AMG SLS my dream machine!
Discussion
Always wanted a 300SL Coupé and since AMG built the SLS back in 2010 I’ve always wanted one of those too soooo badly!
I’m about to put a nice tick in the second box and I’m ridiculously - ridiculously - excited!
The car is a one owner 2010 car with 9000 miles covered and it’s finished in an absolutely incredible satin bronze grey colour with a red/black two tone interior. I wasn’t sure about it until I saw it and I drove all over the country looking at different ones but in flesh this thing presses all the right buttons for me!
The wheels had evidence of prior machining to remove kerb marks meaning that they don’t all have exactly the same edge profile. I’ve asked the supplying dealer to get them all machined to exactly match and then refinish them in the DB180 silver which is the same colour silver as the old 300SL cars had their bodywork. Interestingly the wheels don’t seem so expensive so I may get a spare set to keep “original.”
I’m buying it from DK Engineering and I’ve got to say that I’m deeply impressed by their attitude and customer service so far - absolutely first class.
Here it is, looking moody waiting for wheels...
I’ve been trying to sort out getting it booked in with AMG for the GT gearbox software which is apparently a night and day stand out upgrade but so far I’ve drawn a blank on that with AMG emailing me back to tell me I have to go through my home market. My local dealer is, pretty predictably, not helpful. “SLS - yes, is that a petrol or a diesel model you have.” - “Click....” Yes, indeed.
Also a very nice photo of the car when it was featured on Motor Authority a few years back for attending a show in Malaysia - you’ll have to try and ignore the SL before you’ll even notice the SLS!
I’m about to put a nice tick in the second box and I’m ridiculously - ridiculously - excited!
The car is a one owner 2010 car with 9000 miles covered and it’s finished in an absolutely incredible satin bronze grey colour with a red/black two tone interior. I wasn’t sure about it until I saw it and I drove all over the country looking at different ones but in flesh this thing presses all the right buttons for me!
The wheels had evidence of prior machining to remove kerb marks meaning that they don’t all have exactly the same edge profile. I’ve asked the supplying dealer to get them all machined to exactly match and then refinish them in the DB180 silver which is the same colour silver as the old 300SL cars had their bodywork. Interestingly the wheels don’t seem so expensive so I may get a spare set to keep “original.”
I’m buying it from DK Engineering and I’ve got to say that I’m deeply impressed by their attitude and customer service so far - absolutely first class.
Here it is, looking moody waiting for wheels...
I’ve been trying to sort out getting it booked in with AMG for the GT gearbox software which is apparently a night and day stand out upgrade but so far I’ve drawn a blank on that with AMG emailing me back to tell me I have to go through my home market. My local dealer is, pretty predictably, not helpful. “SLS - yes, is that a petrol or a diesel model you have.” - “Click....” Yes, indeed.
Also a very nice photo of the car when it was featured on Motor Authority a few years back for attending a show in Malaysia - you’ll have to try and ignore the SL before you’ll even notice the SLS!
Wheels are back and on, car is serviced and almost ready. DK have ordered me some new gas struts for the doors which apparently were not perfect on one side so those need to go on and it’ll be steam cleaned underneath too.
Looking good now tho:
Wheels finished in Mercedes DB180 silver
which is the sixties colour they used to paint the 300SL bodies. Diamond cut gone forever and good riddance!
Looking good now tho:
Wheels finished in Mercedes DB180 silver
which is the sixties colour they used to paint the 300SL bodies. Diamond cut gone forever and good riddance!
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Julian Thompson said:
Yeah and the mad thing is that once you open that bonnet the engine is feet from the front of it! It’s crazy!
I was thinking the same, it pulled up at the adjacent pump to mine and you could tell how far back it was set and how the cabin firewall was pushed right back to make it mid engined.Massive bulkhead behind those gorgeous AMG bucket seats too-fuel tank?
Black Series cars get them as standard - maybe the one you saw was a BS?
Bit of an update.
First off, I had posted a request for help with the gearbox update and a few other tweaks on the AMG private lounge. Nothing happened other than a couple of enthusiastic owners chirping up to say hi which was very nice.
Then, a week or so later, a very helpful chap from the AMG factory emailed me and followed up with a phone call to explain to me that factory upgrades are still very much available but that the delay in replying to me was down to CV19 and shorter working hours. We chatted a bit about my plans for the car and he is now looking into how to make it happen for me.
Meanwhile DK have had the headlamps polished, replaced the door gas struts, completed some detailing and the car is finally ready for me to collect.
Before I do, I’m agonising over whether to pay the £4500 plus vat to get the whole car done in PPF. It’s has a few small marks here and there already so I don’t know if I’m being silly doing that, but then again if a rock comes up and takes a lump out of it I’ll wish I had gone for it.
Here it is now, at the ready to go point:
First off, I had posted a request for help with the gearbox update and a few other tweaks on the AMG private lounge. Nothing happened other than a couple of enthusiastic owners chirping up to say hi which was very nice.
Then, a week or so later, a very helpful chap from the AMG factory emailed me and followed up with a phone call to explain to me that factory upgrades are still very much available but that the delay in replying to me was down to CV19 and shorter working hours. We chatted a bit about my plans for the car and he is now looking into how to make it happen for me.
Meanwhile DK have had the headlamps polished, replaced the door gas struts, completed some detailing and the car is finally ready for me to collect.
Before I do, I’m agonising over whether to pay the £4500 plus vat to get the whole car done in PPF. It’s has a few small marks here and there already so I don’t know if I’m being silly doing that, but then again if a rock comes up and takes a lump out of it I’ll wish I had gone for it.
Here it is now, at the ready to go point:
Bright Halo said:
That is one of my favourite cars of the modern era.
Awesome N/A engine which I have had a taste of having owned a C63 previously. It must be fantastic in M159 form.
I really like the colour as well.
The only thing I would change is the alloy fuel filler cap but other than that pretty perfect.
I hope you get to enjoy it for many years to come.
I know what you mean about that fuel filler. It’s overtly “aviation”’or something. What could be done to it?Awesome N/A engine which I have had a taste of having owned a C63 previously. It must be fantastic in M159 form.
I really like the colour as well.
The only thing I would change is the alloy fuel filler cap but other than that pretty perfect.
I hope you get to enjoy it for many years to come.
Opinions on PPF?
I finally was able to collect the SLS and add it to my garage.
First driving impressions are A hybrid of emotions. Number one - that engine. Forget the numbers this is one extremely fast feeling car. The way it throws you up the road with an effortless wave of torque that turns into a scream of power is unmatched in my experience.
Secondly, the way the car turns in is amazing. You expect it to be lethargic and roll and ponder - the reality - bam - the nose tucks in. It’s the GT car that thinks it’s a sports car!
Then - because of that, probably, the ride is pretty awful. The seats are great and offset that a bit.
Moving on a bit- I drove one mile up the road and the most annoying rattle in the world shrilled out at me. I’m talking world champion level interior rattle that makes the whole car feel like it’s falling apart. Turns out to be the interior light - seriously how annoying was THAT for 400 miles?
Also, I was disappointed to note poor wheel balancing and a sat nav that still thinks it’s in Singapore.
Then, the airbag light came on and the wipers failed. Hmm.
Managed to limp home between rain showers and book the car straight in at Mercedes next week.
I have a decent snap on diagnostic scanner so I was able to run some tests - seems to have a faulty passenger airbag sensor and a faulty wiper motor. DK seem good so far, offering as you’d expect to take care of the invoice.
But it’s hard to be annoyed when you look out of your window to this:
I can honestly say that for sense of occasion as a petrol head this car is the zenith. I would let you take every other car in my garage as long as you leave me this one. Wipers working or not!
Hopefully can do a better update after Mercedes sort the issues.
First driving impressions are A hybrid of emotions. Number one - that engine. Forget the numbers this is one extremely fast feeling car. The way it throws you up the road with an effortless wave of torque that turns into a scream of power is unmatched in my experience.
Secondly, the way the car turns in is amazing. You expect it to be lethargic and roll and ponder - the reality - bam - the nose tucks in. It’s the GT car that thinks it’s a sports car!
Then - because of that, probably, the ride is pretty awful. The seats are great and offset that a bit.
Moving on a bit- I drove one mile up the road and the most annoying rattle in the world shrilled out at me. I’m talking world champion level interior rattle that makes the whole car feel like it’s falling apart. Turns out to be the interior light - seriously how annoying was THAT for 400 miles?
Also, I was disappointed to note poor wheel balancing and a sat nav that still thinks it’s in Singapore.
Then, the airbag light came on and the wipers failed. Hmm.
Managed to limp home between rain showers and book the car straight in at Mercedes next week.
I have a decent snap on diagnostic scanner so I was able to run some tests - seems to have a faulty passenger airbag sensor and a faulty wiper motor. DK seem good so far, offering as you’d expect to take care of the invoice.
But it’s hard to be annoyed when you look out of your window to this:
I can honestly say that for sense of occasion as a petrol head this car is the zenith. I would let you take every other car in my garage as long as you leave me this one. Wipers working or not!
Hopefully can do a better update after Mercedes sort the issues.
Edited by Julian Thompson on Wednesday 5th August 22:33
LaurasOtherHalf said:
That's a pretty poor level of service, what a way to sully a customer's first experience of a car. Great that you're still over the moon with it (and why not-it's stunning) but for these so called premium retailers who claim to offer a higher level of service to basically prove they haven't even bothered to test drive it before delivery. Poor.
(if you can't tell, I've been on the receiving end of this sort of crappy prep/service and it just needn't be necessary)
In their defence the airbag and wiper issue were not present upon collection and the wheel balancing isn’t obvious until motorway speeds. I’ll give you the interior light and the Singapore nav!(if you can't tell, I've been on the receiving end of this sort of crappy prep/service and it just needn't be necessary)
Paracetamol said:
I had a problem with my interior light too. I removed it and put a small bit of foam and put it back (took 10 mins). Made the car feel 5 years younger!
On the other stuff, sounds like the battery charge may be low..
Thanks I’ve tested it with my snap on diagnostic and it’s come up with passenger seat sensor, wiper motor and both mirrors as issues. I will ask Mercedes to sort those next week.On the other stuff, sounds like the battery charge may be low..
Can you tell me how you remove the interior light to stop it rattling? I know that’s very lazy of me but...
Justin S said:
Brother in law rented one while he was back from Dubai ( he does that kind of thing, lucky sod) and its huge and wide and the noise !! It sounded epic near the top end. Was very jittery on the roads though and the suspension and huge tyres on this one just seemed to buck and lift the car than absorb and move on. But as a car, was fantastic. A real looker for us and others around with phones taking photos. Oh and did I mention the noise 
Thanks guys and a surprise to see it on the front page!I would agree so far with this comment about the suspension/wheels - ride is bloody awful. I am trying to work out if Mercedes offered 19/19 as an option rather than 19/20 as per this car. Might ride slightly better.
hornbaek said:
Im looking for a daily driver and the SLS is a real contender although I’m focused on the Roadster as my head bangs against the ceiling on the SLS. It would pair up nicely with it‘s slightly older sibling:
Yeah that’s just beautiful. Congratulations on owning the most fabulous machine! Get an SLS they’re amazing!
Due an update on this car.
It’s been at Mercedes for over a month to get the wipers sorted. It turned out to be a faulty signal acquisition unit at the front. That basically also doubles as a fuse box.
You can see there is a little bit of corrosion on some of the pins. That unit turned out to be reasonably priced - about £300 plus vat or so - but during the course of the work Mercedes also had cause to investigate the handbrake actuator. That had to come from Germany and was closing in on a grand, fitted. Final bill that’s due to be kindly picked up by DK engineering is a little over £3000 including vat.
Whilst I was at it I had the windscreen changed as the old one had lots of stone chips (the roads in Malaysia are reckoned to be poor) and also the sat nav updated. I picked up a £1600 or so invoice for these bits.
I’ve got to say that I’m not too happy with Mercedes at this point. They’ve marked the steering wheel and gear knob, the red leather is now filthy dirty and the car has done an additional 45 miles whilst guzzling a third of a tank of juice. Those were not careful test miles, then. Even more annoyingly there is now a clunk as you turn left caused by something dangling loose inside the centre console. Insult to injury on the basis of the amount of test miles covered yet I heard that at the first roundabout.
Trying to decide now if I should take it back in to them and risk more issues or just pull it to bits myself and fix it.
On a happier note the car is bloody awesome - such a brute. I do think it needs 19 inch back wheels though - the 20 inch ones coupled with the spring rates (unknown) are just a step too far for UK roads.
It’s been at Mercedes for over a month to get the wipers sorted. It turned out to be a faulty signal acquisition unit at the front. That basically also doubles as a fuse box.
You can see there is a little bit of corrosion on some of the pins. That unit turned out to be reasonably priced - about £300 plus vat or so - but during the course of the work Mercedes also had cause to investigate the handbrake actuator. That had to come from Germany and was closing in on a grand, fitted. Final bill that’s due to be kindly picked up by DK engineering is a little over £3000 including vat.
Whilst I was at it I had the windscreen changed as the old one had lots of stone chips (the roads in Malaysia are reckoned to be poor) and also the sat nav updated. I picked up a £1600 or so invoice for these bits.
I’ve got to say that I’m not too happy with Mercedes at this point. They’ve marked the steering wheel and gear knob, the red leather is now filthy dirty and the car has done an additional 45 miles whilst guzzling a third of a tank of juice. Those were not careful test miles, then. Even more annoyingly there is now a clunk as you turn left caused by something dangling loose inside the centre console. Insult to injury on the basis of the amount of test miles covered yet I heard that at the first roundabout.
Trying to decide now if I should take it back in to them and risk more issues or just pull it to bits myself and fix it.
On a happier note the car is bloody awesome - such a brute. I do think it needs 19 inch back wheels though - the 20 inch ones coupled with the spring rates (unknown) are just a step too far for UK roads.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff