Max94s

I’ve been researching this car for the past month, and some things are a bit difficult to find considering I’m not a pure MB enthusiast, things like, engine models and codes and stuff like that.

I understand these are not Toyotas, and I’m not looking for a Toyota 😊 But, I’m looking for personal experiences to make an informed decision whether this is a car for me.

Based on my research, I know that non-performance models of the W221 tend to be less abused by owners (specifically those that are expecting to sell it soon “FOMO effect”), but I know that the W221 S350 had issues with some belt that can fail and cause costly damage.

I also researched my local area, and found few maintenance garages specialized in German cars that (claim) to reduce costs up to 50% when compared to dealership (still requires a physical visit to both to check for the validity of this claim, but I think this will be my final step)

What I want to know is the following:

- Which model years are most reliable for instance?

- Which engines (by code, if possible, e.g. M272 V6) are to avoid?

- Which trim levels would you think had proven to be the most reliable?

- Like I said, these are no Prius. But, does that mean they break often… say every month or two for instance?! Are they THAT unreliable?

- On a yearly basis, how much can I expect to average on maintenance costs? Considering buying a new car you lose on depreciation, I’m willing to reverse the equation.. but still, I’d appreciate somebody to tell me how much I should expect (in case nothing catastrophic happens e.g. like total gearbox failure)

I don’t know if the following helps you understand more to answer more precisely:

- I live in UAE (desert climate), here the cars are GCC Specs (meaning optimized for the climate, Bigger radiators, better filters, etc.)

- The car will be used as a daily driver.

-German cars here (UAE) have a notoriety (say 10X the global norm) for being unreliable, thus these cars depreciate faster here, a 100k miles W221 S350 (2006) can be found for as low as $5000, high mileage models are even cheaper, while an abused Camry (+200k miles) is also the same price and sometimes more expensive. This is why I'm researching this car.

- Should I worry about High Mileage with W221? I tend to believe higher mileage means more parts have been replaced (so almost renewed mechanically)

- Extended Warranty requires the car to have been maintained at the dealership or a certified shop (Prices here are north of $5000 for the extended warranty, and I'm basing it on the "specialized garages" if the claims turned out to be true).

brliuy

Ha ha. The landlord asked the right person...
I've got 3 221s before and after. I've studied the best .350 or 500 of the 2011 model.
The 2011 model year has a new 276 and 278 engine.The new engine is more fuel-efficient and worry-free.This is a replacement of the engine.The old 101-liter fuel tank is retained.The 2012 model is an 85-liter fuel tank.I tried the high-speed.S350.One tank of fuel can run 1100 kilometers.. Really big fuel tank comfortable.。

Arrie

You should find a S500 because the far is heavy and the 3.5 L engine is not strong enough for it.

Also, for reliability I would go with a 2010 model with a NA engine. I have it in my 2010 E550 and that engine after 186000 miles sounds a lot better under hood than the double turbo with less than half of the miles in my 2012 S550. Less things to go wrong without the direct injection and turbos. A bit less power but if you are looking S350 models then there is plenty for you.

Also, the smaller engine is the one that gets abused as it really is too small for the car.

CQHall

I wouldn't worry about buying a performance model (i.e. S63) because this car was never appealing to people looking to go fast simply because it's so big and so heavy. Those people were looking for C63, E55, and E63 to mod and make faster.

I live in a major metro area and I see a S63 maybe once every 2 months...and never driven by anyone under 50. I may be the youngest in the area, hahahaha.

Max94s

Thanks so much for your reply! I agree, less mechanical parts are the safer way to go, I guess because the S350 was less powerful and quieter I thought it was less encouraging to be pushed harder but I see your point that the engine is working harder all the time if it was underpowered.

Regarding the model year, I see from your answer that 2010 and onwards are where manufacturing/design defects began to be solved on production models, thanks for this insight!

Max94s

LOL I see those models more often here in UAE as well, could be a good point. I'm 28 yo btw, but I guess I'm an old soul LOL

Max94s

Thanks for replying!
combined with another answer I again see that newer (2010+) models are where defects are being solved. But were the balance shaft issues of the S350 solved by this time? This is my major concern for the M272 V6.

KNBS550

I just bought a 2012 S550 4-matic a few weeks ago. It is fully loaded with the upgraded Band & Olafsen audio system, distronic plus, blind spot monitor, lane keep, active braking, rear power seats, upgraded napa leather, etc. I previously owed a W222 with the later generation body style, but even with the electronic gizmos, LED dance floor lighting, and nicer interior, I missed the solidity of the W221 (2007-2013) S-Class. They are just built better with higher quality materials IMO.

I still have a 2007 S550 that has 262K miles now with the N/A M273 engine. And yes, it was within the engine serial number range affected by the balance shaft issue, however I drive like an old man so it didn't show a CEL until the clock hit 255K. It still runs fine, but the annoying amber CEL light is always on. I'm going to sell it on Craigslist or something.

I was originally looking for a 2010-2011 for the refreshed S-Class body style, avoid the balance shaft issue, and have the non-turbo M273 V8 engine because it is a simpler engine to do maintenance on for basic stuff like changing air filters and spark plugs. If that's important to you stick with 2010-2011. The added assist tech starting on the 2012 is what won me over even though I have to live with the M278 turbo V8 motor with more stuff that can go wrong. I will point out that if you get one with a 4-matic all-wheel drive system it'll add cost more than the non-4 matic cars for repairs like the engine/tranny mount replacement. The front exhaust system has to be dropped and I think the front drive shafts as well, to get to the engine mounts.

You can google search for the M273 engine serial numbers that are affected by the weak balance shaft materials. If you don't know what the engine serial number is for a particular VIN use www.vindecoderz.com and it'll list all the specs for the car. I specifically wanted Distronic Plus radar cruise control (option code 233). The search took a while and I got most of what I wanted with a reasonable number of miles (<80K) on the odometer. Good luck!

BOTUS

check personal messages

the reputation you mention, is because these are designed and built to be an 18 month toy to be discarded and replaced with something of another colour shortly after purchase

if you have access to a vehicle ramp, want to become a motor vehicle tech outside your day job and paying for half the worlds spare parts - I don't think there is a better model yet built to allow this dream to come true

Max94s

Thanks for that detailed insight!!
From all the knowledge that I gathered here and in other places, the car is almost like a Maserati Quattroporte every time you turn on the ignition your blood pressure goes up! It worries me that living with it knowing there are parts that are essentially a ticking bomb that can announce themselves broken at the next ignition start, that makes it an anxiety machine. I originally considered it because I thought, yes, the parts can be expensive by at least 5X the counterpart from other car brands, but at least it would be a fun car that I couldn't wait to wake up in the morning to drive it. Given how often things break, that sucks the fun out of it Leaving me with anxiety and costly repairs all year long.

EasyPhil

If you want care free reliability buy or lease a brand new car. For a used car you either have know how with respect to diagnosing and fixing it or you have the money to pay someone else to do it.

LordBowral

I have to disagree. I have an E350 and an S350 and the engine is more than powerful enough with 225 kW. It’s seldom goes over 2 1/2 thousand revs and uses a lot less fuel than the V8

MBKev

It is nothing like a Maserati Quattroporte. Have you seen Maserati part prices? You're going to think that W221 parts are CHEAP compared to one.

I have rarely seen a broken down W221 (Mostly air suspension issues). If you stick to the M273 5.5L N/A V8, the drivetrain is good and the car probably won't strand you anywhere. However, the problem with these is when you start having oil leak issues like a rear main seal, or transfer case leak (4Matic cars only), etc. It will take a lot of labour hours to get them fixed. If labour is cheap, then I wouldn't be too worried.

Having said that, I bought a high mileage one (250k km/155k miles) in December 2022 and so far have spent $17,000 CAD to bring the car up to spec. Still not perfect but 95% of the way there and on mine, the car was very abused and so many things that I have never seen broken on another W221, was broken on mine.

Shadly1

I am VERY curious to learn what is done in UAE to our cars to adapt to hotter climates. From the factory, all you get is "Hot Climate Mode" in the A/C system. I'm pretty sure all it does is allow Max Cool in all the rest of the modes besides Max Cool. I know it didn't impress me enough to go digging for it. In a cooler or humid climate, this could cause the evaporator to freeze up. I don't believe there is a bigger radiator or A/C condenser available for our cars.

I'm in Phoenix so I think we share climates. LOL

bishop64

Check your VIN. If it begins with W, then it means it is made in Germany and qualifies the car as GCC spec. If a car is built in the US, it might begin with 1,3 or 5 and is US spec.
I suppose the majority of MB cars begin with W.

BOTUS

its probably a slightly bigger system (and I guess rear AC becomes std) euro cars with option rear AC get 1.3kg of gas, two evaporators and the auto pollution sniffing recycle for incoming air

Oz cars always had a mega AC upgrade over european systems (all brands)

George993

The answer is 2010-2011 S550 unless you know what you are doing and select other years or models for your own reasons.

George993

And I should add: without 4-Matic, without Pano roof, without ABC suspension, unless you really understand those options and know why you need them

Arrie

Well, my man, it all depends on what you feel is enough power for you. For me the 3.5L V6 was not enough for the E-class so I traded it in for the E550. The 3.5L for the S-class would be ridiculously underpowered....for me.

MBKev

4Matic and Panoroof is fine as long as you maintain them. The Panoroof mostly dies because of the lack of lubrication by the owners. If I recall correctly, the pano sunroof does not have sunroof drains so you don't have to worry about them clogging up. I use mine all the time and have no issues and works like new.

ABC is what you want to avoid (S600, S63, S65 AMG). A complete overhaul of the ABC system is on average $20k.

I just picked up another W221 a week ago (08 S450 - Pre-facelift) and that also needs several thousands of dollars of work (Rack and pinion, All diff and trans fluid, transfer case leak, control arms (Front and rear), brakes, etc) and it came with $60,000 in receipts from the original owner (High mileage - 372,000k km or 232,500 miles). Mostly bought this one as a backup s-class so I can always be driving one even if the other is in the shop :P Both are pretty loaded (Night vision, Distronic Plus, Massage, etc). The S450 is a shorter wheel base than the S550 but I'm usually the only one in the car anyway so not a big deal for me.

Both are 4Matic, without ABC and only 1 (2011 S550 - Facelift) has the pano sunroof.

I would budget an extra $5000-$10,000 if you are planning on taking it to a mechanic to fix your problems. These cars are pay to play cars. Besides regular maintenance items, most parts have to be special ordered so it might sit at the shop for weeks at a time while you are waiting for parts. Also, since you're in Dubai, you can also head to Sharja and find parts for cheap there (Sent an employee there a couple years ago).

Also, we're both the same age so I don't think age is a factor. Typically, the older crowd has the financial means to afford such cars hence why you see more older folks driving these. While I care about the tech and features of the car, most younger guys just want the vanity/status of having a Mercedes-Benz and usually end up with the best/newest one they can afford (Typically CLA or C class).

cruiser02

What do you mean by "lack of lubrication"? I have one too and would like to keep it in top shape.

kevm14

Didn't read all the replies yet but I'll chime in with a few comments.

- At least for US cars, I'd pick the M273 over any other engine (which in the US means 07-11) for reliability
- Your environment is hell on everything under the hood
- I bought a lower mileage (79k) 07 S550 in late 2021. Other than doing some of the typical PM items, it's been just oil changes. Great car. Something in the 93k area now. I have joked multiple times that this is the Toyota Camry of S-classes. My car is mostly a base model US car with 4Matic and one of the convenience packages. It is missing a ton of "toys" and I think this greatly improves the car's reliability. My M273 is post timing gear issue (they say) so I have no current hesitation with an 07. Others may disagree. I actually think the pre-facelift cars are the most reliable overall.
- You need to actually conduct the various maintenance activities and if the car has unknown history, you'll be going through and doing a ton of fluids and some other items. So plan accordingly.

BOTUS

other than the rouge cam chain idler gear made of chocolate that afflicts randomly any of the pre 2010 NA v8s and the chocolate balancer shaft on the v6 the early cars comand lasts 3 times as long and the rest is no different or better - (the declared chassis range for chocolate engine components is a misnomer, plenty in the range don't, and plenty outside that do). It would make lots of sense the later cars do have more issues - as they had another 5 years of development building in tricks forcing people toward leasing as the only affordable solution to their planet destroying madness

MBKev

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiser02

What do you mean by "lack of lubrication"? I have one too and would like to keep it in top shape.

I use marine-grade grease to lubricate the sunroof rails (where they slide on). Glides like butter and opens and closes with ease every time. Also I clean out any gunk in the rail first before I apply it.

Over many years of ownership and lack of lubrication, it gets harder to push the glass for the motor and sometimes they can get bent (common on BMW X5 panoramic sunroof) thus requiring a replacement because they typically can't be repaired (Never the same again).