SL/R230: Sl550
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
1988 560SL (sold); 2001 E430 (sold); 2004 SL500; 2009 CL550
Blue...I'd agree 100%.
While I can't prove it (LOL) when the CLS was first coming out I thought they were creating an intermediate level car between the S and E. Basically what I guessed has happened...the CLS is the "Sporty-driving" sedan, the S grew and became more of a riding car than a driving car - and was also given a lot of styling cues from the Maybach. The one we drove felt HUGE and significantly heavier than the current S - while the 550 put out great power (both quiet and smooth) the size of the new S made you feel like you needed that much power to get it going. In addition, you could not toss the car around as much as the old S; the demo we drove wasn't fully loaded so I'm sure that it will have more ability to tighten up the car should you add those options.
I do like the lines of the new S. I'm glad to see that it's leaving behind
what, here in the US, has become the basic sedan look. So many sedans
here are generic and non-descript; the only differences between an Altima
and an S-class was cost and how long it was...otherwise, from a distance
they all have that same basic design - and are boring.
For those of you who love the old lines...please don't rant. It's just my opinion and I don't expect ANYONE to agree.
While I can't prove it (LOL) when the CLS was first coming out I thought they were creating an intermediate level car between the S and E. Basically what I guessed has happened...the CLS is the "Sporty-driving" sedan, the S grew and became more of a riding car than a driving car - and was also given a lot of styling cues from the Maybach. The one we drove felt HUGE and significantly heavier than the current S - while the 550 put out great power (both quiet and smooth) the size of the new S made you feel like you needed that much power to get it going. In addition, you could not toss the car around as much as the old S; the demo we drove wasn't fully loaded so I'm sure that it will have more ability to tighten up the car should you add those options.
I do like the lines of the new S. I'm glad to see that it's leaving behind
what, here in the US, has become the basic sedan look. So many sedans
here are generic and non-descript; the only differences between an Altima
and an S-class was cost and how long it was...otherwise, from a distance
they all have that same basic design - and are boring.
For those of you who love the old lines...please don't rant. It's just my opinion and I don't expect ANYONE to agree.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 972
Likes: 28
From: DFW
BMW M850i Gran Coupe
Originally Posted by Gunther
Drove the new 550 engine in a new S Class....loved it.
Unfortunately, not enough to order another one. Technologically, it's a monument to the engineers. Aesthetically, it's interesting at a minimum and probably pace setting for future design. However, it just doesn't light my fire. Maybe I've been driving S-Classes for too long or maybe I'm just getting too diffcult to please, but I'm going to order an SL. The SL550 is gorgeous and it excites me. PLUS, I figure after being recently refreshed after 4 years, maybe most of the problems will have been addressed.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,061
Likes: 326
From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
The new S sedan has the latest generation of distronic (distronic plus) is supposed to be amazing in stop and go traffic and the new Night Vision Assist is also supposed to be excellent according to recent independent testing.
Last edited by RJC; Jan 27, 2006 at 10:07 PM.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by LovinSL600
I am sure they are trying to do whatever they can as quickly as they can but the process is very difficult and a huge task.
You would be surprised at how much of this turn around is supplier dependent. When Schrempp took over he vowed publicly to reduce costs by taking them out of the supply chain. That is exactly what happened and the suppliers reacted with poor quality products.
It is not only going to take effort but money as well.
I am not sure if you remember the problem I had with my new 2005 SL600 and the engine failing. It was found that the engine kept stalling on start up because the fuel pump did not have enough capacity to consistently fill the engine with enough fuel on start up. Well, this didn't happen with all pumps but it did happen enough so that they had a replacement pump manufactured in late 2003. That pump was further replaced by yet another updated pump in early 2004 and yet again finally in November of 2004. My 2005 SL was produced in December of 2004.
The 3rd generation pump is what it took weeks to get after a lot of pushing in order to fix my car. When they took out the original pump in my one week old 2005 SL600 we found that the fuel pump that was in there was the original pump from early 2003. In other words they knew they had problems and had a new 3rd generation pump, however they were not willing to throw out their existing inventory of older defective pumps and take that loss so they were putting defective pumps from 2003 in brand new 2005 cars costing $145,000. That was a year ago.
Have they thrown the old pumps out yet? If they did that would be the right step toward quality improvement.
Anybody taking bets?
.
You would be surprised at how much of this turn around is supplier dependent. When Schrempp took over he vowed publicly to reduce costs by taking them out of the supply chain. That is exactly what happened and the suppliers reacted with poor quality products.
It is not only going to take effort but money as well.
I am not sure if you remember the problem I had with my new 2005 SL600 and the engine failing. It was found that the engine kept stalling on start up because the fuel pump did not have enough capacity to consistently fill the engine with enough fuel on start up. Well, this didn't happen with all pumps but it did happen enough so that they had a replacement pump manufactured in late 2003. That pump was further replaced by yet another updated pump in early 2004 and yet again finally in November of 2004. My 2005 SL was produced in December of 2004.
The 3rd generation pump is what it took weeks to get after a lot of pushing in order to fix my car. When they took out the original pump in my one week old 2005 SL600 we found that the fuel pump that was in there was the original pump from early 2003. In other words they knew they had problems and had a new 3rd generation pump, however they were not willing to throw out their existing inventory of older defective pumps and take that loss so they were putting defective pumps from 2003 in brand new 2005 cars costing $145,000. That was a year ago.
Have they thrown the old pumps out yet? If they did that would be the right step toward quality improvement.
Anybody taking bets?
.
