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Looking at a 2011 S63..

4K views 28 replies 2 participants last post by  Skylaw 
#1 ·
After two years with my beloved 2005 S55 I have my eye on a S63. It has 35k miles, equipped just how I want it and has perfect service records.
My plan was to drive my car four years and then go to a w221 S63 but this car is calling me. My car is near perfect and I don't see the later S63 come up that often in my area.
I dunno.
 
#2 · (Edited)
With good maintenance records and low mileage, my bet is you will LOVE the S63. While the W220 is a great car, and I owned two, I really like the W221. Enough so that I just traded my '10 w/AMG Sports appearance package on a '13 - also with an AMG Sports appearance package (but with 20" wheels vice 19" on the '10). Both cars had approximately 36,000 miles.

I traded in order to get the driver assist packages (blind side assist and lane keeping assist) that the '13 had, and that my particular '10 lacked. No other reason; I loved the '10, and it was a great car. But as a bonus, while the '10 had the 5.4L engine with 382HP, the '13 has a 4.7L Bi-Turbo with 429HP - the boost is very noticeable (and it gets better gas mileage than the '10). Either of the AMG options (straight AMG or AMG Sports Performance) in the S63 will give you FAR more horsepower than that.

The W221 has a very solid feel to it, and I love the aggressive "stance" of the cockpit. The COMAND is far more advanced (but peruse our FAQ & DIY sections regarding shopping for nav map updates). The seat adjustments for side and back bolsters, lumbar support, and shoulder support are great. So is the Drive Dynamic feature (I don't use "Massage," but the option is there). If you live in an area that has Sirius Traffic, you'll love it.

Yes, you can take a beating by trading too soon; I did not buy the '10 with the intention of trading in less than 2 years - but getting the options I wanted, and driving the car I wanted, was well worth the $47 per month extra that it cost me, and making car payments for a longer time.
 
#7 ·
I'm going to look at the 2011 at 10:00 today.
It has perfect service records and was just at the local MB dealership for a new battery.
The CPO warranty just expired on the 17th and the powertrain just had both computers updated.
Black is not my favorite color but it would match Renee's SL55!
It also has the B&O stereo but I understand that it is not as good as my 2005 S55.
If I buy it someone will end up with a very nice S55.
Vince
 
#9 · (Edited)
Congratulations!! It is beautiful. :):eclipsee_steering::thumbsup:

Black is my favorite color on an S-Class. I had a black W220 RWD, sold it for a silver W220 4Matic. Loved everything about that 4Matic except the color. Both of my W221s were/are black.

I like your wheels better than the 20" AMGs on my latest S550. Now, you just need to put some LED front side markers that get rid of the orange ones that stand out so on a black car. Posts 24 - 27, HERE.

B&O has a wonderful reputation in the audio world - I haven't had the pleasure of hearing one in an S-Class. Will be interested in your actual comparisons.
 
#10 ·
At first listen the B&O is just okay, hard to beat the 2005 S55 stereo. I need to make sure it is set to flat first. God knows how it's set now!
I like the LED side lights. The night vision is a gas! And of course the backup camera...
And real cup holders. If it had a few USB ports that would be handy.
 
#12 ·
And a power port to in the glove box!
I am happy now.
The B&O is more detailed and does intricate music better.
The 2005 Bose in my S55 has so much more punch and made me happy.
It's hard for me to like Bose but the system in my 05 is I think the best stock system I have ever heard.
More later as I live with it for a while. I like intricate, accurate, punchy and lotso bass!
 
#15 ·
Three bent rims! All fixed. Still have a wiggle.
Auto Advantage Inc bumper to bumper 4500 for 3ys 36K.

Policy Exclusions:
(The parts listed below are not covered. Therefore any part not listed in the coverage exclusions is covered during the Exclusionary Bumper-To-Bumper coverage period of this agreement):
Normal maintenance services and parts including batteries, belts, hoses, lines, filters. ACV, O2 sensor, EGR valve, evaporative control devices. Scheduled maintenance items such as ignition wires, distributor cap, spark plugs, glow plugs, tune ups, wiper blades, tires, wheels & balancing. Struts, shock absorbers, disc brake pads, brake shoes, brake rotors, brake drums. Manual clutch disc/pressure plate, pilot and throw out bearing and clutch slave cylinder, light bulbs, sealed beams, HID & LED bulbs and lenses, exhaust system including catalytic converter(s). Air bag(s), seat belts, audio/video headphones, cellular phones. Pre-existing conditions. Non-manufacturer installed accessories.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Three bent rims! All fixed. Still have a wiggle.
Here are some of the common causes of shimmy (I am excluding balance problems, which would cause a bounce or vibration distinct from a side-to-side shimmy, or "wiggle") -

Runout in a wheel - caused by the wheel being bent. This can be the whole wheel, or as was the case in my car, a bent inner or outer lip. The bent lip resulted in the tire not tracking properly. Since your wheels have been fixed (and presumably track true), look to tires.

Runout in a tire - runout is an improper tracking of the tread, usually caused by improper manufacture (a misaligned belt) or tire damage. It can also be caused by a bent wheel pulling the tire away from straight (and in your case, a bad tread wear pattern left over from the wheel problems). It can be seen at the tread lines move side-to-side as a wheel spins.

Improper alignment - either by poor adjustment, or suspension damage that won't allow proper alignment. (Also, don't forget - the ride height should be adjusted at the time of any alignment, before the alignment is done; most non-MB shops won't know, or be able, to do this). In particular, bad toe adjustment and bad caster adjustment can result in shimmy. Bad toe adjustment often causes a car to pull in one direction or the other (and severe tread wear problems) - but if both wheels are equally offset, pulling equally in the opposite directions, you can have shimmy.

Bent rotors (this would become especially noticeable as a "pulsing" during braking).

Bad ball joints or bad linkages in the steering (including a worn or damaged steering damper - though a worn damper is not likely a problem at your mileage).

Worn, damaged, or improperly seated wheel bearings. Easy to check - raise the car on a lift, try to wiggle the wheels. You shouldn't be able to.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Now, that's interesting! Thanks.

How do you find the sound quality of the Tune2air versus other inputs? I had an A2DP capable head unit in another car that gave markedly inferior audio quality compared to CDs or an iPod (one recorded in lossless formats, not mp3) played through the same unit. I know some have commented that BT audio streaming quality has improved over the past 3 years or so.

My iPhone 6 provides better audio quality than my iPod when plugged into my current audio system, because it has a superior D/A converter. I just wondered how it might fare with the Tune2air device in your link.
 
#18 ·
The sound is not offensive at all. It does skip a tiny bit and I hope the company has a firmware fix for that.
Even if I have to live with the slight skips.. I think it will be nice just for the navigation to integrate with the system.
The sound system is growing on me. Being a snobbish 2C home audiophile it is nice to hear the more subtle information in this system.
 
#21 ·
Truth be told, it looks to me as though that policy gives you very little protection for a lot of money. It seems to cover your COMAND and audio system, but not the components of your suspension system most likely to have problems (the struts).

If the 10K term limit you mention is the maximum they will cover over the life of the policy, that just undercuts its value even more.

In short, it is not a policy I would have purchased for myself.
 
#25 ·
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