You Can Buy A Mercedes-Benz S-Class That Looks Almost Like A New One For The Price Of A Hyundai Venue

Part of the charm of buying a cheap posh car is exuding style of a different era. That old luxury car may still be properly nice, but it also looks properly old. However, every so often, the stars line up and design studios find themselves in evolutionary phases, and a combination of crushing depreciation and relatively subtle styling tweaks result in the opportunity to scoop up a heavily depreciated luxury car that, to non-car people, looks like you just spent six figures. Something like a decade-old Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Granted, to most people who don’t really know luxury cars, depreciated ones still look and feel nice, but this is on another level. Put a W222 S-Class and its W223 successor next to each other and the differences are obvious, but only if you have a somewhat keen eye. Bruno Sacco’s concept of vertical affinity lives on, it seems.

In many eyes, the old S-Class simply doesn’t look old. Maybe a few years old at most, but nowhere near going on a decade. However, while a new S-Class will run you more than $117,000 for the most affordable one, early examples of the previous generation can be had for far less. Figure about 17 percent of that.

What Are We Looking At?

Flashback to 2013. Mercedes-Benz was a brand looking for an X-factor. It had the spectacular SLS AMG, it had wickedly powerful AMG V8s, but outside of special models, its cars needed a little more sparkle. The 2007 S-Class was a step in the right direction, but with BMW out of its peak Bangle phase and Audi making gorgeous machines, Mercedes needed to swing big. Thankfully, the 2014 model year was arriving, and with it, a major model change for the S-Class.

The W222 S-Class took what was great about its predecessor and added greatness. Huge presence, more wood, more leather, more metal, sleeker tech integration, and a new styling language seen earlier on the CLA that wouldn’t just maintain the S-Class’ desirability as king of the sedans for another generation, it would simply be evolved for the following generation of S-Class. The luxury aboard? Outrageous for the time. Six different programs in the optional massage seats, an integrated perfume dispenser, wiper blades with individual integrated washer nozzles, cameras tied to the suspension to read the road ahead, and in top spec, more than 100 electric motors working various functions.

We’re talking about a true cornucopia of opulence that could really move out when haste was to be made. In Car And Driver instrumented testing, the S550 ran from zero-to-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, sailed through the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at 108 mph, and could hit 132 mph while maintaining a calm, effortless demeanor. Perfect for plutocrats of the post-recession era, and luxury that’s now depreciated to the point of temptation.

How Much Are We Talking?

Nothing depreciates like a big luxury sedan, and the bigger they are, the harder they fall. For context, Hyundai’s cheapest car in America, the Venue subcompact crossover, starts at $21,395 including freight. While you probably aren’t finding an AMG W222 S-Class or a facelifted model for that sort of money, you can absolutely buy an S550, such as this 2015 model. It recently hammered on Cars & Bids for $18,450, and on the face of things it seems fantastic. We’re talking a 92,100-mile Sport package car with a clean Carfax, massaging front seats, adaptive cruise control, and a selection of other desirable options.

Oh, and here’s another one, albeit with more mileage on the clock. This 2015 S550 4Matic hammered on Cars & Bids back in May for just $16,500. Sure, it might’ve had a whopping 142,700 miles on the clock, and it may have two minor hits on its Carfax, but it was inspected by Lemon Squad, and other than a slightly loose fender liner and the expected visual wear and tear, the only thing wrong with it was a non-functional emergency beacon system, likely due to 3G network sunsetting. It’s a perfectly fine car optioned up to $123,000 when new, now selling for Hyundai Venue money. Madness.

Don’t want to pay auction fees? No worries, the normal used market seems to track fairly well with what we’re seeing at auctions. Just look at this 2014 S550, up for sale in Virginia for $19,995. Sure, it might not have the Sport package, and it might have a hit on its Carfax, but not only is it an Edition 1 launch model with many toys like the heated armrests, massaging front seats, rear window sun blinds, adaptive cruise control, and heated and ventilated rear seats, it has just 89,568 miles on the clock.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong On A W222 S-Class?

While the W222 S-Class seems to be more reliable that previous S-Classes, part of that may simply be recency. Most examples seem to be fairly robust, but a handful have suffered expensive problems, starting with oil in the wiring harness. I wish I was making this up. Basically, oil can get past the seals on the camshaft sensors, wick its way down the engine wiring harness, and wreak all sorts of havoc. Yeah, this’ll be a five-figure bill all day if it happens to you, and how deep into five figures really depends on how far the oil’s traveled.

Then there are the rare but numerous failure modes of the M278 4.7-liter turbocharged V8 found in 2014 to 2017 S550 models. It could suffer valve guide failure, or develop bore scoring, or suffer from timing chain stretch, or leak oil from the timing cover, or develop a leak from the turbo cooling hoses. Not all of these issues are terminal, and not all of these issues are common, but some are terminal and while it probably won’t happen to you, it still might.

Oh, and we need to mention headlight issues, because they can get pricey. The pre-facelift headlights are known to suffer from condensation issues, and replacement isn’t cheap — figure between $2,700 and $2,900 per assembly, depending on which options the car has. Otherwise, keep in mind these cars have an appetite for engine mounts and transmission mounts, and a voracious one for brakes. A single front discs lists for $261.99 on FCP Euro, so brake jobs on these flagships aren’t cheap. In addition, don’t discount the possibility that annoying nickel-and-dime stuff can go wrong. These are complicated cars, six-figure flagships when new.

Should You Buy A W222 S-Class For Hyundai Venue Money?

In most cases, absolutely not. Look, this was a six-figure flagship when it was new, it was pushing the envelope when it came to technology, and when these cars fall, they can fall hard. Sure, they might not rot like the W220 S-Class of the new Millennium, but they’ll still be pricey to keep on the road

However, if you have several grand lying around for various potential needs, are okay with big maintenance bills, and want big-bucks luxury without a big-bucks car payment, a W222 S-Class might be exactly what you need. Ballin’ ain’t cheap, but considering most people on the street will think a ten-year-old S-Class is a brand new one, this is about as cheap as it gets, and as a bonus, you end up with a lovely car.

(Photo credits: Cars & Bids, Autotrader seller)

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