Used 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 1997 S-Class, so we've included reviews for other years of the S-Class since its last redesign.
The German tank
THE VIKING, 05/01/2010
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
36 of 36 people found this review helpful
The most overengineered MBZ ever built. Love the Black leather, don't get the beige or gray. Even has a parking assist in 1997 ! I love this car. Best driving car I have ever driven. Parts are very $$$ if you buy this used. You can get one for 7K, but make sure it has been taken care of. Mileage is meaningless on this car. Maintenance is most important, and a good mechanic. These cars can go to 1,000,000 miles actually. I think it's in the world record book. The car drives like a sports car. The car is very heavy, so get the S500, not the weaker S430 or S300, there too weak to pull this much weight. And get black interior.
1997 S500 - The Last Great Benz
Viking99, 04/26/2010
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
30 of 30 people found this review helpful
I have owned a few MBZ in my life. I had admired the W140 chasis on the road for many years. The square bold looks, & rock-solid build looked indestructable. New price: $ 100,000 A few points: Steering Wheel: If you can get a wood steering wheel. Hard to find. Interior: Black is the only way to go. Grey / beige don't age as well. Engine: This is a super heavy car. Don't waste your time with a V6. It's like using a wheel barrel to pull the Queen mary. Stick with 97-99. This cars can be had for 7K-8k used, but buyer be aware. Most of the lower priced ones need work of easily 10K - 15K. Get one with service records & an anal owner, that had the work done for you. 10K-15K
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class for sale near you
3 of 11 listings
- S320 SWB SedanMSRP: $14,900822 mi away
- S320 LWB SedanMSRP: $7,995859 mi away
- S500 SedanMSRP: $18,995881 mi away
See all 11 listings
battlecruiser
hovocop, 04/18/2011
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 SWB 4dr Sedan
39 of 40 people found this review helpful
I purchased this car a month ago used with 162000 miles on it. The price was right, and I thought it to be a "disposable" car. NOT SO!!!! I have driven much newer mercedes, and this 14 yr old car has not lost a step in performance or comfort. Beware of a "weeping" oil drip of this car. I was stunned and horrified when I discovered it. A little research on the internet told me that the oil should not be at the "max" of the dipstick. it should be in the middle. The key comes down to maintainance records. If you had an anal previous owner, you are in luck. If you had an owner who saved his pennies to get it (and did not want to spend his pennies to maintain it) you will have a bad experience.
Amazing Benz!
John Henry AIA, 03/31/2006
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 2dr Coupe
21 of 21 people found this review helpful
A great car for a big person. Seating is the best in its class. Performance is there when you want it. Whisper quiet, soaks the road up. Best on the highway but slow cruises catch attention. Can be a bit wallowy but shock adjustment allows tighter handling. A very heavy car, so not typically thrown around corners, but can be. Large trunk, thirsty engine, but supremely satisfying. Very rare to see on the road. 'Slab' look does not feel outdated, especially in the coupe. Reliability is very good, but parts are pricey when required. Midrange acceleration is amazing. This is not a dragster. Great looks, super feel, quiet and extremely comfortable mean a 9.5 out of 10 for me.
Black Beauty
Josh, 10/09/2015
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
29 of 30 people found this review helpful
So long as you use full synthetic every 5000 miles and premium fuel, the 1997 s500 will be a loyal trusty steed. I love the black on black color combo, 11 Bose speakers and HID headlamps. Also the auto sensing wipers are great. 1997+ have these features stock.. The car is a tank.
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Last of the good Benzes
Doug Hall, 03/12/2005
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 SWB 4dr Sedan
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
I have owned about 10 mercedes, this 1992-1999 S Class is among the last of the truly good ones. Bought my 1997 used in 2000, pure joy. Love driving it, 23 mpg in mixed driving, gets lots of compliments at 8 years and 105000 miles. Strangers ask if I want to sell it. Black/black leather, Looks positively new, very reliable overall. These are very complex cars, buy one from a dealer with all records and the "Starmark" extended warranty, buy extra coverage to 36 months/100000 total miles. 1997-1999 are the best years, 5 speed auto, updated wheels/climate control/stereo, 1992- 1996 wiring harness and head gasket problems corrected.
Special experience
carfemme, 08/02/2014
updated 08/04/2017
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 4dr Sedan
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I have owned this car for 11 years. Bought it used with 90K mileage - had been in love with the look of the vehicle since I first saw it at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1997. When I found a nice used one, I bought it. Needed some work to restore it and I did that. It is a very fun and comfortable car to drive. Costs more than the norm to repair it, but it is an experience you just cannot find in a normal car. I use it for highway driving and know that I will have the performance and safety that I need. This car is vastly undervalued in the marketplace. It would be very difficult to find a similar car with the same features and comfort. Hard to find a good used one (like mine) but if you do, it is well worth the investment ... provided you are committed to paying more than normal maintenance costs. It is an elegant looking vehicle that attracts attention and most people cannot possibly guess its age because the design is so timeless. Someday I will sell it, but it will be hard to part with. Only one drawback. It can be difficult to find a qualified mechanic to work on the car since it is not a "regular" Mercedes. It was the most expense car that Mercedes produced in 1997 and is, therefore, not commonly found. Very unusual.
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Best car I've ever had.
Joe cash, 09/16/2008
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
27 of 29 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in Nov. 1996. After 80,000 miles I had to replace the transmission. That was the blast and only unreasonable repair I've made. I now have 200,750 miles on it. At 200,000. the evaporator in the A/C was leaking and had to be replaced. It was costly, $3400. but it is a great car and I paid the price. My family suggested`I buy a new car, but even an E class was going to cost me close to $60,000. and since I love this car it was`a no brainer. The trunk is large, and as they say, I could raise a family of five in the back seat. When I buy a new car it will probably be a diesel, not because of gas mileage, but because of less maintenance. I get 17.5 mpg city.
500 S coupe
chet snavely, 05/31/2007
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 2dr Coupe
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
This is the most amazing car I have ever owned. I love the size of the interior and firm comfort of the seats. The acceleration and performance is excellent. It is even good in the snow. Mechanically it has been no problem whatsoever. Tire wear has even been minimal. I still have the car because I can not find another that tempts me more than what I have. I don't think Mercedes has been able to improve on this overall car. They've tried and failed in my opinion. This is a great one.
The very best Mercedes ever built
Philippe sommet, 03/28/2016
updated 10/03/2016
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 2dr Coupe
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
This is a cruiser,not a sport car! It loves highways It is as comfortable as a RR It has the best acoustic and stereo ever developed in any car It is smooth and powerful,extremely silent. Very roomy The most impressive Mercedes I have ever owned,my daily driver. To keep this beauty on the road comes with a price,do not expect a lot of back up from Mercedes since most of the parts are no longer available. When available,a single inside door panel was fractured 6100$,and on and on... In my opinion,a good car for older enthusiastic Mercedes's lovers with low miles range,a pure pleasure built to last!
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Great Wheels
MRDC, 02/14/2004
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 SWB 4dr Sedan
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Putting the costs aside, this vehicle has been an excellent ride. The solid feel on the road with its good performance is everything one should expect from a car of this reputation. The simplicity and understated elegancy makes this a real winner. All problems were handled under the warranty and the extended warranty (a definite buy given the costs of repairs).
THE BEST CAR EVER!!!!! MERCEDES FOR SURE
karpathos77, 03/12/2004
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 LWB 4dr Sedan
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I bought it with 110000 miles. I still have not done anything to the car but change the oil every 5000 miles and change the spark plugs. It is smooth over bumps. This car gets great gas milage. On a full tank with normal driving you can get anywhere from 450- 540miles on a full tank. The interior looks like brand new. Like the car has never been sat in. Lots of leg room. Engine always runs smooth with no wineee noise. it can go 155 miles an hour no problem. The car is the most stable car in the world. It should have been a race car. If you are in to looks and big wheels this is your car.
Speed, smooth, solid nickle & dimer
Mr. T, 09/27/2006
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
She's a highway machine. Silky smooth accelleration. She holds the road like an autobahn purebread. The engine rules, except for those pesky oil journals (nice job designer guys). When the miles start to rack up, the strangest things start to go out on it. Air coditioner wierdness, transmission gremlins (limp home mode?!) leave you and the dealership scratching your head as to what's wrong (computer diagnostics?!). The heaviness of the car eats suspension and brake parts. On a positive note, if you can find a mechanic who can identify and fix the little strange things that will happen to this car, it will last forever!
Excellent preowned luxury car.
Heskett, 05/25/2006
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
Haven't had the car long but have made some extended trips. MPG was a little over 20 on these trips. Performance and comfort are excellent. Still a classic for MBZ styling. With good care should remain a symbol of classic style and quality engineering.
Best car ever
Ned, 05/24/2010
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
15 of 17 people found this review helpful
This car is amazing. It rides smoothly, has the power when it is needed, and it still has the looks after 15 years.
hot
dannydyno, 07/27/2002
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
the mercedes s 500 is the best car in the world
Best Car at 60+ mph
Steve at California, 09/23/2003
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
The above title stated clearly: this is the best car I ever ride on highway. A perfect balance between performance and luxury. With the 5.0 litter V-8, the S- 500 is, (may I say), sporty at highway speed. Plenty of passing power/touque, and the car achieves the speed in such a quiet and effortless manner. The gas mileage is not too bad, since most of the time I do not need to rev the engine high to extract performance.
S320SWB
GIUSEPPE, 03/29/2003
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 SWB 4dr Sedan
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
A FABULOUS USED CAR AT 25 GRAND AND FIVE YRS OLD AT TIME OF PURCHASE LOOKS AND FEELS LIKE NEW PERFECT SHAPE NO PROBLEMS HAD ORIGINAL TIRES WHEN BOUGHT AT 48 K MILES.COMPARES TO BEST OF LUXURY SEDANS EVEN WITH SIX CYL.HAS GOOD POWER AND QUIET BEYOND BELIEF RIDE
The Black beauty
JRW, 05/09/2003
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
The S 420 is an excellent example of German made excellence in motorvehicles. The comfort level is impecable and is one of the smoothest rides i have ever ridden in. The car is perfection at its best.
MB S600
tareq, 10/08/2008
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 4dr Sedan
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
A fabulous car from 13 years the date I bought and still feels and looks new. It is a great car with great power of 12 cylinders. I love this car. I bought a new 2008 Lexus and I had to do some repairs after 6 months, but the Mercedes I had nothing to do but the checkups every year
ultimate motoring
esq, 05/13/2003
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 4dr Sedan
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Vehicle was purchased Starmarked from dealer -- in excellent shape with 27k miles. Has been an excellent driving experience, especially on the highway. Very easy to exceed speed limits because car is totally quiet, smooth and has unprecedented power reserve for accelerating, even at high speeds. Car has suffered very high depcreciation since purchase.
Riding deep for cheap
benzkrazee, 11/05/2008
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S600 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
What a car and such a bargain! A one owner car purchased for $125,000 (no misprint) less than sticker. It runs great, fuel mileage is good for a 5,000lb. car, and so far it has been bullet-proof reliable. If you want a great car, this is the ultimate. Just beware that when it needs repair, make sure you use your AMEX card because you will exceed your credit limit with any other card (S600 parts are very expensive)
Style and Class-The S class
betty from Florida, 03/06/2004
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S320 SWB 4dr Sedan
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Finest S class I have owned, and it's been a great car, EXCEPT for the transmission problem. Had it rebuilt once, and acting up again, so now I'll trade it in. Too bad, otherwise I'd be driving it another 5 years. Had my other s class Mercedes 10 years for one and 11 years for another. Great car otherwise.
1996 S500 Coupe
jjf, 05/16/2002
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 2dr Coupe
5 of 7 people found this review helpful
- Smoke Silver with a Creme Beige interior, showroom condition - Starmarked and in perfect condition - New MXV4s and new Artic Alpines - Integrated Nokia phone system
My Last Mercedes
VWRattletrap, 10/10/2003
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
6 of 9 people found this review helpful
This was the car that turned a certified car nut like myself into someone who just wants cheap transportation. I bought this car new and in the first year had over $10K of warranty work . . . I finally sold it after 12 months and bought a Volkswagen! A partial list: engine torn down to replace timing chains due to constant whine, transmission slip shifting, rattles, radio not connected at the factory, temperature sensor intermittent, damaged paint, and finally, the total arrogance of the factory zone reps!
Marquis
Marquis, 05/25/2005
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
When I bought the vehicle used, the previous owner did not take care of all the maintenance that was supposed to be taken care of. Despite that, I put money into all the maintenance that was supposed to be done, and it drives like a dream. The drive before the maintenance was nice, however now, it really drives like I expected.
Road King!
Agron Gecaj, 06/24/2019
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
W140 chassis or 1992 to 1999 S class is the most over engineered Benz to date with over a $1 Billion investment on design and safety and most comfortable ride, head turner road owner and especially S500 being the most trusted V8 5.0 engine in Benz history. The only car to rival this king is the short lived brother 1995 S350 turbo diesel inline 6( i know with the rod bender and all but by 1995 model that issue was fixed) and personally i own both models 1992 300sd (300.000 miles currently) and 1997 S500 ( 65.000 miles and a gift from my Brother ) and both are awesome on their way. Mr Benz, Mr Maybach and Mr Diesel should go down in history as Car Gods for inventing and giving us such a wonderful creations.
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Ageless
97dbenz, 04/01/2020
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Well this is my third w140 s class, this one is a 1997 s420 with only 235k pampered miles and it still gives me a great feeling to get in and drive. My wife's car is an 05 s500 4matic, and I would much rather be in the 97! We've owned several other Mercedes styles,but the w140 is the best of the best! Half way do the maintenance and they'll run forever. Once you spend time in one you will not want anything else! ENJOY!
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The last rock-solid S-Class
SRS, 05/30/2008
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
This car replaced my '84 300SD which I lost in an accident. But having saved my life, I wanted another Mercedes S-Class and decided to try a W140 chassis. It is built like a bank vault and still has all of the hallmarks of a true Mercedes Benz (before the Chrysler merger). It has not been without problems (oil tappet pipe replaced, central locking pump, lower oil pan seal, control arm bushings, steering damper to name a few). But this is a 12 year old car w/ 144K miles. Any automobile that old and with that kind of mileage is going to need attention. So overall, I recommend this car to any Mercedes lover. With proper care and feeding (and a nice "rainy day" fund), you will enjoy it!
Don't buy this car!
Pissed Off!, 06/10/2008
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
6 of 12 people found this review helpful
My 1997 S420 is the worst car I have ever owned! I bought it with 80,000 miles on it and now have 160,000 on it. I have a lot of problems with it. The engine is good and everything but the trim on the doors was coming off, the rear passenger side window doesn't work, the soft-close door/trunk feature doesn't work anymore, the A/C isn't as cold as it use to be, and the brakes squeak very loudy although they were replaced. The black paint is starting to show its age and rust. The front springs are squeaking and need to be replaced too. Everyone else that owns this car doesn't have these problems so maybe I got the bad apple of the bunch. I do like how solid and fast this car is at high speeds.
Fun but Expensive to Maintain
JeffreySharp, 04/19/2008
1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a beautiful car both interior and exterior and the perfect size for a family of 6-plus footers. It is powerful and drives wonderfully particularly on the highway. Be sure to get a warranty though because lots of things tend to go wrong and when they do they are expensive to fix. The engineering seems to be more complicated than necessary which makes any repairs expensive. Next car will probably be Japanese. Had an Acura before this and it went 9 years and besides regular maintenance it never went to the shop.
420S Mercedes/not driven much
Dee Stavola, 07/03/2004
1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S420 4dr Sedan
1 of 5 people found this review helpful
Garage kept.Black on black. Two other cars not driven.