SW20S

30+ years is long enough to make the statement that this is not a new situation.

teksurv

Agreed that the 222 is a fantastic car. If Lexus still made a car like the LS400 (a car that that wowed me) Streamliner would have no choice to make in what's next. My comment on where Lexus is, has nothing to do with quality. It has to do with what they have on offer at the high end, or lack thereof. I'll add that if you don't care about a badge, Genesis could be compelling.

places

Style of driving? On an S class? That's a ridiculous statement. Just more Mercedes battery nonsense. At this level one shouldn't have to drive their car any other way than they choose. Even the hazards didn't work. The best or nothing...now safety in question.

SW20S

Totally agree. I had 4 LSs, a 98 LS400, 04 LS430, 15 LS460 and 17 LS460L, I would have unquestionably gotten another LS if they hadn't ruined the LS in the LS500. They have completely abandoned the upper end, even mid models. No RWD crossovers etc. Terrible.

Genesis is compelling but you lose out on all the trappings of a luxury purchase...

Streamliner

Starting in 1993, I had 8 new LS sedans in a row. Each of them was the top line, gas model at the time, complete with air suspension, best interior, audio, etc. My favorite was my 1997 LS400. A relatively simple car that did everything it was supposed to do and did those things exceedingly well. Without a doubt, had Lexus continued upscale and had not gone off the deep end with their ridiculous “spindle” grill design language, I would still be driving one today. I didn’t leave Lexus, Lexus left me.

The one thing that keeps bothering me about Genesis, is their lack of stand alone dealerships. They are just starting to build some and when they do, I just may go that way.

MBS63AMG

I know it's frustrating and I hope things work out for you on getting out of your current vehicle. Accountants and electronics have plagued this model (and other cars in general).

MBS63AMG

Since Japanese cars are being brought up, did anyone here ever own a Hyundai EQUUS?

Sleeper Benz

Getting towed sucks. Glad your okay. My Spidy Senses tingled when I got my first battery warning message. This quote is from one of my earlier posts:

Yes: lock you vehicle, put your key(s) into a Faraday case, shut off the auto stop-start, don't "glide", run vehicle in sport engine and transmission mode to keep the engine/ charging speed up, take trips longer than 30 minutes above idle, feather your braking so that the regenerative charging kicks in earlier and check the multitude of ground connections in the engine bay as some earlier production runs painted over the studs and counted on star washers to cut through the paint= bad grounds. These will help maintain the charging system in a vehicle that has a very high operating current draw on both batteries." Heck I do all that & still get the basic battery warning occasionally if I'm farting around in the driveway with the engine off, doors & trunk open and the radio on.

I agree MB should have a warning about avoiding multiple short trips but then they couldn't sell the cars like they are having some issues selling all EV's due to lack of range. Not sure about your state, but I thought it usually takes 3 or more similar failures or multiple extended times at the dealership to get a buy-back started in the court system. I hope they sort it out for you.

DABRONX

I agree I would not be happy about the situation that occurred but.......

Cars are very technical and mechanical machines and things go wrong. It sucks when they do and when you spend over six figures it sucks even more. If in all those years and all those cars you have never had anything go wrong where you were stuck I think you should run and by a lottery ticket as that seams very unlikely.

MB isn't going to buy a car back do to one incident and its ridiculous that anyone would think that. You hate the car and that is why your so upset. Why not just get rid of it as you hint that you have more than enough money? Just get something else why suffer through this lease if your in the position you state you are?

Again, it sucks what happened and yes that is a very busy area but you have to be a little understanding but the bigger issue which is your dislike for the car is what is driving your anger in this situation. By the way MB ElCajon has one of the best service departments. They are a smaller dealer but their customer service is top notch. Bought a G wagon and had it serviced there even when I lived almost an hour away.

Funny as I came on here to post my bad experience buying a new S class and I agree that MB no longer is a luxury car dealer they are a mid range dealership as that is their bread and butter. They are not interested in the lower volume S class buyer anymore and their service departments are geared up to service $50-75k cars not $150k cars and yes, their should be different service and customer care like there used to be.

SW20S

This is a ridiculous way to have to drive a car. The car is poorly engineered if this is necessary. Are you seriously okay having six figures tied up or paying over $2,000 a month to drive a car that you have to baby like that? Thats f'ing crazy.

No modern car should leave someone stranded like that. I would never trust the car again.

Its not the only issue he has had, its time off the road that qualifies it. To Streamliner's credit...he has had MBs bought back before, so I think he knows how to get them to do it.

If a car I deeply loved left me stranded in the middle of a street like that, I would want it gone. He's clearly upset about the car and that makes him a little unreasonable about small things, but this is not a small thing and I agree with him 100% here.

Our Chrysler Pacifica was dead in the garage a couple months ago and had to be towed, and I am actively shopping for its replacement. 24,000 miles on it, its as good as gone. When I buy new cars I expect them to not leave me stranded.

TSA

my vehicle is an ukrainian benz, lately mercedes is just locking the russian , belarussian , ukrainian vehicles out of nowhere. and my vehicle also got disabled by mb. its totally bull****.

Streamliner

I don’t understand what you are saying. Please elaborate. I’m sure folks in other parts of the world would like to know exactly what you are going through.

DABRONX

If a car left you stranded you would want it gone??? What? Never had a flat or dead battery? How would that volume work out for the dealer?

My brand new S Class in Del Mar in front of an outdoor restaurant refused to close its trunk opening and closing in front of everyone who laughed and cheered when it finally closed. It was embarrassing but I simply had them pick up the car and had it fixed. Its took 4x's. Things happen.

I have zero issue with OP but he doesn't want the car and if its that obvious to a casual poster like me imagine how the dealers knows this?

If the car did this several times I 100% agree. The bigger issue here is you can see his loyalty to the dealer and how dealer customer service just doesn't exist anymore. Delears and their staff like all sales based jobs today think we should chase them do to COVID. They don't have t do anything to gain the sale. I laugh when people say how many cars they have bought and how MB treats them as its all BS they do not care your just a phone call and if you think otherwise your delusional. Yes, they love you to you have an issue the your just a regular person and it took me hundreds of thousands to figure that out.

Its not the time off the road its the amount of occurrences and time but him knowing this and having done int before seams like what he is trying to achieve here? He doesn't like the car so trade it in take the loss and move on. The car is not going to change and teh dealer won't change ehwo they are treating him.

I just had a horrendous MB dealer incident trying to buy a new S and honestly I am done as I see zero reason anymore to buy one besides ego.

OP is 100% correct in being upset and being upset with how he has been treated but he can easily walk away. I have and it really isn't all that bad. Once MY G wagon is gone I doubt I will ever step foot in a MB dealership again unless I am buying a mid range car as that is what they excel at now.

Streamliner

DABRONX, I hear you, but this car has become sort of a “hobby” with me. The car has not been right since I got it and in some ways, it seems to be getting worse, evidenced by this latest fiasco with it leaving me stranded in the middle of a busy highway. It’s by far the worst thing it has done and I believe it could be the proverbial “straw” that gets a buy-back really moving along. Could I simply dump it, take the $30K or so loss and move on? Yes, I could, but I’m not going to.

What I may be able to afford has nothing to do with it. I come from a lower middle class family. My dad was the youngest of ten children with not enough to eat. As an adult, providing for his family, he bought the ugliest, oddest model used cars that nobody else wanted, so he could spend as little as possible on them. As successful as I have been, I remember where I came from and I’m not throwing $30K away if I don’t have to. I take it personally that this S580 of mine is not right and that MB doesn’t seem interested in making it right. So, we will see how this plays out.

SW20S

Thats not what I mean and you know it. A dead battery is not an issue, but a fault with the car that is mysterious and they fix something and all of a sudden it starts working and they give it back to me? Yeah I'm never going to trust that car again. There is no excuse for a car under 5 years old to have to be towed. The only cars I have ever had towed were very old...and my 22k mile Chrysler Pacifica. Its gone.

Streamliner did not have a dead battery, his car died on him in the middle of a busy road putting him and his family in danger and they don't yet know why it happened. Thats a completely different thing.

So you are equating your trunk not closing and a car dying in the middle of a busy street? Come on. You're smarter than that.

Why should he take the loss when he is well on his way to a buyback? His other buyback was because the car had a transmission issue that they could not fix. I see nothing wrong with demanding excellence from a Mercedes S Class.

YasS

Man, of all the owners, this happens to you lol.

It's time they buy it back. What will you get next?

Streamliner

I am currently looking at CPO 2019 & 2020 S560’s. The ones I had were wonderful cars, so if I can find a really nice one, I’ll get it for the time being.

Bubba1

Stream, I appreciate your family background and the value of money and the principal involved. However, you don’t want to be “Dead right”. In other words you don’t want your being right (and I agree that you are correct), to harm your health or worse.

Im not trying to put water on your excitement that MB will buy this car back and I don’t know how exactly the Lemon law works in California. However, I would be quite surprised if they do buy it back. While what happened to you is unacceptable and very serious, I doubt they will step up to the plate as they would be setting a precedent which could cost them quite a bit in the future.

Health and a good state of mind have an intangible value IMHO. 30k appears to be non material to you from a financial point of view and the W222 you would buy has already taken a depreciation hit and future depreciation is mitigated vis a vis continuing to hold on to your S580. You’re already getting your 30k back.

Also find a different hobby…hobbies should be beneficial to one’s state of being not detrimental!!

You need to focus on what’s important and it’s time to MOVE ON.

DABRONX

Streamliner....I here you and I am the exact same way and come from similar background to where I am today. Life is short and to me I would rather be happy.

There are so many super low mile s560's I would keep your eye out. I just passed on a custom ordered British racing green with under 10k on the clock I hated the interior.

I love looking on Autortrader at say 2020 and down and put a filter at 15k on miles and I am always blown away with what comes up. There was one with approx 3xx yes 300 something miles but not sure of colors.

After car shopping this weekend I am so disgusted with the take it or leave it and the EV push I believe I am doing the same only with a M760 or Alpina. Not being in CA anymore sucks as the cars there even with 25k look like they are still brand new.

Good luck and I get it!

DABRONX

Fletcher Jones has a 20 with under 5k for $78

There is one with 150 mile but not MB dealer

Baloo588

Streamliner,

Life is too short to stress over this car. I know that feeling and when I am very unhappy with a car I own, I just sell it and take a loss and move on. Did that with a POS 2011 BMW 5 series. Been with Audi for 20 years and its been great with 3 Audi A8s up to 2012 model and currently own a 2021 RS7. The S580 has been great so far despite some minor flaws but Ive grown to love it. I would consider the BMW I7 though. Otherwise the next generation Audi A8 which will be fully electric is another option.

https://www.autoblog.com/2023/04/21/...tric-flagship/

Streamliner

Where is the car with 150?

Streamliner

Believe me, I am always very careful and will be whilst driving the S580 for however much longer I have it. As for “different hobbies,” if you only knew! Anyway, thanks for the advice.

MBS63AMG

Here's one but it's all the way across the country from you. Earlier today I almost was going to suggest you go back to the W222.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26624026594...%7C1000%7C2500

Streamliner

Thanks, but not what I am looking for.