Not meaning to provoke a firestorm of comment, just my reasoning for why I ended up going with an S550 over an LS...

I have a 2006 RX 400h, and was in the market for either an LS 460L or a LS 600hL. I also test drove the LS460L on 2 occasions. Also several of the lexus dealerships in my area never seemed to have an LS 600hL to take out for a test drive. Maybe when I roll up in my MBZ they will take me serious now ;-)

What really sold me on my 2007 MBZ S550 is the AMG suspension package. My car has Active Body control riding on 19" (255x40 )wheels . ABC keeps the car absolutely flat in corners and when accelerating and braking.

Through the santa cruz mountains or down the legendary HWY 1 in Northern California the car is an absolute joy to drive. You don't get that sensation of weigh transfer or body roll that you are used to in a large heavy vehicle.

Also, and this was a huge issue for me, none of the features in my S550 are locked out when driving, in fact when you turn the ignition on if you blink, you'll miss the brief warning that the driver should not be distracted by the Command Center.. Really Lexus get a clue here, that some people find your total control absolutely unacceptable.

They are some things on the Benz that are annoying. The Blue tooth module was extra, but more importantly is this huge part that takes up alot of space in the compartment between the seats, so much so that I can't fit my sunglasses in there with the bluetooth module present.The window controls are horrible, forcing me to look at them every time, The NAV does not provide as much detail of street names when zoomed right in. Even my 06 RX 400h lists street names that the Nav in the Benz doesn't.

I probably won't keep the Benz past it's warranty period, and hopefully by then Lexus will build a second generation LS 600hL that fits with my expectations.

As a conversation piece, I'll take the night vision on my S 550 over the self park feature any day.

 

Just goes to show how no car is perfect. BTW, how much $$ for the 550?

 

the s550 is a great car too. when i was at the SF auto show, i noticed that the dash was so high up, it made the windshield look so small to look out of. thats my biggest gripe with the car. that and the hefty price tag

 

congrats on the s550! i have to agree the handling of the car is very very good, specially with the ABC!

 

Best wishes on your new S-Class, irieblue!!! From the standpoint of prioritizing handling and the navigation lockout, I can see why you would rather have the S550. It is a very nice car, and a worthy rival. It looks particularly nice in dark colors.

 

Yes, its too bad Lexus doesn't listen a little better to customers!

Both cars a very nice with plus features on both sides.

Great car you bought.

 

The S550 is definitely nice but the styling is what made me go with the LS. The back of the benz is just a little boring for my tastes and the flares make me sick.

At the end of the day, all that matters is if you are happy.

 

the benz will feel more at home...in other words it will be at the dealer more often since Mercedes is in the bottom tier of reliability too. Obviously if you keep it just for the warranty period it won't be a big deal other than picking up a loaner

 

Have to agree with you regarding the handling between the two cars. Nothing wrong with the LS600hL handling. Just has some body roll. Japanese not European handling paradigm.

Since I'm not taking it to Sebring, I don't care.

 

I paid $82,300 for my S550, MSRP with all the options is $103K, remember This is an 07 that was sitting on their lot and purchased November 30th. I did have a discussion with one of their senior sales managers about MBZ's past quality, but I am willing to overlook the S class's past history based on the fact that MBZ realizes they have to do better in their flagship and the fact that this car has passed through their AMG division.

 

Unfortunately, Consumer Reports shows the the true story on reliability on the long run

http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/Ar...rticleID=36799

or

http://www.thesunsfinancialdiary.com...european-made/

 

What a nice deal on that!! I test drove a white S550 with the Panorama roof and it was awesome..hated the beige interior though. What a difference a few months make, When I got my 460L earlier this year discounts were hard to come by just like the S550. My friend at work has a black/black S550 and it handles better than my 460L. I actualy like the styling on the S550 since it is very distinctive. Funny about the BT module you are talking about, I hooked up my freinds blackberry and we could not figure out why it would not work. When he went back to the dealership that's when they told him he had to buy the piece that goes in the console.

 

The LS460/600h and the S550/600 are both nice cars. I'd be worried about long-term longevity, but I'm more optimistic about Mercedes since they kicked Mopar to the curb.

 

Congrats on the purchase.

 

It always makes me smile when the Beemers move over to let me pass going across the mountains on Highway 17. It's not in the LS but the GX with the AVS cranked up to Sport 2. Of course, knowing every inch of that road does help.