What's the Mercedes S-Class like?

Do you have good reports on the Mercedes-Benz S 350?

01.07.2015

Our answer:

Hi Brian,

The S 350 (the one built between 2006 and 2013) is really a lovely car and some of the early ones are starting to become temptingly cheap. While S-Classes are generally very well made and tend to be reliable, you do need to remember that this is an enormously complex and high-tech car and they’re very definitely not cheap to look after. If you’re serious about buying one, you need to be budgeting at least €3,000 a year for servicing and parts. You hopefully won’t need to actually spend that much, but if something significant breaks, the costs will mount up quickly.

Things to watch for: the suspension can be prone to wear, so if there are nasty sounds coming from underneath or if the ride quality feels unsettled then it’s a bad ‘un. All of the electrics, and there are a lot, are a potential weak point and the Comand infotainment system can go on the frizz. The engines are pretty robust but the engine management can occasionally throw a wobbly and leave the engine in ‘limp home’ mode.

They can tackle big mileages with ease if cared for but beware of ex-taxis as they’ll probably have had dog’s abuse. And never, ever buy one that doesn’t have a pristine Mercedes main dealer service history.

Answered by Shane O'Donoghue
03.07.2015

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