Benz4Bill

Hello all.

Very excited about the thoughts of owning my first Benz. I have narrowed down my choice to a fully loaded 2002 Black 500S, tan interior with the sport package. Looking for one with mileage that is between 35,000 and 48,000 miles. This seems to be in my price range of $35,000 to $40,000.

To be honest I really need to educate myself on this car, and this seems to be the first place to stop. Thanks for your advanced patience with questions that seem silly.

The first thing everyone is saying is wait till you service the car. You will pay through the nose. Can anyone provide a link so I can estimate the service cost on mileage between 40K and lets say 80K.

Any thing else I should look for? Any websites with pictures? Ebay has two beautful black ones for sale and when the car seems right I have no problem flying to go get it.

Thanks for any help.

BenzKid24

FIRST...Welcome to the BOTS(Brothers of the Star)...Second....go to w220 forum pal this is W140!!!..J/K. W220 arent bad cars there just made much much cheaper then the w140 and they dont grab your attention like a Big w140 does..if i were you i would go with a 99 w140 before a w220..my uncle had a 01 s500 and had nothing but trouble he traded it back for a w140,i really cant help you with the w220 i dont really know anything about the bugs other then they cheaper made and dont have the Mercedes look..but whatever you pick were just glad you picked a Benz!!

ps the w220 forum might be better to get your info on them.

Benz4Bill

W140 W220?


Already lost? Please explain lol

Thanks for the hello

maci911

w140 refers to all s class between 1992-1999
w220 refers to all s class between 2000-2006

JoujiAMG

Splash Splash Splash!!!!

A car is a car, it deserves the money, do you really need a S-class ?

Think; what are you looking for in a car, the S class is the car my driver uses to take us around, it doesn't quite appeal as a car for a family..
I would go for a different Benz Billy !!

Please tell us what your looking for; such as your family? and other stuff like kids, and comfort, uses of the car, or anything else.

I'm sure their is a better Benz out there to suit, as an old w140 S-class may not just do what you need. I'm thinking an SUV, anyways get back to me!


Jouj

BenzKid24

old s-class...is that a insult??? mind i remind you that NEWER MBs are not made like our "old" benz's....and if it is a insult you might want to pull that silver spoon out your mouth,before you insult peoples dream car old or new..if that wasnt a insult please disreguard my statement

Rod Spohn

BenzKid - I couldn't agree more about the w140. My '96 is my second Benz and is an awesome car. As for it not being a family car ??????? What !! Its the best of both worlds. Sporty for the times you want sporty yet the size puts 5 peps in comfort.
Benz4Bill - My experiance with my "older" Benz has been the cost of maintanance isn't so bad. Granted I do 90% of my own Maint. , but in the last 3 years it has cost me very little. Maybe I should knock on wood but an older Benz is the way to go. Some people obviously have had higher cost but still love the car (its worth it). Last read back through the posts on the 140 and see whatt the real owners say & check out the picture threads.

Drive on

brett san diego

hahaha. Well, most of us who don't have drivers prefer to drive the pinnacle of family sedans (yes, family sedans) ourselves. What do you mean it doesn't appeal as a family sedan? What a strange thing to say.

Brett

Benz4Bill

First thank you everyone for your replies.

I decided on the 500S because I do have two kids, a 40 minute drive to work on non congested freeways, and because I occasionally have to drive clients to various functions. I did underestimate its size though. It's roomy!

My next question is:

My current finances dictate that I can either afford a 2002 500S or a 2003 S430. Both with low mileage.

I admit I am quite a newbie when its comes to the Benz, so thank you in advance with your patience.

Am I losing a lot of options by stepping down to the S430? Because I obviously will be getting a slightly newer car and technology.

Respectfully,

Bill

BenzKid24

02,03 not really to much in difference,other then a 4.3 liter and a 5.0 liter plus all the cool toys..again i say a 99 S500 is WAY better then any w220 out there but if your dead set on a w220 then go with the s500.

Wintermute

The differences are subtle, but they do exist. Mercedes-Benz introduced a facelift for the W220 chassis in 2003. It included some styling modifications, such as updated headlight lenses, and an updated navigation system. If you are more interested in both stylistic and technological advancements, consider the 2003 model. If you prefer a more powerful engine, consider the 2002 S500.

Benz4Bill

Winter,

Thanks for the input. Realistically after pricing these out, its going to depend on the almighty dollar.

Any thoughts on this one. I would obviously have it mechanically checked by an unbiased Mercedes dealership. The stated door scratches concern me.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NICE-...QQcmdZViewItem

BenzKid24

take it to a paint shop and ask them to look that door over(for bondo).