Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

1293032343540

Comments

  • pathdocpathdoc Member Posts: 126
    I made the deal for the 2004 S500 for $9000 off the list. I drove the car and was sold. It is much sportier than the 99. I am hoping that they have made progress each year on the quality issues.

    I drove the LS430 and although it is improved over the earlier models I found it lacking when compared to the Mercedes or Jag XJR which I also considered. I am a car enthusiast and belong to a number of car clubs including both MB and Jag. and this also influenced my decision.

    My next decision is whether to have an antenna installed on the trunk for Sirius radio which can be integrated into the Command system. I am going to look at it tomorrow. Any experience with this issue?

    Thanks
  • nanostreamnanostream Member Posts: 6
    I need a recommendation for a quality brand of brake pads to put on my 2000 S430. I've been told by a service person at Mercedes that the Mercedes pads are terrible and don't last. He recommended Textron??. Apparently it's much cheaper to buy these new on Ebay and bring them to a Mercedes dealership for installation. I've already checked with the dealer and they say no problem to non-Mercedes pad installation. Any experience or recommendation with this type of brake pads?

    Thanks,
    nano
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    The earlier models (MY '00 & up) came with a small hinged cover attached to the inside of the glovebox door. You could put pens and coins in there. Like they say, "specifications are subject to change without notice." That's not to say the S55, S500, S600's dont still come with it.
    I would put 29 psi front, 32 psi rear - COLD. There is a sticker inside the fuel filler flap.
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    I recommend the M-B pads. They last quite a while if you treat them nice. The more highway driving you do the better for them. If you treat them hard expect 15-20K mi. or less. If not, maybe 25K mi. Rotors go about 40K mi. If the rear pads wear out before the fronts, you may have a lead foot. It's a 2-ton car. Make sure they apply brake paste to the edges of the pads when installing them. The copper-colored paste/grease from the M-B parts department works great. I think it's European Locktite vendor. This ain't no economy car!!!
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    No more FREE maintenance after MY '04. Costs too much. Times are hard for manufacturers. Profits, profits, profits! And Losses too! The oil changes are the most often performed maintenance services. They go +10K mi. Spark plugs go 5 yrs/100K mi. That doesn't leave much besides engine air filters, cabin air filters, and wiper blades. Belts, brake pads, tires are "wear items", and are not part of the old deal.
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    M-B offers a kit for satellite radio integration with COMAND. It works.
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    If you don't care about comfort, the AMG wheels/tires are for you. They help the handling, but when it comes time to replace the tires - typically 15K mi. - you may loose your breath when they tell you how much. We call them Formula 1 tires - they cost like it.
    The fans blow air on you butt. Nice in hot weather, but they can break and rattle, causing replacement of the whole seat cushion pad. BIG bucks.
    The ABC however, is GREAT!!! It really works. Why didn't somebody think of this before???
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    The OPTIONAL power REAR seat cushion moves fore and aft. The backrest pivots to maintain a comfortable angle. You don't really notice a loss of legroom. We are talking about a S-class - long wheelbase. Plenty of interior room. Worth is relative. LONG trips would maybe make it worth it. You already got leather. How about seat heaters? How about orthopedic seats? How much 'ya got?
  • 3screwsloose3screwsloose Member Posts: 116
    If I were going to buy an old chassis, that's what I would get. The W140 chassis was fairly bulletproof at the end of its' run. The M104 inline 6 cyl is a peppy powerplant for a 5,000lb. car! Costs are, well.. costs. Get ready for 'em. You can't take it with you anyway. Go for the gusto.
  • pathdocpathdoc Member Posts: 126
    I just took delivery of a new MY 2004 S500 on saturday and when the salesperson demonstrated the features she was unable to secure the trunk with the valet key. Since I live in an area where Valet parking is required for many restaurants as well as for security when traveling with a packed trunk I am very up set if this function has been deleted "to save money". She tried a new MY 05 S and the same problem. She tried a MY 2002 and it worked. Does anyone know what the answer is?

    Thanks
  • pathdocpathdoc Member Posts: 126
    I found out the answer to my question above. It turns out that when they added "Onstar" they had to eliminate the capability of locking the trunk with the valet key since Onstar would be unable to unlock the trunk remotely if you locked your key in by mistake. I assume this means that on none of the Mercedes can one secure the trunk with the "Valet Key". After 25 years of Mercedes ownership I will not be able to buy a new one. I cancelled the sale (new S500) and got my money and tradein back. I am now looking at a Jaguar XJ Super which along with all of their models still have a "Valet mode".
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    But thanks for the update, pathdoc - good luck with your search and keep us posted.
  • mbzlvrmbzlvr Member Posts: 14
    Onstar is for GM cars. Maybe that's the problem. Also, what could be in your trunk that you would cancel an $85,000+ MB car and get a Ford because you can't lock the trunk. Don't you have a house and garage? I'm sorry, I'm not being sarcastic but I just can't figure this one out.
    Ricky
  • larianlarian Member Posts: 3
    Strongly decided to go for the S500, but need to know the average maintenance cost per year. Read here about $90 for an oil change and $500 for a brake job... What about the frequency of repairs and the response of the average MB service department. Thanks for your help.
  • pathdocpathdoc Member Posts: 126
    I am a physician and live in an area where valet parking is mandatory at most hotels and restaurants. I frequently leave the hospital and attend meetings or dinner where I have to valet. I do not want items stolen from my trunk. Also on trips I often do not unpack the entire trunk at each stop.
    The Mercedes system is "TeleAid" but all I believe are run by OnStar. After driving the new S500 and now my older S500(99)and the new Jaguar XJR Super I am even happier I turned the car back. It's not thatI don't like Mercedes(still have several) but I think the Jag. is a better car. I also have had an XKR convertible for three years and it has been flawless. My major points are 1) The salespeople at MB didn't know or tell me about the valet locking,2)They list it in their current(2005) brochures 3)They offer it in their Euopean models and 4) It's another example of either cost cutting or lack of engineering skills. I am sure that if they had an electronic valet function like Jag. they would be able to control it remotely.

    As to it being a Ford I suggest you check JD Powers re reliability between Mercedes and the JXR/8 before you make such negative comments.
  • mbzlvrmbzlvr Member Posts: 14
    Thanks for the clarification. I live in the Los Angeles area and Valet Parking is the natural way to park so I don't even think of what might be in my trunk. Also, I can't parallel park!

    Also, I know that MB has has some bad quality control issues so I'm not saying it's the best. However, ever since Ford bought the Jaguar marque, it hasn't been the same to me. It's a personal issue. Same thing with Saab and GM. When I was a kid, my dream car was the Saab convertible in Black and Tan leather. I even considered the new Saab against the MB but the GM thing just didn't sit well with me. Yeah, the MB is another Dodge but I'm not there yet.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Re: Costs of Ownership: $500 for a competent (i.e., all new pads, new rotors, fluid, a line or two, "environmental charge", "miscellaneous shop expensese", etc.) brake job is half of the market price on even a Volvo. Keep in mind that most rotors these days can not be resurfaced.

     

    Re: Pathdocs Trunk: We live in a diverse country. I never would have imagined an area where valet parking was "mandatory" or consenting to a life style where as mbzlvr put it in his post "the natural way to park...". The rationale not to buy an S Class because one has to valet park wherever you go and you can't trust the underclass not to rip you off because you carry more than a gymn bag in your trunk raises a lot of issues. Most of them off topic. But, wouldn't pathdoc be a lot happier, more relaxed, and safer ("hey look, its a doctor in a Mercedes....") in a SAAB Aero with the rest of the MSRP thrown into a small cap index fund?
  • georget3georget3 Member Posts: 53
    My Motorola Timeport P8367 MB cell phone for my 2001 S500 is getting "out of date". I'm using Verizon as carrier.

     

    I wonder if anyone know the newer Motorola phones such as V265 or V710 will work well with the MB integrated system?

     

    Thanks in advance,

     

    George
  • georget3georget3 Member Posts: 53
    I got some answers to my own Timeport cell phone question. A VZ sales representative at Palisades Center told me that the newer Motorola phones will not work in the MB integrated system.

     

    So, once we paid the $2k plus for the option, we basically are stuck with what we got. This reminds of the similar problem I had with my 1994 BMW 740 integrated car phone.
  • melodymmelodym Member Posts: 4
    Can you please help me with the Address and name of CEO in Germany. I have had my car in the shop for 3 months for the suspension. They have replace all 4 struts, Rt Relay and Block and brake. Once the car gets wet the Block goes out and then the car rides rough again. This had happen twice. The manufacture Rep told me he did not want to replace the part and did now want to find out why it keeps breaking. I have a bad back and I am stuck with this car that is very painful for me to drive now. I bought the car because of the smooth ride for my back which did wonders for me for 2 years. I bought the S-500 new in 2002. Now dealership is saying it is out of there hands and Mercedes will not call me back after several letters and phone messages. I live in California and the dealer is Claridge in Fremont. - Thank you for your help..
  • melodymmelodym Member Posts: 4
    When it works I think it is the smoothest riding car available. I have my car in the shop (3 shops) now for 3 months for the suspension going out. I have a 2002 S-500 38k Miles. Started off brake value for aromatic had to be replaced. Two weeks later the car went to the shop for Service B, when I brought the car home 4 hours later the car was pointed down and it road very rough. They replace front struts. Two days later back struts had to be replaced. They kept giving me the car back and the suspension would keep getting worse. So I call around and found out the Technical Manufactor Service Protocol for shocks is Struts, Relay, Pump. Finally the second shop did this and the car beautiful again. I took the car through the car wash and the car with in four hours road very rough again. I took it back to dealership #2 they re calibrated the car returned it and it still drove rough and would not hold its calibration. I had it towed to dealership #3 where I bought the car, "Claridge". Gave everything to them in writing. Two weeks later they finally replace the Block and the car drove beautiful until it rained and went through the car wash, then and now it still rides rough. This is the best part Claridge in Fremont California calls out the Manufactor Rep, he tells me that new tires should solve the problem, when I have had the same tires the entire time... The Rep told me he did not want to replace the Block even though that is what has made the car drive beautiful each time. He said if they were to replace it and it were to break again that they would not replace it again and would not figure out why it keeps breaking - so I have car that rides very stiff and rough right now. Claridge told me they would fix the car or buy it back. Now they will not respond saying it is out of there and hands and at the same time Mercedes will not respond. I cannot in good faith sell this car to someone else knowing that the suspension continually gets worse especially when it is wet outside. I asked if I would write a check for them to fix the suspension, originally they said yes and then 2 hours later when I bounced driving the car home and called and said lets do it, I just need to have this car right, they did not call me back for 48 hours and then said I could not take the car to any other dealer and I could not pay cash to have the car worked on. At the same time they will not put anything in writing saying the car it fine. My personal opinion is they do not know how to fix it and do not want to pay for it and think that I will go away and I will not... I wish more than you know that the suspension would be fixed. It will cost me 25k to get out of this car and in to a new one. That is a lot of wasted money that I do not have just because Mercedes does not want to do the right thing and fix my car or buy it back.
  • melodymmelodym Member Posts: 4
    How did you figure out that it was the Electronic Control box that had to be fixed? The problem with my suspension is. The car rides very rough and stiff. They have replaced all 4 struts, relay, block and brake value. When they replaced the Block is when the car drove great until the car got wet, then it would drive rough and stiff again. They replace the Block and the same thing happened again. Do you have any ideas what on what it needs to have to fix it. It has been in 3 shops for 3 months and they are blowing me off now and do not want to fix the car. I am in the warranty but that is not making a difference. Maybe it is because I live in Silicon Valley and they would rather save money than do the right thing. I am there 4 days a week. Any help you can give me I will definilty appreciate. Thank you..
  • koiguykoiguy Member Posts: 1
    My 2002 S430 is coming off lease, and I'm considering a 2005 S500.

     

    Given the change in body style for the S-Class coming in 2006, does anyone know the last date MB will take an order for a build to order S500, as opposed to taking what's available off the lot?

     

    Also, anyone have current experience on pricing of a 2 or 3 year lease on S500?
  • corblimeycorblimey Member Posts: 1
    New to this board. Please excuse my ignorance, but what does W124/126/140 refer to exactly. I am assuming it is a reference to a particular time period when certain models were produced.

     

    I am thinking of purchasing either a 1997-1999 S320 or S420 or S500. Any comments? I intend to have the car evaluated by an independent mechanic etc, etc.

     

    From researching this board I get the impression that MB changed designed significantly for the 2000 models. I also get the impression that as far as the S series is concerned, models produced after 2000 were somewhat of a dissapointment for their owners.

     

    Anyhow, any advice is greatly appreciated.

     

    thanks

    roger
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    "New to this board. Please excuse my ignorance, but what does W124/126/140 refer to exactly. I am assuming it is a reference to a particular time period when certain models were produced."

     

    Yes your guess is correct. The "W140" is the 1992-1999 "big body" S-Class that was so prized back in its day. The "W124" is the 1986-1995" E-Class, quite possibly my favorite Benz sedan of all time, and the "W126" is the 1981-1991 S-Class that many Benz folks say was the best. You know the old 560SEL, 420SEL, 300SEL models.

     

     
    I think you have the basics covered about buying a W140 S-Class, as the car is very expensive to maintain and even more to repair if you get an ill-kept example. Other than that it is a fabulous car.

     

    M
  • bobcatmanbobcatman Member Posts: 51
    Read these owner experiences and draw your own conclusions. http://www.mercedes-benz-usa.com/s_class.php
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    While you are evaluating others' reports, do keep in mind that those who have trouble are the ones who make the noise. Those who are happy probably don't even know that some of these places exist.

     

    Not to defend the S-Class or any other vehicle, it's just I just hate to see people make a total judgment of any car based on anecdotal collections.

     

    FWIW.
  • kevskieskevskies Member Posts: 1
    Hey guys, I've recently been interested in purchasing a preowned s430 of the current body style (as of yr 2000). I am concerned as to the reliability and astronomical maintenance costs of this vehicle. I understand that most happy owners of this vehicle won't complain and that the unhappy ones will be sounding their opinions - but do even the newer 03's and 04's seriously have such major problems? Reading over the experiences of the owners of this car, it worries me that brakes have been known to fail as well as suspensions collapsing. I have looked over the comments on this site (http://www.mercedes-benz-usa.com/s_class.php)and am flabbergasted that such a supposedly wonderful car is acting like the devil. If someone can give me some feedback, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
  • georget3georget3 Member Posts: 53
    I bought a new 2001 S500 4 years ago. I have had my share of problems: suspension, noises, audio system problem...

     

    I'm disappointed in my ownership experience. I'm just trying to drag it out until I find another car (not a MB) that convinces me worthwhile.

     

    If reliability is high priority for you, MB is not the one.

     

    Consumer Report's findings certainly are accurate in my view.
  • tshih67tshih67 Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone recently purchased a S500? In the SF Bay Area, I've talked to 2 dealers that offered invoice without even trying. I was a bit suprised and am wondering how low I could get them to go if I really tried. I know they have a marketing incentive of 2k and 1.5K if you finance through them running through the end of Jan.
  • dieselerdieseler Member Posts: 1
    I have a MBUSA reference that may help you motivate a shop to really fix your car. It's from another board and contains a diagnosis of the problem your car's level control is having after water exposure.

     

    Go to this site and scroll down to 5/28/99 (on right side):

     

    http://mywebpages.comcast.net/allex26/allex//Bin/info1.html
  • donjuan85donjuan85 Member Posts: 1
    ok its amazing that you guys have nit heard about this yet for the mercedes phones go to mikbox.com
  • cellcell Member Posts: 1
    I BOUGHT A USED MB 1999 S320 LAST FEB. HAD 39K ON IT AND THE CAR IS VERY IMPRESSIVE. THE OWNERS WERE IN THIER 70'S H/W. THE CAR SMELLED LIKE BRAND NEW, FLOOR MATS BRAND NEW AND I JUST LOVE IT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR WHEN I SEND MY WIFE TO HAWAII AND WHEN I PICKED HER UP IN THE AIRPORT SHE WAS SURPRISED. MY ADVICE, LOOK FOR S-CLASS 98-99, THE 95-97 HAD SOME PROBLEMS. AS FAR AS THE ENGINE, V6 DON'T BOTHER ME AT ALL, INFACT YOU ARE BETTER OFF WITH IT SPECIALLY GAS IS GOING UP AGAIN. YES, MAINTENACE IS KINNA EXPENSIVE, A INSPECTION COST YOU PROBABLY $200 BUT YOUR CHANGE OIL IS UP TO 10K, IF YOU HAD ANOTHER CAR YOUR CHANGE OIL IS EVERY 3K SO... IT IS BASICALLY THE SAME. ALSO THINK THAT YOU ARE DRIVING AN EXPENSIVE CAR... TAKE THE PRIDE, SUCK UP THE COST TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY AND YOU WILL BE SATISFIED. THE COMFORT AND THE EXCITEMENT OF DRIVING W140 IS UN-EXPLAINABLE YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT. 2000 AND UP MB'S AREN'T IMPRESSIVE, THEY DON'T HAVE THOSE OLD MB LOOK. LOOK FOR A CAR OWNED BY SENIOR CITIZEN BASICALLY FROM A RETIRING COMMUNITY, THEY ONLY USE THIS CARS TO BUY GROCERIES AND OR GO TO THE CASINO... THIS ARE WELL MAMTIANED CARS... TAKE MY ADVICE.

     

    CELL
  • ritaf687ritaf687 Member Posts: 1
    I have recently bought a 02 s430. I was loving it and then I read some of these forums, so now I'm worried! I came here looking for information on cell phones for the car. The previous owner took the timeport that was original to the car, but I bought one on ebay. I need the instruction manual, and any advise regarding this matter. I really am worried about the suspension now. this sounds like a common problem to that series and year model. Any help is appreciated.
  • tzotzo Member Posts: 95
    I bought a S500 2000 for, well, a boatload of Internet cash. Now they tell me that my mint 2000 S500 with 42k miles is worth only $32K wholesale?!?! eBay has them for Buy Now's at $33-35K. What the heck has happened to MB resale value... you are telling me someone can buy a mint S500 with low miles for the same price as a Toyota Camry.

    Wow, folks, don't buy new Mercedes... buy used certified. THE WAY TO GO.
  • teresa_chen200teresa_chen200 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, Guys, I want to purchase extended Warranty for my S-500 of year 2000. Can anybody let me know where I can get a good price except the dealers? Any suggestions? Thanks.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Teresa, there are some warranty conversations going on over on our Smart Shopper board that you might find helpful. Just click on that link and take a look at the discussion titles.

    Meanwhile, we'll wait to see if someone here has some suggestions.
  • ejerodejerod Member Posts: 86
    For those of you considering a late model MB 2000 model year or later.. one word..RECONSIDER!!!!! I have owned a 2001 S500 that had 1800 miles when I bought it. NIGHTMARE. COnvinced the dealer to buy it back and I purchased a 2002 S500 same features, sports package all the toys. It too has been living in the service department. Just two weeks ago ( I have less that 50,000 miles on it ) I started hearing this popping noise when I turned the wheel. The replaced the entire steering column because it had begun to fall apart internally!!! They were about to call me to come pick up my car when the tech noticed that the car sat too low when turned off. HE check out why and had to replace both Struts on the front end. I had the same problem with my 2001 and this was the THIRD TIME they had to service the suspension system on this car. Not to mention the COMAND system giving up the ghost. The cell phone frying in the holder while I was talking. The time I had clients in the car and the suspension warning light coming on. I wont bore you with the details of the 2003SL500 I bought and hoped to keep as a classic. Suffice it to say that when you drive down the highway with your top half up and your trunk open people tend to take more notice than they would other wise. Wall Street Journal 2/17/05 Talks of GM taking market share from Mercedes and others in Europe . Why ? Number one reason? Mercedes profits have dropped due to settlements and warranty repairs because of quality issues. THey have gone from being the number one luxury marque in the world to number 6 or 7. Acura is even surpassing them in ownership satisfaction surveys. I have had 3 Benzes in the last 4 years. 2001 S500, 2002S 500, 2003 SL 500. I had enough lemons to make lemonade for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next 50 years!!! My wife has had 2 lexus GS models that we have leased over the last 8 years. Not a single issue out of either of them. The one she has now rides like the day we bought it. MB ? Not ever again. At least not until they can build a car that I can drive with out fear of it falling apart. Lexus will be my car of choice from now on. Infinity will be a close second! I will no longer pay 6 figures for anyones automobile and then spend 20% of my time driving loaners...MB is to the new millenium what Jaguar was to the 80's. A beautiful luxurious pig of a car.....
  • merckxmerckx Member Posts: 565
    To read all these negative posts. I've long admired these cars and had had planned on buying one next time I'm in the market. The Lexus LS430 is too glitzy inside...and i-Drive? No way!
    I'm stymied about what to plot for now....
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    I was wondering what happened to you and your replacement S500. Really unfortunate. Do you still have the 2003 SL500? I'm scared to ask how it has held up if you still have it??

    You are exactly right about the S-Class, and what you've described isn't all that uncommon with the 2000-2002 models. The 2003+ model was gutted of the things you had problems with, especially that troublesome Comand system. Mercedes got a new supplier for it and the Airmatic suspension parts were overhauled. I'm really curious to see if there are any 2003+ S owners here and how their cars have been?

    The warranty costs for the S, ML and 2001 C-Class have come home to roost.

    M
  • aglaagla Member Posts: 2
    My dad likes Mercs.Had a 1987 420 sel and a 300td since last fall.he bought /traded these for a 2000 320clk with 10000 miles and it runs perfect.Also bought a 2000 s500 amg options on a 43000 miles.As of today he has had to replace the hydralic pump on the self leveling height adjustment and associated relays.He insists on buying S class but as of today he losing or lost
    complete fate in the car.I don;t know what to say- beatiful car but this is 3 pumps in three months- an insult to any mercedes owner.Anyway to delete/ drive this car without this feature or ???
    My dada wants to sell it and trade it for a e class or a BMW 5/7 series.I would like for him to stay with this car- but the quality is not what it was on his 1987 420sel. ANy more surprizes I need to know on my fathers 2000 S500.Anyway to stop this continual failure?Our mechanis says it was a poorly made oem pump Thanks agla
  • ejerodejerod Member Posts: 86
    I sold the SL500 over a year ago. It was more my wife's idea.. lol. I should have kept it over this beast of a car ( S500 ) but I have kids in college now so they come first. The SL 500 did give me a few issues. CD player started operating intermittently. Roof would not lock in place a couple of times, they said it was a loose bolt. The black panel on either side of the rear window began to get caught anytime I retracted the roof and would bend and then snap back into place making a loud popping noise. That was fun! They ended up replacing both thos plastic strips or panels or whatever they call them, claiming they weren't installed properly at the factory. The tire pressure monitor had to be recalibrated. It was wayyy too sensitive. Litereally every single morning it was telling me either to add air to one tire or another. You couldnt ignore it because it lit up the dashboard in red until you hit the reset button. I paid over 100 k for that car. I loved it but I' am so over MB quality issues. I was on my way to work this morning and saw the new CLS 500. An older lady was driving it and parked at 7-11. She still had 30 day tags on it and guess why she parked in 7-11 ? She had a warning light on and was on the cell phone with the service department. I was going to tell her how beautiful a car it was and good luck with it, and she looked at me and rolled her eyes and said I'm on my way to service now!!!.. As my grandmother used to say. " Its a shame before God" They make arguably the most exciting cars in the world, but they put them together with duct tape and chewing gum....
  • merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    Well that is very troubling to hear, but I think they'll sort this out. So dare I ask what you're next car will be..lol?? You still have the 2002 S500 right? Is is "fixed" now or does it still have problems?

    The CLS500 is indeed a gorgeous car with a better build than any other current Benz sedan, and the electronics should have been sorted by now, gee whiz. I wonder what warning light exactly had lit up???

    M
  • ejerodejerod Member Posts: 86
    Now thats something I have had trouble thinking about. I mean honestly I love the MB styling and I'm used to all the controls and everything else. But I can't sacrifice time and money running back and forth to service. I'm afraid to drive the car out of town now. I will be getting rid of the S 500 in August. I still don't like the body style of the Lexus LS430. If they did something with the body I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Im 41 and still young and not ready to resign myself to the LS430/Cadillac/Lincoln Town Car/ Buick crowd. lol. I still get carded when I go out sometimes.. I am thinking about the new INfinity SUV the Q56 or whatever it's called. Went to the showroom , got the brochure and yada yada yada. The new CLS500 is gorgeous. Even moreso up close, and the price is right, high 60's low 70's. I repeat, I will never buy another 6 figure car as long as I live. MB isn't the only company with quality issues when it comes to cars priced in air so thin people get light headed when they look at the sticker. A client of mine who has more money than Prince Charles has had his share of issues with Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini , Bentley and others. He finally just bought a bus and hired a driver and called it a day... lol. It seems that what has happened ( according to Wall Street Journal ) is MB changed its focus from quality and started focusing on market share. The philosophy being we'll give them a full warranty that will cover minor issues the car may have. Problem is the issues weren't minor at all. Almost everyone I know has had problems with the airmatic suspension. The SL's has issues with the automatic top. Everytime I go to service I see scores of new acrs in teh service department. While I don't have evidence that they are all having quality issues, I don't see as many new cars in the Chevy service department when I go to get my conversion van serviced before a family trip. Funny thing happened. Chrysler was considered the problem child of Daimler Chrysler, so they focused their resources there thinking MB would stand on its own. Then Chrysler became the cash cow with the advent of the new 300 and MB is crashing and burning. The CEO of Daimler CHrysler is slated to retire sometime in the near future ( They don't fire incompetent CEO's the give them a gazillion dollars and send the out to pasture ) and they are supposed to be replacing him with an engineer that has a reputation for quality. It will probably be at least 3 to five years before the market starts responding to quality proclamations from MB again. I for one am not buying it. I've had this car for 3 years and it's been in service for non scheduled items at least 9 times now. The 2001 that I made them buy back had been in at least 8 times in 15 months. The Sl had been in at least 3 times in less than 18 months. The SL had less that 15,000 miles on it when I sold it. I'm done.. those of you who are die hard fans or are just enamored by the styling etc... good luck.. I'm done until I see that the have returned to their roots of building quality automobiles that can last for decades.....
  • aglaagla Member Posts: 2
    First of all my appologies to my spelling. It was 3 am when I wrote that message the other night.I did not reread my errors! Following up on the hydralic pump failure on my dad's 2000 S500.It was the airmatic that failed 3 times in 3 months.My dad called Merecedes's main number and got a number to speak to a top warranty tech, he then acted as if these issues are odd and passed the info to the local South Florida rep about the airmatic problem.I read now this is a constant issues from various posts.I believe we are getting the run around now from MB .The post above sums up issues with Daimler/ chrysler these days.Now personally I have 2 Bmw , one with 300000
    miles since 1989 running perfectly as a work horse
    and a newer 1998 M3 that runs without any one issue for years.But the new BMW designs I can not recommend since they are so but ugly!So I do not know where to have my dad go trade in his S500.
    And frankly my dad and I do not see any japanese car as safe in a crash like a big german sedan.
    Is there an aftermarket fit to the airmatic becasue the oem stuff is horrid,Thanks AGLA
  • dornocdornoc Member Posts: 1
    did you end up buying this car?
    I am looking at a 1994 w/ 74,000
    curious if you had any feedback?
    i have been hearing horror stories about a/c evaporator core.
  • rcf8000rcf8000 Member Posts: 619
    I drove an S430 last week, and was very impressed with the smooth, quiet ride and the handling. One thing that I did not like, though, was the transmission. Driving around town, it seemed like it did a lot more hunting between gears than I'm used too. Slight changes in the accelerator position would produce upshifts or downshifts that were extremely annoying. Is this normal?

    I hear all these stories about terrible reliability of MB cars, but my brother has more than 20,000 miles on his CL600 and has never had it to the dealer for repairs. It's just one data point, but it seems significant to me. The CL600 has every bell and whistle available. I've driven it a couple of times and didn't notice any transmission problems, but it has the old 5 speed.

    One other impression: I ran a test on the S430's NAV system to see how well it would calculate a route, and I was extremely impressed with how well it did. I have not at all been impressed with the Lexus nav in my LX470. Yes, it has touch screen inputs, which is nice, but what good is that if it can't calculate good routes?
  • mbenz420selmbenz420sel Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I've been reading alot of these messages and finally decided to register and say something myself about Mercedes.

    Mercedes Benz is probably the best car ever made in my opinion. It was the first car I ever sat in the driver's seat of when I was little and I drive one to school. (yeah I drive the car to my highschool) Yeah my dad bought me a 1986 M-Benz 420 SEL with about 120 k miles. and I'm only 17 years old! This car is in mint condition, the former owners were senior citizens and obviously kept good care of the car seeing that there's absolutely no rust or any signs of damage to the engine. I will probably trade this car in for a year 2000 or up S500 or S600 as soon as I finish going through Air Force basic training, complete four years of active Air Force duty then save up for a down payment for one.

    I was also wondering how I could add more horsepower to this car...I was thinking about adding another air intake system but then I'd have to re do the muffler system as well to get all that air out efficiently.
This discussion has been closed.