[OffRoadFun]

You have not mentioned the requirements for the upgrade in detail except for the budget and need to upgrade.

* S-class is huge, comfortable and loaded with features, undoubtedly the flagship. And I think it's first by a margin in its class. Great for long highway drives with family or work from car from the backseat.

* Not sure if it matters, but it not so inexpensive to maintain

* Not most maneuverable car on the road. I noticed you are in KL, not known for widest roads. This is not a point to be overlooked.

* In my opinion, it's better to have an S-class chauffer driven

E-class

* The E-class is decently equipped in my opinion and has impressive interiors/exteriors, decent trade-off between size and maneuverability and still an "upgrade" from the C-class.

* It's not supremely powerful though (decently powered at 198HP), even base S-class will be quicker than E-220d.

* Needless to say, E-class would be new and has it's own charm

As someone who loves to be at the wheel and against buying a car to impress others, I would recommend going for E-class.

[autobahnjpr]

S class is the epitome of luxury and comfort. It is THE benchmark and top of the top cream of society chooses to travel in S class. If you are able to get your hands on a good preowned S class in the price range of a new E class, you should go for it. It is a different segment altogether. Not for showing someone but for experiencing the comfort and luxury for yourself. It will also ensure that you do not lose out much on depreciated value if you decide to sell the S after few years.

[Cresterk]

Do not buy the current E class unless they offer some major discount. Entirely new generation will come in next year. You can either buy that for a minor price increase and be future proofed for the next 6 years or you can get a pre-owned E350d for way cheaper or a preowned S class.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by VellVector

The reason I am saying this is the maintenance cost on an S-Class will far exceed that on an E. Especially after the car is about 5-6 years of age and some more extensive services come up.

In the longer term, an E-Class' annual maintenance will settle at 75k - 1.5 lakhs a year (depending on the engine, your luck, running etc.).

An S-Class will settle at 1.5 - 2.5 lakhs / year. The difference is really not that much for someone with a crore to spend on a car, and for the superiority of the S-Class.

A cousin drives a 13-year old S-Class W221, owned since new. He is happily spending an average of 2 - 3 lakhs per year and driving it as a daily, simply because he doesn't believe the differential cost (between his car and a new S-Class) is worth it.

[inwester]

Originally Posted by GTO

Think of the E-Class LWB as a 5-star hotel room. Think of the S-Class as a suite at Taj or Oberoi.

I think this analogy is apt. S-class is lot more of a car than the E. As Car & Driver would call it, it's the pinnacle of modern automotive luxury.

If you can find a clean car under 3 years, 30k kms then go for it, otherwise it becomes too old and risky. However, personally I'm not super comfortable to buy used cars in India. Good luck, either way, not a bad dilemma to be in.

[Veelubai]

Originally Posted by Ashar

Thanks to the majority of opinions favoring new car purchase (be it C/E/S) rather than a used S, we thought it was better to either rule out used cars completely or go with a reputed used car dealer who "checks & certifies" them before they re-sell.

With that intention, we approached a very popular used car dealer yesterday and he sent pics of a less than 5 year old S Class. I am enclosing one such image which is clear to our naked eyes that there was a major dent on the boot and was covered up with a really good paint job, not at Merc authorized centre but at an independent paint station.

The only thing that gave away was the S350d badge on the LHS and nothing on the RHS which was clearly not inline with Merc nomenclature. Usually, they mention it as S350 / C220 / E220 on the LHS and CDI on the RHS.

This has led to us losing trust with reputed used car dealers as well. So, we are going ahead with new car purchase for now.

Thank you all for your expert opinions. Means a lot.

Hi Ashar, this version - more specifically the facelift version with the inline six cyliner diesel comes stock with this kind of a badging. Shod with 19inch OE Mercedes wheels bought as an accessory from Mercedes right at the delivery itself . I’ve known this car since new and can vouch for it. If you are interested, shall put you through to the owner straight. Having said that, a new E Class has its own set of merits but from a luxury quotient perspective, the gap between the two letters are quite literally worlds apart.

[cefiljoseph]

V222 S-Class over the V213 E-class anyway if budget allows. Buying the last model year of an S-class is always a great idea. It will have as many issues sorted as possible. Also, you get a good discount since it's a 'generation' older. However, the V223 S-class is more of an evolution from the V222 S-Class which isn't usually the case. So this time, it's a rare opportunity or rather a golden opportunity in my eyes. Please do go for it.

That said, S-Class is a money no object car. This is even more true when it comes to maintaining one. Please get the best warranty possible even if it costs 10-15 lakhs. Trust me, it's going to pay for itself. Post warranty and service package, please account for 5 lakhs or more every year.

Apart from the obvious AirMatic replacement, A/C and Power Steering Rack replacement are the biggest expenses you might occur. On top of this there will some electrical issues from time to time that's just part and parcel of a V222 ownership.

All considered, the rewards are ten times of the effort you put in so it's in your best interest to buy the brightest star since you are going for a star anyways

[GoBabyGo]

Originally Posted by Ashar

Dear all. I am requesting your opinion on this doubt that I have with regards to an upcoming car purchase for my dad. You all are the experts when it comes to cars and I am sure I won't get a better answer from anywhere else. Your humble opinion on this please!!

My dad first bought a new *Merc C Class* in 2013 and he has been driving/riding in it ever since and he has completely fallen in love with the car and the brand. Now almost 10 years have passed and now he feels it's time to upgrade. We test drove a Merc E Class (E 220 d) recently and he came out really pleased with the car and almost decided to go ahead with the purchase when his friend proposed to him the idea of getting a 3-4-5 year old S Class for the same amount of money. His friend told him that a 4 year old S Class (the older generation one) was a much better car than even the new E class. FYI, the on road price for a new E class is Rs. 95.75 lacs (on road - Trivandrum, Kerala).

Since then, we have been really confused about this with opinions supporting either side. Please help us arrive at the best decision.

PS: Since, we have been using a C Class for the past 10 years, we have already found out an independent garage for its maintenance works and we found it to be even better (and undoubtedly more cost effective) than Merc Authorized service center. So, the question of service is not a big issue.

Dear Ashar - Welcome to Team-BHP. I don't own any of the luxury brand and whatever I am suggesting is on the basis of my experience with a FNG (World of Service, Noida, NCR), where we have started sending our German, Jeep, Skoda, Fiat, VW out of warranty cars for routine service & repairs.

My general opinion over the last 8-9 months is that an excellent FNG take care of German luxury brands equal or better than the OEM at 35% to 40% cost. Recently my senior colleague's Mercedes E Class Petrol went for ECS error on HUD for which Mercedes quoted about 6 lacs for repair and FNG (World of Service) repaired the required part for 45K (replacement of part cost about 70K, but repair will do since it is low running car). Another Jeep Compass petrol which stopped in Gurgaon water logging street and Tata AIG refused for repair work insurance, Jeep quoted about 4.80 lacs + GST for engine repair, World of Service is doing it for 1.49 lacs inclusive of GST.

In addition, all our office BMW, Mercedes, Audi & Volvo go to authorized service station for regular service which costs a bomb (although those who buy such expensive vehicle are aware of it). Similar service & work at reliable FNG cost about 35% to 40% compared to authorized one.

A new E Class will have 5 years of warranty (advisable also) and will have to go to authorized service centre for next 5 to 6 years for regular service (including repairs, if required). Whereas just 2 to 3 years old well maintained S Class can go to your reliable FNG (since you mentioned you have a trusted one) from day one.

As many of distinguished & Moderator BHPians vouch for S Class in quality, reliability, comfort etc., compared to E Class, I would suggest you to find a neat S Class and enjoy the luxury. I am confident that with the support of your trusted FNG, you will never face any issue with S Class for next 10 years.

Since you are getting your existing C class maintained at a reliable FNG you must be knowing the difference of workmanship between OEM vs FNG, but in my brief experience, a good reliable FNG work at par with OEM quality.

Good luck for your search

[L8ButV8]

I am a big fan of buying used and would generally suggest a used S class over a new E. However, please assess how comfortable you are with the risks associated with buying used. Given the S-class is (a) a 1Cr purchase, (b) a large upgrade from 2013 c-class, and (c) filled with complex gizmos, make sure you are fully comfortable with the potential risks of buying use (repairs, niggles etc).

The E class LWB is a phenomenal car and is thoroughly enjoyable in its own right. While the W222 S-class is better in many ways, make sure you are comfortable with managing niggles in the near future (it's a 4-5 year old car after all) and managing larger repairs in 5 years from now (when it's 10 years old).

[viXit]

There's a certain novelty in ripping the stickers off yourself!

I strongly believe that one of the reasons you/your family has been this happy with the C for so long is because you bought it new. Like Androdev said, these things matter.

Conventional wisdom points to the S. But we're emotional beings

There was a certain joy in the air when my Cousin bought a brand new Alto 800 last week for my grandpa, which was missing when the 740Li rolled into our lot pre-owned

[nirmalkrishnan]

Hello everyone, the blue W222 facelift S class is owed by me. Few of the knowledgeable members on the forum have already pointed out that the W222 facelift comes with the new badge. The car has not have had a single dent or scratch on its body and I would bet a million bucks if some of the “experts” could prove it otherwise. Feel free to take it to any authorized Merc dealer in India. Ashar you don’t have to be confused about buying the car as it is not for sale anyway. I do own a few others cars as well (F90 m5, gt3 and lp610-4) and I keep my cars in pristine condition. We also prefer the W222 over the W223 any day, both for its design and rear seat comfort. Needed to clarify this as you guys are making speculations about a car that’s not for sale.

[Ashar]

Originally Posted by nirmalkrishnan

Hello everyone, the blue W222 facelift S class is owed by me. Few of the knowledgeable members on the forum have already pointed out that the W222 facelift comes with the new badge. The car has not have had a single dent or scratch on its body and I would bet a million bucks if some of the “experts” could prove it otherwise. Feel free to take it to any authorized Merc dealer in India. Ashar you don’t have to be confused about buying the car as it is not for sale anyway. I do own a few others cars as well (F90 m5, gt3 and lp610-4) and I keep my cars in pristine condition. We also prefer the W222 over the W223 any day, both for its design and rear seat comfort. Needed to clarify this as you guys are making speculations about a car that’s not for sale.

My deepest apologies Mr. Nirmal. Pls pardon my ignorance as I was confused with the nomenclature. I had already stated this in one of the posts as a reply. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way Sir.
We have actually decided to go ahead with a used W222 purchase, and was actually planning to talk to you if you would be interested. Now that it is made clear, we would now look for other options.

My deepest apologies again to all of you. I know I should have been more careful. But what is done is done and can't be taken back right? All I can do is now apologize and I do sincerely apologize for that. Take care Sir.

[nirmalkrishnan]

Apologies accepted, mistakes are made. Just wanted to point it out.

[jaspritsingh]

If you are considering your dad/you as the primary drivers go for the new E-Class (that is expected to come out soon). It will be a stretch on your budget but its the closest to an S you will get without spending for an S. That car is a real experience.


I have a diverging view on the 7s and Ss (sorry Audi, we just dont click). These cars are built to be enjoyed from the rear seat. I am too petty to drop big stacks and let someone else drive my toy.

Unless you plan to be on the rear seat for a large amount of time, you wont be able to enjoy the full S experience.

[adasisthefuture]

S-Class post 2018 comes with ADAS which is not available in any of the other model in the sedan range of Mercedes. ADAS can be a life saver and if you are spending around a crore, my suggestion would be to buy a car which has ADAS. Now a days, cars in the range of 15-20 lacs are offering ADAS while the E-Class doesn't. It is really sad. 2024 E-Class is likely to come with ADAS so either you can wait for it or consider going for an under warranty S-Class. However, please do not purchase any vehicle without asking for full Service History no matter how reputed the used car seller is. If the seller is not ready to provide it, you may get it yourself by spending a couple of thousand rupees. I do not think the said cost would bother you when you are going to spend such a big amount. Checking the Service history will help you confirm whether the car is accidental or have had any technical issues / warranty claims.