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.

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S350L 3.5 V6 from Hong Kong

Summary:

Big improvement from the previous S Class

Faults:

Interior light bulbs, but replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

This is a much improved S class from the previous W220. The engine is quite economical and powerful enough for daily drive in Hong Kong, where we usually drive under 100km/hr.

The interior is a huge improvement from the previous version S Class.

The easiest improvement for this car is change the motor oil and the original ATF. The best motor oil is Voltronic 5W40, and the best ATF is Voltronic 9K. You feel like you are driving a V8 4.2, after simply changing these 2 fluids.

This S reminds me of the Robot like W140 built about 18 years ago.

This is a car for every age group!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 20th October, 2010

21st Oct 2010, 09:12

The new S class V6 is not as smooth & as quiet as the V8 & V12. A good way to reduce the internal engine friction is to use an ester based motor oil. The engine will run smoother & be butter smooth. An ester based oil is expensive, but is worth every penny. The best buy is Voltronic fully synthetic, which is 100% made & packed in Germany, and also approved by Mercedes. Stay away from cheap oil from the Far East.

This W221 (S350) is currently the best full size sedan for the money. It is a much more comfortable than its rivals, such as BMW 7 & Audi A8. It is more practical than the Bentley flying spur, and costs only 1/3.

The 2009 facelift version is even more eye catching with the LED headlights.

24th Oct 2010, 09:04

Thank you for your comment. I also switched to ester based motor oil, and my W221 engine is as quiet as a Lexus LS460.

I have also noticed that the highway mileage is down to 7.9L/ 100 km. For highway use, it is just as economical as my 2008 Toyota Camry 2.4. Maybe I will change to Voltronic 5W40 for the Camry? But my mechanic tells me that the ester oil shows big difference only on 250 plus HP engines!

Now my 2008 S350L is more quiet & runs better than I first week I picked it up at the MB dealer in Hong Kong!