Hi All
I have been watching posts for a while now and have read many of your very well done posts, however I am in need of some advise. I am considering either a 2003 or newer S 55 or S600. Can anyone help me understand the real world differences? I know the basic differences,(V12 Turbo vs V8 Supercharged) but how do they differ in driving? How about maint issues? One more than the other? Does one have different equipment options compared to the other?
Thanks in advance for your advise
Baldy

 

Sure.
The S600 has a far nicer interior, as it has full leather dash, door panels, rear parcel shelf, and alcantara headliner.

Power is about the same, although the 600 will be a bit more smooth in its delivery. It will lack a bit of the immediate torquiness of the blown V8, but up top it will keep pulling.

The 600 is also going to ride a bit softer and will be quieter.

I personally don't understand the S55, whereas I can definitely see the appeal of the S600. The S600 is like a bullet train. Quiet comfortable, and smooth, with the same acceleration as the louder, more shouty S55.

That said, the S600 looks a bit tame without the sport package, which was a must have option for me.

Maintenance should be similar as they both have ABC, the 722.6 5 speed, and the dodgy Intercooler pumps. Neither engine is trouble prone.

I'd take an S600 with the sport package any day over the 55.

 

Thanks Oliverk. That confirms my earlier suspicions. Would still like to hear others opinions

 

alright, i LOVE the s55..pretty much anything AMG, but in terms of the w220, the ultimate bang for your buck would be an S600! Think of it, you get more for the same price of a 55. Plush and optioned out interior, same acceleration to 60 mph and walks the 55 stock to stock after 80mph!

although the s55 has a rumble like an american musclecar, an s-class is more like what an earlier poster said, a bullet train, delivering a quiet surge of accleration with little effort! AMG package or not the 600 is the ultimate sleeper and will always turn heads for decades...

oh, also there is more options for aftermarket tuning for high hp gains than a 55K. I still love the s55..but that v12 biturbo is no joke.

only downfall is the cost of maintenance for cars of this caliber.

S600 is ultimately a better buy but get what you're looking for. if you want the "feel" of chest-pounding torque, get the 55K, if you like quiet, unfathomable power, get the 600...

 

For ease of power, an ECU Tuned S600 will do big damage to a lot of things including a well modded S55, many guys hit 500rwhp+ and 640rwtq with an ECU Tune S600. The car is super sleeper and comfy, a true wolf's in sheep's clothing. The S55 though has the AMG Quad exhaust and brakes. Do you want a V8 Sounding beast or a much quieter V12TT sleeper? Both cars are sleepers for what they are, the S600 just does it a bit better than the S55 as it has no quads and sounds quieter vs. the AMG SC V8. The S600 makes gobs of torque and power. The S55 does that too but not as good as the V12TT. S600 + Tune + Drag Radials = 11s all day.

 

I drive an 03 S55 and do not regret not one day of buying it. I personally like the deep sound that the quad exhaust make. Soooo sexy is what they say..lol..I believe the S600 will cost you more in price and service.

 

That is true though, the V12 BiTurbo is more expensive to maintain than the M113K V8. It is more than recommended to get an warranty with either of them.

 

I would go for the 600. You probably could get a better deal on a 600 because the V12s seem to drop in value a little more quickly than a 55 AMG. Plus the interior of the 600 is worlds better than the 55.

E55AMGFan: what makes you say the V12 will be more expensive to maintain. Both are modern engines and I can't see that the V12 would cost significantly more than a 55 to maintain.

 

i've thought about both for a while as i have a 2002 S55.

IF i ever decide to change and still stay w/ W220, i would:

#1. skip 2003.
MBs and BMW's - it's best to skip the first year. you have LOTS more upside by going w/ 2004+, and i don't think it costs that much more.

#2. no matter what anyone says, there's no way the V12 S600 will be the same/less to maintain than the S55. for some people, that might be true. however, as a general rule, i don't see how that's logically possible.

p.s. does anyone know if perhaps S600 sports brake parts etc. are less than S55's AMG brakes/rotors?

Patrick

 

It wouldn't be significantly more, but it would be more in general based on what I've read about owners' experiences. It is better to get a 2004+ as first year model bugs are sorted out.

 

I love my S600 and can't imagine enjoying an s55 as much. I did upgrade my brakes to the 55 brakes.

The 600 seperates the men from the boys.

Expect to fill up gas every 200 miles. I'm heavy on the throttle and generally get 8-10 mpg. I don't think there is much of a difference in servicing the V12TT compared to the SC V8 as long as you have an after market warranty.

 

I did the same compairison and after driving both I ended up choosing a 03 s600 sport over a 03 s55. Interior was a big difference but with both cars I was going to buy tuning software and with that issue the 600 won hands down. The 600 is just and exhaust mod away from sounding like a 55 and that was also a consideration. I suggest you drive both a few times before you make ur choice.

 

8-10mpg isn't bad for heavy throttle, One member (Formula ZR) with LET's tune on his CL600 was able to get 21mpg on interstate cruising, its all about right foot discipline isn't it. You forgot to mention how spoiled you are with close to 465rwhp and 660rwtq on a dyno dynamics, must to nice to munch on snacks when the S gets hungry to grab a bite and how fast it will catch its bite. For the pricing of both being so close and having the easier side to modify, the S600 is the choice for those who want the sleeper speed machine with a great interior and space, the S55 is no slouch for a full size sedan, the S600 just does the job better.

 

I also looked at both the S600 and S55. Both are fine cars and you can't go wrong with any of them. The S600 is more luxurious and has all amenities while the S55 is a bit more performance oriented.

The most immediate difference is when you ste on the "GO" pedal, the S600 is quiet and smooth while the S55 starts to growl (or as Jeremy Clarkson says, it sounds like Tom Jones singing), performance in a straightline is about the same. Although none are sports cars, the S55 is more of a sporty sedan.

Good luck!

 

I too had this delima less than a year ago. Although it was with a 2004, same car and options as a 03.

Anyway, as ALL of the above have mentioned is the interior. The 600's are truely uniquie and VASTY superior, at least to the 3 55's I looked at.

Performace, well the 55 has MUCH better brakes
The 600 has a slight edge perfoemance wise stock, and with an LET tune, it walks it all day long.
Plus, I found that there are WAY more loaded 600's as to 55's. I don't know why, but just works out this way. I don't know, but if I were to pay $120,000 for a new car, I certianly would spend the extra $20K to max it out.

Oh well, just think about what you want.

And as the above stated, make SURE you get the AMG pacakge on the 600. Otherwise it looks like your fathers oldsmobile, IMHO.

 

E55 is correct, my car after the tune still gets 21 mpg on the highway with very minimal application of the smaller pedal on the left. Even if I get a little spirited now and then I still haven't gotten the average to drop below 14-15 mpg. The same car ran the quarter mile at 12.29 @ 115 mph with a very horrible DA, on-and-off rain showers, and poor track prep.

I think the S600 (like the CL) really does better with the extra low end torque of the M275, also...more performance is just a tune away with no parts changed, rather than an S55 requiring a tune, pulley, etc...remember this: Horsepower is relative, and I'll take Clydesdales over Shetlands any day of the week! If you get an S600, I would try to set some money aside for a LET tune and a bigger heat exchanger....and with either one also plan on needing to replace the factory Intercooler Pump (unless the previous owner has already done so); if you're a do-it-yourselfer you can change the IC pump in about 1 hour for $150 total cost.

I honestly can't think of a single reason to opt for a 55 over a 600. The 600 can do anything a 55 can do, and in most cases it does a better job. The only exception to that would be stopping distance...but that is a solvable problem.

 

Well said , hopefully you get a trip back to the strip and put down 11s. The only thing on the S600 is to get one with the AMG bodywork which isn't to hard to find, one thing I noticed when seeing some for sale as another member mentioned is how loaded the 600s are vs. the 55s. As for brakes, you're spot on, its an upgrade away, IIRC Oxygen got massive S65 brakes on his S600 and kept his stock rears. Makes a world of difference.

S600 + LET Tune S2 Tune+ Heat Exchanger + IC Pump + S55 or S65 Brakes= Win!

 

Hi Guys,
Thanks for all your valuable input! With this new information, I now have more questions... Could someone tell me about the front brake upgrade (S55 or S65), LET Tune, S-2 Tune, Upgraded Intercooler pump, larger heat exchanger, exhaust modification and what is included in the AMG package and or the "Sport package" for the S600? I will drive the car on So Cal freeways and a mountain road each day. Will the S600 handle as well as a S 55? Maybe smoother on the highway or the same? Understand I am 50 years old and my showoff days are over, but I still appreciate a high performance vehicle. (Current car is a Audi S-4 early model 1993) Also any local tuning shops 30 miles east of Los Angeles would be helpful as well.
Baldy

 

I did the front brake upgrade on my S600 - basically I went with the S55 front caliper/rotor/pads and it needed a spindle. My MB service shop are really smart guys and ordered the part and saw that it was exactly the same as mine except the hole is a different size, so they drilled a hole to match the hole on the AMG spindles. Total came out to $3100 if I remember correctly. The back brakes are the same (I think the AMG models come with cross drilled rotors). It is a must have upgrade IMO as the stock brakes are useless to stop the car at high speeds (MB should be sued for putting such lousy brakes on a rocket). The reason for going with the S55 over the S65 was that I didn't want 19" wheels with real low profile tires to clear the rotor. It will make the ride harsher. Although, I sometimes wish I had more braking power as the car climbs to insane speeds without effort.

AMG/Sport package is a body kit, that goes around the bottom of the car. I am the only person who never saw much of a difference between the 2. It looks nice, but not that much different.

I wouldn't bother with the exhaust/pump/heat exchanger if you aren't driving like a maniac. Just get a good ECU tune.

I believe S55 has upgraded struts and different software for ABC so that makes it a tad better for spirited driving - I can't imagine it makes a world of difference.

After owning a V12TT, you may lose respect for anything else. Everything feels like a lawn mower engines to me.

 

That my friend is the quote of the day

 

In general, AMG enhances regular MB cars in four areas: Engine, Suspension, Brakes and Cosmetics(body kit, badges).

It is difficult to compare the S600 to S55 head-on since the engines are different and one emphasizes luxury vs. performance. Either way, you are looking at two very fine cars.

 

Very true words indeed.

Take your pic what you want as I stated above, as you can not go wrong with either car, IMHO

 

IC Pump: The "upgraded" IC pump would be a Johnson CM30. It almost bolts right in, and if you have install questions I have a DIY write up with pics located in the M275 section (inside the Tech area) of MBW. Basically the factory pump is crap, and will fail at some point. When it does, the CM30 is a much cheaper alternative and is actually better.

Tune: I have a Eurocharged/LET tune done by Jerry. As of today, I do not know what my gains are. However, this Saturday (10/24/09) my car will be strapped to a dyno and Jerry will be doing some live tuning on it; so I'll have better results then. Even without number right now, though, I will say it REALLY woke my car up. When you look at my 12.29 please keep in mind that track and weather conditions were MUCH less than ideal. On a better day in my area with some decent prep that would've been a high 11, no doubt. That run was on a day that had 3 rain showers from 7pm-11:30pm and the track guys were doing good just to keep the track somewhat safe. I hear that others who tune the M275 powered cars do a good job but I have no experience outside of phone conversations with anyone other than LET, so I won't say anything positive or negative about them; I will say this, though...you'd be hard pressed to beat the bang for the buck LET offers and you CANNOT beat Jerry's customer service.

Heat Exchanger: This is probably the last upgrade you "need", but would be the first one I would do if I could do it all over again. Here's the deal, though, a bigger/better HE will NOT make you any more power; but it will help you keep all your horsepower as engine and ambient temps increase. Example: If your car has 500 hp, it might drop to 470-485 hp on a 100 degree day after a couple of high speed passes; the better heat exchanger will minimize that loss. A store bought HE isn't cheap, but I am currently working on a hillbilly homebuilt HE that should come in under $150; but it isn't complete yet.


I agree with you on your points of the heat exchanger and exhaust; although if the car still has a factory IC pump the CM30 IC pump is a cheaper and better replacement...and IF it is still the factory pump, it's not a matter of if it will fail, but when.

 

I think the OP was asking what in the AMG Sport Package is different...

I would also recommend going with 2004-2006 because they upgraded the COMAND system in 2004 to become DVD based (1 DVD for all U.S. maps) vs. model year 2003 which still had CD-ROM based nav with many CDs for the U.S. In addition the newer system was easier to use, more accurate, etc.

 

Excellent point. My car is an 03, and while I haven't had any mechanical issues related to the year (yet); I will say that my Nav sucks. I didn't know that 03 and 04+ were different when I got my car. I REALLY wish I had the DVD option, the better Nav, etc...also, I believe 04+ can read MP3 format CDs in the changer? I'm not positive on the last part, so maybe an 04+ owner can confirm that. Nav wise, I have been on a major road in my town and the Nav says I'm off-road and shows no such road.