Tag: Mercedes S600 V12

The time has come to sell my beloved 2010 Mercedes S600 (W221) while there’s plenty of MaxCare extended warranty left for the next owner, and so I can pursue my next unicorn. The short version is this; the car has less than 96,500 miles and the free (to the buyer) transferable MaxCare warranty is good until 125,000 odometer miles, or February 2024, whichever comes first. If you’ve read this blog at all, you know it’s all about driving deeply depreciated cars I can’t afford to repair, but the financial risk is transferred to MaxCare – “driving rich”. The car sold new for over $150,000 and is offered at $25,900 OBO on Autotrader (Link Here) and however many other Mercedes Facebook groups I can find. Shoot me a message if you are interested or have questions. I’m happy to share the service history, MaxCare details, and more photos. The Mercedes data card is at the bottom of this blog as well.

There are W221 S600’s on Autotrader for more and less money, with more and less mileage. Twenty total I think. This is the only one with an extended warranty. When I sold my 2004 Mercedes S55 it was also still covered by MaxCare, and the buyer and I met a local Mercedes dealership. I offered that anything he found that I had not noticed, we’d turn the car in and get it fixed. And we did. He gained confidence the car was solid, and he got to see the MaxCare coverage work. More than willing to do that again with this S600. That’s why the price is a little above Autotrader’s market average.

The full text of what I would have put on Autotrader (had they not limited me to 2,000 characters!) is at the bottom. What I hope to share here are some of the nuances of owning a Mercedes S600. I’ve driven it from Virginia to Oregon and back twice on pandemic runs to see my youngest adult son living in Portland, and during one of these the description of “driving from a comfortable recliner, in your living room, in a bank vault, on a bullet train” came to me. I covered Crawfordsville, Indiana to Cheyenne, Wyoming alone in a single day – 1,050 miles in just under 13 hours including gas and McDonald’s. Felt like a short drive to Grandma’s. If I can figure out how to post my dash cam video you can watch it all! I also took the car on another thousand mile loop through the Virginia countryside in the early days of the pandemic. It was my cocoon. Did an 1,800 mile run to the 24 Hours of Daytona and back last January. Previous owners put 45,000 miles on the car in nine years. I added 50,000 in three. I love driving this car.

I became a CarMax/Maxcare addict after enjoying over $35,000 in “free” (to me) repairs to my 2004 Mercedes S55 AMG – a car I paid $21,000 for plus maybe $3,500 for MaxCare. CarMax never flinched on the repairs. So far I’m over $15,000 in MaxCare repairs for the S600. The most expensive fixes have been the seats – twice. I don’t know the exact amount because a number of repairs in the early days were listed as “No Charge” on the service documents. Later they had the dollar amounts. I paid $7,500 for MaxCare when I bought the car and I’ve clearly gotten my money’s worth.

Continue reading “2010 Mercedes S600 V-12 For Sale – Mine!”

I hope you’re not tired of affordable V-12 Mercedes. I’m not, but I promise to move on to other cars soon. I got carried away with them in this V-12 Lollapalooza in October, and this one is an awful lot like my 2010 S600 so I have no interest in buying this one. Just something about a car that was over $160,000 new selling for this price. Driving rich.

Luxurious interior with the high end Bang & Olufsen audio system (pro’s tell me I should just call it a “B&O” but that sounds like a railroad), I have to admit I’m baffled by the torn up center console cover – I’d be having CarMax repair that before buying. On the other hand, looks like the previous owner left behind an aftermarket wedge cup holder storage bin – totally unnecessary given all the storage space in an S-class.

The creature comforts are impressive, and so is the S600’s performance. The 5.5 liter twin turbo V-12 is rated at 510 hp and a whopping 612 lb-ft of torque, and while it only has a five speed automatic it’s good for a mid-four second 0-60mph run – and a 186 mph top end. When I think you all have forgiven me for my road trip posting in the 911, I plan to write about the 6,700 mile journey I just took in my S600. Absolutely a sublime long distance cruiser these S600’s are! This accident free, three owner 2012 Mercedes S600 is available here in San Antonio, Texas for $35,998. And don’t forget the MaxCare!

As I wrote here, the bargain 2008 Mercedes S600 I transferred in from the West Coast went missing – first incorrectly told the car was accidentally sold in Ohio (an honest mistake – CarMax goofed and shipped an Audi S6 in from the same dealer for me, and that car was relayed to Ohio and sold) then advised the S600 had a failing transmission and would not be sold at all.  I was skeptical.  Thought for sure a CarMax employee pulled it from inventory for personal purchase.  At $22,998 it was a steal.  But I have confirmed the car was sold to a wholesaler and is out there somewhere.  So a faithful blog reader (who is a far better sniper than I – he also found the first S600) scored me another one in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  It’s new (2010), nicer, but more expensive at $30,998.  I think I’m in.  CarMax transferred it to my local Dulle dealer…..and maybe a hiccup already.  The ABS light is on, so they sent it to a Mercedes dealer who needs two weeks to fix.  CarMax assures me it will be mine when it returns.  I’ll be watching.  Hoping to make up for the first one I passed on in 2017 – although pleased that a blog reader bought it!

…..but still not mine.  After days of busting chops, CarMax tells me the 2008 Mercedes S600 V-12 was not accidentally sold in Ohio, but was deemed not sellable to customers due to a really bad transmission.  I found it on the Dulles lot last week.  I have asked a number of times why CarMax went ahead and completed a Virginia State inspection (see sticker below) after the car was deemed not sellable, but no response.  They tell me it’s going to a wholeseller.  Asked for documentation confirming it went, but no response.  Until I verify that, I’m still suspicious this car is going to a CarMax insider.  It was a bargain at $22,998 and 44,000 miles.  They refunded my $899 transfer fee and have offered to ship another car from anywhere for free.  No S600 has been that cheap – and there have only been three – in the two years I’ve tracked CarMax.  Will be hard to match.  And if I see this S600 sold to an individual and not a wholeseller I’m going to flip out on them!  And I will know where this car goes.

Ugh.  The one that got away?  I snagged this unicorn when it first popped at my local CarMax, held it under several names, and actually went in to buy it last month.   It was priced at $30,998.  Has everything.  Designo interior.  Over 500 hp.  Night Vision! Was over $150,000 new.  One owner.  But my wife pointed out I can always get a big sedan.  And CarMAx refused to replace a gouged tire.  And I’ve wanted a sports car so instead I bought a 911 last week.  Love the 911, but jeez – this big V12 haunts me.   It’s up in Boston and dropped $1,000 since I passed.  Link here.  Somebody buy it so I can stop thinking about it.