th, 2024-03:42
Not the 55 mind you, and it was the least reliable car ever, unfortunately πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ It felt like there wasn’t a single component that didn’t need replacing within three years. And it started rusting within that time, too. The absolute horror in terms of Merc... 

I'm told by my service advisor...

 
By: patrick_y : June 18th, 2024-17:13
I'm told by my service advisor that the only reliable AMGs are the ones with the M113 engines. The M112 (V6) and M113 (V8) engines are some of the most reliable engine generations for Mercedes Benz provided they are well maintained. There is an E55 AMG 20... 

Enjoy the hunt!

 
By: patrick_y : June 25th, 2024-18:11
The problem with these things is that they consume way too much fuel. A US Gallon is 3.78 liters and costs around $5.39 US dollars or around 5 Euros currently. It was as high as 6 Euros earlier. The cost to operate these cars is just too high - especially... 

The price of petrol is still a lot lower at your end πŸ˜‰

 
By: KMII : July 8th, 2024-11:07
Depending on where I refuel it it can go as high as €2,50 a liter at our end πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ I guess it all boils down to how much you move it. Mine has almost 50k km in less than 11 months, so it becomes a bit of a factor πŸ˜ŠπŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ But the fun is there, too 😁 ... 

Good heavens! You're on the road A LOT!

 
By: patrick_y : July 8th, 2024-17:04
You must go through a lot of cars! Imagine all the money you could save if you went electric. Assuming you could charge at home and at the times when electricity is cheaper. And assuming that electric cars meet your space and range needs. Germany has fair... 

Would consider electric if I could charge it at home 😊

 
By: KMII : July 8th, 2024-18:39
The one downside is that most of them have limited top speeds, range mostly wouldn’t be a killer criterion. They can be great fun to drive. The next one might be electric, depending on where and how soon I change. The majority of my driving is commuting t... 

Good to know!

 
By: patrick_y : July 8th, 2024-18:45
Ahh, yes, the limited top speed could be a problem. Good to know that people in Germany are slowing down. I wonder why people in Germany are slowing down. Is it the cars just don't feel great at 250 KPH? Is it the drivers don't want to pay the increased f... 

Times have changed…

 
By: KMII : July 8th, 2024-18:49
The previous generation for whom driving fast was a thing are slowly ageing out of their working days (with company cars) and many younger people do not appreciate driving fast nearly as much. Fuel costs are an issue, too. And fewer people nowadays have c... 

Need to take a nicer shot…

 
By: KMII : June 12th, 2024-04:37
To capture the contours of the front - it is a lot subtler than the old generations or the current RS6 but there is a beauty to the sculpted muscle up front (at least to me) πŸ˜‰πŸ¦Ύ

When one can…

 
By: KMII : June 12th, 2024-18:43
Today saw a moderately good drive to work, with 280 shortly reached, before traffic put a stop to fuller speed πŸ˜πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™‚οΈ