W222 vs W223: And the winner is........
When I got the S580 back and first started it, I couldn’t imagine that it was running, it is so well insulated. I drove west on Jamboree Road towards the ocean and the car felt fantastic! I wondered if they may have done something to the EABC, since when the car died and it was towed to Fletcher Jones, I had yet again complained that I didn’t think the EABC was working properly. Jamboree Road in this area has been repaved fairly recently and the road is ribbon smooth. After a couple of miles, I turned onto another street and sure enough, as soon as the road was anything but absolutely perfect, the annoying ride smacked me in the face again.
The EABC does give the car great handling, as did MBC. I especially like using the “Curve” setting, but as we all know, handling is one thing and ride quality is quite different. MBC gave the cars a “Magic Carpet” feeling, connected but just SO amazingly dampened. With EABC, virtually every road imperfection is transmitted to the driver’s seat, and not just once. There is a feeling that each wheel encountering an imperfection, reacts multiple times to it, resulting in a bit of a “fluttering” or “nervous” feeling, which I find truly annoying. The ride quality of the two systems is day & night different and such a disappointment to me, since I well know how it COULD have been and SHOULD have been. The issue may be the way the EABC system has been calibrated by the engineers, it may be a poor design, but whatever the reason, to me it’s just not right and a $6,500.00 optional nightmare.
My apologies for yet another ride quality rant.

Yes, I am working on getting an AirMatic equipped S500 for at least an hour test drive, to see if I like the ride, but which way I go with a replacement vehicle, will have a lot to do with how MBUSA treats me with the buy-back. More on that later, stay tuned.

E-ABC first debuted with the GLE I think, and I think back in 2019 as a 2020 model year? Just like a lot of features in the W223 (um... the door handles too), like the 48V system I guess there is still a lot of room for improvement and for the engineers to patch it. I mean, it has "only" been 3 years since E-ABC came out compared to I believe MBC came out in 2007, so 16 years?
Edit: Seems like MBC might had came out in 2010 instead so it might had been 16-3= 13 years?
Last edited by W205C43PFL; Jun 2, 2023 at 12:54 PM. Reason: Typos and correction




E-ABC first debuted with the GLE I think, and I think back in 2019 as a 2020 model year? Just like a lot of features in the W223 (um... the door handles too), like the 48V system I guess there is still a lot of room for improvement and for the engineers to patch it. I mean, it has "only" been 3 years since E-ABC came out compared to I believe MBC came out in 2007, so 16 years?
Edit: Seems like MBC might had came out in 2010 instead so it might had been 16-3= 13 years?
I would still wish that Streamliner tries to test drive another E-ABC S-Class as an ultimate test wether its the EABC in general or just his one that is not as good as the MBC.
Last edited by Wolfman; Jun 2, 2023 at 01:12 PM.
I would still wish that Streamliner tries to test drive another E-ABC S-Class as an ultimate test wether its the EABC in general or just his one.
I would still wish that Streamliner tries to test drive another E-ABC S-Class as an ultimate test wether its the EABC in general or just his one that is not as good as the MBC.
I would still wish that Streamliner tries to test drive another E-ABC S-Class as an ultimate test wether its the EABC in general or just his one that is not as good as the MBC.
It’s difficult to simply test drive another EABC car & determine if it is different or better. I need to get the car to a road I know and it will have RFT & probably larger wheels, so it’s not an easy comparison. And, I believe the word is out on EABC and just finding one to drive is difficult.




It’s difficult to simply test drive another EABC car & determine if it is different or better. I need to get the car to a road I know and it will have RFT & probably larger wheels, so it’s not an easy comparison. And, I believe the word is out on EABC and just finding one to drive is difficult.
I see a couple at Fletcher Jones in Newport (Stock No: N172293 & N172365). At least one appears in stock. They are nearby and hopefully you are still on speaking terms with them
I think it's worth a try and hope the test roads are near enough.I am just curious; it's just difficult to imagine that the next generation suspension after MBC is inferior... very un-German

The Best of Mercedes & AMG
I see a couple at Fletcher Jones in Newport (Stock No: N172293 & N172365). At least one appears in stock. They are nearby and hopefully you are still on speaking terms with them
I think it's worth a try and hope the test roads are near enough.I am just curious; it's just difficult to imagine that the next generation suspension after MBC is inferior... very un-German

With that preface: I'm happy with my car and I'm not going to apologize for it. There are things I don't like about the way they tuned the shifting algorithms, the soft throttle response, etc. I'd also like at least a little more in the way of hard buttons. And those doors... You make something that big and heavy, open that far, and no constant stop? C'mon, that's a fail.
But I like the car. I like the center screen being a big squarish thing instead of the long thin screen n most cars; it's one of the few things I like about Tesla. My ride quality is great, but I'm on 19s and without the whiz-bang suspension. It's very quiet. The stereo kicks some serious buttocks.
I drive along in my little cocoon completely relaxed, outside world forgotten, not regretting a damn thing. The downsides don't really change that which is a bottom line I can get behind.
Beat me up all you want; I've got broad shoulders.




With that preface: I'm happy with my car and I'm not going to apologize for it. There are things I don't like about the way they tuned the shifting algorithms, the soft throttle response, etc. I'd also like at least a little more in the way of hard buttons. And those doors... You make something that big and heavy, open that far, and no constant stop? C'mon, that's a fail.
But I like the car. I like the center screen being a big squarish thing instead of the long thin screen n most cars; it's one of the few things I like about Tesla. My ride quality is great, but I'm on 19s and without the whiz-bang suspension. It's very quiet. The stereo kicks some serious buttocks.
I drive along in my little cocoon completely relaxed, outside world forgotten, not regretting a damn thing. The downsides don't really change that which is a bottom line I can get behind.
Beat me up all you want; I've got broad shoulders.
With that preface: I'm happy with my car and I'm not going to apologize for it. There are things I don't like about the way they tuned the shifting algorithms, the soft throttle response, etc. I'd also like at least a little more in the way of hard buttons. And those doors... You make something that big and heavy, open that far, and no constant stop? C'mon, that's a fail.
But I like the car. I like the center screen being a big squarish thing instead of the long thin screen n most cars; it's one of the few things I like about Tesla. My ride quality is great, but I'm on 19s and without the whiz-bang suspension. It's very quiet. The stereo kicks some serious buttocks.
I drive along in my little cocoon completely relaxed, outside world forgotten, not regretting a damn thing. The downsides don't really change that which is a bottom line I can get behind.
Beat me up all you want; I've got broad shoulders.
It’s difficult to simply test drive another EABC car & determine if it is different or better. I need to get the car to a road I know and it will have RFT & probably larger wheels, so it’s not an easy comparison. And, I believe the word is out on EABC and just finding one to drive is difficult.
With that preface: I'm happy with my car and I'm not going to apologize for it. There are things I don't like about the way they tuned the shifting algorithms, the soft throttle response, etc. I'd also like at least a little more in the way of hard buttons. And those doors... You make something that big and heavy, open that far, and no constant stop? C'mon, that's a fail.
But I like the car. I like the center screen being a big squarish thing instead of the long thin screen n most cars; it's one of the few things I like about Tesla. My ride quality is great, but I'm on 19s and without the whiz-bang suspension. It's very quiet. The stereo kicks some serious buttocks.
I drive along in my little cocoon completely relaxed, outside world forgotten, not regretting a damn thing. The downsides don't really change that which is a bottom line I can get behind.
Beat me up all you want; I've got broad shoulders.
I'm not exactly a young whippersnapper myself. To me, looking around at the people I know in the real world: When you stop moving forward; that's when you die. You're the meme telling people to get off your lawn; a dead man walking.
I like the new design in the interior; it looks modern and fresh while still retaining a classical and restrained aesthetic. That can't have been an easy balancing act. My wife loves the center screen because she feels it's inclusive; it allows her to play with the stereo, adjust her massage, change the lights, play with the map, everything, with the same ease I can.
That would have bothered me in other cars but in this one I've got the HUD and adjustable drivers display and I can keep what I want there while she fiddles around.
I was in at the dealer looking at an SL a few weeks ago and there was a 222 parked there, same color as mine. When sitting right next to each other I don't find either one to be greatly attractive, but I suppose they're both handsome enough, even if I'm not in love with either one. The only thing that stands out to me is one looks more modern than the other.
That looking back stuff; not for me, I'm going forward. Of course I may die when trying to navigate deep in an overly complex menu in my car, but... At least I won't be shaking my garden hose at passing adolescents and telling them how much better the world was yesterday.








Seriously, the issues plaguing the W223 are extremely minor compared what I have seen over the years.
The W222 has been truly one of the most reliable MB’s in the last decade; same as the R231 SL.
They also represent the end a line of mature older tech that has been replaced in later models.
There are clearly pains with 48V systems (across many brands) and more software issue. Not great but less of an issue than hardware failures.
Last edited by Wolfman; Jun 3, 2023 at 02:21 AM.
I had one minor self-corrected build quality issue that caused a loose speaker but everything else has been great. The only drawbacks that I despise are the touch sensitive buttons and transmission. However, if the W222 has the same crappy can’t-shift-straight transmission then it’s a draw in that department. Does it?
I also enjoyed the night vision on the W222.
Seriously, the issues plaguing the W223 are extremely minor compared what I have seen over the years.
The W222 has been truly one of the most reliable MB’s in the last decade; same as the R231 SL.
They also represent the end a line of mature older tech that has been replaced in later models.
There are clearly pains with 48V systems (across many brands) and more software issue. Not great but less of an issue than hardware failures.
Last edited by MBNUT1; Jun 3, 2023 at 09:50 AM.










