SECOND-HAND SENSEIt cannot have escaped your notice that there are more Mercedes cars on Irish roads than ever before. And a lot of them are not what one might describe in relative terms as "entry level" models - on the contrary.
We are seeing more and more exotic models ever year, which is why the S-Class - regarded by many as the best luxury car in the world - is not the rare animal it once was. Thinking about that term "best luxury car", also prompts one to reflect that the S-Class has now been relegated. The powerful, curtained and ostentatious Maybach will now show you the real money.
The S-Class is one of the most technically advanced cars around. It bristles with new techology and gizmos, yet it is a car that is actually more rewarding to be driven in than to drive. Of course it drives well, but it is a big car and it is not a Porsche. Rather it is a big saloon that exudes comfort and luxury, especially in its more expensive guises.
The current version came into being in 1998 and is indeed an elegant looking car. My own view is that it is perhaps the most elegant car of its type, far outclassing competitors like Lexus. The older model was a big square gas-guzzler that found ideal refuge in former Eastern Bloc countries where new money could not always quite stretch to a new BMW 7-Series.
The S-Class engine range begins with a 2.8 V6 petrol engine, and moves on to a 3.2 petrol, both of which are considered to be slightly underpowered for the size and weight of the car. The diesel engines, however, are super performers. The 320 diesel is a great car with lots under the bonnet except noise. The bigger engines are extremely thirsty and do not make for practical motoring.
Inside, the S-Class is roomy, quiet and almost perfectly finished. Ride and handling are excellent, but sedate motoring is just as rewarding, especially with cruise control engaged. All S-Class models have automatic transmission - it would be unthinkable to try to use manual in a car like this.
The car does not have a EuroNCAP crash test rating, but Mercedes have a pretty good record in this department. Neither does it have a long recall history. Some very early cars were recalled for possible loss of brake vacuum assistance and some for unintentional deployment of an airbag. Nearly 800 cars were recalled in August of 2000 because of a potential fire hazard from the heat blower motor regulator.
The S-Class, for obvious reasons, commands a premium on the second-hand market. And even though Motors last week highlighted falling values for second-hand cars, a four-year-old 2.8 model with 45,000 on the clock has an asking price of €43,500, while a two-year-old model with 37,000 on the clock is for sale at €62,950.