Most excellent write up emilner - you get the S-Class, not just the statistics and obvious features but the feeling of driving and owning one... I came from a w211 myself and there is no going back. Congratulations!

You are so right... in this car the journey is the destination... Unless the weather is bad I usually commute by bike... so when I drive my S600 the sense of occasion just sitting behind the wheel is even more magnified... I like the contrast!

I do not find the S_Class too big at all.. I am not large at only 5"8" and 140 pounds, but I find the sense of space and airyness is a big part of the overall experience. The car will soon shrink around you!

Chris

Well in ny at my MB dealership they are charging me 59 and it's not fully loaded doesn't have a pano roof ;( what area are you in

$59 is high, give me a PM, you should be low 50's for an optioned under 40k miles cpo car...

Back to your initial question about NAV etc. I just went through this. Each service manager has a different answer but in the end you need to ask for two separate things. The NAV disc and upgrade are about $250 at dealer. Happy to send you the disc and you can do it your self. Command update is a stand alone upgrade that I spent $50 on. Best $50 ever spent on a car. That gets you amoungst other things: Real time traffic (amazing option) fly over(3D) view, better SIRIUS functions(you see what's playing) and a few other goodies like being able to watch a video while you spend you life waiting for kids at dance, sports,school etc.

Careful though. On round one I did NAV upgrade and asked for command update. Command not done. I think service manager did not know what I wanted. Second go around with different service guy was fine.

I'm with you on your observations. For now the S550 rules. Will wait for the 2011 A8L and see.

I'm in L.A, yeah Emliner's price is about what I'm seeing here.

Ok, you confused me a little. There is a command update and a nav update? I was under the impression that you need to have the command updated and then just load a new nav disc. I am also going to ask to have the IC updated to stop that infernal "don't forget your key" chime that is on for as long as you open the door.

Im a little confused on the order of events and best (cost efficient) way of doing it.
Can some one break it down step by step? Thanks in advance!

Sim- Are you asking about the nav/telematics update? If you have an 07 with the older telematics you can go to the dealer and tell them your nav is acting up-freezing, blacking out etc. They will update you to the new version of nav that supports RT traffic. Then you need to buy/rent/borrow a new 7.? nav DVD to load the new maps and features.

thanks emilner!
so basically call in for nav freezing??? i will give it a try, hopefully all goes well.
have you done this yourself?

I can tell you I had the NAV update without full command update. Had new street info etc but needed to return to dealer to get update allowing the fly by and realtime traffic.

Congrats on the purchase!

I'm there with you. I recently picked up an '04 S600 and feel the same way. At 25yrs old I've not got much upward movement left in the car department...well besides a newer one!

Designo or S600/65 Personally I was rather disappointed with the feel of the quality and feel of the 550/63 interior, the design/V12s feeling a big step IMO.

I also agree with you on the A8. My father had an earlier W220 and is now on his second consecutive A8, with the new ones coming out he was able to score a great deal on a current generation one. To me the A8 feels more sterile and doesn't do as much for me as the S Class; W221 or W220.

What mods are you considering? I picked up my S in Sept and am always looking for a mod, from the minute to the major.

BTW, if after driving the S for a while, you don't feel like it has the giddy up you think it should, I recommend that you have the ECU flashed/reset. This will allow the S to learn and adapt to your driving habits (erasing the previous owners).

I might do a set of 20's (not really looking for the ride killing 21-22"), renntech ecu, I'd love to do an exhaust-off a 63 or 65 maybe. Maybe a nice sub to enhance the low end. Tints are going on next week. Frankly I might not get very far. I am looking for when that new TT V8 is going in the current 221, that might be my signal for a new one.

I have had a little more chance to push the car and I cannot believe how great she handles!! I have taken corners easily as fast as my E550 but I was not at the limit. My E would break free and feel like the computer was trying hard to keep things in line. I have tried to push this car into the corners and I have yet to reach the limit. I might be taking it easy since in my mind it SHOULD not handle as well as my E, but it seems like it can hold the same if not more absolute grip. Now this is not to say the transitions can compare. When it comes to quick R/L's the E certainly shined. The shear size of the S makes those hard transitions sometimes unsettling. Sorry, but I just cannot believe how damn flat this car handles! I can't imagine what ABC is like. How MB is able to get a car this big to ride on a cloud then rip a turn the way it does is beyond my comprehension.

Throttle application is far different from the E to the S. My E was hard wired to my brain, when I thought accelerate the car moved, and moved hard. That was in C or S, the difference was perceptible but minor. While driving the S550 in the C mode the throttle is very muted. I feel like it demands far more throttle to get things going. When in S mode things liven up, you need that first gear to move the weight off the line. It certainly acts like the sprint booster for throttle position. I only wish you could change tranny and suspension modes separately. In my S550 you only have the option of C tranny with comfort suspension or S tranny with Sport suspension. But it's ok I'll live.

This is consistent with Motorweek's slalom test of the S400 I watched today. That car just handled beautifully. What a great automobile.

I would strongly recommend not to go with anything bigger than 19". Especially on New York roads. You will, (not might, will) replace them very frequently.
I'm in the City 3-4 times every week, driving thru NJ and PA. Don't know what's worse; NY or NJ. If not for additional wheel/tire insurance (original MB purchase), I'd be out of approx. $1,100 - $1,400 every time I hit the pothole. And I hit it every 2-3 months or so.
I'm on my 9th or 10th claim and some of those claims are for 2 wheels (2 fronts or front and back, depending).
Don't forget, that you HAVE to do 4-wheel geometry every time you hit the pothole. Ouch. Spend your money on a good dinner instead.

As for ABC, second generation one (current-trouble free)...
It defines the Gravity. Takes a tiny bit of a practice to find a break (ditch) point.
After that....absolute NUMBER-1-MUST-HAVE!

I have 2008 S550 with AMG package. 19" AMG wheel. I live in NYC queens.
OH~my god many pot holes this winter. especially in Bronks and manhattan.
I always try to escape the pot holes but sometimes I can't. For far, wheels are ok for last 2 years but I did 2 alignment adjust and they were off alot due to the road condition and large diameter wheel. To compare, my wife 2007
X5 has been checked for alignment and it was perfect to factory spec with almost same milage to my car. So be careful with anything over 19". I really recomend 18"..

Regarding noisy Wipers, there is a TSIB (something about the angle) that's easily fixable, I had them fix my wipers when I took it in for service, now they are quiet. Sounds like you have squeaky brakes, there is also a TSIB for this, but I think it only applies for the first year that they will fix it under warranty. Just do like me and upgrade to the S600 Brembo brakes, and the squeaky brakes not only go away, the car stops infinitely better.

I replaced the wiper blades with rainx ones and the problem is gone. I also found out that the subwoofer was blown and that is why there was no low end. It seems to be very common- I would recommend that anyone who thinks the car lacks punch should check to see if the sub is working. Now that it is fixed the system is much better.

The brakes did not squeak, they just required a lot of effort. I had squeaky brakes on my 211 which was fixed with a set of porterfields (and it also fixed the brake dust). Either I have gotten used to them or they have gotten better- they do not bug me anymore. The car had new rotors and pads done last year at an MB dealer. Curiously, it has very little brake dust, which I'm not sure if it is common to S classes or if it is due to a better MB set or aftermarket. I'd love to go for a set of S600 brakes, but choke at the sticker shock....

stupid question but where is the sub located?

I think you said it all "This car is a gentleman's thoroughbred." Thanks for taking the time to give such a detailed impression. I am solidly in the wannabee category but I don't see how I can go wrong.

I will add a bit off topic, that the last forum I was involved with that was as educational as this was with my Hayabusa. It is good to feel like I found a home again.

Under the rear deck there is an 8" X 12" sub. It is very shallow, you can really only see the magnet, but there are holes that you can look through to see the cone itself.

To test it:

Get a song going at moderate volume that has a lot of low end bass. Put your finger through one of the holes in the sub bracket and touch the cone of the sub- it should be bouncing pretty hard. If it is dead you will still feel minor movement because there are two other speakers located right next to it that will vibrate the dead cone.

A little of topic, is that your home garage (the pic. with the E class and I assume your daughter) and what sort of tile is that on the floor?

Yep, that is my garage, my old E (factory lemoned) and my angel. I love the pic and have not tried to get another with the new car (although I think my son is looking to be part of the sig). They are VCT composite tiles.

emilner how much did the dealer charge to install the new rotors and pads? How many miles were on the car at the time of the change?

My car had new rotors/pads done right before I got it. I will say that MB rapes poor souls with their brake job prices. I have done them in the past and I will say it is the easiest brake job I have ever done. It literally took me longer to take off the tires than to change the pads.