Quick Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 4Matic

So how would you rate their air suspension to Cadillac Magnetic ride suspension?

15 MPG is pretty awful, but mercedes has over a dozen cars getting in the mid teens in the city.

Should really have at least a 9-speed trans if not a 10, this is seriously behind the times. I'd like to see a 12-spd box for ultimate bragging rights... because you know this segment of car buyers like to get together, pull out their owner's manuals and talk about how many gears they have.  

Let's see, with a sticker of $164K, one can probably grab one new off the lot for $130K or so. Or wait 12 months and get one for the average sticker price of a new S470.

It's pretty tough to kiss more dollars goodbye due to depreciation on any other car.

I agree that this is one of the better looking S-classes in a while probably since the W126 model. The previous one had sort of an imposing look, but the wheel fenders were a bit tacky as time went on.   I'm not a fan of black wheels or red brake calipers, those are options I'd leave behind for sure.  I have wondered how much better Active Body Control makes it, and I've read and seen reviews that with the road scanning suspension that the car basically glides over anything without feeling it.  My car has Airmatic which is great for ride quality but I can see how ABC would help take out any body roll or lean.

I myself thought they would have used the 9-speed, but perhaps they didn't want to risk a new model with a new transmission, but 2015 S-classes still have the 7-speed.  The 2015 CLS will be the first to get the 9-speed, then it will spread to other models, that should help fuel efficiency.  But the S63 still gets better mileage than a CTS-V or BMW M5 despite being larger and more powerful than both of them, and having AWD which hurts fuel economy.

I agree that this is one of the better looking S-classes in a while probably since the W126 model. The previous one had sort of an imposing look, but the wheel fenders were a bit tacky as time went on.   I'm not a fan of black wheels or red brake calipers, those are options I'd leave behind for sure.  I have wondered how much better Active Body Control makes it, and I've read and seen reviews that with the road scanning suspension that the car basically glides over anything without feeling it.  My car has Airmatic which is great for ride quality but I can see how ABC would help take out any body roll or lean.

 

I myself thought they would have used the 9-speed, but perhaps they didn't want to risk a new model with a new transmission, but 2015 S-classes still have the 7-speed.  The 2015 CLS will be the first to get the 9-speed, then it will spread to other models, that should help fuel efficiency.  But the S63 still gets better mileage than a CTS-V or BMW M5 despite being larger and more powerful than both of them, and having AWD which hurts fuel economy.

Me thinks you have been hitting the Giggle Weed a bit too much. The CTS-V does much better on MPG than this over rated S.

For what is being asked here dollar wise, you get better value and I feel a better over all auto than this S63.

Even Car and Driver could not get better than 16mpg combined for the S63.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mercedes-benz-s63-amg-first-drive-review

This in comparison to friends who have CTS-V's and get 16-18 city driving and 21-24 highway. so a combined 18-20.

Well the EPA rates the CTS-V lower than the S63 so I was going off that.  But Car and Driver in 2 different comparison tests with a CTS-V, one in 2009 and one in 2011 got 11 mpg each time.  So if they got 16 mpg on an S63, that is pretty good.

That must have been beating on the CTS-V then.

A neat car but wildly more than I would spend. Sweet but not my style. Cadillac or Audi for me please.

I'd imagine most that can afford this can afford and S65, even though the S63 is quicker 0-60, I'd want an S65 to have the V12.  Once you get into this price strata, why wouldn't you get the V12.

Even greater landslide depreciation??

Interestingly I read a book about actual millionaires. It suggested people with real wealth often live modestly. I could afford to drive a much more expensive car and choose not to.

Actually, were I a multi millionaire the Impala is as expensive a car as I would want. And I would prefer a VW GTI to an S class, personally.

...and it is hard for me to like most modern luxury cars. Nothing Infinity builds comes close to a 72 Olds Cutlass visually. Why would I spend 60 grand on a car that looks worse than a car I lusted after in high school?

Even greater landslide depreciation??

Luxury cars and McMansions are keeping the upper middle class broke and in debt. Don't want to get political, but the USA is a debtor nation to Mexico for Christ sake. We need to invest/save more as a society and spend less on frivolous crap (s class perhaps?). IMHO.

A friend & client of mine is a multi-millionaire. He once had a 1916 Case steam traction engine, just because. 
He had a new S430, traded it in on a loaded Tahoe LTZ (had 2 in a row). Currently, he has a hyundai sante fe.

Of course, the iffy reliability, poor dealer service and 8-months long wait for parts on the mercedes might have had something to do with the initial move to Chevy.

Also just plain simple and much lower maintenance on American built auto's. While not rich, I consider myself middle income class and saved up 3yrs to buy my Escalade.

Biggest problem is those that want instant gratification without working hard, saving and then buying it. So many people are going in debt without really being ready.

A friend & client of mine is a multi-millionaire. He once had a 1916 Case steam traction engine, just because. 

He had a new S430, traded it in on a loaded Tahoe LTZ (had 2 in a row). Currently, he has a hyundai sante fe.

 

Of course, the iffy reliability, poor dealer service and 8-months long wait for parts on the mercedes might have had something to do with the initial move to Chevy.

MB profoundly has its head up its ass when it comes to taking care of customers.

Also just plain simple and much lower maintenance on American built auto's. While not rich, I consider myself middle income class and saved up 3yrs to buy my Escalade.

 

Biggest problem is those that want instant gratification without working hard, saving and then buying it. So many people are going in debt without really being ready.

Absolutely.  And if you had it....wouldn't you really rather have a Buick and money in mutual funds or real estate.  I mean....seriously?

 

A friend & client of mine is a multi-millionaire. He once had a 1916 Case steam traction engine, just because. 

He had a new S430, traded it in on a loaded Tahoe LTZ (had 2 in a row). Currently, he has a hyundai sante fe.

 

Of course, the iffy reliability, poor dealer service and 8-months long wait for parts on the mercedes might have had something to do with the initial move to Chevy.

 

 

MB profoundly has its head up its ass when it comes to taking care of customers.

 

Also just plain simple and much lower maintenance on American built auto's. While not rich, I consider myself middle income class and saved up 3yrs to buy my Escalade.

 

Biggest problem is those that want instant gratification without working hard, saving and then buying it. So many people are going in debt without really being ready.

 

 

Absolutely.  And if you had it....wouldn't you really rather have a Buick and money in mutual funds or real estate.  I mean....seriously?

 

Buick has some great auto's, just have not found one that really fits my Shrek size. One reason I still only drive Full Size SUV's.

...and it is hard for me to like most modern luxury cars. Nothing Infinity builds comes close to a 72 Olds Cutlass visually. Why would I spend 60 grand on a car that looks worse than a car I lusted after in high school?

That was the exact reasoning behind my buying my '81 Oldsmobile instead of making payments on a new car.

As much as I make fun of MB as Chevroletdes Benz - my problem with these cars is the economics and longevity. MB for a long time has been bulwark of reliable machines while offering solid build after even 50 years of existence of those machines and there is no denying. I admired those qualities of MB. And given a choice I would like to own the old MB diesels, which I have respect for.

MB has now become a consumer electronics builder with automobiles as secondary objective. And it reflects.

While I was shopping for a car in 2012, the price of a CPO 2008 S600 with 29,000 miles custom Designo interior was $65,000. The car retailed brand new for $147,000. That is hell of a depreciation. A comparable mileage Escalade Platinum Edition or Z06 depreciated by only 35 - 40%.

Besides that, if I buy a used S class, once the warranty runs out, the costs of fixing tech related stuff are astronomical. For e.g. LCD screen in the dashboard - $4,400. You now have a powertrain which is bulletproof saddled by shoddy electronics. Good luck keeping them on road for even 15 years like the past S classes did, because electronics will be outdated and once dead they are gone. MB is not going to supply those old parts as the technology would have advanced.

The MB cars are thus becoming nothing more than glorified appliances. Unfortunately, trying to out-do the Germans the others are following this route. The automobile industry has reached its core-technological peak, now its grasping for crumbs through diversification of non-essential goals.

Gone are the days when S class used to be easy to maintain and practically impossible to destroy. Judging by my BMW 330, great driving car with horrible electronics, my guess is S class will not be too different since it has hundreds of patents boasting how electronically advanced the car is.

How many of us are still using Iphone 1 or Galaxy S1?

While I was shopping for a car in 2012, the price of a CPO 2008 S600 with 29,000 miles custom Designo interior was $65,000. The car retailed brand new for $147,000. That is hell of a depreciation.

4 years of ownership and the depreciation ALONE costs you $82,000 !!

Nothing quite says 'I'm dumber than dirt" than buying a top-shelf mercedes.

Continually striving for ever-increased production and heavy downmarket pushing is NOT going to help Mercedes in any other way than to thin out the top of the lineup.

 

While I was shopping for a car in 2012, the price of a CPO 2008 S600 with 29,000 miles custom Designo interior was $65,000. The car retailed brand new for $147,000. That is hell of a depreciation.

4 years of ownership and the depreciation ALONE costs you $82,000 !!

Nothing quite says 'I'm dumber than dirt" than buying a top-shelf mercedes.

Continually striving for ever-increased production and heavy downmarket pushing is NOT going to help Mercedes in any other way than to thin out the top of the lineup.

 

Not that I was interested in buying it, I wanted for $hits and Giggles see what was the cost of owning a V12. A 2007 CPO CL600 at the same dealership was $55,000.

A 2007 is a borderline 8 year old car now.  Most cars at 7 or 8 years old are only going to hold 1/3 of their original value.  I have seen 2008 CTS for $15k, so 1/3 what is what new.  An S600 has to depreciate because there aren't many people on the used market that can afford to run a V12.  Only crazy rich people can pay that kind of cost, and they can afford a new one.  The S-class is still the best car in this class, has the most engine options and they have a coupe and soon to have a convertible.

Continually striving for ever-increased production and heavy downmarket pushing is NOT going to help Mercedes in any other way than to thin out the top of the lineup.

 

Cadillac is planning a car below the ATS to compete with the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA.  If the ATS is $33k, then you gotta figure $28-29k for the new smaller Caddy.  They are copying the Germans at every turn, so GM must think the German strategy works.

A 2007 is a borderline 8 year old car now.  Most cars at 7 or 8 years old are only going to hold 1/3 of their original value.  I have seen 2008 CTS for $15k, so 1/3 what is what new.  An S600 has to depreciate because there aren't many people on the used market that can afford to run a V12.  Only crazy rich people can pay that kind of cost, and they can afford a new one.  The S-class is still the best car in this class, has the most engine options and they have a coupe and soon to have a convertible.

Did you read my prior post? It was two years ago, specifically March 2012. In fact CL is one of the highest depreciating cars on the market. And why can't someone afford to own a CPO V12 instead of a V8? Let us hear your logical reasoning. Does it give like 2 mpg that people cannot afford to pay gas? Is it more expensive to maintain? Kinda confirms my notion of the S class being a outrageously priced appliance if you follow your own reasoning.

First, 2008 CTS started at 32,000 and topped off at 45,000 and you are now talking about a seven year old model, which I will agree with the price you mention.

If the S-class was overpriced, it wouldn't be a market share god all over the world.  Every competitor undercuts the S-class by about $20,000 and it still outsells the BMW, Lexus, Audi and Jaguar combined.  If the S-class price was too high, buyers would go to cheaper alternatives.  The S-class is almost good value, it is a better car than what you get from a Flying Spur or a Ghost, and those cost over $200,000.