MBS63

I am glad I see this thread. I am facing almost excatly the same situation. I ordered a S63 a month ago and I want to dress-up the car a bit, so I ordered the Designo Armagnac interior (I lived north of the border). As shown on the catalogo the Designo interior should get a better leather and the "bump" on the door panel. However, the salesperson just told me yesterday that the pattern is only exclusive to S600/S65. I my case exclusive is more important than handling (Well, what do you want to do with a 2-1/2 ton sedan). I am thinking of getting the S600 (S65 is out of reach). I need some input on interior trims.

I have decided to get the graphite exterior and grey interior. How trim do you guys think is good.

walnut matte; black with labrodor; Graphite exterior;

Z356

For 2007, even the base S550 model was available in the United States with three special Designo editions - Espresso, Graphite and Mystic White. These options cost an additional US$9,295 @. In each case, the leather was 'better', to use your term, had the bumps in the door panel, and was placed everywhere you see it on a S600/S65. In addition, the seats (front & rear) had special pleats which were very distinctive, plus a Designo badge on the upper seat back. Even regular 2007 S600 did not have these pleats or badges. The problem for the S63 appears to be that MB/AMG is initially being produced in either 'Premium' black, gray or savanna/cashmere leather interior colors. This so-called 'Premium' leather is not as nice or soft as the 'better' nappa leather you find in the '07/'08 S600, S65 or Designo 550 models. Nevertheless, we have yet to see a special Designo interior for the '08 S63 here in the States, although in principle three should be available. For 2008, Espresso has been changed from an 'Armagnac' leather interior to 'Sand', but the rest is apparently the same as the combos for 2007. In addition, all '08 S600 interiors now have the look of Designo- with seat pleats, seatback badges and door bumps. For you in Canada, we would have thought you would have had more choices. MBNA does not trust the USA with too many Designo choices since they are very concerned with residual values of 'odd' exterior & interior colored vehicles in the lease-oriented market we have here in America. Z356

TchrzBenz

I agree...it is beautiful! Now I know what my next Mercedes will be! Thanks!

trumpet1

I will have to 2nd that opinion. My 2007 S600 (which has been Rennteched and I just had the Comand system updated to the 2008 specs), has by far been the best automobile I've ever owned. The compliments never end. The stares from the driver in the car next to me is almost becoming annoying. Mercedes Benz is once again the king of automobile and they have done a fabulous job getting this car right in its first years of production.
Also, I am so happy that Daimler divorced Chrysler. During the marriage I stood up and protested but the minister apparently didn't hear me and we all had to hold our peace!

trumpet1

Wow. The graphite exterior is gorgeous. You can't go wrong with that choice for sure.
BTW, don't give up on an S65. I found two on Ebay with extremely low mileage that were close to $150,000!! One didn't have distronic on it though, and for me that is a certain requirement. I hate that these cars are dropping hard in value but if you are a bargain hunter, these cars are the best buys on the market.

Even the 2007 S600s are now around $110,000 used with low mileage.

jerseyMLdriver

Such a beautiful car! Congrats.. Remember just watch out for those shopping carts

blazinginder

a late congratulations...great looking car, love the interior

geneatlts

I am brand new to this site (today) but am so glad to find this thread as I face the exact same decision. Trading in my 06 S500 for an 09 but can't decide between the S63 or S600. My dealer has a black S63 with the tan designo (will not do a base 63 interior). Beautiful but no distronic. I had decided to do the S63 (with the S600 nagging in the back of my mind) until I read here. Am now leaning toward the 600. I just thought the 600 was a car for a stoggy CEO but I seem to be wrong. Any more advice would be greatly appreciated.

QuadBenz

Test drive both and see what you like best. Personally, when it's time for me to get a new car, the S600 will be next. The only thing that bothers me is that the AMG package isn't available on these, but I've seen many dealers swap the bumpers and rims and sometimes even exhausts.
If you end up wanting the 600, see if you can get the dealer to add on AMG bumpers + rims + exhaust, assuming you don't like the stock body.

vonbeeler

For the cost of doing that you may as well go with a 65

trumpet1

I'd most definitely go with the 600. There are differences that you will appreciate as you continue to own the car. Hard to explain in a single post. I've had mine 3 years and still loving it like I did the day I drove off the lot with it. AMG is not a bad decision either but there is just something about the 600 that grabs you once you explore it.

trumpet1

That too.

cjf_moraga

Wow - my old thread is still alive! After 2 years with my S600 I have never for one second regretted my purchase over an S63 for the reasons that have already been mentioned. There is nothing like a V12... Its like having a locomotive under the hood... and if you think think the S600 is a car for stodgy CEO's then just hanging out with us here should reassure you! Really, if you do your research and look into what performance and specification you get for the small extra it is really a no-brainer.

I suspect from the tone of your email that you would regret not going with an S600. (That nagging "what if only") Only the S65 is even better if you can afford the depreciation.

You know what to do...

Chris

geneatlts

Great advise and introspection all! Thanks for the gentle nudge toward the 600, its how I've decided to go. Test driving again over the weekend has helped cement it. The 63 would be a roaring blast for a few weeks, and the 65 a few weeks beyond that but I would spend the next few years wishing I had done the 600. Its an all around great car, top to bottom.

Not as easy finding a 600 in my area (South Jersey/Philly) as a 63, but I'm going with a new 09. The sticker is 153k with the 19s, ipod and bluetooth and I can buy for 118,500 (better than I thought, but it must just be good timing). Black/Black and White/Tan are all thats left. I really like how the whilte/tan looks with the Pano roof. But the black/black is tried and true. I don't think the 2010 will be worth the extra 35-38k price jump over MY09.

Chris, your insight has been expecially helpful. I was so gald to find this thread and was hoping you'd jump back in and let me know how its been. Its great to know, like me, there are other non stoggy, non CEOs who own and enjoy the car.

cjf_moraga

Great choice and delighted to have been of assistance! The price seems very good also... I do not think you would be getting too much for that extra $38K for a MY10... I would rather reserve it for the next generation S-Class...

To reiterate a consideration about the S600 I made earlier... Of all the S-Class variants it is the one that I find is most "in balance". By that, I mean the combination of features, luxury, performance, build quality, options, etc etc... that you get for a given price. It is in effect the central reference point for the S-Class character.

For example, the S550 is the "economy version" with features trimmed back to meet a price, the S65 is the other extreme in that its price is too expensive for not that great a performance delta over the S600, the S63 is fast but it does not have the "kick in the back" acceleration of the S600, and its whole dash/interior is (inexcusably) the same plastic as the S550. The S600 has the higher quality (and better smelling!) leather interior which is just one of those qualities Trumpet implies in his email that grows on you over time - in other words the S600 "feels" like a higher quality car, has all the options and performance, and subsequently "better value". The torque and acceleration of the V12 is also a better match for the size and weight of the S-Class. I still feel that the S63 was/is primarily a marketing exercise to make a "cheaper" S-Class AMG than the S65, and is somewhat out of balance in its combination of features, hence the continued confusion at this price range about S63 v S600.

Chris

13pauls

Hmmm, the s550 is an economy version, dash/interior is inexcusably plastic....man, what have you been smoking. I guess MBworld needs a s600 section for you high rollers.

cjf_moraga

Hmm... my tongue is still in my cheek... No offense intended... I was referring to the S63 where it IS inexcusable that it does not have a leather dash like the S600 as standard (without having to pay for Designo) given that the price (especially with options) is in the same range... In fact I believe it does in Europe? (This may be cost cutting for the US market?)

Chris

geneatlts

I think I understood what Chris meant. He did use quotations around economy version. I took that to mean relatively speaking compared to the 63 and 600 as they are priced slightly higher. Certainly the 550 is a world class car and I have been driving S500's for more than 10 years and have loved them. But during my recent shopping experience for a new one, I quickly learned in order get as much in the 550 as has the 600 the price quickly jumps northward of 125k and there are just some things you can't get unless you buy the 600. Same for the 63, the one I drove with the designo package was in the 150k price range right there with the 600 and still did not measure up in certain areas. Naturally, it does come down to personal taste in the end which is why there are so many flavors.

usctrojans1

All we need is a AMG package on the 600, and we are in 7th heaven!

Red Marko

Such a package exist (unofficially), so you can be in 7th. Heaven

usctrojans1

By the time you spend the money on the unofficial AMG pkg, you might as well get the 65. That is the problem (or the solution).

malahhaor

I know this is a very old thread, but i think this is a perfect place to ask my questions. Perhaps someone out there can help me.
I have owned S550 for couple of years and love the car, but the slow response of transmission is just killing me. im specifically talking about times when you are cruising and need to give a little gas to make that yellow light or jump in to the faster lane. It will sit there and do nothing and by the time it kicks down its too late. And using the kick down switch on the floor is too much. Also a little bit too much of a lean going around corners.

I am thinking to upgrade to a used S63 primarily because i would like a faster response from my trans when giving it a little power, but i am unable to locate one with all the nice options my S550 has.
Can someone with extensive time behind the S600 tell me how responsive is the trans in situations when you just need a little power but not all of it? Im also assuming that the ABC will be day and night over airmatic keeping the car a little more flat.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

BrunoBaker

A bit of a rant here.

I came from a Magnum SRT8 to an S600... The first thing my wife and I noticed when we drove the s600 was...wow it feels slower...the s600 is a whole second faster but you won't feel it...PERFECT...also The SRT8 was loud..lets just say I'm in a different time in my life and I still miss it,but I'm at a different stage in life now... i'd rather be faster and more quite in Luxury...
and faster I sure am.
one thing I have to be very mindful of these days is that most people don't know the big benz in the lane behind is a twin turbo v12...oblivious to that fact and the fact that when you do step on it, you magically teleport right next to them or in front. They more often than not woun't hear or see you, so you have to be even extra careful and watch them absentmindedly try to switch lanes while you're timeshifting by.

So to answer your question, yes.It is very responsive...but chances are you will rarely need to use that responsiveness often...most times I love doing the speed limit, thats the refinement of an S600 driver "kowlegede of power and indulugence of luxury".

Except of course every now and again when I have to put the fear of God in some other european /asian imports who didn't know better(which will remain unnamed)