My new 2014 S550!!!!!!
02-14-2014, 04:49 PM
#51
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2012 CLS 550
Mine will be in next week. I went more conservative with Diamond White / Black based on kids and the way we use it but this is really sharp. Enjoy!
02-21-2014, 02:02 PM
#55
MBWorld Fanatic!
I can't wait!
Here is my review of my new beast:
First impression: Will blow you away. The materials used in this car “require” you to touch and touch. You’ll find yourself rubbing your hands across the seats and dash constantly, and they do not fail to satisfy. Everyone who views my car is instinctively compelled to touch, and this is a phenomenon I”ve never experienced with a car before.
The fit and finish is of high quality. I scanned closely every detail, especially when contrasting surfaces meet one another, and I could not find a flaw. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the exclusive leather. In my opinion, you are selling yourself short of a luxury experience that will not be matched by S competitors for years to come. It is mind blowing. And no pic can capture it, it is too EPIC for cameras!
Exterior is just as legendary. I found myself just sitting in front of the car staring at how awesome the curves are, and the beauty of the light system. As I washed the car, I felt amazed how the quality of the body felt. It was so sturdy and strong and smooth. Even the body kit pieces on the AMG kit felt luxurious to the touch. Attention to detail on this car is extraordinary…..and I know blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless night went into its design.
Technology: First off the command system I found was very easy to use and navigate. I know some will complain differently, but maybe it’s because I owned the 221. Want to change car settings?, tap 1 button and a beautiful picture of an S550 comes circling around on screen amazing everyone who’s watching. Next, you want to quickly get back to NAV?, just click one button, and boom…..that big huge screen (which also amazes people by its size) is filled with a huge map showing icons of important POI’s. Want to listen to the awesome sounding Burmester? (and it is awesome!), again just 1 click of a button and ample choices of what your ears desire pops right up for you to control.
The car brings convenience to a whole new level to where you never find yourself working hard to do anything. You never have to touch your key for anything. The “kick” feature for the trunk opening and closing is flawless. And there are options on your command screen on how you want your trunk to open (just crazy). Voice commands work well too. There will be some occasions where you’ll say a name and she has no clue what you just said, but it doesn’t bother me, because I haven’t been in a car where that technology has been perfected yet. Just too many variables in our pronunciations to perfect it. So I don’t drop points for that.
DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE is a must!!!! Do not, I repeat do not, skip over this package. So much bang for the money! First off the cameras read the road very well. Make a mistake, and this car will let you know it. Cross the lane without signaling?......bad boy….that’ll be 3 pops from the steering wheel to your hands…LOL. And she never fails to spank you (no joke). Getting careless and let the tires go off the road, she’ll brake, swing you back in, and wake you up just in case you were dosing off. Trying to cross a lane when someone is in your blind spot…..oooohh, bad boy, she’ll yank you back over and yet give you another spanking…lol. And the best part…..is when you push in the cruise control and she “HELPS” you drive. Let me explain this….even when your hands is on the wheel, you can feel her “turning with you.” It’s like you and her have symbiotic control driving the vehicle together. But she never takes over unless you want her too. Her control is very “gentleman” like. You feel in control and yet safe with her all at the same time. Even though my hands were on the wheel, I could still feel the system driving, but not controlling me. And when I took my hand off the wheel, it drives as if my hand was never on it. VERY WELL DONE by MB. Very well done….
Distronic cruising is also well done. I grew in comfort of the car as a road raging truck swiped in front of me really fast, and the car braked perfectly monitoring this quick change and judging his speed. This system may save your rear end if you’re looking down to change the radio and a crazy driver swings in front of you while you’re not looking.
My feelings on the Parking Assist are mixed. Parallel parking is well executed and seems to be the bread and butter of the tech. But perpendicular parking was too gimmicky for my taste. First off, the perpendicular parking will only work if cars are in the parking lot because that’s what the system will scan for. Second, DO NOT attempt to perpendicular park if there is more than one space between the vehicles. The machine will EVERYTIME attempt to parallel it instead of going perpendicular. So my only gripe with this tech is that you MUST have ONE space available between vehicles for it to work.
The massaging tech and air freshing system are winners. The air fresher is not a marketing hype. It does work, and it does its job well. Taking the wife out for a date is sublime as I turned on the ever so exotic red cab lighting, mixing it with the romantic mood fragrance, then soothing her with a hot stone massage, and my wife and I have never had a date so sexy in a car. To my “guy” forum friends, this car will enhance your relationships! The massage, air, and lighting tech are hands down GAME WINNERS!
The 360 camera also brings great satisfaction. As I roll into reverse, I can see where I need to go quite clearly with lines constantly giving my turning angles. Then pop into drive, and the front camera comes on just as clearly. And doing both, I can see what’s on the side of me well too, as the camera gives you a virtual shot as if you’re above the car playing a video game. And it works well, so easy, and so awesome, I feel like I’ll never hit anything again! LOL
Night Vision also works well. (I thought I didn’t order it, but it was on there). As pedestrians were walking, it was constantly tagging them to let me know they were there. Kind of cool, but it is a bit distracting, so be warned of that. You kind of have to figure out how to quick glance it out of your periphery. But this task may be hard to those wearing bifocals because those glasses require you to always point your nose to where you are looking.
Driving and Suspension: First off let’s talk about power. She has gobbs of it! I know the S63 guys like that neck snapping power, but the S550 is no slouch. She will slam you back in your seat as well. Although this car is heavy, the power is just right never letting you feel as if you’re driving a boat. Be sure to be in 2nd or 3rd gear before you slam her though, because I burnt rubber doing that, and that was a lesson well learned. Lol
Driving is effortless. Steering her where you want her is to go is as fun and luxurious as anything out there. The steering wheel feels tight, responsive, and accurate. When you hold it in your hands, you feel as if you have good control over the car, and the car feels planted on the road. Not too sensitive and not too tight. Just right. The car does a good job of not letting you feel its weight, and I found myself winding through traffic very nimbly as if she is much smaller. Who would have thought you could drive such big cars very sportily and have just as much fun.
Gear changing is smooth and balance with good control on the manual setting. You can go back forth between controlling it yourself or letting her do the work. It’s set to where if you stop shifting, she’ll take back control of the process. You barely feel any gear changes, the transmission is ultra smoothe. The S and E gear shifting selections changes how often she shifts and what gears she stays in. I found that on the S setting, she’ll stay in 5th gear at high speeds, and hold rpms a little longer before shifting. In E, she’ll shift to 7 gear pretty quickly…….in fact too quickly! Don’t be surprised when you look down and see 7th gear while going 30mph! LOL…….And I’m not kidding!
Suspension wise I have mixed feelings again like I did with the park assist. First off let me say that I am very pleased with the fact that for the very first time there is actually a change in suspension when going from Sport Mode to
Comfort Mode. Us 221 guys know about this because when we pushed that button before, we felt absolutely nothing. But this time you can really feel the shocks tighten and the steering stiffen when going sport, and softening vice versa. A real bi-mode system this time! But my only gripe is that I feel the ride to be a little rougher than I was anticipating (on comfort setting), still smoothe, but just not exactly where I wanted it. This is mostly felt on what I call the “gritty” roads….those roads with a rough surface. You can feel the surface too much and there’s some road noise from the tires being made too. But I don’t blame this on the Airmatic. I actually think this is a result of the 20” run flats. I’m really glad I was warned before hand of this potential issue, but it doesn’t bother me overall because I still would not change what I’ve ordered. The 20” wheels are the ONLY way to go with this car. The wheel wells are just too big for anything else. I know I’m gonna change from the run flats in the future, and that should eliminate my only gripe, so therefore this does not bother me. And on top of this, the suspension seems to be soaking better with every drive. Like it needs a break in too….
Comfort: Sitting in the cabin is very luxurious. Sound proofing tech has greatly improved, and it feels real good to not have to talk over road noise. Don’t want your passenger to mess with buttons….well move his/her seat for them. Want to lay back and relax, well the head rest pillows are wonderful….soft and foams around your skull perfectly. Need more lumbar support, well at the quick of a button, the seat will beef up in any area of your liking. I literally almost fell asleep while driving, lol. But don’t worry, driver’s assist will help you with this problem. Did I mention that system was the bomb? Lol
All and all, MB outdid themselves and I rate this car a 9.9/10, giving it 1/10th off for my two small complaints, in which one of them I think has an easy fix. I without a shadow of a doubt think that this is the best buy of a car in the world right now, and I can’t believe I’m about this say this next one…….heavily underpriced.
Go MB!
First impression: Will blow you away. The materials used in this car “require” you to touch and touch. You’ll find yourself rubbing your hands across the seats and dash constantly, and they do not fail to satisfy. Everyone who views my car is instinctively compelled to touch, and this is a phenomenon I”ve never experienced with a car before.
The fit and finish is of high quality. I scanned closely every detail, especially when contrasting surfaces meet one another, and I could not find a flaw. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the exclusive leather. In my opinion, you are selling yourself short of a luxury experience that will not be matched by S competitors for years to come. It is mind blowing. And no pic can capture it, it is too EPIC for cameras!
Exterior is just as legendary. I found myself just sitting in front of the car staring at how awesome the curves are, and the beauty of the light system. As I washed the car, I felt amazed how the quality of the body felt. It was so sturdy and strong and smooth. Even the body kit pieces on the AMG kit felt luxurious to the touch. Attention to detail on this car is extraordinary…..and I know blood, sweat, tears, and sleepless night went into its design.
Technology: First off the command system I found was very easy to use and navigate. I know some will complain differently, but maybe it’s because I owned the 221. Want to change car settings?, tap 1 button and a beautiful picture of an S550 comes circling around on screen amazing everyone who’s watching. Next, you want to quickly get back to NAV?, just click one button, and boom…..that big huge screen (which also amazes people by its size) is filled with a huge map showing icons of important POI’s. Want to listen to the awesome sounding Burmester? (and it is awesome!), again just 1 click of a button and ample choices of what your ears desire pops right up for you to control.
The car brings convenience to a whole new level to where you never find yourself working hard to do anything. You never have to touch your key for anything. The “kick” feature for the trunk opening and closing is flawless. And there are options on your command screen on how you want your trunk to open (just crazy). Voice commands work well too. There will be some occasions where you’ll say a name and she has no clue what you just said, but it doesn’t bother me, because I haven’t been in a car where that technology has been perfected yet. Just too many variables in our pronunciations to perfect it. So I don’t drop points for that.
DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE is a must!!!! Do not, I repeat do not, skip over this package. So much bang for the money! First off the cameras read the road very well. Make a mistake, and this car will let you know it. Cross the lane without signaling?......bad boy….that’ll be 3 pops from the steering wheel to your hands…LOL. And she never fails to spank you (no joke). Getting careless and let the tires go off the road, she’ll brake, swing you back in, and wake you up just in case you were dosing off. Trying to cross a lane when someone is in your blind spot…..oooohh, bad boy, she’ll yank you back over and yet give you another spanking…lol. And the best part…..is when you push in the cruise control and she “HELPS” you drive. Let me explain this….even when your hands is on the wheel, you can feel her “turning with you.” It’s like you and her have symbiotic control driving the vehicle together. But she never takes over unless you want her too. Her control is very “gentleman” like. You feel in control and yet safe with her all at the same time. Even though my hands were on the wheel, I could still feel the system driving, but not controlling me. And when I took my hand off the wheel, it drives as if my hand was never on it. VERY WELL DONE by MB. Very well done….
Distronic cruising is also well done. I grew in comfort of the car as a road raging truck swiped in front of me really fast, and the car braked perfectly monitoring this quick change and judging his speed. This system may save your rear end if you’re looking down to change the radio and a crazy driver swings in front of you while you’re not looking.
My feelings on the Parking Assist are mixed. Parallel parking is well executed and seems to be the bread and butter of the tech. But perpendicular parking was too gimmicky for my taste. First off, the perpendicular parking will only work if cars are in the parking lot because that’s what the system will scan for. Second, DO NOT attempt to perpendicular park if there is more than one space between the vehicles. The machine will EVERYTIME attempt to parallel it instead of going perpendicular. So my only gripe with this tech is that you MUST have ONE space available between vehicles for it to work.
The massaging tech and air freshing system are winners. The air fresher is not a marketing hype. It does work, and it does its job well. Taking the wife out for a date is sublime as I turned on the ever so exotic red cab lighting, mixing it with the romantic mood fragrance, then soothing her with a hot stone massage, and my wife and I have never had a date so sexy in a car. To my “guy” forum friends, this car will enhance your relationships! The massage, air, and lighting tech are hands down GAME WINNERS!
The 360 camera also brings great satisfaction. As I roll into reverse, I can see where I need to go quite clearly with lines constantly giving my turning angles. Then pop into drive, and the front camera comes on just as clearly. And doing both, I can see what’s on the side of me well too, as the camera gives you a virtual shot as if you’re above the car playing a video game. And it works well, so easy, and so awesome, I feel like I’ll never hit anything again! LOL
Night Vision also works well. (I thought I didn’t order it, but it was on there). As pedestrians were walking, it was constantly tagging them to let me know they were there. Kind of cool, but it is a bit distracting, so be warned of that. You kind of have to figure out how to quick glance it out of your periphery. But this task may be hard to those wearing bifocals because those glasses require you to always point your nose to where you are looking.
Driving and Suspension: First off let’s talk about power. She has gobbs of it! I know the S63 guys like that neck snapping power, but the S550 is no slouch. She will slam you back in your seat as well. Although this car is heavy, the power is just right never letting you feel as if you’re driving a boat. Be sure to be in 2nd or 3rd gear before you slam her though, because I burnt rubber doing that, and that was a lesson well learned. Lol
Driving is effortless. Steering her where you want her is to go is as fun and luxurious as anything out there. The steering wheel feels tight, responsive, and accurate. When you hold it in your hands, you feel as if you have good control over the car, and the car feels planted on the road. Not too sensitive and not too tight. Just right. The car does a good job of not letting you feel its weight, and I found myself winding through traffic very nimbly as if she is much smaller. Who would have thought you could drive such big cars very sportily and have just as much fun.
Gear changing is smooth and balance with good control on the manual setting. You can go back forth between controlling it yourself or letting her do the work. It’s set to where if you stop shifting, she’ll take back control of the process. You barely feel any gear changes, the transmission is ultra smoothe. The S and E gear shifting selections changes how often she shifts and what gears she stays in. I found that on the S setting, she’ll stay in 5th gear at high speeds, and hold rpms a little longer before shifting. In E, she’ll shift to 7 gear pretty quickly…….in fact too quickly! Don’t be surprised when you look down and see 7th gear while going 30mph! LOL…….And I’m not kidding!
Suspension wise I have mixed feelings again like I did with the park assist. First off let me say that I am very pleased with the fact that for the very first time there is actually a change in suspension when going from Sport Mode to
Comfort Mode. Us 221 guys know about this because when we pushed that button before, we felt absolutely nothing. But this time you can really feel the shocks tighten and the steering stiffen when going sport, and softening vice versa. A real bi-mode system this time! But my only gripe is that I feel the ride to be a little rougher than I was anticipating (on comfort setting), still smoothe, but just not exactly where I wanted it. This is mostly felt on what I call the “gritty” roads….those roads with a rough surface. You can feel the surface too much and there’s some road noise from the tires being made too. But I don’t blame this on the Airmatic. I actually think this is a result of the 20” run flats. I’m really glad I was warned before hand of this potential issue, but it doesn’t bother me overall because I still would not change what I’ve ordered. The 20” wheels are the ONLY way to go with this car. The wheel wells are just too big for anything else. I know I’m gonna change from the run flats in the future, and that should eliminate my only gripe, so therefore this does not bother me. And on top of this, the suspension seems to be soaking better with every drive. Like it needs a break in too….
Comfort: Sitting in the cabin is very luxurious. Sound proofing tech has greatly improved, and it feels real good to not have to talk over road noise. Don’t want your passenger to mess with buttons….well move his/her seat for them. Want to lay back and relax, well the head rest pillows are wonderful….soft and foams around your skull perfectly. Need more lumbar support, well at the quick of a button, the seat will beef up in any area of your liking. I literally almost fell asleep while driving, lol. But don’t worry, driver’s assist will help you with this problem. Did I mention that system was the bomb? Lol
All and all, MB outdid themselves and I rate this car a 9.9/10, giving it 1/10th off for my two small complaints, in which one of them I think has an easy fix. I without a shadow of a doubt think that this is the best buy of a car in the world right now, and I can’t believe I’m about this say this next one…….heavily underpriced.
Go MB!
I still own my 2008LS460L, but not for much longer. I just got the word from the dealer in Kansas City that my brand new 2014 S550 has been built and it was at the port ready to be shipped. It looks like I will be able to pick it up during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament there between March 12-15. I have never looked forward to a car as I am this time. I love a great ride, highs tech, and comfort features. The Lexus LS, BMW 7 Series, Audi8 have been left in the dust in my opinion with this new S550. And, as Kratos stated, I can't believe the pricing on it. When I first started investigating it 2-3 months ago, I figured, it would be beyond my price range. However, I was amazed to find out that, it is not much higher at all than a fully loaded 2014 LS460L. In fact, with the deal I got from the KC dealer, I may be paying a bit less if anything. Incredible!
After researching the Mercedes brand, I came to find out that Lexus and the other luxury cars have become followers instead of leaders in terms of innovation.
My new S has an iridium silver exterior color with a black interior and burl walnut trim. I did not order it with all the "crazy" rear seat features, but it has just about everything else. Obviously, I ode red the Premium1 package and the Distronic Plus package, and 4Matic Plus. I also ordered the Air Balance, Sourround View camera, and Night Vision Plus. I did not order the Comfort package mainly because, I wanted the trunk to be as large as possible. However, I did order a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats as stand alone options. I wanted to to order heated arm rests, etc., but I could not order it as a stand alone option. The standard features alone blew me away with this car. I did not go for the larger wheels as I want the best comfortable ride.
I have a question for you Kratos. Are you by any chance Greek? The reason I'm asking is that the word Kratos in Greek means nation or country. Yes, I am Greek. You did a phenomenal job on the review. Mid March cannot get here soon enough.
02-21-2014, 06:20 PM
#56
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2014 Mercedes S550
No, I'm an African-American. Kratos is a famous fictional character who has an epic story of how he became the slave to Ares the god of war, then betrayed by his master with Ares slaughtering his family...... Filled with rage and anger, he later gathered strength from the gods to kill Ares and take his throne.
02-21-2014, 06:28 PM
#57
MBWorld Fanatic!
No, I'm an African-American. Kratos is a famous fictional character who has an epic story of how he became the slave to Ares the god of war, then betrayed by his master with Ares slaughtering his family...... Filled with rage and anger, he later gathered strength from the gods to kill Ares and take his throne.
In any case, I read your review with great interest.
02-22-2014, 01:01 AM
#58
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2014 Mercedes S550
You will enjoy the 550! What a beast it has become.
02-22-2014, 08:45 AM
#59
Junior Member
But congrats on the new car. I'm jealous and looking forward to when my current lease is up.
02-22-2014, 09:32 AM
#60
MBWorld Fanatic!
How are you figuring this? Unless I'm missing something major, a Lexus LS460L AWD with every option checked comes to about $88K. This is not intended as a slight to the S class which is amazing in every respect and imo worth a substantial premium to the LS (or 7 series, or A8), but I dont' see where they're close in price. I would imagine with your options, the MSRP on your S has to be approaching $110K (when I configure mine how I want it I get close to $120K).
But congrats on the new car. I'm jealous and looking forward to when my current lease is up.
But congrats on the new car. I'm jealous and looking forward to when my current lease is up.
02-22-2014, 11:24 AM
#61
MBWorld Fanatic!
How are you figuring this? Unless I'm missing something major, a Lexus LS460L AWD with every option checked comes to about $88K. This is not intended as a slight to the S class which is amazing in every respect and imo worth a substantial premium to the LS (or 7 series, or A8), but I dont' see where they're close in price. I would imagine with your options, the MSRP on your S has to be approaching $110K (when I configure mine how I want it I get close to $120K).
But congrats on the new car. I'm jealous and looking forward to when my current lease is up.
But congrats on the new car. I'm jealous and looking forward to when my current lease is up.
There is a Executive option that adds $30k so the LS can cost over $112k.
02-22-2014, 11:59 AM
#62
Junior Member
I dont know why but the Lexus website limits your choice of packages by your Zip Code. If you change your zip code to another state you will be able to see all available options. If you pick a New City Zip code you will get all available options (I think its all of them).
There is a Executive option that adds $30k so the LS can cost over $112k.
There is a Executive option that adds $30k so the LS can cost over $112k.
I agree with BeanTrader's point about the relative "value" of the new S (as hard as it is to talk about value with a straight face when discussing a 6 figure priced car). But for not THAT much more money, you get a car that is head and shoulders above the "normal" competition (LS, 7 series, A8). IMO it approaches Bentley territory for a lot LESS money.
02-22-2014, 12:37 PM
#63
MBWorld Fanatic!
Interesting. Yeah, I did the quote based on a Boca Raton zip code and there was just one package as the only option which took the max price up to $88K. But I changed the zip code and could get it up to $102K.
I agree with BeanTrader's point about the relative "value" of the new S (as hard as it is to talk about value with a straight face when discussing a 6 figure priced car). But for not THAT much more money, you get a car that is head and shoulders above the "normal" competition (LS, 7 series, A8). IMO it approaches Bentley territory for a lot LESS money.
I agree with BeanTrader's point about the relative "value" of the new S (as hard as it is to talk about value with a straight face when discussing a 6 figure priced car). But for not THAT much more money, you get a car that is head and shoulders above the "normal" competition (LS, 7 series, A8). IMO it approaches Bentley territory for a lot LESS money.
02-22-2014, 12:55 PM
#64
Junior Member
I could swear that when I did this exercise a few months ago, the price for the LS460L came out to at least $104K for the options I wanted, but in any case, it does not matter. I am getting a more technologically advanced car for almost the same price. I think the base price for the S550 is actually a $couple thousand less than last year's model. That's mind boggling. In fact, in all honesty, even if I could afford a Bentley or a Rolls, I would go with the 2014 S550. I truly believe it IS the best car in the world. I NEVER thought I would say this a couple years ago. I thought I would always be a Lexus guy. Wow, how things have changed.
02-22-2014, 01:15 PM
#65
MBWorld Fanatic!
If you read Tjdehya's post, it sounds like the LS options (and therefore pricing) varies based on your zip code. When I used my zip code (Boca) the most I could get to was $88K. I changed to my prior zip code and could get it to $102K. I'm sure you DID configure it to $104K. In any event I agree with you about how much car you get for the money with the 2014 S. The competitors will have to step up their game big time (which is good for us all)
We both obviously agree that the 2014 S550 is a fantastic bargain relatively speaking. Not only am I paying roughly the same price as the LS, but I cannot get an LS that basically drives itself and is better in just about all other aspects.
I was blown away when I test drove the S550 in downtown Kansas City and on the freeway. That sealed it for me.
EDIT: I forgot to mention one other thing that's important to me...gas mileage. Yes I know that when one spends over $100K for a car, gas mileage is not a big deal. However, it is to me psychologically. My 2008 LS RWD is rated at 15 and 24 (city and highway). However, I get at least 26 and sometimes near 30 on the highway (even when I speed up to at least 80mph). Obviously, this depends a lot on weather conditions (especially wind direction). The 2014 LS460 AWD is rated at 16/23. The new S550 is rated at 16/26. I know that the new S550 engine is more efficient than the previous model. Therefore, I suspect I will likely be getting close to 30 mpg on the highway and probably 18 in pure city driving. Obviously, this will depend a lot on how aggressive one is in driving. I would love to hear from Kratos or anyone else on their experience to this point on gas mileage with the new S550. A friend of mine from NJ, told me that he was getting a little better gas mileage on his 2013 (W221) than what he use to get on his 2010 LS460L.
Last edited by AppleFan1; 02-22-2014 at 03:08 PM.
02-25-2014, 12:11 PM
#66
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
Hello everyone! I am brand new to the "party". I have been a longtime Lexus guy and I never thought I would get to this point. In fact, I believe, one of the frequent posters (Germancar1), use to be a poster and known then as Merc1, on a luxury car forum through Edmunds will testify that I was all about Lexus. I was known as Cyclone4.
I still own my 2008LS460L, but not for much longer. I just got the word from the dealer in Kansas City that my brand new 2014 S550 has been built and it was at the port ready to be shipped. It looks like I will be able to pick it up during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament there between March 12-15. I have never looked forward to a car as I am this time. I love a great ride, highs tech, and comfort features. The Lexus LS, BMW 7 Series, Audi8 have been left in the dust in my opinion with this new S550. And, as Kratos stated, I can't believe the pricing on it. When I first started investigating it 2-3 months ago, I figured, it would be beyond my price range. However, I was amazed to find out that, it is not much higher at all than a fully loaded 2014 LS460L. In fact, with the deal I got from the KC dealer, I may be paying a bit less if anything. Incredible!
After researching the Mercedes brand, I came to find out that Lexus and the other luxury cars have become followers instead of leaders in terms of innovation.
My new S has an iridium silver exterior color with a black interior and burl walnut trim. I did not order it with all the "crazy" rear seat features, but it has just about everything else. Obviously, I ode red the Premium1 package and the Distronic Plus package, and 4Matic Plus. I also ordered the Air Balance, Sourround View camera, and Night Vision Plus. I did not order the Comfort package mainly because, I wanted the trunk to be as large as possible. However, I did order a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats as stand alone options. I wanted to to order heated arm rests, etc., but I could not order it as a stand alone option. The standard features alone blew me away with this car. I did not go for the larger wheels as I want the best comfortable ride.
I have a question for you Kratos. Are you by any chance Greek? The reason I'm asking is that the word Kratos in Greek means nation or country. Yes, I am Greek. You did a phenomenal job on the review. Mid March cannot get here soon enough.
I still own my 2008LS460L, but not for much longer. I just got the word from the dealer in Kansas City that my brand new 2014 S550 has been built and it was at the port ready to be shipped. It looks like I will be able to pick it up during the Big 12 Basketball Tournament there between March 12-15. I have never looked forward to a car as I am this time. I love a great ride, highs tech, and comfort features. The Lexus LS, BMW 7 Series, Audi8 have been left in the dust in my opinion with this new S550. And, as Kratos stated, I can't believe the pricing on it. When I first started investigating it 2-3 months ago, I figured, it would be beyond my price range. However, I was amazed to find out that, it is not much higher at all than a fully loaded 2014 LS460L. In fact, with the deal I got from the KC dealer, I may be paying a bit less if anything. Incredible!
After researching the Mercedes brand, I came to find out that Lexus and the other luxury cars have become followers instead of leaders in terms of innovation.
My new S has an iridium silver exterior color with a black interior and burl walnut trim. I did not order it with all the "crazy" rear seat features, but it has just about everything else. Obviously, I ode red the Premium1 package and the Distronic Plus package, and 4Matic Plus. I also ordered the Air Balance, Sourround View camera, and Night Vision Plus. I did not order the Comfort package mainly because, I wanted the trunk to be as large as possible. However, I did order a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats as stand alone options. I wanted to to order heated arm rests, etc., but I could not order it as a stand alone option. The standard features alone blew me away with this car. I did not go for the larger wheels as I want the best comfortable ride.
I have a question for you Kratos. Are you by any chance Greek? The reason I'm asking is that the word Kratos in Greek means nation or country. Yes, I am Greek. You did a phenomenal job on the review. Mid March cannot get here soon enough.
Really interesting reading this, not sure how I missed it before. One thing stands out though. Lexus has always been a follower, not sure how you could have thought otherwise. Glad to see you've come over to Mercedes, I hope they do right by you.
What stood out about driving the S550 vs the LS? Is there still an Edmunds forum?
M
Last edited by Germancar1; 02-25-2014 at 12:14 PM.
02-25-2014, 12:37 PM
#67
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I think that Luxury Forum died several years ago. Some of us from that forum moved over to the "Stock Market and Investment Forum" on Edmunds. Once in a while we do talk about cars there. In fact, I broke the news that I was getting a new S550 in that Forum.
There are several things that stood out in my 45 minute test drive of the S550. The handling is much better than the LS. If anything it is also more comfortable and extremely quiet. The fact that it can basically drive itself, is NO match for the LS. Hell, even a lot of the standard features on the S550 are superior to the LS. For example, I don't think the new LS has a Wi-Fi hot spot. Also, it no longer has a music register and the only a single CD player I believe. Can one get radio stations from all over the world on the LS? I doubt it. The Nigh Vision Plus on the S550 is also superior to that on the LS from what I have read. The safety features on the S550 are also superior to those on the LS. The S550 has SO many "toys" not just to play with, but they are actually very useful.
There are several things that stood out in my 45 minute test drive of the S550. The handling is much better than the LS. If anything it is also more comfortable and extremely quiet. The fact that it can basically drive itself, is NO match for the LS. Hell, even a lot of the standard features on the S550 are superior to the LS. For example, I don't think the new LS has a Wi-Fi hot spot. Also, it no longer has a music register and the only a single CD player I believe. Can one get radio stations from all over the world on the LS? I doubt it. The Nigh Vision Plus on the S550 is also superior to that on the LS from what I have read. The safety features on the S550 are also superior to those on the LS. The S550 has SO many "toys" not just to play with, but they are actually very useful.
02-25-2014, 01:30 PM
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
I think that Luxury Forum died several years ago. Some of us from that forum moved over to the "Stock Market and Investment Forum" on Edmunds. Once in a while we do talk about cars there. In fact, I broke the news that I was getting a new S550 in that Forum.
There are several things that stood out in my 45 minute test drive of the S550. The handling is much better than the LS. If anything it is also more comfortable and extremely quiet. The fact that it can basically drive itself, is NO match for the LS. Hell, even a lot of the standard features on the S550 are superior to the LS. For example, I don't think the new LS has a Wi-Fi hot spot. Also, it no longer has a music register and the only a single CD player I believe. Can one get radio stations from all over the world on the LS? I doubt it. The Nigh Vision Plus on the S550 is also superior to that on the LS from what I have read. The safety features on the S550 are also superior to those on the LS. The S550 has SO many "toys" not just to play with, but they are actually very useful.
There are several things that stood out in my 45 minute test drive of the S550. The handling is much better than the LS. If anything it is also more comfortable and extremely quiet. The fact that it can basically drive itself, is NO match for the LS. Hell, even a lot of the standard features on the S550 are superior to the LS. For example, I don't think the new LS has a Wi-Fi hot spot. Also, it no longer has a music register and the only a single CD player I believe. Can one get radio stations from all over the world on the LS? I doubt it. The Nigh Vision Plus on the S550 is also superior to that on the LS from what I have read. The safety features on the S550 are also superior to those on the LS. The S550 has SO many "toys" not just to play with, but they are actually very useful.
Lexus will respond in a few years I'm sure. Mercedes will likely facelift the S-Class in response to that car and the new 7-Series also due for 2016. Yes the Mercedes is so far advanced now it isn't even funny. The A8 is the only car on the same level in most ways IMO.
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02-25-2014, 01:32 PM
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02-25-2014, 01:34 PM
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2014 Mercedes S550
Lexus will respond in a few years I'm sure. Mercedes will likely facelift the S-Class in response to that car and the new 7-Series also due for 2016. Yes the Mercedes is so far advanced now it isn't even funny. The A8 is the only car on the same level in most ways IMO.
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02-25-2014, 01:37 PM
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Thanks. I truly believe that no matter what the competition does for their next-gens, no one will entice me to leave my interior for the next 8 years. I just don't see anyone toping it for a while. It is truly epic to sit in......just f$$$ing epic....
02-25-2014, 04:04 PM
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S 550
