I owned a S550 about 5 cars ago and planning to go back to the S Class.

I’m looking at 2018 and 2019 models as they all appear the same from 18-20 but I’m mistaken let me know.

A few questions for the other owners and those in the know:

is 4Matic a good thing, bad thing or non-event? I don’t really need it but some have it and am curious what others have experienced both in owning and maintenance but also whether they are a value-add or a negative on down the road for resale.

Is Driver Assistance Package a must have? I normally get all the fancy stuff but one car I’m considering doesn’t have it. Thoughts?

how would you value mileage vs price and options? I don’t put a ton of miles on a car so I could be ok with a little higher considering over time that car would likely fall in line with the overall market if I put in less future miles. With that said, very curious as to thoughts and experiences both in owning and later on. This is more important when looking at $65-90k cars than it is when people are really stretching to get into an older luxury car as any way you look at it this is still an expensive car.

a few I’m considering for reference:
2018 - 41k miles I think. 4Matic. Great looking car with AMG, P1 and Warmth and Comfort but no DAP. $70k

2018 - 58k miles with AMG, P1, warmth and comfort, HUD and also DAP. So more miles but better equipped. $62 or 63k as I recall.

2019 - 41k miles. Same sort of setup as above. AMG, P1, HUD, Warmth and comfort and DAP. $74 I think.

I had a different car negotiated and ready to roll but when the guy went to email me the paperwork someone had just locked it down. I call that bad luck, or bad strategy on the salesman not locking it up sooner, but either way I missed it and am hoping to find something soon.

Appreciate the thoughts in general on the cars and the options to really look for but also on those sample cars as well.

thanks I’m advance

 

I would not call it a must-have, but it can be really great in stop-and-go traffic. If you’re often caught in the “highway crawl” then yes it’s great. It’s usually spec’d on most W222; a car without it is usually a stripper.

 

Thanks. I find it odd that the car in question doesn’t have it too. Most do and this one has other expensive options including the AMG so I was surprised. DAP was only 2500 or so new so surprising someone left it off.

Any other thoughts on the remainder or those cars?
thanks again

 

Which car was the one that got picked up - that you were negotiating - Model Year / Miles / location / price?

I had a very similar incident happen to me..... so I feel your pain

 

is 4Matic a good thing, bad thing or non-event: My opinion, for us in Texas, utterly useless. It adds needless weight and complexity and lowers your gas mileage.

Is Driver Assistance Package a must have? It and the "Premium 1" package are shown as extra-cost options, but every US car has them, so no decision to make on this one. Opinions on how well these features work and how useful vary all over the place. I personally like Distronic Plus very much but find "lane keep assist" annoying. Again, since all cars have this stuff you can try and see which ones you like and want to use.

how would you value mileage vs price and options? S-class cars take a big drop after factory warranty ends. CPO adds a chunk to the price but is attractive to people who want some protection from future repair costs. So I would start by considering how much you value having some warranty and/or CPO coverage still in force.

Regarding options, this is an interesting discussion, again, largely reflecting individual priorities and preferences. People who know the difference absolutely love the 3D sound upgrade (originally $6,400), but it's pretty rare. There's a sophisticated suspension upgrade called "Magic Body Control" that many on here swear by. Also rare. Other rare ones are "Magic Sky Control" and "Splitview".

For me, the options I most value are: (1) warmth and comfort package - heated armrests and steering wheel plus power/memory rear seats, (2) nappa or exclusive nappa upholstery, (3) heads-up display. IMO, I would call a car without these "stripped down". The "AMG Line" or "sport bodystyling" is also nice and many cars have it.

If you have rear-seat passengers, there are numerous options in back, like rear-seat entertainment and air conditioning, massage, etc.

BTW, in terms of options this is an interesting car ,,,, a bit above the examples you mentioned, but an interesting equipment spec ... https://www.texascarsdirect.com/used...UG8GB1KA437107

 

Believe it or not the AMG one I mentioned has the premium package but not the driver assistance package. They all have lane change, auto braking etc but not distronic and the other higher end automated features. I haven’t seen many without but that one is without. I sort of wondered if it couldn’t be added later over the air or at the dealer like Tesla does as I think the technology is there it just isn’t coded. Perhaps not.

I too value the rear seat warmth and comfort package but only because it has been many many cars back since I didn’t have the same options. I oddly don’t see many with the rear climate control which I find odd as I would have thought that was included but apparently not. Not something I have to have either but my kids would gripe without butt warmers in the seats- and we live in Houston!

I think the 4Matic is definitely not needed but if on the car I really liked I guess I’d take it - or should I not? That was sort of the way I was thinking about it. Take it if there unless I should intentionally avoid them.

 

Since you asked...

The Sport Package is merely cosmetic; although it does look good, its subtle and I could pass on it for a car that had everything else I wanted.

P1 package is a must IMO. How could you own a car like this without ventilated seats or Keyless Go?

Warmth & Comfort is a nice touch. Not necessary but nice. It adds the power / heated rear seats if you care for those.

HUD is a gimmick IMO. Cool at first, not important down the line.

I believe all of these cars will come standard with Nappa leather (the 18+ cars did IIRC); while extended Nappa is beautiful I would not buy it as the dash leather will shrink over time and be costly and difficult to fix. Especially in TX head.

4Matic is great for those of us who live in rainy or snowy areas. But I would not want it if I still lived in Dallas. I think it adds some NVH, and it definitely affects the way the car drives.

All 3 of the ones you are looking at sound nice. I would spring for the one in your top color choice or more importantly, the one in best condition. Good luck!

 

MBRACE vs Mercedes me
I should add my questions as I just found out that the 2018 has an outdated computer system relative to the 2019 and newer. I thought they were all the same and actually the dealer said they were but come to find out they switched from MBRACE to Mercedes Me connect and the equipment is different. I wondered why they didn't just update the 2018 to the new app but when I called MBUSA (if they know what they are talking about) the 2019+ has newer chips and equipment and the 2018 cannot be upgraded to Me. That sounds odd to me but if that is the case it sounds like the 2018 is more different than I thought. Is this correct? What is the actual implication?

Has anyone else learned this first hand or had experience but both to know what the actual differences are? Do I even care? I would hate to buy a 2018 when the 2019 is more or less the same money (a few thousand different typically) and later feel like I already was outdated.

thanks again for the info friends!

 

I agree with the advise taking the one in the best shape, condition. That was a big isssue for me and I did CPO in 2019 on a 2016. The older MBRACE system isn't the best for sure I hard mounted my phone just below the main screen, blocks the clock but enables me to use my phone easily.

4Matic is only good if you live in lots of rain and snow and for sure no Distrontic is a non-starter you have to have that feature. I rarely have people in the back so not having the heated seats back there does not make my car feel like a stipper. I had a 117k MSRP so not completely loaded but I have never had anyone sit in my car and feel cheated!

 

Take your time when shopping for a W222. There are so many available options and specifications it may take some time to get the right one... That being said, the wait is worth it!
To start, being in Texas, I would highly recommend the 4 zone climate control. In my opinion, in a hot climate, the 2-zone climate control struggles to deliver proper airflow to the rear. (It still baffles me that Mercedes has 2-zone climate in a 100k+ vehicle). Secondly, I would stay away from the Extended Nappa Leather as cfmistry mentioned (distinguishable via quilted leather). Despite being beautiful, the leather dashes are very prone to start peeling. As for the Distronic+, I would not want a car without it. Even though it's not as advanced as other systems, in day to day life, it makes driving less worrisome. Even on roads that aren't marked by lines, if there is a vehicle in front of you, it will follow them. My S doesn't have the Warmth & Comfort (sadly) but on paper, it seems to make the interior that much more comfortable. Oh I also recommend getting the 360 cameras. (Not sure if this is standard equipment on the facelift 2018-2021 models). It's a large car and it makes it much easier to learn.

As for other options...
Premium 1 - (Ventilated Front Seats / Keyless Go / Massaging front seats) Must have.
AMG package - I think it is almost needed... It makes the car look that much better.
HUD - (Displays navigation info / speed limit / vehicle speed ) Not needed but makes life a tiny bit easier.
Night Vision - A complete gimmick- I never use it.
Splitview - (Center screen displays 2 images depending on seating location) Again, another gimmick. Cool party trick- that's about it.
Comfort Box - (OEM pullout storage tray in trunk) Useful for putting restaurant take-out boxes in but again, not needed.
Exclusive Trim Package - (More wood paneling. On seat backs + 2nd trim piece on door panels). Not needed but makes the base-trim interior look nicer.
Magic Body Control - (No body roll whatsoever + nicer ride) - It's not a must have but it is nice. It only removes bumps about 50% of the time and it really isn't that much better than the standard air suspension.

I hope this helps.

 

Any more feedback / suggestions? All help is genuinely appreciated!

 

I bought a 2019 S560 with MBC, Burmester 3D, MSC, warmth and comfort, P1, and DAP for $64k with 60k miles last month after a couple months of searching. The vast majority of W222 come with P1 and DAP. I have seen one or two on every lot that didn't have DAP, but I have never seen one without P1. You can tell right away that it doesn't have DAP if there isn't a black plastic cover that extends all the way to the middle of the grille.

I don't know about your local market, but here in socal, at least when I was shopping, the W222s have been sitting on dealer lots (I was also cross shopping CPO W213). 2018 S560 with typical mileage were selling for high 60ks, and 2019 in the low to mid 70k. I think the 2018 with 58k miles is slightly overpriced for the miles when considering my recent purchase as it doesn't have any of the rarer options. I do get emails showing that the W222s I've bookmarked have been selling more quickly in recent weeks, but I've also seen price cuts from a couple dealers who were more firm on their prices.

DAP was very important to me as I have long commutes. The combination of DAP, MBC, and Burmester 3D really takes the edge off my commutes. I still don't fully trust Distronic to steer through the more aggressive bends on the freeway as I've witnessed some ping pong behavior, but having it take over the easy parts saves more energy than I had originally expected. MBC doesn't work 100% of the time, at least not as far as I can tell, but when it does, even big bumps and drops become almost perfectly flat. Some say that MBC is a must have, but after having tested both, I feel like I would be happy with either.

As far as other options go, I wish mine had HUD and I don't know why such a highly optioned car didn't have it. HUD is one of my favorite option in every W222 I've tested just because I don't have to look down when I use Distronic. Warmth and comfort package makes the rear look a lot nicer than without. I think the standard rear center armrest kind of cheapens the look of the rear as it makes it look similar to a C and E. I did not encounter a single car with night vision or splitview so I can't comment on those. The comfort box was installed in just about every W222 I came across.

 

Thanks for the market color. I too have been seeing interesting pricing as some dealers are still stingy and holding on to cars in the 80's where others are eventually selling in the mid to low 70's. I am also only looking at CPO cars so the pricing is higher than the others. I have owned multiple cars like this including two S class before and thus I value the CPO and will actually extend the coverage this time on my dime.

I appreciate your comments on options. My last S class had everything including the prior version of MBC along with splitview, nightvision, the works. Nightvision is something I would take if the car had it but honestly I used it the day I bought that car and never again. I don't think. I don't see the use other than as a party trick. I didn't use splitview once that I recall. The MBC was great until it wasn't. The active body control system is great to drive but it is much more finicky and expensive to repair as you can imagine so I would take it but won't hold off for it and I know what I am getting into. On my last car that had it once my warranty ran out it started giving me trouble and it would drop to the ground. Expensive to repair and it kept being finicky so I did the logical thing and traded it back in once it was working - or appeared to be. I also had Distronic a couple of times but the new Driver Assistance is that and quite a bit more from what I understand but then again I have not used this system before. It may end up never being used but I think I will hold off and make sure the car I buy has it based on comments thus far. Since most do it should not be hard to wait for the right one with that.

*** Anyone have real world knowledge or experience regarding the actual implications of having an 18 with Mbrace vs the 19+ with Mercedes Me Connect? Is this a big deal or a total non-issue - or somewhere in between?

 

Do you frequently use remote start? Like to unlock/lock your car from your phone? Value remote vehicle monitoring (ie park in bad neighborhoods)? That is pretty much the only advantage you are looking at. To most, it is not important.

 

I don't park in bad neighborhoods but I use remote start all the time.
Does the 18 with Mbrace not do that? I thought it did still allow for remote start, etc but it had other limitations, no over the air updates, technology apps, etc. I am not sure the details but if it doesn't have at least remote start and lock, unlock then the decision is easy.

 

So I just confirmed with the delivery specialist at my local MB dealer, 2018 MY S-class vehicles have mbrace, and it will still allow you remote start & lock/unlock your car.
Mercedes Me functionality - has all of the above and includes a valet mode (max speed limit and trunk remains locked), remote monitoring of windows/doors being open and GPS location services. Unfortunately they didn't seem to know about the in car services (air updates / technology apps etc....)

 

I have a 2018 S class and I don't believe it has remote monitoring or windows open or doors open, for that it takes 2 way communication and thats only available on the 2019 and up models with the MB me connect app. You can remote start and yes on GPS location services and Valet mode. Sometimes when I get to a hotel and wonder if I locked my doors and don't feel like going back to my car I just hit remote lock and know the doors are locked that way. With my 2019 E class wagon I can see that the doors are locked within the app. With the 2018 mercedes me app services are free for 5 years with my 2019 it was just 3 years. As far as over the air updates, it does show in the menu screen of my 2018 that it does have over the air updates but none have ever been available in that car, I've even asked at the dealer if there are any new map updates or anything and they've always said no. So it's basically just the 2018 map that stays there all the time with my S class. To me it's really not all that important anyhow as I normally use google maps or Waze. With my 2019 E class wagon it seems to do an over the air map update a couple times a year or so to keep the maps current. At least the 2018 S class I have is better than my former 2017 S class as that car did not even have apple car play for this reason I think the maps were regularly updated on those cars but was only available as a dealer download or aftermarket disc which I never really tried. I am overall very happy with my 2018 S class and to me it would not have been worth around the 8K or so it woulda cost me to go with a 2019 model year.

 

Shopping for S580 in 2024, saw a clean 2019 one with 59k mi for $42k.
Also test drove 2017 Lexus LS460, very smooth also but not as nice interior.

 

4-Matic is a non-event.
If you are a good driver, it is close to worthless; as you driving skills go down it becomes more useful. Judge for yourself.
Since you live in Houston, consider 4-Matic only a necessity if you take multiple trips to snow bound areas per year.

DAP is take it or leave it. I turned off my lank keeping assist as it is annoying. I seldom use Distronic Plus because it consumes brake pads.

Other than that; buy the one that warms your heart.

 

Not sure if this will be of any value -

My factory ordered '18 560, now 32,000 miles, came with deliberately chosen MBC for ride comfort. I am definitely low techie - use cruise control and distancing, navigation, hardly any other factory-standard options.

Other than the common initial glitch on the trunk lid not latching, quickly fixed, no problems.

Just try to make the best and most comfortabl deal you can - Good luck.