Streamliner

I honestly believe the W222, was a better car than the W223. The 223 has the advantage of being quieter, which is a huge thing for me, it has the available rear axle steering, which one pays dearly for in the USA if they want it, the 4D audio is a bit nicer than the 3D and the interior & exterior color choices are more varied, but honestly, THAT’S IT, at least for me.

After owning 2015, 2018 & 2020 S560’s and now my 2022 S580, here are my thoughts, MY OPINIONS:

1. The 222 was available with or without 4-Matic, something I don’t want or need, but is shoved down my throat in the 223.
2. The 222 was available with the truly magnificent Magic Body Control or "MBC." The much more expensive EABC, which replaced MBC, in comparison, is absolutely dismal in providing a comfortable ride.
3. The 222 was available with 18” to 20” wheels, while the 223 goes from 19’s to 21’s. The 21's on the 223 have proven to be a nightmare for many while I truly miss the 18” option.
4. The interior of the 222 was absolutely elegant in my opinion, while the 223, with its “hot-glued on” screens looks somewhat ridiculous in a luxury saloon.
5. The tech in the 222 was great and I believe it is still way good enough for 2023. Even though a touch screen has benefits, I much preferred the vast number of buttons, switches & knobs in the 222’s. The control “surfaces” in the 223 are annoying at best and to me, represent a significant CHEAPENING of the vehicle. In my 222, it was a simple push of a button to raise the car when entering a steep driveway or such. Raising the car in the 223 involves going into several menus and it's a pain in the ***. In addition, my 222's NEVER lost all of my settings, where my 223 CONSTANTLY loses everything that I so painstakingly programmed into it.
6. The post face lift 222 steering wheel was a beautiful delight in comparison to the black plastic one with the nearly" impossible to use by touch" controls in the 223’s.
7. Exterior door handles. Need I explain?
8. The wide opening doors on the 223, that require “gorilla” length arms to close and are constantly not holding and closing on my legs are a poor design compared to those in the 222’s. On a car the price of an S Class, the doors should stay put, WHATEVER distance they are opened to.
9. The “attention dots” in the 223 are a pain in the ***.
10. The marketing of the 223 in the USA is such that buyers are forced into expensive packages to get perhaps one little option they might want. 4-Zone Climate ONLY being available by spending a huge sum for the “made up” Executive Line is one example, not to mention the rear axle steering.
11. I found the seats in the 222’s to be reasonably more comfortable than those in the 223’s. The edges of the "loose look" cushions in my Exclusive Nappa Leather interior are wearing very quickly.
12. The headrests in the 223’s, with their CHINTZY pillows are truly crummy, when compared to the absolutely wonderful and supremely comfortable headrests in the 222’s.
13. The exterior of the 222's was elegant, compared to the attractive, but more mainstream looking 223. So many cars currently have taillights that are very similar to those on the 223. The 222 was more "special" looking.
14. The basic way the engine & transmission work together was much better in the 222's. The driveline in my 223 seems sloppy at times, especially around town, where you are on & off throttle a lot.
15. The 222 was a more enjoyable and a more comfortable car to drive. It was infinitely more dependable.

Saint*Himars

W222 for sure

Bubba1

Ohhh Streamliner,

You are truly relentless 😂😂Find a used SW222 and buy it and quench your thirst for your love of the S560.

I didn’t own the W222, but it sounds like an awesome car. Find an agent in your area who can source one for you, but don’t expect perfection in terms of spec. Good luck!!

Streamliner

I'm searching the country. But it MUST have MBC, Exclusive Nappa & not be an AMG Line. I'd love 3D Audio, but can live without it. Unfortunately, the vast majority don't have MBC or ENL and most are AMG Line.
MBUSA has still not agreed to buy back the 2022, so I have time and will search until I cannot wait any longer.

Wolfman

Why would you not take the AMG line? In the past, you complained about the cost of the option but used this will be more or a less a freebee. I would not dismiss a car when the rest fits...
+

Streamliner

How about I DON'T LIKE IT?

js_cls

Stream I think a nice Corolla would be a perfect replacement for you After the Corolla it will make any car feel much more like your old S in comparison 😂

Also despite you saying all this, aren’t you still looking at S500’s?

Streamliner

Actually, I don’t like the AMG Line body style, BUT, if I don’t eliminate all those cars, that really improves my chances. So yes, I’ll look at the AMG Line cars as well

Bubba1

We are truly making PROGRESS 😂😂

W205C43PFL

Hmmm perhaps buy the amg line but source standard bumpers and install it that way, if that makes it easier with the search?

Streamliner

That sounds like something I might come up with, but then usually something I would dismiss after learning the cost involved.

W205C43PFL

Fair enough but I mean you can always sell the amg line parts to recoup some cost.

Streamliner

It’s very difficult. I start with looking at the interior. If it’s not the Exclusive Nappa, what are the chances the car was ordered with MBC? That said, there is a CPO S560 at a dealer in San Francisco, with several body blemishes, no ENL, but with MBC. I’m passing on it.

I’d really like another W222, but the car will have to be something special. We’ll see.

W205C43PFL

It will come Keep searching. I think there are quite a bit of fourm members here that is good at searching inventory and stuff that cold help out, I just don't remember who they are.

W205C43PFL

What is taking MBUSA so long?

Streamliner

They are “researching” my case.

Streamliner

A great thought. I can’t see me putting 18” wheels on an AMG Line model—but I might.

W205C43PFL

Ah! "Research" ofc they are

W205C43PFL

To further improve the ride of a great ride the W222 provides? I am in!

MBS63AMG

My favorite car was my 2019 S560 and I agree with everything you pointed out.

SW20S

Didnt you pay like $17,000 for carbon ceramic brakes retrofitted to your SL?

BenjaminKohl

Another day, another Stream thread. Maybe we should just have one master Streamliner thread for all of your posts

Streamliner

Yes.

Streamliner

It’s funny: For 30 days, I drove a fairly bare-bones, 2023 GLE350 loaner—which, by the way, I was impressed with. The SUV did everything as it should have and did it well.

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.

Wolfman

The sport package is not very aggressive. I believe that the 18” wheels will look on the car just the same as on you prior S.

Remember that many did the exact opposite with the W221. Buy a non-sport package car and then add larger AMG wheels to make the car look more sporty.