Is Buying A Cheap Old Mercedes-AMG As Financially Unwise As It Sounds?

Not all used Mercedes-AMG cars are cash vacuums that will force you to dig into your kids' college fund. Some are cheap to buy and reasonable to maintain. Consider these three factors in your budget-AMG search: Which old Mercedes-Benz AMG model you want, how well it's been cared for, and whether you need to rely on it for daily transportation. Plus, some are increasing in value, so you may even get lucky and buy yourself an appreciating asset.

Now, as fun as it would be to include ultra-rare AMG Hammers that can set you back $4 million a pair, let's focus on models that came out after Mercedes and AMG (Aufrecht Melcher Großaspach) became financial bedfellows in 1990. That way, you don't have to have a time machine to invest in pre-merger Mercedes-AMG cars or resort to selling vital organs. Regardless of which AMG tickles your fancy, though, get a pre-purchase inspection from a knowledgeable Mercedes-AMG repair shop.

So let's say you want to find an older AMG for less than $25,000. Hands down, the most reliable and durable model you'll find is the 362-hp M113 V8-powered 2005-2006 W203 C55. An example with 35,000 miles sold on Bring A Trailer for $14,500 in October, and one with 155,000 miles sold there for $7,500 in November. 

The main problems with C55s are the crank position sensor, which RepairPal estimates around $300 to have replaced (or less than $200 if you do it yourself), and consumable suspension parts, such as ball joints and control arm bushings. Anything else will be typical 20-year-old car stuff, such as window regulators or dead pixels in the now-primitive gauge cluster screen. In all, RepairPal says annual repair costs for a C55, on average, are $1,166.

A word on the M113. It is one of the most durable things humanity ever willed into being. The Mercedes-AMG cars that are the most reliable are the ones powered by the 342-hp-and-up naturally aspirated 5.4-liter M113 and 469-hp-and-up supercharged M113K V8s, which can last beyond 300,000 miles with basic (but diligent) maintenance. As a bonus, these engines were almost always paired with the nigh-indestructible Mercedes-Benz 5G-Tronic automatic transmission. 

Now, specific models with M113/M113K V8s can still funnel your paycheck into a wood chipper. W220 S55s can suffer frequent, crippling electronic failures and hydraulic pump breakages. W210 E55s are known for their propensity to rust, even while their power trains keep on ticking. This is why low-mileage, rust-free examples command money, such as the 41,000-mile example that sold on Bring A Trailer for $34,000 in October, while Kelley Blue Book says a 2002 E55 should ask less than $10,000. 

Another common, surprisingly reliable old Mercedes-AMG model is the 469-hp M113K-powered 2003-2006 W211 E55. KBB shows a typical listing price for a 2005 model around $14,700. An '04 with just 55,000 miles sold on Bring A Trailer in December for $17,800.

W211s don't have the same rust issues that plagued W210s, but buyers still need to be sure that the car has been well cared for. There are copious aftermarket parts from Arnott to maintain the pneumatic suspension, and there are coilover conversion kits for people who don't want to bother. The problem-prone Sensotronic Brake Control is more of an issue, especially with 20 years of age. E55s started using this electronic braking system for the 2003 model year, and repairing or replacing the brake module can cost over $1,000. Still, RepairPal estimates annual E55 repair and maintenance costs at just $1,073.

As for other "cheap" AMGs, there's the 302-hp 4.3-liter M113-powered 1998-2000 W202 C43, but there are two main issues with it. One is that C43s have become pricier lately because the W202's boxy styling is currently in vogue. In 2019, you could get a concours-level examples for under $20,000, but now 20 grand will buy you one that's merely good, while pristine examples are creeping over $50,000. The other problem is that W202s love to rust in nasty places, such as the suspension mounts. 

The C43's predecessor, the 268-hp inline-six W202 C36, is certainly cheaper. Excellent-condition examples only command in the $25,000 range, but rust is still an issue and the C36s are known for needing frequent head gasket replacements. 

The 2002-2004 W203 C32s and SLK32s with the 349-hp supercharged M112K 3.2-liter V6 are quite cheap, with the KBB Typical Listing Price for a 2002 C32 being around $6,400 and 2002 SLK32 about $10,250. Watch for rust and defective Valeo radiators, and be wary of SLK32s with non-functioning Vario-Roof retractable hardtops, as the hydraulic pump alone can cost you $500. Still, address these issues, and you're sitting pretty with cars that RepairPal estimates will require less than $1,000 per year to keep running.

If you don't need rock-solid daily reliability, but just want a cheap weekend toy, a 2009 W204 C63 with the 450-plus-hp M156 6.2-liter can be found for under $17,000, and decent 2007 W211 E63s can be had for under $12,000. The M156 6.2 is the polar opposite of the M113 5.4 in terms of durability, though, what with their headbolt-snapping and camshaft-wearing problems. Still, plenty of owners have avoided catastrophic failures, and RepairPal estimates annual average repair costs of an '09 C63 at just $926, and '07 E63s at $1,449.