S-Class (W221) 2007-2013: S 320 CDI, S 350, S 450, S 500, S 550, S 420 CDI, S 600

NEW S65 or BENTLEY CONTI FLYING SPUR???

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Old 04-01-2006, 05:29 AM
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2001 Lorinser Edition CL600 (SOLD)
NEW S65 or BENTLEY CONTI FLYING SPUR???

Damn - I still can't decide between the two. I see, sit in and drive a new W221 and love it like it was made for me. I do the same with a Spur and have the same reaction - the difference: I think I get more looks of admiration in the Spur, but it's not fair, as the Benz is stock and I NEVER leave my Benzes stock.

Despite the VW Phaeton stigma that no one fails to illuminate when it comes to evaluating the new-age Bentleys, the Spur will still fall into the a-Bentley-is-a-Bentley category to the masses and will always garner the top valet spot; its interior craftmanship, replete with the creme-de-la-creme of highly polished and rich veneer woods generously used and intoxicating aroma emanating from the plush hides is especially unparalleled; something the S-class seriously lacks.

But, the sleek design award for sedans of this propensity, not to mention price range, goes to the W221, at least in my book. The rear of the Spur is largely uninspiring when comparing the two. Spruce up the look of the S-class even more with a Brabus, Wald, or Lorinser aftermarket mod and damn - the ride looks even more wicked, leaving the Bentley in the realm of its somewhat stuffier and stiffer predecessors which reaked of conservatism.

I try not to let my near-20 year loyalty as a Benz customer bias my thoughts as to which I feel more at home with; the S-class felt so comfortable and like a part of me, I could operate it blind. But I don't want familiarity to overshadow fit, finish, performance, and most of all, exclusivity.

I fear that, as with the W220, and the W140 before it, the W221 will soon be a common everyday sight, and only the badge reflecting the "S65" and "V12" insignias will be the differentiation to separate the plebians from the patricians, if one even notices such cosmetically miniscule deviations.

The cars are tied pretty much when it comes to cost. The Benz will be much less hassle for servicing, but again, that is not a priority deciding factor with me.

Let me up the ante and make the competition even stiffer:

Take an S65 in your chosen color combo inside and out, with your favorite aftermarket kit, rims and rubber, panorama roof, headrest monitors, night vision, custom wood interior package, floor mats, tinted windows, and whatever other decadence, and compare it to a stock Spur (well, maybe with some nice 20" rims, but that's it).

Now, focusing on (i) what will garner more exclusivity overall, and (ii) what will hold up over time in terms of value, who is the the lucky winner???

Let's hear it from the experts!

Some nice pics of the Spur here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-...QQcmdZViewItem

Last edited by CLFREAK; 04-01-2006 at 05:40 AM.
Old 04-01-2006, 07:17 AM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Damn - I still can't decide between the two. I see, sit in and drive a new W221 and love it like it was made for me. I do the same with a Spur and have the same reaction - the difference: I think I get more looks of admiration in the Spur, but it's not fair, as the Benz is stock and I NEVER leave my Benzes stock.

Despite the VW Phaeton stigma that no one fails to illuminate when it comes to evaluating the new-age Bentleys, the Spur will still fall into the a-Bentley-is-a-Bentley category to the masses and will always garner the top valet spot; its interior craftmanship, replete with the creme-de-la-creme of highly polished and rich veneer woods generously used and intoxicating aroma emanating from the plush hides is especially unparalleled; something the S-class seriously lacks.

But, the sleek design award for sedans of this propensity, not to mention price range, goes to the W221, at least in my book. The rear of the Spur is largely uninspiring when comparing the two. Spruce up the look of the S-class even more with a Brabus, Wald, or Lorinser aftermarket mod and damn - the ride looks even more wicked, leaving the Bentley in the realm of its somewhat stuffier and stiffer predecessors which reaked of conservatism.

I try not to let my near-20 year loyalty as a Benz customer bias my thoughts as to which I feel more at home with; the S-class felt so comfortable and like a part of me, I could operate it blind. But I don't want familiarity to overshadow fit, finish, performance, and most of all, exclusivity.

I fear that, as with the W220, and the W140 before it, the W221 will soon be a common everyday sight, and only the badge reflecting the "S65" and "V12" insignias will be the differentiation to separate the plebians from the patricians, if one even notices such cosmetically miniscule deviations.

The cars are tied pretty much when it comes to cost. The Benz will be much less hassle for servicing, but again, that is not a priority deciding factor with me.

Let me up the ante and make the competition even stiffer:

Take an S65 in your chosen color combo inside and out, with your favorite aftermarket kit, rims and rubber, panorama roof, headrest monitors, night vision, custom wood interior package, floor mats, tinted windows, and whatever other decadence, and compare it to a stock Spur (well, maybe with some nice 20" rims, but that's it).

Now, focusing on (i) what will garner more exclusivity overall, and (ii) what will hold up over time in terms of value, who is the the lucky winner???

Let's hear it from the experts!

Some nice pics of the Spur here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-...QQcmdZViewItem
..............you have answered your own question. Get the Bentley.
..............people have different reasons to buy cars. Yours is exclusivity and in that case get the Bentley.
..............The problem with buying a car for exclusivity is because you will always be dissappointed. The car is exclusive in terms of price. Therefore, anyone that has the funds can purchase the car. There is no screening of potential Bentley owners to eliminate those who are not "worthy." The Queen of England can buy a Bentley, so can Britney Spears.
................When buying a new luxury car, you will be raped at time of resale. So Buy the car you like with no consideration for resale. A car is not an investment, or an asset, it is a depreciating liability.


Ted

Last edited by Ted Baldwin; 04-01-2006 at 07:30 AM.
Old 04-01-2006, 04:11 PM
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Come to think of it, the S65, with all those bells and whistles could easily exceed the cost of a stock Spur.

I know they will both depreciate, but, between the two, which will hold its value better within a 3-5 year window???

If it matters any, I never pay cash for a depreciating asset; I will lease.
Old 04-01-2006, 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Come to think of it, the S65, with all those bells and whistles could easily exceed the cost of a stock Spur.
Let me ask you a question. Outside of this forum, how many people do you think know what a "S65" is ? I've been driving the S-Class for 20 years and it never amazes me the lack of knowledge that the average person has about the "S". More times than not, people ask me "what number is that?", not having a clue as to the "exclusivity" of the "S". In a few days of driving the new W221 last month, virtually no one seemd to notice I had changed cars from the W220. Most people don't know the difference between a short wheelbase S350 and a Saks Edition S600. The S65 is an incredible car, but if you're looking for "being special", you need to get the Bentley.
Old 04-01-2006, 05:59 PM
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Bentley.
Old 04-01-2006, 07:19 PM
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bentley,

In a few years the S-class will be all over the road, yet the spur will still be one of a kind. As for value, if I'm not mistaken the lease on the bentley is close for $4,000 a month. There is no special programs for such vehicles.
Old 04-07-2006, 07:51 PM
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Not necessarily!

Hasn't anyone heard of Wooside Credit?

http://woodsidecredit.com/calc.htm

You can finance a new Bentley, Ferrari, Lambo, or Rolls for about 1.1% of the loan amount using a little-known secret - available for exotic and collector cars only. Long term loans up to 144 mos. Use their calculator to see what I'm talking about. So for a $180K purchase, with $10K down, your payment will be $1864. For a $100K purchase, the approx. price of a fully-loaded S550, with $5k down, you're monthly payment will be only about $1100/mo. Try and beat that with MBCC!

Yes, you would be at about $3500/mo. with an S65 using MBCC. Unfortunately, Woodside won't write for assembly-line production autos like the Benzes or Bimmers, even though they are amongst the best luxury cars in the world and we all love them.

You worry about depreciation? Yes, on a Benz or Bimmer. Not so much on a low-mileage exotic; owners just don't rack up the miles on them which is why they tend to hold their value better. Think about it, no legitimate bank in the world would lend on a vehicle that they thought would be worth LESS than the loan payoff - especially after 12 years! Even a super low-mileage Benz won't be worth much more than what the normal market bears after 3-4 years. I know that for a fact.
Old 04-07-2006, 08:17 PM
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Had the same dilemma as CLFREAK,decided to get the Spur as a family/wife hauler, since the performance vs S65 is only marginally worse but the 4wd would be it's advantage in Chicago climate.
For my daily driver ordered CL65 but having second thoughts now,after seeing the spy pics.Hopefully the real car will look nothing like them.
Old 04-07-2006, 08:30 PM
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Nice, absent!

What made you decide to go with the Spur over the S65?? Do you feel you get more prestige & admiration than with the Benz?

Out of curiosity, are you leasing the Spur? If so, what are your mo. payments?

I have a 01 CL600. Lease if up end of next mo. Bye Bye to that one. Loved the car, but I probably won't go for a coupe again - unless it's a roadster version - which, I hear they may come out with someday.
Old 04-07-2006, 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Not necessarily!

Hasn't anyone heard of Wooside Credit?

http://woodsidecredit.com/calc.htm

You can finance a new Bentley, Ferrari, Lambo, or Rolls for about 1.1% of the loan amount using a little-known secret - available for exotic and collector cars only. Long term loans up to 144 mos. Use their calculator to see what I'm talking about. So for a $180K purchase, with $10K down, your payment will be $1864. For a $100K purchase, the approx. price of a fully-loaded S550, with $5k down, you're monthly payment will be only about $1100/mo. Try and beat that with MBCC!

Yes, you would be at about $3500/mo. with an S65 using MBCC. Unfortunately, Woodside won't write for assembly-line production autos like the Benzes or Bimmers, even though they are amongst the best luxury cars in the world and we all love them.

You worry about depreciation? Yes, on a Benz or Bimmer. Not so much on a low-mileage exotic; owners just don't rack up the miles on them which is why they tend to hold their value better. Think about it, no legitimate bank in the world would lend on a vehicle that they thought would be worth LESS than the loan payoff - especially after 12 years! Even a super low-mileage Benz won't be worth much more than what the normal market bears after 3-4 years. I know that for a fact.
I've been trying to tell people this but no one seems to listen. Most people lease exotic cars using those kind of programs. Woodside Credit, Premier Financial Services, etc offer the PERFECT leasing program only for exotic cars. I've seen people lease Gallardos and Bentley GT's for $2k a month! Why the hell would anyone want to lease/finance a SL65/S65 or any other retarded MB car when you can get an exotic for cheaper?
Old 04-08-2006, 12:11 AM
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Mercedes all the way!
because it's up to 144 months. by that time (12 years) even if the car is still worth a lot you'd have been driving the same car for years and years and years... unless you're a true enthusiast, even if i had an F1 i'd probably want to change it way before then!

having said that, if what you want is stares, nothing beats a Bentley, even if it's a Phaeton underneath. if you're buying just for your own enjoyment, then it becomes a very, very subjective thing.
Old 04-08-2006, 12:34 AM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Nice, absent!

What made you decide to go with the Spur over the S65?? Do you feel you get more prestige & admiration than with the Benz?

Out of curiosity, are you leasing the Spur? If so, what are your mo. payments?

I have a 01 CL600. Lease if up end of next mo. Bye Bye to that one. Loved the car, but I probably won't go for a coupe again - unless it's a roadster version - which, I hear they may come out with someday.
Marginally lower performance but more practical in Chicago (4wd),
Wifes primary transport,
She thinks that there are too many S Class MBs on the NorthShore,
She said she didn't want to be perceived as another JAP from the NorthShore,
She likes the looks of it ,both in and out, better then S Class,
Never had a Bentley before,
Infinite ways to spec interior to her liking(unlike the MB)
And last,that is the car she wants,so who am I to argue?
Buying it outright,since I hate to give personal info to strangers who are to decide about the loan/lease.
Old 04-08-2006, 01:50 AM
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If only for the exclusivity factor, get the Bentley. You will be more highly regarded, even if your car is in the shop a third of the time.
Old 04-08-2006, 04:49 AM
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Originally Posted by jl88
I've been trying to tell people this but no one seems to listen. Most people lease exotic cars using those kind of programs. Woodside Credit, Premier Financial Services, etc offer the PERFECT leasing program only for exotic cars. I've seen people lease Gallardos and Bentley GT's for $2k a month! Why the hell would anyone want to lease/finance a SL65/S65 or any other retarded MB car when you can get an exotic for cheaper?
Precisely my point, you took the words right outta my mouth!

BTW, why are you wasting time on a Benz forum???
Old 04-08-2006, 07:38 AM
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Bentley....no question for me. I love the new S and all but here in LA they are already all over.
Old 04-08-2006, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Come to think of it, the S65, with all those bells and whistles could easily exceed the cost of a stock Spur.

I know they will both depreciate, but, between the two, which will hold its value better within a 3-5 year window???

If it matters any, I never pay cash for a depreciating asset; I will lease.
Marco, Depreciation on both will be pretty bad, every one knows the v12 s classes drop like stones but the flying spur has not necessarily been flying off the lots. It's market value has been the opposite of the gt coupe, for the first several months the gt coupe was above sticker, but after a month you could find discounted flying spurs. That doesn't bode well for resale when a new exotic car is discounted so quickly after introduction.
Old 04-08-2006, 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted by CLFREAK
Think about it, no legitimate bank in the world would lend on a vehicle that they thought would be worth LESS than the loan payoff - especially after 12 years!
I'm not sure that I can agree with that; repossessions rates are running pretty high right now, and some of it is due to the long-term contracts that are being written with nothing down. People are so buried (salespeople and loan officers like to call it 'negative equity') in the vehicle they decide to let it go to repossession because it will take them forever to see daylight again. That's why automobile loans are now being offered with 'collateral insurance' that helps cover loan deficiencies. Banks are trying to pass off some of the repossession losses to insurance companies…

I sure can't imagine paying on any vehicle for 12 years, especially a lease, where you don't even own it at the end. I guess that's why there isn't a Bentley in my garage.

Last edited by Richard / E320; 04-08-2006 at 01:01 PM.
Old 04-08-2006, 03:05 PM
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S65 for me... Benz all da way...
Old 04-08-2006, 05:22 PM
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...............I keep myself out of trouble by thinking of a luxury car the same way I think of a nice meal at a 5 star restaurant. You decide which meal to have based on how much you will enjoy it but not because of the perceived value of the leftovers you take home in a doggie bag or pass later as stool.

Ted
Old 04-08-2006, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Ted Baldwin
...............I keep myself out of trouble by thinking of a luxury car the same way I think of a nice meal at a 5 star restaurant. You decide which meal to have based on how much you will enjoy it but not because of the perceived value of the leftovers you take home in a doggie bag or pass later as stool.

Ted
Brilliant!!!!
Old 04-09-2006, 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted by ajf1
Marco, Depreciation on both will be pretty bad, every one knows the v12 s classes drop like stones but the flying spur has not necessarily been flying off the lots. It's market value has been the opposite of the gt coupe, for the first several months the gt coupe was above sticker, but after a month you could find discounted flying spurs. That doesn't bode well for resale when a new exotic car is discounted so quickly after introduction.
Hey, Amil, I guess it comes down to what's going to give me the most bang for the buck, and based on the what everyone's reaction to the Bentley was + fact that I saw 3 S550s just in a 30 minute ride about town, tells me all I need to know which confirmed my prediction. I just don't want to have my butt handed to me when I want out of the thing. I still think the S550 is a great-looking sedan - soooo much better design than the W220. They should've never made the W220 - I always thought it had no road presence, was too generic-looking & too small; they should've gone straight from the W140 to the W221.

I am sooooo glad I did a closed-end lease on the CL!!! I think you're right, let it go back to the lease co. now and forget the supreme hassles of trying to sell it on my own with some buyer that will nickel and dime me to death on every little detail.

In any case, I think I'm going to play it safe and sit on the sidelines for awhile - there's so much more coming out plus I don't think it's a good idea to buy the first year of anything.

Last edited by CLFREAK; 04-09-2006 at 12:21 AM.
Old 04-09-2006, 12:43 AM
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It Varies
I'm still trying to figure out what would be the disadvantages to this 144 month loan?? Re-selling it would probably be a major factor correct?

Anyways, I'll be posting pics of my white Spur at the end of June. Ordered from Newport Beach with the following options : lambswool carpet, 20" rims, and Bentley "sport" shifter. Can't wait!

What color are u thinking of?
Old 04-09-2006, 03:32 AM
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Bentley Continental GT 2004
Strictly speaking I am not qualified to give an informed opinion as I own neither a Flying Spur nor a S65.

But in the spirit of forum participation I will share some thoughts over time since I have owned a Continental GT since November 2004, have driven the entire AMG range at Hockenheim and Sepang (CL65 included), and recently taken delivery of my new W221 S Class. Meanwhile a picture, with wife's SL in as well for good measure.
Attached Thumbnails NEW S65 or BENTLEY CONTI FLYING SPUR???-conti-sl-s.jpg  

Last edited by hcwong; 04-09-2006 at 04:43 AM.
Old 04-09-2006, 08:36 AM
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2000 W210 E55->2003 R230 SL500->2004 W211 E55->2007 997TT+2007 E63->2010 GLK350->2012 E550 4matic
S65 is a completely different beast compared to the regular S550. I would pick that over the FS.
Old 04-09-2006, 11:58 AM
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VW vs the Benz? I'll take the Benz, though the VW is a nice car in their top of the line Bentley trim!


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