cjf_moraga

I went from a 2005 E55 (it had zero problems) to an S600 and I suspect it is exactly the combination of comparable torque/acceleration and luxury that you are looking for... The w221 is super solid as well and its reliability by all accounts is way better than the older w220... Heck, even Consumer Repots gives it a row of red disks from MY07/08 onwards...

The downside of course is the price... but in this market you can probably get some pretty good deals...

Don't get a Lexus L460! It is quiet and comfortable, yes... but its driving dynamics are in an earlier century compared to the V12 TT and ABC equipped S600 which is amazingly agile for a car of its size... The S600 is more insulated from the outside than the E55 but it sounds that will suit you fine... Highly recommended!

Chris

pmb600

Nickerz

Thanks for that info Chris! I was looking at the ConsumerReports site too and noticed the favorable ratings it gave the S-class! Plus, I love that the S600 comes fully loaded, so as I was searching the autotrader.com & cars.com sites, all I had to do was specify the color combination. Black on Black is becoming my favorite! There are some good deals to be had on the S600 '07 now.

cjf_moraga

Good luck! Having had one for 6 months I believe the S600 is the natural next step from the E55 for anyone who loves the unique torque/feel of the 55K engine and yet needs additional luxury - its an amazing balance. The acceleration is even faster than the E55.. (I am sure it is really around 4.3 seconds) but does not always "feel it" from a sensory POV because of the extreme quietness inside. Just watch the needle go around the dial and everyone vanish in the rear view mirror though. Just as important is the standard Active Body Control which really does make the car feel that it is cornering on rails. I did test the S63 originally, but (like the E63) it is a very different experience (linear power delivery) and lacks that "kick in the back". As the S600 is heavier than an E55 it actually plants all its power onto the road more effectively with much less tyre burnout - 612 LB/ft torque kicks in at only 1500 RPM so the engine is hardly stressed. There is a lot of reserve capacity in the V12 TT - not for nothing are modded S600's amongst the fastest MB's ever as discussed in other recent threads. It is also more exclusive (very rare compared to the hordes of AMG's) and yet is still stealthy. (Except for those V12 and S600 badges) The one downside is that MB does not make the AMG bodykit available to protect sales of the S63 which costs almost the same but is not as sumptuous inside and lacks the "all options as standard" of the S600. (A point of irritation for S-Class buyers!)

Pean of praise over!

Chris

CWW

+1 on everybody's Lexus comments...

I have owned an ES and a last-generation LS, and each was a well-engineered vehicle that did exactly what it was supposed to do, and did it very well with no drama. But comparing Lexus to a german manufacturer is apples and oranges...they just aren't the same "experience" that a MB/BMW/Porsche is.

The Lexus will float along in complete silence, every input you make is drive-by-wire and feels unconnected to anything, you can never hear the engine (even standing outside the car, you'd be hard-pressed to tell it's running), the steering has zero communication, you can't feel the road through the suspension at all, there is no exhaust note whatsoever, etc. etc.

Personally, I would much rather have the "experience" even if it means dealing with extra maintenance (which it will) and giving up some gadgets. The one bright spot for Lexus is that, when I had the LS in for a service, they gave me the new (at the time) IS250, and while it's still no benz or BMW it is a giant leap forward for them as far as road feel, brake feel, engine feel, etc. It didn't feel totally numb like most of them do.

FWIW, if you're used to not only a Mercedes but an AMG, then going to Lexus is going to be a massive adjustment for you, and probably too big of an adjustment.

ucsdsig

Definitely true. Before getting my E63, my daily driver was a '06 GS430. My wife now drives the GS.

But I still drive the GS on weekends and I am still amazed at the difference between the two cars. Before I got the E63, I never felt that the GS430 was underpowered...I guess I am spoiled now. However, the GS does have its advantages, such as a more comfortable ride and much better navigation system. And it's been a very reliable car, not one mechanical problem.

But in the three years of having the GS, I've never truly gotten excited driving it...nice car to get me from point A to point B. With my E63, I truly look forward to driving it every day. To be honest, I look for excuses to drive the car. That is the difference

Jrocket

I missed the part on why you lemoned it in the first place? I thought you were overly happy with this car? What happened?

bigben320e

I am glad you got the issue worked out, and had a happy ending. I for one, would opt for the another MB. I am quite sure that Lexus has had some lemon cars as well. No automaker is immune to issues, you just had a bad one. I would agree on the new S though!

For me, I love my CLS!

Nickerz

I did love the car! I've even considered buying another E55 with low miles for A LOT less now. However, I didn't like spending my time having it fixed for the same thing and other problems. I know MB took this seriously b/c of the service record alone. At one point, it was in the shop for over two weeks for the same problem that had been going wrong from the beginning.

Very true that every manufacturer has their fair share of bad cars.

MB Fanatic

Sucks to hear that the E55 gave you so many problems. While you look at the Lexus, look at the S550 with AMG package. It truly trumps te LS460 in every category. We haveabout 45K miles on ours and it hasn't seen the dealer for warranty related issues, just maintenance and NAV update.

Jrocket

Thats too bad to hear.What were all these repeated problems?

pmb600

I agree completely and that is all I have been trying to say. Going from an MB to a Lexus is one thing, but an AMG to a Lexus is quite another.

MB_Forever

Not all E55s are having problems..... you might be better off just buying a low mileage and well-optioned 2006 E55. They are relatively cheap now and you can easily get a great deal. Plus, with all the money saved, you can mod it for an additional 100 hp

If you really want a Lexus, at least wait for the GS-F (supposed to be 510 bhp)

What kind of problems did you have with your E55 that were so severe that you had to Lemon it?

jangy

I love my '06

Fantasm

+1 for getting another Mercedes. They did you good, now do them good and get another.
If the dealership you bought it from was involved in the lemon process, I would go back to the same place even and get it from there!

S600 would be very nice, especially since you are looking for comfort/luxury primarily with the occaisonal option of "ooomphf"

Jakpro1

Quick update. Vadim called and said new blower is on and the car definitely feels different. Better different, but of course so hard to tell.

Hopefully dyno shows some nice gains tomorrow (Wednesday).

Keep your fingers crossed guys.

Be a killer way to end this whole process.

Jrocket

Awesome info...wrong thread?

trovan

glad to hear mb step up. good luck with searching for next car.