I have an '05 S500 4-Matic and love it. However, the 4-Matic is not available with a 7-speed transmission. Not in any year. For my opinion on driving it, you might check post #20 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220-s-class/1314113-s500-vs-s430-4matic-2.html

I have had no problems with the 4-Matic system at all. Just be sure that no prior owner used staggered wheels (wheels having different front and rear diameters), which will cause premature wear throughout the drive system.

In the western U.S. there is always a premium for the 4-Matic in snow country. People tend to hold onto them. Not so much of a difference in Florida. The option wasn't horribly expensive in the first place (MB started following Audi's lead a bit; Audi believes AWD is such a safety plus that it provides its Quattro system at cost).

I find the convenience and improvements in the DVD based navigation system significant compared to the CD based system; plus, MB still offers update discs for them (not true for the '01 "C" nav; and no new CD set has been released for the "D" nav used through '03 since January '07, though that set is still available).

In addition, the '03 has the D2B data bus (fiber optics bus) - it was an MB proprietary system licensed to very few other manufacturers. Although 3rd party developers made products for it and still do, the '04 and newer use the MOST fiber optics bus that has become an industry standard, for which many 3rd party developers are making and developing products. For example, if you added a Dension Gateway 500 iPod integration kit to the '03, you could not get song title readout on the COMAND screen or the instrument cluster. D2B units are "non-text capable." However, the same unit developed for MOST bus provides song titles on the COMAND screen, and should soon supply it on the instrument cluster as well. That development is under way. However, Dension has not decided to implement song title readout on the instrument custer for the D2B units - they're considering it, but the D2B market is much smaller.

My comparison of an '05 to a '00 is at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220-s-class/1227766-comparison-00-w220-05-a.html - the '03 is similar to the '00 except that its reliability had improved, it had updated headlights and tail lights, and a wide-screen (but CD-based) COMAND. The '04 is similar to the '05 except it had not yet implemented the MHI phone system, and it has an analog Tele-Aid system that is no longer supported (not important if you don't want it - but it reports your GPS location automatically on airbag deployment, a benefit in snow country). The '05 has a digital Tele-Aid, and (if so equipped) an MHI phone system that is far easier for integrating different cell phones.

My suggestion would be to get an '05 4-Matic if your budget can stand it. Also you might take a look at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220-s-class/1349079-what-look-out.html for more background.

Just be sure you run a Carfax report and have an MB dealer or a good indie check out any car you consider. In addition, using the VIN, a dealer can run the car's maintenance history. If the seller won't permit that, run from it. It may be a Katrina car, or something worse.

 

I have had no problems with the 4-Matic system at all. Just be sure that no prior owner used staggered wheels (wheels having different front and rear diameters), which will cause premature wear throughout the drive system.

Hey Skylaw, I just joined this forum and came across your post. I assume your comment about staggered wheels pertains only to the 4-matic system, correct?

 

4Matics do not bring any premium in the south, at least at the auctions. Then again, not many options do command a premium at auction.

Mercedes CD navigation isn't worth owning and I doubt the DVD navigation is either. It's a database issue. MBUSA actually told me that their navigation systems are not intended for turn by turn directions or to replace paper maps. After having the misfortune of using one, I can tell you they are dead serious when they say that. Get a Garmin, if you want to navigate.

 

i disagree. While my 2000 E-Class Command unit is not perfect, it gets the directions correct about 95% of the time, with the other 5% being times when I can figure it out from there. Yes, the CD stuff is a pain, but I don't take long trips that often.

Bottom line, id much rather get pretty good directions from a nav unit, then fiddle around with maps.