Owning this thing to 100k miles…
#1
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Owning this thing to 100k miles…
Let’s play a game. What major repairs (outside of normal wear and tear) do you think will be needed to keep and drive this thing to 100k miles.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1. At least one air strut failure.
2. 48V battery going kaput.
3. AC compressor failure.
4. At least one door handle going kaput.
5. Some cooling system/water pump failure.
6. General electronics and sensor failures.
7. Motor mount failure.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1. At least one air strut failure.
2. 48V battery going kaput.
3. AC compressor failure.
4. At least one door handle going kaput.
5. Some cooling system/water pump failure.
6. General electronics and sensor failures.
7. Motor mount failure.
#2
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2020 S560 4Matic
I would think that would be a very short list lol
None of these complex cars are a keep until 100k proposition anymore.
None of these complex cars are a keep until 100k proposition anymore.
#4
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2020 S560 4Matic
You won't have a problem free trip to 100k miles in either car. These are just not cars I would buy and keep for that length of time, as much as I love them I would have to get something simpler.
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MBNUT1 (Yesterday)
#5
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Yeah, I know, it’s risky, but I would buy the max warranty. I figure even if I have to spend $20k on overpriced dealer maintenance and brake jobs, I would save money buying every six years instead of leasing every three. The only drawback is being stuck in the same car for that long.
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Last 5 years: S560, X7, X5, Accord; Sold:15'S550, 20'BMW X7; 19'BMW 530e; 20'Lincoln Navigator,LS460
I kept my first W222 until almost* 80K. I didn't need to do any major repairs at all (Zero out of pocket costs after the 50K warranty expired, and I am a strong believer that on the long run extended warranties are a stupid financial decision if you can afford to pay for surprises--> it can save you once, but for the lifetime of all your cars it will average out to be a stupid decision...again, of course it depends on your out of pocket pay-power for unexpected incidents). My 1st W222 needed a front control arm when I sold it. Battery and air struct all worked really well. Unlike our GL (air structs, engine repairs, stereo, etc) long time ago, the W222 ownership experience was really very pleasant as far as repairs If you drive it like a normal car, it should last up to 100K with zero issues (this comes from someone who rarely ever floor any of his cars btw, so am not sure how that compared to other driving styles).
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MBNUT1 (Yesterday)
#7
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Let’s play a game. What major repairs (outside of normal wear and tear) do you think will be needed to keep and drive this thing to 100k miles.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1. At least one air strut failure.
2. 48V battery going kaput.
3. AC compressor failure.
4. At least one door handle going kaput.
5. Some cooling system/water pump failure.
6. General electronics and sensor failures.
7. Motor mount failure.
Here is my list in no particular order:
1. At least one air strut failure.
2. 48V battery going kaput.
3. AC compressor failure.
4. At least one door handle going kaput.
5. Some cooling system/water pump failure.
6. General electronics and sensor failures.
7. Motor mount failure.
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MBNUT1 (Yesterday)
#10
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Reliability use to be a point of pride for automobile manufacturers, now it means absolutely nothing. Designing parts to the least common denominator/warranty period is the name if the game, now. If you think about it, there is no financial incentive to make reliable cars anymore unless the CEO doesn’t mind playing the long game.
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MBNUT1 (Yesterday)
#11
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I kept my first W222 until almost* 80K. I didn't need to do any major repairs at all (Zero out of pocket costs after the 50K warranty expired, and I am a strong believer that on the long run extended warranties are a stupid financial decision if you can afford to pay for surprises--> it can save you once, but for the lifetime of all your cars it will average out to be a stupid decision...again, of course it depends on your out of pocket pay-power for unexpected incidents). My 1st W222 needed a front control arm when I sold it. Battery and air struct all worked really well. Unlike our GL (air structs, engine repairs, stereo, etc) long time ago, the W222 ownership experience was really very pleasant as far as repairs If you drive it like a normal car, it should last up to 100K with zero issues (this comes from someone who rarely ever floor any of his cars btw, so am not sure how that compared to other driving styles).
#12
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Reliability use to be a point of pride for automobile manufacturers, now it means absolutely nothing. Designing parts to the least common denominator/warranty period is the name if the game, now. If you think about it, there is no financial incentive to make reliable cars anymore unless the CEO doesn’t mind playing the long game.
#13
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Reliability use to be a point of pride for automobile manufacturers, now it means absolutely nothing. Designing parts to the least common denominator/warranty period is the name if the game, now. If you think about it, there is no financial incentive to make reliable cars anymore unless the CEO doesn’t mind playing the long game.
https://silodrome.com/mercedes-benz-220-se/
The genesis of my involvement with the brand was that Mercedes was one of the few brands that could make it to 100k miles without an engine overhaul and they could run flat out for as long as they had fuel in them.
Last edited by MBNUT1; Yesterday at 06:34 PM.
#14
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
I guess everyone has their priorities and I respect that. For me, there is nothing much nicer than a brand new car, especially one that you have ordered to your own specifications. As much as I think about longer leases and money saved, after 24 to 30 months, I’m longing for my fix of “new car” aroma and I’m willing to pay for it. Unfortunately, these days I find that there are very few new vehicles that interest me. Having been bitten by the electric bug, I don’t think I will ever again buy an ICE car, but you never know.
#15
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Last 5 years: S560, X7, X5, Accord; Sold:15'S550, 20'BMW X7; 19'BMW 530e; 20'Lincoln Navigator,LS460
Had the same issue with my GL (plus air structs at 125K miles), but had good luck with the majority of my other high-mileage cars repair-wise. Am fine with that frequency, which is why I have zero concerns at least with cars I owned to date. Major repair? so be it, as long as am still within 1 major repair every 8 years, besides minor stuff. I don't think you had an air struct issues based on PSI drop you reported on the forum, unless there was something else going on aside from what shared here.
#16
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Last 5 years: S560, X7, X5, Accord; Sold:15'S550, 20'BMW X7; 19'BMW 530e; 20'Lincoln Navigator,LS460
I guess everyone has their priorities and I respect that. For me, there is nothing much nicer than a brand new car, especially one that you have ordered to your own specifications. As much as I think about longer leases and money saved, after 24 to 30 months, I’m longing for my fix of “new car” aroma and I’m willing to pay for it. Unfortunately, these days I find that there are very few new vehicles that interest me. Having been bitten by the electric bug, I don’t think I will ever again buy an ICE car, but you never know.
Last edited by S_W222; Yesterday at 07:38 PM.
#17
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Had the same issue with my GL (plus air structs at 125K miles), but had good luck with the majority of my other high-mileage cars repair-wise. Am fine with that frequency, which is why I have zero concerns at least with cars I owned to date. Major repair? so be it, as long as am still within 1 major repair every 8 years, besides minor stuff. I don't think you had an air struct issues based on PSI drop you reported on the forum, unless there was something else going on aside from what shared here.
#18
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Last 5 years: S560, X7, X5, Accord; Sold:15'S550, 20'BMW X7; 19'BMW 530e; 20'Lincoln Navigator,LS460
Okay, that's good to know... I wonder if the 48V system and battery capacity allows the car to stay somewhat awake and compensate for height drop. Really the suspension drop in the W222 was due to air density changes (it's actually also mentioned in the manual or somewhere in one of the internal/tech service docs), not due to slow leaks... So, the only way to stop that drop, the car has to add or release air as temperature and air density changes. If the W223 height stays at the same exact height after 24-48 hours, and assuming you did the test before and after a reasonable temperature swing, it must be compensating somehow for air density changes. My Tesla stays awake and plugged in, but it also drops about an inch during temperature swings until I turn pre-conditioning on or open the door. I never measured any of our BMWs with air suspension, cause it's hard to notice the drop anyway with an SUV, but I'll try to take measurements just for the fun of it.
Last edited by S_W222; Yesterday at 07:48 PM.
#19
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2020 S560 4Matic
Thats possible...
I didn't measure it, but the front of the S560 would look low after it sat for days, and the S580 looks right...
I didn't measure it, but the front of the S560 would look low after it sat for days, and the S580 looks right...
#20
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In today’s “now, now, now” instant-gratification society, playing the long game is difficult when faced with shortsighted shareholders. However, any CEO with the ***** enough to play that game would establish their car brand above all ethers, and reap tremendous benefits in the long run, assuming they can last that long. I think Toyota, to this day, still kind of benefits from what they sowed many decades ago, but I don’t get the sense it’s the same anymore with part sourcing commonality.
If I were the CEO of Mercedes, I would forgo cutting, bleeding edge technology for quality cars that are built to last. This direction would benefit the company a lot more in the long run than trying to do stupid pop out door handles.
If I were the CEO of Mercedes, I would forgo cutting, bleeding edge technology for quality cars that are built to last. This direction would benefit the company a lot more in the long run than trying to do stupid pop out door handles.
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#21
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Last 5 years: S560, X7, X5, Accord; Sold:15'S550, 20'BMW X7; 19'BMW 530e; 20'Lincoln Navigator,LS460
In today’s “now, now, now” instant-gratification society, playing the long game is difficult when faced with shortsighted shareholders. However, any CEO with the ***** enough to play that game would establish their car brand above all ethers, and reap tremendous benefits in the long run, assuming they can last that long. I think Toyota, to this day, still kind of benefits from what they sowed many decades ago, but I don’t get the sense it’s the same anymore with part sourcing commonality.
If I were the CEO of Mercedes, I would forgo cutting, bleeding edge technology for quality cars that are built to last. This direction would benefit the company a lot more in the long run than trying to do stupid pop out door handles.
If I were the CEO of Mercedes, I would forgo cutting, bleeding edge technology for quality cars that are built to last. This direction would benefit the company a lot more in the long run than trying to do stupid pop out door handles.
Last edited by S_W222; Yesterday at 10:50 PM.