I like the name Big Red. I think that's what I will call the old gal.
Show off your w220
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This is my first Mercedes 2001 S500, I kind of ran into it on accident. After a failed craiglist purchase of another vehicle leaving me with significantly less money to work with, I found this for $1400. I didn't know anything about Mercedes and never even thought about getting one. At first it was just another car I found that had a low price, so I could get to work. When I test drove it there was a slight misfire and didn't accelerate great. I almost didn't buy because it sounded like it was going to crap out on me on the way home. But... I offered the guy $1100 and off me and my girlfriend went, 45 minute drive home. And of course my worst fears were met when after accelerating into the highway it suddenly started nothing down and wouldn't go over 20mph and transmission wasn't shifting ( I know learn is the famous limp home mode) I thought that was it, another failed craiglist pur hase and now not nearly enough money for any other kind of decent vehicle that would drive. Let's just say my first introduction to benzworld and the w220 forum was 5 minutes after purchase on the side of the highway.
Long story short, I got it out of limp mode and I've been obsessed with my new Mercedes ever since. Researching everything I could and figuring out anything I could to fix on my own. It runs and drives good now with a few issues and ongoing projects I'm working on.
Anyways I'm glad to be here and I'm already having a lot of fun using this forum!
So I'll be around a lot, Take it easy All!
Long story short, I got it out of limp mode and I've been obsessed with my new Mercedes ever since. Researching everything I could and figuring out anything I could to fix on my own. It runs and drives good now with a few issues and ongoing projects I'm working on.
Anyways I'm glad to be here and I'm already having a lot of fun using this forum!
So I'll be around a lot, Take it easy All!
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Great Post above and a nice looking car 
It is THE ONLY machine, unless you spend £2000 upwards that will do the necessary procedures on these cars.
If you buy iCarsoft or others, yes OK for Code Reads and Data, but they do not do the plethora of other things SDS does, and that you WILL need to do at some point
If you don't get SDS and learn how to use it you will waste far far far more than £600 on parts that weren't needed over the first year or so, and perhaps end up very frustrated
Whilst I'm lecturing, don't buy cheap "No Brand" parts, sure, if you need say an 02 Sensor, MB parts are always the best, but Bosch sensors brand will be fine. Suspension parts and Engine Mounts buy Lemfoerder if you don't choose MB
Now, that said, enjoy your MB, look after it, (which may require a bit of work first), then it will be very reliable and look after you and your family
I realise what you are saying here, but the best bit of advice I can give you, as many more guys will attest, please get the money together to buy a clone SDS System, approx cost £500 - £600
It is THE ONLY machine, unless you spend £2000 upwards that will do the necessary procedures on these cars.
If you buy iCarsoft or others, yes OK for Code Reads and Data, but they do not do the plethora of other things SDS does, and that you WILL need to do at some point
If you don't get SDS and learn how to use it you will waste far far far more than £600 on parts that weren't needed over the first year or so, and perhaps end up very frustrated
Whilst I'm lecturing, don't buy cheap "No Brand" parts, sure, if you need say an 02 Sensor, MB parts are always the best, but Bosch sensors brand will be fine. Suspension parts and Engine Mounts buy Lemfoerder if you don't choose MB
Now, that said, enjoy your MB, look after it, (which may require a bit of work first), then it will be very reliable and look after you and your family
2006 Mercedes S430 4matic, 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited L, 1994 Mustang GT 5.0 5 speed convt
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414 Posts
awesome story!!! I am up in Lancaster ma, we have literally hundreds on hand...please let me know if you need any parts
Thank you! And I will definitely be messaging you. I actually bought it in Ludlow and that story happened on the way back to Hartford.
2000 S430, 2000 S500, 2003 S600 TT, 2005 E320 CDI, 2006 S500 4Matic, and 2006 S350
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7,846 Posts
I consider SDS pretty much mandatory in the ownership of these cars, unless you want to go broke within a year or two.
White with black interior is a nice combination. I noticed that the driver's seat leather does have some rips. Fortunately, black leather is pretty common at the automotive salvage yards, and the passenger side leather (usually in very good shape on most cars) does interchange with the driver side leather. Yes, you can use passenger-side leather on the driver's seat without any problems.
You've got a nice ride there. Like Dave says, once you get it to the state of proper "good repair", and take decent care of it, the car will not let you down.
White with black interior is a nice combination. I noticed that the driver's seat leather does have some rips. Fortunately, black leather is pretty common at the automotive salvage yards, and the passenger side leather (usually in very good shape on most cars) does interchange with the driver side leather. Yes, you can use passenger-side leather on the driver's seat without any problems.
You've got a nice ride there. Like Dave says, once you get it to the state of proper "good repair", and take decent care of it, the car will not let you down.
2000 S430, 2000 S500, 2003 S600 TT, 2005 E320 CDI, 2006 S500 4Matic, and 2006 S350
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7,846 Posts
So that's what a pre-facelift W220 looks like when it's not exposed to road salt! 😁 I think they don't even know what road salt is in Spain.
It’s a 4matic. Just got it 2 weeks ago and for whatever reason it’s not there. I debadged the rest of the truck
2002 s500
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Awesome colour!!!So that's what a pre-facelift W220 looks like when it's not exposed to road salt! 😁 I think they don't even know what road salt is in Spain.
2000 S430, 2000 S500, 2003 S600 TT, 2005 E320 CDI, 2006 S500 4Matic, and 2006 S350
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7,846 Posts
New member of the family. Recently bought this 2006 S350 from a neighbor who no longer has the time to DIY the maintenance. He'd had it since about 55,000 miles (it now has about 220K miles). He knows that I'm a W220 fan, so he sold it to me for a good price, knowing I'll take care of it. I had helped him out with one of the ball joints a few years ago. He added the extra chrome trim just 'cause he thought it looked cool. Not sure if I'll keep that or not, but it is a nice-driving car, good and tight. The 3.7L M112 V6 does have some git-up-n-go, similar to the long-wheelbase S430. There's lots of room to work, too, being a shorter engine.
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As the car originally came with halogens, he put LED bulbs in the headlamp assemblies, so I got a chance to compare these to my modded HID headlamps. The LED's aren't bad, though I definitely will be doing the HID retrofit, since it is a factory option.
One thing that it will need is a new A/C compressor, as it went out shortly after we had talked about me buying it. He was totally up-front about that, BTW. So, he put the test serpentine belt on that bypasses the A/C compressor so the car can be driven, and I'll source a good replacement. Hopefully the extra room in the engine bay will help make that job easier.
As the car originally came with halogens, he put LED bulbs in the headlamp assemblies, so I got a chance to compare these to my modded HID headlamps. The LED's aren't bad, though I definitely will be doing the HID retrofit, since it is a factory option.
One thing that it will need is a new A/C compressor, as it went out shortly after we had talked about me buying it. He was totally up-front about that, BTW. So, he put the test serpentine belt on that bypasses the A/C compressor so the car can be driven, and I'll source a good replacement. Hopefully the extra room in the engine bay will help make that job easier.
My ultra rare 1 of 1 s55 amg black series
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