RE: PH buying guide: Mercedes SL55 AMG

[G4HKS]

Wow!! Spending 10k on one of those in a year, even two, (as brilliant as they appear to be) would really pee me off. Was it really that unreliable or were you just very unlucky?

[G4HKS]

speedyellowrs said:

I'm sure most of you have seen this before, but this seemed like a good opportunity to, ahem, bring it up again

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

I'd forgotten this one- it is sooo funny!

[635csi]

Anybody still following this know of a good specialist for the SL55?

[slippery]

G4HKS said:

Wow!! Spending 10k on one of those in a year, even two, (as brilliant as they appear to be) would really pee me off. Was it really that unreliable or were you just very unlucky?

A bit of both I guess. I bought it at 4 years old with 26k miles and it passed an RAC pre-purchase inspection with flying colours. I live in Norfolk and I bought it from Northern Ireland, FSH etc. During that year it suffered from a knackered clutch (a known weak point), a failed diff, broken engine mounts, air con problems, several control arms (another regular problem), an oil leak, various 02 sensors, intermittent failure of the digital screen, a water leak (never traced) and I was told by the specialist that the gearbox would need replacing at some point as it had started crunching when it went into reverse. The above list is all I can remember but I'm sure there's more! I bought a 9 year old Audi A8 to opt out of silly spending for a while and in the last 3 months and 10,000 miles it hasn't missed a beat.

[BIST0]

I had one for a bit. Lovely fast cruiser that looks ace even today but I never fell in love with it. Too soft for me, too controlled, too `old`.

I got the rearmost backboxes cut out to give it a bit more of that lovely rumble (would definitely recommend to any owner - doesn't make it too loud or anything - just releases a bit more of the `spitfire` sound)

Nice (perfect?) as a daily, not thrilling enough for the weekend.

Regarding reliability, mine was generally pretty good to me during my tenure. Having said that, there were a number of niggly issues I had to get sorted that would have SEVERELY narked me if I had paid the 110k my car cost someone when new. Not due to the age of the car, more due to the result of silly cost saving measures taken by Mercedes back in the early 2000s.

[vpr]

I drove these when new back in 2002-04 and bought another just 6 months ago

I had forgotten what a sensational car they are. Brutally fast and the noise is incredible.

I bought an 04 with 29k fitted with the F1 pace car pack......When parked out on the drive I would choose to drive it over most of my other stuff.

Very entertaining and great value

[Vetteran]

Gouki said:

In the view of balance to all the mottos and proverbs.....

The SL55 is an excellent car and I would recommend to any PHer. I have run mine over 47,000 miles (on 70k now) and 3 years with very few problems for a nearly 10 year old car. It is built very well as friends and colleagues would attest to. Please check out my profile for approximate running costs.

However the car should come with the following note attached, 'IF YOU TAKE ME INTO A MAIN DEALER WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM PLEASE BRING SUFFICIENT LUBRICATION'.

• Leaking boot usually means that drain holes need to be cleaned rather than replacing all boot rubbers.
• ABC suspension can be purchased from http://www.arnottindustries.com/part_MERCEDES-BENZ... for £385 each with a lifetime warranty
• Ball joints are £65 to repair not £1200 for new struts.

The list goes on, but I feel the article does touch on a few these foibles. My SL55 will likely be replaced in 2 years, but it will be difficult to find a car that can cover all bases so well.....

SL65 perhaps?

Buy an SL65 AMG you will not be disappointed. Having owned an SL55 pacecar version some years ago with which I was very happy I started to think a 2004/5 SL65 looked an interesting prospect considering rarity, 604bhp and price. It is a different car but when you drive one you will understand why they were more expensive than the 55. The best way I can describe it is like a better looking (imo) more compact Bentley GTC and on the motorway the performance is at a different level certainly the equal of my previous car a 530bhp 997 Turbo.

[fozzymandeus]

SLacKer said:

fozzymandeus said:

SLacKer said:

... as specialist will not touch the SBS system...
Any excuse for a picture

No need for me to quote the picture but I am anyway cos it looks lovely.

Surprised a specialist with STAR won't change the brake fluid - I think that you can switch it into a mode where someone can pump the brake pedal and have the usual effect when the bleed nipples are open, so I don't see the difficulty.

Discs and pads are a DIY job, somewhat tangentially. You just need to know how to "sleep" the system.

SBC is a good braking system, however, one additional point to note is that the hydraulic unit (and controller) has a service lifetime. Mercedes are replacing them for free at the moment (and my dealership informs me this will continue to be the case) but it's something to check has been done.

I was surprised as well but he said something about the pump unit costing a fortune and he doesn't touch them. I fitted new front discs and pads myself and used a hose clamp and left the car closed with the ignition key out.

Do you have any further information on the service life of the unit. My car is still under MB Warranty and if I can get it done before that runs out then that would be good. Was it a fault in original design?

Ack! I didn't see this until today.

I think the SBC controller has a variable service lifetime depending on actuations, so you could, in theory do a hell of a mileage before crossing the threshold, if it's all constant speed cruises where you don't require braking.

Mine was replaced at 8 years and 45k miles.

The good news, though is that Mercedes replace it as a specific warranty issue and underwrite the cost irrespective of service history/age. It remains to be seen if they will continue to do this as the age of the cars and the mileages increase. The Bosch brake by wire system was developed at enormous cost by Mercedes and Bosch and Bosch were unable to find any further customers for it. The system has become defunct with the retirement of the R230 chassis and so will remain as an automotive engineering cul-de-sac.

Edit: it's not actually a failure of the unit, it's Mercedes worrying about the potential failure of a unit and the unit exceeding the tested lifespan, so Mercedes swapping it out as a result of fear of the unknown. There isn't, as far as I am aware, a flaw in the design, apart from overall cost.

[SMS555]

Haven't posted before, felt compelled as there seem to be a touch of anorak negativity in the comments!

I'm on my second SL55, one of the last ones from 2007 with the 517 bhp engine and other bits which I imagine were part of the SL63 homologation work - the brakes are unlike other SL's, the ABC works faster, stuff like that.

Before that I had another 2005 my one, and before that a 2003 CL55K. There was also an E55K estate in there somewhere!

The car is one thing, but that motor is quite another. It is, in my experience, one of the great modern engines - when you depress your foot it moves the car forward seamlessly as fast as your nerves will allow, and the overtaking times are breathtakingly short. I stopped on a mountain road in France last year just to let the caravans go past so I could have another go! I often get up early and go for a 30 mile spin for no real reason - how many cars can you say that about?

Also - touch wood - none of them have ever had anything serious go wrong with them - and I don't think the MB Tier 1 warranty I got with the current one has ever been needed. So there you are, one happy owner who's done 100k + miles in four 55's without problems. I can't believe I'm the only one!

[slippery]

"I stopped on a mountain road in France last year just to let the caravans go past so I could have another go!"

[TheBob_1]

Well I took the plunge and bought one of these beauties - of the 2006 variety. Bring on the scorn, as I sold a very nice 2004 base Miata to get, as an observer remarked, "twice the cylinders and triple the horsepower". I won't even attempt a guess at the servicing costs (>quadruple?), but suffice it to say I have the previous owner's service records, so I have an idea of what I am probably in for. Or maybe he fixed everything and I'll get off scot-free - hahahahaaaa! The seller did drop over $4,000 (US) prior to selling. $600 for a roof mech. repair, front brakes (pads & rotors), and the full "A" and "B" services, along with new control arm bushings that apparently were not easy to remove. That bill would have been dropped on an unsuspecting me had I not had some personal matters that mercifully slowed the purchase process. Whew!!! Good for me that the owner appears to have been conscientious not only in going ahead with the work while knowing I was a likely buyer, but in keeping good records and what appears to have been meticulous care of this beautiful beast.

I'll surely need rear tires soon, given the somewhat shallow tread upon purchase and my childish need to feel the amazing forces of launch in my "German muscle car". Hell, if the rubber is already close to gone on the back, I may as well burn it off the rest of the way, right?

In just a few days (dang the rain or I'd have a thousand miles on it already), I am in love. It is drop-dead gorgeous (Pewter with the multi-spoke wheels) and drives wonderfully. One rattle in the top's hinge-work (I think) on one side, but only on bumpy roads. Couldn't care less about the GPS now that iPhones are in everyone's pockets, but will use it when I make a road trip or two. Same for the stereo. This car is for driving, not playing with all the techno crap, albeit nice to have, as long as its working. Stereo is good enough, but not as good as the R129 which I started out looking to buy. Its the sound of that beautiful AMG V8 under the hood is what I am all about, so the stereo is an afterthought.

Wish me luck folks, as going from a simple, cheap, and reliable car like the Miata to one of mechanical and electronic wizardry and known for high ownership costs was a big step for this man. For now, I'm loving it!

[seal 420]

Bought mine new in 2003, sold it 12 months and 1,000 miles later. The cost of the extravagence a cool £30k+ ! During that time it had a factory recall and was returned with the bonnet all scratched and a chunk out of one of the alloys. MB repaired but that should never have happened. Wash the cars and the wheels seized totally so the brakes had to be sprayed with silicone. Then someone gave me some good advice: "put your money in something you can drive passed, not drive passed in"