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Linda in Santa Cruz
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
My hunt for the perfect '04 or '05 G500 took a curious turn when I realized an '03 mint condition G55 AMG was approximately the same price as the later 500s. So now I am...in love with a photo and I am trying to figure out if it is a reasonable or a terrible idea to get an '03 G55 AMG instead of one of the later G500s that also looks good. Here are my questions --
1) Does the G55 AMG have a much stiffer ride? Quick tire wear? Is it bad offroad? In reading individual driver reviews, I hear that some consider the G55 AMG to have much stiffer shocks and to thus be (very) uncomfortable to drive/ride in. The MB brochure for the '05 model year states in the small print "AMG 18" wheels and accompanying high-speed-rated tires provide substantially increased treadwear and reduced ride comfort compared to H-rated tires. Serious wheel and tire damage may occur if the vehicle is operated on rough or damaged road surfaces or upon encountering road debris or obstacles." Is this how they set up the G55 AMGs?
This suggests the AMG is set up for highways, not for off-roading. Does P3 have G55 members who are off-roading? Are they using the factory set-up? Off-roading is going to be important to me, and thus I hope some of you will advise me whether I should consider the G55, even though I love the nimbleness of the car on the highway.
2) Is the '03 an OK year for the G55? Is it OK (as the G500 is) for MB service centers to maintain in Central/Norther California, around San Jose/Monterey?
3) Would a '03 G55 AMG spend a lot of time (as some have said) waiting for parts to come in? I am planning to keep whatever G-class truck I get under warrantee.
Thanks in advance for your candor! Hope I am not burning out the kind veteran members of this forum with all my newbie questions...http://www.pointedthree.com/disc/images/emoticons/blahblah.gif
- Linda |
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Skyline
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| RE: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
For your questions: 1, Yes, but you can change to the G500 suspension, the car has to be stiffer based on the higher HP. Tire wear depends on your right foot. Offroad: In Theory no difference, in Real Life yes, because you can't use 16" wheels based on the bigger brake (but you can replace it, too) You got it, the G55 Kompressor is a Life Style Product, 99,5% will use it on road (or maybe Sand Dunes) 18" Tires are not really comfortable on Rocky Roads and the side walls are not really protected for cuts (same for the original G500 Tires, too, but here you can replace them with the original MB 7,5x16 rim and you have endless tire choices for serious use). 265-60-18 is ok, but the 285-55-18 are smaller from the side wall and it is normally a high speed tire. 2. The G55 is generally ok, no problems, same with G500 3. No. It is a regular MB car.
Edited by Skyline 2/27/2007 5:17 AM
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
Skyline - 2/27/2007 5:10 AM For your questions: Offroad: In Theory no difference, in Real Life yes, because you can't use 16" wheels based on the bigger brake (but you can replace it, too) You got it, the G55 Kompressor is a Life Style Product, 99,5% will use it on road (or maybe Sand Dunes) Did the G55 have the Kompressor in 2003? If not, do the non-Kompressor G55's have the larger brakes? |
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Maxwell Smart
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
I'm fairly positive that the Kompressor only came out in 2005 |
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MarcO
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Irvington, NY
Vehicle(s): G 500 SWB, Volvo XC90 V8
Posts: 835
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
03 has no Kompressor. I will agree that I would take the 04 500 over the 03 55. The suspension on the 03 55 is stiffer than the 05 55 and both are stiffer than the 500 of any year. Regarding tires, the 285 60 18 opens many choices (terra grappler/open country/Cooper discoverer) that may alleviate the favoring of 16 bfg at ko combo BUT if off road is priority then I must admit the king is still the 16 atik with the 265 70 16 bfg setup.
Also having less bling is better than having more but that is just my very humble opinion and stealth (ala Kerr) is the best. |
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KERR
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
AH... so some one else does like the Darth vader G lol..
If i was to replace my 02 G today with a newer G. I would get the newest model i can afford with the most warranty.
If you like the bling then a G55 is for you. I hate chrome it doese nothing for me. Now a 05-07 G55 is a different story. I give my right well you know for one of those. Id ever let the dealer keep all the chrome parts but the tail light gaurds... 
I dont think there are any facts to supporst this but it seem like its harder to sale a G55 than a G500 on the used market... Just going by how many relist you see on G55 on e bay. |
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MarcO
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Irvington, NY
Vehicle(s): G 500 SWB, Volvo XC90 V8
Posts: 835
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
Kerr brings up a very good point because the G55 is such a ridiculous vehicle (not really the road animal that a Turbo Cayenne) and still more expensive than a Cayenne that I think it has a veyr limited audience in the US. That said I love my 55K and would get another in a second but the audience of idiots like me is limited even more than for a 500. |
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TheDogsCar
Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: NYC
Vehicle(s): '05 G55K Firemist Red - Stolen
Posts: 110
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
KERR - 2/27/2007 9:50 AM
If i was to replace my 02 G today with a newer G. I would get the newest model i can afford with the most warranty.
I dont think there are any facts to supporst this but it seem like its harder to sale a G55 than a G500 on the used market... Just going by how many relist you see on G55 on e bay.
I agree ... not having to buy an Extended Warranty adds a couple $1k premium
The reason I see for the "relisting" of G55's is some unrealistic asking prices ... they sell very fast when priced right. Also, many are being sold by MB Dealers to 3rd party Dealers and then they "relist":
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;jsessionid=W3DSWZBZXIBPBLA...
The above G55 was listed by a MB Dealer in WA for $89k on MBUSA.com (a total joke based on the mileage). It just sat. They then listed it on other web sites for $79k. It sat some more. Now it is "relisted" by a Wholesaler ... same G55, but numerous listing |
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KERR
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
Also when talking about a AMG car... if you dont have a "blower car" (03-06) cars ( 05-07 G's) then you dont have anything. Mercedes raised the bar so far in 03 with the SL, E,CL,S 55's that the 02 models seem like a turd.
You also have to think of it like in terms of the true amg fans. an old out dated AMG is like a used ferrari.. no one wants one. Also i dont think there is a real advantage of them in terms of hp and tq.. I think a stock G500 has 295 hp and the G55 has 330.. In something that hits the scales close to 6000lbs 35 is not going make a huge difference.
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Adoni
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA
Vehicle(s): '00 G500, '15 C300 4Matic, '06 L322 G4
Posts: 1283
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
292 vs. 349 hp |
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Skyline
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| RE: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
DUTCH - 2/26/2007 11:25 AM Skyline - 2/27/2007 5:10 AM For your questions: Offroad: In Theory no difference, in Real Life yes, because you can't use 16" wheels based on the bigger brake (but you can replace it, too) You got it, the G55 Kompressor is a Life Style Product, 99,5% will use it on road (or maybe Sand Dunes) Did the G55 have the Kompressor in 2003? If not, do the non-Kompressor G55's have the larger brakes? Right, - sometimes it confuses me, Kompressor, no Kompressor - the regular G55 non Kompressor has the identical brakes like the G500. So, seems, that only the suspension makes a difference in comfort. I dove some time ago with it (G55 non Kompressor), I liked it, sound is good, but the difference to a good running G500 is minor. And the G500 needs less gas, the AMG's use gasoline for cooling the cyl. walls.
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KERR
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
i stand corrected. 57 hp.. still not going to be very noticable. |
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TheDogsCar
Veteran
Date registered: May 2006
Location: NYC
Vehicle(s): '05 G55K Firemist Red - Stolen
Posts: 110
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
TheDogsCar - 2/27/2007 11:06 AM
The reason I see for the "relisting" of G55's is some unrealistic asking prices ... they sell very fast when priced right. Also, many are being sold by MB Dealers to 3rd party Dealers and then they "relist":
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;jsessionid=W3DSWZBZXIBPBLA...
The above G55 was listed by a MB Dealer in WA for $89k on MBUSA.com (a total joke based on the mileage ). It just sat. They then listed it on other web sites for $79k. It sat some more. Now it is "relisted" by a Wholesaler ... same G55, but numerous listing
What a joke ... the above G55 is "newly listed" once again by the original MB Dealer ... this time at $89k (and the mileage went down  )
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=216287596&dealer_id=11... |
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dai
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Oregon USA
Vehicle(s): 300GD 300TD BMW R100RS Landini 80F
Posts: 2110
| Re: Comparing 03 G55 AMG with 04 G500...?
My understanding is that an AMG G has a motor that is assembled with special matched and balanced parts, hand built, and tuned. Pretty special stuff. The wheels are beautiful and right.
Firm suspension is great in my opinion. On road and off. Over time suspension softens. A lot of european cars are softened for the American market. A lot of Mercedes vehicles are suspension softened for the American market. They think they are competing with Cadillac and Lincoln. Mercedes used to know they were Mercedes and built them that way. I digress.
Tires influence the ride and comfort and can be changed to suit what you want to do with the truck. There may be limitations given the wheel size but you don't need to buy ultra hight speed rated tires because that's what came on the machine. I prefer H rated tires on our cars because of the extra sidewall stiffness. On the G BFG All Terrains work great and are a good compromise between on road performance and off road traction. The tire pressure can be changed to suit personal taste and performance. The G 55 is a superb machine; the AMG is a refinement with performance in mind. That means firmer suspension and a rocket of an engine. I would probably collect speeding tickets if I owned one. An AMG G will be excellent off road or on. No worries.
-Dai |
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