In retrospect, it's insane that my parents gave this to me as my first car at 16. I'll still be chasing that high for the rest of my life.

@BorisBidjanSaberi11

10 ай бұрын

What do you drive now

@AlfaGTA156

10 ай бұрын

What a spoilt brat you must have been.

@opoxious1592

10 ай бұрын

To bad you don't own it anymore

@elmayimbe5094

10 ай бұрын

Please tell me you did not wreck it.

@kha7705

10 ай бұрын

Dude, I got a beating. 😂

Also for the gear selector switch, the "S" stands for Standard with Mercedes, not Sport. Winter mode essentially just means it'll start in 2nd gear to minimise wheelspin

@Happy_Soyjak

10 ай бұрын

„S“ stands for Summer.

@pittypatterputzzler5311

10 ай бұрын

Sommer und Winter.

@snacho901

10 ай бұрын

Doesnt the 5 speed auto always start in 2 if you dont floor it?

@alitalla4733

10 ай бұрын

​@Happy_Soyjak for the W210 the S stands for Standard not Summer the car starts in the first gear the W stands for Wet/Winter

@Kan_DSU

10 ай бұрын

I have a E430 and it says in my booklet in means Standard and W is for Winter.

The interior is soooo good. Not just for nostalgia's sake, but it gives such a strong sense of quality and solidity. Such a tank of a car. Love it.

@Ksoism

10 ай бұрын

It is, but when it came out, everyone was disappointed how much cheaper and more fragile it felt compared to W124. I recently drove W210, and it felt really good and solid - but W124 work vault door sound thump when closing door, is still better. But W210 is still really great, although a slight step down.

@matsujarvinen

10 ай бұрын

@@Ksoism W210 is better to drive,more comfortable and in fact,better in everything.Except,W124 has more quality feel to it,but that´s because the doorlock system is different(insurance companies demanded they build it better)and the hood is heavier(nice,but not good for mpg) etc. I had W124 and I like it still,but W210 is a greater car to me.

@Ksoism

10 ай бұрын

@@matsujarvinen that's pretty much right although W124 was made like a tank, W210 is in many ways better. But how they ride is really similar, it's what I consider mb feel

@basillicus3959

10 ай бұрын

I've never actually seen the interior before, and it looks indeed very good! Exterior, well, not so much. In Finland these are called "Väyrynen", after a controversial politician. Also pretty much all the examples I've seen on the roads have been horribly rusted, testament to poor quality control and negligence by MB. A stark contrast to W124 that are hardly rusty even today after decades of use. W210 was basically the model which ruined MB brand for me, I have not considered it to be any different than other German premium brands after that, just a bit more expensive which makes no sense.

@matsujarvinen

10 ай бұрын

@@basillicus3959 All the MBs rusted circa 1994-2004,even W124.That was because they changed to watercolours.I don´t think that was because of poor quality control.Something went terribly wrong,and they couldn´t foresee it until the cars got older and showed signs of rusting.

This car is just the perfect example of a true 'modern classic' Mercedes. Perfect blend of old-school Mercedes bankvault qualities with a surprising amount of 21st century performance, safety and luxury features. Another fun fact that I'm surprised Doug didnt mention was that this was the last AMG to be entirely hand-assembled from the ground up. After this it was just the engines being built by hand, and then nowadays half of so-called "AMG" models don't even have hand assembled engines anymore.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

merc are a joke in the UK

@Rom3_29

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162- UK’s wet weather and rust loooves German steel.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

​@@Rom3_29i agree but explain the blown head gaskets and gearboxes on these scrap yard specials that cost £5 here now?😂

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 That has nothing to do with this US MARKET W210 V8 E55 AMG or any E320, 420, 430 W210 from US. Those are V engines with no head gasket issues whereas the inline 6 does. In US, you see many E320 and upper models w210s being driven to this day. Gearbox, over time its been known you shouldn't spill any liquids around the shifter...that pretty much goes for any car, but MB shifter/transmissions were very sensitive to liquids around this time. That 5 speed trans in US market and Japan market is very reliable idk what trans yall got in UK for the turbo D models and the sub 320 models like the E200.

@fakevirus8828

10 ай бұрын

​@@TheDonYGnonsense. I worked for Merc here and what the AJ is a dophus guy said is absolutely on the money.

Brabus even dropped the AMG 7.3 L V12 into the W210 and then tuned it further to produce 582 PS, making it more powerful than a Pagani Zonda 7.3. Top speed was limited to 205 mph (330 km/h). By far the fastest sedan of its time.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

Ummmm NO! The brabus got put directly against the king of "sedans" (as you lot call them, we call them saloons) from the generation before the Lotus Carlton and the Lotus Carlton whooped it. 205😂 it barely reached 175 pal

@septanos

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162im pretty sure the brabus can outperform the lotus

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

​@@septanosNo it cant it got whooped son stop lying and furthermore the Lotus Carlton was from two generations previous

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

​@@septanos Brabus merc handled like junk got whooped by a stock Sierra cosworth on track on the same vid.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

Also, earlier Zonda got whooped by a jag XJ220. You Americans know nothing about our cars

I just had 20 minutes of nostalgia watching this - My father had this exact car spec except with an emerald green exterior. I loved pressing that center dash button that controlled the three rear headrest. Watching them fall over and over, it felt like magic as a little boy. As far as the black and white interior on this car, I think it still is hands down the most beautiful interior I have seen and I am a serial merc owner to this day. Despite that car being long gone… it was the catalyst for my life long love and joy for the Mercedes brand. Thank you Doug for this video.

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

God bless us Bruno Benz enthusiasts

@martyyyy7832

10 ай бұрын

SAME! My father had 270 cdi when i was litttle and its not amg but still was 90% simular and i remember the headrests thing seemed magical to me too and how heavy the doors were. Just pure nostalgia and joy from the better times

@purwantiallan5089

10 ай бұрын

​@@martyyyy7832the E55 AMG looked like an underrated luxury sedan like the Chrysler Phaeton.

I owned a 1986 W124 back in the day and I'll tell ya, I've never seen so mechanics in love with how well that vehicle was designed and engineered with the mechanic in mind. Even when literally everything on that car was built to last, replacing something was beyond easy or engineered so well that it was easy on the mechanics working on them. My family mechanic told me that it was the best engine to work on because of that boxy design because the Mercedes engineers had the mechanics in mind. So neat.

@matsujarvinen

10 ай бұрын

Same goes with other MB models,including W210.

Doug - I own a 2001 E55 in silver. You are absolutely correct on the par excellence cruiser. I have driven this to Denver multiple times for over 14 hours at around 100 and it is just purely the best experience and what makes me love driving. It makes up for traffic for the whole year. You drive it and just smile. Sidenote: It is the most reliable car I own and have never even considered that it would strand me.

@muddyguns

10 ай бұрын

You should stay out of Colorado

@purwantiallan5089

10 ай бұрын

​@@muddygunswell you bet it is

@slyscafe

10 ай бұрын

The alternator has been the only thing that I've ever had issues with, and that's once every 12 years

@The_Hulkster

10 ай бұрын

I sold my 2001 E55 AMG and then went and purchased a 2013 Camaro SS 1LE track package. I loved my 55 but that 1LE 5th gen is just as solid as the Benz but takes everything to a new nother level. Especially with that bulletproof 6.2 LS3 Corvette engine and TR6060 transmission combo. It's God's combo for a tank like cruiser. Simple car but I don't like over complicated shit which is why I like older cars.

@user-vr7mo3io2n

6 ай бұрын

one of my favorite cars ever

I used to use that rear shade all the time while driving. It was convenient when someone was tailgating me at night and their lights annoyed me. Raising the shade seemed also to annoy most people so they rage passed quick after raising it 😂 Fun quirk about the car: I bought it used from Germany, the previous owner was a retired gentleman. After driving the car for a few weeks I did an interior detail and I found an unused shotgun shell between the seat mechanism! I could have accidentally made it go off when moving the seat 😅

@robertnewhart3547

10 ай бұрын

I'll give you a thumbs up solely for the proper English. Tis refreshing.

@timshearer5092

10 ай бұрын

I briefly toyed with the idea of printing a raised middle finger on the rear shade, then thought better of it.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

you from the UK mate?

@diablocls55

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162UK is a liberal country full of flaming homosexuals

@talosiv4927

6 ай бұрын

I'm smiling big at your comment about the rear sunshade, for both blocking the brights behind you, and the fun factor of pissing-off people behind that are bugging you. I used to enjoy mine for the same reason.

Love when Doug reviews older gen mercs especially since I’m lucky enough to own a 211 e55 i could look at these cars all day. Amazing cars

@robertnewhart3547

10 ай бұрын

Please refrain from telling others what to do.

@WatanabeNoTsuna.

10 ай бұрын

​@@robertnewhart3547What?! 🤨

@uzzle21

10 ай бұрын

just bought my e55 w211 too

@bwofficial1776

10 ай бұрын

@@robertnewhart3547 Who was telling others what to do, besides you?

@Cappy-bf5rz

10 ай бұрын

I have an e300 td and i love it she's a little beast but comfy and ready for a rebuild and custom paint

I have a silver/black 2001 E430 Sport, which was quite rare in those days. From the outside it looks exactly like an E55 with the lower body aero sport moldings and bumpers. It also has the sport suspension. It only has the 4.3 liter V8 with 279 HP but that is plenty. I have owned 7 Benzes since 1984, it is my favorite with my 1990 300CE a very close second. The W210 still feels current today with better looks than the newer E classes.

19:20 CD changers in the 90's were awesome. When you were used to only having a cassette player or single disc changer up front, a 6 or 10 disc changer was amazing!

12:05 The S on that switch stands for Standard or summer. This era of cars didnt had any Sport setting and the only thing this button does is locking out first gear so you set off in second gear, this also applies with reverse gear so you actually have 2 different ratio reverse gears. This button does not change the way the transmission shifts.

@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785

10 ай бұрын

Bro, you're mostly right, except about cars from that era not having a sport mode, other cars did...my brother's Saturn SC2 had a "sport" mode, for instance.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

they launched into 2nd instantly in W (winter mode) and destroyed their gearbox and caused the crank to self clearance itself into oblivion as it started whipping on main bearing 3&4 and flattened out the soft half clams they fitted. Unlike BMW though the Merc lumps bottom end would get slappy rather than just fall out the things

@TalksportWokistWombles

10 ай бұрын

dougs removing this dude aboves comments. Petty AF and not a good thing for any American to be doing considering how public opinion has changed recently. Leave him be doug hes from my country and you look bad censoring people just for speaking the truth.

@fakevirus8828

10 ай бұрын

​@@TalksportWokistWombles yip

@Blast6926

10 ай бұрын

​@@TalksportWokistWombleslol what? How comes it's censored if i already read this comment?!

Those rims were iconic....similar to my 98' Lexus LS400

After watching Doug for a while, I start to find myself seeing cars differently if I would fit in the back seats, their look, their power, their design. It is totally just a new experience. Thanks Doug. Shouts out from Morocco

@purwantiallan5089

10 ай бұрын

The E55 for me is 8.8/10.

@TranceFur

10 ай бұрын

@purwantiallan5089 Who asked?

@aakirax

10 ай бұрын

@@TranceFur I did.

@Notfiveo0

6 ай бұрын

If only Mercedes would go back to making solid reliable quality cars.

According to Mercedes W210 owner manual which I have - the transmission mode switch stands for Winter and Standard. In standard form the car drives normally in all 5 gears. In W mode, the car will take off in 2nd gear in order to reduce wheel spin. Even the reverse gear has 2 different ratios to suit W and S mode. This transmission also has adaptive electronics which reads the driver driving pattern and adapt accordingly.

@jaimeramirez-perez7198

10 ай бұрын

Very interesting 🤔

@throwback19841

10 ай бұрын

@@jaimeramirez-perez7198 yep - there's a procedure to tell it to re-learn, or just disconnect the battery for 10+ minutes. I did this in my jaguar with the same transmission.

I’ve always loved the subtle blue tint Mercedes would put on their windows

I worked at Mercedes Benz from 2005-2006 and the E55 AMG were by far my favorite car to drive! So much power!

Doug you always nail every detail. I recently (and regrettably) sold my '03 E320 but I noticed the same thing about the doors- how nice and solid they were. Everything felt solid. I rented a Ford Focus and I thought the turn signal was going to break each time I engaged it. Older Mercedes was really about quality. Before the E320 I had an '01 E39 for 5 years and again you were spot on. I drove it like the sports car it was designed to be but drove my E320 like a luxury cruiser. Though it had some sporty aspects to it, I didn't trust it to handle the things my BMW did. They definitely are not the same.

My mom had a 2001 E320 when I was in middle school and I was enthralled by the E55. Such a great car. And they used to be criminally cheap but not anymore. It’s still worth it tbh. I’d love to own one of my own someday.

@laureanolatorre4340

10 ай бұрын

🥹❤️❤️

@dennisescobar8266

10 ай бұрын

Doug can you please review a c55 AMG ?

@db3501

10 ай бұрын

Pull this out of a Garage or be well-prepared for rust related issues. 😉

@laureanolatorre4340

10 ай бұрын

@@db3501 umm it’s not a Honda u know….

@db3501

10 ай бұрын

@@laureanolatorre4340 I do. This car is now extinct in most of Europe 😀 It comes down to weather, maybe...

I bought my 1999 e320 for $1000, and it's so amazing. Best first car I could have imagined, the speakers and how quiet it is when driving is just insane

@matsujarvinen

10 ай бұрын

I agree.Many people say the same.W210 is like a hiddden gem :) Lucky us.

@slyscafe

10 ай бұрын

I went to the shooting range in mine and I couldn't believe how quiet a 12 Guage shotgun sounded 10 yards away

@simonkiesler6345

Ай бұрын

bought a 2002 e320 a few days ago and paid 7000 Euros for it. But I still think that this Car is worth it, was used by a Lady from Texas and only drove the car in good weather conditions, no rust or anything else. Also it only has about 30k miles on it, so I think that I should be able to drive for an eternity. But Heck, I wish I've been born a little bit earlier when those cars were that cheap.

@elithompson785

Ай бұрын

@@simonkiesler6345 I mean I bought my car in 2022, from an older woman in my neighborhood. I was only 16 and she pretty much gave the car to me

Thanks so much Doug, I had so much nostalgia watching this, you reminded me why I fell in love with these new when I was 13. I also loved the ones from the late 2000s, with the factory body kits, you saw them all the time on hip hop videos as well as the C230 Kompressor. I loved the wagon version too.

One of my favorite things about my W211 and the W203 I owned before it was the rear head rests being able to be dropped! Made a huge difference in visibility and I immediately noticed how much I need that when my local Mercedes dealership loaned me a W212 e class while my car was in service. I really wish they'd bring that back!

I like the little dance that Doug always does when he says “quirks and features”. Like it excites him just saying it lol…

The estate version is even better! I'd say E55 T AMG is on par with R63 AMG in my book. Waiting for Doug to find an E60 sedan from this gen and quick-review it! Can't agree with one thing: these E-classes weren't "built to last", on the contrary actually - they rot like hell but Doug may not know that as "it never rains in California", but in Europe these were notorious for holes, falling outs of window gaskets etc. all from rust. There was this saying that these E-classes were so rust-prone that you could hear it being consumed by rust if you put your ear close enough to the bodywork xD

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

In US, even in rust prone states, the w210 does last to this day, but they are smothered in rust depending on the state. My E320 still in great condition thank God

@Safety7th

10 ай бұрын

My wife's old 210 had disintegrating wiring. Just try to change a headlight bulb. The wiring sheath would come apart in your hands

@smokeonthewater5287

10 ай бұрын

Yes I had to sell my 1996 E320 because it just rusted and became too ugly to go for business trips. MB started to use water based 'eco' paints which were a biiig mistake.

@smokeonthewater5287

10 ай бұрын

@@Safety7th That was also an eco thing, biodegradable wire insulation. Everything eco is _always_ bad when it comes to cars. Always.

@hellocar123

10 ай бұрын

Yeah better get a southern owned car

The W210 will forever hold a soft spot for me in my heart, my step Dad had a 97-98 E430 that was black on Black I scored my license my very first try in that car and always took it to get a car wash just to have an excuse to drive it. Man I've been chasing that high ever since! Now my E90 got close but no cigar especially since owning the E60 omg that was so close if not another car that owns real estate in my heart.

@dFRESH5055

10 ай бұрын

Oooo

Not a word about one of the coolest features: the adaptive front seats!!!! 😮😮

Such an a enjoyable review. Your enthusiasm is testimony to the love you have for such a fine motor 💙

@Cappy-bf5rz

10 ай бұрын

I have a 98 e300 td when i get done with it that thing will be gorgeous fast reliable comfortable fuel efficient and it will be an even better daily than most cars today

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

fine motor that came rock bottom of reliability charts in UK/Europe (better made ones too) and that 2 of the engine options were in the top 3 engine failure rate charts? explain the "fine" part mate for us all please?

@Cappy-bf5rz

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 mine has 403k and climbing on the clock no major issues yet but still going to rebuild the motor swap to a mechanical pump big elements chambers bored out bigger turbo and a six speed manual

When we got the call years ago that my grandmother was on her death bed my son and I immediately left NC for ID in our 1999 E320. It had >250k miles on it and it never crossed our mind that it would have any issue with the journey. We made it with a whole day to spare. The car just eats up the miles although ours maybe not as quickly as others. It was a wonderful and sturdy car. RIP "Old Betsy"

I'm an American 60's 70's muscle car guy. The first time I drove the E55 I was in love. Beautiful dash, beautiful styling, instant throttle, and just wonderful to drive. If I had to choose a daily MB to drive, the 2002 E55 is it.

Ive had my '99 E55 for 2 and half years now and I still get a smile on my face when the V8 roars to life. Its no 500E but for a reliable cruisey V8 sedan from the 90's its hard to beat the LS is more sluggish and the V8 M5 had far more temperamental engines. The E55 is a real sweet spot for daily driving.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

merc and bmw are utter junk. its amazing that Americans think these junk heaps are reliable or handle well while the better made ones in the UK came rock bottom of reliability charts and top of the engine failure rate charts. In the UK we consider all mercs as wooden handling rot boxes that cannot hold a head gasket in. Like i said ours are better made than yours and still considered a joke here. Porsche are the latest german brand to absolutely tank in reliability. The newer TurboS variants have landed Porsche rock bottom of the reliability charts now bellow Land Rover yet all i see is Americans claiming Porsche are well made hahahaha. Porsches IMS bearing failures waa one of the biggest disasters in automotive history and now theyve forgotten how to make conrods that last and engine mounts that last 😂 yeah coz conrods have only been about since the steam age and any decent engineer can make their own active engine dampers better than porsche can. We are more advanced than you lot as far as road vehicles and it shows.

Owned this car as a daily driver and then as a side car for almost 18 years. Loved it. Adored it.

What I'd do for one of those. Rented an AMG CL6.3 in SFO about 7 or 8 years ago from Hertz. Kept it for 3 or 4 days. I WAS SENNA for those days. Effing LOVED that thing. It went like hell and stuck like glue. When it was time to stop, it stopped like Velcro. It just quit moving. An amazing experience and without a doubt the most capable car I've ever driven. It gave me an incredible feeling of ability. An ability that I surely do not possess. I had a blast in the twisties along the CA coast and in wine country. Cost me about 100 bucks per day and worth every penny.

Doug, I have 2 quick points to make: 1.) My first car was a 2000 E320 with 250k, still running today. What a bulletproof car, don’t make them like they used to. 2.) I would say that the ultimate German highway cruiser would be the 2009(era) CL550 (or 63) this in my mind was still in that overbuilt era also. While not comparable to the E class, nothing beats that car on the highway. Absolute tank of a car (although reliability is slightly more problematic).

Awesome review. Awesome E55. Awesome color combo. I am a fan of the W210’s styling and the AMG touches completes the package.

I have been waiting for this review since you started the channel. Thanks Doug.

Doug love your work man!

I think a big part of the 'solidity' feel when interacting with modern doors is in the door handle itself. I started paying attention to it after I realized how 'solid' my C216 CL doors felt, and more precisely - how heavy and 'billet' the door handle seemed. I think it was also in big part down to the OEM chrome trim on the door handle (not to be confused with the chintzy aftermarket fake-chrome door handle surrounds) - the doors on my Jaguar XJ are much heavier and slam with a solid 'thunk', but the handle itself feels horribly brittle and hollow. Same in the SL and basically 90% of other cars I dealt with.

Everyone who’s owned an MB of that area when you pointed to the headrest button in the center console all subconsciously heard the thump sound as each headrest hit the rear parcel shelf. 😂

one of the best reviews yet, such a pleasing car to hear about both performance and comfort

This W210 pretty much sums up why I generally love fast German cars. It’s got satisfying driving experience while retaining that subdued, restrained, subtle styling. Even on modern standards where colored brake calipers and carbon fiber become apparent, they all still look understated as compared to supercars with their scoops and wings.

@damcoentertainment3956

10 ай бұрын

Well they aren't restrained looking anymore lol.

@damilolaakanni

10 ай бұрын

​@@damcoentertainment3956that's just BMW, other German performance cars still have pretty restrained styling.

My friend's father had one of these when we were in high school. I remember sitting in the back seat as he punched on it on the highway and being blown away. It was the fastest thing in the world to me at that time. Great memories.

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

I remember my aunt had a W210 (e320/E430) it was a black on tan and I sat in the back seat amazed by it, but I remember hiding behind the blinds and staring at it cause the front end amazed me even more lmao if you were born in the 80s-90s, when you think of MB, you think of W210. That E Class became very much mainstream unlike the W124, and by the W211, MB perfected the look of the "E Class" by giving it an evolutionary look from the W210. W210-W211 is PURE E CLASS.

@sdlausen1

10 ай бұрын

It's amazing how the simplest thing such as this remain with you forever. That's why kids need to experience everything they can.

@matsujarvinen

10 ай бұрын

@@TheDonYG W211 is definitely one of the best looking cars MB has ever made.Compared to it,W210 looks a little clumsy.But if you don´t have W211 near,it looks great in it´s ownright.And I do appreciate the company for making such a bold change with the headlights after w124 which is a good looking car.

I've been waiting for you to review this for a long time. I absolutely love the W210 E55! I love the look of it, the interior, and the powertrain. I'm tempted to bid on it. As you said Doug, it's one of my favorite sedans of all time.

@purwantiallan5089

10 ай бұрын

What about Demuro reviewing a Chevy Camaro Z28 Coupe?

@santiagoortiz3665

10 ай бұрын

@@purwantiallan5089 never mind, you changed it, Review a catfish Z28! Or an SLP!

Ran a gold '87 190E "baby Mercedes" for ten years. Loved it, but the engine started fouling the plugs with oil at about 195,000 miles, the rocker panels were rusting out, so I reluctantly traded it in on a '01 gold E320 W210, just like the E55 above, except for more traditional "monoblock" wheels. There's a little rust in the wheel wells, but it still looks pretty new pushing 100,000 miles. Drove it several times across the USA. Such a pleasure, as you point out. Not too big, not too small. It does everything right, masterful engineering. The 221 HP V-6 engine and 5 speed transmission handles very well at interstate speeds. The 4MATIC drivetrain holds the road like a tank. It has cruise control and goes precisely 79 mph no matter what the terrain is, passing speed traps with authority, revving a comfortable and silent 2800 rpm, getting 26 mpg on long trips. The big single windshield washer does a great job in torrential rain. The thing about both the 190E and the E320 is everything has been well thought out and integrated into a smooth driving machine that still handles well at 110 mph, the fastest I've dared drive either car. The E320 W210 is the only car I've driven for 16 hours and can still stand up comfortably after the ride. It gets respect on the road like no other car I've owned, a true gentleman's car, understated but authoritative, like Sacco's Mercedes designs have always been. Nice big windows all around. Rear view mirrors tilt down when you back up. Nice! I've driven it for 12 years, keep it off salty roads, and look forward to another 100,000 miles. Me pushing 80, it may be the last car I'll have to own.

@callofdestiny5671

2 ай бұрын

that’s awesome man great story, love to hear your personal connection to it. i own a 2010 e350 rn and it’s amazing for road trips!

Such a nice car. Bulletproof reliability, ability to cruise smoothly at 100+ mph, and super practical. Yes, the W211 E55 has way more power, but it also has more complexity with air suspension. Can’t go wrong with either :) I’ve got a 2004 E320, and it’s an awesome highway car. Easy car to work on too!

@bilalahmed2123

10 ай бұрын

My dad had a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI. It was a great car !

@Sparkpluggy

10 ай бұрын

Bulletproof? The W210 had massive rust issues and was nowhere near as durable as the preceding W124.

@thefifthbelfry92

10 ай бұрын

@@Sparkpluggyercedes and durability in the same sentence lmao

@1n2333

10 ай бұрын

@@Sparkpluggy That's only if you live where it snows. There are thousands of examples today that are rust free. "Massive rust issues" is a false statement. Almost every car in those specific areas ends up having rust overtime

@bilalahmed2123

10 ай бұрын

@@Sparkpluggy that was the downside of this chassis. Rust !

Beautiful car. This is when a Benz looked like Benz. Nice interior. AMG. Cool interior. What more could you want. Headlight washers. Cool. Buy another Doug.🏁🤑🤑❤❤

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

well i want a reliable car for a start so this junk heap has no chance

@andreasu.3546

9 ай бұрын

In Germany (whole of EU probably), headlight washers are mandatory with HID lights, and they must be functional to pass the bi-annual TÜV inspections. I guess that's why the car has the feature, even if it may not be required in the US.

@brdllc

3 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162then don’t buy one weirdo why do you care if other people compliment a car? You are the outlier

Doug you NAILED it on explaining the experience of a Mercedes of that era!!!! You just had to be there

3:02 My 1st car at 16 was a 1995 C36 AMG. You are spot on. These cars were special and I thought all cars were special. Wish I never sold it. Back when AMG was subtle and something really special.

You don´t see them anymore here in Germany...because we have winters here :D Rust in peace!

This car aged so well, still a beautiful car to this day! The 2000 M5 was a badass car too.

@ivanmaras3429

10 ай бұрын

Another timeles car

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

What? This junk heap rotted out or the engine blew 😂 The E39 M5 was another disaster with its recirculating ball steering. Utterly ridiculous claims and absolute disposable garbage to anyone in the UK.

@felipeiturreyes3385

10 ай бұрын

​@@bigduphusaj162you are against many owners and majority people opinion.... I prefer to believe in them....

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

​@@felipeiturreyes3385lets talk about the rot or the head gasket issues or the atrocious steering system or the suspension lasting 10 potholes before snapping every tail of every end of the springs. Or maybe we can talk about the abysmal gearboxes that launched in 2nd gear on winter mode and detonated. Or lets talk about the junk amg motor thats plating cracked within 30k miles on the top 2" of every bore right at the deck. I worked for merc fixing these junk heaps son

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

@@felipeiturreyes3385 Bro, listen. Dude from UK shitting on every owner's experience with the E320 v6 to the E55 V8 AMG. In the US, the E320, E420, E430, and E55 are being driven to this day in the US. I've seen this dude about 4 times now here talking shit and its clear to me he doesn't get it. The E300 was sold early in the first yr or two of the W210 in US, it had head gasket issues idk what trans it had, but when the E320 came out for US, there was no head gasket issues. 5 speed mated to the 320-E55 AMG is very durable Ik the S600 W140 V12 has it cause its the only trans MB had that can withstand the torque their V12 had. As long as you don't get a Inline 6 W210, you are good. The only sole killer of the W210 is the water based paint. The best examples of pristine W210s are from Ca and Florida. I've had my W210 for 3 yrs, it's seen about 2 real owners, it's not perfect it has rust under the doors, but thats because the drain holes under the door behind the weather stripping were clogged and I had no idea until years later after I got my E320. I swear to GOD, if W210 didn't have rust issues due to the stupid type of paint they chose to use, it would be the perfect car to me. Its a very simple car, a very comfortable car. It was the very last Benz that the engineers had a lot of control over. After the W210, they cheap out a bit with interior qualities with the W211 and there were little more electronic issues with the W211, but apparently W211 is more reliable than the W213. My dream Benzes are the W210 E55 AMG and R129 SL/ W140 S600 sedan/coupe

I absolutely loved this video. I have a '99 and I feel like I have a dream car. Everything you stated about it is what have come to know. I'll be honest, I didn't know about the headlight sprayers. Now I do! Thank you.

I feel like doug knows exactly what that transmission switch does and he is trolling everyone. He has owned and reviewed so many Mercedes theres no way he doesnt know

Good to have the solo presentation by dough. Makes these videos interesting and fun how they used to be

At the time, this was my favorite Mercedes in existence (I was only a kid) I had a Matchbox one in dark blue I think, loved it! Looked at it closely all the time, thought it was such a cool looking car, loved seeing them driving around too. The headlights paired with the boxy styling were actually my favorite part of the whole thing. I'm like Doug, I love quirky cars! And for Mercedes at the time, this was quirky.

@purwantiallan5089

10 ай бұрын

For me my favourite Mercedeses are SLR McLaren 2009 and 300SL.

This is an episode I've been waiting for so long… Now I'm driving my third W210 200K Face and i LOVE it.

Sold my diesel version of this back in 2020, it had 470,000 km and looked brand new. The seats didn't have a single crease, and the engine ran smoothly. The only issue was the left back window controller, which often refused to work. Very solid car, a very cool car, and a very reliable car.

I always liked the round headlights on these, reminds me of a Jaguar S type or Kia Amanti from that period, as far as styling goes. Performance on the other hand...remember, this isn't just a Mercedes Benz, it's an AMG. 😃 Those 2 tone seats look amazing. Having the rear window shade in the front makes sense, because a baby in a rear child seat wouldn't be able to reach a switch in the rear-let alone even know to use it anyhow.

@martinkulik9466

10 ай бұрын

Has he ever reviewed jaguar s type tho!?

@bwofficial1776

10 ай бұрын

The Amanti clearly ripped off Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar styling in an attempt to look luxurious but it didn't really work. Kia has come a long way.

@diablocls55

10 ай бұрын

Both of these brands copied this cars headlights. Lexus did too with the GS

@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785

10 ай бұрын

@@bwofficial1776 true, except the rear deck was longer on the Amanti. Kia hadn't established itself as a luxury brand or anything at that point, even though they were making decent cars, with decent materials, and at a fraction of the price of high end European exports, they lacked sporty performance, and buyers willing to be seen in cheap unestablished Korean brand. Doug reviewed an Amanti before, and that was basically his view on it. Personally, from a luxury and styling standpoint, I'd probably opt for the Jaguar S type over the Mercedes Benz if I had money...sorry Janis Joplin, my friends don't even drive Porsches, I make no amends. 😅

I currently own a 2000 e430 and it was/is my first car I’ve owned it for 2ish years now and I can honestly say it’s such a great car, the v8 is very reliable and is just enough power mixed with comfort I love it !

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

hahaha merc engine reliable hahahaha good one mate

@adamgcars

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 nah no joke I’ve had very little issues I’ve put 35 thousand miles on it I just hit 90 thousand

@TalksportWokistWombles

10 ай бұрын

dougs team has shadow banned or removed the AJ guys comments i seen on this thread in reply to you. im outta here i unsubbed. Some car community this, censor a merc mechanic what a farce

@RANDOMGUY-ty3ze

9 ай бұрын

​@@TalksportWokistWomblesI've assessed the situation and realized that this is an alt account, don't reply to this mf.

LOVE LOVE LOVE my E55 I bought on Cars & Bids! So glad you finally reviewed a W210!!

Great video, I'm w210 owner myself for 10 years now. I drive quite modified OM606. Just a note. There was a between option between the E430 and E55. It is E50 with M119 and it is only for pre- facelift versions of w210

What a lovely car!! I'm a huge Mercedes fan and I can only imagine how awesome it would have been to own this back in 2000.

@ArniesTech

10 ай бұрын

Even in 2023 I would rather own this than any other modern piece of plastic pretender garbage

Had one of these, bought it with 75k on the odo back in 04. Drove it everywhere. One of my atf sedans, perhaps even my fav sedan of all time. My MB specialty mech tune it so under some highway condition I got 35mpg. On a trip to the coast I even got 56mpg for about 65 miles. Really miss that car.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

😂 is that what the dash told you it was getting? did you even check your fuel bills against the milage as i know of every engine fitted to these junk heaps and to claim any done 56mpg is utter tripe. I can easily prove that by sending data on injector cc and duty per rpm and wheel size as well as diff type. There is absolutely NO WAY you got more than 38mpg out of any engine fitted to these bags of junk. I worked for merc as a mechanic and Auto electrician when this pile of junk was for sale in the UK and ours were better made than yours and had a a better dialled in fuelling. You lot got the binned AMG engines were they were sold as "non hand built" beacuae you got the hand me downs and the body was made of lesser grade materials so rotted out from the inside around the 2yr mark depending on road salt etc.. our body would start rotting around the 3yr mark depending on the same vairables and our auxialliaries were better made and still considered junk in the UK. Americans aint doing themselves any favours hyping these attrociously made sheds tbh. Just to make my point stick these very cars put Merc at the bottom of the reliability charts here in the UK bellow Land Rover for a year and two of the engine options were in the top 3 of the engine failure rate charts😂 Anyway, guess whos rock bottom now? Porsche hahaha right as Americans started claiming Porsche is a reliable brand. Porsche have been pumping out junk for the last 5yr and the newer TurboS variants are abysmal relaibility they shake themselves apart on launch and all the active damping is broke by the 20th launch and you lot cant even feel the broken engine and gearbox damping yet we feel it right away. You guys just aint used to good handling cars that launch good from factory. Dont belive me go check the charts pal

@diablocls55

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162where is every Jaguar & Range Rover at made at the same time as this car? In the junkyard, they’ve all been sitting there for decades while this so called “junk heap” is still going strong 😂😂

@TalksportWokistWombles

10 ай бұрын

​@@diablocls55youve all grassed on the dude his comments are being removed. Disgraceful

@diablocls55

10 ай бұрын

@@TalksportWokistWombles good

I just noticed what I think is the coolest aspect of the mono-wiper. The whole arm elongates and shortens, twice during each wipe. You can see it doing so at the base. I believe it does that in order to reach further, towards the corners of the windshield?! That's genius! I absolutely love smart engineering like that - especially because they took the time to do it right!

@brdllc

3 ай бұрын

Yes, they introduced that on the w124 I believe, it covered a record amount of the windshield, I want to say it was 80-90% or something

My grandma had one of these E-class and one of my favorite quirks is that in the standard radio unit (not this upgraded one) you had shortwave radio, I've never seen that ever again in any other car.

Legends remember that there was also a E60 AMG available.🤩

@snakeeyes9246

10 ай бұрын

And Doug has already reviewed one. kzread.info/dash/bejne/lYx7r65waKuxlM4.html

@KingofInterns

10 ай бұрын

E50 too

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

utter junk a laughing stock of a car in the UK and ours were better made than yours too. These junk heaps seen merc hit the bottom of the reliability charts go have a look. cheera

@KingofInterns

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 uk doesnt make any cars and rust aside there is no more bullet proof petrol V8 drive train from german car maker

would you ever do a review over the toyota soarer ? or the Lexus SC300 , it was an odd but fun car in my opinion and would love to see your take on it!

My 2004 CLK 320 had C and S on the transmission, I think comfort and sport, strange how they changed from the W/S a few years later. Loved that car, a total battleship. Mine was a strange model where it has the facelift interior but pre facelift lights and styling outside. Like a mid facelift

One of the most accurate in car reviewing @doug 👍🏻

Doug we had the W210 E36 AMG in Europe before the E55

I didn't care for the W210 styling at all until fairly recently, tbh I actually thought it was kind of a dowdy, staid looking car for uptight rich people. But in 2023 I feel that the W210 E55 has aged really well and is quite handsome. I didn't realize they were as quick as they are either. The W211 E55 with it's extra ~ 140 HP has always overshadowed the W210 in my mind, and I recently bought an '06 E55. However, I kind of wish I had picked up a W210 five or ten years back when they were dirt cheap. Would have made an awesome daily, and I probably could have drove it for a couple years and sold it for more than I bought it for.

Grew up in a 2001 obsidianschwartz E55 and learned to drive in it when I was 15. Has Kleemann cams and the tune. Little bro drives it now and it just rolled over 200k miles. Cant beat em! Edit: you can definitely beat the rear window regulators. They were always broken

Was lucky when my parents bought a brand new 2002 E55 in silver with this same interior. Had many good times in this car ripping everything and everyone at the time lol. Car was pretty much flawless. Loved it all around from styling to performance. Wish we had kept it. Jay Leno has one is his collection still which says a lot. Great review!!

I had a 1999 E320. Nowhere near as wild as the E55, but still was a blast on track days and driving across country. Never have I driven another car as well built as that Mercedes

@bier974

10 ай бұрын

Good old m104 engine

@lNachete

10 ай бұрын

@@bier974 i think its a v6 (m112)

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

merc on a track? 😂 do you realise how crazy that sounds to anyone in the UK hahaha? mate i could spank any german junk on track with a lotus elise with 200bhp end of

@ethaneve7923

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 it was quite the sight to see! Tons of body roll and tire squeal. One of my driver instructers said it would be funny to put a food delivery sticker on the back. Others siad they burst out laughing looking in their mirror amd seeing it skid and roll through corners.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

​@@ethaneve7923mate where do these guys come from? These mercs are a joke in the UK one of the worst handling cars about and bottom of the reliability charts. This was Europe wide they were ragarded as the worst car you could buy at the time not just the UK. Im actually going red in the face with embarrassment reading some of these claims. I worked for merc when this junk heap was out and they were coming back weekly under warranty then all the owners went ape when they started rusting out from the 2yr mark. One of the worst handling cars ive ever been in im shocked at what im reading here i really am.

Bulletproof car, however the rust kills these cars before the engine or transmission breaks. Of course it depends where in the world you live. I live in Norway and I owned a w208 (coupe version of this E class) 320 and man, the rust on that thing was a pain in the a**

I love the excitement about the sound of the door closing. I remember the door on my E34 525i. I loved that door!!

I feel like you should buy it Doug. You deserve to have this car again that you loved so much before. And again this one is rarer with its color scheme inside and out, and so what if it has no adaptive cruise control the rest of the car is amazing. I personally have always found these genuinely to be the best years of Mercedes because as you said they were about building the best all around car to bring comfort beautiful styling excellent build quality and reliability that they seem to have lost their touch for these days.

This is probably my favorite E-Class because it combines the old bank vault feel with the incoming newer times when infotainment started and xenon and so forth I have been driven in them countless times since I grew up around them and even as an adolescent I always liked and noticed the solidity and the thud that the doors or almost anything made when you interacted with it 😄 btw you should get one Doug

Another advantage of the E55 over the M5 is front leg room. I'm 6'4'' -- I can stretch out in an E55 but not an M5. This was true of the next iteration of both cars as well.

@eraxmr109boss4

10 ай бұрын

Bangle 5 series is quite big in front leg room even for a 6 ft 4 230 lbs like me.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

all junk heaps. Why you Americans hype these junkers is beyond anyone in the UK. These cost a fiver here for a reason

bro i just drove 2 hours ago behind this model , but it was an E200 , it was just awesome , no smoke , it stood so well on the road . absolutely awesome cars (if maintained properly ofc)

My older cousin had one of these… bought it brand new… I remember teasing him about ditching his older Z and buying a frumpy family car… that night was my first ride in it and it was an experience I’ve never forgotten… we were flying down the 134 late at night (freeway was largely empty at night back then - not anymore)… I stopped making family sedan performance judgments after that… 🤣

What a beautiful classic this car is! Only problem is with rust, the rest is pretty much bullett-proof💪🌞

@smokeonthewater5287

10 ай бұрын

Also the M104 was prone to head gasket leaks. Mine started leaking at around 180k miles. I also had to replace the ignition noise suppressor for 60 bucks! The first and only thing mechanically I had to repair during the 100k+ mile ownership.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

bullet proof? 😂 merc rot out while the engines eat themselves. They cannot for the life of them hold a head gasket in the only one that could was the OM606 diesel lump 😂

@smokeonthewater5287

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 Bullshit. The M102/M103 are extremely reliable.

@simonlangner

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 Dude, you keep writing the same comment under literally every doug video, get a live.

@TalksportWokistWombles

10 ай бұрын

​@@simonlangneryou been the one grassing on him then? grassing on a merc mechanic just because you dont like what hes told you? was looking at his comments about the crank giving the bearings a hard time and theyve removed his comment. They removed his comment in reply to your last one too so likely that you are the clipe. Why dont you say what you want to say ABOUT THE CAR and let him have his say too? Some car community this..... grass on a dude because you disagree. Pathetic

Crazy how the older amgs were reliable and then… the 6.28 cane out

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

who told you that? merc havent made a reliable car in 40yr pal

@TalksportWokistWombles

10 ай бұрын

heads up. The AJ guy has been reported or dougs team is removing his comments. The guy was helping me and 2 others with faults on ours. Im unsubbed i hate censorship especially in a car community is petty as it gets.

I also love this car. I was a big fan of the bug-eyed Benz when it came out. The E55 is just awesome. "This is the official car of the light ahead just turned yellow and you still want to make it" lol, perfect.

I really like those videos when Doug loves the car that he is reviewing. I feel the video will never end.

Doug the kind of guy to sell removed cars from GTA Online on Cars and Bids.

I LOVE early 2000s AMGs. Doug, do you know about the button under the throttle pedal? You have to floor it and push a little further and it shifts the trans as fast as it can, mechanically. Too bad you couldn't find one with ventilated seats and rear heated seats. I thought those features were pretty cool for the early 2000s. PLEASE review a w208 clk55 AMG. If you have never driven one before, I know you will love it!

Thank you, Doug. Great presentation

I used to own the E430 and fell In love with the styling. Ended up with a CLK55 because I loved the headlights for this generation.

These 2000's Mercedes are just INSANE. I'm just wondering why Doug didn't bought this E55 AMG if he regrets selling his old one. Anyways, these Mercedes are awesome

@axe2grind244

10 ай бұрын

Not a particularly good look to be outbidding your own customers lol.

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

@@axe2grind244 That would be funny as Hell lmao He deserves the w210 to come back to his collection. I think Jay Leno uses his as a daily

@James_3000

10 ай бұрын

didn’t bought

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

no they arent they are abysmal cars and we got better made ones here in the UK and they came rock bottom of reliability charts and two of the engine options were in the top 3 failure rate charts😂

@TheDonYG

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 Brother, idk what yall got. Ik the Inline 6 that came out in 96-97/98 model yr was unreliable with head gasket issues, but the E320, E420, E430, and the E55 were very reliable in the US. V6 and V8 were bullet proof with the 5 speed transmission. Ik you guys in Europe have shit like E200 and shit, those must be unreliable cause in the US, the 320 and higher models have stood the test of time.

This car is awesome. I bought my 2000 e55 from cars and bids last year for only $6300. Amazing car for the money. Fun fact: the w210 e55 was built and quality inspected by AMG. After this generation, AMG and mercedes merged factories, and the next e55 was built in the regular mercedes factory. So this car is built to a higher standard than other amg models.

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

😂 mate here in the UK we got a better made version than you did especially the body material quality and they came ROCK BOTTOM of the reliability charts and two engine variants came in the top 3 failure rate charts hahaha. I worked for merc when they sold thia junk heap and its an abysmal car

@aaronfeenstra1695

10 ай бұрын

@@bigduphusaj162 you guys got the e55 wagon. We never got a w210 e55 wagon.

My son’s hockey team mate’s dad had one of these E55 AMG’s around that time. It was the ultimate “ sleeper” sports car for that era. I remember we were doing some charity work at the Molson Indy in Toronto back then and somehow, his dad was able to take a spin at elevated speeds on the actual race track. His dad had some Paul Tracy going for him back then.

Hi, Doug. My father owns a w210 estate 320 cdi. Great car! Just wanted to point out that the W and S buttons stand for Winter and Standard, not Sport. The Winter mode makes the acceleration smoother so you don't skid when driving on ice or very wet roads but you can also use it to save fuel, sort of like an eco mode. The standard is as the name suggests the normal behavior of the car. Cheers from Portugal 🇵🇹 😊

its crazy how much better the lexus GS has aged over this

@bigduphusaj162

10 ай бұрын

merc are junk and lexus are made properly. Here in the UK people know Merc & bmw are junk yet we had the better made ones and still junk

I have a 2000 white on black interior E430 sport on brabus monoblock V’s that JUST clocked 323k miles. Car was my dads originally bought in 2011 and then handed to me as my first car 5 years ago. Driven from coast to coast 4 times in its life, and just recently driven half way across the country at 318k miles. Such a classic/timeless design, and by far one of the most reliable drivetrains. To this day not a SINGLE major mechanical issue. Spark plugs and wear and tear items only. 100% confident that I could get in it right now and just drive. I now daily drive that and a w211 e55, and would LOVE to own a 210 e55.

The rims….oh man those wheels. Nostalgic 🔥🔥🔥

I love when you review these earlier model AMG’s Doug, much love from Akron OH 🍻💯

This is the one video I have been waiting for for awhile.

Man, I've always loved this car! The most popular and iconic color for it, and also my favorite is that pretty silver paint finish. On a side note, I STILL have a few of those Motorola StarTac phones laying around and I wish there were a wireless service provider that I could operate them with. The StarTac is still one of my favorite old-school cellphones.

@nbaaddictt

10 ай бұрын

trying to sell one of those phones? 😅

@DJTrickiMusic

10 ай бұрын

My life story, by Carlos...

Yes the quality dipped, improved, and has dipped again after 2017 from what I gather. My 2015 E63S feels like a bank vault with the same lovely heavy door operation. It’s amazing.

The two-tone Silverstone seats in my F90 M5 are one of my favorite features of the interior. Love the seats in this E55.