We've launched our new website! Check our our article on our 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 for some exclusive photos and details about this vehicle: www.prntestdrive.com/single-post/2013-mercedes-benz-s-550-4matic
Love my ‘09 S550 4Matic Designo- it’s needed a little bit in repairs (mostly AC related), but it still is an amazing motor! Crazy that it can still feel modern 15 years later.
@@PRNTestDrive it’s all fixed! Compressor, sadly. Just needs some dealer calibration, of course! Good luck with your ‘13- use the Distronic on mine almost daily! 👍
I have a 2011 that I bought off my Uncle for $12,000 2 years ago nearly and at 134,000 miles. Car now has 169,000 and runs like an absolute beast still. I have replaced one compressor, one strut, oil cooler housing gaskets, a thermostat, and both keyless go handles on the driver side (my car is black so super easy to source the handles lmao). Has the ownership been cheap? No not by a long shot. Has the car been reliable and served me well? Very much so. All but one air strut is still original (knock on wood) and the rest are factory. That's extremely impressive at nearly 170k miles. The M273 is an absolute tank of an engine after the 2007 model years. I make my commute to college every week in it and it tackles the interstate just magnificently. It's the one car I've owned that has boosted my confidence in driving just massively. It's definitely not the best example, but it sure is the damn best car I've ever owned.
Pretty impressive mileage on it! Glad to hear it's been working out well for you. I try to drive mine every week when I can, it's tougher now with the press cars. Enjoy yours!
@@echo5827 I mean for your typical car, no this isn't cheap. However, speaking in terms of a luxury car this is gonna be the most reliable maybe just short of a Lexus.
Thank you for the best test/ review of the W221 that I have found on TH-cam. It was really helpful. I have had E38:s since 2005 and now I am looking for a W221 in good condition to use as a regular driver.
As someone who owned an E38 also I'm very happy with the swap over to this generation S-Class. I've been in the market for any generation for quite some time now but after browsing through plenty of reviews on TH-cam on the W221 I felt confident enough in pulling the trigger on it. It comes with enough modern technology to feel like you aren't missing out on anything, without any of the crazy over-the-top tech on the latest cars that could age poorly.
I recently bought an S430 from 2000 with the Designo package. I love it. Smooth, powerful, and very comfortable. I did have to repair the front-end suspension that needed to be done. 23 years old and still going strong. Good video we can tell you are excited about your S Class.
Love my 2017 c300 and had it for years no issues. Really like this S class era before it really changed. I want this exact one with the back features so bad! Good review
Thanks! I love my 2013 C-Class also, it's one of the reasons I was happy to upgrade to this knowing how good my 235k km C-Class has been. I'm hoping to get the chance to drive it more as it's been sitting for a couple months through winter.
I bought a 60K mile 2012 S65 AMG last year, loving it! The W221 is an older car, but some good cars from this era has alot good things and feelings you just miss from modern cars. There are EVs everywhere now, where you gonna find a Bi-turbo V12 anymore? So I decided to keep this 2012 S65 as a collection instead of a daily drive. I found a low mile good condiction S550 online, and that's why I found your review here.
We’re planning our second road trip already! I took it on a short trip last weekend to Niagara, Ontario for a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast group cruise and it was outstanding to drive. Had some maintenance carried out on it today so I’m all set, should prove to be a winner!
Thank you for the video reviews on your s550, Niles. I'm picking up a new to me 2013 s550 LWB w/90,000 klms tomorrow. I've probably watched this particular video 20 times just to take in all that you've shared. Also to help me get through the long wait between making the decision to purchase it, to when I pick it up.
How did it work out for you with picking up the S-Class? 90k kms is a nice, low mileage example! Any of the W221s I see pop up for sale are higher mileage, 150k kms or higher. Hope it works out well for you!
@PRNTestDrive Brought it home yesterday. I can't believe how incredible these vehicles are. I find myself looking out the window, just staring at its beauty.
This is the same year/model I came so close to buying. Good job! On the other hand, I have so much $$ tied up in my '99 W140 3.2L that I will never recoup if I sell it, and at 70 years old, I hardly drive much at all. Like the post-'97 W140s, this year-model S 550 was the best one to acquire as pertains to getting all the bugs out and reliability. IMHO, it's the best-looking S-Class to date! I hope you got the optional refrigerated panty-cooler glovebox! You are going to need it.
The glovebox is cooled, yes! I just have the owners manuals in there along with my dashcam connected to the USB. I don't see myself using it for much outside of that, just wish the USB wasn't powered with the car off, as the dashcam runs down my battery if I leave it connected.
I had a 2004 S430 everyone’s so trash talking about that’s the money pit dude I never had problems with my car. I was the second owner that thing ran pristine
Glad to hear it! I still have a soft spot for the W220, even spotted one today on my way to the store. It's a car I'd love to feature again as we drove one last years ago in AMG form.
@@PRNTestDrive Great review by the way and i love my 2007 and agree with everything you said about it they are great cars and to me the interior is simple classy and ergonomically perfect.
Great video! Thanks for the details and information. I'm looking at that model myself around the same milage. I am concerned about the cost to own and you helped me a lot in understanding. I appreciate your enthusiasm.
Saw a 2013 S550 for sale by original owner with 374K miles on original transmission and engine, all major seals redone. Suspension had been replaced, all maintenance records (very extensive maintenance, they spared no expense, never even missed an oil change), the records were very meticulous. The car had been professionally repainted same color due to chips in front. Typical wear items replaced, interior completely redone including headliner and carpet due to normal wear. The original seats were cashmere/savanna but seats were replaced with ivory white and contrasting black headliner and carpet aong with piano black trim. If you looked at it and didnt know the body style changed you would swear it was a new car. Owner only sold because they purchased a 2023 S580.
That's awesome to hear! Gives me hope that mine can last that long too. We featured a high-mileage 2003 S 55 AMG a few years ago and the car was in extremely good shape given the mileage, it was impressive.
@@PRNTestDrive With these German cars, it matters more about how well the owner takes care and maintains it than it does the mileage, they are picky cars and don't take neglect or abuse very well. I think if it was neglected and you bring it up to standard ASAP before you drive it too much you can add years to it easily. Yours looks pretty well cared for though. How many miles did that 2003 S55 have on it? This one I am telling you about had extreme extensive detailed records, even had records when they changed the headlight bulbs and interior lights. I saw a line on the record for Mercedes Tire Valve caps. The owner was a true enthusiast i bet for sure. Amazing he kept detailed records like that. I dont know if I would be able to. I tried searching the video on your channel for the S55 but didnt find high mileage (maybe I didnt look good enough) I saw a 2003 though, any link? I'd be interested to see it. You have a good radio voice or it would be good for commercial or voiceover.
I know some people have imported them to Canada, years ago in Montreal a shop I visited had a W220 S 320 CDI among a couple other European-imports. The diesel is probably great on fuel! One of the channels I watch, High Peak Autos, has an S-Class CDI, and his experience was one of the main reasons I bought mine.
I'm going to check out a 2013 S550 in two days. 88K miles. I wish it was a 2011 so I didn't have the BITURBO, I'm a bit afraid of the turbos. How has yours been?
This is á great car , it’s a swb ,I look for those here in the USA. Do you think there many like this for sale ? What’s the best sale site ? I like yours in the black , is yours still doing good ? Thank you !!!
It's my understanding that the short wheelbase wasn't sold in the USA, so you'd have to look at importing one from Canada or Europe. I usually use trader.ca when looking for used vehicles up here in Canada, or Kijijiautos.ca. Mine's still great, I don't get to drive it much with the press cars I've been taking, but she runs like a champ and rides like a dream.
That's good to know, thanks! I think it adds to the grey leather, not sure if I'd want this trim with black seats, nor would I want a light brown wood with the grey ones. I certainly lucked out with this one.
@Perpetualradio absolutely the color scheme is very nice. I happen to like it, too. Congrats on your S class. I've been wanting an S class since the W220 came out. Very peaceful car to be in. I think your W221 is the best of both worlds, I don't like the new ones (W223). Mercedes-Benz has made the same lineup look the same from the C, E, and S class. The S class should stand out, It's their flagship model.
I wasn't comfortable going with any of the newer generations, this seems to be the solid option to go with for reliability. I'm hoping to drive it more!
The rear AC controls are standard on LWB versions while optional on SWB here in the Gulf (UAE) I have the LWB 2013 S500 AMG same like yours with M278 I have the rear entertainment as well as AC and also the rear refrigerator. Regarding the bangle-butt thingy not sure why people call that its not at all taken from BMW, on the contrary it was first proposed by Daimler for their Maybach models, and this S-Class is the only that has taken the protruding trunk design like the Maybach (57-62) so here’s some info for you dear, this design was first proposed by Daimler back in 1997 when they revealed the first prototype of Maybach. BMW ironically copied this idea in their E65 generation. So yeah I mean a lot of people don’t know this kind of information. Its probably the best looking S-Class ever in my opinion. It ages well, still rides as comfortable as modern models of S-Class minor refinements because I have driven W222 and W223 … tech-wise yes much more features but I like the elegant dash of W221 the wood, its curves, its a timeless design the pinnacle of Sonderklasse from Stuttgart 👌🏽 I mean if would rate its the second over-engineered Legend after W140.
Thanks! Just completed a nice service on it today, full oil and filter change along with the engine and cabin air filter. Seems like they were both needed as I had a little nest of debris in the passenger floor well.
That's the plan! It’s back at the house but I plan on ordering the parts for the AC sometime this month so I can get things going on that. I still love the drive of the W204, and word is MB Canada is extending the warranty for the rear subframes which is awesome news.
It's up to every owner to drive his car how he sees fit, and there is nothing wrong with cruising per se. However, the S class, and especially the V8/V12 versions, was made for gobbling up miles at a very fast pace, not for puttering around. The effortless power and quiet confidence of these cars shine most at speeds that some localities consider illegal.
I’ve got the 2010 model since it was newly released and a BMW E38 740i and I feel I’ve got the best of both worlds. My two favorite designs. You can also add CarPlay while using the existing hardware. Great to bring the infotainment up to spec.
How difficult is the retrofit? I don't mind not having any sort of connection from my phone, although I found it weird that my 2013 C-Class has A2DP bluetooth for audio streaming but the S-Class doesn't. Would definitely be interested to see options for Apple CarPlay without having to do anything major.
@Perpetualradio from what I've seen and plan to do shortly, it's just taking the dvd changer out attaching a module. I believe Joyeuxauto is the one, you'll need one for the NTG 3,5. It's just plug and play after that with the carplay module being tucked in where the dvd changer is and reverse install everything. I believe a video is up on TH-cam showing the install. Also, yes the lack of BT audio was shocking. Had to use a device called Tune2Air for BT connectivity.
Looks simple enough, you're right. I don't know if I'm brave enough to make the upgrade just yet, luckily I don't do much with mine that I need Google Maps, the one road trip we've done so far was in familiar territory, but I could see it being a benefit down the road.
Like you .. I was looking at a CL65 which really is the king of the cruise. They own the Autobahn! I'll need to trade up I guess but Mercedes apparently put an awful lot of time and money into the CL class to make it stand out against the S class and be more of a driver's car than a passenger's.
12.7L per 100km is actually quite good. that's what a BWW 230, 330, 430, 530 with the B48 4cyl get. and this car has double engine. in size and power. I know when you push it it creeps uo to 20L, but like you said that's not the point of this vehicle
Only option would be either an fm transmitter, aux, or a third party mod. Unfortunately A2DP Bluetooth streaming wasn’t a feature of this car, weirdly my 2013 C Class works, maybe it was modded by a previous owner.
should have an AUX in the glove compartment. You need an RCA to Mini cable and a Bluetooth receiver. In mine I have it plugged into the Lighter in the front console but is also rechargeable and lasts for weeks if you don't want to see it. Off Amazon for $25 bucks or less. Hope this helps. It sounds amazing on the car speakers. I did have to glue my rear speaker due to the foam tore on the sub and rattled but a bit of rubber cement and no more rattle. ( pop the grill out of the back behind the seats and glue the torn foam without removing speaker.)
Had same issue, good luck trying to find a custom audio shop that will want to touch it. These cars have so many electronic systems that most dont want to have liability if they screw up. You may be able to find a shop, but I bet they will not warranty. Its really just not worth risking things going wrong.
$8k a year might be on the higher side, but if a major component fails it'll cost a whole lot more. I haven't had mine long enough to know what long-term maintenance will be like, so far I just need to drive it more to avoid the battery issues I'm having.
@@PRNTestDrive $8K a year that's about $700 a month. Even if this is CAN$, that's too high, you could rent a brand new for this money. I have an old quarter a century Lexus with 250 K miles not kilometers and it cost me an average of $800 a year. Am I misunderstanding your comment or this is how much it actually cost to maintain it. ?
Fair point, but still interesting as far as I'm concerned. We don't often get headsets with the new press cars we drive, but they're typically branded with an OEM logo.
So you left BMW and turned to the dark side, eh? 😇 How is that working out for you so far? I have a chance at acquiring a 2012 S350 Blutec 4Matic, what is your opinion of the diesel S-Class variant?
The diesels are an interesting option! I drove a 2014 GL 350 bluetec back in Quebec, the DEF system is the main issue with those vehicles, while the engine itself is very reliable. One of the channels I watched before buying mine, High Peak Autos, has bought a couple of them and being in the UK they're diesels. I absolutely love mine, we've gotten it on the road after winter hibernation this week as I'm testing the 2024 S-Class, so we'll have some new content on this car later this month! Here's one of High Peak Autos' recent videos on their W221: th-cam.com/video/pNo_Q_qG1y8/w-d-xo.html
@@PRNTestDrive I've also watched High Peak Autos, amazing content and information! I've also watched @youtoobe169, he's a big fan of the diesel Mercs, really one of the few diesel fans. I'm convinced that a used M-B is a great option, I'm just confused about the diesel options, there's so much conflicting info on them....
I was looking at this or the W220, but finding a facelift S 500 4matic is pretty tough. Saw a nice pre-facelift S 500 RWD on the highway today, older folks driving it with the passenger holding their phone for navigation. I haven't met an S-Class I haven't loved.
uh… what’s wrong with running the car in ‘Sporty Driving’ mode..? the way this car is set up, it handles the curves beautifully - with very minimal body lean next, you’ll be telling us you prefer driving it with the powertrain set to ‘economy’ mode!! 🤣
In the USA, yes, not for the rest of the planet. How do I know? Because I literally have a short wheelbase and spend 30+ minutes showing it in this video. That’s undeniable evidence that your comment is inaccurate.
Its not the worst, but its not great. It certainly isnt for someone who is scared of repair bills, that much can be assured. The old saying "Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes" is true.
Air suspension is always a concern, we'll talk about it in depth when we do our first ownership update video but we did have a problem that crippled the system during a road trip, ended up being a $45 part.
Air suspension is not that bad. You have 2 options, convert it to regular suspension (But then you lose that S550 ride) or second option, just buy aftermarket, for example the 2 front will cost you under 700. The compressor can be had for under 300, thats if you even need it. Dont let stealerships scare you into buying their overpriced 1200 a piece ones with scary stories of failing aftermarket parts.
![Changing 6 Fluids and 4 Filters to Make this Car Last Forever (hopefully) [Salvage S-Class Part 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/i70M3-5XeBQ/mqdefault.jpg)
We've launched our new website! Check our our article on our 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 for some exclusive photos and details about this vehicle: www.prntestdrive.com/single-post/2013-mercedes-benz-s-550-4matic
It’s nice . I would like one in right hand drive
Love my ‘09 S550 4Matic Designo- it’s needed a little bit in repairs (mostly AC related), but it still is an amazing motor! Crazy that it can still feel modern 15 years later.
Hopefully you can get the A/C fixed up easily enough! I'm still waiting to order the parts for the W204 to get it back to cold.
@@PRNTestDrive it’s all fixed! Compressor, sadly. Just needs some dealer calibration, of course! Good luck with your ‘13- use the Distronic on mine almost daily! 👍
I have a 2011 that I bought off my Uncle for $12,000 2 years ago nearly and at 134,000 miles. Car now has 169,000 and runs like an absolute beast still. I have replaced one compressor, one strut, oil cooler housing gaskets, a thermostat, and both keyless go handles on the driver side (my car is black so super easy to source the handles lmao). Has the ownership been cheap? No not by a long shot. Has the car been reliable and served me well? Very much so. All but one air strut is still original (knock on wood) and the rest are factory. That's extremely impressive at nearly 170k miles. The M273 is an absolute tank of an engine after the 2007 model years. I make my commute to college every week in it and it tackles the interstate just magnificently. It's the one car I've owned that has boosted my confidence in driving just massively. It's definitely not the best example, but it sure is the damn best car I've ever owned.
Pretty impressive mileage on it! Glad to hear it's been working out well for you. I try to drive mine every week when I can, it's tougher now with the press cars. Enjoy yours!
It hasn't been cheap? You only listed a few thousand worth of maintenance for 35k miles on a high milage luxury car, sounds cheap
@@echo5827 I mean for your typical car, no this isn't cheap. However, speaking in terms of a luxury car this is gonna be the most reliable maybe just short of a Lexus.
@@bmwman1029Def better than Audi BMW
mine left rear handle keyless needs repair too. wonder if your case , ilia it only broken wire issue? welding the wire already solves it?
Thank you for the best test/ review of the W221 that I have found on TH-cam. It was really helpful. I have had E38:s since 2005 and now I am looking for a W221 in good condition to use as a regular driver.
As someone who owned an E38 also I'm very happy with the swap over to this generation S-Class. I've been in the market for any generation for quite some time now but after browsing through plenty of reviews on TH-cam on the W221 I felt confident enough in pulling the trigger on it. It comes with enough modern technology to feel like you aren't missing out on anything, without any of the crazy over-the-top tech on the latest cars that could age poorly.
I recently bought an S430 from 2000 with the Designo package. I love it. Smooth, powerful, and very comfortable. I did have to repair the front-end suspension that needed to be done. 23 years old and still going strong. Good video we can tell you are excited about your S Class.
Thanks for sharing! I still love the W220, had I found one in good shape I'd have likely gone that route. Enjoy yours!
Love my 2017 c300 and had it for years no issues. Really like this S class era before it really changed. I want this exact one with the back features so bad! Good review
Thanks! I love my 2013 C-Class also, it's one of the reasons I was happy to upgrade to this knowing how good my 235k km C-Class has been. I'm hoping to get the chance to drive it more as it's been sitting for a couple months through winter.
I bought a 60K mile 2012 S65 AMG last year, loving it! The W221 is an older car, but some good cars from this era has alot good things and feelings you just miss from modern cars. There are EVs everywhere now, where you gonna find a Bi-turbo V12 anymore? So I decided to keep this 2012 S65 as a collection instead of a daily drive. I found a low mile good condiction S550 online, and that's why I found your review here.
Awesome car to buy, congrats! I love the S 65's rims, they look amazing.
I would take SO MANY long road trips in this car! I hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Aloha from "What's a Road Trip?" Hawai'i.
We’re planning our second road trip already! I took it on a short trip last weekend to Niagara, Ontario for a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast group cruise and it was outstanding to drive. Had some maintenance carried out on it today so I’m all set, should prove to be a winner!
@@PRNTestDrive Absolutely glorious! Have a safe trip!
Thank you for the video reviews on your s550, Niles. I'm picking up a new to me 2013 s550 LWB w/90,000 klms tomorrow. I've probably watched this particular video 20 times just to take in all that you've shared. Also to help me get through the long wait between making the decision to purchase it, to when I pick it up.
How did it work out for you with picking up the S-Class? 90k kms is a nice, low mileage example! Any of the W221s I see pop up for sale are higher mileage, 150k kms or higher. Hope it works out well for you!
@PRNTestDrive Brought it home yesterday. I can't believe how incredible these vehicles are. I find myself looking out the window, just staring at its beauty.
This is the same year/model I came so close to buying. Good job! On the other hand, I have so much $$ tied up in my '99 W140 3.2L that I will never recoup if I sell it, and at 70 years old, I hardly drive much at all. Like the post-'97 W140s, this year-model S 550 was the best one to acquire as pertains to getting all the bugs out and reliability. IMHO, it's the best-looking S-Class to date! I hope you got the optional refrigerated panty-cooler glovebox! You are going to need it.
The glovebox is cooled, yes! I just have the owners manuals in there along with my dashcam connected to the USB. I don't see myself using it for much outside of that, just wish the USB wasn't powered with the car off, as the dashcam runs down my battery if I leave it connected.
@@PRNTestDriverhe dashcam might get hot so that's why
Mercedes pulled an audi move
That was a well presented, articulate, and informative review. Great job!
Glad you liked it! Keep an eye out for more classic videos like this, we're always looking for cars to feature.
I had a 2004 S430 everyone’s so trash talking about that’s the money pit dude I never had problems with my car. I was the second owner that thing ran pristine
Glad to hear it! I still have a soft spot for the W220, even spotted one today on my way to the store. It's a car I'd love to feature again as we drove one last years ago in AMG form.
I liked the preface lifted one with the body panel lines going through the tail lights
Fair enough!
@@PRNTestDrive Great review by the way and i love my 2007 and agree with everything you said about it they are great cars and to me the interior is simple classy and ergonomically perfect.
Great video! Thanks for the details and information. I'm looking at that model myself around the same milage. I am concerned about the cost to own and you helped me a lot in understanding. I appreciate your enthusiasm.
Glad it was helpful! I love driving mine, even though I don't get the chance to as much as I'd like.
I think the pre facelift looks better, especially the rear lights.
Fair enough! I don't mind the tail lights on the pre-facelift, I think either one you go with is a solid option.
Saw a 2013 S550 for sale by original owner with 374K miles on original transmission and engine, all major seals redone. Suspension had been replaced, all maintenance records (very extensive maintenance, they spared no expense, never even missed an oil change), the records were very meticulous. The car had been professionally repainted same color due to chips in front. Typical wear items replaced, interior completely redone including headliner and carpet due to normal wear. The original seats were cashmere/savanna but seats were replaced with ivory white and contrasting black headliner and carpet aong with piano black trim. If you looked at it and didnt know the body style changed you would swear it was a new car.
Owner only sold because they purchased a 2023 S580.
That's awesome to hear! Gives me hope that mine can last that long too. We featured a high-mileage 2003 S 55 AMG a few years ago and the car was in extremely good shape given the mileage, it was impressive.
@@PRNTestDrive With these German cars, it matters more about how well the owner takes care and maintains it than it does the mileage, they are picky cars and don't take neglect or abuse very well. I think if it was neglected and you bring it up to standard ASAP before you drive it too much you can add years to it easily. Yours looks pretty well cared for though. How many miles did that 2003 S55 have on it?
This one I am telling you about had extreme extensive detailed records, even had records when they changed the headlight bulbs and interior lights. I saw a line on the record for Mercedes Tire Valve caps. The owner was a true enthusiast i bet for sure. Amazing he kept detailed records like that. I dont know if I would be able to. I tried searching the video on your channel for the S55 but didnt find high mileage (maybe I didnt look good enough) I saw a 2003 though, any link? I'd be interested to see it. You have a good radio voice or it would be good for commercial or voiceover.
The dark wood trim is very elegant.
I love it! Nice touch on the light interior.
Just bought an "09 S320 cdi (probably no such cars in US or canada?) but loving it so far!
I know some people have imported them to Canada, years ago in Montreal a shop I visited had a W220 S 320 CDI among a couple other European-imports. The diesel is probably great on fuel! One of the channels I watch, High Peak Autos, has an S-Class CDI, and his experience was one of the main reasons I bought mine.
@@PRNTestDrive thanks for the tip, will check that one too !
@@tellucas yeah we have plenty of those, but i wouldn"t buy M272 it's a shitty engine...
Amazing ride, absolute steal for the money.
I agree! Every time I drive this it's a treat.
I have a 2012 s550. I love it l!!!!
Glad to hear it! I love mine too, I just wish I could drive it more.
@@PRNTestDrive whats stopping you from driving it more?
I'm going to check out a 2013 S550 in two days. 88K miles. I wish it was a 2011 so I didn't have the BITURBO, I'm a bit afraid of the turbos. How has yours been?
Got my 2011 s550 rwd (last naturally aspirated v8)
Nice! Really can’t go wrong with that engine either.
This is á great car , it’s a swb ,I look for those here in the USA. Do you think there many like this for sale ? What’s the best sale site ?
I like yours in the black , is yours still doing good ?
Thank you !!!
It's my understanding that the short wheelbase wasn't sold in the USA, so you'd have to look at importing one from Canada or Europe. I usually use trader.ca when looking for used vehicles up here in Canada, or Kijijiautos.ca.
Mine's still great, I don't get to drive it much with the press cars I've been taking, but she runs like a champ and rides like a dream.
The piano balck wood trim is part of the designo interior option.
That's good to know, thanks! I think it adds to the grey leather, not sure if I'd want this trim with black seats, nor would I want a light brown wood with the grey ones. I certainly lucked out with this one.
@Perpetualradio absolutely the color scheme is very nice. I happen to like it, too. Congrats on your S class. I've been wanting an S class since the W220 came out. Very peaceful car to be in. I think your W221 is the best of both worlds, I don't like the new ones (W223). Mercedes-Benz has made the same lineup look the same from the C, E, and S class. The S class should stand out, It's their flagship model.
I wasn't comfortable going with any of the newer generations, this seems to be the solid option to go with for reliability. I'm hoping to drive it more!
The rear AC controls are standard on LWB versions while optional on SWB here in the Gulf (UAE) I have the LWB 2013 S500 AMG same like yours with M278 I have the rear entertainment as well as AC and also the rear refrigerator.
Regarding the bangle-butt thingy not sure why people call that its not at all taken from BMW, on the contrary it was first proposed by Daimler for their Maybach models, and this S-Class is the only that has taken the protruding trunk design like the Maybach (57-62) so here’s some info for you dear, this design was first proposed by Daimler back in 1997 when they revealed the first prototype of Maybach. BMW ironically copied this idea in their E65 generation. So yeah I mean a lot of people don’t know this kind of information.
Its probably the best looking S-Class ever in my opinion. It ages well, still rides as comfortable as modern models of S-Class minor refinements because I have driven W222 and W223 … tech-wise yes much more features but I like the elegant dash of W221 the wood, its curves, its a timeless design the pinnacle of Sonderklasse from Stuttgart 👌🏽 I mean if would rate its the second over-engineered Legend after W140.
I love mine quite a bit and wish I could drive it more. I'm planning to get some use out of it in the next coming weeks.
Howdy from London, ON! Seen your post on Mercedes Benz of ontario and led me here. Great video! Have an 09 CLS63 if your wanting to review
That would be awesome! Can you shoot me an email to nile@perpetualradio.ca with some info on it?
Congrats!!
Thanks! Just completed a nice service on it today, full oil and filter change along with the engine and cabin air filter. Seems like they were both needed as I had a little nest of debris in the passenger floor well.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
That's a sweet ride! Are you still gonna be driving the c class?
That's the plan! It’s back at the house but I plan on ordering the parts for the AC sometime this month so I can get things going on that. I still love the drive of the W204, and word is MB Canada is extending the warranty for the rear subframes which is awesome news.
It's up to every owner to drive his car how he sees fit, and there is nothing wrong with cruising per se. However, the S class, and especially the V8/V12 versions, was made for gobbling up miles at a very fast pace, not for puttering around. The effortless power and quiet confidence of these cars shine most at speeds that some localities consider illegal.
It has been extremely enjoyable on the highways.
I’ve got the 2010 model since it was newly released and a BMW E38 740i and I feel I’ve got the best of both worlds. My two favorite designs.
You can also add CarPlay while using the existing hardware. Great to bring the infotainment up to spec.
How difficult is the retrofit? I don't mind not having any sort of connection from my phone, although I found it weird that my 2013 C-Class has A2DP bluetooth for audio streaming but the S-Class doesn't. Would definitely be interested to see options for Apple CarPlay without having to do anything major.
@Perpetualradio from what I've seen and plan to do shortly, it's just taking the dvd changer out attaching a module. I believe Joyeuxauto is the one, you'll need one for the NTG 3,5. It's just plug and play after that with the carplay module being tucked in where the dvd changer is and reverse install everything. I believe a video is up on TH-cam showing the install.
Also, yes the lack of BT audio was shocking. Had to use a device called Tune2Air for BT connectivity.
Looks simple enough, you're right. I don't know if I'm brave enough to make the upgrade just yet, luckily I don't do much with mine that I need Google Maps, the one road trip we've done so far was in familiar territory, but I could see it being a benefit down the road.
Nice looking car. Good purchase.
I think so too!
Rest in peace V8, V12 engines
After buying this and spending time with it, I’d love to see how the V12s of this era performed.
@@PRNTestDrive I just bought a W221 also .
Like you ..
I was looking at a CL65 which really is the king of the cruise. They own the Autobahn!
I'll need to trade up I guess but Mercedes apparently put an awful lot of time and money into the CL class to make it stand out against the S class and be more of a driver's car than a passenger's.
Very nice Mercedes Congratulations
Thank you!
My 08 has m273. Later. I need with twin turbo have bore scoring issues and then some.
So far mine's been fine, and we've heard from a lot of people with high mileage models without significant issues.
@PRN_Test Drive: How many miles does this car have at the time of this video?
I bought the car with approximately 102,000 kms on it. Right now it has about 106,500 kms on it.
I love my s550 amg model, which I got in 2014
I sold it for an s600l
Nice! If the V12 had 4matic I'd have considered one, but I'd love to feature one regardless.
Great choice!
No regrets so far!
12.7L per 100km is actually quite good. that's what a BWW 230, 330, 430, 530 with the B48 4cyl get. and this car has double engine. in size and power. I know when you push it it creeps uo to 20L, but like you said that's not the point of this vehicle
Aside from when I was testing it before buying I don't think I've hit the kickdown on this car. Efficiency has been great! Even my C-Class does well.
if you are going to sell it what will be the price?
I’d be open to offers. I did have a local enthusiast reach out via email a couple weeks wondering if I’d sell.
@@PRNTestDrive can the price be less than 12k?
@user-uf3nq4qb7e no, there are plenty of examples out there at that price though, more mileage (2x)
Question, I HAVE THE 2013 s550 rwd in the usa, i want to play my iPhone music any advise?
Only option would be either an fm transmitter, aux, or a third party mod. Unfortunately A2DP Bluetooth streaming wasn’t a feature of this car, weirdly my 2013 C Class works, maybe it was modded by a previous owner.
should have an AUX in the glove compartment. You need an RCA to Mini cable and a Bluetooth receiver. In mine I have it plugged into the Lighter in the front console but is also rechargeable and lasts for weeks if you don't want to see it. Off Amazon for $25 bucks or less. Hope this helps. It sounds amazing on the car speakers. I did have to glue my rear speaker due to the foam tore on the sub and rattled but a bit of rubber cement and no more rattle. ( pop the grill out of the back behind the seats and glue the torn foam without removing speaker.)
Had same issue, good luck trying to find a custom audio shop that will want to touch it. These cars have so many electronic systems that most dont want to have liability if they screw up. You may be able to find a shop, but I bet they will not warranty.
Its really just not worth risking things going wrong.
@@holditnowfilmsthx
@@jensz9360yes, i took it in, said it dont
hey just wondering should i get a 2007 s550 with 150k miles on it if i’m not trying to spend over 8 thousand yearly maintenance and repair cost
$8k a year might be on the higher side, but if a major component fails it'll cost a whole lot more. I haven't had mine long enough to know what long-term maintenance will be like, so far I just need to drive it more to avoid the battery issues I'm having.
@@PRNTestDrive $8K a year that's about $700 a month. Even if this is CAN$, that's too high, you could rent a brand new for this money. I have an old quarter a century Lexus with 250 K miles not kilometers and it cost me an average of $800 a year. Am I misunderstanding your comment or this is how much it actually cost to maintain it. ?
The saying rings true and will serve you well. "There is NOTHING more expensive than a cheap Mercedes."
11:54 AKG is owned by Harmon
Fair point, but still interesting as far as I'm concerned. We don't often get headsets with the new press cars we drive, but they're typically branded with an OEM logo.
So you left BMW and turned to the dark side, eh? 😇 How is that working out for you so far? I have a chance at acquiring a 2012 S350 Blutec 4Matic, what is your opinion of the diesel S-Class variant?
The diesels are an interesting option! I drove a 2014 GL 350 bluetec back in Quebec, the DEF system is the main issue with those vehicles, while the engine itself is very reliable. One of the channels I watched before buying mine, High Peak Autos, has bought a couple of them and being in the UK they're diesels. I absolutely love mine, we've gotten it on the road after winter hibernation this week as I'm testing the 2024 S-Class, so we'll have some new content on this car later this month!
Here's one of High Peak Autos' recent videos on their W221: th-cam.com/video/pNo_Q_qG1y8/w-d-xo.html
@@PRNTestDrive I've also watched High Peak Autos, amazing content and information! I've also watched @youtoobe169, he's a big fan of the diesel Mercs, really one of the few diesel fans. I'm convinced that a used M-B is a great option, I'm just confused about the diesel options, there's so much conflicting info on them....
BECAUSE ITS ENGINEERED LIKE NO OTHER CAR IN THE WORLD....
Absolutely! The best or nothing!
My s550 2012 costs between 3.5-5k a year in maintenance.
Good to know! Sounds about right from what we're seeing so far.
I am tempted to buy one except I am not really interested in the technology. I prefer older classic Mercedes.
I was looking at this or the W220, but finding a facelift S 500 4matic is pretty tough. Saw a nice pre-facelift S 500 RWD on the highway today, older folks driving it with the passenger holding their phone for navigation. I haven't met an S-Class I haven't loved.
Harman audio owns AKG however only since 2017. Harman aren't really known for headphones so I guess they went with a more recognisable brand
Makes sense! Interestingly the Bang & Olufson system offered in this as the upgrade is also now a Harmon brand.
And they are under the JBL corporate umbrella. I shop their website often
Are you sure? I think Harman owns JBL not the other way around@@berniceseward4314
And Harman is now owned by Samsung.
Good luck.
Thanks! Hoping I won't need luck for this one.
uh… what’s wrong with running the car in ‘Sporty Driving’ mode..?
the way this car is set up, it handles the curves beautifully - with very minimal body lean
next, you’ll be telling us you prefer driving it with the powertrain set to ‘economy’ mode!!
🤣
No no, no economy mode for me! But I don't NEED sport mode to enjoy this car. Plenty of vehicles it's a NEED.
I'm about to buy a 2013 S550 with 81k miles for $13k.
Awesome price! Let us know how it works out!
@@PRNTestDrive- i definitely will. Thanks alot
Good God man! Wash that engine bay!
It has been cleaned since this initial video.
Bi Turbo no twin turbo. Its Mercedes no Audi.
😴
Car Mercedes Benz AMG coupe black S550 mustang's
Not sure what the question is there, Mercedes does make a coupe version of the S-Class for this generation, the CL-Class.
They are all long wheel base. There is no short wheel base.
In the USA, yes, not for the rest of the planet. How do I know? Because I literally have a short wheelbase and spend 30+ minutes showing it in this video. That’s undeniable evidence that your comment is inaccurate.
If you are trying to tell me the m278 engine is reliable please give me some of that you are smoking… its probably the most messed up v8 ever built
There are 3 different credible TH-camrs who I watched before buying this car, and they all say this is the one to go for.
Absolutely agreed!
The m278 is an absolute garbage… look it up…
@@PRNTestDrive Who are those TH-camrs, I' keep reading and hearing you want the M273 and not the M278.
Its not the worst, but its not great. It certainly isnt for someone who is scared of repair bills, that much can be assured. The old saying "Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes" is true.
only thing that worries me about the m278, is the timing chain issues sub 2013 models.
and air suspension haha.
Air suspension is always a concern, we'll talk about it in depth when we do our first ownership update video but we did have a problem that crippled the system during a road trip, ended up being a $45 part.
Air suspension is not that bad. You have 2 options, convert it to regular suspension (But then you lose that S550 ride) or second option, just buy aftermarket, for example the 2 front will cost you under 700. The compressor can be had for under 300, thats if you even need it. Dont let stealerships scare you into buying their overpriced 1200 a piece ones with scary stories of failing aftermarket parts.