vmystikilv

Serious question, I saw some someone get into a accident today and I am sure the car was totaled. I thought to myself, what if that had been me. Its funny, my concern is not will I be ok, its what the heck would I buy to replace what I own now. Apparently I seem to be married to this car because my only conclusion is that I would buy another W220. Specifically any year sport model in white, silver , or black and must have airmatic.


My questions to you is what would you buy? Is everyone here hooked on these cars? Is it at the moment just the best value for the money (regardless of repair and manitence , it is, and I would argue it against anyone on the pre owned market. ) Or, like me, do you have some emotional attachment to this model.... Wondering what everyone else would do, get, basically replace it with in the above situation....

trustz

If I totaled my 2005 S600, I may get a 03 and up CL600 since its my weekend car, doesn't have to be a 4 door. But I love the V12 TT engine ! I did owned a 03 S55 before so S55 or CL55 will NOT be on my list just because I prefer the V12 TT engine.

ibeforreal

I would try to find another W220 with all the bells and whistles I have now except for the ABC. I know it would be very difficult because my current W220 has distronic, heated steering wheel, blue tooth puck, split seats in the rear that recline, and AMG body style. I would probably go for white. silver, or black.

cmpcpro

I've owned a handful of S classes I just bought a 2006 S55 and am going to be setting up the Mbrace on it. Why? Because one night I had just filled my gas tank and was driving home when a young punk ran a stop sign with no headlights on and t boned me as I was going through the intersection (only stop signs on his side, not mine). The whole reason I keep buying S classes was because of that night. He hit me so hard right where the front drivers side door meets the front fender I felt like I was in a NASCAR. Driving along, BOOM! Tires locked and skidding sounds as I go into the parked cars (hardly hit them because the car locked the brakes). I was stunned and out of it, but it was the first time I had been in a car with airbags deployed so I smelt a burning smell and it seemed like smoke was filling the car but I believe it was the airbags after the fact. Anyway I sat there stunned until I heard someone calling my name. It was Mbrace! They were calling for me over and over and that snapped me out of it and I spoke something I don't remember. They said we have detected air bag deployment we have help on the way. Smelling and seeing what I thought was smoke I mumbled the cars on fire. They called me by my name again and asked me if I was okay. I told them I was. They said I needed to get out of the car right away and they were now routing the fire dept to me also. I crawled out of the car and realized it wasn't on fire so I sat on the street and talked to them from there. After I started coming to I got up and realized I was okay. I thought my legs were going to be gone but I was okay because the car kept its form. The car that hit me was a late model Toyota Camry and it was completely gone up until the windshield. The front was smashed up to the windshield and parts and fluid were scattered everywhere and that guy was still in his car. By then people were coming from all over and rescue came and had to help the guy but I was completely fine besides a little sore the next day. That night I had an epiphany. I was always so obsessed with my cars but it didn't matter anymore. I was alive when I shouldn't be. I wasn't a bit sad about the car because it saved my life. I became happy and told my family who rushed over it was okay. The car saved me, I'll just buy another one. A few days later I got a check from Geico for almost 4K more than I paid for the car and a week later was driving a two year newer W221. Sorry for the long story but I have seen what that service can do. Had that car have been on fire I could have been gone if it wasn't for them calling my name and snapping me out of that shock. Well worth it for me.

tusabes

I've been shopping for a replacement for our w220 as my mom
uses it to transport her elderly friends to church - I bought several other luxury cars -Jaguars Lincoln and Cadillac and she tried them all , and nothing came close to the w220. Now I've got a bunch of extra cars that make nice daily drivers but just aren't as good as the w220. From safety to handling to interior space , to even gas mileage of the 430/500 they can't be beat in their price/size category

I would have just let my mom take my cl500 as the driving and safety experience is the same , but it's too hard to transport her elderly friends in the back seat consideration some use canes and walkers it's very difficult to get in and out

Welwynnick

Well I'm glad you were driving an s-class then! Amazing story.

Yes, I would have another one ............. maybe a W221.

Nick

g60wall

2010 S600

wallyp

Another W220 - after a through research project to determine the pros and cons for the perfect model year. It might be an S500 next time.

vmystikilv

Pretty loyal group here.

tusabes

I'm actually not brand loyal at all, and we used to be a Cadillac family when I was a kid .

I went so far as to buy the w220 competing large luxury cars . I can confidently say the w220 is the best choice compared to Cadillac Lincoln and jaguar at its size /price point .

mcguirja

Depends on the price parameter you put on it. I'm looking for a 2014 or newer S63 but if I had $20k to spend I'd definitely be ok with another 220, although would look at the 55 or 600 over the S430 I have now. I currently have a '14 E63 S and in the winter find myself pulling my '04 S Class out of the garage more often than I drive the E. Summer is SL everyday it doesn't rain - love that car!

kraut56

Sounds almost identical to what happened to me in my (then 4 months old) 2009 W211, T-boned by a Toyota with the front of that car gone, all side airbags on mine, a voice of the audio system asking me if I was ok, etc,.
Could not open my door, had to climb over to the other side.
Cost the insurance about $25K to the MB body shop, they wouldn't replace the car as "the residual value was still too high".
Everybody is into advertising frontal crashes, but the side impact made my MB shine!

tusabes

How can mbrace be setup in a w220? I thought all that functionality disappeared when the teleaid/SOS system became inactive and obsolete ?

cmpcpro

Teleaid is still active.. it's working in my car.. I believe 05 and up went digital.. you can either stick with Teleaid which is cheaper or pay to have the dealer modify/upgrade the system for Mbrace. I was going to do Mbrace until I found out my cars PO still had an active Teleaid service in my car.. once that's gone I'll pay to switch it over.

vmystikilv

You can also convert the analog to digital....

cmpcpro

Yeah that's right but probably really expensive. I believe 05 and up came digital so those are still functioning without modifications.

tusabes

Wow that's a huge reason to get a 2005 or 2006, especially if you're getting a s55 or s600 with the better 5 speed automatic

cmpcpro

Yeah.. you mean a better trans because of it being an S55 or 600 not because it's an 05-06 right? I'm not up on what got an upgraded trans. Thanks

tusabes

The s55 and s600 kept using the earlier 5 speed 722.6 automatic that all early w220 used

the later seven speed 722.9 used in the facelift s430 and s500, but were not used in the s55 or s600 because they are not as strong or as reliable as the 5 speed .

cmpcpro

Oh that's right.. thanks I forgot the other facelifts got the 7spd

wallyp

The 2003 facelifts still have the five speed.

sakodik

I would get another w220. I went from S55 to S65. Then switched gear and changed to H1 then back to another S55. The w220 is easy to play with, adding or moving things around.

Otherwise if the price is right, a face lifted w221.

Mike5215

Stick with the 220. It's the last big, stately yet understated MB sedan. I had an 04 S430 and an 06 S500 and I regretted trading for the 221 S550. The 220 was more comfortable, had much better seats, rode just as well, had nicer interior finishes, a real gear selector and don't even get me started on the audio system in the 220 vs the 221.

vmystikilv

I had gotten a chance to use a w221 for about a week. I couldn't believe how bad the audio system was compared to the older w220. Like, how did they go backwards on this. I thought I was the only one also annoyed by the gear selector too. It just felt weird. Given the choice , I would get a w220 over a w221 However, the W222 is phenomenal in every aspect. One day....

Welwynnick

Interesting comments about the W221. I've never driven one, but always presumed it was better, and contented myself with the W220 because of the looks.

Doesn't the W221 have more headroom, better refinement, that sort of thing?

Nick