SL-Class (R230) 2003 -- 2012: Discussion on the SL500, SL550, SL600

SL/R230: I think the previous owner lowered the car too much - not sure what to do NEED HELP

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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 12:22 PM
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I think the previous owner lowered the car too much - not sure what to do NEED HELP

My 03 that i got last week with 24k miles i knew looked different and i think i know why now. When the car is sitting at the lowest setting it is so very close to having the wheels rub the fenders, when i turn the wheels all the way it is fractions of an inch away. I also noticed that there is paint missing from the very bottom edge of the fender that definitely happened from tire wear - i am NOT happy about this as the car is mint mint mint

I think perhaps it is so close when you are turning if you hit a bump that is enough for the car to rub

If i push the raise car button to one light it looks like most other SL's and if i push it up again to two lights it looks too high.

I dont want to spend money getting everything recalibrated. Is it OK to drive around with the raise button showing one light. There is nothing wrong with ABC,etc. Clearly someone did this on purpose and perhaps was off by a touch. It has michelins with about 80-90% tread left, i wonder if when they were brand new that is when the paint scuffs happened

Please advise, i am really ticked about this.
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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 01:31 PM
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From: Springboro, Ohio
2004 SL600 Renntech
You can leave it raised up with one light on with no problems. It may have a lowering module installed or lowering links.
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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 01:44 PM
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04 CL55 (sold), 2012 CLS550 (sold), 2014 S550 (sold), 2015 ES300H (DAILY)
theres not a lot of ways to really lower the car, so if you can find out "HOW" they lowered it then you should have no problem reverting it back to stock
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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 02:04 PM
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B R
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2010 Taco
Originally Posted by HemiTom
You can leave it raised up with one light on with no problems.
^ Easiest thing to do, boom you are done.
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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 10:50 PM
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Thanks for the info.

I just measured and at the lowest setting it is under 26" which is too low. At one light it is at 26 3/8" so i guess i will go for that and if i was ever at a car show or something i can drop it to the under 26" level it was about 25 3/4 to 25 7/8. It still looks good at the one light level

What is a stock setup. When mine is on two lights it almost looks close to what i am used to seeing

I wonder if i was the one that made the wheel rub and remove a little paint on the bottom of the fender lip. You can see it unless you crawl under. I am going to touch it up to prevent further issues. Maybe the last owner knew to drive it on one light

Doesn't the car lower itself when over a certain speed, i hope it is ok on one light on the highway

Thoughts?
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Old Dec 3, 2011 | 11:07 PM
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Thanks for the info.

I just measured and at the lowest setting it is under 26" which is too low. At one light it is at 26 3/8" so i guess i will go for that and if i was ever at a car show or something i can drop it to the under 26" level it was about 25 3/4 to 25 7/8. It still looks good at the one light level

What is a stock setup. When mine is on two lights it almost looks close to what i am used to seeing

I wonder if i was the one that made the wheel rub and remove a little paint on the bottom of the fender lip. You can see it unless you crawl under. I am going to touch it up to prevent further issues. Maybe the last owner knew to drive it on one light

Doesn't the car lower itself when over a certain speed, i hope it is ok on one light on the highway

Thoughts?
Reply

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