2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S550 5.5 V8 from Tanzania
Summary:
A real money pit
Faults:
Suspension needed to be replaced at 16,000 miles.
Engine is making a strange knocking noise since 15,000 miles.
Many electrical problems including a malfunction light, which continuously appears on the dashboard.
The steering is making some weird clicking noises.
The ventilation fan has been getting louder lately.
Transmission problems when selecting reverse gear. I need to give the car a bit more of a push on the accelerator when attempting to reverse.
General Comments:
The S-Class is unspeakably one of the most extravagant cars of its class. I originally imported this car from England in 2007, after receiving an excellent deal from an end of the year clearance sale for a demo Mercedes S-Class. Here in Tanzania, given the exclusivity of owning such a fine vehicle, I get stares as I drive it into town.
Unfortunately this car hasn't been as promising as I was expecting it to be. It's been horribly unreliable, and I can't think of a reason to explain why.
The suspension is expected to fall apart at 16,000 miles, given the poor road conditions in Tanzania. As for the electrical and other mechanical faults with this car, it seems far too expensive and problematic to maintain. Either I purchased a lemon or there is a fault with all Mercedes S-Class's of this year.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 11th February, 2013
4th Jun 2024, 16:25
Transmission problems are common on S-Class of this generation. A few years ago we had four in a row lined up for reconditioning in our garage. Quite surprised you had problems at such a low mileage however - we don't normally see these until at-least 60,000 miles on them. And that's still too short a time for a transmission to last (most other cars with good transmissions will go between 150K - 200K without issues).
Shame really, the car is otherwise an amazing luxury car to own and drive even today. But the serious reliability issues on cars that cost between £50,000 - £100,000 are unacceptable.