S63 - Is this a good deal?
The dealer let me drive it home to sleep on tonight and it sold itself from a drivers POV. It might sound trivial but I am agonising if the black exterior (which looks great polished in the dealer) is a lot of work to keep up, and will hold up for the 5-6 years I will likely own the vehicle.
Chris
Last edited by cjf_moraga; Sep 11, 2007 at 12:35 AM.
The dealer let me drive it home to sleep on tonight and it sold itself from a drivers POV. It might sound trivial but I am agonising if the black exterior (which looks great polished in the dealer) is a lot of work to keep up, and will hold up for the 5-6 years I will likely own the vehicle.
Chris
When it comes to the color, If I were you I would try to look for a lighter color. Like White or silver. I have grey on the 55 and I am constantly washing it(just about every other day!). Its so bad that sometimes i say to myself "i should've gotten a silver or white one." So, i couldn't imagine black. I must say however, when she's clean and freshly waxed up, i fall in love all over again.
I'm guessing that it's left-over inventory from 2007. There are heavy discounts on all remaining 2007 S classes. There's probably maybe another $1k-2k wiggling room, which may or may not be worth the hassle.
If the car is new and has not been titled before (ie sold to you as new with full length warranty), then go for it. Just make sure the dealer doesn't stick in their ridiculous doc + prep fees to pad their profit. $4k over invoice on that car is a great deal.
If the car has been titled before, then it's a whole different story.
Make sure that issue is completely clear. With these high end cars, you'd be surprised the kind of games dealers play.
I'm guessing that it's left-over inventory from 2007. There are heavy discounts on all remaining 2007 S classes. There's probably maybe another $1k-2k wiggling room, which may or may not be worth the hassle.
If the car is new and has not been titled before (ie sold to you as new with full length warranty), then go for it. Just make sure the dealer doesn't stick in their ridiculous doc + prep fees to pad their profit. $4k over invoice on that car is a great deal.
If the car has been titled before, then it's a whole different story.
Make sure that issue is completely clear. With these high end cars, you'd be surprised the kind of games dealers play.
All S63's are 2008.
Trending Topics
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Coming from an almost 3 year old E55 I need no lessons in depreciation! Actually this time round I am looking for a longer term acquisition... The E55 was getting a bit cramped in the back for my wife and 2 growing teenage sons heading towards 6' tall... Given that I am looking for a vehicle that will last 7-10 years, is super solid, prestigious, the highest quality, ultra safe for my family, somewhat ahead of the art in features, really roomy inside, (that is not an SUV) and in the high performance sedan zone for the foreseable future (but not necessarily always the fastest thing on the road) ...The S63 seems to make a lot of sense... and in terms of sedans for practical family use it is not as if there is anything further up the chain to tempt... (Except an S65
) As far as any car can be said to be future proof, (at least in the medium term) the S63 should fit my requirements... I love massive acceleration at full power as much as anyone, but I suspect most here stress their AMG engine/transmissions more than I do... This car is not for the track... so I am hoping that this latest version will resemble the bullet proof (if mechanicaly/electrically much simpler) S Classes of old...
So for peace of mind I will get the 3 year extended warranty and plan to run it for at least 7 years (at least the duration of this model cycle) and possibly more... who knows! Trading in the E55 it "feels" I am essentially getting a fully loaded s63 for the price of a base level S550 before all fees and taxes... As I will pay the remainder off in full over the next six months, it makes sense for me when taking the longer term view....
And it is such a gorgeous and well engineered car! People talk about losing tons of money in depreciation, but being a "my glass is half full" guy, I rather think of the value you get for the money over time... the heritage and technology is so incredible, and I believe you do get what you pay for... Can't deny emotion as well....
Last edited by cjf_moraga; Sep 13, 2007 at 01:14 AM.
Would $0 down lease S63 for perhaps 3yrs based upon disct price you're getting....leasing is more efficient from a sales tx perspective in CA; lease gap insurance in event of total loss, etc...
Doubt any modern car w/its intense tech is worth owning past original factory warranty period; costs of repair to multiple aging tech systems, those amazing brakes, etc make owning older, high-tech cars a future "case study" in cost of ownership.....extd warranties tend to be dubious...and merely rather profitable for seller of warranty...

From a safety perspective, airbags have a ?10yr lifespan; but who knows what decay cycle is?.....i.e., what's effectiveness/failure rate of 3yo vs 5yo vs 7yo vs 10yo airbags?
Suspect as cars become as tech-intense as S-Class, buyers will need to adopt similar view as wanting to own/keep an iPhone 1.0 for more than 2-3 yrs.....product life cycles/obsolescence/disposability/leases have made cars increasingly similar to various consumer tech goods like smartphones/laptops/flat panel TVs, etc, not Pateks or Petrus or items of furniture....
Point taken about the obsolesce cycle of tech-intensive products... The 3 year extension to the 4 year factory warranty does not seem dubious to me however... I have been quoted figures in the $4K range and I believe it covers everything... It does at least buy peace of mind given the sheer amount of electronica that could go wrong... (An experience I have had on the E55) After 7 years is up, everything that works is a bonus IMO! (But I have some expectations that the engine will at least still run...)
Chris
Last edited by cjf_moraga; Sep 13, 2007 at 01:43 PM.

That's 50% dep in 12 mo.
A footnote to this, they had an 08 S55 V12. I took a double take on this. The salesman said it is indeed rare.
That's 50% dep in 12 mo.
[A quote]
Whooaaa
http://www.fletcher.mercedescenter.c...ce&sortOrder=D
They have an '06 S65 with 8k miles for $118,775
Sure these prices do not refer to old body style 2006 S65's? Or repaired or anything else which would drastically impact the price?
As mentioned in parallel threads I eventually chose an S600 and am increasingly glad I did... Never had a V12 engine before.. and it is absolutely phenomenal - like a locomotive under the hood! Coming from an E55 it has all the torque that really matters to me in the 0 - 70 mph range... It's a long term keeper...
Hey if those S65 prices are real I am more than half way to getting a spare S65 for the extra amount I did not pay to get an S65 in the first place!
Chris
This is auction, expect to pay a bit more than this retail.
Here are the last 4.....
08/15/07 W PALM Lease $154,000 4,740
07/19/07 RIVRSIDE Lease $132,000 18,341
05/24/07 RIVRSIDE Factory $140,000 11,373
03/28/07 ST LOUIS Lease $166,000 258
Isn't this kind of unusual? In this forum several months ago somebody mentioned a blue 2007 S65 that went through Riverside (I believe) for 140K, so that must be the 5/24 date point. Since then, just two more...according to your data. This is all of Manheims, no? Is one of them the buyback from Mercedes at World Imports in Florida or these can't flow through the auction houses due to 'note' on title? Z356
Last edited by Z356; Oct 16, 2007 at 09:01 PM.
Isn't this kind of unusual? In this forum several months ago somebody mentioned a blue 2007 S65 that went through Riverside (I believe) for 140K, so that must be the 5/24 date point. Since then, just two more...according to your data. This is all of Manheims, no? Is one of them the buyback from Mercedes at World Imports in Florida or these can't flow through the auction houses due to 'note' on title? Z356
I would suspect that others have gone through other auctions but less S65's are flowing through than most people think.







Get it.. 