trumpet1

The shortcut on the phone is what I did because that way when I get back into the car I don't have to remember to reactivate it via the comand system. I disable the phone via the handset shortcut and when I return to the car (or even if someone else opens the car door) , the handset returns to bluetooth and is connected to the car's system. The problem is that I sometimes forget to do the shortcut. I'm getting better at remembering each day though

Beno

While driving I often navigate between channels using steering wheel buttons, and volyme button is giving me a little hard time... I often like to drive windows half open and ofcourse then I would have to keep music little more louder than normal - so when I enter my home street I reduce volyme and I have now couple of times accidentally pressed horn Not nice when neighbours are out It is very easy to do this and I think horn shouldn't be so responsive.

Beno

I have one more! You almost have to smash doors to close them... I have quite well learnt how to close doors, but anobody whos first time onboard have problems closing them I would defo now take soft closing option.

Diesel Benz

But that is almost defining the car is a Mercedes! Have you driven a car where doors close softly at 250 km/h on an autobahn?

I didn't know the soft closing option was not standard on US cars (it isn't standard on all Euro cars).

trumpet1

What country are you in?

Diesel Benz

A good question, he refers to an S500 in his profile, assuming it is a W221, then he isn't from the US as I incorrectly assumed (by default on this forum).

Beno

Finland, North-Europe And my baby is 2008 W221.

AustinGuy

Something that I've wanted to post for a while but have not been able to get myself to do so.....

ABC.... as in Active Body Control. Or the lack thereof on the S550.

Okay, I know it's an option, but guess what, IT SHOULD NOT BE. Not on a $100k+ sedan that claims to be the world's best. Come on, if BMW can master the art of minimizing body roll, why can't MB? Oh wait, they already have. At a $2000 price tag. Come on! Give me a break.

The S550's handling borderline SUCKS without ABC.

Sorry to vent, but it really annoys me because had a known that the handling/cornering was sooooo bad, I would have plunked down the extra $$ for the option. During test drives, I didn't hammer it that hard nor did I get a chance to ride it on windy roads. Now, I'm stuck with beautiful car that sometimes handles like a rented VW.

gellie

I cant understand why anyone would pay >20k more for a s550 to get it to perform like a 750il? The handling on the stock 550 is average at best. Dressing it up with a AMG package is just cosmetic.

AsianML

You get ABC with the AMG Sport package.

lkirchner

I disagree. The AMG package is merely cosmetic.

irieblue

The ABC package is classified as an individual ordering option regardless of the AMG body styling, or the P2, P3 packages. Less that 10% of all S550's have ABC, and I have never figured out why people don't order it.

AustinGuy

Exactly..... and that's because most people don't get to test drive the car over and over again and on windy surfaces that could accentuate the lack of ABC. Plain and simple - most people (including those like myself who know more than the average Joe about handling, yaw, tow, etc.) assume that the "sporty MB S-class" would not roll as much. Now that I'm getting used to the ride and general feel of the car, I REALLY REALLY wish I put more thought into the handling/cornering/ABC aspect.......

I'm now seriously thinking about trading it in for an .......


drum roll please .....

S63!!!

gellie

That is 100% incorrect! It is a additional option.

DrLou

I have had drive dynamic seats on both MB's that I have owned, and when I was looking for my S550 I was considering all of the options. I really like the thrill of being squeezed into my seat on corners by the drive dynamic seats. If you have ABC then the ride would always be level, and thus no seat squeeze. All that money, and the thrill is gone. I live in NM and it gets a little windy hee, and the S handles the road just fine.

As a side note, I am teaching my 15 YO how to drive, and she LOVES driving my car. She says it handles so much better than her mothers Jag S type. A little longer, but much smoother.

Diesel Benz

18 000 posts and the first mistake from asianml (that I've noticed).

I'm not familiar with US packages but in Europe the two are separate and I count on the other comments that this was a mistake. Glad to see it happens others too.

Diesel Benz

ABC does not defeat the centrifugal force from cornering.

Eddie Knopp

Diesel Benz is bsolutely correct - trust me - I feel it every day

AsianML

I must go hang my head in shame now. :p

I could have sworn that at least MY07 models had it that way. I made a guess and couldn't check because MBUSA.com got rid of the 16 Year Model Overview feature from their site. Great...

lkirchner

You are forgiven!!!

trumpet1

I too love the dynamic seat feature but just in the past few days I've noticed an increase in the sound of the expelling air on the right side of the driver's seat when the air bladder begins to let its air out. Has anyone else noticed this swooshing sound getting louder on their cars? My car just flipped over 25K miles about 30 minutes ago. (Yippee!!)

///MB

We have had noises coming from the dynamic seats for a while now. But ours sounds more like a rock tumbling around. It's like the pneumatic part is making noise. I don't really hear any air sounds from it. Also, it seems to get better on its own but then I start to hear it on a different bolster.