Mercedes S class W221, HONEST BUYERS GUIDE, 8 YEAR RUNNING COSTS! CHEAP LUXURY..WATCH TILL THE END!

[@sprautos]

Hope you all learnt something today about the 221 s class. Especially that the simplest of fault can cost a furtune to fix 😅 As always all the best to you all.

[@djwarren5081]

Having previously owned a 996 turbo and a Bentley Brooklands I can say that servicing and maintenance bills can add up really quickly. Buyer beware.

[@bensonbright]

Thanks for the video. Very informative. I have an S500 W221 2006 with 80,000 on it . . It's fantastic but a few problems have come up such as ABS pump and control unit , gearbox valve and a squeak from the suspension or bushes or something else you might know ...? Anyway , it's far too clean to get rid of and as I spent £6,600 to buy it , I don't mind spending a few grand to get it back to as perfect as possible. Basically I need help ... Any suggestions are welcome .

[@olliebodman9771]

I love the phrase you’re maintaining £80,000 car not a £6000 car, that phrase alone is enough of a buyers guide

[@douglasgreen437]

That is 18 years old..

[@MrByootox]

It's true though and a lot of people forget that.

[@nuntiusuk3345]

Don’t touch it ! 😂😂

[@charlesphiliparthurgeorgep4653]

It’s really not that simple. You could own a 100K+ car, but it could cost less than a Honda to maintain/repair, if you do the work yourself and know where to buy parts. Obviously if you took it to the dealership for every service and repair, your statement would actually be accurate.

[@john3892]

Another superb video. But I don’t think you accentuated the positive. If your customer spent £2-3,000 pa over 6/8 years with you keeping the car in good shape, he was running a super-luxury automobile with lower monthly costs than many leased tin boxes would have cost. You’re a gem - hope the business is going well.

[@minorityofone1510]

Indeed... Depreciation on an average car is easily 2000 per year. And you are not driving an S Class

[@mohammadcheema7375]

Totally agree. There are some absolutely awful new cars out there. By contrast, whichever S-class you drive, you know it was the world’s best car at the time it came out. And is still faster, safer and better designed than 90% of cars on the road.

[@mohammadcheema7375]

Great video - thank you. All I would say is that nowadays, we live in a world of mediocrity. Where everything is just ok and most new cars are hopeless, miserable wheeled iPads. In my opinion, driving an S-class, of any kind, shows that you reject mediocrity and seek out only the very best. Laying down a marker like that does tend to be a bit more expensive but I think it’s worth it.

[@DS-qz8xb]

Maintenance or depreciation, take your pick. Monetary value or intrinsic value. The older S classes may have low monetary value but have high intrinsic value for the owners.

[@paulstansfield8693]

I’ve owned my 07 S500L 5.5 loaded, for just over a year, purchased for £6k, spend to date £7228, in 12 months. The one point I would like to make, ABS/ESP are becoming a major issue. Pumps failure, with a £2k price to replace, which I had done at the main dealer last week. I understand I purchased the last pump Mercedes UK had on the shelf, with no delivery date, to replace. Do I regret the purchase, no the car is worth investing in, my main issue is finding a garage to work on it, which understands the car.

[@sixpointthreeamg]

Have owned a 2010 W221 S63 for 10 years and I probably have spent closer to $4k US a year on average to maintain and upgrade the vehicle. Includes ARP headstuds, motor mounts, new manifold (old one disintegrated), new strut/shocks, SLS buckets, billet idler pulley set, high pressure ABC hose,fuel injectors, dynamic seat vacuum, wheel speed sensors, XENTRY software, as well as the normal oil changes, fluid flushes,spark plugs,batteries tires, brakes and rotors. Almost forgot, all those tools and repairing of road rash on the wheels haha I really enjoy your videos, look forward to seeing more featuring W221 and M156

[@djwarren5081]

It says a lot about the quality of work at SPR when they are trusted to look after those two beautiful Mercedes-Benz. Great video Sam.

[@ianbroadhurst2880]

Excellent proof of the general advice that buyers of old luxury cars should budget at least £2,000 per year for maintenance!

[@matsujarvinen]

Not always.My w220 is 25 years old and drives like new.Since 2017 I have spent under 1500e on repairs and maintenance.No Airmatic or electronical problems.I do all the work by myself and know the model very well.

[@bigdz5969]

Damn how many miles? I had a 06 S430 and when I bought it , it had re done all new airmatic

[@js-amg]

Great video guys. Thank you… Let’s give ol mate S Class a bit of a chance at redemption. Replacement parts such as radiators, airmatic, heater blower fans, door locks and switches ect. Those parts I would imagine is most likely the original parts fitted to the car. That’s 17 years of wear and tear, with a bit of abuse on the side from previous owners, and there aren’t too many manufacturers out there that can make that claim on the quality of their cars sighting those parts lasted 17+ years. I have a friend who owns a 2017 Nissan Patrol and he’s replaced the radiator 5 times because it keeps splitting and losing its guts all the time, and there genuine parts he’s used. So let’s not throw ol mate S Class on the rubbish heap just yet. Regardless of any car, when you buy and older car it’s to be expected that things go wrong. The only difference is what you’re willing to pay for parts will determine what car you want to buy.

[@erics9754]

Bottom line do the work yourself. I replaced the blower motor myself total cost 70 bucks. If you love the car maintain it. It is a lot cheaper than 180 grand for a new one. If you are lucky to find a low mile one whos owner kept up with the maintenance it will last a long time and be a joy to drive and also be reliable. The older W221s also did not use plastic manifolds and were built much better than the new ones. They are also good to work on if you are handy and have a place to do the work. This year of S class is my favourite. To me, it has enough tech and has a very understated yet classy interior and exterior that has aged well. I still get compliments today driving her my 2007 S class 550 4matic sweetheart! She has very low miles for her age 116,000 km / 72 thousand miles on the odometer with night vision, headlamp washers power heated and cooled front and rear seats power opening and closing trunk with rest feature which blows hot or cold air when the car is parked and not running for up to 20 minutes is great I can go on but you get the picture I am in love with my old S class. Another feature I absolutely love is the fact I do not have to get fingerprints all over a screen I love the scroll wheel how your hand naturally falls on it with no effort and without even taking my eyes off the road I can adjust everything plus all common adjustments can be made by metal switches all lined up in a neat curved row. These Germans back then knew how to do ergonomics perfectly.

[@chrispenn715]

£17k is a lot of money on maintenance, but then again you could easily lose more than that in depreciation if you ran newer run of the mill cars instead....

[@sprautos]

Certainly could, and quicker than 8 years.

[@robertthrossell4321]

I sold my 350 sl recently and ur absolutely rite, if you buy em cheap ur not servicing a 7K car it's a 70K car... Gr8 vid guys...

[@grenvillephillips6998]

It's nice to know that someone loves their car much!

[@LeylandFiveTen]

Thanks Sam and everyone at SPR for the channel and really useful videos like this. I've owned a few Mercs over the years, W124 230E, 260E and 300E, W210 E300 Turbodiesel (what a disappointment that was after the build quality of the W124), R129 500SL with hydraulic suspension (awesome car), W203 C320 CDI and a couple of S211s (E220 CDI & E320 CDI). Over the last few years I've been economy motoring in a Dacia Logan with the same Renault diesel Mercedes use. Nothing but praise for that car, service it myself, change the oil every 6k miles and MOT after MOT it passes with no advisories and nothing breaks. But it's not a Merc. After extensive research, and watching many of your videos I recently purchased a 2012 W221 S class, S350 BlueTEC euro 6. Bought from a reputable dealer with full Merc main dealer service history and only 44k miles on the clock. To me that's a hell of a lot of car for under £10k. I know it won't be cheap to maintain but as you said, that's the price of luxury. I shall be squirreling a few quid away each month for the inevitable hit!

[@Judith-c6r]

More modern vehicles with sculptured sealed beam lights can fail mot but each front light on Audi or BMW can be over £1K whereas on older car a replacement top quality bulb less than £20. Great video thanks.

[@garyrains5996]

Great video. I have owned my "08 S550 for about a year. Changed the oil and transmission fluid. Replaced the spark plugs (the easiest car ever to change). Arizona car, garage kept, like new. Everything works. So far so good. Timing chain cog was changed by Mercedes for a better one after December of "07, so shouldn't be a problem now.

[@CharlesDeVere-m7o]

The best car I have ever owned, the Specialists save the day every time. they are amazing. I could live in mine and sell the house. Every trip is an adventure, even a visit to Tesco is exciting.

[@AMGThanatos]

I've spent almost half the value on my S63 with parts alone and haven't had the car for a year. Thankfully I'm a tech and do the labor myself, but indeed he is beyond right when it comes to maintaining these cars.

[@Drop_a_gear_and_disappear]

Blower motor is 9 out of 10 result of clogged water drains under the bonnet. It overflows when not cleared regularly and water goes down to the motor in the passenger well. Also the HK amp is notorious, replaced 2 already in a few years time. Some good refurbishment/repair options can be found on eBay for the amp and saves quite a bit.

[@steveclement9815]

Well done again Sam. A really informative video, very interesting.

[@Paul-fx4hb]

$17k in maintenance over 8 years for such an amazing car is pretty reasonable but a lot more reasonable if you buy the car now for $5k not 8+ years ago for $20k+

[@AMG855]

This is so bang on, people don't get it. Big original cost, big ongoing cost. My S211 E55 has cost c.£50,000 in maintainance since 2009.

[@johnreynolds2387]

Very interesting as always. Especially the cash side of things. I've owned a 2011 C180 GGI car for just over 11 years. It's a 13 year old car. I recently itemised all expenses in 11 years of ownership excluding MOT, tax and insurance. The total was £2,400. About 63% of this on standard servicing. 23% on tyres - 5 tyres - two of which fresh on in March so really only 3. The balance of total relates to two issues - screenwash pump failed during Covid lockdown and I had the thermostat replaced and coolant.

[@sprautos]

Wow that’s really good going 🙌

[@johnreynolds2387]

@@sprautos thanks. I'm quite chuffed with it. I should have mentioned the mileage which is currently 61k (bought at 17k). I bought it privately 11 years ago at two years old for £14,250. Current value about £4k. I must admit I did run a 3 series BMW concurrently for 8 years - had quite a few issues - nothing major but niggly things. Put me off BMWs big time. I always buy petrol vehicles - not diesel.

[@samspace81]

Great video. When buying an MB, service records are so important. I spent over $20,000 US in maintenance on my 2012 S63 I bought in November 2023. The car had over 10,000 spent as well in 2022! It can be painful, but I love the car. Pretty well sorted until next year.

[@indiesahans4916]

Great video sir 👍🏽. I have a W220 AMG. Yep expensive to run but amazing to drive

[@xmaxbabilo]

W140 for the win. Last solid merc. Serviced by the best (SPR). Great vid. Looking forward to many more.

[@sprautos]

Agreed w140 was the king s class 👑

[@Millennial_Manc]

Great video as always Sam. My best friend had a diesel 221 a few years after launch, bought used from a main deal£r. A few months out of warranty and a window spontaneously broke when winding it, someone keyed it, then the engine went wrong and would have cost £5500 to mend, and something else I forget…all in 2 months. I told him the last person to leave an S class in that state was Princess Diana. He got a dodgy guy in Blackpool to clear the warning message and traded for a new E class cabrio at the main dealer that sold it. We both miss his 221 though… beautiful inside with a light nappa interior, felt solid, lovely to drive at motorway speeds, quiet, perfect front seats. I remember him being made up that the designo wood they used was discontinued because it was becoming extinct.

[@G20Details]

A great lesson learnt today, you want luxury be prepared to pay😀. Great video as always, very interesting in what’s needed in an S class as you say it’s more of a maintenance guide which is extensive on a car such as this.

[@georgedaville4662]

Really enjoyed this video Sam. I have been a passenger in an S class, and had a few opportunities to have the wheel. Nothing can describe the effortless way the car moves off and the superb suspension ding its job. Now retired I could afford to buy one, but it would be totally impractical for my needs . May see about hiring one occasionally to satiate my cravings. Keep up the great work on the channel.👍😎

[@swi01]

Great video thanks. I have an S600 W221. I believe these cars give back what you put in them. Keep them fresh and maintained, and they’ll reward you. The build quality is superb (especially on the facelift) and for the comfort/ performance they are hard to beat. The thing to bear in mind is that £17k maintenance is the equivalent to one year’s depreciation on a new a s-class and you’re still getting 80% of the car for a fraction of the new price with zero or very little depreciation to worry about. From that perspective, I think they’re tremendous value.

[@bryanporter3025]

17k on repairs.......if hes selling it give me first dibs .....another great video lad to be honest I was hoping that you would do a buyer's review on a S Class and really enjoyed it 👍

[@newbeginnings8566]

I love the dour Northern tone to the dialogue... Should have been an undertaker..😂 Still if I had a Mercedes then I would be taking it to SPR and spending what they told me to .

[@sprautos]

😂🙏

[@erniestarkey8856]

I had 2010 S550. Had 4 major problems. Trans conductor plate, front control arms, both sides. 2 airmatic struts and biggest was the amplifier for navigation and radio in the boot.That would have been $5,000 new from Mercedes but was able to get it repaired. Caused from leak right where seals fit along boot lid causing it to drip right onto the amplifier. . Great car otherwise. I own 2019 S560 w222 which is way better. Great video as always.

[@sprautos]

Ahh yes the amp in the boot another common one to fail.

[@UncleSarkis]

Yes, it's a way better car, but are you referring to reliability?

[@erniestarkey8856]

@@UncleSarkis both. More reliable and better overall. Thanks for the reply.

[@UncleSarkis]

@@erniestarkey8856 Thanks. Damn, I'm going to look at a '13 S550 tomorrow, 88K miles, garage kept, I hope this is not a big regret.

[@UncleSarkis]

@@erniestarkey8856 well, I gave in to a 2013 with 88k miles yesterday. Pearl white with black interior. Premium 2, sport package. Beautiful car. I would have preferred a tan interior, but owner looked like an OCD guy that was on top of all his maintenance. Unpaid 12,400.

[@LH17578]

Really enjoyed the video and a nice s class fully loaded, a lot of motor to take on and would need deep pockets for the maintenance cost for parts and labour if things go wrong. Fortunately, you guys did my om642 common faults with the diesel v6 engine of which I am glad you sorted for me. Keep up the good work you and your team do.

[@Sam_AMG]

Great review and something people should know before buying such a car. I currently own two W221 Mercedes, an S65 AMG V12 BiTurbo and an S63 AMG with the newer V8 BiTurbo engine. They are amazing cars but parts are very expensive and when things do go wrong, you’re still paying the same prices as when the cars were new.

[@bram4228]

Excellent video, good to hear the true costs of maintaining these prestige cars well done.

[@hooler47pp]

As a huge Mercedes-Benz fanboy, finding this channel has been a dream, always exited to learn more for every model and engine, especially as someone who does not plan to one a car from any other brand. I hope you keep up the hard work and find success. Currently own a humble 1999 W202 C180 M111 , which i love dearly and have been fortunate to find full AMG body kit and the famous 17'' AMG monoblock wheels. But currently the car leaks a huge amount of coolant and a bit of oil. For the coolant we are talking over 2litres for about 1000km. Everyone ive talked with and my internet research seems to suggest that the head-gasket has failed, but the car does not smoke from the exhaust, it doesnt mix coolant and oil, and it does not overheat even in extreme traffic conditions - it goes at most to 95 C. It has a brand new waterpump and that didn't change anything. The coolant loss has been gradually gotten worse the past 30 000km which is how long ive owned the car (3 years). The car runs flawlessly otherwise. No other issues what so ever. I Dont have any history from previous owners and have no idea how it was maintained. If i go with the headgasket changing job, what else should be done as a "while you are in there".

[@sprautos]

welcome, 111 engines were great, while your in there jobs can be as much as you like, if your doing the head might be worth valve stem seams and guides.

[@tonychavez2083]

have you guys ever done a video on older R107 coupe? - thanks for another good review video on the 221.

[@mechanicMase]

I have loved the 221 S-Class since it was revealed in 2005. I loved driving and working on them at the dealership as well. I always wanted one but really don't have the desire to maintain it. I tend to buy inexpensive cars that I hardly have to work on, and cars that if something goes wrong it is quick and easy to fix.

[@ericbaptist7842]

I have an 07, and I still love it. The amount that I have paid since 2013 is the price of another car. It is beautiful and classic. The odometer says 323000.

[@Elvis20101]

The tech failures of older benz cars, will reflect on to other manufacturers as they adopt features 10 to 15 years later. Benz has always been innovators, Thank you.

[@Parknest]

The takeway is that you need deep pockets to run a W221 unless you can do your own repairs. Genuine Mercedes parts are pricey but they're always money well spent. Genuine parts are not always the mot expensive. I had to replace one of the intercooler hoses on my W204 and a genuine part was cheaper than some of the aftermarket ones and my local dealer had one on the shelf.

[@goranyordanoff3638]

Just did the turbo lines..there are 5, I believe. Mercedes chose to use plastic connectors at the ends that get brittle from the heat of the turbos. Nothing like finding an independent mechanic you can trust and stick with to look after your money pits that bring smiles to your face when you sit behind the wheel. For what it's worth...I tried being sensible and driving Toyotas for a few years but went back to Mercedes because I felt my soul leaving my body every time I sat in a Camry.

[@UncleSarkis]

How much did that cost? Is it a job most backyard mechanics can do?

[@user-Rsmlopasc]

This is by far the most comprehensive and honest review of an S-Class maintenance cost. Lets just call it what it is, Mercedes Benz = Overpriced plastic junk. They are selling status not cars. I'm getting a Lexus, thank you very much!

[@DrDSCT]

Compared to leasing a new car over the same period or the depreciation on a new car - in particular an EV - it doesn’t look as bad as it seems.

[@ftffighter]

LOL "What do you expect to spend guide" XD anytime a new SPR vid comes out I instantly have to stop what I am doing to watch! You might've brought an interesting thought experiment to my mind. Personally, I would rather pay 10k for a used S-Class + 17k in maintenance than buy a brand new 2024 POS Kia/Hyundai for 30k. Every 10 years cars seem to get cheaper and cheaper built despite going up in price. Money is losing it's value and I think this S-Class is just a sign of things to come with all of these newer cars having cheap electronics EVERYWHERE. Germany is getting in bed with a lot of Chinese suppliers and manufacturers too, I sincerely hope Mercedes stays away from that trend.

[@sprautos]

And that’s how you have to think to Justify the spending that much on repairs. And that is what allot of my realistic customers say

[@georgeveselinov3105]

It is the pre-face lift one, most of the issues should be revised and resolved with the facelift. Would you make a video for the facelift?

[@wfifa199]

Maintenance costs, yes. But with low/no depreciation in the value of these now, the total cost of ownership isn't that bad at all. You could easily own a newer car for 4 years, not have £2k of annual maintenence costs, but have more than £8k of depreciation

[@MuscleBandit]

Can anyone who's owned Lexus LS430's compare these repair bills over a similar time frame - 8 years ?

[@surplusstock8778]

Key to s class ownership is to learn how to work on the suspension yourself.Struts to can get for £200.it's easy work aswell.

[@spacejunk3554]

I love the indifference tone.... basically maximum pain.... and minor gain haha

[@wookiewookster1214]

Another good video, great insight, thanks 🙏

[@BorisCCRCam]

Wise words. I've had one for the last three years and the costs pretty much align. Gorgeous car but not cheap to maintain. Avoid main dealers unless you want to pay a lot more.

[@sumkunt0r]

That's a first for me, a window issue caused by software. I appreciate your channel you pointed out the issues with W209 CLK models enabling me to buy one with none of those issues.

[@markrushton1516]

See the episode with the folding mirrors

[@sumkunt0r]

@@markrushton1516 Mine work ok on the one i bought. On one of the ones I rejected they folded ok but when you extended them again the passenger side flapped and folded way past the point it should stop.

[@CemlynRoberts]

My handsome chap is back 😍❤️

[@jjimmyrjagger]

Brilliant video on what to expect 👍would be top if you could do a walk around on a c-class at some point .

[@victorbox6289]

Great video. I do hope Jack at No 27 here on KZbin does get in touch with you. In his latest Mercedes recent purchase video enough of us have recommended SPR Autos to him, before he launches into fixing his expensive suspension!

[@Millennial_Manc]

Was that a silver CL500 with the failed active body control pump? Watched one the other day but wasn’t a channel I follow and couldn’t get invested in it as I had the w220 S class and think that era isn’t worth saving

[@victorbox6289]

@@Millennial_Manc It was indeed. I think he said the history folder bills with the car came to over £40k!

[@Millennial_Manc]

@@victorbox6289 £17k is nothing for that car since SPR have had it. Then again, when did suspension struts become a consumable?

[@Camrocok]

Would that cost have been much lower if non genuine or remanufactured parts are used? I ran a Jaguar XJR for a couple of years and I used very few new genuine Jag parts which kept cost down massively i.e. door locks could be sourced from a breaker

[@NomadJRG]

Just over a couple of grand a year, similar ballpark to what I've been spending on my C204 C63 not too bad really. Definitely want to buy the best example you can though with a pre purchase inspection!

[@tuberjr]

informative and honest appraisal.......ouch on those costs.

[@jamesjohnson1099]

Brilliant video and I own a s class and now found somewhere to take it cheers

[@markrushton1516]

Also 17k since 2016 is just over 2k or under 200 a month per year. What would a car like that cost on lease or PCP. Equally a small runabout new is over 200 a month on pcp

[@garycampbell7891]

And still needs maintaining

[@ZBYCHU__]

Great content Sam. Greetings from Poland

[@ricardomatos6316]

Another great video!

[@darrenmartin4014]

I haven't got the bottle (or deep pockets) to run one, but kudos to the chap that does. I do love my 190 though and after 3 years and routine servicing has had very little spent on it. (Touch wood it stays that way).

[@sprautos]

190e are great cars

[@NLDMesa06]

Love these buyer guides. Would you do a W220 next?

[@sprautos]

Maybe at some point

[@lht380]

I have owned a facelifted W221 S350L for 10 yrs. For the longest time, it had a vibration at around 80km/h. It was finally cured when I replaced the entire propshaft which is surprisingly inexpensive at around GBP450 excluding labour. I wonder if this is a common problem for the W221 or was I just unlucky? The problem started when the car was 4 yrs old and I only fixed it at year 7 or 8.

[@sprautos]

ive never had to or heard of one to be replaced before. glad it got sorted though,.

[@alansorbie4038]

Interesting video and nice to understand the costs. Around £2000 per year seems reasonable to maintain a car like that? I have a 2004 Porsche 911 and it has similar maintenance costs, including tyres etc….. best never to add up the bills😂

[@sprautos]

Yea perhaps just leave them on the draw and enjoy the car 😂

[@dwightephraim17]

Kudos!! Another very informative video from SPR. A quick question Sam, what's your opinion on putting genuine Mercedes parts on a 20+ year old E500?

[@sprautos]

If it’s worth it price wise then do it, far better quality and 2 year warranty. You will be surprised how competitive they are compared to quality brands these days. And I’m not talking eBay specials

[@nickcosta4326]

I’ve just purchased a diesel S350 on 200k miles. How long will this engine last? It’s been very well maintained throughout its life. But it is high mileage.

[@erics9754]

I am glad I did the blower motor myself 30 mins of work under 70 for the blower motor so according to you I saved 930 dollars or 1300 in Canadian dollars. So the cost you are giving is very high and I am glad I can do most of my own work if I had to bring it to you I would go bankrupt. The blower job was super easy and took 30 minutes how can you justify 1000 British dollars or Euro whatever they call them for a 30-minute job and the part is under 100 dollars. I am guessing Mercedes charges 800 for the blower motor then.

[@sprautos]

Yup I don’t make the prices up for the parts. Talk to MB uk

[@KnowPorcelain1]

Nice motor, but I went for a W126 1000SEC. keep the gadgets old Skool cool for me every time (Except the W204 C63 of course).

[@wolfgangezeh2221]

Thanks for the review. This car is in my virtual garage.😅

[@recaplord285]

I've got the v12 and I know it's impossible to find a good one with low mileage but where else am I gonna get this kind of power while the seat is as safe as a couch and even if you remap it and go over 300km/h it won't wobble a bit , solid as hell , safe as fuck , reliable if maintained right

[@erasmmuss]

On this model I prefer to use as replacements for air shocks the ones made (refurbished) by arnott they are way way superior then the shit that de dealer sells and they are a 10th of the price and 24month warranty instead of that 12 months, as for disks for the w221 I only install textar I don't bother with the "genuine" garbage, i declined jobs on w221 when owners insisted on "genuine" disks and shocks , i will not do it , i feel so bad charging customers the riffoff proces for those SUBPAR parts

[@Paul-fx4hb]

You might want to do something about that screw in the rear tyre 😂

[@01menyou]

You always make me love my Kitten.

[@scotspie501douglas7]

great video amazing cost that customer has spent loads of money but he cant be a normal joe bloggs must have a business but cars now are a fortune to service and manufacturers dont have the build quality in them unless you buy a car like that

[@PB200559]

Very interesting. I'd look at that and say roughly £2k a year for maintenance and repairs - not too bad for this level of luxury.

[@sprautos]

I agree, what’s a good luxury car on finance / lease £500 a month ?

[@markosthomadakis9256]

I don’t find these costs unreasonable-quite the opposite, in fact. The car is a 2005 model, and here we are in 2024, yet it still runs beautifully. It’s a classic, robust, and sturdy vehicle, top of the line for its brand. Plus, affordable parts are easily available on the secondary market or from other models on platforms like eBay, so there’s no need to stick to OEM Mercedes parts, especially for consumables. Before committing to any purchase, you can always have the car professionally inspected and plan any necessary repairs over time. This isn’t the kind of car you buy with the intention of selling it in a year-it’s built to last.

[@ronniehaywood2725]

Good honest advice thank you.

[@moemoe4810]

Spent 30k dollar in 5 years on maintenance. It’s a nice car tho . Ended up selling it . Was in the shop too often .

[@doosanengineer7659]

Our 221 air con has a fairly substantial leak, regas only lasted 1hr. What would be your favourite for leak location? How on earth did it passed the vac test for the garage to proceed and fill?. !!! 😡

[@sprautos]

You need to Have a nitrogen test carried out this can take a few hours btw cover the system Ina puppy water until you locate the leak, might even need to take The bumper off to inspect the condenser which is the usuel culprit or the dryer in the wheel arch , a vac test is not reliable way to determine a leak.

[@Crazydidge78]

I have a cl from 08 Bloody drainage ducts under bonnet were blocked and basically flooded my drivers footwell and the rear,so please check as I’m in a whole world of hurt at the moment😢

[@kerbsidemobilemechanic]

Think the apprentice wants some of the limelight 😂 get him to host one video

[@sprautos]

😂😂 seems that way doesn’t it

[@McLoom1]

Good morning Sam …. Just watched this vid on the S class ……. I’ve come across a 2011 reg S350 which the advert says has an M276 engine petrol ….. how do these fair out issues wise … it has 40k on the clock … apart from the rest of the car the engine is my concern …. Thumbs up or down if you can advise please Sam …. Thank you …… Owen 🫡

[@jedi-mic]

I might have asked already, I'm trying to get this breather hose for an r170 M111 seems to be impossible to get hold of Mercedes tell me it doesn't exist on my car! clearly they've got it wrong! They tell me it is it's not the right hose??? it goes from the bottom of the oil filter housing to underneath into the head near the Block, where the bracket underneath the head is attached to the Head block as well not just a hose seems a strange fitting, its split and it's leaking oil the only thing i can do is Super Glue it?? Any idea what this part number is supposed to be? mean for this hose? 2.3L supercharge suppose to be but I'm not sure if that's the case either! the engine has been changed they've rubbed off the engine numbers I believe it's not near the bell housing where it should be on the top. So could it be a 2L???

[@frankirvine316]

As nice as Mercedes are,the maintenance can be horrendous Actually they are not designed to last sadly The newer they are,the worse it gets😂

[@aq7705]

Night vision....for when the lights go out while you're on the bog and you can't find the toilet paper :-) LOL

[@Columbo777]

Excellent video...Although the W221 was not the high point for the S Class...

[@sprautos]

I prefer the w140

[@Columbo777]

@@sprautos That's a lovely car. My luxury barge now is an ultra low mileage 1997 LS400

[@Columbo777]

@@sprautos kzbin.info/www/bejne/emXUn59nbsard7csi=_rjJjm2Vshln4yy4

[@bigdz5969]

LS? Hah. No one makes luxury like the Germans. I’d say a 7 series is more luxurious lol

[@Millennial_Manc]

If I bought this car and a 1996 A124 today, which do you think would cost more in maintenance over 5 years? Is it a bit of a show stopper if you see an MOT with ‘corrosion - not bad enough to affect rigidity’ etc? I feel compelled to buy an A124 but my head is screaming at me not to. I have visions of you putting it on the ramp and a pile of rusty parts fall on the floor with a biodegradable wiring loom on top.

[@sprautos]

S class will cost more, providing you buy a good 124 to start with

[@derrickhall-ek9xk]

have you ever had a m272 or 3 motor be in time and still throw timing codes? im having this weird issue where i can check the timing manually and the marks line up but im still getting implausible exhaust cam codes. I rebuilt resealed the motor all nee sensors etc. i did notice that the plundger that slides into the adjuster was slightly stuck but i managed to free it by taking it out n cleaning it i also just replaced the adjuster for good measure. but this damn motor has been beating my ass. if this still doesnt fix it im gonna have to check the ECU. any suggestions

[@robertmccourt131]

Have you done a buyers guide to either the C55 or the SLK55 ?

[@sprautos]

Not yet. I’ve done a Clk 55

[@markrushton1516]

Latin phrase Caveat Emptor which means 'buyer beware'. Prob apt for ownership of these cars

[@tomthepigeon6272]

Well done mate thank you

[@jonathanmanono2251]

I have a 2006 , s 350 long base and my back windows are not opening and the curtains too .. any help would be appreciated

[@SeaJayBelfast]

To be honest, if I had 'I don't care' levels of money, I'd rather keep one of these going Vs a modern Merc. This gen has beautiful lines, the right level of tech and is aging so well. Meanwhile I'll stick to my Civic. Just don't need large car repair bills in my life right now!

[@dkkatwa]

My 2009 db9 cost about 16k gbp in 9 years to 2022. Cheaper to maintain than an S class it seems. The Aston never failed an mot since 2013.

[@wadimek116]

Dude lied to you he told 3x prices of real ones. Only abc is expensive here

[@Masteranddisaster13]

I own an S600 w221 , it's a great car. I had a few minor issues . Maintenance is the key word here. The harman kardon amplifier likes to die when you're least expecting it. Just had mine refurbished, waiting to arrive tomorrow. It also has the ABC suspension which I just flushed the flyid.with the AGA tool.

[@sprautos]

Ahh yes the amps are a popular one to fail. Forgot to add that into the video.