noone said 3-6k a year, we said 3-6k per visit. My s550 w 40k miles just got 2 new rear airshocks to the tune of 3600. My car has only been dealer serviced and done ahead of schedule.

 

Sign me up for one of those $6,000 a year S600's!

 

Cool, how about fixing it yourself.
Is there like an OBD reader that can help me see what is wrong with the car instead of taking it to the shop. Fixing it yourself costs you thousands less than a shop with these types of cars. For example BMW has the Carly app.

 

Don't you mean one of those $6000/yr C300s?

 

Having had the S550 and the S600....it really is all about how deep your pockets are and what you think is worth spending to repair. It's a high dollar car so of course repairs and parts are high dollar as well, so it's expected and should not come as a shock.

 

They of course implement the OBD2 standard that was mandated in 1996, so any OBD2 scan tool that supports the CAN bus will read diagnostic codes.

The S-Class, being the pinnacle of sophistication and technology by Mercedes-Benz is going to make it a very complex conglomeration of control units that talk to each other over various networks throughout the car. With that said, a standard OBD2 scan tool will provide you with the basic information the engine ECU is reporting. A Bluetooth dongle and an iPhone app can give you good monitoring capabilities.

However, if you want to do most of the work on your car and are a competent technician, the same tool the dealer uses is almost required to test all systems in the car and reset Control Unit, clear Events, and replace defective Control Units and adapt them to the car.

It really depends on what you are in the market for - an S600 has the super smooth and powerful V12 engine, and all options will be standard (unless you buy an early 2007, which may not have Distronic Plus).

The S550 is a fine car as well, with very adequate power for most and 4-MATIC as an option.

The S600 can be performance tuned to produce over 610hp and 720lbs ft of torque, and that is just a performance tune.

ABC suspension is very nice that few S550s were ordered with. Many S550s may not even have Keyless-Go.

The S600 is certainly a "sleeper" as it has nothing to indicate its performance other than the exhaust tips and the subtle V12 emblem on the front fenders.

Although I have never owned an S65 AMG, I have owned other AMGs in the past and loved them, but the unassuming look of the S600 is what made it appeal to me.

I would look at the CarFax on any that you are interested in. A one owner would be desirable as the chances of the original owner would have the resources to keep the car maintained. A dealer maintained car would be worth the extra money IMO. I would avoid any 3-4 owner cars, as there is a reason it has been traded so often unless it has service records with it.

I drove my S600 daily for a little while. If you drive mainly on Interstates and take it easy, you can get 22-23 mpg, which is quite impressive.

I enjoy mine to the point where I would certainly consider another. I do a lot of my own work and care for my vehicles, but let the dealer do scheduled maintenance as it adds value to the car when resold.

 

Why not get an AMG for speed and looks, atleast you get the best of both worlds. Otherwise get an old mans car and change the wheels,tune it, etc, etc, etc..To me regardless of the engine,anything older than 2010 that's not an AMG or atleast has a sport package looks ancient.

 

you just named the reasons I specified for NOT getting an S65.

 

OP got same answers on Bimmerforums. Didn't believe us ... lol

 

Lmao, hey I'm learning man ...

At this point, it's looking like I will be getting an S550, most likely 2011.
These cars are sweet! Thanks guys!