SL55 AMG pop up rollover bar

[Dempsey1971]

Hi, I am seriosly considering buying an R230 SL55 AMG and have been looking at several (both in person and on the internet)

I see that several of them seem to have what looks like a hard roll bar showing behind the seats. This is not the wind deflector, but the hard loop.

Look at picture 8 here to see what I mean:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Now, I watched the SLK55 vs SL55 shootout on 5th Gear on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSZYw3Q0bG4&fea... ) and this seems to show VBH activating this pop up loop when the car thinks she is about to crash.

Is this a manual option to raise / lower this on request, or does it's presence indicate that the car has had a near miss in the past and the owners cannot reset it?

I have looked on varioos forums, but don't see a definitive answer. Should I avoid such cars as either potentiall bumped, or with over sensitive sensors?

Cheers

[markbe]

Dempsey1971 said:

Hi, I am seriosly considering buying an R230 SL55 AMG and have been looking at several (both in person and on the internet)

I see that several of them seem to have what looks like a hard roll bar showing behind the seats. This is not the wind deflector, but the hard loop.

Look at picture 8 here to see what I mean:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Now, I watched the SLK55 vs SL55 shootout on 5th Gear on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSZYw3Q0bG4&fea... ) and this seems to show VBH activating this pop up loop when the car thinks she is about to crash.

Is this a manual option to raise / lower this on request, or does it's presence indicate that the car has had a near miss in the past and the owners cannot reset it?

I have looked on various forums, but don't see a definitive answer. Should I avoid such cars as either potentially bumped, or with over sensitive sensors?

Cheers

The rollover bar can be manually raised and lowered via the switch in the center console.
It is designed to pop up if the car thinks you are having an accident.
However in general use mine has popped up twice both times over hump back bridges.
To lower in these cases - stop car switch off the engine restart then lower hoop with switch.

Mark.

[DSLiverpool]

The roll bar is the least of your worries you want to be checking ABC struts and pump.

[vescaegg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ-MPOUBNMA

i think it would give me a heart attack! probably wouldnt puke though...