Mercedes SL500
Discussion
There'll be a load of people along shortly saying how fab they are (they are) and how there's have never gone wrong.
Personally, after my own first hand experience with a mint, 2002 FMBSH example I would say don't touch it with a bargepole. There is the potential for the car to be an absolute moneypit.
Things to watch (this is a selection)...
- ABC suspension struts leaking/failed - over £1000 a corner
- ABC suspension valve blocks plus associated plumbing. About £1000 if one fails for the part and the trillion litres of fluid to bleed
- ABC suspension tandem pump. About a grand fitted.
- ABC suspension balljoinds. Again, about a grand each, although if you are in luck they can be refurbed.
- water ingress into boot knackering electronics and/or PSE pump. Do you need to ask how much?
- Water ingress into front SAM modules. This was cheap, at a mere £600
- Fuel tank baffles breaking off (2003 models are prime candidates for this). Needs a new fuel tank installing and last time I looked was well over 2 grand.
- Last but not least - SBC pump for the braking system. Merc are no longer replacing these FOC. £2000.
IMO - get a newer one or (really, seriously) go and buy something else. Unless you like canceling your holidays and not going skiing, in which case knock yourself out.
Personally, after my own first hand experience with a mint, 2002 FMBSH example I would say don't touch it with a bargepole. There is the potential for the car to be an absolute moneypit.
Things to watch (this is a selection)...
- ABC suspension struts leaking/failed - over £1000 a corner
- ABC suspension valve blocks plus associated plumbing. About £1000 if one fails for the part and the trillion litres of fluid to bleed
- ABC suspension tandem pump. About a grand fitted.
- ABC suspension balljoinds. Again, about a grand each, although if you are in luck they can be refurbed.
- water ingress into boot knackering electronics and/or PSE pump. Do you need to ask how much?
- Water ingress into front SAM modules. This was cheap, at a mere £600
- Fuel tank baffles breaking off (2003 models are prime candidates for this). Needs a new fuel tank installing and last time I looked was well over 2 grand.
- Last but not least - SBC pump for the braking system. Merc are no longer replacing these FOC. £2000.
IMO - get a newer one or (really, seriously) go and buy something else. Unless you like canceling your holidays and not going skiing, in which case knock yourself out.
I have been looking at these more and more of late, and very much like what I see.
Oh look, 2 diametrically opposed accounts of experience.
How many times does that happen?
And where it's even a totally different sector of the market.
I'm not challanging either of the earlier posts, I have no doubt as to their integrity.
Anyone checked the LR forum?
At any given time you go in there you will find accounts of abject misery of L322 ownership balanced by tales of undying reliability or better.
So I suppose it's question of strong diligence, luck and buying the best you can possibly afford.
Grab a bargain example of any of the higher marques and you may as well just bend over and accept what's coming.
Oh look, 2 diametrically opposed accounts of experience.
How many times does that happen?
And where it's even a totally different sector of the market.
I'm not challanging either of the earlier posts, I have no doubt as to their integrity.
Anyone checked the LR forum?
At any given time you go in there you will find accounts of abject misery of L322 ownership balanced by tales of undying reliability or better.
So I suppose it's question of strong diligence, luck and buying the best you can possibly afford.
Grab a bargain example of any of the higher marques and you may as well just bend over and accept what's coming.
Dogstar is spot on. If you want to sleep at night forget a ten year old Merc with active suspension, SBC braking and literally dozens on pumps and motors that can go wrong. Plus trading in an sharp handling Impreza for a soft, slushy automatic cruiser will be a considerable contrast. If it were an SL55 AMG, CLS55 AMG of E55k then I could understand your heart ruling your head, but the standard SL500 is a boulevard cruiser, not a performance car.
vilus said:
Dogstar is spot on. If you want to sleep at night forget a ten year old Merc with active suspension, SBC braking and literally dozens on pumps and motors that can go wrong.
This. Gouki and others can go on about their cars having cost them almost nothing in 18 months or whatever. But the fact is as pointed out by Vilus - the older ones are a decade old now. The parts prices are almost all utterly ludicrous. You can manage consumables (filters, discs, pads and the like) at very reasonable cost, and you can get the balljoints on the front shocks refurbed (if they are still ok) - Gouki himself saved me about £3K on these.But at some point something WILL break. I had mine for 4 years and it was fully MB serviced from new (still had it's Mobilo), everything done by the book. However stuff just kept on breaking or failing; it was a dreadful, dreadful experience. In the last year of ownership I'd estimate £300 to £500 a month on parts. Just parts. I cracked under the strain in June when after replacing the engine mounts the week after the ABC resonator failed then the week after that the water pump went and the ABC pump (£850 plus fitting) that was two weeks out of warranty started making noises. I got a new SLK after that, but I'd not have been saddened to see the SL set on fire. Beautiful thing, loved it, but never seen bills like it. Honestly - I could have run a Ferrari for less, no doubt.
As stated - I'd like a newer SL350 - the ABC is, in my experience, the bulk of the pain with these cars, but I'd not have one of those either upon reflection as you are into a world of pain with the SBC.
deadrabbits said:
Thanks for all your opinions...i think im going to leave it for a while and keep the Impreza.Im just not taken by the Porsche because it feels sluggish(plus that was more the wifes choice)...thanks again for all your opinions..
Seems a wise conclusion given the constructive comments here.However and from my limited experience, I've owned a couple (Cayenne and 911 Turbo), I would have thought none of the porsches of that era could be described as sluggish compared to an SL.
Having never driven an SL I could be wrong, and I'm not suggesting an SL could be sluggish anyway.
Dog Star said:
As stated - I'd like a newer SL350 - the ABC is, in my experience, the bulk of the pain with these cars, but I'd not have one of those either upon reflection as you are into a world of pain with the SBC.
Dog Star, based on that statement and knowledge then, would you not recommend any SL other than say brand new or "lightly used"?I really like the look of these little beasties.
Vanya said:
Seems a wise conclusion given the constructive comments here.
However and from my limited experience, I've owned a couple (Cayenne and 911 Turbo), I would have thought none of the porsches of that era could be described as sluggish compared to an SL.
Having never driven an SL I could be wrong, and I'm not suggesting an SL could be sluggish anyway.
Sorry...i meant compared to my Impreza..it was the 3.2 version.I never got behind the wheel of the Merc so i cant say what that was like..However and from my limited experience, I've owned a couple (Cayenne and 911 Turbo), I would have thought none of the porsches of that era could be described as sluggish compared to an SL.
Having never driven an SL I could be wrong, and I'm not suggesting an SL could be sluggish anyway.
Vanya said:
Dog Star, based on that statement and knowledge then, would you not recommend any SL other than say brand new or "lightly used"?
I really like the look of these little beasties.
Don't get me wrong - it was a lovely car. However I really think that if buying a ten year old example you need to go in with your eyes wide open. I really like the look of these little beasties.
Even having a friend or mechanic who will provide labour free will not protect you from potentially enormous bills.
Just remember that you might be buying a "bargain" 2003 for £8000 or so - in a couple of years they'll be hitting the £4K mark. So you are talking about a decent sized bill (even from an indie) that could be bigger than the value of the car (in my four year ownership I had a bill for £3K, one for £4K and lots in the £1K region).
Just remember that the ten year old SL will still have the running costs of a £100K car.
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