Mercedes Benz S600 V12 Questions

[S500 Sunny]

Hi boys & girls. I own a (W140) 1997 Mercedes Benz S500 in black with 102k on the clock :bannana:

I am wishing to purhase a (W140) S600 V12 or a 600SEL whichever i can find as i absolutly love this level of performance & Luxury

Q 1:What are the equipment differances between the car i have and the S600.

Q 2: Is the S600 any better than the S500

Q 3: Are the S500 & S600 simular on fuel?

Q4: Finally... Is the S600 a reliable machine?

Thank You for all your help & i look fwd to hearing from you guys soon.

Kind Regards,

S500 Sunny

 

[talbir]

If you find a post 96 S600, it will likely give you all you want without the issues that plagued earlier cars.

The S600 is better performance wise, after all it has some 70bhp more than the S500, the torque is something else ! It's quite unreal to experience such a heavy car travel with such momentum !!

Equipment differences vary, but generally the S600 comes with anything you can think off ! Self closures on doors, self-levelling suspension, self levelling xenons....everything is 'self' done !

Fuel efficiency is materially less in the S600, although it all depends on driving style and type of mileage you do, town or long distance.

Generally more expensive to maintain the S600 - the V8 500 M119 engines are very solid, the M120 is also good, but the fact that there are two of everything (2 LH modules, 2 throttle bodies, 2 ignition EZLs etc) make things very expensive on component failure.


talbir

 

[MBManInKen]

I am wishing to purhase a (W140) S600 V12 or a 600SEL whichever i can find as i absolutly love this level of performance & Luxury

Comparing apples with oranges there. a 600SEL (early model, before the names changed to the S prefix) will lack some of the advances that were brought in later in the 140's history. For example, only from 1996 was ESP introduced. Other features such as the modern climate control would also be missing on an early 600SEL.

I'd take a postlift S500 LWB with ESP over a pre postlift 600SEL any day.

Q 1:What are the equipment differances between the car i have and the S600.

The only reasonable way to answer that is by comparing at least the S500 and S600 of the same vintage. Comparing an early 600SEL with a late S500L would show the latter having options and equipment that wasn't even available early in the range.

Q 2: Is the S600 any better than the S500

Depends on how you define better, I'd guess. The V12 tends to put a lot of extra weight on the nose, is a completely different beast compared to the V8 (and hence it's far more difficult to find skilled indies with plenty of experience under the belt on the V12) and its fuel consumption is horrendous compared to the V8. While I personally don't particular care about fuel consumption, you have to ask if the performance difference is really worth it as you'll be driving it on the public roads after all and the V8 is quite adequate for that environment.

But what I would say is that an s-class should be the LWB version. The V12 is only available as LWB by the way.

 

[Robbie T]

If you find a post 96 S600, it will likely give you all you want without the issues that plagued earlier cars.

The S600 is better performance wise, after all it has some 70bhp more than the S500, the torque is something else ! It's quite unreal to experience such a heavy car travel with such momentum !!

Equipment differences vary, but generally the S600 comes with anything you can think off ! Self closures on doors, self-levelling suspension, self levelling xenons....everything is 'self' done !

Fuel efficiency is materially less in the S600, although it all depends on driving style and type of mileage you do, town or long distance.

Generally more expensive to maintain the S600 - the V8 500 M119 engines are very solid, the M120 is also good, but the fact that there are two of everything (2 LH modules, 2 throttle bodies, 2 ignition EZLs etc) make things very expensive on component failure.


talbir

Some good points there. The throttle bodies are £2.5k each as well btw.

 

[SL300-24]

I have an S600 1998 vintage with 117k. It is a super ride, the V12 is awesome. Fuel consumption is 21-22 mpg on a run, never checked around town but I should think around 15mpg. The engine is silent on tickover when inside the car. When you put your foot down it really flies.
You will not be able to buy a mercedes V12 very soon, so if you want one buy it now.
Good luck.

 

[Setanta]

I've had a S500 coupe, looking for a sedan or coupe and also looked into the S600's.

I agree with MBManINKen - I would take a late 96 onwards S500 over an earlier S600.

The power delivery of the S600 is different in that you know that it will not run of our power...that being said, the S500 does much the same thing also.

Overall, the S500 provides 8/10th's the performance; identical levels of comfort, ride, equipment (for the most part) as the S600

The S600 has the 'bragging rights' of a V12 but having been there with a 750il, the ability to use the power here in the UK is simply not there and the fuel consumption is absolutely stupid.

The only reason I considered/would buy/have bought a V12 is that I don't drive during the week so the massive fuel consumption is offset by the lack of use so to speak.

There are a few S600's around at the moment (pistonheads, ebay, autotrader) but they are asking silly money for them.

One place has a low miles (so what) S600 for £13,500 or something - if you want to go all out, I can point you in the direction of a S600L Biturbo for £15,000 (and I bet they would take £14,000 if you held out the cash) with a full MB warranty too!

A W140 would not see what direction a biturbo went!

In short:

if you had an S280 and asked the question, I would recommend the move but as you have a car that delivers nearly everything the S600 has and does, I would query whether you need to.

If you do want to offload the S500, drop me a line as I am looking for one at the moment.

And if you a) really really want a V12 and b) have the budget for the upkeep, I would actually get a Biturbo.

 

[NewMB]

My father have a -99 S600L that he bought brand new. Its a one of a kind piece of machinery. It is absolutley loaded with two tone nappa, electric everything and 12 loveley cylinders and about 400 bhp to play with. Driven nicely, he gets around 26-27 mpg on the motorway. A lot more than I do in mine! He has only done about 60K since new!

Saying all this, there has been a lot that has gone wrong and you will need very big and deep pockets to kee it up. Things seems to go wrong all the time...

 

[Setanta]

I just wanted to check - it has been said that the V12 was only available in LWB but there is a standard length S class outside our building that is an S600 (including the duotone leather, front grill and megabucks remote controlled rear vision mirror - so not a rebadged S280).

Later model too.

 

[stumpy1]

I think lwb was std and swb an option, so in other words the other way round to the others

 

[NewMB]

As mentioned, there was 2 versions, a SWB and a LWB.

I think the new one only come in LWB.

 

[Skintia99]

Never seen a SWB S600, although dont' see many S600's full stop

 

[NewMB]

Never seen a SWB S600, although dont' see many S600's full stop

Not sure if they sold both in the UK. In Sweden, they did. My dad's first one, a -96 model was the SWB. But sold it after two years..... it had belonged to the MD of MB Sweden and was only a year old, loaded!! Black with black nappa and big 18" wheels..... dad did NOT like it as it looked like a proper "pimpmobil" or drug dealer.

 

[jaymanek]

I had a S600 SWB a little while back..

 

[ayhan]

http://www.facebook.com/pages/600-SEL-V12-V140/479933612047642