Moving On To A Mb - S500

[Mera]

Looks like I will be selling my 98 LS 400 in a year or so and buying a Mercedes Benz S500 4matic. Hopefully a 2006 as it is the last year of that body style. The 2007's and up do not look that nice. This will be my girlfriend's daily driver and my occasional driver. She will be moving in with me in a year or so once her kids move out. It will be good for her in the winter being AWD and nice enough for me to drive when we go out etc. Since I have 2 Ferrari's and my truck I find no need to have a car I drive only occasionally while she would have a SUV as a daily driver. Too many cars, SUV and a truck. So to remedy that I have decided on a Mercedes Benz S500 AWD. My LS400 has been an excellent car and I expect the Mercedes will not be as reliable. Maybe one day I'll be back. :)

Rodney

[python]

Looks like I will be selling my 98 LS 400 in a year or so and buying a Mercedes Benz S500 4matic. Hopefully a 2006 as it is the last year of that body style. The 2007's and up do not look that nice. This will be my girlfriend's daily driver and my occasional driver. She will be moving in with me in a year or so once her kids move out. It will be good for her in the winter being AWD and nice enough for me to drive when we go out etc. Since I have 2 Ferrari's and my truck I find no need to have a car I drive only occasionally while she would have a SUV as a daily driver. Too many cars, SUV and a truck. So to remedy that I have decided on a Mercedes Benz S500 AWD. My LS400 has been an excellent car and I expect the Mercedes will not be as reliable. Maybe one day I'll be back. :)

Rodney

congrats both on the car and the lady moving in with you! good luck with everything

[Croatone]

Just wondering why you would not be intrested in a Lexus ls460L. I has options even Mercedes does not have. More leg room,park assist,rear seat massagers...I cant wait till I can afford one. Im only 28 though and enjoy my 03 ls430 compared to my BMW 325i.

[VMF]

Just wondering why you would not be intrested in a Lexus ls460L. I has options even Mercedes does not have. More leg room,park assist,rear seat massagers...I cant wait till I can afford one. Im only 28 though and enjoy my 03 ls430 compared to my BMW 325i.

same here

cant wait to move from my 04 LS to the latest and the gratest

and upgrade my civic to evo x:)

from what i know mb still produces cars with crappy quality, all my friends who used to own mb, moved to lexus and infinity.

bmw got a lil better within last 2 years while mb and porsche still no go.

[SW03ES]

Sometimes is just good to try something new...

[1990LS400]

I think everybody should own at least one Mercedes during their lives. Look at my signature, below!

[jainla]

The MB reliability seems to be improving; and I hear the end of the W220 (06) was substantially better than the beginning. Good luck, when they run they are great cars. I still have mine (turns 27 this month). :)

There is of course always the LS 600hL (if you can find one); maybe by next year you'll be able to get AWD in the LS 460?

Looks like I will be selling my 98 LS 400 in a year or so and buying a Mercedes Benz S500 4matic. Hopefully a 2006 as it is the last year of that body style. The 2007's and up do not look that nice. This will be my girlfriend's daily driver and my occasional driver. She will be moving in with me in a year or so once her kids move out. It will be good for her in the winter being AWD and nice enough for me to drive when we go out etc. Since I have 2 Ferrari's and my truck I find no need to have a car I drive only occasionally while she would have a SUV as a daily driver. Too many cars, SUV and a truck. So to remedy that I have decided on a Mercedes Benz S500 AWD. My LS400 has been an excellent car and I expect the Mercedes will not be as reliable. Maybe one day I'll be back. :)

Rodney

[jcrome04]

MB are beautiful, but I would never buy one. If someone gave me one, I would sell it.

I'd stick with a japanese luxury car personally, pretty much all others have poor reliabillity, and cost much much more for major repairs.

But I guess a guy in your position doesn't really need to worry about the cost of repairs right? ;) heheh

Good luck on your new car, and relationship! :)

[johnhoward]

What's a guy with 2 Ferraris driving a 98 Lexus for??? ;)

I like the S500 a lot - despite all the horrors I hear of them having electrical issues, etc..

Drove one last fall and loved it.

2cents

[nc211]

I think everybody should own at least one Mercedes during their lives. Look at my signature, below!

Hahaha...

I must admit though, when a MB is being a MB, they're hard to beat in terms of driving. That must be one good lookin' girlfriend you got there Mera! My wife could of been a bikini model "before I wrecked it by getting her pregnant", and all she got was a Mazda 3 and a cat! But, they do have heated seats, one electronically, and the other after a can of tuna! Hahaha...

[Bwilliams]

I think everybody should own at least one Mercedes during their lives. Look at my signature, below!

Hahaha...

I must admit though, when a MB is being a MB, they're hard to beat in terms of driving. That must be one good lookin' girlfriend you got there Mera! My wife could of been a bikini model "before I wrecked it by getting her pregnant", and all she got was a Mazda 3 and a cat! But, they do have heated seats, one electronically, and the other after a can of tuna! Hahaha...

Don't do it. Mercedes are for Parvenus and snobs. They have contributed nothing to the automotive world post-1997. They rate at the bottom of consumer quality ratings, on top of the fact that the dealers and customer service treat you like absolute *BLEEP*. The only redeeming quality are the bodystyles (they do make a great looking car). However, I rode in the beautiful new s550 last summer and was extremely unimpressed. The leather and upholstery felt like crap and the whole front console looked bland and had cheap plastic everywhere. My neighbor has a 550 Maranello and has had multiple LS400s, 2chaey. If you absolutley must get this mercedes bug off your mind, pick up the CLS, that is a SICK looking car. Just be ready to be degraded by the condescending MB staff even after you fork over thousands of dollars of your hard earned cash.

[Mera]

I'm on the fence. I tend to think it will be a bad choice. I have 2 reasons to get one. All wheel drive and the look.

I think I'll probably get cold feet when the time comes. Hopefully Lexus comes out with a all wheel drive large sedan.

Thanks for the input both positive and negative.

They are great looking cars and have so many buttons and stuff. I would just like to own one once.

Rodney

[jcrome04]

Get an IS-F, RS6, NSX-R or something just badass like that, and take it to a professional shop and get the hell modded out of it :)

DUDE, look into the new Ford GT's ......... *sigh*.......sorry just dreaming what my life would be like if i was in your shoes lol

I've always thought it'd be cool to own an "Auto Consulting" shop. Where I tell all these high rollers what to buy for their cars, and what style to go for, etc... based on what they're into B)

[RFeldes]

Well as some of you know...My best friend had a 07 S550 and now has an 08 S600. Honestly great cars and can't say enough about them. He loves my 460 and the three are great cars. He lives in Boca Raton and seems to have to keep up. My doors close better, haha. He hates that. :D The price difference is about the only difference except the "new" Mark Levinson puts a hurt on his Harmon Kardon. The LS is as quiet and both have the same road presence. He has 520BHP on the S600 and mine has 388Bhp so he beats me to Burger King by almost a full second. Heavier car. He gets 14mpg and paid a gas guzzler tax of $3800. Granted the night flight lighting is a plus on the S series. Really nice at night. Drive them both and no discernable difference other than the S series MB has a finer cabin. Not user friendly at all as the LS, but has a presence. He can putz with his NAV while in motion and I have learned to talk to mine in motion. I have to say the new Mark Levinson is worlds apart from the old one in my 430. Honestly, I chose the Lexus and I've owned them both and for a simple reason. Reliability. Price had a consideration as I am in a situation where I could have either. Google... Mallard Bay Oilfields..That's my family. Both fine cars but as for me.. the LS is for me. Been there done that! As a partner in my sold business once told me in 1991 with his new Lexus.."Ralph, this is a finer car" and he only had MB's and one Rolls Royce "POS' before that. Long time ago, I know..but it is still true for me and him to this day. This is my opinion and I have owned and driven most every car in my lifetime. Look forward to some more. Your LS's are the finest cars ever built to date, no matter the year, be proud and shine em up..

[Bwilliams]

I'm on the fence. I tend to think it will be a bad choice. I have 2 reasons to get one. All wheel drive and the look.

I think I'll probably get cold feet when the time comes. Hopefully Lexus comes out with a all wheel drive large sedan.

Thanks for the input both positive and negative.

They are great looking cars and have so many buttons and stuff. I would just like to own one once.

Rodney

It sounds to me like you need an audi A8 or S8. The build quality is worlds apart from the mercedes. Audi also makes the finest interiors on the market. The A8 has all wheel drive and is a gorgeous car. Test drive it, you will not be disappointed. The S8 is the baddest sedan on the road today, it is a phenomenal car. However, I think that the A8 is what you need. The best two lux brands right now are Lexus and Audi. Infiniti is on the rise, but they're not on the same level. BMW used to be on that level until they hired some idiot to design and style their cars. Get the Audi

[RFeldes]

Sorry Bwilliams but Audi's are getting better and their interiors are gorgeous. Still unreliable. This could be a long recourse but Audi's are not on the top ten in reliability.

[Bwilliams]

Sorry Bwilliams but Audi's are getting better and their interiors are gorgeous. Still unreliable. This could be a long recourse but Audi's are not on the top ten in reliability.

Are Audis more reliable than infiniti or lexus? NO. I never claimed that they were extremely reliable., they do have issues. Not nearly as many as a Mercedes would have. I was just arguing that they make some of the best looking cars on the market, offer good equipment, and keep their styling traditionally german. Are they a better car than BMW and Lexus? of course they aren't as reliable. However, some of the new Lexus styling leaves little to be desired. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Lexus, I own one. they make the finest quality automobile on the road. I just think that the previous model GS (bubble eyes), SC 1990-1999 and the LS400 1990-2000 sport better styling than the newer models. Too many curves, I don't understand it. I think that they have something good going with the new IS. It has a great interior, plenty of power, and aggressive styling. A great drive, Love that car. The new LS is great but I'm just not sold on the styling. The only thing I like about the car is the back end. I have to also add that BMWs are fantastic and reliable, but the Maintenence will EAT you alive. Every car company shines in its own way, and many follow trends, I just think that the Design chiefs at Audi are incredibly smart for sticking with the traditional german styling and simple ergonomic interiors. This is where BMW has failed miserably. The 1995-2001 740IL was a magnificent automobile. It was fast, had a throaty exhaust note when the throttle was open, beautiful interior and exterior. Just pure class and understated elegance. The beginning of the end was that HIDEOUS 745IL. Every time I see that ugly Bubble on wheels I shake my head. What a horrible makeover that was, I heard that that design chief is the janitor now.

Sorry for the rambling

[Mera]

Stopped at a few dealers yesterday. One option I have is to buy an Acura RL. Not quite the car I would like to be seen in but a good compromise as it has all wheel drive. I would probably buy a used one (2-3 years old) and in 3-4 years look for a used all wheel drive LS460.

Rodney

[Mera]

What's a guy with 2 Ferraris driving a 98 Lexus for??? ;)

I'm self employed and generally drive my truck everyday. My Lexus LS400 only gets driven occasionally. It still looks like a new car. I can wash and wax it and detail it and take it places and many people that do not know Lexus cars think it is a new car. It still looks and drives excellent. I have no need to buy a newer car at this time. I am picky when it comes to the look of a car and this car still makes me very happy. :)

Rodney

[dcfish]

What's a guy with 2 Ferraris driving a 98 Lexus for??? ;)

I'm self employed and generally drive my truck everyday. My Lexus LS400 only gets driven occasionally. It still looks like a new car. I can wash and wax it and detail it and take it places and many people that do not know Lexus cars think it is a new car. It still looks and drives excellent. I have no need to buy a newer car at this time. I am picky when it comes to the look of a car and this car still makes me very happy. :)

Rodney

Rodney, She's a beauty Where in Milwaukee?

[Elsupremo]

I've been there and will never forget the low quality for a car of this pedigree and the attitude of the service department... They simply dont give a damm if your car is a little bit older. Nice driving cars I'll grant you that however be prepared to spend a lot of time and money on service. (Just read consumers report)

Good luck if you buy one anyways...

[Bwilliams]

What's a guy with 2 Ferraris driving a 98 Lexus for??? ;)

I'm self employed and generally drive my truck everyday. My Lexus LS400 only gets driven occasionally. It still looks like a new car. I can wash and wax it and detail it and take it places and many people that do not know Lexus cars think it is a new car. It still looks and drives excellent. I have no need to buy a newer car at this time. I am picky when it comes to the look of a car and this car still makes me very happy. :)

Rodney

Beautiful car. What two ferraris do you own?

[DrJfrmLA]

I have an '04 M-B S 430 and an '04 LS 430. They are both fine cars in different ways. I am partial to the German car. It has a certainty and presence on the road that the Japanese car lacks. The suspension on the German car is adjustable, so it turns in better than the other, and generates more feel for where the tires are. The brakes are also beter, both in modulation and actual stopping distance. The LS is posh and comfortable, and is undoubtedly more packed with luxury features than the S-class. In my experience, women far prefer the LS to the S-class. In my life, the LS is my lady's. The S-class with the 4.3 liter engine is a ULEV vehicle and I'm averaging 22 mpg in mixed driving. The 7-speed transmission from '04 on makes the most of modest horsepower. The S-class body style has not suffered the reliability issues the C-class and E-class have, although the airmatic suspension can be problematic. The coupes and two-seaters are a whole 'nother story.

German leather is different than that found in most cars. After 4 years and 44k miles, my S class still smells like a baseball glove. There is no plastic on the interior that I can find--the wood is actually wood, and everything else is either leather or chrome. The interior might be called stark by some; I like its lack of gimcrackery and faux-fanciness.

Long way around to saying the S-class is a fine car, just like the LS is a fine car. They are very different, however, and it probably doesn't make sense to compare them to each other. It's what you like in a car. I like vanilla ice cream, but plenty of my friends like chocolate.

[Mera]

308 GTS and 348 TS.

Rodney

[Mera]

I have an '04 M-B S 430 and an '04 LS 430. They are both fine cars in different ways. I am partial to the German car. It has a certainty and presence on the road that the Japanese car lacks. The suspension on the German car is adjustable, so it turns in better than the other, and generates more feel for where the tires are. The brakes are also beter, both in modulation and actual stopping distance. The LS is posh and comfortable, and is undoubtedly more packed with luxury features than the S-class. In my experience, women far prefer the LS to the S-class. In my life, the LS is my lady's. The S-class with the 4.3 liter engine is a ULEV vehicle and I'm averaging 22 mpg in mixed driving. The 7-speed transmission from '04 on makes the most of modest horsepower. The S-class body style has not suffered the reliability issues the C-class and E-class have, although the airmatic suspension can be problematic. The coupes and two-seaters are a whole 'nother story.

German leather is different than that found in most cars. After 4 years and 44k miles, my S class still smells like a baseball glove. There is no plastic on the interior that I can find--the wood is actually wood, and everything else is either leather or chrome. The interior might be called stark by some; I like its lack of gimcrackery and faux-fanciness.

Long way around to saying the S-class is a fine car, just like the LS is a fine car. They are very different, however, and it probably doesn't make sense to compare them to each other. It's what you like in a car. I like vanilla ice cream, but plenty of my friends like chocolate.

Interesting to see a positive remark about the S class MB. I had thought all I would see is negatives. I sat in a LS430. I thought the MB was much more posh and advanced than the Lexus interior wise. The MB had so many buttons. I sat in a new LS 460 and it had many more buttons than the LS430. I looks like Lexus stepped it up a notch with the LS460's.

Rodney