Advice on 2013 S63 biturbo

[smoothcoupe]

Hi all I’m on the hunt for a late S63 5.5 biturbo... did they all come in LWB as I would prefer the SWB version but not too fussy. Also what did the performance package and drivers package comprise of??? Did it have LSD etc??? Finally, obviously As we all know these cars are generally fully loaded.... with these having the later M157 engine are these more reliable as a daily driver ( common faults to look out for etc. I can’t helping these things are an absolute bargain on the second hand market. I could then hand the E55 over to the wife. Would be nice to have both the E55k and S63 sat on the driveway for a lot less ££££ than a newish E63.. just seems like a no brainier... any suggestions?

 

[Alex]

Hi all I’m on the hunt for a late S63 5.5 biturbo... did they all come in LWB as I would prefer the SWB version but not too fussy. Also what did the performance package and drivers package comprise of??? Did it have LSD etc??? Finally, obviously As we all know these cars are generally fully loaded.... with these having the later M157 engine are these more reliable as a daily driver ( common faults to look out for etc. I can’t helping these things are an absolute bargain on the second hand market. I could then hand the E55 over to the wife. Would be nice to have both the E55k and S63 sat on the driveway for a lot less ££££ than a newish E63.. just seems like a no brainier... any suggestions?

I'll try to answer to the best of my knowledge. Mind you, I'm on a pre-facelift S65 which I use daily since last simmer.

Chassis. I'm not sure how much of a difference SWB would make over LWB with these cars as they aren't small. I would imagine it's superficial in your typical road driving. Having a LWB chassis (V12s only come in that flavour) I don't find it awkward or particularly difficult to drive. Inner city or twisted tiny roads - I'm yet to experience where the S-Class won't fit. Parking wise, I don't think SWB would give any major advantage either - usually if it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. No point in squeezing it.

Visually the elongated chassis suits the S-Class quite well and rear passengers would appreciate the extra leg room. Which is not that massive if I'm completely honest.

Engine. The M157 has been around for a while. It's a big capacity and output engine so I'm sure it will cope with those daily duties with ease. At nearly 2.5 tonne (for the V12, V8 will be slightly less), the 221 is not particularly lightweight. It feels well built all round, which no doubt adds weight and size. And even then I'm sure you'll have fun with the V8TT in this chassis.

Pkg. I have an AMG driver package in mine. It ups the speed limit to 186mph. My car is standard and having tested it on a runway last year I can confirm that the speed limit works (unlike some M157-powered CLS63S out there which can only do 186mph on paper but are otherwise limited to 155mph). The car feels amazingly planted at high speeds btw. Nothing to report here.

LSD. As far as I know, there are no known factory installations of the LSD in the 221 chassis but there are aftermarket offerings. Personally, I don't struggle with traction. It's a big, heavy and long car and the weight certainly helps. I have a pair of really sticky Conti ForceContact tyres in the back though.

Generally, you'd want a low mileage car to give you some enjoyment before the big bills kick in. Mine has a fridge which I can't recommend enough. I use it all the time. The night vision is a good option depsite looking pretty gimmicky at first. Radar in mine is temperamental. Temporary setup traffic lights knock it down quite often unitl you're past the lights. Then it's workign again. It's a common issue apparently. The radar always comes on the losing side though. I wish the lights turned green every time instead.

Going for the facelift, you'll have newer optics and looks but your Comand maps would have to be updated at main dealer - something we, prefacelift owners, can do ourselves and for free.

I think these cars are pretty understated and underrepresented on UK roads. I tend to see more 7 series BMWs around where I travel. Good luck with your choice and let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

[smoothcoupe]

Thanks pal.

 

[John]

The difference between SWB and LWB is only 20cm anyway which if you compare two respective 221 S Classes side by side - it's surprisingly difficult to see the difference unless the noses are parked exactly in a line.

You are probably looking at 62 plates as the latest - not sure there are many 13 or 63 plates as 63 is into 222 territory but there are always exceptions (i.e. late-registered), especially on the S Class.