This Car Sucks: A W223 Review
01-13-2023, 01:52 PM
#101
German engineering = extremely complex and expensive for no apparent reason
Remember, these are "rich" people's car that are leased and returned before warranty expires. I wouldn't recommend a German car outside of the warranty to my enemy.
Remember, these are "rich" people's car that are leased and returned before warranty expires. I wouldn't recommend a German car outside of the warranty to my enemy.
01-14-2023, 12:45 PM
#102
Member
This Car Sucks: A W223 Review
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
01-15-2023, 11:19 AM
#103
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
This Car Sucks: A W223 Review………..Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively……………..
I’ve put about 9,000 miles on my 2022 S580 since I got it last March. Mine is a loaded “Executive Line” with EABC & 19” wheels. I truly dislike this car and it is the ride quality that is much to blame. As with all my previous S Class sedans, I dumped the run flat tires and put on a set of cushy, Continental non-RFT. This helped, but not nearly enough. Where the OP complains of his non-EABC car having “pronounced roll & bounce” and that MB “overdid” the softening, making the car “drive like a boat,” pretty much the exact opposite is what I have. My car is just too stiff over city street road imperfections, which results in an uncomfortable, at times jarring ride. If they overdid the cushiness of the AirMatic equipped cars, they overdid the stiffness of the EABC cars.
Someone here in another thread said that down the road, these W223 cars will be talked about as the “covid” cars, since they appear to have been brought to market without having been fully sorted before production started, due to factory shutdown’s, etc. As someone who has now had 17 new MB’s, I could not agree more. This is the most expensive car I have ever owned and my least favorite.
01-15-2023, 11:36 AM
#104
Member
Streamliner….just try the S500 without the EABC, without rear axle steer. Yes, it’s a very soft ride when left in “comfort” mode…with tightening up on curves or corners. I find that aspect a bit offputting, difficult to get used to. But overall, I find it satisfying. Very. Needless to say, I have the option of two “sport” settings when in “individual” mode. I know you are aware of this! I’m not particularly easy to please….but/and I really love the S500.
Last edited by Peter; 01-15-2023 at 01:46 PM.
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01-15-2023, 11:42 AM
#105
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Streamliner….just try the S500 without the EABC, without rear axle steer. Yes, it’s a very soft ride when left in “comfort” mode…with tightening up on curves or corners. I find that aspect a bit offputting, difficult to get used to. But overall, I find it satisfying. Very. Needless to say, I have the option of two “sport” settings when in “individual” mode. I know you are aware of this! I’m not particularly ease to please….but/and I really love the S500.
01-15-2023, 01:51 PM
#107
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I do believe that the W223’s could be tuned by the factory to ride better, but that doesn’t help me right now. I truly believe that the W223 was brought to market without enough test miles driven, without enough fine tuning and without enough care. They should have held the launch back until 2022 or 2023 and given the car the massaging, tweaking and polishing a new S Class deserves.
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01-15-2023, 02:14 PM
#108
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
They are also not very expensive IMO when living in at a time where Corvettes & Escalades can go for $150k and pickup trucks can touch $100k...
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01-15-2023, 02:22 PM
#109
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
My mistake was that I “BELIEVED” in the MB brand in general and the S Class in particular. With all the hype surrounding the launch of the W223, I made a gross error in believing that this car would be at least as good as the W222, if not significantly better in most every way. With the hype over the EABC system, I felt it would be reasonably if not significantly better than the previous Magic Body Control or “MBC,” I wasn’t thrilled with the interior design, the huge touch screen, black plastic everywhere, etc., but I believed that like the W221 and W222 cars, the W223 would, as an entire package, be a better car. In my opinion, after owning a new W221 and three new W222’s, it’s not better and when it comes to ride quality, it doesn’t even come close.
I do believe that the W223’s could be tuned by the factory to ride better, but that doesn’t help me right now. I truly believe that the W223 was brought to market without enough test miles driven, without enough fine tuning and without enough care. They should have held the launch back until 2022 or 2023 and given the car the massaging, tweaking and polishing a new S Class deserves.
I do believe that the W223’s could be tuned by the factory to ride better, but that doesn’t help me right now. I truly believe that the W223 was brought to market without enough test miles driven, without enough fine tuning and without enough care. They should have held the launch back until 2022 or 2023 and given the car the massaging, tweaking and polishing a new S Class deserves.
01-15-2023, 04:04 PM
#110
Senior Member
i have reread all of these posts on this thread and i can honestly say that I am truly enjoying my car and have no complaints at all with it. Mine is the s500 swb model with the digital lights which i believe are not available in the USA. I am in Canada.My seats have the nappa leather. driving the car quite frankly is a dream .. Easy to pass other vehicles on mostly 2 lane roads and fast enough to get a speeding ticket. I have just had the updated software installed by the dealer. To me it is like driving a larger eclass with S class features
Last edited by martinlarose; 01-15-2023 at 09:57 PM.
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01-15-2023, 04:18 PM
#111
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Mercedes/Mazda/Genesis
i have reread all of these posts on this thread and i can honestly say that I am truly enjoying my car and have no complaints at all with it. Mine is the s500 swb model with the digital lights which i beleive are not available in the USA. I am in Canada.My seats have the nappa leather. driving the car quite franly is a deam. Easy to pass other vehicles on mostly 2 lane roads and fast enough to get a speeding ticket. I have just had the updated software installed by the dealer. To me it is like driving a larger eclass with S class features
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01-15-2023, 04:24 PM
#112
Junior Member
Same here. Traded in my 2019 S560 for a 2022 S580.
Car rides like S#$T - Worst S-Class ever driven. In my humble opinion. And I have driven multiple versions.
Car suffers from excessive body Roll/Sway. My entire upper half of the body keeps moving like a pendulam left/right when driving, even on smooth roads.
MB service did find a few faults in the Airmatic controller (replaced it) - but car still drives the same - horrid compared to my older W222
Their last fix/response to my complaint of harsh ride quality was to decrease tire presssure from 40 to 30 PSI.
Next week, going to test drive the G90, and if the ride quality is on par with the older S560 - will probably swap for the G90
Mercedes - WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU ?? You are Not what you used to be. How sad
Maybe we should all start making "real life" you tube reviews about the S580!!! To warn the others.
Titled - "An honest review of the S580 - and you're not going to like it"
Looking at all the reivews - they make the S580 ride quality even better than the S560 - and THAT is absolutely not a true statement (putting it mildly)
Although - - it is a quieter ride - I will give it that
Car rides like S#$T - Worst S-Class ever driven. In my humble opinion. And I have driven multiple versions.
Car suffers from excessive body Roll/Sway. My entire upper half of the body keeps moving like a pendulam left/right when driving, even on smooth roads.
MB service did find a few faults in the Airmatic controller (replaced it) - but car still drives the same - horrid compared to my older W222
Their last fix/response to my complaint of harsh ride quality was to decrease tire presssure from 40 to 30 PSI.
Next week, going to test drive the G90, and if the ride quality is on par with the older S560 - will probably swap for the G90
Mercedes - WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU ?? You are Not what you used to be. How sad
Maybe we should all start making "real life" you tube reviews about the S580!!! To warn the others.
Titled - "An honest review of the S580 - and you're not going to like it"
Looking at all the reivews - they make the S580 ride quality even better than the S560 - and THAT is absolutely not a true statement (putting it mildly)
Although - - it is a quieter ride - I will give it that
Last edited by zukiper; 01-15-2023 at 04:28 PM.
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01-15-2023, 04:46 PM
#113
My 2018 S560 is in the shop for some minor things but they are telling me it'll be at least 2 weeks. They first put me in the EQB, which I hated, because that was the only loaner they had. Next day advisor called me to switch out for a 2023 s500. It's only been 2 days but I REALLY miss my car. I agree 100% with the craftsmanship and quality of the interior parts.The s500 feels "cheaper" than my s560. Yes the newer technology is attractive but the tech in my s560 is pretty advanced. Mine has Burmester upgrade, magic sky, magic body, Rear executive, and more and this s500 is pretty basic but I expected A LOT more. I am in no rush to upgrade and I'm glad I know that even more now.
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01-15-2023, 04:49 PM
#114
Junior Member
I have never REGRETTED upgrading my S-Classes Until Now.
My 2019 S560 drove like a dream, had 26K miles and was built with such craftsmanship.
All you S560 owners - KEEP YOUR CARS (or sell one with low miles to me he he he)
My 2019 S560 drove like a dream, had 26K miles and was built with such craftsmanship.
All you S560 owners - KEEP YOUR CARS (or sell one with low miles to me he he he)
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Streamliner (01-15-2023)
01-15-2023, 06:17 PM
#115
Out Of Control!!
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PFL205.064 with M276.823 (Oil pump solenoid defeated)
My 2018 S560 is in the shop for some minor things but they are telling me it'll be at least 2 weeks. They first put me in the EQB, which I hated, because that was the only loaner they had. Next day advisor called me to switch out for a 2023 s500. It's only been 2 days but I REALLY miss my car. I agree 100% with the craftsmanship and quality of the interior parts.The s500 feels "cheaper" than my s560. Yes the newer technology is attractive but the tech in my s560 is pretty advanced. Mine has Burmester upgrade, magic sky, magic body, Rear executive, and more and this s500 is pretty basic but I expected A LOT more. I am in no rush to upgrade and I'm glad I know that even more now.
01-15-2023, 06:25 PM
#116
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
I am having difficulties imagining that MB designed an E-ABC suspension to be stiff for an S-Class. You are obviously are living with the car but I wonder if the car/software is in order. Especially given there are a number of software glitches on newer models. I wouldn't trust the opinion of a MB SA just due to the lack of on-hand experience aka rarity of the suspension but suggest to find another S-Class with E-ABC and take that for a spin.
01-15-2023, 06:57 PM
#117
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
I have complained to Fletcher Jones to the point where they really won’t talk to me anymore. I have written letters to MBUSA and opened a case with them, which they closed, saying that there is nothing wrong with my car. I truly feel that MBUSA KNOWS that there are numerous issues with these cars and have decided to just shut down most complaints, instead of dealing with them honestly. Trying to find another EABC car to drive is just about impossible, even in my big market. Very few were ordered and now that word is out that the $6,500.00 option my not be exactly wonderful, no dealer will order the option on a car for stock. Heck, they virtually never ordered MBC on W222’s or ABC on the R231’s and those systems, as we both know, were absolutely FABULOUS!
Good luck!
01-15-2023, 09:31 PM
#118
MBWorld Fanatic!
What’s hilarious is there’s a post in the W222 forum where someone has a W223 loaner and he is BLOWN AWAY by it 
Originally Posted by carlosinseattle;[url=tel:8703174
8703174[/url]]I've had the pleasure of driving a 2022 S500 4-Matic over the last 4 weeks. The car was provided as a loaner from the dealer. If anyone has any questions about the experience of driving the W223, let me know and I'll answer. Here are my thoughts so far:
The new S500 has a V6 TT motor with an electrically powered supercharger and a mild hybrid system. Wneh compring it to the V8 in my S550, it isn't as smoth or responsive as I like, but it has plenty of power for highway speed and most overtaking situations. nd obviously the exhaust note is lacking. It's super effecient and smooth when cruising.
The interior, and technology are where this car shines. I wasn't a fan of the "scoreboard" in the middle of the car when I saw the car in pictures and videos, but when viewing it from the driver's seat using it for driving I'm 100% sold on it. I absolutely LOVE the new display and layout. I've used "Hey Mercedes" more freuently and really appreciate how quick and easy things happen. But I have no idea how to properly interact with the gesture control, with one exception. I LOVE how when reaching for something in the passenger seat or rear of the car, the lights in that area automatically turn on, then turn back off without pusing a button or saying anything. The active ambient lighting and built in front facing dashcam were surprises nobody talked about in reviews, both are winners for me.
The ride is superb, probably because of better tires than what I have on my S-class, but there's probaly also some supsension upgrades. In any event, the ride is smoother at all speeds. The suspension, over bumps and imperfections, is only slightly better, not a drastic improvement. I judge this based on how well the car maintains composure over rough bumps, especially when cornering. This is when stability is crucial, and this car is only slightly better at best than the W222.
This is basically serving as an extended test-drive, and I couldn't be happier about it
The new S500 has a V6 TT motor with an electrically powered supercharger and a mild hybrid system. Wneh compring it to the V8 in my S550, it isn't as smoth or responsive as I like, but it has plenty of power for highway speed and most overtaking situations. nd obviously the exhaust note is lacking. It's super effecient and smooth when cruising.
The interior, and technology are where this car shines. I wasn't a fan of the "scoreboard" in the middle of the car when I saw the car in pictures and videos, but when viewing it from the driver's seat using it for driving I'm 100% sold on it. I absolutely LOVE the new display and layout. I've used "Hey Mercedes" more freuently and really appreciate how quick and easy things happen. But I have no idea how to properly interact with the gesture control, with one exception. I LOVE how when reaching for something in the passenger seat or rear of the car, the lights in that area automatically turn on, then turn back off without pusing a button or saying anything. The active ambient lighting and built in front facing dashcam were surprises nobody talked about in reviews, both are winners for me.
The ride is superb, probably because of better tires than what I have on my S-class, but there's probaly also some supsension upgrades. In any event, the ride is smoother at all speeds. The suspension, over bumps and imperfections, is only slightly better, not a drastic improvement. I judge this based on how well the car maintains composure over rough bumps, especially when cornering. This is when stability is crucial, and this car is only slightly better at best than the W222.
This is basically serving as an extended test-drive, and I couldn't be happier about it
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01-16-2023, 03:21 PM
#119
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
Understood. Still suggest to give another S-Class a try for comparison ride. MB at Laguna Niguel has a Cirrus Silver 580 with E-ABC on their lot (VIN: W1K6G7GB3NA144364).
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Robb92914 (01-19-2023)
01-16-2023, 10:00 PM
#124
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
01-16-2023, 10:59 PM
#125
Member
Well yes to that…to them…to those! They survive as art, never mind their possibility as viable transportation.
Last edited by Peter; 01-16-2023 at 11:50 PM.
