ajm0623

not on this one. past benzos? yes. not this 550, however. absolutely perfect in all respects.

Diesel Benz

Squeaky brakes are a bit of a problem on all MB models. A set of brake pads were also changed from some W221 cars.

I had noticeable squeak on my W211 but got rid of it with the service MB suggests for this. On the W221 I have noticed it a couple of times. This has been after a rainy day drive, leaving the car parked and then when first leaving with the car, reversing and applying brakes softly.

I would say a bit of squeak is an indicator of performance brakes on the car. Honestly, it is relatively easy to get completely rid of the noise but that would be a compromise for brake performance (power and lifetime).

WSH

Squeaky brakes are a random issue w/various perf braking systems....

I haven't had this issue on my various AMGs....but it clearly exists w/some copies....

But had squeaky brakes as a periodic issue on one of my past Porsche Turbos w/PCCBs (a 996TTS; though one of my colleagues who had 997TT w/next-gen PCCB also had awful squeaking, though my 997TT w/PCCB didn't have this issue)....and some Porsches w/steel brakes apparently also suffer from this....

Some Ferraris w/CCM brakes also have periodic squeaking.....though know many guys w/CCM-equipped F's who have had quiet brakes...

Often such squeak issues develop after much low-speed urban driving....one way to try to "self-cure" the issue is to rigorously brake (obviously on an empty fwy) from 70MPH to near-zero several times....seems to occasionally work....

But my sense is most competent techs at AMG/F/P still struggle w/solving this random issue....and The Big 3 clearly have the world's best braking systems (test-drive some cars like BMWs or Lambos in steep mtn twisties to better appreciate what are clearly laughable brakes in an alleged perf car)....so will tolerate some annoying squeaks if I believe a braking system will perform better in dry/wet/smooth/bumpy emergent braking: an important element of active safety......

ProV1

wsh... i've seen some of your posts... very informative... but do you always end every sentence with "....." ...??

WSH

Also use lots of slashes, etc...what can I say?....am just a curmudgeon w/many quirks...

trumpet1

As long as he is capable of buying a new MB every 6 months, I don't care what he ends his sentences with......

keith100

"and The Big 3 clearly have the world's best braking systems (test-drive some cars like BMWs or Lambos in steep mtn twisties to better appreciate what are clearly laughable brakes in an alleged perf car"

Well, I'm normally on the 204 forum, but logging in I noticed this forum for the new S class. Hmmm........ do buyers of a new S class bother with internet forums? Apparently so.

Anyway I don't quite get you meaning WSH. Do you mean BMW brakes really are lousy or that the Big 3 performance car brakes are lousy?? My brakes do squeak too.

As to reliability, a British forum I joined mirrors this one - 98-2003 were the dark years. Even German cabbies started to leave the brand. Lots of rust in UK cars too.

SO far the C has been faultless. Every thing has worked perfectly well, except the rain sensing wipers, which seem to have a mind of their own about how wet things are, but I find that more amusing than irritating. I expect it to last 15 years. An 82 Audi was still running after 14 years and I still own a 97 Pontiac, which my son now uses. So, 15 years should be duck soup for a Merc.

Cheers

Keith

AustinGuy

I got to tell you'll - as much as I love my S there are a couple of things that jump out that make me .. or

For one - cheap feel and quality of front grille on hood. It's chrome-finished plastic that's simply not solid. It also has an affinity to hold on to discoloration and stains. It took me a heck of a time to polish some stains off it - not sure where they came from since my car is in pristine condition.

Rear view mirror housing. Cheap plasticy feel...

Again, don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to find things to complain about but when you drop $100k+ on a car, certain things are expected. Worse still, when I look over at my wife's Lexus GX470 I don't see that same quality in the chrom finished plastic. It's just solid!

cjf_moraga

Agreed about the grill. Perhaps it is because pedestrian collision requirements in the EU are becoming ever more demanding. I do miss those old MB cheese grater grills through!

What jumps out at me are those cheap looking plastic grab handles in the roof. (They used to have wood options in the older S-Class models)

However these are small things in the grand scheme of things. We could just as easily write about what feels really solid/quality!

Chris

mmereos

Just as an FYI I have owned a 2001 E320 and a 2004 E500 and currently own a 2007 S550. Every model I bought with every single option available with the exception of Body Kits "like AMG etc"


I have not had a single problem with any of them. The 2001 E I traded in for the '04 so I can't tell you how that one is going now, but the '04 E I sold to my brother 2 years ago and he has YET to have any problems with it, and my S550 which is now over 2 years old has been flawless and by far the best car I or anyone else that has been in it has ever experienced.

It's easy to find negative articles about cars, but at the same time there is a reason why Mercedes is one of the best car companies in the world and all other manufacturers are trying to copy, compare themselves to, and catch up to them. I've even had people that know nothing about Mercedes say to me "You know that it's just a Chrysler!!" and I simply smile and say nothing knowing how ignorant that comment was.

ajm0623

ok boys (and girls) - in the spirit of full and fair disclosure - my perfect 07 s550 4matic is now not so perfect. i was driving from chicago to pittsburgh last week (500 miles one way) and just 1/2 way there (outside of toledo, ohio), the airmatic system malfunctioned. i contacted tele-aid, and they were really good about assuring me i could finish the remaining 4 hours of my 8 hour trip with no problems. i did.

i took the car to a dealer in pittsburgh the next day, and they serviced the problem. 4 hours later the car was fixed. the short test found codes for airleaks that required a replacement of the "belly pans" (whatever those are). they pin tested the compressor and found no power. they had to replace a 40 amp fuse that was blown, a relay and the entire airmatic compressor (i was lucky they had all the parts in stock!). the replacement of those four parts cleared the error codes and the car now works as advertised. i drove back to chicago yesterday without incident.

so - the airmatic system failed and is therefore not perfect (just like on the w220 series) but was fixed promptly and without any hemming and hawing from the dealer in the pittsburgh area. in fact - the pittsburgh dealer really bent over backwards for me to get the car fixed and on my way given i was 500 miles from home. a-one service from those boys at john sisson motors. let's hope this airmatic failure is not an omen of things to come.

konigstiger

P-B-32.22/49a – problem known since SEPT07, bulletin revised JAN08
https://mbworld.org/forums/showpost....0&postcount=58

Might I suggest to everyone the next time you are in for service, mention the DTB and request that the dealer perform a Star Diagnosis short test and inspect the harness for precaution to circumvent any possible future problem. BTW, no build date or VIN restrictions.

Germancar1

Well there exceptions to everything, but most people had nothing but trouble out of the models I listed. The problem seems to be with Mercedes, at least during those years, was that you either got a great one or a really bad one as far as reliability went.

Of course there is a reason why Mercedes is Mercedes, 120+ years of being a leader in many things, but they aren't perfection anymore. When I hear stuff like that Chrysler comment I just turn away. Such a person is obviously too far gone to be saved.

M

Diesel Benz

The CEO from the past had the view that building quality does not pay out, a car company would make more profit buy building less expensive cars even if that affected quality. This has been acknowledged being a mistake by the current company leaders. Perhaps it takes time and it is too early to make accurate estimates about the quality of W221 and W204 models but it looks like a good improvement has already been achieved.

In any case we should not compare the W123 for a car that fulfils current environmental and comfort requirements. The same reliability for 10 times more complexity would probably result to an unaceptable car price.

Germancar1

Good points. MB couldn't go on building cars they way they used too otherwise the S-Class would be what the Maybach is today. Too much old-school, overweight and overpriced!

M

AustinGuy

One more thing - would have really loved to see more wood trim in the interior. For one, they could have put wood trim around the seat control knobs (on the doors). That would have added a very nice elegant touch and complimented the trim along the cabin. Also, the CD changer door should have been wood.

Sigh!

trumpet1

These are probably things they leave out for now so they will have something to do to make the upcoming refresh models look refreshing. I know the current CL models have the wood in the places you just mentioned. I also see them replacing the dull aluminum door sills with chromed ones like they did in 2003 on the W220.

Germancar1

^^^ Yep.

Long as you guys are reduced to talking about these little things I know MB turned out a great car from the start. The 2010 facelift is going to be really something.

M

Arctic White

As far as reliability, our S550 4Matic (w/ AMG pack) has had no problems. We've had the car for quite some time and have only had to take it in for oil changes.

We used to have an 01 S-Class and it absolutely sucked in regards to quality (tons of trips to the dealership for warranty work). We had to put in new Airmatic suspension (should have gotten ABC anyways), new navigation unit, new AC unit, Sunroof had to be replaced, among other things. Either way, nothing is worse than my former RRS S/C. LR HAS THE WORST BUILD QUALITY OF ANY CAR MANUFACTURER IN EXISTENCE! (Sorry, but I had to throw that in there... )

You think that is bad... go peep the E60 M5 boards. Not to mention the Chris Bangle nightmare that is happening at BMW right now. Audi and Merc OWN BMW in styling.

T0ked

I would say the late 90s into the early 00s were the dark days for MB. No one can deny the problems MB has gone through in that ~10 year period. My father's 2001 S500 (W220) was horrendous. In the first year it was in the shop for over 3 months. The dealer replaced the entire suspension, then the COMAND unit or whatever it was called, then the AC unit for not working at all, then more service for other lights that would randomly light up on the dash. It really left a sour taste in my mouth for MB. My friend's family who had one of the earlier MLs ended up threatening to sue the dealership if they didn't take back the car. Unheard of for MB. We waited for a long time to replace the S500 (it was destroyed in a house fire several years ago). I held out on my purchase of the W221 until I heard about the reliability horror stories... and there were none. My S550 has been remarkably trouble free since purchase and I am back in love with MB. I do think it was MB trying to shoehorn too much stuff at once into one vehicle (W220) while at the same time going through a cost-cutting overhaul of their design-to-production system of building cars. They meant well, but they executed horribly. Other makers have done that more successfully. I hope they've learned their lesson and move on to produce more rock-solid vehicles. I did look at the LS and 7 but always came back to MB. Both competitors were really good and for the price the LS would have been a steal. (I'm actually curious about the LS Sport) I'm not really into Audi's so no A8 for me.

Chou Mai Whang

You may have seen/heard of specific issues reported from europe. If so, I apologise now - if not, read on.

By 2003/4 the reliability and quality issues with MB cars had reached crisis point. During car tests run in the UK, failures were publicly shown during programmes. The entire range was beset with issues - electrical, mechanical and material.

MB subsequently went into standard MBA answer waffle mode and admitted that they'd been greedy with profit margins which had lead to corner cutting. They were, they said, mounting a campaign to right all of those wrongs. This was to start 2004/5.

The perceptions of a bad car will likely continue with people buying used cars of the pre-2004 vintage.

As to whether or not the later ranges are improved, is as yet yet, unknown due to the ongoing concerns raised, again, across the media.

However, the self same perceptions are beginning to plague BMW and Audi. Anecdotally, I know three engine failures in M3's of the six cylinder variety. X5's are known to be troublesome (Diesel) too. Audi has reportedly suffered significant engine problems with petrol motors. My own experience with a west London dealer was shabby to say the least.

I'm currently considering a range of cars; Bentley, Mercedes, BMW and Lexus and Porsche. Out of those vehicles, only Lexus and Porsche seem to be 'okay'. Jaguar have also recently finished second in UK reliability tests.

BMW have just announced a recall on something like 1.3 million vehicles. Lexus problems were well documented recently.

Personally, I don't think there's a car out there that is genuinely bulletproof. Warranty, purchase from dealer, service histories and ignoring much of the stuff you read are probably the only way to achieve some peace of mind.

Moksm

Needing some advice (as well as a place to vent...):

I have been in love with my 2011 E350 Cabriolet for the last year and 4 months I have had it....but let me just say, I am about to give this thing UP!

The first year, I had repeated PSI problems, driver side window would not roll up without stalling and going down for 3 tries, and my passenger door was LOOSE. YES, LOOSE- you could feel air on the highway...TERRIFYING! Then towards the 1 year mark, my stereo sound (and all of its features) began to go silent for 5 to 45 minutes at a time. The irony of driving THAT car with headphones in was almost funny, ALMOST.

From November until now I have made 3 more visits to the service department. The first of these for continued window stalling, and continued stereo problems. The second 3 weeks ago for: key battery replacement (they replaced the batteries in both), and (again) continued stereo problems, windshield washer fluid, and other small things. Three days after getting my car back that time the convertible top would not go down, my key battery was low again 2 weeks later, my stereo was getting worse, and the right side of my hood would not fully close (this had been an issue for a while but I kept forgetting to bring it up).

Went to my appointment Wednesday with these problems to soon find out that not only did they have to order parts, replace my keys entirely, etc. etc. ETC (under warranty thank goodness) but the BIG shocker was that they heard sloshing noises during the test drive. There was apparently so much water in my floorboards (especially the passengers side, the side with the open hood) that my carpet was soaked under the floor mats (where much of the system wiring is). Of course, this is not under warranty and I will be spending over 1 grand for them to simply take my car apart and attempt to find the problem....then my interior needs to be replaced.

What I'm getting at is that I have not allowed rain, etc. to get into my car and MB service department said that it wasn't the debris-clogged pipes/hoses under the windshield wipers or the AC. So, my question is: has anyone had this problem before? Could the stereo/system problems be a result of water damage? And most importantly, WHY IS THIS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY!!!!! One of my rims were slightly bent, throwing off my alignment and they fixed that under warranty without me even pointing it out to them- so how is this very obvious manufacturing issue not covered? Any advice would help at this point. Having these issues from a brand new car in less than 1.5 yrs from purchase is unacceptable and I am horrified to see what problems I will be dealing with 5 years from now when all of my warranties are up (assuming I even keep it that long). Please help!!

lloydabettis

I am a big Mercedes fan, but latest electrical failure for 2010 S550 has dealer stumped. On three occasions while driving, all of the dash warnings start coming coming on the display...SRS Malfunction, brake failure, power steering failure, cheek tire pressure, service required, pre-safe inoperable, etc. Then, when you stop and place transmission in park the message says to not change gears. In fact, the transmission locks in park. First time, I restarted car and everything was ok. The second time the car was towed to dealer at 10 PM, but the next morning they couldn't find any problem since car operated fine. I drove out of the dealership and within 45 minutes it happened again and I was able to drive it back and show the dealer all of the warnings and transmission locked in park again. Mercedes regional got involved an provided special diagnostic tools. They have had car for six weeks trying to recreate the problem, and say they can't use the new diagnostic equipment until the problem happens while they are driving it. This seems crazy.

wilassasin

This similar issue happened with my 2008 bmw 750 I forget what the issue was I will research for you but I know it wasn't a battery or alternator problem.

WEBSRFR

Maybe they should just buy/keep your car and give you a similar replacement vehicle that is your own so you don't have random people driving around in your car for weeks... Maybe you have an electrical issue and those could be really tough to track down.