I can vouch for the V12 overall being a quite reliable engine... we run two at work (we have to take what they can give us) in a W221 and C216. Both are at around 100kmiles, have had hard lives, but still start and run well. We maintain them carefully to avoid any suprises, but so far so good. Over all, the rest of the cars have held up very well also. We've had a few repairs here and there, but nothing too frightening. Like any car, its how you treat it, and how its maintained. Its the kind of car you want to buy from the original owner with a stack of dealer records (like all Mercedes).
They do, however, eat tires... we need to get new snow tires in the rear every year. But, really, they're not too bad in a few inches if the car is properly equipped. Jaime On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 5:56 PM, E M <pokieba...@gmail.com> wrote: > I have to agree here with Roger. In my opinion, the W220 really was a piece > of junk, and never worthy of the S Class badge. I know that sounds harsh, > but to me, the car just falls short in so many areas. I have seen more > trashy, rusty W220s out there. This car really does feel like it was built > down to a price, and looks it too. > > As far as I know, the V12 bi-turbo was pretty much a carry over to the > W221. I don't know of may problems with the basic powertrain, but as with > all such type engines that proceeded it, there really is no way to run one > on the cheap. Any such car is like buying a yacht. The initial purchase is > the easy and small cheque. Running it, is where the serious expenditures > start to come into play! > > Having said that, if you can hold out a bit for a W221, I think it will be > worth it. I feel the improvements are so great, it's as if both cars were > built by different companies. > > Ed > 300E > > On 15 November 2010 17:27, Kaleb C. Striplin <ka...@striplin.net> wrote: > >> Of course woger says every model should be avoided like the plague. >> >> >> On 11/15/2010 3:49 PM, relng...@aol.com wrote: >> >>> ....What's the consensus on reliability of these things? Stay away and >>>> get a W221 instead, or had M-B fixed the early problems with the model >>>> by 2003? I can't imagine there are too many other ways to get 493 HP >>>> (according to Wikipedia) for $16K... >>>> >>>> My friend SJB bought an S430 in the first or second year of these cars >>> (Sindelfingen delivery) and it was a typical new MB of those years, very >>> dependent on the warranty until most components had been replaced. A >>> friend who is >>> the parts and service manager at a local dealer (not my dealer) said to me >>> >>> that owning one of these things after warranty expiration could be >>> compared >>> to having several young children with no health insurance. >>> >>> He traded the car when the depreciation reached $1K monthly. >>> >>> The V-12 is to be avoided like the plague, keeping in mind that you are >>> still saddled with maintaining a 100K plus car, regardless of what you pay >>> for >>> it used. >>> >>> The W221 is vastly better in every category and much more reliable. >>> >>> RLE >>> _______________________________________ >>> http://www.okiebenz.com >>> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >>> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >>> >>> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >>> http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 10.0.1153 / Virus Database: 424/3256 - Release Date: 11/14/10 >>> >>> >>> >>> >> -- >> Kaleb C. Striplin/Claremore, OK >> 95 E300, 94 S500, 92 500SEL, 92 300SD, 92 300E 4Matic, >> 91 350SDL, 91 300D, 89 560SEL, 87 300SDL x2, 85 380SE 5.0 Euro, >> 85 190D, 84 190D, 84 300D euro manny, 76 240D, 76 300D, >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
