Drives550

Prior write-up is here.

Short version is that up to now Assurant has paid about $3400 in claims, zero deductible, no hassle. Warranty cost me about $4500 for 3yrs/36k. Warranty purchased October, 2015 on a 2008 w/62k miles.

And now they just paid $5895 on a few assorted things. They did send an inspector, who I was told spent 3+ hours going over the car. Work was done at am MB dealership service center.

Issues were:
1) drivers dynamic seat deflating;
2) passenger dynamic seat not holding/deflating;
3) some whining noises;
4) bit of near-idle grumble.

Fix both seats was $1500 parts, $900 labor = $2400
Relating to 3 and 4, they replaced a torsion bar - $368 parts, $797 = $1165
Also relating to 3 and 4, replaced the alternator (?) - $1100 parts, $507 labor = $1600
Alignment - $217.

And of course, the drivers seat deflate issue is unresolved - 10 minutes after I picked up the car, same thing happened. I'm taking it back in again this Friday.

So far then the Assurant covered claims total about $9300 over 1 year.

Funny thing is - I think the car is overall reliable and wouldn't use this to dissuade a potential purchaser of a used w221. Of the $9300, I think $1000 related to driveability issues (I'm not sure I'm convinced the alternator was causing any problems; the car had no electrical issues). Most of it is the damned multicontour seats. Next is me being picky, noticing things that my wife or brother in law would never notice. If I got one without a warranty, I'd not want the fancy seats, or be happy with them at less than 100% functionality. And I'd use and independent mechanic to avoid the MB techs inclination to just start replace parts.

And, I continue to say A+ to Assurant.

DaveW68

And this is more proof positive as to why a warranty is a necessity on these over-engineered complicated cars for the entire time you will own the car. And why an exclusionary policy is the only way to go. Your warranty would have paid out almost nothing if it were a named component policy.

Drives550

OP here. A bit over 2 years in, thought I'd update.

To-date Assurant has paid $16,656 in warranty claims. That's in 2 years, 2 months, approx 15,000 miles total on the car. Beyond the warranty amount, I've also paid about $3,000 for brakes/pads all around, tranny service, spark plugs, couple of A services. Also replaced a windshield for $2460 (paid through insurance). Brings the total to $22,571. A silly number. New S-class payments could almost be made if you spread that out over months.

BUT, of the warranty claims paid, I'd say about $6300 was necessary for drivability of the car, i.e., safe and reasonably pleasant motoring, with everything fully functioning excluding the damned multi-contoured seats. The other approx $10k in warranty claims went to the Multi-Contour Dynamic seats (approx $4300), failed attempts by the dealer to fix my nit-picking (not hearing/feeling what I complained about, but finding what they *think* could be the cause of my complaint - replaced an alternator, some suspension parts, a rear strut) or things you could live with (pully noise, for example).

Add the $6300 I deemed necessary for drivability to the $3k I paid for routine servicing and brakes = $9300 over 2 years. This is a number I think a reasonable expectation derived from my experience if one's trying to forecast. Of that $9300 I'm fairly certain you could cut it by 30% with an independent mechanic and/or a bit of DIY, as I admittedly paid full-tilt for the dealership to do brakes, plugs, fluids. But, for some things the price is the price, e.g,. the $1100 ESP module, the $700 seat pad to fix the heated seat.

So, if I was doing it with an effort spend wisely, probably $7k+/- over 2 years would get the job done to keep the car running, and I'd live with the multi-contour seat function not working.

In conclusion: If you want to run it and keep everything working and get nice new MB loaner cars, it costs money. If you just wanna keep it running and most things mostly working, the total is still high! ha. But, not totally insane, given the relatively low buy-in these days for this generation car. The total amount spent on mine is high, but I'm pretty certain I'm nearly the only guy with a 2008 S550 without a problem that can be found and with everything working 100% (except 1 rear seat headrest that won't go down all the way, except sometimes). That said, one could run the car for much less than I spent and still get 80-90% of the satisfaction. This is difference between keeping them running and keeping everything working.

I do like the car though. Had a new E class loaner (have had them before) and just don't like it - the 4cyl is buzzy, the efforts to "sport"-sedan the car resulted in something that feels skittish to me; without the airmatic the car jostles about quite a bit on these, er, contoured NY suburb roads and parkways; lack of sound deadening and IR coating on the windows makes it seem bright and hot to me inside what feels like a cramped cabin (and I'm not a big dude). Was very happy to back to my rolling cocoon.

superpop

Holy Smokes, I guess I am on the other side of the spectrum. Purchased a 2012 in 2015 for around 44K and spent another 3400 for a 3 year 75K MB ELW. In my 2.5 years of ownership I have spent around 1500 in tires, brakes and services. I do go to an indy for the oil changes and routine service but it only needs service about once a year. Warty has paid out around 2K in repairs for a couple EGR sensors and a wiring issue with the rear camera. Maybe I have been lucky but hard pressed to decide if I need the ELW on my next W222. Probably going to do the same thing again and buy a 2015 with sub 20K miles and decide at that point on the warty.

ChuckinTucson

Another option is to buy a CPO which I did on my last purchase. Have a '15 ML350 that just turned 100,000 miles -- bought the extra two years of available warranty, so fully covered by MB until 5/22 with unlimited miles.

The Thomas J

$3000 for brakes is INSANE. I'll do them myself in my driveway OR let my indy do it and I'll bring him the parts. I did buy a service package at my dealership with saved me about $800 on my 70,000-mile service and next year it will cost me nothing. The previous owner took great care of the car according to the service records and he owned it since it was new, so you know he went the extra mile. He traded it because after 5 years he simply wanted a new car. None of the repairs I have done have been driveability related.

To date, this is what my coverage has paid out.
1 Control arm driver side
2 driver side axle (boot was torn)
3 Driver side speed sensor
4 Tilt steering wheel motor
That was the first time to the dealer $3300 that my policy paid out

Second time
1.Passenger side control arm
2.rear brake light. (The labor to change this was crazy)
That was about $1100

Both trips to the dealer were timed around my yearly service. I have a $150 deductible. The only complaint I have about my warranty is that they only cover 1 hour of diagnostic per incident. I have had to fight with the dealer over diagnostic costs. Since all my issues are "known" issues. If the car comes in squeaking like a worn bed mattress they know it's a control arm.

My next trip will be next month for my heated seat cushion that's not working and the massage feature is working intermittently and doesn't feel as strong as it used to. I have been having a hard time putting gas in. The pump cuts off. I think there is an inline carbon filter that needs to be replaced. I forgot to tell them about it last time it was in for service. I figure that will be another $1000 to $1500.

The Thomas J

I would strongly advise you to purchase another warranty. These cars can easily run into the tens of thousands to repair. What amazes me is that companies still cover these cars. I can't see that happening forever. I would love to speak to someone who has inside knowledge of how the industry works. I know selling in bulk drives up profits. But, if we are all paying $3500 for coverage and using $10,000 that's a loss. I know in the commercial industry the policies that are sold to cover trucks have a one and done clause. One failure, one repair for the life of the policy. I hope that won't happen to the polices we buy for our cars.

Drives550