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I'm looking to part ways with my C63 and looking to get into a 2013 S550 4matic. Anything I should consider before buying?
I currently have 2009 C63 with lots of mods. Have any of you went from an AMG to a regular Benz? I do plan on modding the S550 most likely with a quad exhaust, rims, air ride system, most likely a tune.
I'm looking to part ways with my C63 and looking to get into a 2013 S550 4matic. Anything I should consider before buying?
I currently have 2009 C63 with lots of mods. Have any of you went from an AMG to a regular Benz? I do plan on modding the S550 most likely with a quad exhaust, rims, air ride system, most likely a tune.
Just posted the almost identical question but I am coming from a 2007 Infiniti M35!
From the little I have learned, low mileage one owner car and complete service records- Good luck!!
Yea I'm looking at a pearl White one with low mileage. I know I'm sacrificing speed for comfort but I have a few cosmetic ideas in mind so I wanted to make the upgrade to the S-class!
Look at it this way. In the C63, AMG took a pedestrian compact sedan (or coupe) and infused it with big performance, for big money. In the S, all of that money goes to comfort, luxury and amenities. It's not a performer. You can make an S look and sound the part with a quad exhaust and wheels (which I've done as well) but compared to the C63 it's a slug. It's a very nice, smooth, roomy slug, but a slug none the less.
The 12 and 13 TT are better performers, so maybe that added torque and hp plus a tune and the quad exhaust will get you there. The car already has a full active air suspension so nothing to add there. If you're talking a drop those are fairly easy, but they can firm up the ride to the point it's no longer an S Class driving experience.
A word on the tune. The vendor will swear that the original ECU map can be flashed back to OEM if the car needs to go in for warranty work on a blown engine, but the ECU has a counter that will report back how many times the unit has been flashed since the car was built. If the number is greater than zero you'll have a problem. Given the complexity and costliness of a MB TT I would skip the tune.
Wow so i'm guessing most ppl aren't tuning these TT4.7 engines. Shame cuz thats one of the reasons I wanted the s550. I know plenty of ppl are tuning the 5.5tt found in the AMGs without any problems.
I certainly don't find the S550 a slug.. I've been in some pretty fast 500hp+ cars. A 1985 Toyota 4 runner with 80hp is a slug. A nearing 400hp sedan is enough to get around most cars when needed.
I certainly don't find the S550 a slug.. I've been in some pretty fast 500hp+ cars. A 1985 Toyota 4 runner with 80hp is a slug. A nearing 400hp sedan is enough to get around most cars when needed.
Relative to a C63 the S550 will feel ponderous and slow. Personally I find the performance satisfactory given the car's weight and size, but coming from a C63 AMG he's going to find the S underpowered, and the air suspension makes for a great ride but marginal "handling". The air system can't respond fast enough to roll and pitch to null it out. He'd be happier in an S63 with the ABC suspension, but even that will feel a little slow to him.
I'd hate to see him make the switch and then get heartbroken every time he sees a C63 on the road.
I agree. It may feel slow compared to the c63 but it's a great car with plenty of amenities. I find it to be pretty quick to be such a big car.
It was between this and the M5 which was like a rocket...and I went with the S550 because it's a quiet and decently quick car with a super classy feel and makes more of a statement when arriving then the M5 does so to speak...at least to me. I find that you do get the handful of cars that try to "test" you when you're at a light or on the highway.
I agree. It may feel slow compared to the c63 but it's a great car with plenty of amenities. I find it to be pretty quick to be such a big car.
It was between this and the M5 which was like a rocket...and I went with the S550 because it's a quiet and decently quick car with a super classy feel and makes more of a statement when arriving then the M5 does so to speak...at least to me. I find that you do get the handful of cars that try to "test" you when you're at a light or on the highway.
Yeah, I love the look of the new 5 series but no other luxury sedan feels as substantial as the S Class. Not the 5, or the 7, or the Audi A8, or the big Jaguar, and definitely not the Lexus LS460 or the Equus. They all feel like less car behind the wheel.
They all manage to more or less look the part, but on the road the S seems to be in its own class.
I imagine a Bentley or something would do it but I'm not really a Bentley buyer.
Yea i'm trying to get into the classy and luxury scene. The C63 had no luxury at all for me. So right now i'm looking between the S550, bmw 750li and 550xi, audi a8 and S6
Yeah, I love the look of the new 5 series but no other luxury sedan feels as substantial as the S Class. Not the 5, or the 7, or the Audi A8, or the big Jaguar, and definitely not the Lexus LS460 or the Equus. They all feel like less car behind the wheel.
They all manage to more or less look the part, but on the road the S seems to be in its own class.
I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I like to call it a vault on wheels, and the next step to get this feeling is Bentley.
Originally Posted by w204nyc
Yea i'm trying to get into the classy and luxury scene. The C63 had no luxury at all for me. So right now i'm looking between the S550, bmw 750li and 550xi, audi a8 and S6
S550 and call it quits.
Originally Posted by w204nyc
Yea I'm looking at a pearl White one with low mileage. I know I'm sacrificing speed for comfort but I have a few cosmetic ideas in mind so I wanted to make the upgrade to the S-class!
Yea i'm trying to get into the classy and luxury scene. The C63 had no luxury at all for me. So right now i'm looking between the S550, bmw 750li and 550xi, audi a8 and S6
Yeah, the luxury/class aspect of the car is very satisfying in its own right. I came from a 400hp/400fp torque performance coupe to my first S and it did take some getting used to but now I'd never go back.
My current 221 with a 20" wheel package, spacers, lip spoiler and an aftermarket quad exhaust looks and sounds like a monster. I never get challenged at lights, probably because most other drivers aren't sure what it is (though it's still badged a 550) and don't want to mess with it.
If I want to pass with any authority I hit the downshift paddle three or four times to put it in 4th or 3rd and then gun it. Lots of pull and great engine sounds between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm. The only thing I'd do differently is get a 13 with the TT and find a car with the ABC suspension. And yeah, I'd want a Diamond White with a pano...great combo on an S. Oh, and a Porcelain interior.
You may also want to consider a 2007-2009 low mileage S600 too. You get every amenity that the S-class has to offer including ABC, leather wrapped everything, reclining rear seats with massage, night vision, distronic+, along with a TT V12 that can be tuned to over 600 hp & 700+ lb/ft of torque for just $1300. You roll in absolute comfort and style in that car and it is the ultimate sleeper performance car. With the tune they run the 1/4 mile in a blistering 12 seconds. And low mileage (preferably under 40k) entitles you to great pricing on a warranty.
You may also want to consider a 2007-2009 low mileage S600 too. You get every amenity that the S-class has to offer including ABC, leather wrapped everything, reclining rear seats with massage, night vision, distronic+, along with a TT V12 that can be tuned to over 600 hp & 700+ lb/ft of torque for just $1300. You roll in absolute comfort and style in that car and it is the ultimate sleeper performance car. With the tune they run the 1/4 mile in a blistering 12 seconds. And low mileage (preferably under 40k) entitles you to great pricing on a warranty.
I wanted somewhat of a newer car with newer features. Thats why i'm looking at 2013's l. I dont care too much for the air suspension because i plan on installing accuair air ride as soon as I get it.
Yeah, the luxury/class aspect of the car is very satisfying in its own right. I came from a 400hp/400fp torque performance coupe to my first S and it did take some getting used to but now I'd never go back.
My current 221 with a 20" wheel package, spacers, lip spoiler and an aftermarket quad exhaust looks and sounds like a monster. I never get challenged at lights, probably because most other drivers aren't sure what it is (though it's still badged a 550) and don't want to mess with it.
If I want to pass with any authority I hit the downshift paddle three or four times to put it in 4th or 3rd and then gun it. Lots of pull and great engine sounds between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm. The only thing I'd do differently is get a 13 with the TT and find a car with the ABC suspension. And yeah, I'd want a Diamond White with a pano...great combo on an S. Oh, and a Porcelain interior.
Do you have an aftermarket exhaust? Or did you have someone weld the quaf exhausts?
I wanted somewhat of a newer car with newer features. Thats why i'm looking at 2013's l. I dont care too much for the air suspension because i plan on installing accuair air ride as soon as I get it.
It doesn't look like Accuair makes a kit for the W221, and I'm not sure you'd need to go through all that since the car has a full active air suspension to begin with. (Maybe that's why I couldn't find an Accuair kit for the 221).
So all of that stuff, the air struts, the compressor, the controller, self leveling, etc is in the stock S550 suspension set up. You'd just need the LoMo module that allows adjustment to any ride height via the steering wheel controls.
Skip to the end of this install video and you'll see it in action:
Yeah, the luxury/class aspect of the car is very satisfying in its own right. I came from a 400hp/400fp torque performance coupe to my first S and it did take some getting used to but now I'd never go back.
My current 221 with a 20" wheel package, spacers, lip spoiler and an aftermarket quad exhaust looks and sounds like a monster. I never get challenged at lights, probably because most other drivers aren't sure what it is (though it's still badged a 550) and don't want to mess with it.
If I want to pass with any authority I hit the downshift paddle three or four times to put it in 4th or 3rd and then gun it. Lots of pull and great engine sounds between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm. The only thing I'd do differently is get a 13 with the TT and find a car with the ABC suspension. And yeah, I'd want a Diamond White with a pano...great combo on an S. Oh, and a Porcelain interior.
Originally Posted by Mike5215
It doesn't look like Accuair makes a kit for the W221, and I'm not sure you'd need to go through all that since the car has a full active air suspension to begin with. (Maybe that's why I couldn't find an Accuair kit for the 221).
So all of that stuff, the air struts, the compressor, the controller, self leveling, etc is in the stock S550 suspension set up. You'd just need the LoMo module that allows adjustment to any ride height via the steering wheel controls.
Skip to the end of this install video and you'll see it in action:
You're right, Accuair doesnt but Airtekk which is here in NY did a S550 and it looks hot! I dont know much about the stock air system but I'll check it out
You're right, Accuair doesnt but Airtekk which is here in NY did a S550 and it looks hot! I dont know much about the stock air system but I'll check it out
It looks pretty much like that Accuair set up with air struts, a pressure tank and compressor and a controller. The only think missing would be the little remote control to adjust ride height in the cabin, but the aftermarket module fixes that.
Coming from an E350, the S550 delivers. I know now not to drive a 63 unless I am prepared to buy one. The new power is intoxicating. I must admit, I love the dimond white with the pano roof.
I drove an S63 recently. I liked the wheels (already had a set of S63 wheels) and the quad exhaust look and sound. The power was nice but not worth the headaches of an AMG car out of warranty. I settled for the quad exhaust on my S550 instead. No regrets.
It doesn't look like Accuair makes a kit for the W221, and I'm not sure you'd need to go through all that since the car has a full active air suspension to begin with. (Maybe that's why I couldn't find an Accuair kit for the 221).
So all of that stuff, the air struts, the compressor, the controller, self leveling, etc is in the stock S550 suspension set up. You'd just need the LoMo module that allows adjustment to any ride height via the steering wheel controls.
Skip to the end of this install video and you'll see it in action:
I drove an S63 recently. I liked the wheels (already had a set of S63 wheels) and the quad exhaust look and sound. The power was nice but not worth the headaches of an AMG car out of warranty. I settled for the quad exhaust on my S550 instead. No regrets.
is the S63 really that much more to maintain than S550?
are the main differences in the amg brakes and the ABC system, and are they not reliable now on W221 vs W220 - or are they still just as challenging?
PL
12-14-2014, 06:11 PM
