retardedmunk

I have owned my S65-CL65 AND S55 with no warranty...granted u r right it will be expensive to fix...

But all 4 corners if they were to go bad with my mechanic...would be less then $3k...chances of all 4 going bad are not happening....maybe 1 or 2 in 100k miles....

The TRUTH is....the more u drive the cars the less issues u will have...the higher mile cars tend to be more dependable then the ones that have hardly been driven

I left my s65 SIT FOR 3 weeks...did not drive the car...nothing wrong with car when i parked it....i get in the car....bam drive down the block...and then the pass coil pack goes....it was $750 to replace but there u go....

THIS is why I am not afraid of high mile BENZ's....I have had over 20 Benz's and they never broke me....

Viet_Amg408

douche bag

i_am_amused

dude, that's pretty harsh.

tone it down a bit, lay off the coffee, and get some therapy.

Kyivk

So I too am looking in to getting a S55. Im 18 so this will be my first car, and i know people who have had a Mercedes including my mother so i know what im in for. what i need to know is when looking at the cars what do i need to walk away from, how do i weed out a well taken care of AMG vs one that was run to hell and back a few times?
Also what are any of the major differences between the 01/02 and the 3-06 S55 is there any reason aside from age?
I also was was interested to know of any good Mercedes specific servicing/repair shops in the OC California.

oh and please,please,please do try to get me not to get this car. I had some one do that to me on a BMW forum...it was kinda depressing...lol

Das Geld 2

BMW's are for losers.

Ok, the 01-02 is 350HP N/A Engine
The 03-06 is 500 HP Supercharged

Just be careful and don't be to reckless if you get the 03+. Learn to control the car and it's power. Best Way would be to go and test drive a few and when you got the one you like take it to a Dealer/Independent shop for a PPI Inspection to make sure its 100% Functional. It's a serious fast car, its not like your mom's C-280 Turtle

Kyivk

Turtle hahahaha thats too damn funny. hey its faster that the focus zx4 st she had lol.
Is there a visual difference from the 02 to the 03? I'm one of those who want the most for their money so if i can get an 03 for around 12-15k and it has a 496hp S'charged V8 than ill take that over any thing ells. and driving my friends neighbors Viper i should be able to take care of and learn how to use this car efficiently

rondocap

I have a 2001 S55, and there are some differences between the 03+. Obviously, 350hp vs 493hp.

The 01/02 has only dual exhaust, while the 03+ has quad exhaust. Some other minor differences too, like the rims, clear lights in the front, etc. Minor stuff. On the inside, an updated NAV system.

Now, obviously the 03+ has more power and is a bit newer. But it comes down to price. With decent mileage, a 2003 S55 is still going to be well over 20k for a good car. The 2001/2002 S55's will be a few thousand dollars cheaper, so that can factor into your decision. The 03+ is fast, but the 01/02 are also quick and fun to drive. The naturally aspirated engine has a good amount of torque and feels like a muscle car, and it's still enough power to put you back in the seat.

Kyivk

now here are 2 55's i was looking at what are your opinions?
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national


http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

Das Geld 2

Crooked badges on the white one. Means it was rear-ended b4 and they had to reapply em. Other than that they are high mileage. You gotta get someone to inspect them mechanically and visually.

Kyivk

Damn...your good, didn't even see that in the pic.There are a few Mercedes specific indie-shops around so i figured i can get one of them to check out the car before i buy it. My mother used to work for the #1 GM dealer in the US so in person she would have seen that.
any thing ells you could point out or watch for?

Das Geld 2

Yea, These are cars are headache without warranty. The ABC system is very expensive and it can go at any time. Unless you got 5k on the side saved for emergency's the car could be trouble. It's all luck. Some cars are issue free, some are nightmare. Remember your taking care of a 120k car.

Like I said if were in your shoes take your time and test drive all the cars your considering and the one you wanna get, spend the $100-$200 to get it properly inspected. It will save you in the long run.

Kyivk

Vielen Dank für Ihre Eingabe seiner sehr nützlich gewesen.
and thats as far as my German goes lol

benz_addict

S-Class and CL-Class are very, very similar.

Problems: Owning CL55 for 70,000kms:

1) Sometimes: car bounces randomly left side
2) primary cat blew
3) steering rack cracked leaking ABC fluid + bad tie rod ends
4) IC pump broke
5) SRS light on - passenger seat sensor problem
6) Passenger side front strut leaking ABC fluid
7) headlight ballast fried
8) Transmission plug connector started leaking oil
9) TCU locked up in limp mode
10) Supercharger bearing broke
11) Sometimes: mysterious, unsolvable bad idle, ESP unavailable, no paddle response problem
12) Sometimes: Engine will not start, will after 3-4 tries (not CPS)
13) Sometimes: COMAND will not start or play sound
14) Supercharger idle pulley bearing broke
15) Belt(S) really squeaky during cold starts, goes away when warm
16) Rear left wheel bearing gave out

Owning a car like this, you will have to live with some problems. It will never be perfect all the time. Requires alot of patience.
Also remember this. ABC is costly to fix. Once it's fixed it's great. But for how long until it needs repair again?

rondocap

I'd really recommend not looking for a cheap, high mileage 03+ S55. You'll end up paying a lot for maintenance out of warranty, there are so many items that start to wear out over 100k, like ball joints, motor mounts, and a host of things.

For $17k, you are better off looking for a cheaper, and lower mileage car. You can find a nice C32 AMG for a lot less, and still have money left over for maintenance/mods if you wanted to make it faster. Or you can look for a 01/02 S55, if you really want an S class - it will be much cheaper and you can still find some good examples in great condition.

Kyivk

Now i know Mercedes have problem but what car doesn't?, just with a Benz in a more expensive part. I do have to admit though i really have fallen in love with the 03+ S55, the power, the center console, the twin-dual exhaust, and the overall prestige of owning an
S-Klasse & the seat design/stitch work. it all works only to well for me. Is it possible to get an extended warranty?

trag

Must be rough having your first car be an S class...............

Kyivk

Interesting;Why do you say that? lol

Fraser

With 100,000 miles or more, extremely unlikely.

The way prices are with the W220s now you don't need to spend a whole lot more to go from a car that is potentially problematic ('03 w/100k+ miles) to one that is much more reliable ('05/'06 w/50k miles). These cars certainly got more reliable the later in the production cycle they are.

You mentioned your age, are you (or your parents) willing to stump up for repairs? These W220s do have the potential to be very costly to own if you're buying a vehicle you can't slap a decent warranty on.

Kyivk

Repair cost is not a problem I've just been given a budget of 18k, I like the S I like the engine/specs & my family likes Mercedes and its safety. Now you said "With 100,000 miles or more, extremely unlikely." dose that mean i could possibly get an extend warranty or dose that only apply with a lower millage cars?

Kyivk

Ok so I'm being constantly warned about repair/maintenance cost what will they look like for an S55 over and under 100k Mi i know its going to be costly, now how much is costly? and how dose the cost stack up against a 00C-280 & a 06C-230??? (please bear with my stupid questions but i don't know lol)

And I was also considering A 02 BMW M5 and a C32/55AMG.

trag

If i was you i would get a newer S55 with less miles on it...
Or even better yet,get an S65!!
Either way i am pretty sure you will love it!
About my other comment i made earlier,
Most people start out with their first car being a junker.
Although my first car wasnt a junker,and im only 3 years older than you.

Kyivk

Nice 21 and your already running a 600... As much as would love a 604hp Twin Turbocharged V12 with a 0-60 at 4.5 seconds but My mother gave me a budget and i need to make every dollar to get me the best and that would be an S55 AMG i could try and go for 600 however, i don't know what the insurance company will think of that. Also on my list or options was the E55AMG.

Zax63

the maintenance costs will be far higher on the S55. Parts are hard to come by and are expensive. I had an E63 and the S65 (I know, it's not a 55 but close) is considerably more expensive to fix. I am still operating under the original factory warranty, and the car sat for some time (bought it with 9k miles 2.5 years old.) Let's make a little maintence list. Sagging ABC - Each rear shock was 1800 dollars installed. I have had well over 5k in ABC costs and the car is less than 20k miles, covered under warranty (both rear shocks, reservoir, some line leaking that the tech needed half a day of labor just to get to it). Coil pack - on the S65 was 1400 bucks, there are two of them. I assume the s55 has at least 1. Plugs were 2 grand, also under warranty. That was for an errant CEL. High IAT - new IC Pump(no idea what that cost.) Drive dynamic seat failure - 800 bucks under warranty. Failed keyless go door handle- 300 bucks. This is all within 10 months, 11k miles. I'm just saying get a darn warranty. I can't imagine that the 55 is an econobox compared to the 65. I'm sure it's cheaper, just not sure how much.
And don't forget the brakes on my e500-1k for all four pads and rotors. On the E63, 3500 for the front brakes and rotors. These things are not easy or cheap. Don't even get me started on the rear offsets on the rear rims - 60 et on the s65, don't know what the s55 runs, but try finding replacements before you commit to buying the car. I'm not saying find a guy who says rims will fit, I'm saying actually trying the rim to see that it fits unless the s55 has a much easier offset than the 65 - I assume it does. Oh, and I have not replaced one, but I hear front windshields are 3500 bucks due to some infrared coating-my e63 was like 500 for comparison.

Kyivk

Where and how do i obtain a warranty?

Fraser

Do a search on here for threads containing the word warranty, there's plenty of them, some much better than others.

Most warranty companies have a maximum mileage that the car can have at the time it is warrantied. That might be anywhere between 50,000 and 100,000 depending upon the company.

The company I got the warranty on my 600 through (Chrysler Service Contracts) required an inspection at a Mercedes dealership. That cost me $165 or so. Alas the Chrysler plans, regarded as one of the better ones, no longer cover all W220s and W215s. I think they won't do ABC equipped cars which includes all 65s, 55s and 600s but it might be more restrictive.