gellie

s550 4matic between 750li sport. like the 550 a bit better, not sure if its worth the extra $7500k or $350 per month on a lease. bmw is a sportier,while the 550 is a bit more on the luxury side. Any thoughts?

JRAMGV8

I'd go for the S550

02S430

go for the S550 get it with AMG sport body youll love it, plus there changing the 7s soon i believe this models due for an update and id be mad if I bought the old body and the new one just came out, goodluck!

cjf_moraga

You have answered your own question. If you like the S550 better then it is totally worth it...

There is a new/updated 7-series coming out in 2009 but frankly the current w221 S-Class is so good (and current until 2011/2012 at least) that it is a no-lose proposition... Not sure if you have driven an S550 or what your definition of "sporty" is, but the S550 handles/steers very well indeed... does not feel at all like a 2+ ton sedan! It is a perfect combination of luxury and drivability..

It would not make any sense to buy the current 7-series.. it is getting old now and will depreciate like a stone when the new 7-series comes out. And if you were to wait would you also buy in the first (sometimes temperamental) year? The S-Class has been out long enough to have demonstrated its solidity and quality as testified by many posts here...

Mercedes is simply defined by the S-Class... (As BMW is by the 3-series not the 7) It's the very essence of the marque...

Chris

trumpet1

I just never have liked BMW like I do a Mercedes. I really don't know exactly why.
I would go for the 550 for all of the reasons previously mentioned. If you want a sportier feel, put about 8 extra pounds of air in the tires of the 550 and you'll get the sporty feel of a BMW. Really, no kidding.

06CLK350

Ok, i currently have a 2007 s550 and had a 2005 745li until december of last year and can say that they are both to different cars. I know i shouldnt be saying this on this forum, but i honestly liked the 7-series much more. I seem to like the sporty type and the 7-series was great with both comfort and its sportiness. The s550 seems to have to much body roll and it is too darm smooth. I sometimes like to feel bumps here and there. As far as the payments, yes they are around 300 to 400 dollars more a month, but i do not see what you are saying about the 7500. The one major advantage of owning a s550 over a 750li, is that the 7-series should be receiving a full body facelift by 2009. I personally do not enjoy driving cars that have a newer model out. I leased the 745 and two months later the 750. Like an idiot, i had not done my research before entering the dealership. I hope this helps, and please let me know if i can assist you with anything else.

cjf_moraga

Does your S550 have the optional ABC? I find this is one of the most subtle and overlooked yet most valuable features of an S-Class. It really is like going around corners on rails... and to add to Trumpets comments, putting on some 19" wheels with lower profile tires pressurized a few pounds above spec will give you the firmer ride and "feel" for the road surface - but not to much! It's the way ABC balances out all the handling and ride components that I find really impressive.

Chris

WSH

cjf and trumpet are spot-on....

Have always been underwhelmed by BMW's alleged sportiness (though am a mere avg amateur driver, have owned/driven enough new AMG/Ferrari/Porsches over past 10yrs to have a decent sense of steering precision/tq deliv/brake pedal feel&braking capabilities, esp in inclement situations/chassis precision&stability)......

And for daily use, BMW's have rather laughable issues like dubious safety (akin to Lexus) and inept air cond sys (would always ridicule colleagues who would drive BMWs to a mtg in SiliconValley on a hot day, as BMW air conds are prob more inept than most Toyota/Honda air conds).....and these mysteriously tiny fuel tanks, offering commute-irrelevant driving ranges.....

Best analysis...there's a reason or two (or more) that a new 7-series is so much cheaper to lease than comparable S-Class w/comparable lease duration, etc....and BMW still needs to offer free mtce to attract aspirational buyers...Darwinian selection prevails....

whoover

I agree that ABC transforms the car's handling. I wouldn't have an S-class without it. But that raises the question of why 750Li Sport vs. 4MATIC. 4MATIC is not available with ABC and implies you're more interested in stability for harsh driving conditions. If that's the case, the RWD BMW is not a good choice. And if RWD is good enough, an S550 Sport with ABC is the better comparison in handling and sportiness. Of course, an S63 is the obvious choice.

Z356

WSH & Trumpet: You are way to harsh/unfair on BMW. The current 7 series had its shares of electronics gremlins in its first two years of production but by MY2004 BMW had made it a pretty reliable car. My '04 745i was one of the best cars I have ever owned. BMW offers you the choice of short wheel base (which MBUSA doesn't in this market and it makes a difference in handling) and a separate factory 'sport suspension' package (springs/coils, etc) which was the best sport-luxury combination I have experienced on a large sedan. (I don't have enough driving time yet on my recently acquired CL600 to compare - barely 20 minutes - since still recuperating from my shoulder operation). Let me just add this. The 745i drove much better than the 650i Vert I currently own, even though the latter has the bigger 4.8 engine! You also must remember that the last S class had some serious reliability issues and caused Mercedes large headaches, tons of warranty money and many lost sales from customers very disappointed with their experiences. Regardless of its lower price & cachet vis a vis a Mercedes S (last generation), the BMW 750 (and 745) was an incredible value of sport and luxury for the money. And it's one that deserves a serious look from any sport sedan enthusiast. But I agree with Chris and 06CLK350, it just doesn't make sense to buy or lease a 7 series now that a new generation is about to be introduced. And we will have to see how the new 7 series stacks against the newest S. I, for one, am very happy to have both a Mercedes and a BMW! They are both excellent manufacturers, each with a distinct 'take' on how sport and luxury should be combined in a modern automobile. And it is not a question of adding 8 pounds of pressure to the tires! Z356

AustinGuy

Ouch!

AustinGuy

Okay guys let me step in and settle the score....

I have owned BMW's all my life (at least from the time I've been allowed to legally drive )....owned a 1989 330i, a 1998 540i, a 2001 740iL and now, a 2003 750iL. I'll say this - the 750iL is an excellent car, handles really well and has great road feel, but.....I very reluctantly decided to purchase it 5 years ago - I guess mainly due to the fact that MB did not have a great S class at that time and BMW pretty much cornered the market on the uber luxury side...... Add to that, I was still at that time a huge BMW loyalist. Nonetheless, I bought the 750 knowing deep down that I was not crazy about the looks. It looked too much like a Nissan/Toyota/whatever, especially from the side and rear.

Fast forward to Feb 2008 - the BMW 750iL looks ancient and my opinion not even on par with the Lexus LS. I still don't own an S Class. Yet. I will own one in about a month or 2 when my baby arrives from Sindelfingen ..... and boy will I be ecstatic. I recently test drove a couple of S550's w/AMG sports pak and WOW! are you in for a surprise. The handling for something as large as the current S is nothing short of amazing. The turning radius is incredible and the torque especially from a dead stop is on par, if not better than the 750. But wait - what sold me on the S550 is the LOOKS! The AMG styling makes this car own the road. I've finally changed allegiances and I can tell you that MB simply has an "aura" to it that BMW does not.

My opinion: BMW better get it's act together or it's going to be in for a very rough ride especially with the way Lexus and MB have the market cornered in the "looks" dept.

Z356

Austin: No question the W221 looks terrific...but the Lexus? I hope you don't mean it, Guy! Z356

AustinGuy

I don't know.... you tell me .... which one looks like a Nissan wanna-be?

gellie

Thanks, the bmw is ~$7500 cheaper to buy than the mercedes, Also I always wait a year after a new model is out before purchasing it. I would only lease the bmw.

gellie

Depreciation blows for both.Have you seen what some 2007 and 08 demos are going for on ebay ?

gellie

I think its pretty fair to say from these pictures that from the front the benz and lexus look VERY similar...

tanktube67

There are to different rides, MB is smoother ride and BMW feels like a real luxury sport ride
I don’t meant to hurt anybody feelings

trumpet1

Thanks for posting the pictures for comparo. After a side-by-side look at these, I have to say that S65 AMG is just hands down the winner in the look-at-me department. I wish I could afford a silver S65 AMG. (Actually , I can but my accountant would slit my throat for buying a $200K car!). She is worse than my wife when it comes to cars.....can't understand them. Anyway, that S65 AMG should be called an S65 OMG for (oh my god).

For those of you who own both BMWs and MBs, I guess your opinion stands above any of my opinions as I've never owned a BMW. I have test driven them though and I do like them. I guess it's just I like the big heavy cushy ride of a Benz that makes me pick it over Bimmers.

LETO

The 750 is on it's last leg. Even the engine will be replaced when the new model arrives.

The i-drive is terrible
Dash and trim are plasticky
Seat controls are the most confusing of all the luxo barges
AWD is not even an option

Only + side is that it is cheaper

IMHO, if price was a factor, I would get an A8 over the 750 if the S was out of my range.

gellie

I dont disagree the its on its last legs. The new 7 is coming out mid to late 2009 as a 2010 model. I have always been against buy a new model on its first year.

trumpet1

+1. I thought the same things this morning. The A8 is a prettier car and the seat surfaces are to die for. The alcantara is very nice too. I would get the W12 if I were in the market for an Audi.

gellie

Test drove the Audi, seems very boring.also It looks very stodgy.

06CLK350

Honestly, i was not aware of what kind of a great option that was on the s550 until after i leased mine. Since i have never driven one with abc, i cannot comment, but i am assuming it would be great. I might drop by for a test drive.

Arman

06CLK350

I see. If you can write the cars off on your taxes, lease do not buy.