MB>BMW

Hello Everyone!!!!

Im new to the S-Class forums but not to MBWorld. I currently have an E class and love to read the E forums W210

Anyway, I have decided to purchase an W220 S class and was hoping for some help.

I would like to know which year would be the best for the W220 S class. I know they all have problems and are prone to anything, but which production year seemed to be as good as a tank...

Also, if someone could break down the changes from year to year..

so far all i know is that the lights changed around 03.....i could be wrong on this.

Very appreciated..Thanks in advance!

Skylaw

You can see the changes from one model year to the next by going to MBUSA, the site map, and looking at the model year overview. Last time I checked, it went back 16 years.

The 2003 Facelift version marked a significant step up in reliability, though some problems persist - Airmatic is probably most notable. The trend to better reliability has continued, with the '07s (a very different design) coming out top in the class in the JD Power initial quality survey this year.

You are correct that the headlights and tail lights changed with the '03 facelift, and it went to the widescreen COMAND display. However, the '03 nav system was still CD based; it went to DVD in '04. The MOST fiber optic bus was first introduced in the W220 for '04. The MHI phone system, which is easiest to upgrade, came out in '05 in the U.S.

For a partial treatment on differences, see https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124317; I have an '05 4-Matic, and love it. Very few problems so far.

ex-BenzDriver9

Sky, how do you know all of this? You are jam packed with knowledge. Do you scream out facts on the 220's in the throws of passion? lol


I would say the least gripes come from the 04-06 owners. The earlier models are a rolling jam packed vehicle full of terrible suprises. It's like being married to an Italian woman. Very tempermental!

JRAMGV8

Sky's the man.... I'd get an S-Class W220 model from 04 - 06 or Newer latest model.

Big "H"

It depends on how the vehicle was maintained. I have a 2001 S430, no issues. However, if you are looking for a W220 with little issues I would select the year 2006 or wait for the 08 version.

Big "H"

Skylaw

No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

newton22

No, it does NOT depend on how the vehicle is maintained, even though you will run the risk of more issues if it is poorly maintained. I treated my S430 like a baby and maintained her well, but it still threw me problems. Such issues like Airmatic failure is not preventable with maintenance.

2006 was probably the best year for the W220. I believe all cars came standard with the AMG wheels and body kit.

mrfd3s

It seems a lot people have issues with this airmatic system. Was airmatic something that was standard on all S-class vehicles of W220 platform or was it an option? I'm hoping it was an option so I may be able to find an s500 without the airmatic to prevent a lot of problems. Thanks

newton22

It is standard on both the S430 and S500 models. I'm not sure if ABC is standard on the higher models S55, S600 and S65 and I'm not sure if the non-US S-classes such as the S320, 280 etc. had conventional springs.

ksc

correct me if i'm wrong but it appears that the pump and relay have a certain lifespan.

as far as airmatic is concerned, wouldn't replacing those parts with new, before they fail, be preventive maintenance?

whoover

I've had two W220s, but they both were ABC-equipped, not Airmatic, so I have direct experience with Airmatic pump and relay issues, but from what I've read the failures are usually caused by leaks. The pump and relay are forced into duty cycles they weren't designed for in order to maintain pressurization and they fail. Checking for leaks and resealing is a maintenance item. A good mechanic will spot a cracked strut seal and install a new seal before the pump suffers. It's why maintenance does make a difference on these cars, as does the mechanic.

While we're on the subject, the one must-have option on a W220 or W221 for me is ABC. An Airmatic car and an ABC car are totally different driving experiences. Airmatic will appeal to those drivers who like soft, almost boat-like rides while ABC gives a much tighter feel, better dynamics, flatter cornering and a more road-connected experience. With the +1 or +2 wheel/tire packages that are standard on AMG vehicles (sport kit, S55 or S65), ABC is night-and-day compared with Airmatic and higher-profile stock rubber. The latter is cheaper to operate (much longer tire life and cheaper tires to boot) and much cushier, but ABC is a critical aspect of the S-class experience for me. If you don't want to go the AMG way (sport kit or more), at least look for an ABC-optioned car and test drive both it and an Airmatic.

Big "H"

Whoover

Thanks, I agree with your post. Maintenance is the key, no matter how hard you ride the vehicle. During my 10 years in Germany the one thing that the mechanic always stress, was run the vehilce hard but take the time to maintained it.

Big "H"

Germancar1

Another legendary tale about Mercedes-Benzes. I've heard this since I was a kid, now testing to see if it is true...lol!

M

newton22

Each to their own, but I do not believe replacing Airmatic components and checking for leaks is a maintenance item. That's checking for ISSUES, and issues are not supposed to occur in a car of high standards such as a flagship Mercedes.

Other issues I currently have that are not preventable include failed sensors, broken CD changer and rattles.

Bottom of line, early W220 models are poorly built, even though many owners would rather believe otherwise.

hawk20

There is no doubt that post facelift cars are best.
220 series got more aand more reliable as the years progressed. My 2005 model has been virtually faultless. BTW very few problems with airmatic over here after facelift.

The S class is built of a combination of aluminium and steel. For the aluminium components there is, of course, no galvanising process.

All steel panels were galvanised from Quarter 1 2003 production onwards.
During the previous quarter (Q4 2002) the process was gradually introduced
on the production line and therefore some vehicles were galvanised during
this lead-up period, but not all.
Personally I would go for 2004 or 5 or 6.

Vader55

Yes, The relay is a 30 dollar part that if not working properly will cause the airmatic pump to run way more then needed and will kill your pump eventually.. Leaks in the system will also cause the pump to run t'll death as well. So do not replace your pump without fixing any leaks... The relay is a no brainer though.

ps. Sorry about your lemon newton.

hawk20

I don't think that is quite fair. I meet owners with early 220's who have genuinely not had any major problems. It is not just that they want to believe this; they really have not had any major issues.

All makes of car are like this. There is a probability distribution: at one end are cars with few or no faults; at the other end cars with lots of faults; in the middle the average. What you can fairly say is that the early 220's had more cars with faults than the later 220's. And the later 220's (especially 2003 production and onwards) had a lot more with few or no faults.

ksc

mine is a '02 with 50K on the clock and i have to say it does not inspire any confidence.

i've had it for 20 months and it's been at the dealer multiple times for a litany of issues.

nothing overly serious except for a faulty alternator that left me at the side of the road, but it is annoying and costly time-wise when you drop a significant chunk of change on what is supposedly mercedes' flagship class and it is constantly in the shop. and mine was a CPO! it makes one wonder about the certification process.

bottom line, for me at least is, a car of this stature should not have such a staggering amount of problems, be it mechanical or otherwise. and being an "early build" car is definately not a valid reason.

i should regret buying this car given the number of issues that it's had but, strangly, i don't. i still enjoy it. explain that one!

newton22

Well, I understand there are nicely built 220s out there. But it's not all about the issues, it's about the quality. My car feels flimsy. My door rattles when it closes, yet I just get flamed when I question or complain about it.

hawk20

I have never been in any S class that feels remotely flimsy. It would not have been made best saloon car in the world by numerous top motoring magazines if it had been. Either yours is incredibly unusual or your perception of flimsy is just very different from other peoples.

whoover

I also had a 2001 and didn't have any issue like you seem to have. It's certainly no reason to get flamed, but it does sound like something or things are wrong with your car. Stuff happens with any car.

In particular, the door soft-closes should work well and the feel should be of closing a bank vault with the actuation of a kitchen cabinet. If it doesn't, something is seriously out of adjustment or broken. A latch can be bad, the vacuum pump or lines can be leaky, the door can be misadjusted or it can simply be that the door seals need to be lubricated. I've never heard it described as a rattle, but S-class door seals need occasional lubrication or they can cause squeaks when the door closes or when you're going over rough surfaces. I hate to sound like a broken record (and I'm not criticizing you), but a good service department will do these things. Your reaction might be "What a ripoff! Silicone treatment for my door rubbers?" but that sort of attention to detail makes a big difference in owner satisfaction. Thus "maintenance matters." Of course this doesn't mean that the car is without systemic problems.

If your door rattles or the car feels flimsy, let a good mechanic check it out.

Mark_K

I bought an 02 s430 with 32k miles July of 2007. It now has 48,000 miles on it. I have not had one issue with the car. The only thing was I had the console replaced under a recall program. If I had to do it again I would look at an 06 or BMW 7 series.

hawk20

Absolutely agree with every word of that.

Lexino

I have a 2002. In the last four years my only problem was that my front airmatic leaked (early 2007) which was replaced free of charge under my extended warranty.

JRAMGV8

Its good to have those extended warranty...