Buying a W220 S Class
Discussion
Hi all
am considering chopping my Jag in for a W220 S Class.
I'm looking at either the 320 petrol or diesel or the S500 - I'd love an AMG 55 if one came up at the right price & condition.
Obviously each car has to be taken on its own merits but any advice around those 3 specific models or any other model recommendations would be gratefully received.
In particular and seeing how I've been burned by a failed Jag gearbox, what are the Merc boxes like over higher mileages?
Are they tough?
What box oil change frequency should I ideally be looking for in the service history?
etc
Thanks boys & girls, we already have an E class and it's a cracking car so am hopeful of sorting something S wise in due course.
am considering chopping my Jag in for a W220 S Class.
I'm looking at either the 320 petrol or diesel or the S500 - I'd love an AMG 55 if one came up at the right price & condition.
Obviously each car has to be taken on its own merits but any advice around those 3 specific models or any other model recommendations would be gratefully received.
In particular and seeing how I've been burned by a failed Jag gearbox, what are the Merc boxes like over higher mileages?
Are they tough?
What box oil change frequency should I ideally be looking for in the service history?
etc
Thanks boys & girls, we already have an E class and it's a cracking car so am hopeful of sorting something S wise in due course.
I considered a W220 a couple of years ago, but ended up with a Range Rover (Yes, I know......)
Looked at a few, and they are truly magnificent beasts - but they are very very capable of hiding big mileages. Apparantly a clocker's favourite.
At least two I went to see did not have any supporting documentation (ie invoices/receipts) to support their sub 70k mileages - the ones that I saw that did have supporting evidence had significantly higher asking prices.
Just make sure everything works, and do your reseach (mbclub.co.uk?) into usual failures and resolution costs.
Meeja
Looked at a few, and they are truly magnificent beasts - but they are very very capable of hiding big mileages. Apparantly a clocker's favourite.
At least two I went to see did not have any supporting documentation (ie invoices/receipts) to support their sub 70k mileages - the ones that I saw that did have supporting evidence had significantly higher asking prices.
Just make sure everything works, and do your reseach (mbclub.co.uk?) into usual failures and resolution costs.
Meeja
I for one tried a 220k W220 and it could have passed for 100k (bits of the interior were shiny though which may have given it away...).
Tempted to say that the 320s are more likely to have been used as chauffeur/taxi-type cars, so will possibly be the ones which will have done big mileages - therefore it may serve you better looking for a nice looked-after 500 instead.
I sat in a flood damaged one once whose interior was all alcantara-headlining, stitched leather dash, etc etc and it was lovely. Not sure what option that was, but I'd consider researching it because the standard interior is a bit average. Also, again, cars with those sorts of options and the more expensive leather and things are more likely to be well looked after in my eyes.
Tempted to say that the 320s are more likely to have been used as chauffeur/taxi-type cars, so will possibly be the ones which will have done big mileages - therefore it may serve you better looking for a nice looked-after 500 instead.
I sat in a flood damaged one once whose interior was all alcantara-headlining, stitched leather dash, etc etc and it was lovely. Not sure what option that was, but I'd consider researching it because the standard interior is a bit average. Also, again, cars with those sorts of options and the more expensive leather and things are more likely to be well looked after in my eyes.
Note also that the early cars rust pretty badly around the wheel arches (dodgy batch of seam sealer). Also have issues with the airmatic suspension (massively expensive pump usually fails), power steering seals blowing etc etc. Engines and gearboxes are good though. Not sure about people's perceptions of quality- these things have fairly nasty cheap plastics that were not a patch on the previous S class or the A8, 7 series etc.
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