Here’s Why I Love the 2000 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG

[@finnjb3249]

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]

„S“ stands for Summer.

[@pittypatterputzzler5311]

Sommer und Winter.

[@snacho901]

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

[@alitalla4733]

​@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]

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

[@pezzonovante888]

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]

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]

@@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]

@@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]

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]

@@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.

[@SteveWon]

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]

What do you drive now

[@AlfaGTA156]

What a spoilt brat you must have been.

[@opoxious1592]

To bad you don't own it anymore

[@elmayimbe_the_amateur_mechanic]

Please tell me you did not wreck it.

[@kha7705]

Dude, I got a beating. 😂

[@lujacd]

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]

God bless us Bruno Benz enthusiasts

[@martyyyy7832]

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]

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

[@Munakas-wq3gp]

At least in the S-class you could use the same button to raise them also. I don't remember if my W210s had the raise option or not...

[@peterpanagiotis1]

I have the 2004 E55 AMG in mint condition with 199,000km on it now and I love it to death..🤪

[@Atombender]

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]

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]

@@bigduphusaj162im pretty sure the brabus can outperform the lotus

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@4MATICbenz]

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]

merc are a joke in the UK

[@Rom3_29]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@TheDonYG]

@@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]

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

[@infoscour]

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]

You should stay out of Colorado

[@purwantiallan5089]

​@@muddygunswell you bet it is

[@slyscafe]

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

[@JungSooLeee]

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.

[@PeJey-n6k]

one of my favorite cars ever

[@aaronorjohnson]

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]

Same goes with other MB models,including W210.

[@jeroen1914]

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]

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]

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]

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]

​@@TalksportWokistWombles yip

[@Blast6926]

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

[@AbsurdThirty]

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]

The E55 for me is 8.8/10.

[@TranceFur]

@purwantiallan5089 Who asked?

[@aakirax]

@@TranceFur I did.

[@Notfiveo0]

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

[@smokeonthewater5287]

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]

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

[@timshearer5092]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

you from the UK mate?

[@diablocls55]

@@bigduphusaj162UK is a liberal country full of flaming homosexuals

[@talosiv4927]

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.

[@keithgreenaway2690]

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.

[@fauzanriez9472]

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]

Very interesting 🤔

[@throwback19841]

@@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.

[@jusbus777]

I have a E430, the poor mans E55. Its lowered not slammed on H&R springs and Bilstien shock. I love the car and will not sell it. I fall deeper in love with it each time I drive it. Especially learn to appreciate it more after driving so many high compression turbo cars

[@defallko3905]

how about a tune or supercharge it

[@quinflores2652]

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]

Please refrain from telling others what to do.

[@WatanabeNoTsuna.]

​@@robertnewhart3547What?! 🤨

[@uzzle21]

just bought my e55 w211 too

[@bwofficial1776]

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

[@Cappy-bf5rz]

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

[@jordanseay216]

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]

🥹❤️❤️

[@dennisescobar8266]

Doug can you please review a c55 AMG ?

[@db3501]

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

[@laureanolatorre4340]

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

[@db3501]

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

[@jwalker7650]

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.

[@elithompson785]

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]

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

[@slyscafe]

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

[@simonkiesler6345]

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]

@@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

[@hakeemsd70m]

How did you get a running, driving Mercedes for just $1,000? Even if it is 25 years old?

[@colexovitch]

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

[@rodneycabreja4930]

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

[@elsuperudy0835]

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]

Oooo

[@paulog8813]

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

[@lbowsk]

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.

[@Fixitvincent81]

This video was the final push I needed to buy my E55 wagon. And what a great machine it is! thanks Doug!

[@PhillyDee215]

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

[@Nomikeal]

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]

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.

[@melv1n_official]

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]

Well they aren't restrained looking anymore lol.

[@damilolaakanni]

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

[@forzahorizonclips9551]

In October I bought a 2000 built, pre facelift E430 as a first car. It has its problems and concerns such as fuel economy which with my driving is sitting between 17-20 US mpg, but all of that disappears when I drive it. I absolutely love it, It is the best I’ve driven by far. It’s comfy, in my opinion fuel efficient for a 24 year old V8, with its imperfections in the interior it’s still solid and good quality. Mine’s the Elegance trim which comes with the most grandpa speced wheels. But that’s what I love about it. It’s so lowkey and quite that when some people look at it, they think it’s a V8.

[@flightgamer7849]

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"

[@datawithderek404]

My parents got me an 2002 e55 at age 16, purchased from a friend at 167k miles. Drove like a pure champ, I drove it for a couple years to 190k, came across an issue that was more expensive to fix than it was worth at the time, so we sold it. 10 years later, I’m 26, truly miss and regret selling it, but I needed something more reliable and it kept breaking down on me while I was on the road. Thank you for making this video, loved the car

[@Flightline_]

If you don't mind me asking, what things broke on it? I'm looking at one with 165k on it

[@6Lilies6Phillies]

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

[@tranc3porter]

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]

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]

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]

@@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.

[@anthonyriche552]

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.

[@NismoakaNismovsky]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[@CarQuizzical]

Yeah better get a southern owned car

[@cpowellrun]

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]

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

[@pascutia]

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]

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

[@Sparkpluggy]

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

[@thefifthbelfry92]

@@Sparkpluggyercedes and durability in the same sentence lmao

[@1n2333]

@@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]

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

[@Skibiditoilet5586]

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

[@Dragoneer]

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

[@michaelhatfield5808]

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.

[@saidey33]

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

[@calebbergen2510]

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.

[@SLAmey-mu9hd]

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

[@Cappy-bf5rz]

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]

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]

@@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

[@radusuma7700]

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)

[@arthurwright255]

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

[@ivanmaras3429]

Another timeles car

[@bigduphusaj162]

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]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

​@@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]

@@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

[@joeycelis]

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. 😂

[@davidcrafts5783]

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).

[@CycoWarriorx]

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… 🤣

[@man_on_wheelz]

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]

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

[@johnnymagness2273]

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.

[@Veryperceptivecat]

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.

[@roderickwilliams9605]

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.

[@melvinburwell8202]

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]

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

[@andreasu.3546]

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]

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

[@DinoSR20]

@bigduphusaj162 junk heap? 😂 you know nothing about cars.

[@MiniMii550]

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!

[@Dazlidorne]

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!

[@layyodious]

good car mine survived a head on collision with a cop,Then another accident that was a side impact that sent it flying off the road and still is a daily driver.

[@mds-lf3kl]

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

[@bigshawty912]

Doug the E420 sport also had monoblocks!

[@bengee1040]

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]

😂 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]

@@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]

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

[@diablocls55]

@@TalksportWokistWombles good

[@andrewb325]

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.

[@adamgcars]

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]

hahaha merc engine reliable hahahaha good one mate

[@adamgcars]

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

[@TalksportWokistWombles]

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]

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

[@guerrinlove69]

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

[@ethaneve7923]

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

[@Gerard_Joling63]

Good old m104 engine

[@ig__c_o]

@@Gerard_Joling63 i think its a v6 (m112)

[@bigduphusaj162]

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]

@@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]

​@@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.

[@andreborges2106]

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.

[@drowzyboy901]

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!

[@AkuNoHana]

Two W210 in my family, E320 that I bought for my old man to cruise around in his retirement and E55 as my daily. I appreciate these cars so much.

[@ekkuhypponen2204]

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

[@snakeeyes9246]

And Doug has already reviewed one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYmqfn9tba1-ms0

[@KingofInterns]

E50 too

[@bigduphusaj162]

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]

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

[@mr_sparkly_face4087]

My C32 has the Linguatronic voice control too and it actually works pretty well in mine, it picks up my voice better than Siri on my phone lol

[@TireSlayer55]

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.

[@martyn_g]

Last of the proper, well engineered MB’s, when they were built properly and had a deserved rep for reliability. Built in the AMG factory, not just the engine.

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

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]

Has he ever reviewed jaguar s type tho!?

[@bwofficial1776]

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]

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

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

@@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. 😅

[@jorsiem]

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.

[@quirksandfeatures3215]

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

[@bobihristov739]

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

[@MrHav1k]

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]

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

[@JSAFIXIT]

I had one of these for about 5 years. It was my favorite car I've owned. It was just such a well done car. It was also absolutely reliable. When I sold it, it had 266k miles on it and STILL ran high 12s in the 1/4 with just headers and tune. Fun fact, this was the last hand built AMG until the AMG GT came around.

[@JSAFIXIT]

Doug is also correct, these things are happy to cruise at 100mph or even much higher. My tuned one would top out the 160 speedo and feel absolutely stable.

[@idknotsure]

how much you sell it for?

[@penguinlust6749]

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]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@paulmcknight4137]

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. Curbside rear view mirror tilts down when you back up into a parking space. 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]

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!

[@QBIX04]

@Doug It's Winter and Standard on the gearbox. Earlier W124 had Eco/Standard switch.

[@drakekoirala8879]

Doug love your work man!

[@twilson1973]

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

[@andreasb8232]

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**

[@iGi0rg0s]

Star Tac was not a network, it was Motorola's most popular model back in the day.

[@TheV8Pumpkin]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@TalksportWokistWombles]

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.

[@Weiseorgelspieler]

Bruno Sacco was not the designer of the W210 but british car designer Steve Mattin was. Bruno Sacco was still "Bereichsleiter Gestaltung" (Chief of design department) back then though.

[@shtopfl5247]

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

[@peterpanagiotis1]

I have the 2004 E55 AMG and the best is when these BMW's and Audi's pull up to my right at the light to overtake me when the light turns green. They usually change their minds about cutting me off when they see the V8 Kompressor badge on the side and the huge red 8 piston brake calipers lol 🥰

[@BlazeORenegado]

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]

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

[@TheDonYG]

@@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]

didn’t bought

[@bigduphusaj162]

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]

@@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.

[@uniqu3xperience965]

I have serviced this cars they are solid cars reliable mercedes which is rare now days to use on the same sentence. Last week I serviced a e320 wagon with 350k miles. Amazing! Imagine the wagon with these motor.

[@simonlangner]

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

[@smokeonthewater5287]

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]

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]

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

[@simonlangner]

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

[@TalksportWokistWombles]

​@@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

[@martinslavov1364]

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

[@MayhemBryan]

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

[@bigduphusaj162]

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

[@Cars.]

i used to have the standard model of thiS MONSTER that will never die.

[@volvo09]

The star tac phone was the smallest and coolest cell phone of the era, back when bag phones where old, and soda can sized phones were the norm... The Star TAC was THE phone, you were someone if you had that pocket sized phone!!

[@basitmate5310]

@5:40 "Look at me I'm fast I'm fast"

[@megatestobolon9831]

This panel air conditioning filter button is a Carbon filter that does not let exhaust gases inside, and the letter S on the gearbox means standard, not sport.

[@justinlenart3187]

I consider these cars along with the clk55, slk55, w203 c55 all comfortable fun cars and ‘usable fun cars’ you still have all the drama of a w211 e55 or a s600 or s65 but you when you look down you aren’t doing 120 mph you’re doing 80 so you get a chance to actually feel the power

[@ivanrezzy7926]

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

[@Happymali10]

17:14 Doug, the E-Class is a family car. Do you want the kids to always hand their cigarettes up front to knock the ash off? Do you want ash in the footwell? No, so you get the kids in the back ashtrays.

[@lefiosalex]

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

[@Rom3_29]

I had W210 E320 and it was joy to take on long cruises. W210 prices have gone up last few years.