RedRyder's '06 E500 S211 Avantgarde

[RedRyder]

Midlife crisis + rising need for 2nd family car that can haul all 6 of us resulted in this poor decision. Most agonizing car search ever, but finally found one that seemed to be the best fit for my criteria. It was wagon or bust (already have a van & don't want an SUV), & the only wagons with a 3rd row that were reliable & in my price range that have been made "semi-recently" were 2000's E-class models.

Took delivery the other night, haven't had time to even title/register it yet. I have so much to learn...it's a little intimidating, but also exciting.

20260423_000711 by C B, on Flickr


Engine / Performance
- stock 5.0L V8

Wheels / Suspension
- factory 17x8 +38et wheels
- Nitto 255/45/17 tires (installed by previous owner @127,500mi)
- Full Airmatic to Bilstein shock/spring conversion (installed by previous owner)

Interior
- 3M Ceramic tint on 2nd row back, not sure what the % is but it's dark
- aftermarket all weather floormats

Exterior
- front window visors (not sure if OEM or aftermarket)
- roof rack (not sure if OEM or aftermarket)
- trailer hitch (will only ever use this for a bicycle attachment)

Lighting
- 6k LED's in inner headlights (installed by previous owner)

Electronics / Audio
- USB-C for charging phone (wired by previous owner)
- Aux 3.5mm cord for music input (I think)

Future Projects
- remove front license plate bracket
- fix keyfob buttons
- replace bulb in passenger side front sidemarker
- raise rear end
- fix sagging headliner
- clear lens front sidemarkers
- Lamin-X yellow tint for inner headlight lenses
- E63 front bumper cover
- Godhand carbon fiber front splitter
- E63 side skirts
- E63 or E55 AMG rear bumper cover (unobtanium)
- exhaust
- E55 air intake tubes
- Mercedes Ronal Alphard SL55/SL600 wheels OR BBS LM reps


Maintenance
- 0/00/0000 (000,000mi) - xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(next things needed according to seller are spark plugs & engine air filters x2 @ whatever the next service is)

Bought 4/23/2026 with 129,200 miles. Well kept, 2 owner, no accident, no rust car from FL.

 

[Mikey]

Oh boy… lol.

As a wagon fan, a v8 fan, and an early(-ish) 2000s Mercedes fan…. I approve, lol.

Curious to see how it turns out and comes along. Need more pics fo sho.

My questions:
• Are you keeping stock wheels or are replacements on the list eventually? Any ideas?
• Why the Lamin-X tint and not just a quality yellow bulb or paint? I know the yellow look is cool but I feel like people have had nothing but bad luck with the tint.



——————————————————————
FWIW, sometime in the next year (probably later rather than sooner) I will also be shopping for something new. I know what my budget is/will be so I’ve been looking at things currently in that range. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking at trucks (08-12 GM, 14+ F150[Lariat, Platinum, Limited, etc], possibly black diamond avalanches), RHD cars (would love to find a decent R33 but highly unlikely so I’m open to other options), Lexus LS and IS(Altezza), Acura RL, 0506 Honda CRV (they really are hard to kill, have the table, and k24). I’ve seen some Germans in my price range but they scare me. Especially Audis. I’d really love a W212 (or S212) of the v8 variety.

 

[snip33r]

congratulations. looking forward for more pictures
myself a wagon lover and V8... i love it.

 

[BlkCurrantKord]

Need. Moar. Pics.

Also, future mods list is

 

[Sketch o5]

sweeeeeeeet. definitely looking froward to seeing what you do with it. congrats on the purchase!

 

[RedRyder]

Thanks everyone, planning to go to the title office Friday. I hope to wash it & get photos sooner than later.

Can I just say I feel so classy driving a car with a hood ornament?

Oh boy… lol.

As a wagon fan, a v8 fan, and an early(-ish) 2000s Mercedes fan…. I approve, lol.

Curious to see how it turns out and comes along. Need more pics fo sho.

Lol I tried to safeguard myself against the common stigmas associated w/European cars. I bought this from a older German chap who maintained it well. Going to learn to work on this thing where I can, which I already know involves a Mercedes specific scanner, and a few tools. Hopefully it will be a good car. I've found a couple indie shops in my area.

Yessir. I have wanted a V8 for a while, and thought it'd be cool to have one in a wagon. The newer S211's were simplified & supposed to be more reliable but they dropped the V8 after 2006 so I ruled them out. And I think the exterior design has held up well. Interior is fine, it's black & the Avantgarde package includes the darker wood and the silver cluster/shifter trim.

You can tell I made this decision with my heart & not as much my head. Thank God I have a cool wife, though it took her a while to come around on the idea.

My questions:
• Are you keeping stock wheels or are replacements on the list eventually? Any ideas?
• Why the Lamin-X tint and not just a quality yellow bulb or paint? I know the yellow look is cool but I feel like people have had nothing but bad luck with the tint.

Right now any money for this thing will be spent on maintenance related stuff (I spent at the top of my budget to buy). But eventually I hope to modify it cosmetically. Wheels are in my future mods list, I am in love with Alphards so hopefully I can make those happen at some point.

I just like the look of yellow inner headlight lenses on these. I can't explain it. I bought yellow Lamin-X film for the ATS and it has held up well over the years. Their kit comes with both headlights and the fog lights, but I am only going to use select pieces. Might photoshop it first to make sure I like it.

——————————————————————
FWIW, sometime in the next year (probably later rather than sooner) I will also be shopping for something new. I know what my budget is/will be so I’ve been looking at things currently in that range. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking at trucks (08-12 GM, 14+ F150[Lariat, Platinum, Limited, etc], possibly black diamond avalanches), RHD cars (would love to find a decent R33 but highly unlikely so I’m open to other options), Lexus LS and IS(Altezza), Acura RL, 0506 Honda CRV (they really are hard to kill, have the table, and k24). I’ve seen some Germans in my price range but they scare me. Especially Audis. I’d really love a W212 (or S212) of the v8 variety.

Hmm those options are all over the spectrum, haha. Sounds like you got time to narrow them down though. 2004-6 are the best looking CR-V's imo, when they were still boxy & utilitarian looking.

Audi's are very nice looking, but I think out of all the Germans they are the unfriendliest to own. I love the S212 too, but the newer electronics & complexity of the tech kind of discouraged me. They are considered reliable though for sure, if you buy a good one. Unfortunately we didn't get the 500/550 S212's in the US I don't think, just the 350 but the power is certainly sufficient.

I feel like out of all those options, I see you most in a late model Lexus LS.

congratulations. looking forward for more pictures
myself a wagon lover and V8... i love it.

Thanks! I grew up in my parents' Pontiac woody wagon w/rear facing 3rd row so excited to give my kids that same experience.

Wagons are awesome, wish they sold better in this country.

Need. Moar. Pics.

Also, future mods list is

Thanks Greg. I immediately fell in love with this car, became my inspiration. Though part of the reason I was able to sell this to my wife was because it's automatic so she can drive it if not the Odyssey (she would never let me teach her stick). So this means it will likely not get lowered to protect the bumpers/side rockers which are now unobtanium.

Screenshot_20260430-134519_Facebook by C B, on Flickr

 

[RedRyder]

PS every older German car I've been in always smells like crayons...why is this.

sweeeeeeeet. definitely looking froward to seeing what you do with it. congrats on the purchase!

Thanks man! One thing I'm not excited about is trying to keep a black car clean...

 

[Mikey]

I feel like out of all those options, I see you most in a late model Lexus LS

LOL! Yeah, I’m all over. RHD Altezza, trucks, SUVs… I definitely want it to be v8 and RWD/AWD.

I’ve not done the research to know if we got the 500 or not. I still love the 212 tho. I have no business owning a big v8 truck so I probably have no business owning a German either lol.

 

[RedRyder]

I knew this when I bought it, but the key fob will not lock/unlock the doors, nor open the rear hatch. I tried changing to new batteries, nope. The little red light on the fob blinks & I was able to see the infrared light blinking when I look at the end of the fob through my phone camera. So it SEEMS the fob is okay (starts the car, obviously). I found a pairing/re-sync procedure & tried it a couple times with no luck but I'm not even sure it was the right one.

There is also a fuse for the remote system to check. If the current fuse is no good & I insert a replacement & if it blows, then the likely cause is the alarm siren has gotten water in it & is shorting the circuit. You can either replace this siren or disconnect it, and then the remote should work. Though if you disconnect it then you won't have any locking/unlocking/panic mode audible sound. But right now I just want the lock/unlock/liftgate buttons to actually function.

In the meantime there's workarounds for locking/unlocking/liftgate usage, they're just not as convenient.