1991 Mercedes-Benz S-Class 560 SEL review from North America

The dealer sold us the car with a broken sunroof motor, and the parts plus labor ended up costing $600 so it is still broken.

I have to get it taken in every few months to tighten the belts and flush the power steering fluid, and that always costs well over $1,000.

At 83k miles the air conditioning compressor broke, and in Florida's brutal heat this is not acceptable. However the German car expert wants $2k to get it fixed and I highly doubt it should cost that much.

I went over a bump a little too fast and the radiator blew. It cost us another $1,000.

This car is very classy and is very advanced for its time - with standard ABS, SRS and hydro pneumatic level control. This car would survive any kind of collision and wouldn't have a scratch.

It's a true German tank. It's very solid and has an extremely powerful engine - love those 8 cylinders.

The powerful engine gives me an awful 10 MPG, costing me about $70-$90/week on gas alone.

However repairs have been extremely costly and the car obviously was not taken care of by the previous owner, it's a shame.

The interior is comfortable and the front and back seats are heated, and the back seat can recline. My friends always complain that it's too bouncy though.

This car is not for short people - the hood is gigantic. I have to sit on a pillow to be able to see the road (and I'm 5'2). It's very hard to steer (it takes a lot of arm power), and it's extremely difficult to park.