By Stig
on 22nd Mar 2008
Stig's Ratings| Year Manufactured | 1999 |
|---|
| Length of ownership | 4 years |
|---|
| Doors | 2 |
|---|
| Performance | 9/10  |
|---|
| Practicality | 7/10 |
|---|
| Reliability | 6/10 |
|---|
| Value for money | 9/10 |
|---|
| Overall value | 8/10 |
|---|
 Stig's recommendation |
Good Points
Built upon the same chassis and engine of the fabled S class Mercedes, with with only 2 doors and a shorter wheelbase, you get the reliability of one of Mercedes best selling cars in a sportier, smaller (relatively) version. The car is very handsome, and classically styled so that years later, all these cars still turn heads. Performance is enhanced over the sedans because the cars are lighter and more nimble, although still over two tons makes them anything but Lotus or Miata tossable. These are serious cars, with every possible luxury, from eight position leather chairs - fully heated and cooled - to the beautiful wood trim and over-designed controls. The stereo is a concert hall, and the dual glass windows keep the heat and noise outside where it belongs. The car is fast, quiet and reliable. A joy to drive. Remarkable mileage for a big V-8 with well over 300+ horses.
Bad Points
Pricing is painful; if you buy a new one, you take depreciation like a Victoria's Secret franchise in Saudi Arabia; and while that makes it relatively much cheaper for sequential owners, the prices are still vertigo inducing, particularly if you are paying in dollars. The many complicated luxuries, like a robotic arm that hands you your seat belt when you enter, are more fragile than you have a right to expect, are very expensive to repair, and quickly become more irritation than luxury.
General Comments
One of the great cars that give Mercedes Benz a reputation for strong, fast, luxurious cars. Beautiful to look at, moving or parked, and delightful to drive, this car is a true alternative to flying for trips of 500 miles and less; you arrive exhilarated and fresh, particularly if you can exercise the abilities of this car above triple digit speeds. The dual pane windows are amazingly good at eliminating not just heat but noise; the kid with the boom, boom, booming rap quickly becomes only a visual annoyance once the window is up and he is silenced. All the qualities you look for in a car are here without moderation, and even the mileage can remain above 20 mpg if you aren't attempting to keep the throttle wide open all the time. The only disappointments come from those parts that aren't necessary, and whose use can only be enjoyed by the first owner - the mechanical arm for the seatbelt, the wooden rolltop storage bin between the rear seats, the joke of cup holders, etc. Overall, buy a good used one with few miles for a discount of 60% - 80% when it is five or more years old, and then enjoy it for what it is - grand, reliable luxurious travel for two in a manner easy to fall in love with. Just get used to the valet always wanting to park the car in the front of the hotel, and know the cop won't look the other way when you blow by.
