ProV1

i keep hearing how recent MBs including the king S class quality has gone to complete *****.

owners please tell the truth once & for all what the deal is. buying a lux sedan and need to know ..

IluvS500

i dont own, but I am in them all the time, and I can say that compared to the previous model, they do feel a little cheaper, but I still feel quality, and I dont think the insides look cheap either, but that is coming from somebody whose family loves american cars which we all know are full of plastic. To me thought the only interior that might actually beat the S's is the A8 and even that isnt as classy IMO

akbro93704

To me,the S-classes interior feels perfect, but on the other hand ive never been in a comparable Audi, BMW, Jaguar, or Lexus. From what I have read(not my opinion) the new Jaguar XJ8 has about equal interior materials and build quality as the S-class, and Audi, BMW, and Lexus have better, high quality materials and more sturdy build quality.

My grandpa(im 15) owns a Mercedes dealership, but not in the city I live in, so I dont get the benefit of going there on a regular basis and checking everything out. But I have driven in the new E-320(and old E320), the C240, ML320 and ML55,and the SL500(2001), the 2001 CLK430 cabrio, and I have sat in the new SL, the S, the SLK,and CL, and the new CLK, and I have to say, that the 2001 SL500 that my grandma owns probably has the most sturdy build quality of them all, saying that Mercedes has indeed not succeeded in improving build quality, although the new E class feels like it has very high quality materials. Most of you probably dont care lol, but its just my opinion and thoughts

miroj

I think the BMW 7 series is a polymer garden. The only wood thing in the car is the driver.

GDawgC220

I've riden in a w140 before and compared to our w220, the w140 feels more solid built. The insulation was awsome, you couldn't hear what was going on outside, that's how quiet it was inside the cabin. Materials was definately high quality.

The w220 is also a awsome car, but yes, the quality of it is not as good as the previous w140. More plastics and not as of a "solid" feel to the car. Nonetheless, the w220 is still very good and closely competes with the A8 and 7 series.

MY2000 w220's were problematic, but 2001 and up, they solved A LOT of the problems. It's only a few cases here and there that have problems (normal of any car manufacturer, can't have 100% problem free), but first year was pretty bad. They fixed all the problems and that was that.

Ride is awsome, IMO. The suspension really does its job in absorbing all the bumps and stuff, so it gives the kind of ride you'd expect crusin' around in a luxury uber sedan

Overall, IMO, it's a great car, SAFE, technologically advanced (your pretty much paying for a 80k super toy with all the gadgets ) and worth the money for it, good luck!

coloradosclass

I had a 2000 and my thoughts were as follows:

Engine was supreme engineering and craftmanship but my AC never got cold if it sat in the sun. If it was 110 degrees and my car came out of the garage it blew cold like winter. I still don't understand that to this day.

Problems I had:
Wood trim came unclipped, Leather wore and needed to be re dyed, right rear window would not go down (motor wrapped up)
,driver door would not auto shut, radiator reservoir leaked. All this in the first 3 month's of ownership and I bought it 3 years old!!!!!! For a sticker new of 90K we should not have to ever put up with that *****! Got rid of it after 6 month's but I still love the S-Class no other car looks or rides like it on the market. Has the Beautifull European looks and rides like the American Flagship Caddillac. I am buying another one soon. Probably a 2002 and drive it till the second model year of the new S-Class comes out.

GDawgC220

yeah, the MY2000 was the intro of the w220...lots of problems in the first year for the S-Class. by 2001, MB had fixed all the problems it encountered with the MY2000 vehicles. I'm sure if you get a 2002 model, you won't have much trouble, if any, at all

housclass

my 2000 had many problems...my 2001 has been perfect. just luck of the draw sometimes...also it seems it takes such little effort to talk bad about something but so much effort to talk good about something!

if you want reliability and quality, buy a toyota (lexus)! it's all a trade off! my merc will out handle, accelerate, brake and has more leg room than any other comparable full size sedan. i know it's not the most reliable and the quality isn't great (it's good) but it's what i want...just hope you don't pull up next to me at a stop light in a toyota, lexus, bwm, acura or infinity!

john

01 S500 w/18'AMG's

HITMAN

huh not the e38

e38 has the best quality of any car i have been in.

The w220 wich we drove at the dealer was very well made but the bumpers are the only thing that i dont like about these. I dont like plastic covers.

The interior of the w220 is very well made but i didnt like the climate control in the front, seemed a little cheap for a car of its price.

ProV1

well dude up til the 90s MB stood for those words. bank vault solid, doors that close w/ supreme thunk, and awesome quality.

if MB quality was *****ters from the beginning I wouldnt even ask this q. I ask b/c i remember my dad's old S and E (2 generations ago) were tanks, and I hear RECENT MBs have lost that quality control and solid feeling

ProV1

and uh.. u think u can smoke all those cars w/ a S500? S55 maybe but S500.. ***** please..

HITMAN

they def. have not lose the the vault like doors that close with that nice thunk.

ProV1

HITMAN if u gonna use a sig might as well get spelling correct - "FINELY"

HITMAN

I know how to spell!

IluvS500

wow this should be fun

miroj

Back then petrol was cheaper and fuel exhaust was never an issue.

You cant haul 3,000 pounds of metal and expect to get the same results in feel with a somewhat lighter car.

In addition to which, the cars made 2 generations ago were for people that looked after them. With so many models appealing to moto-goons how surprising is it that the cars foul up.

As if anyone in the past would have complained about some of the things that people complain about now.

HITMAN

you could of nicely said that something was wrong with my sig.

IluvS500

ProV1

wtf are you talking about? i said and i quote "HITMAN if u gonna use a sig might as well get spelling correct - "FINELY""

that's NOT NICE to you??? i give you a friendly notice and this is how you respond? shame on you, shame!!!!

FYI, IF i was trying to insult you, i would've said:

"hey you dumbF#Ck, how stupid are you to misspell the word "finely"??"

see the diff? it makes no sense that you think my first post was insulting or had any condescending tone whatsoever.

regards
ProV1

IluvS500

prov1 check ur pm

HITMAN

til?

IluvS500

and now for the end of the spelling wars.........

ProV1

you guys call that a WAR???? LOL

HITMAN

No we dont....

But I dont want to get banned.

vraa

LS430 is faster then S500 from 0-60.

For those that say the W220 has ****ty build quality expects too much, get off your cloud and come back to earth. No matter what car you buy there is a trade off of some sort.