i know im asking randomly but does someone know a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I somehow lost the account password. I would love any help you can offer me!
I agree. I was looking for a black S55 but, kept running across silver cars so I now have an Iridium silver S55. I love it and it's never going anywhere.
What's with all these older Mercs reviews popping up on UA-cam lately? They are sweet cars TBH. My dad owned a new 2005 S350 back then. On one of his vacations, he left the keys with me (couldn't believe it) and traveled for three weeks. I drove that car to college everyday looking like a BOSS. Good times>
Bet it was fantastic having that car when new! We had the chance to drive a 2006 CL 600 back in 2006, was one of the best experiences! We're hoping to get the chance to feature more classics like this, just gotta find owners who are willing to share them with our show!
Nice review. Even after all these years a well taken care of W220 still looks good and also the styling still looks modern. The S55 is a sophisticated car and costing well over 6 figures you can imagine the cost of ownership for this car. People that complain about the cost of ownership on a car like this most likely can’t afford the car to begin with.
Thanks! Great points about the ownership experience also, people need to treat these cars like a modern AMG, if you can't afford a $50-60k car, you shouldn't be buying one of these for a 10th of the price, as maintenance costs are going to add up very quickly.
I think you're already aware, but doing reviews of these older cars + new, really is the way to go. Big market for people wanting to see the older cars as well. Keep up the great work!
We do want to do more, it's just harder to find willing owners out here in Quebec than it was back in Ontario. The only way to survive and grow on UA-cam is with regular content, so we supplement the classic episodes by filming something new every week. We had hopes to do a lot more this year for classics, but we've had very little success 😔
Got myself a W220 S350 a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely love it! Been a die hard BMW fan for many years but was turned onto Mercs by a good friend of mine. Wow, I've been blown away by how smooth it is. Plenty of power for my needs (in a daily) and the comforts is out of this world. Absolutely been converted to Mercedes now and don't think I'll ever turn back. Really wanting to get into an S55/S65 next, ideally an S65. I know a lot of people are terrified by these cars, however they aren't bad / unreliable. They are truly well made cars, it's ALWAYS that the cars haven't been looked after properly. They require proper maintenance which most owners tend to have neglected over the years. If they are properly looked after, then they are absolutely amazing cars at truly unbelievable value for what you get. Would 100% recommend them if you want luxury, great performance and truly timeless design for not a lot of money.
Very nice, congrats on the purchase! I'm always impressed with the ride quality on the S-Class, every generation I've driven has been incredible. I always get excited when I see a W220 on the road out here.
We're hoping we get the opportunity to feature a lot more of these older cars! We've spoken with a few local enthusiasts, so we're hoping we can start filming some more now that the weather has started to improve. We really do love getting the chance to feature cars like this.
My family doesn't drive our 2003 S500 that much (still has less than 100,000 miles), but we haven't had any major issues, especially with the suspension. The w220 has a bad rep, but if you treat it properly, it should work just fine.
The bad rap these cars get are usually due to poor maintenance habits, as you mentioned as long as you’re keeping up on it these cars are fantastic. We’d still love to own one in black, LWB, and doesn’t need to be the AMG either.
PRN_TestDrive what are a couple things i can do in terms of “regular maintenance?” I wanna hold onto my s500 for 5+ years, I got a sweet deal on one with only 90k miles! I plan on doing regular oil changes, tire pressure checks, brakes and interior upgrades but idk what else really comes with regular maintenance habits
286k km and it's in amazing condition, especially interior, you can really tell it had great previous owners. Untill I saw the milege I thought it would have less then 60k for sure and was one of those cars that ended up mostly sitting in the garage their whole life.
We were floored when we saw the mileage after filming all the interior and exterior shots. Truly spectacular condition, given how many poor examples of W220s are out there. This one is definitely a keeper!
Low down torque is insane. MB always does that low down power any given time can lunge light-years ahead. Thing is a 2+ ton bullet S65 AMG is a monster would love to see a video on it as well
Perpetual Radio Networks ridiculous amount of torque the S-Classes 0-60 isn't the greatest but the rolling speed can keep up with super cars and they weigh 2.5 tons
I just picked up my 03 s55 a few days ago and love it. Ive fixed many simple issues so far. But I notice mine doesn't have the soft close trunk button inside the trunk but an 02 s55 I looked at did. Weird. What is really sad is how cheap the cup holders are in a car that was at one time over $100k. I don't even have the heated and cooled rear seat option boo lol
Glad it was helpful! I wanted to make sure this was the best video I could produce on the W220 as the previous two videos I've done hadn't been great examples of this generation, whereas this one was beyond belief!
Awesome! I’ve always liked the W220. A very handsome and sporty looking large limo from Mercedes. They look still look awesome. You should try to drive an E65 B7 like the one you reviewed a while back, or a D3 S8 with the V10. Two other large, sporty limos from around the same era.
We had hoped to drive that B7, we ended up taking a lot of time filming it so the owner had to jet, then we moved before having the chance to get back into it. We've got the 2018 BMW M760Li right now, had hoped to film it with a 2017 Alpina B7 (since the 2018 isn't here yet) but no one's got them.
We love making them too! We're sad this was the last of the three we filmed last month, but we're hopeful it will open up more opportunities for us moving forward!
I had an old girlfriend in high school and her dad bought this in late 2002 and it was fucking sick as hell. Kind of bringing back some nostalgia looking at this right now. Man I’m an old bastard
These things were crazy back when they were new! Even today it's still an impressive car. You must have gone to a nicer high school than I, nicest car we knew of was a 2004 Audi S4 and a later model E38 7 Series.
Perpetual Radio Networks yea I was from a middle class family but the school I went to was full of really rich kids. Parents wanted me in a good school and my dad worked to provide me a good early education.
I have a 2003 MB S55 AMG. I simply love the car, the ABC on is a pain in the butt! Needs a lot of work. I'm going to try and hold on to as long as I can. Beautiful vehicle!
This is a nice example. It looks fantastic for 178,000 miles. I have an 05 R230 SL 500 in the same color. Timeless generation of Mercedes in my opinion.
U know what else the car does? IF you push the BUTTON to lower the headrests in the rear.... and lets say one passenger gets in the car..and buckles their seatbelt in the back.. it brings the headrest UP for just that passenger :) S500 also does this.
Mercedes fun fact, the W220 and W/C215 only had an aux port for the year 2003. In 2004 they removed it. Same with the R230 SL but it was blessed with 2004 having an aux port too, but once again it was removed in 2005. Oddly, the 2003 W211 got an auxiliary port and it was never removed.
Very interesting! We did not know that, but hopefully it will help others if they're on the hunt for one of these! It's a small feature to have, but one we'd use if we had it. I forget if the Comand system used Bluetooth at this point. Must have, right?
Perpetual Radio Networks no. Sadly even the newer cars don’t have Bluetooth. 2003 was the only year of the widescreen Command 2.0 system. In 2004 it got changed to the NTG 1 system which removed the auxiliary port and changed the nav system to a newer more advanced system. Though this advancement is pretty irrelevant at this point because an auxiliary port is much more important than “better maps” when we’re talking about a 2003-2004 car. Also, retrofitting is difficult but possible. The next gen of cars (w216/w221) doesn’t have an Aux port standard for 2007-2008 either. My 2007 S550 didn’t have one and I had to retrofit it. Luckily the back of the headunit has the slots to insert the pins for aux. So all I had to do was buy a $9 cable and take it to an Indy to code the car. $200~ later and I have an aux port. It sounds great. Bluetooth is an even harder obstacle. I don’t know about the 2000-2003 Bluetooth retrofit/modules. But I do know the 2003-2006 models were able to use Bluetooth telephony with a separate module that can be purchased for $200-$250. The 2007-2009 are like that too. But what’s odd is the car actually does have Bluetooth, but it won’t work. It lets you connect to the car, but it won’t do anything. You have to purchase the module for it actually do something.
Where is the Aux port on the 2003 W211?? I have one that's completely original sitting in my driveway, and this would be a lifesaver if I could locate the thing... My 2001 W210 had an aux port in the glove box that looked factory installed, and I never bothered to do any homework to see if that was an aftermarket modification... I've missed the aux port dearly, but I'm too cheap to do anything about it...
Good to know! We mentioned the 2006 as the one to get in general for the W220, not specific to the S 55. But it’s good to point out the AMGs kept the same transmission.
Two awesome cars that we've had plenty of experience with! The car that really launched this channel was our own 2001 BMW 740iL. I currently own a 2013 S 550 4matic. The AMG is a beast, we really enjoyed our time with this one and couldn't believe how many kilometres were on it considering how great the shape is.
I really only ever see these in silver also. Find a facelift in black with polished headlights and it looks just as modern as any other Merc on the road! That would be the colour I'd get for this.
Running costs aside, How could anyone overlook cars like this and spend the same money on a new Kia or Hyundai etc... this is so much Car and coolness for the $, and you should have shown the ejecting cool ashtrays in rear doors! Great review
We'd definitely take something like this over a new car any day. Especially now where we don't need to rely on it, having a toy like this would be a lot of fun!
An amazing video on this car. Clean and original. Dont know if they were sold in the US but in germany there were even S65 W220 V12 Supercharged with 612hp models.
We’d love to try out the S 65 AMG of this generation. We have added a mint, low minage CL 65 AMG to our autotrader wish list, if we won the lottery tomorrow it would be the first car we’d buy.
I have a few cars that you can review. An S65, CL600, Audi W12, M6 V10 convertible, Lexus LS600hl, and a Lexus LX570. How can I get ahold of you. Let me know.
Possible problems with the Airmatic suspension system have been very much underrated in this review. It is not only the compressor pump which can go bad (probably around 1000 $), or the pressure lines, but each individual shock absorber will cost well over 1000 $ (parts only), and that will be expensive to repair regardless of it being done within or outside the normal maintenance schedule. The car can become totally undriveable if the Airmatic suspension fails, and it will make driving seriously dangerous right before total failure. I am the owner of a W220 and have had to do some of the repairs mentioned before. If you are in the market for a W220, make sure to listen for the air compressor. Also, if the car sits too low before starting it, be aware this is most certainly sign of a pressure leak, which will in turn overuse the compressor, which will soon fail. The compressor should NOT be running very often, as that shows there is a leak somewhere. If the leak is in one of the shocks, you will have to replace that asap, and it will cost you dearly. If you buy a used W220 that looks really great and which has no rust issues, there is s good chance that the Airmatic system is beginning to fail and the owner is not willing to invest the roughly 5000 $ it will cost to do replace the shocks. Have the Airmatic checked at Mercedes Benz contract dealership before you buy. Test the Airmatic features before you do a test drive (i.e., raise / lower the vehicle) and then make sure to test the suspension modes. If the car remains 'wobbly' even in sport mode, there is something wrong. Just my 50c. ;-) Cheers
Those are certainly great points, and while we didn't go into a lot of detail on Airmatic in this episode we have featured the W220 S-Class before and should have mentioned it on those videos.
The E55 is air the S55 is Hydraulic I replaced my ABC pump for 250$ from carquest Mercedes remain if you bust a shock Arnot makes them but they cost about 1k each I have 190k on my 2003 S55 and my abc pump blowed a front seal but never had a shock problem you can change them to coil over for about 2500$ but you lose the great ride and about 450lbs
You don't take a 15 year old car to official dealer for repairs unless you won the lottery. You can get the shock absorbers for a quarter of that and labor is not that expensive. Regular springs need work too after 15 years. I just talked to a guy who owned the same W220 S class for 13 years in a row. ZERO problems, ZERO maintenance on Airmatic! The facelifted version is very reliable. I have now driven mine about 1,5 years and 2k miles with minimal issues. Mine is a S 500 L from 2005.
@@lvgeorge i have a w220 2002 s320 , n i have replaced the shocks(airmatic) individually and different times. Mind you, u dnt need to buy new shocks from dealership, i got mine new but made in taiwan, works perfectly n super cheap. now its been 1.5yrs since i changed
This is a very awesome review, very well done and very good quality of video, hats off to you. So, I have this car right now and it is a wonderful car. I was given this car by my father, I have the 2005 year model of it with a slightly better version of the head unit screen that Mercedes gave it than what was in this video. This still leaves people with the question of what's the problem so far? Well, funny thing is, my father didn't just give me the car for no reason. This car has been sitting in my backyard's parking space for the past year or two when I asked for it. The reason it was sitting in that parking space for so long comes down to one very sad statement, the head gasket of this car was no more. This was caused by the radiator that my dad changed in it a little before the head gasket burned to nothingness. The main tube that goes into the engine keeping it cool, feel off. There is more to go with that, but im trying to keep this short. The deal that was "made" with me and my dad was that he will give me the car, and if I fix it it will be mine. I have done a good bit of work already to the engine and I'm now down to having to take off the timing chain. This is one terrible deed to preform, the only feasible way for me to take it off is to take of the bolt holding it in. This bolt requires an E19 socket, which is perchance a very hard socket to find. I have not found it and have no hopes of finding it. My last plan of attack would be to try my luck with different ways of forcing the bolt to turn with an W20 socket instead. This is where I am and I fear this is where I will furthermore end as well. So, very awesome car with an abundance of luxuries features, like speech control, but im at the predicament where im not sure it will further in progress. Hopefully it is and if there are tips I'll gladly here them, but as of now it is just a parked 2005 Mercedes Benz S55 AMG. I thank you if you read this far, have a wonderful day.
We're really glad you liked this episode, and we hope you can get yours up and running! These are fantastic cars to drive and own, and despite a lot of the negativity about reliability they aren't as challenging to maintain.
Thanks! We had a real blast featuring this one! AZ is a bit far, that's true, but we're hoping to be able to do some more travelling down the road. We've got a local enthusiast with a W211 E 500 sedan, we're hoping to feature it in the mean time with our new format. The last E 500 we did was really our first 'TestDrive' episode with the basic full tour, drive, and super brief buyer's guide at the end. We think we can do a lot better now!
Tyler Beeson Unfortunately, in order for the ride to be smooth the suspension system must be complex, and therefore less reliable. This is one of the things I don't like in luxury german cars, they are very reliable except the suspension system.
Abdulaziz Salam I know that too well. I have a 2007 S550, newer body and new engine but less power. Great car, rides incredibly well, but if one of the struts fails it’s $500 minimum per corner. But I’m willing to take that chance because I’ve never been in a car that rides so good and floats “like a boat”, but can handle very well and feel like it lost 800 pounds and reduce its body roll with one button. Plus being able to raise the suspension is great when it’s flash flooding, snowing, or going up at steep driveway.
Just found your channel, I thought you were reviewing my S55 for a second-until I saw the mileage-thats crazy! Mine is almost identical, just has the rear reclining/heated/cooled seats and rear climate zones, but no rear side/door sunshades :(. But man that car looks nice for the mileage, mine is 140k km and still not as mint...
Very nice! I was shocked at how much mileage this car had too, I couldn't believe it. Just goes to show how long these cars last if you take care of them! Enjoy yours, I know I would if I had one.
You're able to start this one without the key in the ignition, I just put it there so they wouldn't get in the way since the key ring was pretty bulky for my taste.
One of my favorite cars! I just love the exterior! Maybe one day I’ll get to own one. Just don’t want to deal with potential issues. And I already have 3 cars that I want to keep.
@@PRNTestDrive sweet hopefully by the grace of God you find one BEAUTIFUL CARS MAN , your channel is the BEST THANK YOU ILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT 😎 -Merc Fam
Do you have a link for that? We found the information a bit sketchy when researching the actual availabilities, however we should have clarified in the description we meant model years.
Perpetual Radio Networks I know 220s extremely well. I have collected the actual press books from the German release and that's what it states. The press drives for German journalists was Q2 of '98 if I recall correctly as well. And, for the U.S., I know the first deliveries were largely beginning of summer '99, but but early cars for people that reserved further in advance were around here in spring. Mine was special ordered in summer of '99 and delivered November of '99, after the air conditioning design issue was fixed (from pre-October cars).
That's quite a bit! We ball-parked the $10k CAD price since we see most of them listed for that, but the owner paid $6,500 for this on a $12,000 list price. Deals are out there!
Perpetual Radio Networks You could bargain here though the problem for us then is the road tax on it. It would be double, even more than the insurance cost 😂
Regarding the muted noise level I'm at a loss too because both the resonator's and mufflers r STRAIGHT THRU as I've pushed wires thru them! Delete one r the other for a louder sound.
I think Mercedes wanted to keep this car quiet like the rest of the S-Class models. I think it was also a testing ground for AMG, considering the W140's very limited number of AMG-tuned vehicles were more like a tuner would after the car was built. The S 55 AMG was really the first S-Class AMG had the chance to work with from the start.
Well, I've thought long and hard why even Mercedes even MADE this model? Who were they competing with?? Bimmer's had the big 740 series but maybe 300 hp. Porsche only had 911's... Ferrari had the 456 and later 550 GT's but Mercedes never fought with Ferrari over car sales... American car's in the mid 2000's never came NEAR 500 hp! In other words, this car is a freak of sorts...
Seems like a good price, but the overall condition and service history is the most important, definitely have the car looked at by a trusted mechanic before!
I removed my rear resonators sounds great not much louder just right with 76mm pulley and VRP tune top speed restrictor removed and all low rpm TQ Restrictions removed very fun car.
Most luxury manufacturers still offer wood, in fact a lot like Mercedes-Benz have multiple different wood styles on cars like the C-Class now, something that was unheard of for that car 20 years ago. However most seem to opt for carbon fibre (real or fake), or some sort of shiny material like piano black plastic or aluminium. We're publishing an episode on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4matic on Monday, it had black wood trim, not my choice, but cool that they offer it.
@@PRNTestDrive Perhaps the lovely wood effect trim that I like so much has fallen out of favour with customers rather than manufacturers then. I'm not a fan of the carbon-fibre, black piano-wood or brushed stainless steel that seems to have replaced it. Probably because I'm old... Lol.. ;)
I don't like the new trim offerings either, give me a nice wood slab any day! We have the 2019 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupé on Monday, I took a quick look at the interior when I was picking up this week's current car and I believe they skipped the wood on it, bit of a bummer.
I had a 2006 AMG S55 and it was a nightmare to own. The good did not outweigh the bad. If you want to listen to how mine sounded it should be on my page. 1yr owner ship cost around 10k+
I think it's only about two inches off the length and one off the width, mostly from the aerodynamic changes with the new design. We didn't feel like this W220 was any smaller than the W140 we did.
the w220 is actually bigger inside,hard to believe but true i think the w140 has a bigger trunk/boot space however the new car has more shoulder and length in the seating area
Very nice choice, congrats! It's one of those cars I want to add to my garage too, hopefully everything goes smoothly for you when you go to pick it up!
PRN_TestDrive i checked it out today, the car has been sitting , needs some cosmetic love , the motor still sounds very strong it needs a few things done though for sure
How bad cosmetically are we talking? Rust was a big problem for these if left out in the elements, but the engine is certainly the most important, if something’s gone wrong there it’ll be a headache.
PRN_TestDrive the seats didnt have any rips , the headlights need restoration for sure , im gonna find some OEM floor mats , and also the windows and the seat wont move on the passenger side i think its a module or a fuse or something would you know by any chance?
Could be two unrelated problems, I don’t think the window and seat controls would be connected to the same module, perhaps the regulator failed on the window and the motor or module for the seat failed. Best bet would be to get a voltmeter to see if there’s power getting to the window switches and motors.
In my eyes W220 is the best-looking S-class Mercedes after the classy, noble W126. I appreciate that even the AMG expressions were unostentatiously looking back then. I'd prefer this anytime to the overtly aggressive styled cars they bring out today, same goes for BMW.
Right now very little left... The electric engine fan runs slow so that'll get replaced... the trunk accuator doesn't go down completely... Otherwise the car is near mint!
We'd love to do one! It took us a long time just to get the W140 we featured, but we're hoping we can make something like that happen, similar to the E38 V12 vs. V8 Showdown we did last year!
I own the identical car. Love mine. 104k on the clock and still going like new. Although its not my daily driver. I keep it in imaculent condition. its for sale by the way....$12.5k
I believe that's correct. Something like an S 500 should be fine, yes the performance is a lot more fun with the AMG model but it depends on what you're looking for. I'd absolutely love one of these, but would be equally open to a 'regular' S 500 instead.
Awesome! Hope you get to enjoy it for a long time. I really had a blast doing this video, and would love to revisit the W220 again after buying my W221.
Definitely true, the V8s end up requiring less maintenance given their smaller engine size. I believe everything worked on this car also, unlike some of the other W220s we featured where small issues had already crept up.
The metal is inferior quality on my 2001 CLK not just lack of paint as I own a 1989 300 CE and she never fails on rust on the MOT unlike the huge list I have completed for the poor old 230 kompressor having said that its more powerful than the 300 and is my daily driver. The CE looks cooler though. good videos I like your strait forward approach.
We appreciate that, thanks! There's no doubt Mercedes did some serious cost cutting with their models moving into the 2000s, this was one of the hardest hit.
What was the blinking sound ar 9.35, did something break? Lol, jk. But these are not so reliable cars after all. Nice vid. I've slowly started tl like this w220, but i still prefer the all new s class and 126 and 140. The w221 is the 'worst' in my opinion.
Ah! That was just the cold temperature warning, something along the lines of "3º Roads May Be Icy" kinda garbage. Our E38 does the same thing under 3º.
So smooth! And still pretty powerful by today's standards. Definitely not by AMG S-Class standards of today, but still an impressive amount of power from a 15 year old sedan.
People blow them up because of the O ring around the oil sump that cracks due to age. This can cause oil starvation which leads to a unfortunate aftermath.
silver is so underrated, especially on the S class - it really showcases the lines of the car
It really works on a car like this, as long as it's cleaned up with polished headlights.
i know im asking randomly but does someone know a way to get back into an Instagram account..?
I somehow lost the account password. I would love any help you can offer me!
@Kylo Joseph Instablaster :)
I agree. I was looking for a black S55 but, kept running across silver cars so I now have an Iridium silver S55. I love it and it's never going anywhere.
@@t.l.robinson2162 I just picked up a silver one in May. 03 1 owner 90k.
What's with all these older Mercs reviews popping up on UA-cam lately? They are sweet cars TBH.
My dad owned a new 2005 S350 back then. On one of his vacations, he left the keys with me (couldn't believe it) and traveled for three weeks. I drove that car to college everyday looking like a BOSS. Good times>
Bet it was fantastic having that car when new! We had the chance to drive a 2006 CL 600 back in 2006, was one of the best experiences! We're hoping to get the chance to feature more classics like this, just gotta find owners who are willing to share them with our show!
@@PRNTestDrive I got one for ya :)
Did you jack-up the back tires and drove it in reverse to wind back the odometer? So your dad never finds out.
Nice review. Even after all these years a well taken care of W220 still looks good and also the styling still looks modern. The S55 is a sophisticated car and costing well over 6 figures you can imagine the cost of ownership for this car. People that complain about the cost of ownership on a car like this most likely can’t afford the car to begin with.
Thanks! Great points about the ownership experience also, people need to treat these cars like a modern AMG, if you can't afford a $50-60k car, you shouldn't be buying one of these for a 10th of the price, as maintenance costs are going to add up very quickly.
I think you're already aware, but doing reviews of these older cars + new, really is the way to go. Big market for people wanting to see the older cars as well. Keep up the great work!
We do want to do more, it's just harder to find willing owners out here in Quebec than it was back in Ontario. The only way to survive and grow on UA-cam is with regular content, so we supplement the classic episodes by filming something new every week. We had hopes to do a lot more this year for classics, but we've had very little success 😔
Got myself a W220 S350 a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely love it! Been a die hard BMW fan for many years but was turned onto Mercs by a good friend of mine. Wow, I've been blown away by how smooth it is. Plenty of power for my needs (in a daily) and the comforts is out of this world. Absolutely been converted to Mercedes now and don't think I'll ever turn back. Really wanting to get into an S55/S65 next, ideally an S65. I know a lot of people are terrified by these cars, however they aren't bad / unreliable. They are truly well made cars, it's ALWAYS that the cars haven't been looked after properly. They require proper maintenance which most owners tend to have neglected over the years. If they are properly looked after, then they are absolutely amazing cars at truly unbelievable value for what you get. Would 100% recommend them if you want luxury, great performance and truly timeless design for not a lot of money.
Very nice, congrats on the purchase! I'm always impressed with the ride quality on the S-Class, every generation I've driven has been incredible. I always get excited when I see a W220 on the road out here.
You need more subscribers bro !!! THIS CHANNEL IS AMAZING
Mark uys agreed !!
We're hoping if our content is good enough to be shared outside of UA-cam it will help us grow even quicker!
Wow I love your channel, almost as much as this car. Your reviews are so thorough and you feature my favorite category of cars, older luxury vehicles.
We're hoping we get the opportunity to feature a lot more of these older cars! We've spoken with a few local enthusiasts, so we're hoping we can start filming some more now that the weather has started to improve. We really do love getting the chance to feature cars like this.
My family doesn't drive our 2003 S500 that much (still has less than 100,000 miles), but we haven't had any major issues, especially with the suspension. The w220 has a bad rep, but if you treat it properly, it should work just fine.
The bad rap these cars get are usually due to poor maintenance habits, as you mentioned as long as you’re keeping up on it these cars are fantastic. We’d still love to own one in black, LWB, and doesn’t need to be the AMG either.
PRN_TestDrive what are a couple things i can do in terms of “regular maintenance?” I wanna hold onto my s500 for 5+ years, I got a sweet deal on one with only 90k miles! I plan on doing regular oil changes, tire pressure checks, brakes and interior upgrades but idk what else really comes with regular maintenance habits
286k km and it's in amazing condition, especially interior, you can really tell it had great previous owners. Untill I saw the milege I thought it would have less then 60k for sure and was one of those cars that ended up mostly sitting in the garage their whole life.
We were floored when we saw the mileage after filming all the interior and exterior shots. Truly spectacular condition, given how many poor examples of W220s are out there. This one is definitely a keeper!
Best testdrive Episode yet!
Glad you think so, thanks! We’ve been waiting to re-film a W220 for a while now.
Something like the W215, W216 i.e CL600 or CL65 AMGs. Timeless beauties like the S-Class counterparts (W220, W221)
Low down torque is insane. MB always does that low down power any given time can lunge light-years ahead. Thing is a 2+ ton bullet S65 AMG is a monster would love to see a video on it as well
So would we! Even the current S 65 AMG would be a real treat to drive, I believe it has 750 lb-ft of torque.
Perpetual Radio Networks ridiculous amount of torque the S-Classes 0-60 isn't the greatest but the rolling speed can keep up with super cars and they weigh 2.5 tons
these cars can 100% be reliable if well taken care of. I love my s55 amg 👍🏻
Seems like it given the mileage on this one!
I’d love to see a CLK 55 AMG and an E55 AMG I think 2003 or 2004. Those are gorgeous cars.
They're on our list! Harder to find, but definitely worth it if we can make an episode happen for each!
Perpetual Radio Networks good to hear, looking forward to those!
I just picked up my 03 s55 a few days ago and love it. Ive fixed many simple issues so far. But I notice mine doesn't have the soft close trunk button inside the trunk but an 02 s55 I looked at did. Weird. What is really sad is how cheap the cup holders are in a car that was at one time over $100k. I don't even have the heated and cooled rear seat option boo lol
DIAMLER I absolutely love the e55😍
If you are ever in calgary, id love to let you borrow my E55
Awesome video bro
Thanks!
In the process of trying to find one of these i found you video, bravo sir a well done review. As a car guy you covered all the stops!
Glad it was helpful! I wanted to make sure this was the best video I could produce on the W220 as the previous two videos I've done hadn't been great examples of this generation, whereas this one was beyond belief!
Nailed it on the sound. Great exhaust signature. Not too loud on start-up but once warmed up is truly Wagnarian...
Thanks! We try to get sound clips like this when we get the chance.
That's a decent car right there
I've always dreamt of owning a 55 AMG model i think they are the best
We were thoroughly impressed with it, definitely added to our list of cars we'd love to buy!
I still remeber when my mum got one of these new. It was amazing all the tech on it and just had a presence when we pulled up.
Still has presence today!
Perpetual Radio Networks yeah the new ones but this one definetly doesnt.
Was it reliable?
Was waiting for this forever!
So were we! We had a blast filming this, and were so glad we could fit it in.
I'm purchasing a 03 S55 AMG now but and it's great.
Awesome stuff! Enjoy it!
Finally I found your channel bro !:) I bought the S500 2002 thanks for th videos brotha ! MERC FAM ;)
That's awesome to hear, enjoy it!
You are so lucky! I' m envious! And you are right ,very advanced design for 1998!
We're envious of the owner who gets to daily drive this beast!
Awesome! I’ve always liked the W220. A very handsome and sporty looking large limo from Mercedes. They look still look awesome.
You should try to drive an E65 B7 like the one you reviewed a while back, or a D3 S8 with the V10. Two other large, sporty limos from around the same era.
We had hoped to drive that B7, we ended up taking a lot of time filming it so the owner had to jet, then we moved before having the chance to get back into it. We've got the 2018 BMW M760Li right now, had hoped to film it with a 2017 Alpina B7 (since the 2018 isn't here yet) but no one's got them.
What a great video it's my favourite car. Thanks Mr Livesey
Glad you liked it! This is now one of our top cars for sure, really loved everything about it!
Love these old German car reviews
We love making them too! We're sad this was the last of the three we filmed last month, but we're hopeful it will open up more opportunities for us moving forward!
You morons, this review is in English, and is clearly from the Canadian province of Ontario!
I believe the OP was referring to the cars being Germany, not us or our show.
Awesome review! Love the w220 s55, very elegant!
So do we, and we mentioned it when we featured the other W220s before, that we love a clean/mint one. We're still thinking about it today.
I had a 2002 S500, loved the air suspension, all the same gadgets and keeping the accelerator to the floor...!
It's hard not to love the W220. It's still a car I'd love to spend more time with, the few hours I had to film this just wasn't enough.
I had an old girlfriend in high school and her dad bought this in late 2002 and it was fucking sick as hell. Kind of bringing back some nostalgia looking at this right now. Man I’m an old bastard
These things were crazy back when they were new! Even today it's still an impressive car. You must have gone to a nicer high school than I, nicest car we knew of was a 2004 Audi S4 and a later model E38 7 Series.
Perpetual Radio Networks yea I was from a middle class family but the school I went to was full of really rich kids. Parents wanted me in a good school and my dad worked to provide me a good early education.
Just the perfect video to watch after coming home from work ^^
Our work here is done then!
I have a 2003 MB S55 AMG. I simply love the car, the ABC on is a pain in the butt! Needs a lot of work. I'm going to try and hold on to as long as I can. Beautiful vehicle!
Very nice! I thoroughly enjoyed driving this car. Enjoy yours!
This is a nice example. It looks fantastic for 178,000 miles. I have an 05 R230 SL 500 in the same color. Timeless generation of Mercedes in my opinion.
Very nice! We love the cars Mercedes was producing during this era, some of the best modern designs they've had.
U know what else the car does? IF you push the BUTTON to lower the headrests in the rear.... and lets say one passenger gets in the car..and buckles their seatbelt in the back.. it brings the headrest UP for just that passenger :) S500 also does this.
Now that is cool! Next time I get the chance to drive one of these W220s I'll try to test it out!
@@PRNTestDrive You can drive mine. :)
Woohoo! Just another Mercedes review from PRN. That beast is definitely a curious car to me.The Best or Nothing.
It absolutely felt like the Best or Nothing too! What a great car, really puts the W220 back on our radar.
Mercedes fun fact, the W220 and W/C215 only had an aux port for the year 2003. In 2004 they removed it. Same with the R230 SL but it was blessed with 2004 having an aux port too, but once again it was removed in 2005. Oddly, the 2003 W211 got an auxiliary port and it was never removed.
Very interesting! We did not know that, but hopefully it will help others if they're on the hunt for one of these! It's a small feature to have, but one we'd use if we had it. I forget if the Comand system used Bluetooth at this point. Must have, right?
Tyler Beeson Correct, I love my AUX.
Perpetual Radio Networks no. Sadly even the newer cars don’t have Bluetooth. 2003 was the only year of the widescreen Command 2.0 system. In 2004 it got changed to the NTG 1 system which removed the auxiliary port and changed the nav system to a newer more advanced system. Though this advancement is pretty irrelevant at this point because an auxiliary port is much more important than “better maps” when we’re talking about a 2003-2004 car. Also, retrofitting is difficult but possible. The next gen of cars (w216/w221) doesn’t have an Aux port standard for 2007-2008 either. My 2007 S550 didn’t have one and I had to retrofit it. Luckily the back of the headunit has the slots to insert the pins for aux. So all I had to do was buy a $9 cable and take it to an Indy to code the car. $200~ later and I have an aux port. It sounds great. Bluetooth is an even harder obstacle. I don’t know about the 2000-2003 Bluetooth retrofit/modules. But I do know the 2003-2006 models were able to use Bluetooth telephony with a separate module that can be purchased for $200-$250. The 2007-2009 are like that too. But what’s odd is the car actually does have Bluetooth, but it won’t work. It lets you connect to the car, but it won’t do anything. You have to purchase the module for it actually do something.
Tyler Beeson ,very useful information
Where is the Aux port on the 2003 W211?? I have one that's completely original sitting in my driveway, and this would be a lifesaver if I could locate the thing... My 2001 W210 had an aux port in the glove box that looked factory installed, and I never bothered to do any homework to see if that was an aftermarket modification... I've missed the aux port dearly, but I'm too cheap to do anything about it...
Thanks for the video, love the car, wow its super clean at that high KM. Btw all s55/600/65 CL/S were 5 speed, 7 was only the 350/430/500.
Good to know! We mentioned the 2006 as the one to get in general for the W220, not specific to the S 55. But it’s good to point out the AMGs kept the same transmission.
I own a 2006 S55. I saw it in person and decided that it would replace my 2001 BMW 740iL. It was the best decision I've ever made.
Two awesome cars that we've had plenty of experience with! The car that really launched this channel was our own 2001 BMW 740iL. I currently own a 2013 S 550 4matic. The AMG is a beast, we really enjoyed our time with this one and couldn't believe how many kilometres were on it considering how great the shape is.
Am I the only one who imagines old mercedes cars just in silver because they made it so iconic?
I really only ever see these in silver also. Find a facelift in black with polished headlights and it looks just as modern as any other Merc on the road! That would be the colour I'd get for this.
@@PRNTestDrive I think I would go for a white but black is awsome too.
Running costs aside, How could anyone overlook cars like this and spend the same money on a new Kia or Hyundai etc... this is so much Car and coolness for the $, and you should have shown the ejecting cool ashtrays in rear doors! Great review
We'd definitely take something like this over a new car any day. Especially now where we don't need to rely on it, having a toy like this would be a lot of fun!
An amazing video on this car. Clean and original. Dont know if they were sold in the US but in germany there were even S65 W220 V12 Supercharged with 612hp models.
D. J. Sold in US 55/600/65. Amazing cars.
We’d love to try out the S 65 AMG of this generation. We have added a mint, low minage CL 65 AMG to our autotrader wish list, if we won the lottery tomorrow it would be the first car we’d buy.
Perpetual Radio Networks This would be awesome.
I have a few cars that you can review. An S65, CL600, Audi W12, M6 V10 convertible, Lexus LS600hl, and a Lexus LX570. How can I get ahold of you. Let me know.
Those are certainly a lot of cars we'd like to feature! You can send an email to media@perpetualradio.ca and we can co-ordinate from there. Thanks!
I sent you guys an email. Did you get it?
Holy 300k kms! Awesome video!
I know, right! We were thoroughly impressed by this car at this mileage!
Here it is! Nice review! ✌
Glad you liked it!
Possible problems with the Airmatic suspension system have been very much underrated in this review. It is not only the compressor pump which can go bad (probably around 1000 $), or the pressure lines, but each individual shock absorber will cost well over 1000 $ (parts only), and that will be expensive to repair regardless of it being done within or outside the normal maintenance schedule. The car can become totally undriveable if the Airmatic suspension fails, and it will make driving seriously dangerous right before total failure. I am the owner of a W220 and have had to do some of the repairs mentioned before.
If you are in the market for a W220, make sure to listen for the air compressor. Also, if the car sits too low before starting it, be aware this is most certainly sign of a pressure leak, which will in turn overuse the compressor, which will soon fail. The compressor should NOT be running very often, as that shows there is a leak somewhere. If the leak is in one of the shocks, you will have to replace that asap, and it will cost you dearly.
If you buy a used W220 that looks really great and which has no rust issues, there is s good chance that the Airmatic system is beginning to fail and the owner is not willing to invest the roughly 5000 $ it will cost to do replace the shocks. Have the Airmatic checked at Mercedes Benz contract dealership before you buy.
Test the Airmatic features before you do a test drive (i.e., raise / lower the vehicle) and then make sure to test the suspension modes. If the car remains 'wobbly' even in sport mode, there is something wrong. Just my 50c. ;-) Cheers
Those are certainly great points, and while we didn't go into a lot of detail on Airmatic in this episode we have featured the W220 S-Class before and should have mentioned it on those videos.
The E55 is air the S55 is Hydraulic I replaced my ABC pump for 250$ from carquest Mercedes remain if you bust a shock Arnot makes them but they cost about 1k each I have 190k on my 2003 S55 and my abc pump blowed a front seal but never had a shock problem you can change them to coil over for about 2500$ but you lose the great ride and about 450lbs
You don't take a 15 year old car to official dealer for repairs unless you won the lottery. You can get the shock absorbers for a quarter of that and labor is not that expensive. Regular springs need work too after 15 years. I just talked to a guy who owned the same W220 S class for 13 years in a row. ZERO problems, ZERO maintenance on Airmatic! The facelifted version is very reliable. I have now driven mine about 1,5 years and 2k miles with minimal issues. Mine is a S 500 L from 2005.
Do the Air shocks need to be replaced in pairs? Good heads up info.,
Thx, G
@@lvgeorge i have a w220 2002 s320 , n i have replaced the shocks(airmatic) individually and different times. Mind you, u dnt need to buy new shocks from dealership, i got mine new but made in taiwan, works perfectly n super cheap. now its been 1.5yrs since i changed
best review videos on youtube a+
We're really happy you feel so, thank you! We work hard to produce the best content we can.
It would be awesome if you guys got a C55, they’re special in their own right and rare
We're hoping we can feature one also! There doesn't seem to be many of them out in this part of the country unfortunately.
This is a very awesome review, very well done and very good quality of video, hats off to you. So, I have this car right now and it is a wonderful car. I was given this car by my father, I have the 2005 year model of it with a slightly better version of the head unit screen that Mercedes gave it than what was in this video. This still leaves people with the question of what's the problem so far? Well, funny thing is, my father didn't just give me the car for no reason. This car has been sitting in my backyard's parking space for the past year or two when I asked for it. The reason it was sitting in that parking space for so long comes down to one very sad statement, the head gasket of this car was no more. This was caused by the radiator that my dad changed in it a little before the head gasket burned to nothingness. The main tube that goes into the engine keeping it cool, feel off. There is more to go with that, but im trying to keep this short. The deal that was "made" with me and my dad was that he will give me the car, and if I fix it it will be mine. I have done a good bit of work already to the engine and I'm now down to having to take off the timing chain. This is one terrible deed to preform, the only feasible way for me to take it off is to take of the bolt holding it in. This bolt requires an E19 socket, which is perchance a very hard socket to find. I have not found it and have no hopes of finding it. My last plan of attack would be to try my luck with different ways of forcing the bolt to turn with an W20 socket instead. This is where I am and I fear this is where I will furthermore end as well. So, very awesome car with an abundance of luxuries features, like speech control, but im at the predicament where im not sure it will further in progress. Hopefully it is and if there are tips I'll gladly here them, but as of now it is just a parked 2005 Mercedes Benz S55 AMG. I thank you if you read this far, have a wonderful day.
We're really glad you liked this episode, and we hope you can get yours up and running! These are fantastic cars to drive and own, and despite a lot of the negativity about reliability they aren't as challenging to maintain.
Another Great Review...! Keep it up. Would love to have my E500 Sport Featured But I am in AZ. It’s super clean and fun to drive
Thanks! We had a real blast featuring this one! AZ is a bit far, that's true, but we're hoping to be able to do some more travelling down the road. We've got a local enthusiast with a W211 E 500 sedan, we're hoping to feature it in the mean time with our new format. The last E 500 we did was really our first 'TestDrive' episode with the basic full tour, drive, and super brief buyer's guide at the end. We think we can do a lot better now!
always loved this car
Same here, it's a car I'd buy if I had a bigger budget and place to store it.
Is that 286k km?? Unbelievable! It's a beast.
We thought so too! Crazy good condition given the mileage.
These engines and transmissions are very very reliable, but the suspension not so much. But it rides so good its almost worth it.
Tyler Beeson
Unfortunately, in order for the ride to be smooth the suspension system must be complex, and therefore less reliable. This is one of the things I don't like in luxury german cars, they are very reliable except the suspension system.
Abdulaziz Salam I know that too well. I have a 2007 S550, newer body and new engine but less power. Great car, rides incredibly well, but if one of the struts fails it’s $500 minimum per corner. But I’m willing to take that chance because I’ve never been in a car that rides so good and floats “like a boat”, but can handle very well and feel like it lost 800 pounds and reduce its body roll with one button. Plus being able to raise the suspension is great when it’s flash flooding, snowing, or going up at steep driveway.
Abdulaziz Salam dude my the air suspension in my Lexus failed...I think air suspensions are unreliable regardless
Just found your channel, I thought you were reviewing my S55 for a second-until I saw the mileage-thats crazy! Mine is almost identical, just has the rear reclining/heated/cooled seats and rear climate zones, but no rear side/door sunshades :(. But man that car looks nice for the mileage, mine is 140k km and still not as mint...
Very nice! I was shocked at how much mileage this car had too, I couldn't believe it. Just goes to show how long these cars last if you take care of them! Enjoy yours, I know I would if I had one.
I really like that keyless entry system where you need to put the key in the ignition to start it…
You're able to start this one without the key in the ignition, I just put it there so they wouldn't get in the way since the key ring was pretty bulky for my taste.
how are the cooled seats? do they actually work, I only have heaters on mine and they're excellent
Cooled seats on these worked nicely, one of the first vehicles to offer them. Still worked when we tested them!
The 5.5L v8 is rock solid
Seems to be! This was a really fun car to drive, we're glad we had the chance to feature it.
One of my favorite cars! I just love the exterior! Maybe one day I’ll get to own one. Just don’t want to deal with potential issues. And I already have 3 cars that I want to keep.
We've definitely added this to our list of cars we'd buy, it was such a treat being able to drive it around!
You should do a S600 supercharged , 2thousands maybe for the year thank you
They're hard to find but it's definitely on my list!
@@PRNTestDrive sweet hopefully by the grace of God you find one BEAUTIFUL CARS MAN , your channel is the BEST THANK YOU ILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT 😎
-Merc Fam
i love this car i keep coming back to watch , where could i get that license plate cover from ???
Glad to hear that! Maybe check eBay or even Amazon for the plate frame, might be a seller there.
Description is off. Europe got the 220 in fall of '98 whereas the U.S., at least, first took delivery in spring to summer of '99.
Do you have a link for that? We found the information a bit sketchy when researching the actual availabilities, however we should have clarified in the description we meant model years.
Perpetual Radio Networks I know 220s extremely well. I have collected the actual press books from the German release and that's what it states. The press drives for German journalists was Q2 of '98 if I recall correctly as well.
And, for the U.S., I know the first deliveries were largely beginning of summer '99, but but early cars for people that reserved further in advance were around here in spring. Mine was special ordered in summer of '99 and delivered November of '99, after the air conditioning design issue was fixed (from pre-October cars).
Let me know if you make your way to Vancouver CA or washington state if you would like to review a clean w215 cl600 biturbo.
We'd certainly love to! We're hoping we can do some cross-country trips at some point.
Still a gem of a car and asking around 10-12K € here.
That's quite a bit! We ball-parked the $10k CAD price since we see most of them listed for that, but the owner paid $6,500 for this on a $12,000 list price. Deals are out there!
Perpetual Radio Networks You could bargain here though the problem for us then is the road tax on it. It would be double, even more than the insurance cost 😂
Regarding the muted noise level I'm at a loss too because both the resonator's and mufflers r STRAIGHT THRU as I've pushed wires thru them! Delete one r the other for a louder sound.
I think Mercedes wanted to keep this car quiet like the rest of the S-Class models. I think it was also a testing ground for AMG, considering the W140's very limited number of AMG-tuned vehicles were more like a tuner would after the car was built. The S 55 AMG was really the first S-Class AMG had the chance to work with from the start.
Well, I've thought long and hard why even Mercedes even MADE this model? Who were they competing with?? Bimmer's had the big 740 series but maybe 300 hp. Porsche only had 911's... Ferrari had the 456 and later 550 GT's but Mercedes never fought with Ferrari over car sales... American car's in the mid 2000's never came NEAR 500 hp! In other words, this car is a freak of sorts...
bmw 760?
We're talking Mercedes. Where do you get Bimmer 760 from?
you in the comment above you looney
Hi! I found a 2003 silver S55 AMG in good condition with 120k miles for $9k. Do you think it's a good deal? Thanks
Seems like a good price, but the overall condition and service history is the most important, definitely have the car looked at by a trusted mechanic before!
Its need a resonator delete or muffler delete to sound good
For some perhaps, we’re always happy to feature something completely original though!
Perpetual Radio Networks can you please manage to review a s55 or s600 with a straight piped exhaust?😭😭😭😭
We'll see what we can do!
I removed my rear resonators sounds great not much louder just right with 76mm pulley and VRP tune top speed restrictor removed and all low rpm TQ Restrictions removed very fun car.
I got one my back seats recline! Super confrontable!!
Nice! I imagine it's crazy comfortable with those rear power seats. That's the kind of S-Class we want.
@@PRNTestDrive willing to sell it!lol
Absolutely love all that gorgeous wood (effect?) trim. Don't understand why it's fallen out of favour with modern luxury cars.
Most luxury manufacturers still offer wood, in fact a lot like Mercedes-Benz have multiple different wood styles on cars like the C-Class now, something that was unheard of for that car 20 years ago. However most seem to opt for carbon fibre (real or fake), or some sort of shiny material like piano black plastic or aluminium. We're publishing an episode on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz E 450 4matic on Monday, it had black wood trim, not my choice, but cool that they offer it.
@@PRNTestDrive Perhaps the lovely wood effect trim that I like so much has fallen out of favour with customers rather than manufacturers then. I'm not a fan of the carbon-fibre, black piano-wood or brushed stainless steel that seems to have replaced it. Probably because I'm old... Lol.. ;)
I don't like the new trim offerings either, give me a nice wood slab any day! We have the 2019 Mercedes-AMG E 53 Coupé on Monday, I took a quick look at the interior when I was picking up this week's current car and I believe they skipped the wood on it, bit of a bummer.
I had a 2006 AMG S55 and it was a nightmare to own. The good did not outweigh the bad. If you want to listen to how mine sounded it should be on my page. 1yr owner ship cost around 10k+
Always budget that in, you're buying a car that cost $120k+ new, it'll need maintenance like it's $120k+.
The W220 is such a small car compared to the old W140!
I think it's only about two inches off the length and one off the width, mostly from the aerodynamic changes with the new design. We didn't feel like this W220 was any smaller than the W140 we did.
the w220 is actually bigger inside,hard to believe but true i think the w140 has a bigger trunk/boot space however the new car has more shoulder and length in the seating area
Good to know! It's hard to get an idea of space differences without having them side by side. Maybe one day we will have the chance to!
wassup bro! about to pick up a 2003 S600 tommorow!!!
Very nice choice, congrats! It's one of those cars I want to add to my garage too, hopefully everything goes smoothly for you when you go to pick it up!
PRN_TestDrive i checked it out today, the car has been sitting , needs some cosmetic love , the motor still sounds very strong it needs a few things done though for sure
How bad cosmetically are we talking? Rust was a big problem for these if left out in the elements, but the engine is certainly the most important, if something’s gone wrong there it’ll be a headache.
PRN_TestDrive the seats didnt have any rips , the headlights need restoration for sure , im gonna find some OEM floor mats , and also the windows and the seat wont move on the passenger side i think its a module or a fuse or something would you know by any chance?
Could be two unrelated problems, I don’t think the window and seat controls would be connected to the same module, perhaps the regulator failed on the window and the motor or module for the seat failed. Best bet would be to get a voltmeter to see if there’s power getting to the window switches and motors.
Great episode...
Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!
I love my S55.
We bet!
How’s the maintenance on these thugs
Do a 2005/2006 E55 AMG same engine. Also check out dapper drift
Would love to get our hands on one!
S65 W220 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One day we hope!
please make a video about s320 w140
We'll see what we can do, it took us over 2 years just to get the W140 we featured last month, but we're still looking for them to film!
amazing car , im really tryna build my cars up and find one right now i got my e class i need to get that asap .
There certainly are some W220s out there to pickup, we've spotted a few of them for sale on AutoTrader since filming this one.
Perpetual Radio Networks which area
We usually do national searches when looking for specific cars, but the Toronto area usually has the best chance for an S 55 like this.
Perpetual Radio Networks im alll the way in Virginia lol idk how that would work
In my eyes W220 is the best-looking S-class Mercedes after the classy, noble W126. I appreciate that even the AMG expressions were unostentatiously looking back then. I'd prefer this anytime to the overtly aggressive styled cars they bring out today, same goes for BMW.
I really love the W220 also, it’s a car I’d love to own.
W220 looks great still. I prefer the facelift model it’s just the air ride scares me away.
I'd love to own one of these, I have a 2013 S 550 but the W220 always has a place in my heart.
In Southern Calif I have 4 of these exact models, including an '03, which I'm restoring...
Very nice! What needs to be restored on the 03?
Right now very little left... The electric engine fan runs slow so that'll get replaced... the trunk accuator doesn't go down completely... Otherwise the car is near mint!
i seen some old Benz that are worth 5000 because good mileage and well taken care of going to be buying a nice s class soon as i get the money
$5k is pretty affordable, it's about the price of a regular-spec W220 with 200k kms or higher in 2024.
What was the alarm at 9:34, Airmatic???
It might have been the exterior temperature alert, I would have mentioned if it was serious 😂
DO A W140 S500 comparison with W140 s600
We'd love to do one! It took us a long time just to get the W140 we featured, but we're hoping we can make something like that happen, similar to the E38 V12 vs. V8 Showdown we did last year!
Cool grandpa at 7:06
😂😂
lol, he wanna race?
Grandpa's got a lead foot!
I own the identical car. Love mine. 104k on the clock and still going like new. Although its not my daily driver. I keep it in imaculent condition. its for sale by the way....$12.5k
Not bad at all! We really loved driving this car, it’s easily one we’d add to our garage if we had the budget for it.
Hey do you still have it for sale?
Great review. One of my favorites! Comb your hair Nile!
casey peterson he is so much cuter with shorter hair right ? 😉
I'm lookin' pretty cute now, just wait for our live stream on Wednesday with the 2018 BMW M760Li!
I kinda want one but with airmatic not ABC... and I think the 55 came standard with the ABC
I believe that's correct. Something like an S 500 should be fine, yes the performance is a lot more fun with the AMG model but it depends on what you're looking for. I'd absolutely love one of these, but would be equally open to a 'regular' S 500 instead.
Beautiful car
When it's well kept, absolutely! This is a great example.
You can say whatever you want, but the w220 series will look very modern.
The facelift W220 is perfection, I'd still love to own one of these.
is this still available i wanna buy it asap
This one isn't for sale, the owner just bought it.
Picking up s55 2003 179k miles for 5k tomorrow
Awesome! Hope you get to enjoy it for a long time. I really had a blast doing this video, and would love to revisit the W220 again after buying my W221.
Awesome video bro, PS I say the same exact thing,"Butter Smooth"
Butter smooooth
Unreal value nowadays for one of these. Much much cheaper to maintain than either S600 or S65!!
Definitely true, the V8s end up requiring less maintenance given their smaller engine size. I believe everything worked on this car also, unlike some of the other W220s we featured where small issues had already crept up.
The metal is inferior quality on my 2001 CLK not just lack of paint as I own a 1989 300 CE and she never fails on rust on the MOT unlike the huge list I have completed for the poor old 230 kompressor having said that its more powerful than the 300 and is my daily driver. The CE looks cooler though. good videos I like your strait forward approach.
We appreciate that, thanks! There's no doubt Mercedes did some serious cost cutting with their models moving into the 2000s, this was one of the hardest hit.
06 didn't have a 7gtronic transmission they also have the 5gtronic
I believe that was only on the V12s.
What was the blinking sound ar 9.35, did something break? Lol, jk. But these are not so reliable cars after all. Nice vid. I've slowly started tl like this w220, but i still prefer the all new s class and 126 and 140. The w221 is the 'worst' in my opinion.
Ah! That was just the cold temperature warning, something along the lines of "3º Roads May Be Icy" kinda garbage. Our E38 does the same thing under 3º.
Europe and most of the world didn't get it 1998 but 1999 is the first model of this car
So who got them for the 98 model years?
Perpetual Radio Networks no one because they start production in july or August 98
Now you have to find a 211 e55!
It's definitely on our list!
I will soon get one... here in Germany they cost ~$10000 for the 540ps version. (For my 2008 w204 c180 i payed the same price)
Would that be $10,000 in US? Still not a bad price at all for this car, we'd take one of these in a heartbeat if we could.
@@PRNTestDrive $10k is always $10k... in Euro it would be 8000- 8500€ ;) i hope i get one with the bose system :)
My sister had one dammm that thang was smooth and powerful
So smooth! And still pretty powerful by today's standards. Definitely not by AMG S-Class standards of today, but still an impressive amount of power from a 15 year old sedan.
Amazing car 😎
We think so too!
I didn't get the mileage not feeling to go through and check what was it?
It was shown about 15 seconds before we mentioned it. But the car has 286,000km.
People blow them up because of the O ring around the oil sump that cracks due to age. This can cause oil starvation which leads to a unfortunate aftermath.
Makes sense!
Yessss finally