SW17LS

Just wanted to give an update on my experience with my 2020 S560 vs my prior experience with Lexus cars, most specifically my 2017 LS460L as being the most comparable.

So far, my experience with Mercedes has been at least as positive as my best experiences with Lexus. The car had two issues when it was brand new, a squeaking drivers seat and wind noise from the drivers side. Both were repaired with no fuss from the dealer and have not recurred. At 30,900 miles the car is just as tight and rattle free as it was when it was new, same as the Lexus was but better in a couple ways. The LS460s had an issue with the center console creaking when weight was put against it, such as when leaning your leg against it, and when pushed they would creak. No amount of padding or tape seemed to solve the issue for the long term, it was like the plastic clips just expanded and never fit tight as they aged. No such issue in the S560. The LS460L had a significant warranty repair needing a new brake actuator at 5,000 miles. The S560 seems like it may have a bad motor mount, which is not uncommon. It goes in Wednesday for that. I was losing a little bit of coolant, and the culprit there was a bad expansion tank cap which I replaced myself. Just used up my second vial of interior fragrance!

I did have to put brakes on the car just last week, and that was expensive...at an independent shop $2,150.00 expensive with ceramic pads of a bespoke origin and OEM Mercedes cross drilled rotors at all 4 corners. That was dramatically more expensive than on the LS. The LS required all new front brakes at 26,000 miles for a cost of $453.92 for aftermarket rotors and pads done at an independent shop. Difference in cost due to one Mercedes OEM rotor costing more than an entire set of rotors for the LS. Rear brakes on the LS were still original when it was traded just shy of 50,000 miles.

Total maintenance cost through 31,000 miles on the S560 has been a sobering $5,999.15 including one set of brakes and one set of tires. Total maintenance cost for the LS460 through the same mileage was $2,645.46 including front brakes and one set of tires. To note, the S560 has been serviced at the dealer exclusively until this brake job, and the LS460 was only serviced at the dealer for the first two free maintenance stops, and then one additional time just for a tire rotation at 15k miles. When you factor in what the cost to service the Lexus at the dealer would have been around an additional $1,000 more, and placing a value of $400 on those first two services, so I think its safe to say the Mercedes costs about 50% more than the LS460 to maintain, which I think is true. Even at the independent mechanic I now have for it I expect the S560 to continue to cost more to service.

Fuel economy has been about 2.5 MPG better in the Mercedes, right now the global average is right at 20.0 MPG, the LS460L maintained a global fuel economy average of about 17.5 MPG. Thats pretty remarkable when you figure how much more powerful the S560 is.

From an enjoyment perspective, the car is on another level. The LS was a great car, but the Mercedes is just the total king of any road its on, and people's reaction to the car is really amazing. Friends, family etc want to ride in it just to experience it which is something I never found was the case in the Lexus. Even now that its not the current generation, you would never know that to judge people's reactions. Dealer service is easily the equal or superior to Lexus. They treat me like a really valued customer. The salesman who sold it to me reaches out and keeps in touch, hes actually a member at MBWorld and shows a passion for the brand that I never experienced with anybody at Lexus. Service writers have been great too, seeming a step up in caliber and professionalism. The cashier at the dealer wears a double breasted suit every day, he's been there for 30 years. Even the independent mechanic, when we first met (he was a referral from a client) he and his head tech and I spent about 30 minutes under my car on a lift talking about how it was engineered and why he loved the way they did this, and how they used to do that and weight savings meant they had to do this, etc. Just clearly a fan of and passionate about the car.

So, those who are considering branching out, don't be afraid and give it a whirl. Its going to cost you more, just be prepared for that...but life with a German car is not scary...its plenty reliable, find a good independent mechanic who knows the cars well to save some cost or just stick with the dealer...hell, even my Chrysler Pacifica, this one we have now has been perfect. Not one issue.

Margate330

Awesome review SW17LS.

I had an great Mercedes indy and that made all the difference in the world for me.
Prices were good and all their business was word of mouth and they stayed busy.

Couple times I had an issue I just called them up and they sent a tow truck, quick painless, and affordable.
PS- mine was used and not a lease.

Toys4RJill

Yeah great review


the cost difference in maintenance between Lexus and Mercedes is a huge reason why people buy Lexus

SW17LS

Honestly, I'm tempted to keep this car for some time. The new ones are a lot more expensive, mine was $123,000 and a comparable 2023 is about $10,000 more, plus deals like I negotiated at current don't exist, so a lease on a new one would be a *lot* more. Payment on this is $1,500 and a new one would be $2,500 or so. We'll see what things look like end of next year/early 2024 when I would have to make that decision. I like the new one but not sure I like it $1,000 a month more.

AMIRZA786

Great review! I would buy out the lease and get an extended warranty. You are not getting another deal like this... At least for awhile
But wow...those maintenance costs

Striker223

Glad to hear you are having a great time! It's really as you said not that much costly considering what you get. Lexus is a great car but they just don't have it when it comes to the extremes.

I'm going to be adding a 12 cyl German shortly and I'm praying it will be as well behaved as yours has been.

SW17LS

If one truly wants the best vehicle, the maintenance costs are worth it. Lexus doesn’t make anything that touches this car anymore. Genesis might, I have to try it out.

patgilm

I can’t believe how much the cost of maintenance is even if it’s a flagship. My X7, even though it’s not on the same level, will be dirt cheap throughout my lease. Regular maintenance is covered during my lease and the only thing I can see me paying for is tires during my lease. If the brakes wear out it could be expensive but I’m not sure.

Striker223

The S-class is insane, it's brakes are what would be considered high performance spec brakes on something lesser like an M3.

The theme carries to the rest of the car in all aspects, that's why its able to somehow pull .9g and handle like a much smaller car and still have extreme power while packing enough weight to make the ride world class. It's considered the best for a very good reason and for some people it's exactly what they are looking for, if it's not enough you always have AMG and Maybach. They really are the best, the brand has zero bases not covered and most of the time they at the very least on paper destroy everyone else.

If you ever worked on one you would easily see how they set the trend, densely packaged and cutting edge. It might be argued that it's to a fault, that a lot of it is overkill and needlessly complex and the newest stuff usually is somewhat clunky and unreliable but the system in evolved form is always the best in class. It's rare that Mercedes gets beaten, and sadly it used to be Lexus with the LS that did so regularly.

Now it's only the other Germans beat it in one aspect or another.

Stroock639

i would really consider keeping this car... seems like you lucked out buying it right before covid really set in, and i've read in many places that cars built during the covid era might not be of the same quality standards

this is just my view of course but i think the W222 also looks better and more imposing than the W223, with a better interior too

Motorola

Do you have ceramic brake pads on your X7? That's why they're so expensive on Steve's S-Class.

geko29

Ceramic pads to be used on steel rotors are not expensive at all. I think Steve previously mentioned that his were $200 and change for all 4 corners. Carbon-ceramic rotors as used on performance cars, on the other hand, are insanely expensive--Like $4-6k each. Fortunately, on a street car they tend to last the life of the vehicle.

Doctj

Great review
in general lexus can’t touch the German flagships , not that lexus makes a bad product, but as you said. It’s on a different level , and one doesn’t know until they’ve owned / long driven one.

Motorola

Ceramic pads are the most expensive type on the market, if they "are not expensive at all" we would be seeing them everywhere.

jrmckinley

Good review on a great flagship sedan. Any idea what hourly labor is at the two dealerships? You'd have to compare now with MB vs. now with Lexus to be fair - labor rates have increased everywhere since you owned your LS so you'd have to know current rates at your old Lexus dealership.