I always wanted an S series but I’m really confused over what some of the differences are because prices (seems all over the board).
To me there is some unknown way to explain the wide price ranges in similar years and mileage. Is there some easy way of discerning levels? Most manufacturers have some sort of identity- like ES, LS, Touring, LT1, LT2 and so on. It’s difficult to match a price range to options in the S class.

I can’t get a new one past the warden because it cost too much according to her. A few years old and low enough miles that it doesn’t look worn out yet. 2017 and Newer? One year better than another? Options to avoid?
I posed a similar group of these questions a few years ago here and never received any answers, I was a bit surprised at that.

Please, I need your guidance.

 

Opps! Some added information. At this time my budget is limited to $45,000.

What besides the engine is the difference between an S450 and a S550? Is it better to go for the 560? I like the 2 door S500 but I think it limits some of the options.
And FYI, I haven’t made any purchase of a Mercedes since I joined here in 2016 because I had a heart lung transplant and fought off some serious cancer over the last 7 years.
Now I have to get out of my Silverado 4X4 diesel this time for sure!

Are the repair warranties worth the money? Is one company better than another? I have mechanical ability but not a great mechanic so I expect to do a fair amount of work myself until something gets too involved.

 

What research have you done? In asking for guidance, which is certainly OK, it will help for you to put down some parameters for your interests. They're easy enough to come up with. Otherwise, you are asking others to take on your burden. There are tons of posts here on every aspect of S Class cars (W221; W222, W223) produced in the last 12-15 years. Search for them. With your warden (love that term!), refine your interests and limits for your location, then look for car(s) that meet your criteria. Then, you could be a position to ask specific questions about what you have found.
Folks will be much more likely to step up when you have demonstrated your own efforts.

 

I flagged this to be moved to the W222 section, thats the generation you're going to be looking at with that budget.

The S Class basically comes in three engine choices (if we ignore the Maybach and the AMG models). 2014-2017 was the M278 V8 (thats the S550), in 2018-2020 there is an S450 which is a 3L M276 V6, and the S560 which is a 4L M176 V8

There aren't really any trim levels, cars either have the AMG appearance package or they don't, the AMG appearance package is more aggressive looking but the ride and drive is the same. $45,000 you should be able to get a 2018 or 2019 S560. Options vary unit to unit.

 

Ok, off to a good start. I would like the newer the better but, I really like the bigger information screens. The accidents reported to carfax worry me. When I was shopping and bought my wife a new car back last October the dealers say there is no way of knowing what happened or the difference between very minor, minor and so on. Sounds fishy to me that some system tells you “some” information and that’s it.

 

I’m not asking anyone to take on my “Burden.”
I don’t understand “Limits for your location?”
My criteria is the best bang for the buck on the newest S class for $45,000 or less (might go higher up to $50,000 if the deal is better) I’m not able to take these 95 degree and 80% humidity days so I’m not going to fool around looking at cars sitting in the sun at the lots, so now is a good time to do my research on line. I’m ready to buy with a day’s notice and one question comes to mind first - is private sales vs dealer, seems like a great big markup of course at the dealer (MB dealers) and related to the same question- is Certified Preowned” worth the extra money if I can stretch the budget?

 

I wouldn't buy a car with any accidents reported to Carfax, lots of good examples of these out there I would wait and find the right one.

Information screens are the same size in every W222, the refresh brought an upgrade in the UI and the infotainment system. I would focus on a refresh S560 for sure.

In fact, if you can stretch your budget some my just traded 2020 S560 is for sale at Euro Motorcars in Gaithersburg, MD. Thats an excellent car that I maintained perfectly and have all the records, it has a full front clearbra and has never been in any sort of accident.

https://www.eurogermantownmercedes.c...a87c268623.htm

 

Use your imagination
in your post below, you;ve already setr or expanded parameters by talkimg about price and weather - if you live in the northern tier of states, would you want a car that had always been driven across the southern tier? Or one equipped for snow country if you're down south or want to drive it down there.
Location - your location may have an impact on travel/shipping costs from you to car location so you can test drive, etc., have delivered to you.
Lots of posts here about CPO cars - worthwhile searching for and through them.
Have you thought about which options , colors, etc., are a must, and which are meh?
The newest are the W223s 2023 and 2024 model years. You're unlikely to find one at your price levels. Have you checked S class prices at your nearby dealers? If so, you haven't mentioned it.

 

That is a beautiful Benz! Funny that I just wrote a note to a salesman in Delaware for nearly the same car (55260 miles on a 2020 V8 4matic). I need to go through line by line to see why prices are so different on what looks like very similar prices. And that brings me to a sticking point. Virtually nearly the same options, miles and same year on some cars and the price could be $15,000 higher on one than the other. How can you tell a good price from early greed by the dealer? I could meet that price if the value is there.

A few hours ago I offered $3,000 over what the dealer is paying on a trade in for 2019 - again, very close to a couple others I looked at (on the internet), but this seller rather sell it to the dealer this week.

 

If you are buying pre-owned, I'd strongly advise you to take a deep-drive into the build sheets of the W222 or W223 (depending on which one you are buying) and be sure to understand all the options and then hunt for the right car from there. Though I'd follow similar strategy if am buying new, but for pre-owned I'd certainly not buy anything but a fully loaded W222 because the market value would be very similar or almost negligible as compared to MSRP price difference. Things like 3D/4D Burmester, upgraded leather, rear seat packages (maybe screens if you care), and magic sky control would be a must have each and every-time I re-visit the subject if hunting for a pre-owned one. I'd probably do the same for a new one, but if it's pre-owned I wouldn't consider anything but a nearly well or fully loaded one. Am sure you will like the car and good luck finding THE ONE. I had two W222s and each time I spent 6 months looking for the right one and got both out of state.

Am sure you will find all the information you need about the W222 pre-facelift (2014-2017) vs W222 facelift (2018-2020) and W223 pre-facelift (2021+). But, if you decide to get a W222, avoid at all costs the 2014, but also for the W222 facelift avoid the 2018 (the car app experience is much better for 2019/2020 model years even though 2018 is also a facelift). Good luck.

 

I thought the 2021and 2022 are W223 as well? Is there something I missed? I looked at several area MB dealers that have a variety of 2021 S class ( I really like the W223!) with prices between $70,000 and $95,000 which my wife would have a fit if I went that high after the unexpected $40,000 for new AC and heaters for the house a few weeks back.

It never crossed my mind about where the car was, I’m not very enthusiastic for traveling far for this particular type of car when it seems there are many around this tri-state area. In the past I traveled far and wide for a unique muscle car but I was a younger chicken back then.

I bought my wife a 2020 Honda Accord Touring last October with just 12,000 miles. That was a CPO. In January I picked up a Civic for my daughter and that was a CPO. If I’m buying used I prefer it qualifies as Certified by the manufacturer so It has a better warranty.

The colors? I’m tired of getting dark cars for the past 35 years, a change would be nice. I just want to avoid a color that would be a drag on the resale value (I know, what resale value- right?). I think 4Matic is a must, a great sound system, V8, great seats, drivers assist and a few other things I can’t think of right now. I’m old school and not a big fan of Blacked out wheels and trim and not any low rider either.

How am I doing at this point?

 

10K is probably a reasonable difference between a very low optioned W222 vs a fully loaded one with same exact mileage and model year. 15K difference is too much nowadays if we are talking about W222, but 15K difference is not too much for W223. The cost of options alone can be 45-50K or more for the W222, so... for a pre-owned one, the 10K difference in exchange to 45K-worth of options as the extreme case is reasonable. That white W222 that you are looking at isn't well option but it isn't poorly optioned either. Nobody can tell you a firm number what afair market value is as of right now for W222s or W223s now as it depends on several factors, but you can simply study a good number of W222 (study a good mix of poorly equipped, moderately equipped and fully loaded ones) while avoiding the extremely low mileage ones being an outlier, read the build sheet for all the options your look at, and draw a baseline for your own database from there after you've already reviewed enough cars on the market. I trade in my cars quite often and that's an exercise I always do to make sure I pay the fair market value or less to make sure I can sell the car later in a year with minimal loss. I am not a fan of KBB but you can use that too as another data to your baseline. W222 prices have dropped significantly this year now that there is a lot of 2021 W223 lease return vehicles. Mid 60s isn't too hard to find for a moderately equipped 2020 W223.with a few 10s of thousands of miles on it.

 

Opps!

 

In 2001 I bought a 1996 E320 nearly loaded from the MB dealer really close to me. I was younger and stupid about the MB dealer experience and way over paid - a whole other story.

 

So, what helpful point are you making other than not to be stupid?

 

Pricing seems really variable from dealer to dealer. My old car is a great car, but that seems expensive to me and is about $9k more than they paid me for it. Theres room in it, not sure how much they would negotiate. They have a black 2020 with more options (power rear seats and warmth and comfort) and slightly more miles (maybe 56k?) that they have reduced to $55k. My car is just in better shape, but that car is also in good shape. Mine is just extraordinary.

 

Get the cleanest and most basic model W222 you can find for $45k. CarMax with a lot of warranty IMO.

 

To the point, I didn’t check out other dealers to learn more. I found out after I bought that car I paid too much. The salesman told me these cars hold their value and hard to get. I paid $42,500 (the window price) for a car with 30 some thousand miles and nearly 6 years old as he told me MB never negotiates their price, take it or leave it. The original msrp, (I found out afterwards) on that car was about $49,XXX.
For the longest time I felt like a true idiot, I took on one expensive lesson I won’t repeat it this time.

 

Amen - So be it.

 

This thread confuses me.

 

I simply asked for guidance but I guess ridicule and attempting humor is easier.

I really like the W223 interior, but something about the W222 exterior is a bit more appealing (IMHO). My budget could stretch to cover a 2021 but I’m assuming all I could expect is a basically equipped S580. How is the first year of a new model? Anything avoid for options? Before someone makes the suggestion, I looked at a 36 month lease. Unless there is merit in the tax return or something else, it looks insane what is paid out, money put down and costs.

 

MeMischief, I personally would not buy a 2021 model because of covid, parts shortages & cars shipped without options. Just my .02.

 

Thanks Sactownmb. That might explain why a 2022 takes a leap in price and I can find many 2021(s) priced like a similarly equipped 2020.

I wish I could see at a glance just how advanced one late W222 is over the other without searching the VIN to gage the price disparity over another (Does this make sense to anyone?)
I’m looking at dozens upon dozens of ads (as an example) using a 2020 with 35,000 miles and no Carfax accidents and I’m seeing price differences as much as $25K. Most ads just show a small amount of options, many include a very long list of every item a Mercedes comes with and I’m still left with wondering what makes this car better than the other.
Maybe I need to get an order sheet for each particular model year and fabricate some sort of table so I can compare. I noticed the dealer salesmen don’t want to tell me anything - they want me to come in and talk. Not happening.

Why is it that most W222 for sale presently - (as I find their ads), are not that well optioned.

 

I would not buy a 21 or 22 S580…

Most S Classes sold are light on options. It’s a very expensive car new and the options make it a shockingly expensive car new very quickly. So that’s why most are lightly optioned.

 

These sedans aren't great values, and are best purchased by those who have discretionary income to the extent that they're not going to miss the money. I'm not trying to insult you, but I question whether this is a good purchase for you based on your comments.

The heart wants what the heart wants, both a true statement and a mindless tautology depending on how it's deployed. If you really want it, I get that. But do you REALLY want it?

An early 223 is probably going to give you some amount of issues, this is going to be very hard to define in front of the purchase. You'll be facing a lack of content that goes beyond unselected options due to the pandemic supply chain issues. At the price range you suggest, you're looking at getting few options in any event, and the cool toys are part of what makes the car special.

If you're up for it, ok, that's great. But have you thought it through?