Bargain r230 SL

[Pentoman]

What do the MB loving masses think? It doesn't look beautiful by any means, but it is cheap..

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3265423.htm

2003 SL350 auto, 67k miles.

Silver 2 Door Convertible

3700cc Petrol Automatic

Satellite Navigation, Full Leather, 17'' Alloy Wheels, Climate Control, DVD Player, Radio CD Player, Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Remote Central Locking, Heated Front Seats, Electric Seats with Memory, Space Saver Spare Wheel, Electric Front Windows, Steering Wheel Audio Controls, Adjustable Steering Column, Electric Folding Door Mirrors, Immobiliser, Alarm, Air bags, Driver Information

Just under £12k

Edited by Pentoman on Saturday 1st October 10:18

[Pentoman]

Pentoman said:

What do the MB loving masses think? It doesn't look beautiful by any means, but it is cheap..

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3265423.htm

2003 SL350 auto, 67k miles.

Silver 2 Door Convertible

3700cc Petrol Automatic

Satellite Navigation, Full Leather, 17'' Alloy Wheels, Climate Control, DVD Player, Radio CD Player, Electronic Stability Program, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Remote Central Locking, Heated Front Seats, Electric Seats with Memory, Space Saver Spare Wheel, Electric Front Windows, Steering Wheel Audio Controls, Adjustable Steering Column, Electric Folding Door Mirrors, Immobiliser, Alarm, Air bags, Driver Information

Just under £12k

Edited by Pentoman on Saturday 1st October 10:18

Also, can anyone suggest alternatives? Doesn't have to be convertible, but if I'm spending this much I'd like it to feel reasonably special, a bit bling, and worth the expense/depreciation..

[jas xjr]

That is an awful amount of car for the money.
To the average Joe in the street that's going to look like fifty grands worth

[davidn]

You could, if you new where to look get a 500, same mileage, very similar money.

[jas xjr]

davidn said:

You could, if you new where to look get a 500, same mileage, very similar money.

Would that have a better spec as standard ?

[davidn]

I think everything is the same bar the suspension. I'm pretty sure the 350 does not get the air suspension with Active Body Control and height adjustment and of course it's missing a couple of cylinders.

[chris333]

davidn said:

I think everything is the same bar the suspension. I'm pretty sure the 350 does not get the air suspension with Active Body Control and height adjustment and of course it's missing a couple of cylinders.

But remember the ABC can be expensive to sort out if there are any problems. For this age and price of car, the simpler set-up is probably a better option.

(of course you can always go for an R129 SL, where you can get the lovely V8 without the Active suspension... :-) )

[jas xjr]

Or even the v12

[chris333]

oooh yes!

[davidn]

chris333 said:

But remember the ABC can be expensive to sort out if there are any problems. For this age and price of car, the simpler set-up is probably a better option.

(of course you can always go for an R129 SL, where you can get the lovely V8 without the Active suspension... :-) )

The ABC suspension is fantastic though and was one of the main selling points of the last SL. You realise how good it is when you've been driving a 'normal' car for a few days and then hop back in an SL, practically no body role whilst giving an excellent ride.
The cost of suspension parts has become far more reasonable since companies started being able to recondition the air shocks so as long as the car has been looked after you can drive a £50K car for Mondeo money.

[soxboy]

That is a fantastic car for the money, you've now got me looking at these. Bugger.

[Luke.]

911 Virgin have got a 500SL in. Bit pricier, but looks good.

http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/374/Merced...

[Dog Star]

davidn said:

chris333 said:

But remember the ABC can be expensive to sort out if there are any problems. For this age and price of car, the simpler set-up is probably a better option.

(of course you can always go for an R129 SL, where you can get the lovely V8 without the Active suspension... :-) )

The ABC suspension is fantastic though and was one of the main selling points of the last SL. You realise how good it is when you've been driving a 'normal' car for a few days and then hop back in an SL, practically no body role whilst giving an excellent ride.
The cost of suspension parts has become far more reasonable since companies started being able to recondition the air shocks so as long as the car has been looked after you can drive a £50K car for Mondeo money.

The ABC is the exact reason that I really wish that I'd bought a 350 and not my 500 - if it goes wrong it is ruinous.

The cost of suspension parts has most definitely NOT become more reasonable - unless you can get a recon shock from Arnott Industries in the US - $799 plus all the associated carriage, customs duty etc plus the weeks to get one - then you're stuck with buying them from MB at £1100 each. Unless you can tell me different - and if you can then I'm all ears!

So ABC might be good - however I'd be quite happy with something that was 80% as good - and 10% of the price.

And you'll never run an SL500 for Mondeo money - just about anything that isn't a consumable (eg. filters, discs, pads etc) costs an utter fortune.

I've just leased a Citroen C1 for commuting for just this reason - I'll keep my SL for "best" now.

[SLacKer]

A set of 18" alloys to make it respectable (19" if you have deep pockets) and you get a great car.

The ABC is awesome to have but the cost is eye watering if it goes wrong so normal suspension will keep the costs down. Go for it they are nice cars with the roof down or up. Factor a wind deflector as well they are very good.

[chris333]

Dog Star said:

I've just leased a Citroen C1 for commuting for just this reason - I'll keep my SL for "best" now.

The C1s a perfect commuting car, and I bet it has the added advantage of making the SL seem even faster, smoother and more luxurious every time you drive it now?

[S800VXR]

I doubt people run an SL500 as their only car...? as such a weeks wait to get a recon lifetime garenteed shock from Arnott suits me fine. DIY fitment is easy and a rodeo flush is not alot. As for consumables, just replaced all filters inc gearbox, all oils, disks and pads all round and had change out of £500. DIY fitted the lot and alls great. Granted they can be expensive as I have receipts for a new P/S ABC pump and ABC block from the previous owner which together were close to 1.6k but I spent 12k on a bloody Vauxhall Monaro so hardly a deal breaker. Id also rather have the V8 sound over a icle V6 and if your worried about running costs they do some nice Prius's now (at Comet!! )

[Dog Star]

chris333 said:

The C1s a perfect commuting car, and I bet it has the added advantage of making the SL seem even faster, smoother and more luxurious every time you drive it now?

I've not taken delivery yet - should be by the end of the week. It's a bright red VTR+ with a mighty 68bhp , however it also has a mighty 61mpg so I won't be sticking £100 of petrol in it every 4 days which was getting outrageous. I commute Manchester to Leeds every day so have been splitting it between the SL and my motorbike, but I spend a lot of time filtering and when it gets darker I have a feeling I'm going to get knocked off....

S800VXR said:

I doubt people run an SL500 as their only car...?

I was doing.....

If you read my post you'll see that I already said that consumables like filters etc are cheap. The stuff that really pisses me off is where we end up paying massive amounts because of Mercedes poor design - front ABC struts with a built in balljoint for example. So a £5 balljoint wears out and your £1000 strut is toast - sure you can get them resin injected but it's not my favourite solution

Unfortunately I'm a little jaded - I try and keep everything 100% on my SL and I am the unfortunate one who has had ABC strut failure, PAS tandem pump failure, control box and SAM unit fails, wheel bearing collapsing on autoroute and destroying hub.... it's a very very expensive car when it goes wrong.

My current problem is vibration - after having the wheels balanced six times I'm just about to call MB to book it in. God knows what it is this time. I *think* it's buckled wheels.....

[S800VXR]

Sounds like you have a bad one! Supprised you run it as your only car, the thought of leaving mine in Tescos or the railway carpark gives me the shivers after seeing how some people treat theirs and others cars!! My daily old vectra hack is great for such places as I could care less really, the SL on the other hand Id half murder someone for banging their car door on it!

[Dog Star]

S800VXR said:

Sounds like you have a bad one! Supprised you run it as your only car, the thought of leaving mine in Tescos or the railway carpark gives me the shivers after seeing how some people treat theirs and others cars!! My daily old vectra hack is great for such places as I could care less really, the SL on the other hand Id half murder someone for banging their car door on it!

I think I've had some bad luck. I'm particularly careful about where I leave it and - touch wood - it's not got a mark on it. In any case I don't go shopping in it (that's what the GFs car is for) or go on stuff like trains.

[benzito]

I have an sl55 which was also a lot of car for the money, however for a budget of 12k or so I would probably advice against an old merc sl. They are known to have electrical problems and in my experience they are reasonably regular occurences (mine is a 2003 also), I think one of the reasons you can pick these cars up so cheap is the maintenance costs,

with a budget of 12k I would look at an e46 m3 convertible for sure, maintenance is still high but nowhere near as much as an sl and its a lot faster!