SL55 - decisions decisions... help!
Discussion
Hey guys... former E55K owner here, looking forward to getting that sledgehammer of torque back in convertable form this summer!
So first things first, any advice on what to look out for? ABC, electronics, rear seal leaking on roof, intercooler pump... those are the ones I know about, anything else you would recommend looking over?
My other decision is:
My budget is probably ~£20k... I could get an immaculate early model with very little mileage, or a later car with more mileage, or an early car with maybe ~50k miles and have a few thousand left over to modify.
I would like to get the mid silencers removed (I'll prob do this no matter what choice I make re. the above), but if I buy cheaper, I can remap and pulley upgrade....
How reliable are these cars with those mods? What kind of cost? What kind of power increases? Opinions of the car before/after from owners who have done this would be great!
Unfortunately it seems SL65s are still over my budget (seem to be £30k+) so I need to make the most of this one
Any advice appreciated!
So first things first, any advice on what to look out for? ABC, electronics, rear seal leaking on roof, intercooler pump... those are the ones I know about, anything else you would recommend looking over?
My other decision is:
My budget is probably ~£20k... I could get an immaculate early model with very little mileage, or a later car with more mileage, or an early car with maybe ~50k miles and have a few thousand left over to modify.
I would like to get the mid silencers removed (I'll prob do this no matter what choice I make re. the above), but if I buy cheaper, I can remap and pulley upgrade....
How reliable are these cars with those mods? What kind of cost? What kind of power increases? Opinions of the car before/after from owners who have done this would be great!
Unfortunately it seems SL65s are still over my budget (seem to be £30k+) so I need to make the most of this one
Any advice appreciated!
I bought a 2004 facelift SL55 with 46K miles. Have started the mods and still have a number to be done.
Mods Done:
Quaiffe LSD
Removed Secondary Cats and Resonators
Fitted 19" AMG Type IV Alloys
Fitted Renntech Lowering Module
Mods to Do:
Replace Intercooler Pump
Fit Upgraded Intercooler Heat Exchanger
Remap + Pulley
The LSD is great as it really improved the traction and handling. I removed the cats/resonators to improve the sound which is now fantastic. The wheels and lowering module are cosmetic as I didnt like the gaps between the wheels and the wheel arch. Am improving the IC cooling prior to increasing the power with the remap and pulley. Am expecting power to be around 550bhp and 600lbs torque. Have no qualms about reliability of the engine as they are bomb proof.
The major issues with the SL55 tend to be the ABC suspension and the roof. Not a lot you can do about the suspension other than do as many checks as possible before buying. I have had to replace a rear strut which are expensive but MB now do re-engineered ones which can save you £400. The main issue with the roofs is leaking. I spray all the seals with aerospace 303 which keeps the rubber seals supple and also protects them. I also use 2 battery condition chargers to keep the batteries charged as in the winter it will not get a lot of use and auxilliary battery can be prone to failing.
This is my 2nd SL55. First one was 2002 which I owned 8 years ago and always regretted selling. Love the cars but they are not cheap cars to maintain and so very important to find a good MB specialist. I use PCS in Horndean who I would recommend to anybody with MB.
Mods Done:
Quaiffe LSD
Removed Secondary Cats and Resonators
Fitted 19" AMG Type IV Alloys
Fitted Renntech Lowering Module
Mods to Do:
Replace Intercooler Pump
Fit Upgraded Intercooler Heat Exchanger
Remap + Pulley
The LSD is great as it really improved the traction and handling. I removed the cats/resonators to improve the sound which is now fantastic. The wheels and lowering module are cosmetic as I didnt like the gaps between the wheels and the wheel arch. Am improving the IC cooling prior to increasing the power with the remap and pulley. Am expecting power to be around 550bhp and 600lbs torque. Have no qualms about reliability of the engine as they are bomb proof.
The major issues with the SL55 tend to be the ABC suspension and the roof. Not a lot you can do about the suspension other than do as many checks as possible before buying. I have had to replace a rear strut which are expensive but MB now do re-engineered ones which can save you £400. The main issue with the roofs is leaking. I spray all the seals with aerospace 303 which keeps the rubber seals supple and also protects them. I also use 2 battery condition chargers to keep the batteries charged as in the winter it will not get a lot of use and auxilliary battery can be prone to failing.
This is my 2nd SL55. First one was 2002 which I owned 8 years ago and always regretted selling. Love the cars but they are not cheap cars to maintain and so very important to find a good MB specialist. I use PCS in Horndean who I would recommend to anybody with MB.
loved my SL55 which was marginally quicker than than the Aston DB9 i drive now......I also recently purchased a 2008 SL500 from Mercedes retail, which will be off the road for 3 months because of a faulty ABC pump which Mercedes don't have in stock.
If you can find a well cared for SL55 for 20-25k then buy it......Mitchell Retail in Cheshire have a 2007 SL55 with full F1 upgrade kit (12k extra) and only 27k miles up for £28k ......that a lot of car
If you can find a well cared for SL55 for 20-25k then buy it......Mitchell Retail in Cheshire have a 2007 SL55 with full F1 upgrade kit (12k extra) and only 27k miles up for £28k ......that a lot of car
Thanks for the replies guys.
My budget is going to be around £20k, and if I were looking at close to £30k my man maths would probably convince me to get an SL65 instead
I think the majority of issues seem to be the same as my old E55 + ABC and roof.
I'm interested that you've quoted about 550bhp as some of the tuners claim ~600 with pulley and remap, wonder how realistic it is....
May I ask, how much difference did the exhaust mod make, and what was the cost? And what tuner and cost are you considering for pulley and remap? (if you don't mind my asking)
I'm going to try to get a car with 19" wheels as I think, as you said, the smaller wheels just don't fill the wheels.
How much difference to the ride did the lowering make?
Oh, and LSD - something I hadn't thought of... I remember the E55 being terrible in anything other than a straight line with perfect dry - I assume the SL is the same.. how much difference did it make? And again, if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Thanks!
My budget is going to be around £20k, and if I were looking at close to £30k my man maths would probably convince me to get an SL65 instead
I think the majority of issues seem to be the same as my old E55 + ABC and roof.
I'm interested that you've quoted about 550bhp as some of the tuners claim ~600 with pulley and remap, wonder how realistic it is....
May I ask, how much difference did the exhaust mod make, and what was the cost? And what tuner and cost are you considering for pulley and remap? (if you don't mind my asking)
I'm going to try to get a car with 19" wheels as I think, as you said, the smaller wheels just don't fill the wheels.
How much difference to the ride did the lowering make?
Oh, and LSD - something I hadn't thought of... I remember the E55 being terrible in anything other than a straight line with perfect dry - I assume the SL is the same.. how much difference did it make? And again, if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Thanks!
The earlier cars had issues with rear arch corrosion and also the roof. I even saw a few with boot lid corrosion as well. Mine was done by MB under the recall scheme.
There have also been issues with faulty boot sealing and blocked drain holes allowing water into the boot and flooding out electronics so check for this. The boot battery in mine is happy for a couple of weeks before I get the dash message disabling comfort options as the front is only for starting never had an issue with it. I just charge the rear battery if the car has been parked up for a while.
The panoramic roof is a real plus point on these cars and really opens up the interior even on those rainy days that we occasionally get
I agree with the 18" vs 19" wheels I changed mine to oem 19" Type III alloys and they transform the looks and do not reduce comfort in any way. I have had no problems with traction or indeed the roof or ABC and had the ABC fluid flushed and replaced which is not something that is commonly done and is why the seals fail over time.
18" Wheels
19" Wheels
I have been thinking of selling mine recently as Lady S has recently acquired a Z4 with folding tin top but every time I drive it I change my mind. I guess if someone was interested and made me a decent offer I might be convinced.
There have also been issues with faulty boot sealing and blocked drain holes allowing water into the boot and flooding out electronics so check for this. The boot battery in mine is happy for a couple of weeks before I get the dash message disabling comfort options as the front is only for starting never had an issue with it. I just charge the rear battery if the car has been parked up for a while.
The panoramic roof is a real plus point on these cars and really opens up the interior even on those rainy days that we occasionally get
I agree with the 18" vs 19" wheels I changed mine to oem 19" Type III alloys and they transform the looks and do not reduce comfort in any way. I have had no problems with traction or indeed the roof or ABC and had the ABC fluid flushed and replaced which is not something that is commonly done and is why the seals fail over time.
18" Wheels
19" Wheels
I have been thinking of selling mine recently as Lady S has recently acquired a Z4 with folding tin top but every time I drive it I change my mind. I guess if someone was interested and made me a decent offer I might be convinced.
As you say, really. ABC suspension, leak in boot, rust at rear (front is aluminium) are the main ones. Squeaking superchargers should be fixed by now? Sometimes the charger can disable itself in a sort of limp-home mode.
The values of these are all over the place aren't they. An average early private car may be sub 15k, but a tidier better condition one well over 20k. I couldn't get my head round that.
I'm a huge Merc fan but this and the reliability concerns made me buy an Aston Vantage :/. It's a sad state of affairs for Mercedes when you buy a hand built British sports car for the improved reliability!! Doesn't have the torque of the 55K engine though.
The values of these are all over the place aren't they. An average early private car may be sub 15k, but a tidier better condition one well over 20k. I couldn't get my head round that.
I'm a huge Merc fan but this and the reliability concerns made me buy an Aston Vantage :/. It's a sad state of affairs for Mercedes when you buy a hand built British sports car for the improved reliability!! Doesn't have the torque of the 55K engine though.
vinnie83 said:
Thanks for the replies guys.
My budget is going to be around £20k, and if I were looking at close to £30k my man maths would probably convince me to get an SL65 instead
I think the majority of issues seem to be the same as my old E55 + ABC and roof.
I'm interested that you've quoted about 550bhp as some of the tuners claim ~600 with pulley and remap, wonder how realistic it is....
May I ask, how much difference did the exhaust mod make, and what was the cost? And what tuner and cost are you considering for pulley and remap? (if you don't mind my asking)
I'm going to try to get a car with 19" wheels as I think, as you said, the smaller wheels just don't fill the wheels.
How much difference to the ride did the lowering make?
Oh, and LSD - something I hadn't thought of... I remember the E55 being terrible in anything other than a straight line with perfect dry - I assume the SL is the same.. how much difference did it make? And again, if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Thanks!
The remap and pulley I am doing is Eurocharged Performance Stage 1 Power Package which also includes the IC Heat Exchanger and I am fitting the latest Bosche IC pump and the figures they quote are 557bhp and 616lbs torque. Not sure of the total cost yet as I am doing them at a PCS event on 17th May at a discount of 30% but think it is around £1000 for the remap and pulley. I also have removed the secondary cats and resonators so am not sure if this will have an impact. The removal of the secondary cats and resonators was done purely to try a get a bit more of a growl from the exhaust and it has certainly done that. This is a short vid of my car after the exhaust mod which cost approx £600.My budget is going to be around £20k, and if I were looking at close to £30k my man maths would probably convince me to get an SL65 instead
I think the majority of issues seem to be the same as my old E55 + ABC and roof.
I'm interested that you've quoted about 550bhp as some of the tuners claim ~600 with pulley and remap, wonder how realistic it is....
May I ask, how much difference did the exhaust mod make, and what was the cost? And what tuner and cost are you considering for pulley and remap? (if you don't mind my asking)
I'm going to try to get a car with 19" wheels as I think, as you said, the smaller wheels just don't fill the wheels.
How much difference to the ride did the lowering make?
Oh, and LSD - something I hadn't thought of... I remember the E55 being terrible in anything other than a straight line with perfect dry - I assume the SL is the same.. how much difference did it make? And again, if you don't mind, what was the cost?
Thanks!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=7658343301081...
The lowering module has not affected the ride at all and because I can still use all the ABC controls I can raise the height in the normal way.
The Quaiffe LSD is most probably the best mod for the SL55 as it really means you can get the power down without losing traction and also makes the car feel more planted. I had it done on a group buy at mbclub.co.uk and think total cost with installation was £1400.
Hope this helps
Regarding the exhaust you just have to build a jig so that when you cut out the cats and resonators it will fit perfectly back on the car. I am sure most good exhaust specialist should be able to do it but personally I Wanted it done by mercedes specialist who knew what they were doing. As mentioned in a previous post the auxiliary battery can be a problem if the car is not used regularly. I have battery condition chargers connected all the time and never have any problems.
JohnRS4 said:
As mentioned in a previous post the auxiliary battery can be a problem if the car is not used regularly. I have battery condition chargers connected all the time and never have any problems.
I'm just going to have to make an effort to take it for a drive every week or so as I live in a top floor flat and car is parked in the outdoor car park with no power supply.... What happens if the aux battery goes flat? Does it simply turn off electrics until the alternator has charged it? I assume that the car will still start..?
Well bought my late 03 in December for 14750 46k on the clock full history, pan roof.spent about a grand on bits and bobs purely by choice.my rear boxes have been deleated and it sounds great.went down the route of lowering links 100 quid ebay,I fitted them myself took an hour.was looking at the 19" wheel option but have decided that on my low settings the wheel fits the arch just fine.abc is my big worry and am having the fluid flushed soon although it's still looks fresh and is a nice green color.one thing I will say and it's this, thease cars need to be driven. Mine is my daily driver and I think all the better for it. My indie bloke had an 03 55 in last week with all kinds of woes it has covered only 16 k from new and sits in a garage for long periods,my man says my car drives way better than the low miler.shop around mate there are bargains out there.
I think Casanova said something along the lines of, "The sweetest pleasures are those which are hardest to be won."
Look, AMG ownership - those of 2000-2008 vintage (approx.) across the range - were never full on comfort blanket propositions. But then again nothing, big, expensive, V8/V10/V12, with at-the-time landmark technologies is ever cheap. E63 M6? Sure, 20k will land you in one. Life is good, the sun is out, and you know when you arrive at the casino, you're guaranteed to roll double-sixes.....then in the car park you get the red cog of death. Doom.
Continental GT? The monstrous, purring W12 seems like no overtaking challenge is beyond reach, but the 40k service is a nice £1600 and then you are told brake disks, coil packs AND the rear light strip need replacing. Welcome to a £5-7k ransom note for getting the keys back from the service manager!
Maserati? Aston? Porsche? It just depends what sort of headache or migraine suits you best.
The one thing all of the higher-end cars across the marques share is that when they are on song, then not much comes close. They are built for pleasure.
And the SL55 AMG is one particularly naughty, troublesome, MILF.
From all the stuff I've ever read, here, in magazines, across the web, and speaking to others, I've never, ever been convinced that there is one, singular approach to ensuring a cheap and painless ownership experience. In saying that...
- I agree on the view that a relatively unused car will probably store up more problems. Use it. But don't thrash it, as mechanical sympathy should be a given. It's not a VW Polo or a Unimog, so don't treat it like one
- ABC tends to be where the painful bills comes but to my mind is better than the Dynamic Drive functionality I experienced on previous BMWs. Use it, check the ride height features constantly, and play with the stages and leave the car overnight with the car raised. Alternate how you park it. I often park on a camber, so sometimes I just switch the car around so the left side takes the load and vice versa
- The auxillary battery, like others say, does sometimes tune out if the car isn't run for a few days. It is no big deal. The car will start from the main battery and as soon as you get in and run it for a few minutes then all the systems start up (Nav, massaging seats, roof, steering column). If this is really a hardship then just spend five minutes every now and then, put the key in, turn it on and let it run for a bit
- problems with water ingress into the boot is more often than not down to poor upkeep - just make sure gunk is kept out of the channels
Overall though like anything in life, if you look after something then it tends to look after you. And with cars, the purchase price is simply the entrance fee. Like when you go to Fabric or Chinawhites: getting in is one thing, but when you get past the bouncers, the girls will surely wander off if you haven't budgeted for drinks. Right?
Look, AMG ownership - those of 2000-2008 vintage (approx.) across the range - were never full on comfort blanket propositions. But then again nothing, big, expensive, V8/V10/V12, with at-the-time landmark technologies is ever cheap. E63 M6? Sure, 20k will land you in one. Life is good, the sun is out, and you know when you arrive at the casino, you're guaranteed to roll double-sixes.....then in the car park you get the red cog of death. Doom.
Continental GT? The monstrous, purring W12 seems like no overtaking challenge is beyond reach, but the 40k service is a nice £1600 and then you are told brake disks, coil packs AND the rear light strip need replacing. Welcome to a £5-7k ransom note for getting the keys back from the service manager!
Maserati? Aston? Porsche? It just depends what sort of headache or migraine suits you best.
The one thing all of the higher-end cars across the marques share is that when they are on song, then not much comes close. They are built for pleasure.
And the SL55 AMG is one particularly naughty, troublesome, MILF.
From all the stuff I've ever read, here, in magazines, across the web, and speaking to others, I've never, ever been convinced that there is one, singular approach to ensuring a cheap and painless ownership experience. In saying that...
- I agree on the view that a relatively unused car will probably store up more problems. Use it. But don't thrash it, as mechanical sympathy should be a given. It's not a VW Polo or a Unimog, so don't treat it like one
- ABC tends to be where the painful bills comes but to my mind is better than the Dynamic Drive functionality I experienced on previous BMWs. Use it, check the ride height features constantly, and play with the stages and leave the car overnight with the car raised. Alternate how you park it. I often park on a camber, so sometimes I just switch the car around so the left side takes the load and vice versa
- The auxillary battery, like others say, does sometimes tune out if the car isn't run for a few days. It is no big deal. The car will start from the main battery and as soon as you get in and run it for a few minutes then all the systems start up (Nav, massaging seats, roof, steering column). If this is really a hardship then just spend five minutes every now and then, put the key in, turn it on and let it run for a bit
- problems with water ingress into the boot is more often than not down to poor upkeep - just make sure gunk is kept out of the channels
Overall though like anything in life, if you look after something then it tends to look after you. And with cars, the purchase price is simply the entrance fee. Like when you go to Fabric or Chinawhites: getting in is one thing, but when you get past the bouncers, the girls will surely wander off if you haven't budgeted for drinks. Right?
edgun - I try 
Vinnie - notice you've had some tasty metal past and present, so you're no ingenue! However if I can gently offer any form of advice at all, get the car checked before you do anything 'extra' to it. I see on the other thread mention of upgrades and the like that you're thinking of, however, make sure all the simple things are in excellent nick: bushes, axle ball joints, steering play, pump etc.
It's a two tonner already harnessing a steroidal engine. Personally I'd at least get a Service B done to ensure that any further BHP increases won't exacerbate some latent issues. It's best part of £1k at a dealership, but will give you piece of mind.
Vinnie - notice you've had some tasty metal past and present, so you're no ingenue! However if I can gently offer any form of advice at all, get the car checked before you do anything 'extra' to it. I see on the other thread mention of upgrades and the like that you're thinking of, however, make sure all the simple things are in excellent nick: bushes, axle ball joints, steering play, pump etc.
It's a two tonner already harnessing a steroidal engine. Personally I'd at least get a Service B done to ensure that any further BHP increases won't exacerbate some latent issues. It's best part of £1k at a dealership, but will give you piece of mind.
tigerkoi said:
edgun - I try
Vinnie - notice you've had some tasty metal past and present, so you're no ingenue! However if I can gently offer any form of advice at all, get the car checked before you do anything 'extra' to it. I see on the other thread mention of upgrades and the like that you're thinking of, however, make sure all the simple things are in excellent nick: bushes, axle ball joints, steering play, pump etc.
It's a two tonner already harnessing a steroidal engine. Personally I'd at least get a Service B done to ensure that any further BHP increases won't exacerbate some latent issues. It's best part of £1k at a dealership, but will give you piece of mind.
Great post tigerkoi, and thanks for your comments above.Vinnie - notice you've had some tasty metal past and present, so you're no ingenue! However if I can gently offer any form of advice at all, get the car checked before you do anything 'extra' to it. I see on the other thread mention of upgrades and the like that you're thinking of, however, make sure all the simple things are in excellent nick: bushes, axle ball joints, steering play, pump etc.
It's a two tonner already harnessing a steroidal engine. Personally I'd at least get a Service B done to ensure that any further BHP increases won't exacerbate some latent issues. It's best part of £1k at a dealership, but will give you piece of mind.
I am viewing one this Friday with a view to buy. Professional well off chap selling due to his new Bentley GTC, just had a service and roof serviced - said a £2k bill. 66k miles, full history, 3 owners.
Looks like a nice car at a decent price. There are probably others with half that mileage for similar cost but the seller of this car gives me some confidence and I would prefer a well looked after car that's been lightly used - I know small mileage cars can be just as risky (new gearbox on a 4 yr old 10k mile 997!) so am hoping this ends up being a sensible buy!
I will of course get a good check over before any mods, no sense paying thousands on mods only for a car to break and me left with no money to fix the bloody thing!
I will however be getting the rear cats and silencers removed ASAP!
BTW guys - 2003 car - will it have an AUX input in the car?
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