W221 S-Class vs A8 vs ???

DiG

DiG

DiG

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For around the £15k mark, what would you choose? Or would it be something lower risk but more modern from the category below, a W212 E-Class for example?

Sorry for the poorly disguised what car thread, just interested to see what other people would be looking at!
 
If you wish for a V8 then by process of elimination you end up (you should just manage it) with a W221 S500L being the best car for £15k, by a mile too.

The A8 will be a D3 for this budget which is just not worth going with, these are available from a few grand now and came out 10 years ago. BMW you will end up with an E65, same story.
 
Jez said:
If you wish for a V8 then by process of elimination you end up (you should just manage it) with a W221 S500L being the best car for £15k, by a mile too.

The A8 will be a D3 for this budget which is just not worth going with, these are available from a few grand now and came out 10 years ago. BMW you will end up with an E65, same story.
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Yeah thats pretty much where I have gotten to so far, been to see a few W221's and they are very nice. The command system does feel very dated though, I'll never understand why the systems are not easily updatable, Android style.

Voxination said:
Either a Phaeton or an A8 with the 6L W12? Should come in a bit under budget too.
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I've heard bad things about the W12 reliability? Same problem for the Phaeton really, I like the anonymity of it but I suspect there are only 2-3 people in the country that know how to service it!
 
DiG said:
Yeah thats pretty much where I have gotten to so far, been to see a few W221's and they are very nice. The command system does feel very dated though, I'll never understand why the systems are not easily updatable, Android style.
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If you wish for a newer design of car then you could probably manage an F01 BMW 7-Series for the budget - just. It will be a diesel though which is why i didnt mention it above.

These are a far newer design all round than the W221. If you wish for a V8 then it has to be the 221, the other infotainment interfaces are no better in its direct competition.
 
I'd seen a few F01's hovering around and just above my budget, your right they do look like a lot newer design! However W221's start at £11-12k, so by £15k your into well looked after examples where as F01s start at 15k so I worry that I'd end up with a neglected example.

I have also wondered about the diesels, I do enjoy having a smooth V8 engine, but really, 90% of the time I'm not using it, its just humming along on the motorway so I do wonder if I'd be just as happy with a diesel.
 
I wouldnt be particularly worried about a neglected example of an F01, they are not really old enough to be a candidate for this. Just buy as seen and preferably in warranty. The warranty is actually very reasonable with BMW so many of them will be covered.
 
markyp23 said:
What are the running costs on a W221 S500?

I'd be a few years from one of those, but interested in ball park figures.

Can see insurance is 18-20, tax is £~500year, tyres ~£200 a corner.

What are the big bills - people talk about the suspension being the most expensive part, but I can't see any numbers from a quick google.
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The running costs of any cars in this class are going to be high. The W221 appears to be a lot better than the previous generation of S Class but it can still throw up £1000 bills without any problem so thats something you need to be prepared for.

A third party warranty is in the order of £900 a year, so I'm planning an average yearly spend on maintenance (excluding routine servicing) of that amount, in any given year it could be a lot less or a lot more than that but as long as you have a pot of money ready it should be fine.

I wouldn't consider a car like this unless there is a good specialist nearby, as they can be invaluable and usually have far better knowledge than the main dealers.
 
Having owned a D3 A8 and an E65 750i myself, I'd go for what Jez says and bag a W221. Much newer design and more refined.

I do still like the D3 A8 though and £15k will get you a storming late-model 4.2 FSI.
 
Voxination said:
Either a Phaeton or an A8 with the 6L W12? Should come in a bit under budget too.
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I'd go with the A8 :D

Most people think they are the same car with different badge/styling but actually apart from the engine they have almost nothing else in common, for a start the A8 is near enough 1000lbs lighter with it's Aluminium Spaceframe and panels compared the the Steel bodied Phaeton. Basically the Audi is better at everything, even the one thing they do share... the 6L W12 has 30 more bhp in the A8.

DiG said:
I've heard bad things about the W12 reliability? Same problem for the Phaeton really, I like the anonymity of it but I suspect there are only 2-3 people in the country that know how to service it!
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I can't speak for the Phaeton as bar the engine they are completely different.
The A8 however I can... I'm not sure where you have heard these reliability issues but I've never had a single issue with mine, I also knew the previous owner and the car before I bought it, they also never had an issue with reliability. You can get a very nice example for under your budget and if you pick up a pre mid 2005 car tax is only £280 and not £500.
 
You can get a decent S8 for around 15k now, if more power is what you want then this is the way I would go. Out of the V8 D3's I'd get the diesel, it just suits the car better, though filling up with a smelly fuel pump is never a great experience.

As for the S class, although all these cars are pretty much old mens cars, I think the S class suffers most from this image problem (no idea if that bothers that bothers you or not). Have to say I would get the newer E class over it, 15k should get you an 09 plate with a decent engine/spec. Though for that same 15k you can get the slightly older but infinitely more epic E63.

I've not much love for the 7 series, don't really like the shape of them and I really don't enjoy the idrive, it's a great interface, but it's slightly worse than the audi one in just about every way, which, is annoying.

Look at the Jag XF's as well, should be able to source a SV8 for around £15k. Never had one, but I think they are the best looking out of all these cars.
 
infernox said:
S6 V10 5.2 should cost you around that figure.

So will an M5

Lovely cars
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Neither of these cars are of the same type as the cars he is considering though. The S6 sort of maybe but the M5 is a completely different idea, don't be fooled by the fact it has 4 doors because an M5 and an S Class are chalk and cheese.
 
RenoRanes007 said:
...I'm not sure where you have heard these reliability issues but I've never had a single issue with mine...
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Interesting, it seems that I've had a false impression of them in my head, as looking around again i can't see many bad reports! Not convinced by the A8 generally though, are they really as nice as the S-Class inside as they don't look it? Perhaps I need to go have a look around one.

S6 and M5 both have far harder suspension setups than I wan, I'm looking for something soft and comfortable rather than sporty. I've always had a soft spot for the Jaguar XF but interior quality wise they just aren't anywhere near the other cars I'm looking at
 
DiG said:
Interesting, it seems that I've had a false impression of them in my head, as looking around again i can't see many bad reports! Not convinced by the A8 generally though, are they really as nice as the S-Class inside as they don't look it? Perhaps I need to go have a look around one.
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Depends on the model but the W12 in short and long wheel base... yes most definitely if not nicer.

Every comfort you could want and more.

Leather everywhere, electric/heated/cooled/massage seats in front, electric seats in back, you don't have to use the key like in my pictures... it is Button Stat/Stop you can also get the optional Fingerprint Recognition Start/Stop/Driver Settings Memory, you don't ever really have to take the keys out your pocket as it's proximity/touch... just walk up to the car with the keys in your pocket, touch the handle and it unlocks and touch the little grey pad on the handle to lock it, choice of Regular Auto, Sport Auto or Tiptronic via the Gear Lever (flick up and down) or Steering Wheel Paddles, Auto Lights, Auto Wipers, Radar Cruise Control, DAB, Digital TV, CD Changer, DVD Changer, iPod, USB, Aux, NAV, 12 Speaker Bose Audio, (some have the optional £5k B&O system but it's not as 'bassy' as the Bose system), you can get the optional Reverse Camera, Car Phone under front armrest, Bluetooth, Voice Control, Electric Blinds in the rear, Solar Sunroof which cools and regulates the air inside the car when parked and not being used, Mood Lighting, separate Reading Lights for each seat, you can get the optional Fridge between the Rear Seats.... basically I could go on and make this post silly long and probably still forget something so I'm gonna stop here as I think you get the picture.

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And the Best Bit:

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Oh and as for the suspension, it's on Air with 4 different settings... Lift, Comfort, Auto and Dynamic, also if you are in anything other than Dynamic and you go on the motorway the car will automatically lower itself into Dynamic at 70mph.
 
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