Me thinking you should have had a taste drive before buying any more cheep cars you mechanic is probably too embarrassed to take the money off you and not testing the engine first before doing anything else on the car it’s equivalent to taking the car apart and finding out it was only a blown fuse just because it’s a Mercedes, does not mean it’s gonna last longer than any other car on the road you just paying thousands more just for a badge
considoringthat new s class cost a house its still a bargain if you got budget of 15k and what luxury and comfort this merc would worth every penny spend
Yup! At the start when Matt said he could have a 4.5k-5k car after sorting it out, I immediately said a 5k bill would be more likely 🤣 - He knows.....but sometimes it's worth a gamble 🤭
Seats, sunroof, alloys, air suspension, doors, boot, bonnet, infotainment system, cluster, interior trim, headlights, taillights, all of the modules, then still have engine/gearbox
i don't think they didn't charge you out of sympathy. it's the right thing. they never should have fixed all those small things before addressing the possibly terminal more expensive issue. they were at fault and regardless of sympathy they were morally obliged to not charge you in my opinion.
Honestly I agree. There was a clear issue with the engine lacking power at the start of the video. What were they doing with all the brakes first??? As if it was the only thing they know to do with such a car. Sort out its runability issues first before the wear and tear items
They know he has a youtube channel and can shame them, that is the only reason he was let off the bill. A normal Joe Soap would have had to pay before being given the keys to leave the garage with the car.
Totally agree! Cowboys. Go to an independent Benz garage. Those brake parts are proper cheap for Benz. Discs and pads are at least around £500 alone. Also you must use the right oil in those diesel Benz’s. You can’t go cheap with a Benz if you do you will pay at least double again, stay away from grease monkeys 😂
In 2012 I was about to grab a 2006 with many upgrades and a crazy low 1800 miles from new..it was £25000. Somebody was faster as I went home to get my wife to come back to look at it. It was sold…and I have often wondered how it fared. By now it would have been around 95000 miles but would have looked brand new with full MB Dealer service history…£4795 with luck?.Maybe a great escape! Would you like a one owner 2001 E55AMG that had full MB history and 96000 miles from new but bought for £500 around 10 years ago as it would not start and many men have struggled with it. The rain has eaten it and it does not move easily even towed but the interior is superb! Rule one…don’t buy big old Mercedes!!!😬😬🫣🫣🫣🫣
Made a similar mistake 2 years ago. Bought it for £4.5k, spent £800 on work - it was then great for about 200 miles. It then let me down on the side of a smart motorway, at night - took 5 hours for the RAC to come. Found out it needed another £4k spending on it - turbo, those oil cooler gaskets, bunch of gearbox solenoids, break lines, to name but a few. I ended up selling it for parts for about £400. Lesson learnt - no such thing as a cheap S-Class!
With hindsight maybe the mechanics should have done an initial road test before spending money on the service and brakes. Would have saved you both time and expense. 👍
Feels strange that they didn't? Why would you go about changing out breaks when there is an engine light on and the owners says it's down on power? Better go change out the rear brakes!
" I don't want to end up massively overspending on this" ...That rings a bell 🤣 Manufacturers decided a few decades ago that longevity is not a profit-turner. Modern day cars should come with a 'Best Before' sticker. An oil leak from a top-end Mercedes engine was unthinkable a few decades past.. 18 years might sound a lot to millennials but as high-end cars go, it should be just a few heart-beats, it once was.
I'll watch this later tonight when I get some peace and quiet....Yep, watched it, good video, and wasn't surprised at the outcome...Some cars are less of a risk to rescue, others not so much..
Matt I love it when you venture into S Class Mercedes always gets me thinking 🤔 which troubles my wallet. 😉always enjoy your videos. OG follower from NZ & UK since your first video 👌nice Monday surprise video 👍🙏
Save it! Go to Dronsfields in Radcliffe & you can get salvaged & reconditioned parts with a warranty. Once sorted with all the service of work done, history, you'll have a good £5k - £6k car ready for another decade on the road
@gabrielstoica2591 If the car was properly sorted, I would. I've been a Mercedes man for 26 years, & when properly looked after, these cars are sorted. But just like any other car, if neglected, you get issues. There's not a 18 year old car on the planet that doesn't require maintenance & a bit of TLC. We're always too ready to ditch things showing a bit of wear & tear, when a few quid can keep them going & help reduce needless waste. This car needs saving mate.
@@JustAnthonyX it really doesn't need saving. You would spend a few grand sorting it out, only for it to start going wrong again a year later. If you are going to spend a fortune running a car, it needs to make your heat beat faster or something, a 2006 diesel merc, however luxurious, doesn't do that.
These barges are tempting - but they're an order of magnitude more complex and risky than the E-Classes or Volvo S80s of the world. Thanks for sharing the less than fortunate outcomes, too!
Gutted for you matt, know you like saving these older motors but me thinks that this was 1 too far, kudos mate, you're a proper car guy, by the way absolutely love the channel and keep going with the Sterling work you do
You're a big boy Matt and you fully knew the riskiness of such a purchase however, you're a fab content creator and gave us another entertaining video. Bravo to you and your mechanic, who was probably upset that she gave you the car back still faulty. Onwards and upwards.
Pity Car Vertical doesn’t check your cars out before you buy them. Never spend money on servicing until all faults and dash lights are fixed. Probably a good idea to avoid the first year of manufacture with Mercedes, this model has well documented gearbox issues that were fixed from 2007.
This S class is in very good condition for its age, it is such a pity that it has so many faults and issues. Great advice Matt, there are many tempting, aging , luxury cars out there, which had eye watering price tags when new, 15 to 20 years on, now within reach of the budget car buyer. It’s worth remembering though, just because the car is now cheap, the parts prices are still premium.
I had one of those S500 2008, best car i ever had when it worked properly. Yet the most expensive to run as well. On some days i feel bad that i sold it, on the other days i think i did the right thing as it was too much to handle for a daily driver. I had to replace one abs sensor up front as well. And 2 starters, and some wiring and all of the brakes... bought it for 14500e, sold it for 8500e after a year and a half, spending some 5000 on it in maintenance alone, road taxes, petrol excluded. But hey, what a car!
I picked one up for a friend a few years ago,with very low mileage,in exc condition all round. Drove it about 250miles and found it boring. My much older xjr was a far superior car in handling and performance and unlike the S class the gearbox did'nt pack in after a year! Congratulations for your honesty on this review
If you decide to keep it, you should cover it up to protect it from weather. Or you could sell it for parts. Seats and the rest of the interior looks good. Wheels, even in that state, look nice.
Hi 😊 Matt, my wife purchased a c class for £3000 it's a 2005 reg runs fantastic. My daughter has a 2005 reg c180 magnificent condition. If you get a good Mercedes for good money 😊 it will last for ever. That S class could be lovely 😊
Matt, oil leak, coming from the turbo intake, will track along the loom into ECU. Can be cleaned if your lucky, that coil light, will be the same issue, oil leaking onto the swirl flap motor. Used to have the same issue with Jeep Grand Cherokees
Great video Matt - as with all you do thanks for your honesty and open approach. I'm no mechanic or car sales person but I do have 4 older Mercedes that I run and therefore really enjoy what you do. I think your summing up is spot on don't buy a cheap one and they can be expensive to fix................ but they can be rewarding, they look good can be great to drive and if you spend a little more £4k or so and get 2 years out of it then thats great value motoring at the same cost as 2 months depreciation for a flash EV! I think your instinct is right there's a good car in there, I think it deserves another round of looking at? The interior looked good. the outside was fair but as identified needed some minor work. You mention warning lights were coming up, ABS and ESP were shown, and then the engine light, but apart from the sluggish running it did feel solid to you when you gave it a short drive. The work done for £1000 service, battery, oil, brakes and sensor is stuff you would have expected (having said that it passed an MOT in late 2023), but maybe not the corroded back plates. I have an ML 2005 with the 3.0 turbo diesel - I've had the lack of power issue - as you said, it turned out to be the turbo actuator - it was £250 for a refubished one to be supplied and fitted - straight back to normal after that - so worth a look? (I can't remember if this fault lit the engine fault light, if not then the other favourite is the camshaft position sensor circa £150) I've also had ABS sensors replaced
Engine lack of power is a common fault on the v6.you can overcome it for 40 pence fix.its the swirlflap motor.puting it in limp mode.you can overcome it with a 4kohm resitor in the plug.takes no more then 30 mins.and will take off engine light and resume full power.
It's an expensive lesson to learn but thankfully you have shared your experience on your channel. Not every car has a profit in it but you win some, you lose some! You have more good experiences than bad but you are willing to advise on both thanks to your honesty. All the best Matt & always look on the bright side (of life) bud-um...bud-um...bud-um bud-um bud um...........
They aged so well especially the facelift, Would own one no matter the maintenence cost. Love the S320 CDI personally. Great video and work as always Matt! :D
He probably does. If he's a regular business customer thats constantly bringing in cars, he probably spends a fortune with them. So I imagine a grand of labour isn't too painful for them. Especially as business customers are normally the best customers to have as they are far less hassle generally. I imagine he has quite a good relationship with them.
Another quality German car with their reputation for reliable engineering!! I'll stick with my most reliable car ever and I've had a lot, oh and by the way it's French. I know you've got your fingers burnt but it made a good video keep the good work Matt
About 18 months ago I bought a 2010 S Class with 135000 miles. So far not too many problems, it was a Merc company car so fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I think only 1 previous owner, that helps (Merc) If it needs over a Grand to mend something I will sell it for parts.
With a 2010 model you should be good and it being a Mercedes company car those are well taken care off since they were with Mercedes, so I shall assume that maintenance were at official Mercedes Mechanic's with OEM Parts, so you should be good.
Good morning Matt. A friend of mine here says you make 10 decisions and one of those is wrong. If you stopped after that bad one it might have been the 3rd of 10 and you miss out on the next 7 good ones. It takes courage to keep going and making those next decisions, I'm sure you will.
I was once given the previous S Class to drive for a wedding and within 24h it came up with several warning lights of things that have failed in the 24h it was in my hands. So glad it was not mine and I didn't have to deal with it!
Yep, my current Merc is affectionately nicknamed "the money pit" it replaced the previous eclass money pit, that replaced the BMW really deep money pit. Love German engineering ( when it works as intended ) lol
Were the W140 era S class models less worry ? I recall one that belonged to a Hong Kong dignitary for sale on Ebay several years ago that had low mileage and looked immaculate. They certainly had an air of something built a lot better.
Those cars were amazingly well built. Every knob, every switch, every trim looks and feels like it was built to last 100 years. Engineering quality like that is long gone.
@@stephenlester7286 The only thing I don't like with R129 SL's is the hydraulically operated roof. A real hassle if they leak fluid. Barring that, they're fantastic cars.
Common problem with these. Good engine, cheap sensors! Oil leaks from the sensors and sometimes from the injector loom, travels up the wire by fluid convection and gets into the ecu main plug. You can tell which sensor by puling the connector. New loom to the ecu and clean the female end of the plug in the ecu carefully. You might want to open it up and check the board for contamination. Mine took 2 cleans after the new loom but itran fine after.
You don't necessarily need to replace the whole wiring loom. There is a kit to sort this stuff out. I have a couple of videos, in German, in which they solve this kind of issue. I'll something around
What a fantastic example of when things go wrong. We need more videos of bad luck / poor judgment. It's what makes us human. Also, it may educate someone out there seeing people genuinely get it wrong. It's real life, and there ain't much of that on the Internet. Cheers Matt. 👌👌👍
I saw the thumbnail and thought that’s risky. When you delivered your opening line at the scenic spot I gave an audible chuckle. 😂 still we live and we learn Matt.
I'm guessing the thing on the front seat is the turbo that's gone. If I bought a car which I never will as I can't drive but if I did I would have had a meltdown.
This was a really insightful video as I have always eyed up a W221 considering how cheap you can get them. I guess this demonstrates there's no such thing as a cheap luxury car as you'll end up spending the premium one way or another.
Hi Matt, here's an idea: make a project series of this S Class, but this time convert it to LHD. And maybe I can "win it" as i had to move to Europe recently.. just putting it out there.. great stuff, though Matt, one of the few on YT that I actually follow diligently! Cheers!
I suspect that for that price, it has quite a number of major issues. I doubt you'd be able to find a clean, reliable W221 S Class for that price anywhere.
What mechanic lets you off a bill of £1016 ? Just WOW !... I have never ever heard of such a thing from any tradesman. Matt, to say you have a very great mechanic is such an understatement ! I think you should give the Merc to your mechanic, so he can fix it in his own time and sell it on and recoup some of his expenditure.
Bearing in mind the sheer volume of work Matt puts their way, (and the fact they missed the main problem while doing all the bits and pieces) it's just the cost of doing business sometimes - especially when most of it is labour. It's not an uncommon approach when a garage fails to sort a car for a regular and trusted customer.
They know he has a youtube channel and can shame them, that is the only reason he was let off the bill. A normal Joe Soap would have had to pay before being given the keys to leave the garage with the car with zero chance of getting the money back.
@@AminaAmina-xq4bb No, the mechanic missed the main fault. I don't think they could present a bill for servicing a car like that and expect to be paid. If it went to court, the judge would say that the service work had been negligent - engine still in limp home mode...a christmas tree of warning lights each time the car is started. That's not a service. I have no idea why the mechanic missed those things or dealt with things in the wrong order.
Well Matt, all I can say is thank you for continuing to take the risk on lovely old barges on our behalf. Often you have saved them, which is always a pleasure to see. In this case can you strip for parts and sell those on? Or is too much labour to make it worth it?
Great to see it was behind bars! If that land is yours turn it into a breakers yard so every time you do an " I've bought a very cheap X Y or Z" video, they can go straight in😊
*I had problem comprehending trading in general. I tried watching other UA-cam trading channels, but they made the concepts more complicated. I was almost giving up until when i discovered content and explain everything in detail. The videos are easy to follow*
I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I'd suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.
Tracy Britt Cool Consulting was my hope during the 'bear summer' last year. I made so many mistakes but also learned so much from it, and of course from Tracy.
I owned a 2004 model for around 4 years, lovely cars but everything about them is expensive if you aren't a home mechanic give it some serious thought before committing. Unusual to see engine problems with the straight six which is a great engine, your biggest headache will be suspension troubles if they occur. Nothing is simple and straightforward but YT is a great help with some niggles, genuine parts are a ridiculous price.
Love how heated seats and a reverse camera are highlighted as things that stop this being a base spec S class... These are luxury cars, even in 2006 these should have been essentials
Heated seats were standard on the 221, I think reversing cam as well. Most of them are prestige plus trim adding ventilated seats, adaptive cruise and other goodies.
Sounds like it'd be a good one for a Merc breakers to take off your hands. Plenty of useable parts still, unless the wiring loom problems have actually damaged the electronics of individual components.
Excellent Video Matt 🎉 .. for many important reasons: 1. How can any mechanic generate a Bill and the car still fails? The bugbear of any vehicle owner I'm certain. Imagine if a plumber came to your house, charged you £200 and left your property without actually fixing your toilets, how is that lawful?? thank you.
The oil in the wireing thing is a know problem to many models, sadly. Most often an easy fix but if the mechanic doesn't know what he/she does it'll end with a massive bill
The title should be
"I bought a very expensive umbrella for £2,916 ! "
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I think there is only one thing you can do... buy 2 more cheap S classes and make 2 good ones out of them
That's a great idea for a new channel 😂😂😂=👍👍
Exactly what I was going to say 😂
What kind of lunatic would do something like that...
😂😂
Me thinking you should have had a taste drive before buying any more cheep cars you mechanic is probably too embarrassed to take the money off you and not testing the engine first before doing anything else on the car it’s equivalent to taking the car apart and finding out it was only a blown fuse just because it’s a Mercedes, does not mean it’s gonna last longer than any other car on the road you just paying thousands more just for a badge
I love the fact that you are humble enough to show us your mistakes, top bloke, top show.
Keep up the great work Matt.
Have you tried fitting new number plates and seeing if that helps?
LOL
And a quick BUFF of the head lights😮😂
And 4 matching tyres.
Top comment 😂😂
😂😂😂😂❤
"The engine light is on , its misfiring , there's white smoke coming out the back and its overheating but im hoping it's just a sensor"
Best quote in this video 10:49. " i'm not a car anorak " . Says the man who can tell you the exact colour code of any second hand vehicle.
Lol. N said it with a straight face😂
Imagine having this man on your team if there was a pub quiz for car paint codes
I saw Mercedes S class… cheap… and thought ‘oooooo this’ll be expensive to fix!’ 😂
considoringthat new s class cost a house its still a bargain if you got budget of 15k and what luxury and comfort this merc would worth every penny spend
@@serz1885 that’s absolutely true! But Matt wouldn’t get it back when he sold it on, so not worth doing sadly.
Yup! At the start when Matt said he could have a 4.5k-5k car after sorting it out, I immediately said a 5k bill would be more likely 🤣 - He knows.....but sometimes it's worth a gamble 🤭
In my country people say "there is nothing more expensive than a cheap luxury car " and i think it is absolutely true
@@serz1885for 15k you can get a way better more luxury car than that old s class
Spares and repair. Seats, doors, boot, bonnet, etc., You'll get more back, plus you'll help other people keep their old Mercs on the road!!
Seats, sunroof, alloys, air suspension, doors, boot, bonnet, infotainment system, cluster, interior trim, headlights, taillights, all of the modules, then still have engine/gearbox
Agreed. Parts for spares should more than payback the outlay.
Sadly, you'll struggle to find anyone looking to buy those.
@@benjamin7114 that’s not true, in particular on a car like this
This car in parts easily worth 20k.
A cheap Mercedes S-Class is as risky as starting a democratic party in North Korea.
i don't think they didn't charge you out of sympathy. it's the right thing. they never should have fixed all those small things before addressing the possibly terminal more expensive issue. they were at fault and regardless of sympathy they were morally obliged to not charge you in my opinion.
Honestly I agree. There was a clear issue with the engine lacking power at the start of the video. What were they doing with all the brakes first??? As if it was the only thing they know to do with such a car. Sort out its runability issues first before the wear and tear items
It's actually very smart.
He sends a lot of business in their direction.
They know he has a youtube channel and can shame them, that is the only reason he was let off the bill. A normal Joe Soap would have had to pay before being given the keys to leave the garage with the car.
Totally agree! Cowboys. Go to an independent Benz garage. Those brake parts are proper cheap for Benz. Discs and pads are at least around £500 alone. Also you must use the right oil in those diesel Benz’s. You can’t go cheap with a Benz if you do you will pay at least double again, stay away from grease monkeys 😂
In 2012 I was about to grab a 2006 with many upgrades and a crazy low 1800 miles from new..it was £25000. Somebody was faster as I went home to get my wife to come back to look at it. It was sold…and I have often wondered how it fared. By now it would have been around 95000 miles but would have looked brand new with full MB Dealer service history…£4795 with luck?.Maybe a great escape! Would you like a one owner 2001 E55AMG that had full MB history and 96000 miles from new but bought for £500 around 10 years ago as it would not start and many men have struggled with it. The rain has eaten it and it does not move easily even towed but the interior is superb! Rule one…don’t buy big old Mercedes!!!😬😬🫣🫣🫣🫣
Made a similar mistake 2 years ago. Bought it for £4.5k, spent £800 on work - it was then great for about 200 miles. It then let me down on the side of a smart motorway, at night - took 5 hours for the RAC to come. Found out it needed another £4k spending on it - turbo, those oil cooler gaskets, bunch of gearbox solenoids, break lines, to name but a few. I ended up selling it for parts for about £400. Lesson learnt - no such thing as a cheap S-Class!
You should have gone straight to the merc specialist before spending a penny on it
@@ElkTheHammeryes, with hindsight!
i would almost bet that guy who bought it for 400 did 400 more on used parts and is now driving flawlessly in his 800 quid S class.
@@zkljajait is indeed still going - last I checked it ended up in Northern Ireland. I sold it to a trade seller
Yeah you just didn't buy cheap enough. You should have bought it for £400 off yourself and then spend £4k on it lol.
A lesson to be learned, you should have checked the engine fault out first. Then you wouldn’t have had the whacking bill to pay.
Love the S-class design! It reminds me of the episode when Top Gear went to Albania and Hammond drove the S63 😎
aCkShUaLlY S65
Only there’s never enough room to park them
Learn to drive then@@paulmcgee1867
@@Danse_Macabre_125 oh yeah! You’re right!
With hindsight maybe the mechanics should have done an initial road test before spending money on the service and brakes. Would have saved you both time and expense. 👍
Feels strange that they didn't? Why would you go about changing out breaks when there is an engine light on and the owners says it's down on power? Better go change out the rear brakes!
Yeh looking at the video he said that was priority
Very odd. Hence them not chasing Matt for the money.
The seller informed you about the ABS light, the rust and the wheels but not the lack of power hmm.
Designed to create an impression of honesty!
" I don't want to end up massively overspending on this" ...That rings a bell 🤣
Manufacturers decided a few decades ago that longevity is not a profit-turner. Modern day cars should come with a 'Best Before' sticker. An oil leak from a top-end Mercedes engine was unthinkable a few decades past.. 18 years might sound a lot to millennials but as high-end cars go, it should be just a few heart-beats, it once was.
Agree. Cars from the 90s and before were built to a quality standard, not a price.
Give it to Liam and Andy at Transformotion, they’ll have that fixed in 3 hours
This is EXACTLY why I bought Japanese… Petrol… Manual G/box when I retired and just wanted something that will get me around 🤷♂️
Wise man.
@@muckle8 👍
"Cheap" and "German luxury car" don't go in the same sentence.
Best thing to do is part it out, sure there's a load of expensive parts on it.
yep and a lot aren't available for these 221s so it's a goldmine
How American. Parrt it out maaaan yeahhh let’s gooooo. In England it’s called break it.
Himalayan balsam. (@12.50) A very intrusive plant. That’s the pretty looking pink and white plant in the background of your report. Great vid Matt.
I'll watch this later tonight when I get some peace and quiet....Yep, watched it, good video, and wasn't surprised at the outcome...Some cars are less of a risk to rescue, others not so much..
Matt I love it when you venture into S Class Mercedes always gets me thinking 🤔 which troubles my wallet. 😉always enjoy your videos. OG follower from NZ & UK since your first video 👌nice Monday surprise video 👍🙏
Save it! Go to Dronsfields in Radcliffe & you can get salvaged & reconditioned parts with a warranty. Once sorted with all the service of work done, history, you'll have a good £5k - £6k car ready for another decade on the road
Nobody is paying 5k for a s320 from 2006 with almost 130k miles.
HE'S NOT TELLING TO SELL IT , HE SAYS USE IT FOR TEN YEARS@@gabrielstoica2591
@gabrielstoica2591 If the car was properly sorted, I would. I've been a Mercedes man for 26 years, & when properly looked after, these cars are sorted. But just like any other car, if neglected, you get issues. There's not a 18 year old car on the planet that doesn't require maintenance & a bit of TLC. We're always too ready to ditch things showing a bit of wear & tear, when a few quid can keep them going & help reduce needless waste. This car needs saving mate.
Another decade!!!
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 good luck with that,
It’s a Mercedes🤦♂️
@@JustAnthonyX it really doesn't need saving. You would spend a few grand sorting it out, only for it to start going wrong again a year later. If you are going to spend a fortune running a car, it needs to make your heat beat faster or something, a 2006 diesel merc, however luxurious, doesn't do that.
These barges are tempting - but they're an order of magnitude more complex and risky than the E-Classes or Volvo S80s of the world.
Thanks for sharing the less than fortunate outcomes, too!
Gutted for you matt, know you like saving these older motors but me thinks that this was 1 too far, kudos mate, you're a proper car guy, by the way absolutely love the channel and keep going with the Sterling work you do
You're a big boy Matt and you fully knew the riskiness of such a purchase however, you're a fab content creator and gave us another entertaining video. Bravo to you and your mechanic, who was probably upset that she gave you the car back still faulty. Onwards and upwards.
Pity Car Vertical doesn’t check your cars out before you buy them. Never spend money on servicing until all faults and dash lights are fixed. Probably a good idea to avoid the first year of manufacture with Mercedes, this model has well documented gearbox issues that were fixed from 2007.
Did I hear you say “don’t buy an older LS “ ? If you want a big luxury car then the LS is the answer.
thank you, love the honesty
This S class is in very good condition for its age, it is such a pity that it has so many faults and issues.
Great advice Matt, there are many tempting, aging , luxury cars out there, which had eye watering price tags when new, 15 to 20 years on, now within reach of the budget car buyer.
It’s worth remembering though, just because the car is now cheap, the parts prices are still premium.
I had one of those S500 2008, best car i ever had when it worked properly. Yet the most expensive to run as well. On some days i feel bad that i sold it, on the other days i think i did the right thing as it was too much to handle for a daily driver. I had to replace one abs sensor up front as well. And 2 starters, and some wiring and all of the brakes... bought it for 14500e, sold it for 8500e after a year and a half, spending some 5000 on it in maintenance alone, road taxes, petrol excluded. But hey, what a car!
They say the best 2 days of your life is the day you buy a 500 v8 merc and the day you sell it!
@@peteramberley9952 haha, good one 😀
I picked one up for a friend a few years ago,with very low mileage,in exc condition all round. Drove it about 250miles and found it boring. My much older xjr was a far superior car in handling and performance and unlike the S class the gearbox did'nt pack in after a year! Congratulations for your honesty on this review
If you decide to keep it, you should cover it up to protect it from weather. Or you could sell it for parts. Seats and the rest of the interior looks good. Wheels, even in that state, look nice.
Hi 😊 Matt, my wife purchased a c class for £3000 it's a 2005 reg runs fantastic. My daughter has a 2005 reg c180 magnificent condition. If you get a good Mercedes for good money 😊 it will last for ever. That S class could be lovely 😊
That was really stupid to do all that work before making it run proper first.
YEH STUPID MECHANIC
Why not diagnose the engine problem first before you sanctioned all the standard work…!!??😣🤷♂️
Matt, oil leak, coming from the turbo intake, will track along the loom into ECU. Can be cleaned if your lucky, that coil light, will be the same issue, oil leaking onto the swirl flap motor. Used to have the same issue with Jeep Grand Cherokees
The oil in the wiring loom is a different problem, it comes from the cam sensors
Thanks I used to want one of these … but this video has totally changed my mind
The perfect Bermuda car. You couldn't break the speed limit if you tried.
Great video Matt - as with all you do thanks for your honesty and open approach. I'm no mechanic or car sales person but I do have 4 older Mercedes that I run and therefore really enjoy what you do. I think your summing up is spot on don't buy a cheap one and they can be expensive to fix................ but they can be rewarding, they look good can be great to drive and if you spend a little more £4k or so and get 2 years out of it then thats great value motoring at the same cost as 2 months depreciation for a flash EV!
I think your instinct is right there's a good car in there, I think it deserves another round of looking at? The interior looked good. the outside was fair but as identified needed some minor work. You mention warning lights were coming up, ABS and ESP were shown, and then the engine light, but apart from the sluggish running it did feel solid to you when you gave it a short drive. The work done for £1000 service, battery, oil, brakes and sensor is stuff you would have expected (having said that it passed an MOT in late 2023), but maybe not the corroded back plates.
I have an ML 2005 with the 3.0 turbo diesel - I've had the lack of power issue - as you said, it turned out to be the turbo actuator - it was £250 for a refubished one to be supplied and fitted - straight back to normal after that - so worth a look? (I can't remember if this fault lit the engine fault light, if not then the other favourite is the camshaft position sensor circa £150) I've also had ABS sensors replaced
Engine lack of power is a common fault on the v6.you can overcome it for 40 pence fix.its the swirlflap motor.puting it in limp mode.you can overcome it with a 4kohm resitor in the plug.takes no more then 30 mins.and will take off engine light and resume full power.
buy it off him and fix it then
@@abdullahisadiq4165 childish comment
It's an expensive lesson to learn but thankfully you have shared your experience on your channel. Not every car has a profit in it but you win some, you lose some! You have more good experiences than bad but you are willing to advise on both thanks to your honesty. All the best Matt & always look on the bright side (of life) bud-um...bud-um...bud-um bud-um bud um...........
Very true!
And thanks for the Leeds Mention 🎉👍
They aged so well especially the facelift, Would own one no matter the maintenence cost. Love the S320 CDI personally.
Great video and work as always Matt! :D
I believe the old S Classes actually suffered with the gearbox shoving oil through the wiring loom rather than the engine
Yes correct, a few Mercs of that era did that.
My W208 CLK too......but it wasn't killingly expensive to have the circuit board in the gearbox replaced & it's done another 30k miles since then
On these is is the cam sensors that leak oil into the wiring loom
That's a lovely looking merc , amg kit and everything
You must give your mechanics a great deal of work, I couldn't imagine many shops suffering a grand of work for nothing.
I'm guessing they'll eventually see something out of it.
He probably does. If he's a regular business customer thats constantly bringing in cars, he probably spends a fortune with them. So I imagine a grand of labour isn't too painful for them. Especially as business customers are normally the best customers to have as they are far less hassle generally. I imagine he has quite a good relationship with them.
if they'd correctly diagnosed all the problems he wouldn't have given them the nod for the £1K work
Another quality German car with their reputation for reliable engineering!! I'll stick with my most reliable car ever and I've had a lot, oh and by the way it's French. I know you've got your fingers burnt but it made a good video keep the good work Matt
About 18 months ago I bought a 2010 S Class with 135000 miles. So far not too many problems, it was a Merc company car so fingers crossed and hoping for the best. I think only 1 previous owner, that helps (Merc) If it needs over a Grand to mend something I will sell it for parts.
With a 2010 model you should be good and it being a Mercedes company car those are well taken care off since they were with Mercedes, so I shall assume that maintenance were at official Mercedes Mechanic's with OEM Parts, so you should be good.
A car like that needs a grand every now and then. If that’s too much for you, you shouldn’t have bought it imo.
What did you pay for it though
"part it out" as the yanks like to say
@@Conservator. well, not £1000, but you know where I'm coming from.
First time watching this channel got to say love your honesty
Poor old gal 😢❤
Good morning Matt. A friend of mine here says you make 10 decisions and one of those is wrong. If you stopped after that bad one it might have been the 3rd of 10 and you miss out on the next 7 good ones. It takes courage to keep going and making those next decisions, I'm sure you will.
you should offer it to one of your subscribers for a price as they know that its a shed and if they want a project they can get one
The oil in the wiring loom on those usually comes from the electronic plug going into the gearbox and makes it way up into the ECU
That’s what happens when you take the piss out of Leeds United lol😅
Well said sir.MOT
Living this life Matt is one big gamble you just take away the pain of doing what we all would do with cars❤❤
"Who knew, eh?"....We all knew, Matt, we all knew.😁
I was once given the previous S Class to drive for a wedding and within 24h it came up with several warning lights of things that have failed in the 24h it was in my hands. So glad it was not mine and I didn't have to deal with it!
There's no such thing as a cheap Mercedes 😂😂😂
Only have to watch the SPR vlog to know that. And can you get the parts?
In Germany you can get the spare parts immediately and they are not that expensive.
Yep same as any old luxury car you need very deep pockets. 😅
Yep, my current Merc is affectionately nicknamed "the money pit" it replaced the previous eclass money pit, that replaced the BMW really deep money pit. Love German engineering ( when it works as intended ) lol
@@vonsauerkraut😂😂😂😂😂
Were the W140 era S class models less worry ? I recall one that belonged to a Hong Kong dignitary for sale on Ebay several years ago that had low mileage and looked immaculate. They certainly had an air of something built a lot better.
They were the best built Mercedes
Ever
@@grandtrousers Yes, a 5 litre V8 one reversed into the carpark alongside my house once. It looked solid enough to bash its way into my living room.
Those cars were amazingly well built. Every knob, every switch, every trim looks and feels like it was built to last 100 years.
Engineering quality like that is long gone.
And it's getting to the stage where even a bad w140 is worth keeping as spares for a r129 sl.
@@stephenlester7286 The only thing I don't like with R129 SL's is the hydraulically operated roof. A real hassle if they leak fluid. Barring that, they're fantastic cars.
Common problem with these. Good engine, cheap sensors! Oil leaks from the sensors and sometimes from the injector loom, travels up the wire by fluid convection and gets into the ecu main plug. You can tell which sensor by puling the connector. New loom to the ecu and clean the female end of the plug in the ecu carefully. You might want to open it up and check the board for contamination. Mine took 2 cleans after the new loom but itran fine after.
Even though it is 18 years old you might think MB would build their flagship car to a higher standard. What a PoS!
Yes pales against a 7 series...much higher quality paint and way nicer to drive
Yes the last good mercs were in the mid 90s ,and even then a good one came with ££££s worth of bills.
I’ve had a w221 for 5 years - best car I’ve ever owned - I’ve serviced it religiously and the only issue I’ve had is a glow plug going out.
No lufc fan would be stupid enough to buy any of the crap you buy🤣keep up the good work great channel
You don't necessarily need to replace the whole wiring loom. There is a kit to sort this stuff out. I have a couple of videos, in German, in which they solve this kind of issue. I'll something around
Set of new plates, and it'll be tickerty-boo
What a fantastic example of when things go wrong. We need more videos of bad luck / poor judgment. It's what makes us human. Also, it may educate someone out there seeing people genuinely get it wrong. It's real life, and there ain't much of that on the Internet. Cheers Matt.
👌👌👍
A merc expert mechanic should chime in and help you get it fixed 🙏🏻
I know one. And know not to buy one
A Merc expect will warn you not to buy one.
I saw the thumbnail and thought that’s risky. When you delivered your opening line at the scenic spot I gave an audible chuckle. 😂 still we live and we learn Matt.
I'm guessing the thing on the front seat is the turbo that's gone. If I bought a car which I never will as I can't drive but if I did I would have had a meltdown.
Good video with a great moral!
Mercedes. Engineered Like No Other Car.
This was a really insightful video as I have always eyed up a W221 considering how cheap you can get them. I guess this demonstrates there's no such thing as a cheap luxury car as you'll end up spending the premium one way or another.
Lexus LS is the exception but it's hard to get one for £1800 that isn't ready for the scrap yard.
I've heard that the LS460 is worse than the previous generations, especially when it comes to reliability. You're better off with the LS400 or LS430.
Japanese Mercedes
Hi Matt, here's an idea: make a project series of this S Class, but this time convert it to LHD. And maybe I can "win it" as i had to move to Europe recently.. just putting it out there.. great stuff, though Matt, one of the few on YT that I actually follow diligently! Cheers!
the UK market is insane, that gen for 1800...
I suspect that for that price, it has quite a number of major issues. I doubt you'd be able to find a clean, reliable W221 S Class for that price anywhere.
@@damilolaakanni of course, but in my country the ones of this gen with issues are like 5-6k
Exactly, and they are complaining lmao.@@haakn
@@wateo1782our wages are shit
@@phiIipt ours are too, but still the car costs 15k. :) I'm from Slovenia
What mechanic lets you off a bill of £1016 ? Just WOW !... I have never ever heard of such a thing from any tradesman. Matt, to say you have a very great mechanic is such an understatement ! I think you should give the Merc to your mechanic, so he can fix it in his own time and sell it on and recoup some of his expenditure.
Bearing in mind the sheer volume of work Matt puts their way, (and the fact they missed the main problem while doing all the bits and pieces) it's just the cost of doing business sometimes - especially when most of it is labour. It's not an uncommon approach when a garage fails to sort a car for a regular and trusted customer.
They know he has a youtube channel and can shame them, that is the only reason he was let off the bill. A normal Joe Soap would have had to pay before being given the keys to leave the garage with the car with zero chance of getting the money back.
@@AminaAmina-xq4bb No, the mechanic missed the main fault. I don't think they could present a bill for servicing a car like that and expect to be paid. If it went to court, the judge would say that the service work had been negligent - engine still in limp home mode...a christmas tree of warning lights each time the car is started. That's not a service. I have no idea why the mechanic missed those things or dealt with things in the wrong order.
Hand car wash middle management will snap it up.
😂
You're right, when I had mine those guys were always trying to buy it (cheap)
The car will be exported to Albania 😊
Well Matt, all I can say is thank you for continuing to take the risk on lovely old barges on our behalf. Often you have saved them, which is always a pleasure to see. In this case can you strip for parts and sell those on? Or is too much labour to make it worth it?
From being a lemon to a endless money pit in just a few seconds. Exactly what I was waiting for to be honest. 😅
always pray for you when you get your hands on a german car. we learn from your mistakes thanks mate. from OZ
Love your style, keep rocking it!
Great to see it was behind bars! If that land is yours turn it into a breakers yard so every time you do an
" I've bought a very cheap X Y or Z" video, they can go straight in😊
A cheap S Class 😂 is like a chocolate motorbike
Hi Matt, been a fan of the channel for a long time!! I’ll buy it if no one else does haha!!
*I had problem comprehending trading in general. I tried watching other UA-cam trading channels, but they made the concepts more complicated. I was almost giving up until when i discovered content and explain everything in detail. The videos are easy to follow*
I feel your pain mate, as a fellow retiree, I'd suggest you look into passive index fund investing and learn some more. For me, I had my share of ups and downs when I first started looking for a consistent passive income so I hired an expert advisor for aid, and following her advice, I poured $30k in value stocks and digital assets, Up to 200k so far and pretty sure I'm ready for whatever comes.
Digital Asset"? What is that? Does it have some intrinsic value or is it a made up ledger of imaginary ones and zeros?
That's actually quite impressive, I could use some Info on your FA, I am looking to make a change on my finances this year as well
Tracy Britt Cool Consulting was my hope during the 'bear summer' last year. I made so many mistakes but also learned so much from it, and of course from Tracy.
I'm surprised that this name is being mentioned here, I stumbled upon one of her clients testimonies on CNBC news last week...
I owned a 2004 model for around 4 years, lovely cars but everything about them is expensive if you aren't a home mechanic give it some serious thought before committing. Unusual to see engine problems with the straight six which is a great engine, your biggest headache will be suspension troubles if they occur. Nothing is simple and straightforward but YT is a great help with some niggles, genuine parts are a ridiculous price.
Love how heated seats and a reverse camera are highlighted as things that stop this being a base spec S class... These are luxury cars, even in 2006 these should have been essentials
Heated seats were standard on the 221, I think reversing cam as well. Most of them are prestige plus trim adding ventilated seats, adaptive cruise and other goodies.
Great video. Thanks for sharing! Nice to see the lows as well as the highs
Clean shaven Matt. You look totally different without the beard
Better or worse?
@@HighPeakAutosyes😊
@HighPeakAutos Worse I'd say to be honest. You still look handsome but better with some beard going on.
@@HighPeakAutoskeep the beard 🧔♂️ it looks like you waxed your face
The tube that is in the car is for the air intake. So the low power could be a mas airflow sensor. 👍🏻
Monday evening just got a little better :D
Sounds like it'd be a good one for a Merc breakers to take off your hands. Plenty of useable parts still, unless the wiring loom problems have actually damaged the electronics of individual components.
Had one as a loan..not impressed tbh..but that could be down to my bad back..hmmmm was a few years ago..no not for me guvnor 😅
theyre really not impressive or that comfy
theyre quite a let down
@@thedandy6765 exactly 💯 👏
Excellent Video Matt 🎉 .. for many important reasons: 1. How can any mechanic generate a Bill and the car still fails? The bugbear of any vehicle owner I'm certain.
Imagine if a plumber came to your house, charged you £200 and left your property without actually fixing your toilets, how is that lawful??
thank you.
“I wear Tommy Hilfinger..”
“It’s Hilfiger”
“It says Hilfinger on the T shirt”
“Did you buy it down the covered market?”
“Aye..”
“Ah..That explains it”
Please don't tell me he is wearing fake/Turkey clothes........?
Ankaras finest.
The old Timmy Holefinger
@@centaurus5676
That is disapointing and now I view him differently actually.
The oil in the wireing thing is a know problem to many models, sadly. Most often an easy fix but if the mechanic doesn't know what he/she does it'll end with a massive bill
Stop using them mechanics!! They know your coming.
Car passed MOT with check engine light on too🥴
Initial reaction to symptoms is swirl motor. A simulator plug is the usual fix ..tiny money.
Wondering am I right so I'll keep watching 😊
13:47 Leeds United got roasted, cooked, fried, baked and served