JoshS65

While my pro’s far out weigh my con’s i do love my S65, i never get tired looking at my car. leaving a store and walking to my car in the parking and seeing it I always tell myself “Damn that sure is a beautiful car”! I never get tired of the performance or how comfortable and quiet the interior cabin is, and you never realize how much wind noise you can hear in other cars until you ride in a s-class.
With that being said i feel i have some very valid con’s. for starters.

1. Lack of storage. In my S65 i have the executive seating with 4 zone climate control. the climate control ducts makes the front center console too shallow to store possessions. even additional napkins or other miscellaneous things. The door pockets seem to become a catch all for everything, and they’re not the easiest pockets to fumble through because the door handles position is too low and makes my hand do a back bend the deeper back i go back in the pocket to look for something lol. There’s no cubbies anywhere! while i like the storage compartment in front of the front seats idk what to put in there, what do you all use this space for holding? They’re too small and shallow for anything, i really wish they were drawers instead. My car also has the voice amplifier which is really awesome but that awesomeness took the sunglasses cubby away. with my storage complaint, I did improvise, over come, and adapt to my lack of storage by buying these door handle inserts for all four doors that fit like they’re factory. so now i have a place to sit my phone in.
2. 
   I also replaced my front ashtray with the smart phone holder that’s sold by CKM. I bought a non slip slim charging pad too and plugged it in using the existing cigarette lighter and tucked the wires behind the tray so now i have wireless charging in the tray. I ended up getting a leather sunglass clip which i hate but i got one that matches the leather headliner and doesn't leave any indention's in the visor.
3. I basically fixed this annoyance with my wireless charging hack, but the lack of easy access charging ports bother’s me. i read on the forum how some people have little notches in there center console for cables to lay in, well my car doesn’t have that. You just have to find a flat durable cable that can take being slammed on lol.
4. No “real” auto start. I hate that Mbrace charges US to start OUR cars and now they’re discontinuing service for year’s 2015-2018 so we no longer will have auto start or wifi.
5. I haven’t figured out how to hook my portable wifi air card to my car for wifi (if it’s possible). That then makes the entertainment screens just out dated dvd players which i’ll have to replace with after market android screens that accept mirroring and wifi.

Now I do realize these are first world problems lol nevertheless they are my gripes. I know some people hate the maintenance costs of these cars, that shockingly isn’t one of gripes. I knew all too well what the costs are owning one of these cars especially a V12 version. But I’m curious if you all have any?

TripleDown

The tiny trunk is up there on the list. It's crazy small for a car this big.

badq45t

Trunk on the 550e is even smaller, probably could hold 1 set of golf clubs but luckly I don't play golf! I wish the 16' infotainment was better I eventually may do a kit for android auto but handing text sucks even with the upgrade benzninja did (not very helpful). I agree with OP I look back at my car everytime I walk away from it in parking lot. My next door neighbors have a non-AMG package (it was a very low optioned car but they loved mine and upgraded from C-Class) and I am realy happy I have that package.

James S

Center console could use a divider rather than being a single box and the trunk could definitely be larger.

Last week I installed the Roadtrip or Roadtop unit for Android Auto and really like it. It's nice to be able to text by voice while driving and since I have XM in my other vehicle, being able to use it in the S class through the AA app is great,,,, and doesn't require another subscription.

I've had the car for 6 weeks now and am glad I bought it. I sold a CTS-V that I owned for 7 years that had close to 800whp and I really don't miss it.

badq45t

did you install it yourself? What unit. I have zero skills to do that and only found installer in Bay Area and he wanted $12000

James S

Yessir I installed it myself in less than 2 hours. It's super easy! $12000???? I'll fly to your location and install it for $5000.... it's literally like 6 or 8 screws to remove the center console assembly and you really only have to move it back and up high enough to remove the cd changer. The box that the unit is shipped in is what I used to keep the console raised.

I bought the Roadtop unit off ebay for $216.

badq45t

What year is your car? DId you just wireless or completely added. You can add your model and year in the signature

James S

I did the complete harness installation and at first had my phone connected to the cable but now use it wireless.

The car is a 2014 model.

S_W222

I liked both W222 cars I had, but there was a time where I felt, It's not the car I want to daily-drive anymore and it was time to move forward with something else:

1. Technology: This was the main reason that kept growing further with time. For both W222s I had, I always had at least 1 or 2 other BMWs in the garage. The Benz always felt lacking behind BMW tech wise, and having both at the same time it kept bothering me but it was just fine as most of my BMWs were from the same generation so the difference wasn't huge. It was just fine around 2017-2023... but once I moved to some BMWs with ID8, I started really to hate the W222 technology as it was not just older now, but also way behind tech wise. Relatively speaking, I hated the fact I still need a key with the Benz compared to BMW (phone as key), Wired CarPlay (no wireless option) and takes a long time to load up, then the biggest factor is the lack of real/useful OTA (the ownership experience gets boring too quckly compared to BMW that sometimes surprises u with some neat upgrades (e.g.: ID8 to ID 8.5, improved/smoother lane changing operation, etc...).
2. Engine / idle smoothness: Nothing serious here, but the W222 engine isn't as smooth as BMW and the same is true for the transmission. The drivetrain is better than 99% of the cars, but BMW fills that gap from 99 to 99.9% and having the W222 beside 2 other BMWs kept reminding me how the W222 engine vibrates sometimes on idle (no issues, just by design u can feel the engine running on a quite day), and the transmission is not even close to BMW performance. Those things were fine in 2017-2019 when I had my pre-facelift, but with the facelift W222 once I owned it beside newer BMWs from the 2021-2024 generations the transmission in the W222 didn't feel as good. Comparison ins't fair I know, but starting last year I felt that the W222 is just getting too old, outdated, and lack so many features and things I want to have based on what I have in my other cars.

That's about it. There is nothing much really to complain about when you own a W222. There is no way around technology and drivetrain not becoming outdated with time with how Mbenz does OTA and ignores cars already on the road, and I think as a benz unfortunately it was already 5 years behind the competition with the system they had on the W222, unlike nowadays with the EQS wherein the car feels at least on the same timeline with other top notch automakers like BMW. Nothing yet beats Tesla tech and functionalities on the market though, but certainly Benz EQS is too close to BMW IDrive now if not even better, The technology in the W222 however wasn't even close to what BMW had at that time with ID6 and ID7 around 2014/2015-2020 overlapping with the W222. I mean think about it... via an OTA Tesla has just added increased rear wheel steering angle to one of the cars already on the road... yes OTA... automatic gear selections, added adaptive headlights,etc... those are things that makes the ownership experience really exciting and for sure I don't expect the W222 to get some of that, but many of these features were things added to 2016+ Teslas. I there is something for Mbenz to learn from here so we the users can experience better car ownership. BMW is doing similar things, and I know that Mbenz are kinda following a similar path with EQS now. So the W222 system is becoming outdated at a much faster rate now.

badq45t

I am not bashing Benzninja I am super happy with my ride height, the gallons vs. % of gas and a engine data. But the 16' sucked for the text egagement even with coding.

BenzV12

I dislike yellow LED interior lights . I place my cell phone into the door bins . Retractable lid is good but I fear of breaking it down . In most Mercedes-Benz models we have butterfly two piece lid but W222s don't come with those styling . I like two piece armrest

Nice Ride

Is this the Unit? Any Issues or problems?

Lou B

Yawn -

Ho-hum...

The only thing I seriously dislike about my '18 S560 is how the windshield and outside mirrors keep snatching bugs out of the air.

Oh, and how when my wife has driven the car, the driver seat does not automatically resume my preferred position - I mean, what the heck, why should I have to push a button before I try to get in??? And, I have to readjust the rear view mirror...

Mitch Alsup

Should have gotten the V12........nuf said....

S_W222

Honestly, I don’t disagree… I think you are right. I also once wanted to try the S63, but the engine smoothness is even much much worse than the regular S580. The S580 was still better though not ideal. Never tried the V12 long enough but if it’s anything close to the 7-series M760, that’d be really nice and am sure it is at least as good but not sure about the transmission.

Mitch Alsup

The 7-speed in my S-600 is "less fussy" then the 9-speed in my GLS; and with the mountain of torque from the 6.0L the lack of gears is not an issue.

I even get 24 MPG on the highways.

Lou B

Depending on the terrain, I typically get 37-30 from my S560. It seldom goes to the 9th gear.

James S

That looks just like it.

SW20S

Honestly there isn't much that I dislike...its the best car I have ever had...

carlosinseattle

The S63 engine is sublime, extremely smooth. In my opionion, the engine is smoother than the S560 and S550 motors. And very quiet when not pushing it. The main problem with the S63, at least the 2018-2020, is the transmission/clutch system. It is purposeful built to prioritize fast shifts at the expense of "other driving characteristics". It's smooth in most normal driving situations, but frustrating in others. it's been discussed on the AMG forums so I won't go into detail. But the engine is amazing in every way!

S_W222

The "not smooth" comment that others and I were talking about doesn't refer to smoothness while cruising, but mostly during idle. That is a very well documented issue in the S560 and the S63. The S550 didn't have this issue, but no doubt the S560 and S63 aren't smooth at all when idle. Then combine this with jerky transmission that Mbenz failed to address since 2014, in my view, those are the only two issues that I wish were better in the Benz, and the S63 makes both of them even worse... of course unless you are pushing and tracking your car all time when cruising around. I haven't owned or driven W223 long enough to say that this has been addressed, but folks seem to continue to believe that the transmission isn't yet well dialed in. Not sure about engine smoothness for W223...

carlosinseattle

Interesting....my enging is absolutely silky smooth, both when driving and at idle. Smoothest engine I've ever owned, better than my S550 and any S560 and the W223 S-classes I drove. The tranny shift thing is quirky to say the least, but the motor, at least in my car and @superpop car, is silky smooth in all situations. I did drive one other 2018 S63 where the engine seemed rough, but everyhting about that car was rough. 2 other S63's I drove had engines that didn't feel as smooth as mine too. But I would only characterize one of the car's engines as feeling rough. Just my $.02 cents.

SW20S

There is a slight vibration at idle, but I would not at all say it’s “not smooth at all”…

I also have never had any issues with the transmission

Lou B

Re: S560 smoothness - had my car since June '18, with 32,000 miles - have never noticed anything at idle or driving tehat I could describe as lack of smoothness.

VII

Well the trunk is ridiculously small but the most annoying thing is the steering assist sensor that you have to shimmy the wheel every so often when you are going straight. That is a horrible solution and very annoying on long trips around here, the FL seems to be considerably better so if I find the right FL 65 I think I'm going to change over (even if I don't like the new lights).
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