I have a 08 s550 4matic and i'm looking to replace it next year with ether a 12-13 s550 or 14-15 s550 (both rwd).
Questions about the 12-13:
1.whats the fuel economy difference with the m278 vs m273
2.what features did they add in 2012 from 2010

Questions about the 14-15:
1. Do you really have to spend $100 for a wiper blade with magic vision control
2.whats the real world fuel economy
3.Is the interior quality better than the w221 and how
4. what kind of smart phone integration is there
5. whats the best spare tire solution
6. can you get a 100k plus mile descent example for less than $30k
7. how does burmester compare to hk
8. any common issues so far

 

I have a 2015 S-600.
I can get 23-24 MPG at 70 MPH on the interstates over hundreds of miles.
The V8s should be a bit better than the V12.
The 9-speed transmissions should be a bit better than the 7-speed.
The S-600 has blue tooth and has worked well with my cell phone.

I have never been inside a 221 so i can't do interior comparisons.
The W222 is a lower drag design (it has an aero coefficient better than my wife's Prius!)

I have not had to replace wiper blades.

 

A rule of thumb is to go with the newest, lowest mileage vehicle that meets your requirements and fits your budget. Do they both meet your requirements and fit your budget?

 

I can't comment on many things you have asked because I have an S550e with the M276TT but, from my understanding, the M278 was quite reliable and had a great run from 2012-2017.

1. Not sure - parts online range from $130-150. I can't remember replacing mine yet since I'm in SoCal. Maybe I paid just didn't notice. Sorry

3. The interior quality is 10x better than W221. Go test drive one if you haven't already. Why get virtually the same car (2008 221 to a 2013 221), if you can spring the extra dollar and feel like you've upgraded? Yes you can find a clean example of a 2012/2013 but, are you really going to feel like you purchased a new car? I was never a fan of the W221 interior and that's why I never owned a Benz until I sat in a W222 and was speechless.
4. Bluetooth pairs extremely fast. You can pay a subscription fee to get a wireless hotspot but that's about it for phone integration. Some 2014-2017 folks have done an Apple CarPlay/Andriod Auto upgrade with a small video box but, standard, you won't be getting CP/AA in 2014-2017 years.
5. The best tire solution was made famous by Streamliner (I believe) who used a spare tire jack/kit from a W221. Ditch the run-flats. They ride horribly and go out too fast. Maybe a road side assistance service as well.
6. Look at any car with the M278 whether it be E, CLS, GL, etc. you name it. These engines have proven to travel very far distance with simple maintenance (M278 owners feel free to chime in if I'm wrong, just trying to help). Check Carfax and Autocheck reports from various cars and sellers.
7. The base burmester system is not very good IMHO. And many other 222 owners have agreed. Try to find one with the High-End 3D package like mine. If it has the option, you likely be looking at a car with more options overall, which is a nicer buy considering option upgrades are pretty much worthless on the used car market. A base S550 MSRP of $98k and a full special ordered Designo MSRP of $140k+ are almost worth the same after 4-5 years.

Short answer, get a 222. They have become fairly affordable in price and are much nicer than a 221. Though I love the exterior of the 221 way more. Someone needs to make a 2013 Sport pkg 221 with the interior of a Designo 222. Dream spec.

The newest and lowest mileage, the better. Make sure it has extensive service records. I would rather buy a car with 50k miles and lots of records vs a car with 35k miles and the only record is the Pre-delivery inspection from the dealer when new.

Good luck with your search and let us know what you end up getting!

 

I would ****** up a 3 year old, off-lease W222 and get a certified , unlimited mileage full warranty. That would put you in a 2017 model. The refresh for 2018 is awesome but I had a 2017 S63 and it was awesome. You'll get the car for around 50% off of MSRP and it will serve you well.

 

Ya, I really like my 2017 S550. You could probably get one with some miles on it like 50K or so for around the 40's I'd think. The car seems pretty much bulletproof so far, no issues. Maybe something like this https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...ckType=listing

 

Can you play music from your smart phone with the usb port?

 

Dont need the USB to play music. I play over Bluetooth

 

I prefer not to use Bluetooth in general. I was wondering if it's possible to play over USB.

 

Yes it is possible, two USB ports in the center armrest that allow you to charge, play music, and change tracks through the Comand interface and steering wheel buttons. (iPhone, not sure about Android)

 

I still have my w221 and got a certified w222 this year. Personally I think the w221 was better built and more solid. Interior on w222 is much more elegant.
1) magic vision wipers are expensive. Buy them when the dealer has parts special coupon but it’s a much better system than spraying fluid at the windshield.
2) I don’t pay attention to gas mileage but probably getting at least 24 with start stop system on.
3) interior nicer on w222 but not sure if the leather is as good a quality as in w221. The ambient lighting is nice but the novelty wears away after a few weeks. Bad thing about w222 is they eliminated the dual center compartment. On the w221 the center compartment had a top tray opening left and right side and a bottom storage where the lid flips up. Storage in w222 in door handles is nonexistent. I don’t have a place to put my coins like in w221.
4) bluetooth
5) use a w221 spare tire or don’t drive too far outside of inhabited area
6) check the vmi but I wouldn’t buy this car over 100k. There more plastic components than the w221 in the engine. The oil pan is plastic. The turbo coolant lines have plastic fittings and will fail over time. I bought mine with about 50k miles and certified.
7) HK wasn’t great IMO but the burmeister is worse. Too tinny sounding and bass is not clean...I’m not an audiophile but that’s my interpretation.
8) no issues

Additionally I hate the panoramic roof on the w222. In the w221 you could pop up the rear of the moonroof glass to vent the car with the roof still closed as the air flowed through slats in the roof panel. On the w222 the roof shade has to open entirely for the glass to vent. You vent the car but you’re also baking with the sun rays through the glass. If you own one you probably know what I’m talking about.

Trunk space is greatly diminished with the burmeister system. I could fit 3 golf bags across with the w221 but on the w222 I have to angle the golf bags and put it in the trunk lengthwise. Really disappointing.

Other than that the safety systems are better on the w222. Distronic plus and active lane keep assist make driving safer. The airmatic ride is more refined and smoother than the w221.

 

Come again...?

 

I bought a curt towbar for my w221 is there any tow bar options in the u.s. for the w222?

 

@Will Hunt Do the Curt or etrailer website selectors/configurators offer any information?

 

They don't have any.

 

I was faced with a similar dilemma earlier this year when I was finally ready to move on from my 2004 W220. Just like you I was considering the 2012 - 2013 W221 or the 2015-2016 W222. While the cost of purchase and insurance for the W221 was more attractive, I had read about the issues with early M278 engines which caused me concern. Additionally, if I bought a W221 I would soon again find myself with an attractive, yet outdated S-Class, that would soon need lots of old parts replaced. After thinking it all over and wanting to have a car that had the latest M278 updates, along with all the modern conveniences of the S-Class lineup, plus factory remote start, the only option was a 2016 and later W222. BTW, you should eliminate the 2014 W222 from consideration. Buying the first year of a new model is never a good idea!

Best of luck on your decision!

 

We offer the best remote starter option available for either of these vehicles! Don't let a lack of remote starter impact your purchase, as we can provide you with a kit that out-performs that of the factory option.

 

Your post mentions M278 updates. Can you spell out what those were and in what model years they occurred?

I am in particular concerned about the valve seat failure issue but am interested in any other issues that you are aware of.

 

Before making up my mind, I watched hours upon hours of YouTube M278 complaint and repair videos. The engine was introduced in 2010 and evolved over its lifetime, but an apparent flaw in the lubrication system led to various timing issues early on. I recall that for the engines installed by the end of the second year of the W222 production (2015 MY), the issue was essentially gone. However for the affected engines, there are TSBs and kits available to correct the problem if caught early.

That's just the Cliffs Notes version, but below is a copy of text from someone who is far better capable of articulating the issue.

Mercedes M278 Engine Problems and Reliability

Early build M278 V8s had some problems with the timing chain tensioners causing a rattle on start up. The engine has a pretty complicated timing chain drive arrangement. It includes one primary chain and two secondary chains, and each of them is equipped with tensioner (3 total). If not pay attention to knocks/noise for a long time, this may lead to the replacement of the entire chain drive system together with cam adjusters. There were some reports of engine oil starvation due to the failure of the oil pump drive gear (oil pump is driven via a chain).

Also, there were some problems with premature valve guide wear, but later engines don't have that issue. The Silitec coating showed themselves as bad cylinder surface material for operation under high temperatures and detonation. Later, the manufacturer switched on NanoSlide coating which is more scratch resistance.

Source

 

Will w222 values go down significantly next year since the w223 came out?

 

You need define significantly. Over the year that a new model is introduced there is a step down as opposed to the smooth depreciation that occurs during the production life of the model in the value of the previous model.

 

Your typical S class will depreciate around 2K per month for the first 24 months and then taper off to around 1K per month after that. It is typically not effected too much with a new version or model. Also remember that this is a niche car with a very small pool of buyers so they do sit on the market for a while compared to say a Honda or Toyota.

 

Nah, it is not. Maybach is...

 

They sold 12,500 S Class sedans last year in the states out of 17 million new cars and trucks sold, it is a niche.

 

The data says otherwise

2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $21,146
2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $22,977
2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $25,560
2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $41,619
2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $46,478
2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class $54,198

Like I said in my previous post there is a step change between models. This is nearly always the case....

Which says that if the OP is itching to do something now he should get a W221 if he can wait until about a year after the W223 comes out then I would get a W222