any problems on s550
If you’re considering buying one, plan for expensive maintenance and repairs. These are some of the most complex cars out there, and at 8 years old things will start breaking, at significant cost. Absolutely get a thorough pre purchase inspection by a Mercedes specialist.
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What’s the old joke, something like:
How do you turn a large fortune into a small one quick? Buy a used European car.
I’d suggest going to CarComplaints.com and researching the model and year there. And then choose very carefully…
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+1
One forum member, @db4690, is a former Benz mechanic, and he can likely provide even more detail.
IIRC correctly, it was something like this:
Q: How can I become a millionaire?
A: Start with 2 million dollars, then buy a used Mercedes, and within a few years, you will be worth only 1 million.
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I used to work with a guy whose wife liked the S-Class. They had lots of money so they bought one every 5 years. The turnover rate was to avoid expensive repairs. In addition to the carcomplaints website you can check for recalls, investigations, complaints and manufacturer communications at NHTSA.gov. Do a recall search annd everything shows up. Search for S or S-Class and pick the one you are interested in. The choices are RWD, 4WD, sedan, hybrid, and coupe. Resale price drops quickly for complicated cars like these because there is a lot that can go wrong and repairs are expensive. If you can afford it, I’m sure you’ll like it.
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In the late '90s, a co-worker bought a used S500, and apparently she hadn’t learned her lesson from the problem-plagued used Jaguar that she owned prior to the Benz. Within only a few months, after experiencing a lot of expensive repairs, she traded-in the Benz on a new Hyundai Excel.
Yes, she seemed to have a talent for picking cars that would need a lot of repairs, but at least the Hyundai’s repair bills were much lower than those of her S500.
I did indeed work at a Benz dealership for 10 years, but I’ve been gone from there for 15 years
That said, I’ve been in the field for 30 years, so I do . . . hopefully . . . know a few things by now
As such, I agree with the others that buying a older european Luxury car is a sure-fire way of significantly draining your bank account over time
Maintaining it doesn’t get cheaper just because you may not be going to the dealership. Good independent shops have rates that are only slighlty lower than the Benz dealer. And parts will never be reasonably priced
This particular car most likely has air suspension, if not active body control, both of which get really pricey to maintain as the car gets old(er)
It almost certainly requires premium fuel, so filling up is pricier, as well
Even if this car isn’t a mechanical or electrical catastrophe, simply keeping it in good shape will cost you a LOT EVERY SINGLE YEAR . . . are you prepared for that?
You’ll have to change your mindset. This car will be your baby and you’ll have to make it an absolute priority, unless you want it to degrade to ordinary used-car status
And, as already mentioned, Benz doesn’t retain value like Lexus or Acura
Make a wise choice
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Didn’t we have a discussion a while back about an owner jumping through (expensive) hoops to get their complex MB suspension fixed?
… and although its gas mileage is actually a bit better than I had expected, The EPA rates it at only 17 mpg in the city/25 mpg on the highway, so just driving it around will indeed be pricey.
