A Mercedes R63 AMG recently sold for $50k at auction, but its maintenance costs are truly alarming.
The Mercedes-Benz AMG R63 is a powerhouse disguised as a minivan, with nothing quite like it on the road. Beneath its practical, family-friendly exterior lies a 6.2-liter V8 engine, unleashing a fierce 503 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. Seating six with the high-end luxury typical of a top-tier Mercedes, it sends power to all four wheels and stands as one of the most remarkable “sleeper” vehicles ever built.
One of these rare gems recently appeared at auction, a notable event given the R63 AMG’s extreme scarcity. Mercedes produced only 200 units globally, making it not only the rarest of the R-Class lineup but also among the rarest AMG models in existence. It’s estimated that just over half of these made it to the U.S., placing owners in exclusive automotive company. This rarity contributes to its steady value above $30,000, even nearly 20 years after the sole production run in 2007, and explains why this example fetched $50,000 on Cars & Bids.
Here’s the real shocker with a car like this: they can be staggeringly expensive to maintain, and this particular example is proof. Since early 2019, the seller has collected receipts totaling around $42,500.
How does someone even end up with a bill that high? Ah, the blissful naivety of anyone who hasn’t owned a used German luxury car out of warranty. One invoice alone came to $17,020.06, covering head stud replacement—a job requiring around 25 hours of labor. During this work, the owner decided to enhance the car with Weistec Engineering upgrades, including a $4,495 exhaust system. Clearly, they were passionate about this vehicle.
Additionally, there are at least 78 pages of service records dating back to 2015 included in the listing. On the bright side, this might be one of the finest R63 examples available, especially given that all the necessary maintenance has already been completed. Does that make it a good buy now? Probably not, but I’d still be intrigued if I had the funds to purchase this supervan.
Interestingly, this particular vehicle reportedly has some performance upgrades that boost its output to 623 horsepower and 552 lb-ft of torque. However, there’s no dyno sheet to verify those numbers. Still, it’s likely powerful enough that it doesn’t need one. After all, how many other production minivans can claim to have over 500 horsepower? None.
