'07 Mercedes S 65 info needed

It's strongly recommended you get an extended warranty on it. Everyone on the Mercedes forum swears by it on any V12TT car. Some have had the warranty pay itself a few times over. The car is very reliable, but when something does go wrong it costs quite a bit to maintain.
The most popular warranty is with Fidelity as it also covers the ABC suspension which Mercedes doesn't even cover anymore.
Here is a link with more info (albiet to the mechanically similar SL65): Extended Warranty - MBWorld.org Forums
Be sure to get an ecu/tcu flash. Pushes the horsepower and torque to 670 and 819 respectively.

 

Get ready for insane power. I love the s65 but have only been in one once.

 

I already told you.

Buy stock in tirerack.

Oh, and I expect you to sell it to me in 4 months.

 

Plastidip

 

Great car. There's a few currently in the mid 30's.

If you can get it within that range jump on it.

I had a chance to buy a low mile 06' last year but decided to buy a designo E-55 in a unique color was to die for.

 

I don't know about Fidelity per se, but ABC maintenance could really sour your enthusiasm for this car. Hundreds of working components that work less and less every day.

 

Warranty without a doubt, but a nice car good luck with it.

 

Do. It. Now. Be ready for some maintenence headaches. The ABC system is a nightmare. The ABC system is what bricked my S600. I used to think it stupid but not anymore: buy a warranty. It will save you thousands (if not tens of thousands) in the long run. I've spent almost $25k on the ABC suspension on my 2004 S600. I hope the W221 like you're looking at is better. Warranty, warranty, warranty. Oh, and get an ECU tune.

 

is keeping a Benz V12TT running more expensive than keeping a 355 or 360 running?
neck and neck?

 

no,but it costs more then the U.S. GOV spends to keep the USS Nimitz running

 

$1800 for a new front strut on the ABC system on my '07 Benz at the dealership. I shopped around. I found a rebuilt strut with a lifetime warranty for $350 and had the local independent install it for another $400.

3 more corners to go.

 

OK...not sure I get the joke.

 

I think his poorly delivered joke was getting at the astronomical price of keeping these cars running.

The other day I was in my dad's SL and he was complaining about one of the tire pressure monitors being out, an error message for the restraint system popped up on the dash, and something else was out too but I'm not sure what. "Oh they're great cars" I think he said, while trying to re-set the dash warning.

I don't understand owning these cars beyond warranty, and even within warranty you'd have to really not like money to subject yourself to the depreciation.

 

They are pretty good cars overall. But as others have said the AbC system is an expensive thing to fix. And if you are not careful the transmissions fail also. Radiators are also a weak point, which requires serious disassembly of the front end to remove.

You will eat brakes (if you drive it like it was supposed to be driven) and that is not cheap either. Engine mount replacement is an engine out job and the break often. Turbochargers blow out the oil seals resulting in big oil consumption and puffs of blue smoke on start-up, and a cloud on heavy acceleration. Engine out to replace.

Crazy fast car..it will scare you both with speed and service. I like them.

 

I have had four SL-class Mercedes and a C36AMG and E420 over 15 years AND WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER MERCEDES! They are P's OS and maintenance nightmares, especially the V12s. Whatever enjoyment you get from driving the car will be more than offset by the unending--and hugely expensive--visits to the shop. My latest Benz--and last--is a 2004 SL600 that has consumed $thousands every year in repairs. Example: I drive the car for 150 miles on a Saturday, everything is fine. Sunday I start to back it out of the garage and I get TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, and I do mean "total." I had to use the emergency brake to ooch the car back into the garage. Imagine the drama if this happened at 85 mph slowing down for an exit ramp! The problem turned out to be the "SBC" pump. It is a class problem across many Mercedes models from around 2002 to 2007-2008(?). The factory extended the warranty on the pump to 10 years to avoid a recall. My SL600 was 10 years 3 months old, with 33K miles on the odo, when the SBC pump failed. Mercedes' response? "Sorry, you're out of warranty." Nothing like a concerned and honest manufacturer to stand behind their crap product, eh? Another $2400 flushed down the drain for another repair. As others have mentioned, the ABC system is extortionately costly to fix. There is an engine controller for the V12s that will fail--not if, just when--that's $2600. On and on and on. My advice is to walk away from this car, regardless of how good the deal may be. There will be more frustration and disappointment than smiles. Again, I've owned six Mercedes, including two SL600s, so speak from sad experience. I am done with them for good.

 

Good lord are you kidding? That sounds way more expensive than Ferrari maintenance. Can't you just take the suspension out and drop in a nice set of coilovers? 3-4k and it's set for life.

 

You guys have had the worst luck.

I am on my dozenth or so personal Mercedes. I actually have two in the home garage now (S-Class & E-Class). I have bought a string of them new, and a string of them previously experienced. NONE of them have been severe maintenance cost. NONE. I am talking 1961 up to 2011 versions.

Yes I have replaced an air-shock (2000 S430) but so what? Car had 115000 miles on it. Sure I have done the normal service (maybe $500 - $1000 a year) and I have yet to mind (go to an independent shop).

I have only good things to say about decades of ownership.

 

Similar experience here. We are on our 7th Mercedes in the family (within the past 8 years), 3 of which are still in the garage now. The only non-scheduled service visit was a rear deck rattle on the 2010 S550.
The V12 cars are great cars, but can benefit from an extended warranty just for peace of mind. They don't all fail on schedule, and aren't as bad as some people make them out to be. Further, the garage queens seem to have more issues than cars that have been driven.

 

Not quite. If I bought a V8 then yes I could ditch the ABC for regular suspension. Not in the V12's though--and unfortunately, I'm completely hooked on MB V12s. Don't ever drive one. They make the V8s feel useless. Sluggish. Worthless. Anyway, in the V8's the tandem pump is interchangeable so you could swap over to coilovers. Not so in the V12s as they have their own tandem pump mounting.

 

You'd be surprised at the performance of the recent 63TT engines. They give up just a tenth of a second from 0-150 compared to the V12.

 

I have an '08 CL 63. I've only had one cracked ABC line, no other suspension issues.

I have replaced brakes and tires, which gets expensive. But the ABC is nowhere near as bad as the internets say.

The one line cost me a few hundred bucks.

Matt

 

I had a '97 S600 with 100K and issue free. '01 S600 sold with 80K and issue free. My '07 S550 was flawless as well. I did routine oil services, tires/brakes. Absolutely loved the '07 White w/pano roof, rear seat pkg, AMG sport pkg. Pano roof is a must! Good luck and enjoy!!
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