Buying a W221 S Class

[Horrgakx]

Hi everyone. I’m looking at the diesel W221 S Class, from 2006.
I understand the auto air suspension is standard? Is anything else cool standard on these cars?

In a previous thread I’d learned to look for engine oil leaks and try all the equipment to see if it works.
Is there anything else good or bad to look for?

 

[John]

Make sure the car flips through the suspension modes (usually a sport mode and comfort mode and a "raise car"). Check to ensure the car rises / lowers through each mode evenly without problems (takes a moment).

Drive the car for a while and with the windows down to listen for any noises too.

Look for provenance too - receipts for servicing / history, makes on the tyre being similar, brakes looking good. Also check the MOT history online using the registration.

I would base any decision on many factors (i.e. don't assume budget tyres means the car wasn't looked after - anyone selling a car who would rather fit new budgets than leaving nearly-illegal tyres is hardly a shyster!).

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Might be wrong but I don’t think ABC suspension was standard on all W221 models.

 

[zipdip]

Ok there are a lot of good S320's about from 2005/6/7,and they are cheap, look at the 2007 S320 up for £6495 on ebay,mileage ok look at the picture of the front seat,if you look at the far door it has the memory seat option,this is good because the nearside mirror will point down when selecting reverse so you can see the rear wheel saves curbing,below the memory you can see a button that says it has heated seats some S320 did not always have them,on same picture look to right of steering wheel on dash and you will see the lights control it had a switch to the left this means it has headlamp wash,if there was a switch to the right it would have night vision thats a rare extra that car does not have it.
You need full history and at 80,000 it will need or had a gearbox aft oil change,if you look at the rear seats on the door there are no switches so it does not have heated rear seats,also on the front and rear door you could also have a extra switch for cooling seats,again a rare option,plus rear blinds another option,check the spare tyre and tool kit,plus red triangle in boot,under the front seats is a tray that should have the first aid kit,as in a earlier post check that the car goes up on the buttons,and when driving it try sport and manual gear change by using the paddle things under the steering wheel,that car is a standard car and not the long version,which has a sun roof.
If I was buying a S320 that car might well fit the bill.

 

[zipdip]

Also that car does not have a reversing camera,a shame they are a great help,but the good news is they are not that expensive to add.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Buy one that's been privately owned, or used as a personal company car.

"With all due respect to The Carriage Trade," a car that has been used as a taxi will have been run to a different budget than a luxury car owned by a private individual.

To paraphrase Vladimir Lenin, who said "Education, Education, Education," I'd offer "Provenance, Provenance, Provenance."

There are plenty of S350's around that have been serviced by MB for the first five years of their lives, and by MB Specialists for the second half of their life. Find one. Cars without comprehensive histories are best left to others.

.

 

[Horrgakx]

Thanks for the replies. I've been doing some research - the long wheelbase models all appear to have electric rear seats which is nice.
What kind of audio system - quality? - do these have?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Here's the (US) sales brochure for the W221

http://www.auto-brochures.com/makes/Mercedes_Benz/S-Class/Mercedes Benz_US S-Class_2007_1.pdf

 

[Horrgakx]

Thanks - they look great, but as you say it's the US version and also covers the S550 / S600 only so it's proper car porn.

 

[John]

Might be wrong but I don’t think ABC suspension was standard on all W221 models.

What does that equate to in terms of what you get? Not sure I've ever really got to the bottom of that.

In the CL, there is an ABC button and if you press it, the only difference was when you cornered it remained level. Switch it off and you got regular cornering.

I presumed the Comfort / Sport / Raise modes it has were standard like they were with AirMATIC in the W211 (obviously with 2 x Sport modes in the AMG)...

 

[jdrrco]

Thanks for the replies. I've been doing some research - the long wheelbase models all appear to have electric rear seats which is nice.
What kind of audio system - quality? - do these have?

But you have to ask yourself how often will you be sitting in the back seat? When it comes to toys, I'm up there with the best of 'em in liking my playthings, but what's the point of heated and cooled adjustable rear seats if they're only ever used once in a blue moon and even then not by me??

 

[DaveE320CDI]

Two different systems! ABC and Airmatic, ABC could be problematic usually was! and Airmatic common system used on many mercedes saloons and estates not so expensive to fix as ABC

 

[John]

What kind of audio system - quality? - do these have?

The standard system is probably shyte.

The option was Harmon Kardon which isn't bad but I had to tit around with mine to get it to sound half decent. It's not great.

I think there was an option for B&O but this is rare.

Aftermarket is the way to go to get a huge improvement.

 

[Horrgakx]

From what I’ve read, the airmatic is standard on all W221 models from 2016 except the S600, S63 and S65 which get ABC (source is Wikipedia).

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I think you need to read the Wikipedia entry for the W221.

Here's the link:
Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W221) - Wikipedia

The W221 is the model that ran from 2006-2013. 2016 cars aren't W221's. The W221 had airmatic as standard, with ABC as an additional cost option (although standard on the S600). An S350 would normally be on airmatic.

ABC gives superior handling to the airmatic but, like all suspension systems, needs maintenance and repair, which is a challenge for people who aren't prepared to pay the cost of maintenance and repair.

The standard entertainment system on a W221 is very good, as you'd expect it to be on "The World's favourite limousine," but the optional Harmon Kardon 14 speaker system is, not surprisingly, much better. Whether it matters to you is a question of taste. If you're listening to FM radio, Bluetooth streamed, or digitally compressed music, you won't notice much of a difference.

Regarding the electric rear seats, I'll second that comment about relevance. If you're carrying punters in the back then obviously they'll impress an extra tenner out of them, but if you're not sitting in the back, is impressing the Mother in Law really that relevant? (Ditto rear cooled seats or massage seats)

As you're coming from an S4, an obvious question is whether the LWB car is the right one for you. Would the rarer SWB be a better option - it's worth some thought. Personally I would recommend SWB if it's a car for you to drive around in, and LWB if you're driving punters - but most cars for sale will be LWB.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Horrgakx]

Thanks for your time to reply everyone, all good stuff.

The W221 is the model that ran from 2006-2013. 2016 cars aren't W221's.

Oops my typo / numb moment. I meant 2006. I have just tried to edit my post above but I can’t - is there a time limit on this forum for editing?

If you're listening to FM radio, Bluetooth streamed, or digitally compressed music, you won't notice much of a difference.

It’s more of a step change in power with these systems. The better the system the more power it can produce (not talking volume). Audio quality / reproduction comes along with it in the shape of separate speakers.

As you're coming from an S4, an obvious question is whether the LWB car is the right one for you. Would the rarer SWB be a better option - it's worth some thought. Personally I would recommend SWB if it's a car for you to drive around in, and LWB if you're driving punters - but most cars for sale will be LWB.

For the ones that match my criteria (price, mileage) most on AutoTrader are SWB, only 2 that match the search are LWB (and one of them is a dog).

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Fair point about the power of the Harmon Kardon making a difference, combined with the speakers, but having had three cars from this era WITH Harmon Kardon (an S500, E500 and SL500), I'd still say that, compared to the three cars that didn't have HK (an E55, SL350 and E350), the difference wasn't noticeable (to my ears) for podcasts, compressed audio and speech radio. Remember that the "base" system in an S class ain't something you'd find in....a run of the mill VAG car - except from an A8, obviously.

It's easy to diss standard spec cars without trying them. Especially on internet forums. The only way to judge them is to actually drive them - ideally in the conditions that you'll actually be driving them in.

(I could bore for England on the nuances of why Meridian sounds better than Linn, but it's a waste of time when I can't judge what people are used to, listening to, in what kind of conditions. Some really listen to Jazz, some just have it on as background. Some enjoy CD quality classical, others just listen to Kermode and Mayo... )

.

 

[219]

Thanks for your time to reply everyone, all good stuff.

The W221 is the model that ran from 2006-2013. 2016 cars aren't W221's.

Oops my typo / numb moment. I meant 2006. I have just tried to edit my post above but I can’t - is there a time limit on this forum for editing?

If you're listening to FM radio, Bluetooth streamed, or digitally compressed music, you won't notice much of a difference.

It’s more of a step change in power with these systems. The better the system the more power it can produce (not talking volume). Audio quality / reproduction comes along with it in the shape of separate speakers.

As you're coming from an S4, an obvious question is whether the LWB car is the right one for you. Would the rarer SWB be a better option - it's worth some thought. Personally I would recommend SWB if it's a car for you to drive around in, and LWB if you're driving punters - but most cars for sale will be LWB.

For the ones that match my criteria (price, mileage) most on AutoTrader are SWB, only 2 that match the search are LWB (and one of them is a dog).

When I got my first W126 , some 10 years ago , it was because I had again become a father and all the baby stuff didn't fit easily into a W201 . I went for the 500SEL as an infinitely better option than a people carrier and the long rear doors were ideal for getting the infant carrier in and out without tipping baby out in the process .

Add in that an S-Class is one of the safest vehicles on the planet in which to entrust the safety of your precious family , and the case is complete .

 

[219]

Fair point about the power of the Harmon Kardon making a difference, combined with the speakers, but having had three cars from this era WITH Harmon Kardon (an S500, E500 and SL500), I'd still say that, compared to the three cars that didn't have HK (an E55, SL350 and E350), the difference wasn't noticeable (to my ears) for podcasts, compressed audio and speech radio. Remember that the "base" system in an S class ain't something you'd find in....a run of the mill VAG car - except from an A8, obviously.

It's easy to diss standard spec cars without trying them. Especially on internet forums. The only way to judge them is to actually drive them - ideally in the conditions that you'll actually be driving them in.

(I could bore for England on the nuances of why Meridian sounds better than Linn, but it's a waste of time when I can't judge what people are used to, listening to, in what kind of conditions. Some really listen to Jazz, some just have it on as background. Some enjoy CD quality classical, others just listen to Kermode and Mayo... )

.

As a former purveyor of both these British brands , amongst others , and a huge Quad fan , especially my ESL 63 loudspeakers , which I believe to be simply the best on the planet ... I would welcome such a discussion .

Did I mention that next week is vinyl week , according to HMV ?

 

[roviw1]

One thing to think about is the rear seat set up depending on your future usage.
I have recently got a used W222, I sometimes need to carry three adult in the back, I wanted to try out the middle seat comfort for myself. I went to a dealer and looked for a version with electric reclining seats etc, I then sat in the middle and it was pretty uncomfortable, ok for a short trip but not a longer trip.
This confirmed my thoughts and meant I then chose to buy a car with the regular rear seat set up, I still have heated rear but not recliners, I found a 2015 model S500 equipped with considerably more toys than the S350 models.