sc_trojan

since I don't like the GL or R class, I was wondering if anyone tried or has 3 car seats in the rear of the w221? I got twins on the way and a 4YO, so I need 2 baby seats and 1 toddler seat. while a minivan would be the most practical, I wouldn't be caught dead driving one of those as a daily driver.

thanks in advance.

WSH

Doubt anyone who carefully thinks through active/passive safety would transport any humans in any SUV/minivan, no matter the image/weather issues....

Always astonished when clearly clueless guys (and/or wives) choose an SUV/minivan to haul around their kids....vehicles w/relatively poor brakes/steering/handling/stability/rollover risk in any emergent maneuver...and lacking much of the advcd active/passive safety tech of new S-Classes (PreSafe/DistPlus/ABC, etc etc)......and objects in any cargo area not carefully separated from passgr cell are likely to become intra-SUV/minivan missles in any emergent deceleration or w/collision penetration of the rear of vehicle....perhaps Darwinian selection on a few levels....

Have a couple of colleagues who use '08 S65 as their kid-haulers, w/only 1-2 car seats....don't know about 3 car seats, but would think if GL (or whatever) can do three car seats, S can do it as well.....

Would ask MBUSA for a more specific answer; and/or the S-Class Owner's Manual may reveal the answer....

abenner5

sc_trojan,
Can comment on the W220 which back seat room should be similar.
I put in 2 baby seats and a booster and it was TIGHT! You would not want to do that on a daily basis. I think the only possible daily driver mode would be to use 2 boosters and possibly a smaller baby seat (e.g. Britax are much too large).

GL is even less wide than the S class. I have yet to find a vehicle that can fit 3 baby seats (not boosters) across easily.

In addition, my above comments are with all 3 forward-facing! With new kids on the way, putting two of the seats reverse-facing will require some additional gymnastics, as you have to find a suitable post to lock down the seats (causes problems when adjusting front seat, etc)...

I think the ultimate would be the new E-classes which have a reverse-facing 3rd row seat, to handle your situation. I don't like minivans either...but maybe a nice E55 wagon...hmmm....

Any of the gas-sucking V8-based SUV's have crashed so much in value due to the $4/gal situation...you can get 50% off for a 1 yr old model...easily pays for any extra gas usage by far!

wsh - Not sure if you have kids...comments are a bit off the mark, due to fact that usually more than 3 kids have to be accommodated. Esp soccer/baseball practices, carpooling, and the occasional parents/relatives visiting require at least 7-8 seating capacity to be used on demand.

LETO

Will the stroller for the twins fit in the trunk? The trunk is not too generous on the S compared to a SUV.

I would consider the GL550(give it another chance, I know you dont care for it). Friends who have kids (and the kid entourage that comes along) love it. Wait for the 09 as there are some minor command updates worth having.

abenner5

Good question,Leto!
Not sure, but I doubt the Graco style one would..prob. only an umbrella stroller. The Graco (1 kid in front of the other) is just too long. Good point, since it really shows the unsuitability of the S for > 2 kids...

Surprisingly, the S trunk is pretty small on W220/221. They seem to have put more of the length of the car into leg room for back seat passengers rather than the cavernous trunk you would think it'd have if seeing the car on outside for the first time.

My E's trunk is exact same cubic foot size, for reference.

LETO

The reason I bring this up is I recently found luggage for 4 adults (for a 10 day vacation) to be a challenge. I ended up doing a airport limo.

Had no problem with the GL450 or G500 in the past.

Diesel Benz

I'm not sure about the volume but I often carry stuff at the W211 trunk that does not fit to the W221 trunk. The W211 is a lot deeper (longer), in addition I have the foldable rear seats. I don't think the W221 trunk space is even higher, it probably is wider.

Carl Lassiter

Do you really think that an '08 ML63, '08 X5 4.8i Sport or '08 Cayenne TT/wPDCC would be a purchase by a "clueless" individual? In car vs car head on collisions, SUVs generally come out better than sedans as they literally ride over sedans. Now, you'll see I choose to drive a sedan but when I have kids they'll ride in mom's SUV which will be a new model with all active and passive safety features. Roll over risk is huge on a '98 Yukon but all I'll say about the new SUV models is that it's also possible to roll a CL (which 5000lbs possibly has questionable active safety re: braking) if one drives off a cliff.

As regards the post above which talks about the W221's relatively small trunk, well, I learn something new every day. Very surprising.

Diesel Benz

I guess you are not referring to learning every day with the last sentence.

Seriously, it should not be a surprise that the W221 (W220) trunk is relatively small. A previous post in this thread already explained it (there is also an issue with the safest possible location of the fuel tank).

Carl Lassiter

What are you talking about? How was I to know the trunk is small? It's a big car so I assumed it was big. I learned today it was not. Understand now?

Ferri

[QUOTE=WSH;2870322]Doubt anyone who carefully thinks through active/passive safety would transport any humans in any SUV/minivan, no matter the image/weather issues....

.....and objects in any cargo area not carefully separated from passgr cell are likely to become intra-SUV/minivan missles in any emergent deceleration or w/collision penetration of the rear of vehicle....perhaps Darwinian selection on a few levels....
QUOTE]


Great point on the first paragraph quoted here. Minivans are probably the vehicle class with the poorest combination of gear and construction to be trusted with such precious cargo.

I hate to jump again on the same guy's case--I replied once before to another of your "darwinian" remarks... but I am simply apalled at your suggestion that a "selection" would be deserved by any class, with selection meaning--to me at least--loss of innocent life on a [in this case] minivan mishap. I don't know you, so this may be your sense of humor--I know I get mine missunderstood sometime. It is just that you give me the impression you despise anyone not making over $300 grand a year--the minimum requirement to sanely go for an S class nowadays. It's your opinion, I guess!

AsianML

[quote=Ferri;2873620]That's the impression I've been getting as well. He makes it sound like people are writing their own wills and death wishes by buying anything less than a $100k+ Mercedes-Benz. Oh, and by ordering the pano roof option too.

Hazy1

As much as I hate minivans, an R63 might be a really good choice in your case. They can't be that unsafe w/ AWD, great brakes, solid handling and traction/stability control.

Just make sure you put the rear windows down so that all 3 little ones can wave at the guy in the Ferrari struggling to keep up.

LETO

How many of those even made it over when they were available (i think they were in the market for 1 year)

Besides if you were ever afraid of the S' pano roof killing you, the mother of all pano roofs on the R will be nothing short of oblivion

abenner5

[QUOTE=AsianML;2873629]lol, that is too funny. At least he is keeping the used prices of MB's low...by leasing a new benz every 6 months, these filter down to mere mortals such as myself who enjoy picking them up at 50% depreciation after 2 yrs!