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I'm considering purchasing a used W221 (probably private party) and need help narrowing down which year I should focus on. My biggest concern is reliability and as least maintenance issues as possible as I drive a lot for work. I'm hands on so any routine maintenance I can do.
A few questions:
1. What year would you recommend? It seems like the 2012+ are solid IMO, but I'm debating btwn. the NA vs Turbo engine.
2. Is the turbo engine worth it? Is it true that it gets better MPG? How prone are the turbo parts to failure and needing replacement?
3. When were the transmission issues worked out that were common in 2007 models?
4. I was at a client event once and was transported in a S550. It was absolutely gorgeous and I've attached a photo below. I recall the driver mentioning it was a 2012 model, but I'm not certain. Can you tell by looking at the photo what year it might be?
Obviously, I'm going to take a good look at the maintenance history, but I think this is a good starting point to deciding which year range I should focus on.
Get the one with the most extensive maintenance history. These things are like airplanes. An older car with all the proper work done and the "big stuff" already addressed is the car to get. Year and, to a lesser extent, miles don't matter as much.
07-21-2019, 12:50 PM
