S550 Test Drive
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 516
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From: Oakville, ON
'12 ML350
I'm in Shanghai right now on business and amazingly, it is here that I've seen my first W221 in the flesh, an S500.
It was at dusk and the car was black, but I must honestly say the overall shape is less offensive to me than what I had seen in the pictures. The front end, IMHO, is its best perspective. The raised trunk line is not my cup of tea, but it isn't as awkward nor noticeable as the E60/61 7-series - the wheel arches strike me as odd and unresolved.
My lease for the A8L ends next April and I'm on the hunt for a replacement. The front runners are the V10 powered S8 and M5 (worries me with its teething problems though). The 2 outside contenders are the W221 S-class (an S63 is replaceing the S55 right? Or is the S65 the only choice for an AMG W221 S-class?) and the Maserati Quattroporte.
I must say I'm surprised at all the negative opinions of the A8L on this forum because in my 2 years of ownership (or is it lessee-ship?) so far, I've had few issues with it considering it was a first year model and a complex car. Naturally, I've been kept abreast of the problems encountered by other owners but knock on wood, I've been spared with most of them - coupling that to a highly rated service experience with my dealer in northern NJ, it's a strong pull for me to get an S8 to replace it.
This is in contrast to the myriad of quality issues encountered by my brother with his '04 C32 and my parents' '05 E500 wagon (this one with less than 7,000 miles on it since May and have had warning lights galore and 6 unscheduled dealer service visits so far), this aspect worries me and is probably the biggest factor in my reluctance to get the W221 as my daily driver.
I must also say I've had very little problems with my '04 SL500 but then again, it only has 10,000 miles on it in 2 years and is not a daily driver.
It was at dusk and the car was black, but I must honestly say the overall shape is less offensive to me than what I had seen in the pictures. The front end, IMHO, is its best perspective. The raised trunk line is not my cup of tea, but it isn't as awkward nor noticeable as the E60/61 7-series - the wheel arches strike me as odd and unresolved.
My lease for the A8L ends next April and I'm on the hunt for a replacement. The front runners are the V10 powered S8 and M5 (worries me with its teething problems though). The 2 outside contenders are the W221 S-class (an S63 is replaceing the S55 right? Or is the S65 the only choice for an AMG W221 S-class?) and the Maserati Quattroporte.
I must say I'm surprised at all the negative opinions of the A8L on this forum because in my 2 years of ownership (or is it lessee-ship?) so far, I've had few issues with it considering it was a first year model and a complex car. Naturally, I've been kept abreast of the problems encountered by other owners but knock on wood, I've been spared with most of them - coupling that to a highly rated service experience with my dealer in northern NJ, it's a strong pull for me to get an S8 to replace it.
This is in contrast to the myriad of quality issues encountered by my brother with his '04 C32 and my parents' '05 E500 wagon (this one with less than 7,000 miles on it since May and have had warning lights galore and 6 unscheduled dealer service visits so far), this aspect worries me and is probably the biggest factor in my reluctance to get the W221 as my daily driver.
I must also say I've had very little problems with my '04 SL500 but then again, it only has 10,000 miles on it in 2 years and is not a daily driver.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 476
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Originally Posted by rkao
I must say I'm surprised at all the negative opinions of the A8L on this forum
