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I doubt it. There's only so much stuff to break in my car, yours is a techno tour-de-force.
Say what you will, I've seen 300k+ mile R129s and there are still W124s on the roads here. I bet some are even still doing taxi services in some parts of the world overseas. R129 is based on a shortened, upgraded W124 platform. The problem is people just don't drive them enough.
I swear I bet my temp sensor went bad because the car stopped being driven 4-5xs a week, but I'll never know. As a DD it's perfect if you don't mind no tech. The Bose thumps better than any other stereo in any other of our cars including the Yukon and LX.
It would last fine. Doesn't mean nothing would break, stuff has broken on your car too. My point is this concept that Mercedes always made cars that would last 40 years is just not accurate. Mercedes has ALWAYS struggled with reliability, earlier R129s and the wiring harnesses is a perfect example. The tops are temperamental and very expensive (yours has been rebuilt twice if I'm not mistaken). If I were going to buy a car to keep for 400k miles it wouldn't be a Mercedes, wouldn't have been a Mercedes 20-30 years ago either. Especially not the S Class.
As for the amount of stuff and complexity, its a tradeoff. The stuff and complexity improves the enjoyment and performance of the car when its young and new.
This is always your argument. Everybody isn't you. Irregardless of how long it may take you, if the book time is 31.4 hours thats what a consumer is going to pay for.
The thermostat on my car is a $3,500+ job...it just is. Not an easy job.
No it's a 4.8 hour job plus parts.
Anything more and people are getting scammed or double charged for overlapping work for no reason. I hate that practice and people need to be more aware of it and stop allowing it to happen.
Oh they are good. However have you had to work on the cars they are in?
It's beyond dense packaging and out right doesn't fit properly, I attend to 4 cars with these engines and dear god it's impressive they fit those things in the cars at all!
The front diff for example is nearly impossible to service even with all the tools on hand that can ease the process, anything on the engine accessory wise is subframe off/hanger engine. Intake is an hour to get off for access to anything in car and in and on......
This was all for PS lines because the last person to touch this didn't position them correctly when the AC compressor was replaced. I was tasked with righting all the cars wrongs and dear lord the packaging is nuts
Toyota charged us $740 to change the PCV valve. I was like you 100% need to explain why a $12.00 part is a $740 job.
Turns out its behind the intake manifold on the current gen Highlander Hybrid. Reminiscent of Cadillacs' Northstar V8 starter location.
That Yamaha Volvo V8 sounds amazing with a open exhaust.
My Parents had a SHO with 5spd manual. Talk about torque steer.
Stuff like that is what I'm talking about. Intake off isn't a big deal on those and the dealer is 100% pricing the job as if they are doing each item in the way separately vs just charging the PCV job.
well that's not necessarily lexus' fault - you've changed too, needs/wants/etc.
it's true that the GS/LS are gone now which is kinda sad, but then the entire market has changed so much.
looking at that engine rip out by striker looks like an absolute nightmare. good for you striker being able to do work like that...
Thanks lol!
It's actually really simple on these, almost everything is QD a the harness etc is designed to be removed just like that. Took me 7 hours and 10 min to drive it in, remove everything and roll it back out to wait for the engine refresh. Car had 210k miles at the time
my main belt snapped over the summer after a somewhat aggressive 1st gear merge and omg what a pain in the *** to replace without removing the bottom cover and getting the car on a lift... i was just able to limp it back to my parking spot before the coolant started to really get hot
the supercharger belt is literally the easiest thing to remove, it's just a single 17mm socket on the tensioner and voila off it goes in like 10 seconds... but for the accessory belt i literally had to use an old ski pole (and a 2nd set of helping hands) to get the belt over the back of the power steering and a/c pump pulleys
without removing the fan there's like so little room to work hence the need for some kind of long stick... btw the dealer charges like $500 to replace this belt! happy i did it myself
Im starting to think this is something wrong with me lol! I saw that pic with both belts and my first thought was "damn, I have MORE than a closed fist worth of space. EZ!"
I just did this A4 PS pump and belt and I was lazy so didn't put it in service position.....there was \"more than enough" space to the belt on after all lol!
Last edited by Striker223; Jan 27, 2026 at 11:32 AM.
Anything more and people are getting scammed or double charged for overlapping work for no reason. I hate that practice and people need to be more aware of it and stop allowing it to happen.
Do the math on that. $300/hr X5 is $1,500 in labor. Parts are $810 plus the coolant and refrigerant (probably $300 just in refrigerant, $200 in coolant), taxes and shop supplies...you're at $3,200 assuming that they're not marking up the parts even more.
Thats my point, you say these cars are "cheaper to maintain than an LS" and as someone who has owned both cars and paid dealers and mechanics to repair and maintain them that is just totally not true. The S Class is much more expensive to repair and maintain.
Oh they are good. However have you had to work on the cars they are in?
Nope! Didn't even know this engine existed until now.
It's beyond dense packaging and out right doesn't fit properly, I attend to 4 cars with these engines and dear god it's impressive they fit those things in the cars at all!
Sounds like a complete lack of planning, Yamaha make us a sweet V8 oh snap now we have to figure out how to fit the engine.
Nope! Didn't even know this engine existed until now.
Sounds like a complete lack of planning, Yamaha make us a sweet V8 oh snap now we have to figure out how to fit the engine.
It was actually more of a "oh ****, what do you mean the XC90 is selling well in the US? QUICKLY, CALL THE JAPANESE TO MAKE US A V8" type of situation haha!
They specifically made it as a panic reaction to unexpected success and wanting to provide something to go up against the X5 and ML etc
Do the math on that. $300/hr X5 is $1,500 in labor. Parts are $810 plus the coolant and refrigerant (probably $300 just in refrigerant, $200 in coolant), taxes and shop supplies...you're at $3,200 assuming that they're not marking up the parts even more.
Thats my point, you say these cars are "cheaper to maintain than an LS" and as someone who has owned both cars and paid dealers and mechanics to repair and maintain them that is just totally not true. The S Class is much more expensive to repair and maintain.
So with an LS500 labor times being the same means what then?
I look forward to your response, also remember we are comparing the V6 LS to the V8 Mercedes not the much more fair I-6 vs V6 comparison where the S-class trounces the LS for ownership cost.
Last edited by Striker223; Jan 27, 2026 at 12:33 PM.
@AJT123 I just saw on news heavy snow in Nashville. Are you putting the LX to work?
Oh hell no we got a big fat ******' nothin'. At one point they were predicting 18 inches.
I would be, though.
Originally Posted by SW17LS
It would last fine. Doesn't mean nothing would break, stuff has broken on your car too. My point is this concept that Mercedes always made cars that would last 40 years is just not accurate. Mercedes has ALWAYS struggled with reliability, earlier R129s and the wiring harnesses is a perfect example. The tops are temperamental and very expensive (yours has been rebuilt twice if I'm not mistaken). If I were going to buy a car to keep for 400k miles it wouldn't be a Mercedes, wouldn't have been a Mercedes 20-30 years ago either. Especially not the S Class.
Sometimes I wonder if you just like creating arguments. If you'll go back to what I originally said, it was that you used to be able to buy a Benz that would last several decades. I didn't say it's still true right now. You're just repeating what I told you. Yes, wire harness crap and all, though, the R129 is an engineering masterpiece. Tops are not temperamental as the cars aren't as long as treated like a princess and was from the start... there's where Lexus edges ahead. I treat both my Lexuses like beater Corollas time and maintenance wise. And, uh, in 24 years being on the THIRD set of hydraulics frankly is impressive to me, not the other way around. I"ve told everyone over the years I use that top like it's a new car, it lasted 3 summers since I bought it at 21 years old. It only cost $33xx to replace everything and should be set for at least 5-8 years. Your car has hybrid stuff that would go bad, all the computer stuff... no way a W223 will last as long as an R129... no way in hell. R129 was engineered over 10 years, there are neat tidbits.... For example the huge fender flares originally weren't there but they made them beefier for better brake cooling and suspension travel after testing and they look absolutely FANTASTIC. Talk about a win/win I didn't even notice the car has aggressive AF fenders until after I bought it.
Not my car but see? I bet some people never noticed this before either.
good for you striker being able to do work like that... 
