John27517, i cant comment on the reliabity of this make and model. But as a general piece of info. If your a guy who is willing to learn and have the time, $$$, and equipment to maintain your vehicle yourself then owning a car this size should not be a bad thing. Keep in mind any used car is a risk, any car for that matter, but used will always mean you have some things that will happen unexpectedly. There is always the "Pay to have it looked over" thing which is the wises piece of info. If your not a DIY guy then no matter what happens big or small you will be spending a good amount of money, and having your friend of whom owns MBs then you can consult him as a resource for repairs and maintanance in your area. They are realy good looking cars and there are some model years that they say to stay away from. At the end of the day it will have to be about how hard your driving the car and the overall condition "THAT CAR" is in once purchased. Good luck

 

Thanks, Sly. I do appreciate your comments.

 

Thanks for starting this thread because I am looking for a 2003+ S430, or possibly an S500. FYI: These are known as W220. The W221s are the 2007 S550 and S600. This apparently comes with other engines, but I don't think any are available in the US as of yet. Good Luck with your search!

 

People who post on these forums either have problems or are enthusiasts who revel in sorting problems. This is not a representative sample of S class owners! Like doctors in a hostpital, you only see ill people...

 

2003 S430

I bought a 2003 S430 a couple of months ago and it's a great car.I did alot of research before I bought the car.I looked at these models for over a year and finally came across one with 25,000 miles in great shape.Most of the one's I had seen prior to this had 40,000-60,000 miles on them.I say look around until you find the one where you can say this is the one.I'm like you in that I keep a car for a long time.That will be the case with this one.

 

I agree with previous post...
just got me '02 s500 with 34k miles. great car almost like new. i did wait for long time though until i came across the right one. so far so good, nothing drives like the s-class.
this car was one i dreamed for long time. i could have gotten a lexus but would not be feeling good about it day in day out.
that being said, if this is car that you are in love with, get it. 03' is good car and you shouldn't have much problems.
good luck.

 

Because you have done some reading already, you may have seen this - but post #5 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220-s-class/1303061-airmatic-shocks-other-questions.html provides links to a number of opinion pieces on the W220 (the W221 is the '07 and later S-Class, a redesigned car).

Some additional good information is at Purchasing 2001-2002 S430: Need Advice - MBWorld.org Forums

As whitenemesis points out, the forums are hardly "representative" as a quality survey. Folks write in to complain, or to push the envelope in one area or another - or to answer those who do.

The 2003 Facelift marked the beginning of a recovery from the problems that dated back to the major redesign in '00. Tightening of quality controls and some refinement began to pay off - culminating with the (newly designed) W221 winning Best of Class in the 2007 J.D. Power initial quality survey. In general, quality began to improve in '03 and continued an upward trend each year after. However, despite some of the early problems, the earlier editions had strong advocates. I never regretted buying my '00; I only traded it to get my 4-Matic (All Wheel Drive - not available on the S-Class in '00).

Quality aside, however, the '04 marked the introduction of the MOST fiber optic bus that is becoming the industry standard, and departure from the Mercedes-proprietary D2B bus; this means that as time goes on, more 3rd party electronic retrofits will be available for the later cars, and they will be more capable. For one example, the 3rd party Dension Gateway 500 iPod retrofit provides text readout of song titles on the MOST COMAND units, but does not on the earlier D2B units (including the '03 widescreen unit). The D2B COMAND units (including the '03 widescreen) have CD-based navigation systems. The '04 and later have DVD based nav, with more features than the CD-based units. '05 W220s and later ordered with cellular systems have the MHI system, which offers a bit more flexibility in updating phones (though a Bluetooth retrofit is available for the earlier models, and is pretty straightforward for the '03 if already equipped with OE cellular option; it can be confusing for the '04, but the most expensive equipment is already present whether the option was originally purchased or not). For a rundown on cell phone options that may be far more than you want to know right now, see http://www.benzworld.org/forums/aud...udio-telematics-forum/1313173-how-guide-cell-phone-upgrades-plug-bluetooth.html.

The car is complex, and as any car, can break. Unique to the S-Class is the Airmatic system - it is responsible for the marvelous ride and handling, but as is common to any pneumatic system, it is prone to wear and occasional leaks. Stay on top of it, and you will minimize expense, as slybydesign recommended.

Lexus? Not everyone finds them as reliable as one sees described on these forums. It seems that when some have a bad experience with a Benz, the Lexus suddenly becomes magical. However, other automotive forums reveal that they actually do break, and sometimes cause their owners frustration. I think they are boring in both style and driving experience - but that's my opinion.

I have commented before that folks are quick to vent their frustrations with their Benzes here. That's one reason the forums exist. Few people ever write in to say they drove their car yesterday, and everything was perfect (however, I did, and mine was).

For peace of mind, investigate an extended warranty - either the extended warranty out to 100K miles on a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) car that Mercedes offers, if your car qualifies, or a good 3rd party warranty. There is information on the forum about that. You might start with Any S Owner With Aftermarket Extended Warranty - MBWorld.org Forums.

 

I've owned my W220/S500/2000 for over seven years and it is the best performing and looking automobile I've ever owned--and I've owned a bunch! I highly recommend an S500/W220 (not a 430).

 

Jayhawk,

Thanks for the info. Just wondering what is wrong with 430? Is it the resale value or the HP in comparison with the 500?

I was just thinking that I didn't need the extra 40 HP, but maybe it is a better engine or something?

Thanks again.

John

 

Jayhawk,

Thanks for the info. Just wondering what is wrong with 430? Is it the resale value or the HP in comparison with the 500?

I was just thinking that I didn't need the extra 40 HP, but maybe it is a better engine or something?

Thanks again.

John

It's a lot more than the horsepower! And you can probably get them for about the same price. The 500 came w/ better wood, leather, and a number of things that the 430 did not. I've discussed this in depth in other thread/s... But the real difference is the power and the "sound" that it makes when you put your foot to the floor. The 430 has a kind of "nasal/hissing" sound where the 500 has a deep guttural sound of real power. You, and everyone else, will know you are driving a high performance automobile.

 

and by the way i drove mine 3 months, daily in a heavy traffic and very hot and humid weather w/o problems.

 

Mine has been a daily-driver for over seven years...

 

That's all I have for questions. Thanks for the tips. I really look forward to owning one. I've done my due diligence; I'm ready to buy it.

Thanks again.

John

 

Post some pics for us so we can admire the results of our good consule...

 

Mine has been a daily-driver for over seven years...

that's impressive. and you didn't have any major problems?

 

that's impressive. and you didn't have any major problems?

I've had a number of "problems," but none I'd call major--just the normal run of things that come w/ a $90K seven y/o car. No car is perfect...

 

While i don't disagree with the comment that Jayhawk makes above (i own both a 430 and a 500) we should all remember that the vast majority of the problems w220's have had are in no way associated with either engine. Airmatic, tranny, electrical and command issues are the most common. They are common to both engines and use the same components. I happen to think that the 500 engine is only "needed" when you are matching it with the 4matic option. The 430 is not lacking in either power or pickup if you are limited to the US world of 65 MPH limits.

 

Thanks

Irishone,

I ended up with the S430 w/o 4 matic. I live in a warm climate and didn't think 4matic was necessary.

The pickup is adequate for my driving style. I had a 300Z twin turbo with mods years ago and got my fill of speed.

I'm saving up for a used S550 in the next few yrs though. Can't wait.

John

 

Update on my s500.
Yesterday airmatic problem visit shop message came up on mine.
In the meantime I put 117k on this car.
Went to mechanic...the front struts were gone.
Replaced both front struts, pump, pump line and relay.
Just picked it up. Bill came to$2500 tax included.
I knew it was coming...first major problem in 8 years since I got this car.
Not bad.
Looking forward to w221. Need a change
Cheers

 

Dayum! die s-klasse... you give me hope!

Really great that you followed up on an older thread where people were skeptical and it was mentioned that posts tend to be about problems, not good things. Well... here's a good post. lol

 

Thanks.
I hope yours won't give you many problems too.

 

I've had my 03 s430 for about 6 years now. It had 68000 miles on it at the time. I have 140k on her now. During the warranty period, the maintenance done paid for the cost of the warranty. I bought from a dealer and bought the warranty with it. Cost of warranty was about $2800. Since the warranty expired, I set aside $2500 for maintenance and repair. I do much of the work myself so I don't spend the money, but if you're going to have the work done, I recommend budgeting that much.

All cars this age and newer in the luxury class have similar problems (Audi, BMW and Jaguar). Parts are pricey as are labor hours. My other car is a 2005 Jaguar XJ Super V8 so I speak from experience.

I knew this going in. Mercedes is no different in this regard and you can expect to get 200k miles on her easy. My s430 is the most wonderful ride.

When shopping for your dream car, the key to me is to buy one that has all service records. I would recommend this for any car. COMPLETE history of service and a carfax. It gets you 4 things. First, you can see the care that went into the car. Anyone who has complete records, takes care of their cars. Second, you can see the issues and more importantly repeat issues. Third, you can get an idea of annual cost to maintain and repair your vehicle. Last, you'll know if it's been in an accident.

I have no regrets and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

Best of luck in your search