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Well,
It's been said before, but I'll say it again anyway,
The W140 cars are expensive to maintain, both in maintenance and repairs. Especially when repairs are required.
The AC evaporators fail, and it REALLY expensive. When you see what's involved in changing one, you'll see why the bill is so high.
Things like door-closers, PBU's, intrument panels, and so on, can add up over time.
Don't think that because you can buy a used W140 S-Class for $20,000, that it costs the same to maintain as a $20,000 Corolla. These cars were never meant to be sold into a demographic that cared about running costs. They were "damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead" kinda cars.
Not to say that running an S-Class can't be a great experience. They can be very relaible cars, giving year after year of top service to the owner. But, when something does go wrong, or age creeps in, you're not getting a bargain on the repair. V-8 engines are not inexpensive for things like head gaskets or timing chains. The electronics on these cars are numerous and complex. Diagnosis can be expensive, and repair costly too. Even things like cabin air filtration systems are much more complex and costly to maintain than on the C or E Class brethern.
I've seen few indie shops with the experience or tools to effectively look after an S-Class W140. Only dealerships or major MB repair centres have the facilities to do it, and that means you've got to pay top labour rates to make sure they have the right gear.
Things like Self-Levelling rear suspension can give years of trouble free service, but when repairs are required, it ain't cheap. It's just that the S-Class cars have ALL the gizmos, and then some.
And the 60,000 miles is just a number. I've seen cars with half that mileage that are not worth buying. Mileage is a poor indicator of care. Look for a car with meticulous service records, including oil and filter changes. Has the car sat for an extended time period? If so, I'd be careful. Non-driving-time is VERY hard on MB's, and can cause all kinds of problems. These cars need exercise.
Has the car changed hands lots? It could be a big headache if so.
Who is the original owner, and the current owner? I like to find cars where the owner has the resources to truly care for the car. Do they let their teenager drive the car?
Don't be in a rush to own an S-Class. Take your time and buy the right car. Set aside a reasonable budget to care for it, or be prepared to be unhappy.
BTW, this is not just true of the MB products. A 7-series BMW, LExus LS, Inifiniti Q45 or Audi A8 are the same. Expensive to buy, depreciate enormously after five years, and are costly to operate when compared to their smaller siblings.
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