I’ve seen so many posts regarding this or that problem with someone’s W220 S, that I’ve become somewhat bored with the forum. The 220 now in its 4th year of production, is still the best Exotic Sports Sedan on the road. The change from the 140 to the 220 was a huge leap in technology and styling for this mark, and MBZ suffered problems with so much exotic technology coming out the gate at the same time [being such a radical departure from the W140]. Obviously, it was a case of just to much change in such a short period of time. They recognize this, and have been working hard to solve these problems and are doing a good job. The airmatic suspension [which has been the real problem] has gone through a number of upgrades to work out the bugs. Now working as it was intended, it’s a real marvel. As you swish through a high-speed turn, with a flick of a toggle on the dash, you can stiffen the suspension to a more appropriate setting. Or if your headed down a road with gaping pot holes, you can raise the beast up a bit, and dance over them. This is pretty exotic stuff, and its pretty far removed from the days of old. The new S is truly an exotic and it’s not for the faint of heart. You can run this sleek sedan with a group of Porches and Ferrari’s and feel right at home. The choices of mod upgrades from wheels to body parts, have reached that of an art form for the true auto aficionado. Now of course, if your looking for dead sure reliability and the boredom that goes with it, you can go buy a Lexus [I always believed that was the last car you bought on the way to the grave] [or better yet, go buy a Toyota Camry and save some real money]. Or if you really want to step into the world of unreliability, go buy the new BMW 7 series. This throwback to W140 styling has really turned into the electronic nightmare. The fact still remains, the 220 S is still the king of the road, and if you can’t take the time to work it through its quirks, go buy the Lexus as your probably ready for one.
I have a 2003 S430 4Matic. I was bummed that I did not have enough for a S500. Who cares? Car runs great, is fast enough and I have yet to have any problems (okay, one flat tire is it) in the first 10,500 miles. I look forward to buying a new S class in 150k miles.[:)]
Good choice. The only real difference between the 430 and 500 is 25hp. That’s not a much of a difference. The 430 will hit the speed limiter at about 130 just as easy as the 500. Someone who had the limiter disengaged stated the 430 will hit about 150-155 [better have that supension level set down two clicks]. That’s pretty fast in any man’s book. These stunning sedans are true exotic land sharks. Enjoy!!
AMEN.....I agree that the cars are superb and they have some issues, but it comes with the territory. For every action there is a reaction. If you want no reaction, then you wont have no action. Then the car for you is Camry or Accord. Enjoy your boring reliable car to the fullest of their potential.
As far as the difference between the 500 and the 430 it is highly noticable. THe 500 always has power on tap, where the 430 always has to drop a gear and struggle to meet the demand.
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