I'm in the middle of upgrading the family cars and as the wife is after a CLK convertible, I'm going to have to get a family car capable of carrying 5 of us.

Having looked at what's on offer in my budget (£17.5k), I'm looking towards a C5 RS6 or W211 E55 AMG. Has anyone on here run either of these? What are the running costs like as I've heard some horror stories about the RS6's.

 

Not had any experience of either but personally i would go for the RS6

 

the e55 is much more of a car!

 

E55 all day long, i had an E430 and they are great cars, want the CL65 AMG as my next merc,

 

suspension issues on rs6.very fast car but i think i would go for the merc

 

Didn't Phil have an E55 AMG?

 

Merc for me too

 

I'd lean toward RS6 because I prefer Audi's...

You don't want to be doing the big daddy services (turbo's or timing chain) but around £17k they should have the stamps and near enough best of the best now at that money.

But couldn't fault the E55 if you went with one, would be slightly cheaper to run overall.

 

Does the Merc have the supercharged 5.4 or just the 5.4 V8 without the charger like the CLK has?

 

S'charged

http://www.carfolio.com/specificatio...ar/?car=100749

 

Friend of mine had an RS6, very quick car, pleasant to drive but hugely expensive when it went wrong.

 

E55K AMG any day of the week..fucking stonking car.....i was so impressed i only sold it to get the fabulous SL55 AMG as i wanted a droptop (same engine) God drives an AMG V8 Kompressor for cruising and Jesus drives an M5 V10....you heard it first they are BIBLICAL!!!!!

 

as much as i love the rs6, the people i've heard who have had one have had shocking repair bills, suspension and turbo related. well into four figures.

i'd get the merc myself, as much as i adore everything the rs6 avant stands for.