01 merc s600 - opinions?

Considering picking one up, but I have no idea idea about these cars/chassis/motors.

Are they maintenance nightmares? What stuff goes wears out/should be inspected?

Link me to some good forums/reads and lmk your thoughts on these cars..

Peace!

mbworld.org 
 
mymbonline.com 
 
they are all nazi's in those forums .... 
depends on your budget ... 
 
S430 lowest model to S55 AMG
 
but airmatic suspension is a nightmare...

[QUOTE=MELLO*VIP;267364]Are they maintenance nightmares?
[/QUOTE]

Yes.  You have to [B][I]love[/I][/B] the s600 to own one and know how to fix problems yourself. Not even going to sugar coat it.

u trying to get rid of the Lex? or are you just trying to build a fleet?

Go with 03+. The 600 is not biturbo until 03 or 04. I have an 04 CL and the suspension has been fine, but it seems like it's hit or miss. Good luck

[QUOTE=fatmike;267458]Go with 03+. The 600 is not biturbo until 03 or 04. I have an 04 CL and the suspension has been fine, but it seems like it's hit or miss. Good luck[/QUOTE]

Go with '04 plus. Models produced in '03 had a lot of issues.

[QUOTE=OCKlasse;267498]Go with '04 plus. Models produced in '03 had a lot of issues.[/QUOTE]
 
 
yes they do :pat:

[QUOTE=MR.J;267389]mbworld.org 
 
mymbonline.com 
 
they are all nazi's in those forums .... 
[/QUOTE]

+1 even worse than the BMW forums

The previous generation W220s were definitely the dark ages for Mercedes...being partnered with Chrysler and such.

2003 was the first year for 4Matic to be offered in North America and like OCKlasse said, lots of problems. The air ride wasn't the greatest either. I think this was also the first time they tried putting the Comfort/Sport selection system in place. Also these cars were prone to rust on the body in the rear of the car (read this in Mercedes Enthusiast a month back)

This is straight from Wikipedia (not the most reliable source I know, but something to consider)... "The W220 S-Class also became known for a shift in reliability ratings from the S-Class' previously high-ranked position. [I][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Reports"]Consumer Reports[/URL][/I] classified the W220 model's reliability as "poor," its lowest rating, and declared it one of the "least reliable luxury cars."[URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W220#cite_note-2"][3][/URL] Build quality, however, was generally considered to be good. For instance, [I]Forbes[/I] described the W220 S500 as "built remarkably well." [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W220#cite_note-3"][4][/URL] Early W220s were recalled for issues with the trunk spring and the hydraulic fuel line; there were no recalls for the 2005 or 2006 model years. Issues with the W220 electronics systems, Airmatic suspension and other features are considerations in used models."

If you're serious about a Benz though, a reliable one,...the 2003-2008 E Class W211. My mom used to have one and that thing was built extremely solid (she had an 07 I believe)...nice leg room, decent fuel economy etc. Hope this helps!:biggthumpup:

Hey, myMB guys are nowhere near as bad as mbworld guys, LOL.

The S600 uses ABC suspension (also the S55, all W215s, and all R230s do as well), also known as hydropneumatic suspension (a.k.a. what my car has in a nutshell). This suspension (as from the factory) is very finicky because its hydraulic pump is constantly running as the car runs. The pump is mated to the power steering pump, and because of this constant flowing of fluid, it tends to eventually wear out, becoming a several $ thousand fix. If a strut wears out (which it does on airmatic and ABC vehicles), once again, a very pricey fix.

I do plan on purchasing an '04-'06 W215 CL as my next car (all W215s come with ABC), and rest assured that the first thing I do is yank out the ABC suspension for my own hydraulic suspension. In my opinion, the suspension is the most intimidating part of these vehicles. 

Will it be some work? Hell, yes! I need to replace the factory power steering/ABC pump with a W220 non-ABC pump. I also need to go into the vehicle's computer via STAR and eliminate ABC from its memory so I don't throw any codes. This is all in addition to removing all of the other affiliated crap in the car. I will, however, gain a significantly more reliable (and economical) suspension where if the seals wear out on the cylinders, it is a $20 replacement instead of a $2000 replacement.

^ This man knows what he's talking about.  I can tell you are serious about getting a W215 cause you hit on everything except for the coil pack issue. Removal of ABC system and using CL500 coil packs will take care of MOST of your problems.  The sound/experience of the non-turbo V12's is very different then that of the turbo.  Though the turbo are a lot faster there is something to be said about the nonturbo. A pair of 5.0 mustang throttle bodies and an decent exhaust system will do wonders as well.  OCKlass I am going to hit you up with a PM later if thats cool about removing the ABC code with STAR.   That is the piece of the puzzle I have not been able to find.

Like I said, you have to LOVE those cars to own one.  But if you get one its well worth the trouble.

[QUOTE=Green Grundel;267556]^ This man knows what he's talking about.  I can tell you are serious about getting a W215 cause you hit on everything except for the coil pack issue. Removal of ABC system and using CL500 coil packs will take care of MOST of your problems.  The sound/experience of the non-turbo V12's is very different then that of the turbo.  Though the turbo are a lot faster there is something to be said about the nonturbo. A pair of 5.0 mustang throttle bodies and an decent exhaust system will do wonders as well.  OCKlass I am going to hit you up with a PM later if thats cool about removing the ABC code with STAR.   That is the piece of the puzzle I have not been able to find.

Like I said, you have to LOVE those cars to own one.  But if you get one its well worth the trouble.[/QUOTE]

Sounds good. 

Although I would love a 600, I plan on getting a 500 as I care more about fuel economy and reliability than power. I love the V8 mated to the 7G transmission, it really offers plenty of power with a very smooth ride.

As far as STAR is concerned, I have a buddy with the program, so that's how I would take care of that. :biggthumpup:

[QUOTE=OCKlasse;267551]Hey, myMB guys are nowhere near as bad as mbworld guys, LOL.[QUOTE]
 
 
oh that is  true .. god forbid you put some rims are your car ..its ww3 in there.. let alone "vip" or something ...

...as everyone has touched on, the S class' suspension is usually the most common problem (front I believe)
...as far as W211s go, as suggested earlier, they had a lot of issues too, most got worked out in models 06+ 
read, read, read log on to all of the benz forums, run searches on the chassis you're after and best of luck on your hunt.:biggthumpup:
 
*********************************************
 
on a side note
...WATCH OUT on OCKLASSE's next build. You know that things gonna be fresh.
2 door big body Benz, pretty sure all windows roll down like the 300CE.
-can't wait to see that thing.

I always hear these nightmares about the ABC...haven't had any yet. Ahhhh

But yea I meant 04+ up there ^. 

OCKlasse, can't wait to see what you do...join the 215 club. If you manage to get aftermarket hydros in the car with no codes I'mma fly you up here to do mine LOL.

[QUOTE=fatmike;267912]I always hear these nightmares about the ABC...haven't had any yet. Ahhhh

But yea I meant 04+ up there ^. 

OCKlasse, can't wait to see what you do...join the 215 club. If you manage to get aftermarket hydros in the car with no codes I'mma fly you up here to do mine LOL.[/QUOTE]

LOL. Stay tuned. 2010 will be the year! :biggthumpup:

if you do get a 00-02 model year car just doyour homework, There are some that are in very good condition and well kept.