Fly by night

What's the better option overall? both cars have around 40,000
miles- warranty and are priced pretty close. Vehicle to be used as a daily driver but only about 8000 miles per year.

Vabene7

Do you prefer performance or interior?
Performance - 65.
Interior Ammenities - 550.

No one take this the wrong way. Both cars are great, but the 220 model is not designed inside as well as the 221. And I don't mean how nice it looks. Just in relation to it's layout and functionality.
The S65 is great inside, but my opinion is the 221 models are just a better thought out and refined design on the inside.

Me- I would pick the 65, but that's because performance is more important to me.
But everytime I see my father's S550, I always say how amazing the inside is designed.
I am sure this opinion didn't help you one bit......

tonykharper

I'm trying to make the same decision. 2006 S 65 or 2008 S550 with the sport package.

Would really like to hear from someone that has owned both.

mrbenzes

I would pick the S65 for rarity and long term resale value...one day the S550 will be "just another S550"...the S65 will be a legend - forever.
Just look back to the 300SEL 6.3 or 500E.
If you change cars regularly, buy the S550
Mike

canes85

06 - S65 all day!!!
S550 has newer interior but the 65 has more exclusive leather, alcantra headliner & 605HP & 790 ft torque!!!!!!!!!!!

tonykharper

Hey guys, do all the added features of the new command system, nav system, driver assist package, in dash CD player, etc. really make 2008 S550 better, or are they just ginger bread that you don't use much anyway???

_AMG_

S65 hands down!!

Zax63

Since you posted this in the AMG section, my guess is we are a biased group, all of us choosing performance as a premium metric. I suspect if you posted the same question in the non-amg S-class section, the bias would lean towards luxury, not performance. I don't believe anyone here can answer the question from your perspective without knowing a bit more. I would say you need to drive them both. I'd say if you prefer the ability to rip through traffic effortlessly, merge onto the highway and pass with unparalleled velocity, and don't mind spending 6k to do your 4 brakes and $1500 on staggered fitment tires every 15k miles (at the most, I got 8k out of my PS2's), buy the AMG. When I drive across the supermarket lot in my S65, 98% of the people who see it don't even notice it's there. There are a few who not only see it, but get it. They come over and talk to you about it. They want to see the motor. They want to know how fast it is. They want a ride, or to drive it. The new body S-class is more about showing people you have a nice new Big Body Benz. The opposite sex will dig it more, for the most part. Unless they like driving. It is more luxurious. It is relatively slow and ponderous. It says "I have arrived", or at least it does till the next S class comes out, and it depreciates like a stone. On the highway, interstate 95, both cars are great. On the Merritt Parkway, a winding two lane of lunatics weaving in and out, pushing you from behind, passing on the inside of curves, the S65 doesn't have many equals - when you drop the hammer, the 740 ft/lbs of torque shove you back in your seat and end most tailgating shenanigans. Unless you are talking about a Panamera Turbo or a Two seat sports car - porsche, vette, ferrari - but good luck commuting in one of those or going on a 6 hour drive.

AZBENZ-CTSV

I responded to this before. S65 best bang for the buck!!

tonykharper

Thanks for your input. You make many very good points. I have drove the S550 and you are right it does feel a little ponderous. My S500 feels lighter and less so. I plan to drive the S65 as soon as I can get the time. Perhaps that will make the decision easier.

This car will not be my daily drivers, it will be just for entertainment.
I must admit, 6K for brakes, and 1.5K for tires every 15,000 mile is daunting. Would it be that bad if driven less aggressively?

AZBENZ-CTSV

Tires every 10-15k intervals and brakes at 30-40k intervals.

AMG X

The S550 is just another S-Class and there's nothing wrong with that, it is a nice car and very luxurious, but it's just not very performance oriented.

The S65 offers the best off both world's and if luxury is not the only factor you are looking for and you don't have another performance oriented car, then you should go for it... but factor in the maintenance costs as others have said, they will be higher.

Zax63

You could put on a higher treadwear rating tire, an all season like the Continetal ExtremeContact DWS (dry, wet, snow):
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....&autoModel=S65 Sedan&autoModClar=

They are cheap, and they have a 540 treadwear rating, which should equate to 54k miles on a non staggered fitment driven non aggressively, roughly half that on a staggered fitment car, or 27k miles. I have these on my wife's r500, and they fine tires, although I have heard mixed reviews of them. Some people say they get choppy about halfway through their life and cause vibration. But they will seriously degrade the handling of the car in the dry. They will improve the handling in the wet, and if you get stuck out in a light snow you will be able to get home. If you will daily drive the car in a snow climate, you will need a dedicated set of winters, unless you plan on never driving in the snow.

Oh, one thing that none of us had mentioned... the X factor. A 2007 is the first year of a very technology laden car, with a myriad of electronic additions. Generally speaking, in a benz, that is a recipe for disaster - I have no empirical data on the 2007 S class, but it's just a hunch. Maybe someone else has some facts on the matter.

slownrusty

S65....S65...S65...S65....S65

malahhaor

Personally I don't care if people notice when I arrive, I drive the car that I like not because someone else does. So getting the lates is not a must for me.
I drove 550 and I found that the feel of the drive is extremely negligible from what my 500 offers. The newer toys although looked nice did not offer me too big of a difference from what i have now. So I decided to pass up on getting the 221 and am looking for 220 but with more muscle. Drove s55 and found it to be too harsh, too much exhaust note and drone and feel of a domestic muscle car, so opting for more luxury and looking for s600.
So to each their own. S550 will be a looker and cheapper on maintenance, however s65 will be luxury at it's finest and performance up to wazoo.

S-Clusiv

If it's not a DD & only for entertainment, why even consider the S550?

65 or go home!

tonykharper

Excellent question, and I have no good answer. Perhaps I can ask another question.

It seems with the introduction of the W222 there will no longer be a 12 cyl.
S 65. Does that not mean there will never again be a 4-5 passenger MB sedan as fast as the 2006-2012 S65's Does that mean they will be highly sought after in the future?

malahhaor

I'm sure they will squeeze the power out of V8 TT, combine that with better trans and you'll have the same thing with better gas mileage.

JR.

.

the torque of a 65 motor is from God..

from a roll, my S65 would easily pull away from my lambo G spyder

S65 is very fun and the ONLY way to go.. !!

02Drunkenup

Or they can do some serious economy tuning with the V12 (probably will have to start with a new architecture) like DI, start-stop, cylinder-deactivation, plus a uprated 7-speed wouldn't hurt.

AMG X

I honestly don't think anyone who buys the S600 or S65 new cares too much about the gas mileage. Sure it's a good thing to become more and more fuel efficient, but the V12 platform can't just disappear especially when Audi and BMW still continue to offer it.

malahhaor

+1 on all of those, although I don't know why they stopped doing cylinder deactivation at idle. They used to have it on 600

02Drunkenup

Yeah I agree, MB, as with Audi and BMW, still have a market for huge V12 luxo-rockets. I mean, as long as Bentley, RR, AM, Lambo, Ferrari continue to stuff V12s into their cars, MB can certainly justify production of a V12. Although I agree V12 (along with V8s/V10s) with eventually disappear, I don't think it'll be happening until gas hits 6 /gal, or Obama goes absolutely crazy with CAFE standards.

On another note, thinking about how big, V12, and other high cylinder count engines will go eventually, I gotta, say, I was born in the wrong time/era.

Reckless

I love my V12TT. In terms of fun, the S65, in terms of looks the S550 (I hate the controls on the W221).

bzliteyear

S65 over S550, but I think for lower service issues I'd also consider S63 if you can find one for your price range.
PL