I see this MB and it looks perfect. The dealer is asking $10K which is above KBB pricing. Any comments on buying this car? What problems did this model have? I plan to offer 7K
I would grab something between 03 and 06. 02 can have some options but hard to find.
I have an 01 S430 and it is missing...
Hidden menu options. (Already converted)
Auto folding mirrors on lock and unlocking using convenience feature. (I'm trying to convert mine as we speak)
1 touch auto fold-in/out mirrors. (I'm trying to convert mine as we speak)
Ugly radio with outdated maps. (Can be update to look more modern with keeping the close to factory look.)
Check the car out first.... If you buy one from the dealer chances are all they did was shined it up. That means nothing with these cars. Maintenance is the biggest kicker.
Do they have a 100 percent warranty for the first 30 days? And something like a 50/50 warranty after that? If so then your golden and can get the who car just about repaired for free.
And invest in an ODB2 scanner. Preferably the ones that can do some form of dealer level coding.
Other than that, I do love my car. Wish I had grabbed a S55/S600/S65 instead though. :grin
That’s essentially a new car for $10k . Good deal .
The biggest issue will for sure be the airmatic suspension as all the rubber is aged. Budget $1500 for arnott struts when they fail
When you get it, change the transmission electrical connector and do a full change of all fluids and filters - transmission coolant oil brake fluid etc. you’ll be good for 150k Miles
With current knowledge I'd opt for brand new Bilstein Airmatic Struts as and when you need them, they will give you some warning before they "go south"
You b@gg@r lol, I though I had the lowest mileage pre facelift W220 here at 34,000 miles :devil
Dealers are always too proud of their cars. I'd offer him KBB and no higher. If he balks, there are plenty of other cars out there. My 2003 S430 is a wonderful car. If you go 2004-2006, then go 4Matic so you get the good 5-speed transmission.
They are notorious for having flaky controller. Occasionally it seems that something is wrong then you find that if you disconnect the battery for some time and reconnect it, all the little computers are reset and ready to start from zero.
It is a good idea to flush and change all fluids and filters: fuel, oil, air, transmission, and cabin filters. The cigarette lighter sockets are probably all oversized. You will need new plugs and wires sometime soon. I had to replace motor and transmission mounts. The serpentine belt, idler and tensioner will need changing. You can figure that one or more components like the alternator, AC, cooling system, etc., will need some service. Rubber rots. Tires that have been sitting for a long time may need replacement.
There are gaskets, seals, and other things that will probably need attention. I just worked on the gaskets around the triangular rear windows. Tomorrow I need to repair the passenger window. I also need to remove the sunroof to clean and lubricate it thoroughly. It wasn't serviced properly and no longer closes completely. The gaskets at the base of the external mirrors rotted out and had to be replaced years ago.
One more thing to keep in mind: plastic ages and becomes brittle. Many parts can break much more easily than they do when new. For some reason I need a large supply of those nylon and metal clips that are used to hold in the interior wooden trim panels.
Make sure you have two keys. I started having miscellaneous problems and error codes when trying to start my car. The problem could not be diagnosed easily without trying the second key. It worked perfectly. The problem was the key. If I hadn't had the second key, diagnosing the problem would have cost many hundreds of dollars. I have the impression that sometimes people don't have that second key and the fix becomes very expensive.
I've said it a million times before and I'm sick of typing it really, but .................
On W220, and any other Car with a similar amount of Electronics .................
I WOULD RATHER CUT OFF A LIMB THAN POWER DOWN THESE CARS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT RESETS ALMOST NOTHING AND VERY OFTEN CREATES A WHOLE BUNCH MORE GRIEF THAN IT IS LIKELY TO RESOLVE !!
SDS is the correct way to do an adaptives reset, and yes that can make a difference, although on a Transmission with a lot of wear it can also finish it off in short order
HTH,
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