2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S430 4.3 V8 from North America

Summary:

This is a 10 year old car with style and grace; driving it, I feel like an upstanding citizen

Faults:

Rear passenger window will not operate; it's stuck in the closed position. This problem arose during the previous ownership.

General Comments:

Purchased this car only 3 months ago, and so far am very satisfied. Seems to be great value for the money.

My mechanic, a MBZ independent, tells me it is a well built car, with a drivetrain durable to 300,000 miles or so. However the car has many complex systems that will be costly to repair when they fail. Apart from oil, brakes and tires, it seems I should expect to spend $1000 or so every 20,000 miles on these repairs - about 10% more than my Volvo S80. But, no expenses so far (6000 miles).

I test drove an '04 LS430, an '01 740i, an '03 530i, and a 2010 Lincoln MKS, but preferred the Benz.

The S430 feels very safe and solid. It's a great car for our California freeways, an excellent cruiser. The few times I've pushed the car in curves, it feels controlled and tight, but in general I'm not a real aggressive driver.

Fuel use: 26/27 mpg freeway at 75 mph avg. 22 mpg suburbs/freeway mix.

As for comfort, I can find a good driving position, and the seat feels great except after 2 or 3 hours of driving. Either my S80 had better seats, or I'm just getting old. My wife loves the Merc's comfort, however.

The Nav system is outdated and I don't use it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 6th October, 2010

3rd Mar 2011, 23:15

It's me again, I wrote the review above. I've now had the S430 for 7 or 8 months and 13000 miles, so I thought I'd give an update.

I'm still quite happy with the car - no unexpected repairs, just one l/o/f done by my indie MBZ mechanic, $130 with full synthetic oil, including a complete check of the car.

Wiper blade replacements were pricey - $105 - ouch! They are Bosch, maybe longer lasting than others, I'll see.

The bad news - there is rust at the bottom edge of the two front doors, in each case an inch or two long, and 1/4 inch wide. The rust is under the paint. I was aware of the rust when I bought the car, and negotiated the price accordingly. I had hope that MBZ would repair the rust at their expense, but two trips to the dealer proved otherwise, so I will spend $1000 to have the rust repaired. If you are a potential buyer of 2000 to 2002 S class, research at the MB World forum will tell you all you need to know about this rust issue.

In reply to 3rd Mar 2011, 23:15

9th Mar 2013, 11:51

I would love to know if you still have your 2000 MBZ S-Class? If you do, please let me know how it is running? What repairs have been needed and the cost? I am very interested in buying the 2000 S-Class this coming up week at a local auto auction. The miles are at 184,500; what repairs can I expect and how soon? How much longer do you believe I have with the car before it "clunks out"?

Thank you.

2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 5.0 liter premium gas from North America

Summary:

Heartbroken!

Faults:

Complete electrical shutdown, car had to be towed to a mechanic. 1200 repair.

Replaced brakes 1200.00.

Intermittent gear shifting problem, car won't automatically shift into anything higher than first gear.1257.00 and counting - still not fixed.

Hydraulics on both hood and trunk both shoot.

Wood on both front door panels loose.

Faulty headlight wiring.

Key won't shut windows anymore.

Garage door feature would never sync with our garage door.

And the list goes on and on.

General Comments:

The most beautiful car ever to sit in a driveway.

I absolutely loved this car, black on black, with chrome rims, everyone comments on how beautiful it is... and it is. The interior is amazingly luxurious and comfortable, and every possible option was added. When the car was running good, it was truly a joy to own.

The problems with this car are becoming too overwhelming and I have to dump it somehow, my neighbor has a S55 and he wants to unload his as well. I'm sad because this is my third Mercedes, and I don't know if I can ever own one again after this experience. My old 560SL is much more reliable and it's 20 years old.

I'm just glad I didn't pay 90 grand for all this headache.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 19th August, 2008

10th Jan 2011, 12:28

I too have an S class the same year as yours.

When buying a used MBZ it's best to have an independent mechanic verify the car's condition. When I bought mine used, it had a lot of issues that needed to be taken care of off the bat. I believe these cars are VERY reliable, but they need to be maintained religiously or they will fail like any machine. There were some known issues like the electrical failure which was tied to the speedometer/odometer.

I've no idea about your tranny. My mechanic recommends that the fluid be changed every 60k, to 90k. The garage door opener needs to be cleared before attempting to add a new opener. To do this you must hold buttons 1 and 3 until the light on the review mirror blinks. This will clear out old codes, and then you can proceed with reprogramming it.

These are beautiful automobiles, but late model Benzs will be expensive to repair. You have to keep that in mind when purchasing. Mine is beautiful, and is a timeless design. I have no doubt that this car will last a long time with proper maintenance, which not only means routine things, but problems that arise should be dealt with when they come up. No deferring it until later or it will just become driveway or garage bling.