Rudeney

@mis3: ABC is like Airmatic, with a few differences. ABC uses hydraulic fluid instead of compressed air to adjust the shocks. It's the same type of fluid as the power steering (and in fact driven by the same pump) but the two systems are totally separate. ABC can raise and lower the car, but it also has sensors the can be used to keep the car more level in sharp turns. In it's "ABC Sport" mode, it's ability to hug curves is scary.

@Yidney: The antenna does not extend - what you see is all there is. It's a cellular antenna. On mine, it's only use is for TeleAid, but on the older models (pre-MY2005) it was also an analog cellular antenna for the UHI interface.

The trunk is fairly deep, and the way the lid opens, you have full access to it unlike the small opening of the W209. It's also larger. The R230 is 10.2 cu. ft. top up, 7.2 cu. ft. top down. the W209 is 8.6 top up, 5.4 top down. With the top down, when you open the trunk, the stored roof components automatically tilt upward so you can open the partition and access the trunk. In fact, in this mode, the opening is still larger than the W209's.

There is a spare tire. It's an odd design that is stored deflated (so it has a felxible sidewall). They include a small 12v air compressor to inflate it.

Yidney

Interesting. I've never seen one of those tops in stowed position with the trunk open. Sounds like it meets my main qualification, which is that it is a suitable car for cross country road trips. I do like the looks of that better than my car, it's just that I do appreciate the back seat now and then. It's how I show the town to visitors. But the SL has more of an authoritative look, if you know what I mean.

mis3

I sometimes browse the w205 forum and there were many discussions on the airmatic option. Many members fear that this airmatic is a high maintenance option.

Patton001

She's a beauty!

floridawriter

Rodney, the deflated spare and air pump is the same arrangement my 05 CLK55 has. Love the color of your new car!

Rudeney

Yidney, here is a video showing the trunk with the roof open. This is on a R231, but it's exactly the same on the R230 except for one minor detail - on the R230, once the roof panels lift, you have to manually retract the partition cover (yes, the hardships we must endure with these older model cars! )

Yidney

That's pretty slick. Is the top hydraulic or electric motors?

Rudeney

Hydraulic, of course. Klaus tells me it's just as prone to failure as the W209's system. Oh joy! (knock on wood, that was one issue I never had to deal with on the CLK).

Yidney

I've actually lusted after a roadster in gray with that satin, cranberry-red leather.

Kevin9664

Awesome! Love the SLs. I recently upgraded from a '06 CLK500 coupe to a '11 E550 convertible. Wish I could get an SL but I need the 4 seats.

More pics!

Rudeney

I actually set out to buy an SL when I bought the CLK, but my wife talked me out of it due to the lack of a back seat, but that was crazy - we have her car (an SUV, currently Grand Cherokee) and the C240 (became the kid's car when I got the CLK). I did consider an A207 because it so much more practical, but I've always wanted an SL.

mbnz230

That's a very nice sl, I driven a cl500 before and the handling on the curve with the abc is amazing the repairs are scary. I really like the older 03 sl which are more affordable but the abc scare me away.

Rudeney

I've done a good bit of research and found that the ABC system isn't so scary in later models as they continually improved the components. Also, doing regular fluid flushes helps, and when a part does fail there are often less expensive ways to rebuild rather than spend big bucks on replacements. I figured after all the crap I dealt with on the CLK between the engine and transmission, this can't be any worse. At least I know that by MY2011, the M273 engine and 722.9 transmission had the bugs worked out.

Rudeney

Some more observations after the first week:

The good:

1. It just feels like driving a solid chunk of finely honed metal down the road.
2. ABC is amazing - I can take on-ramps at ludicrous speed and the car just hugs right in the curve.
3. The updated infotainment system and Linguitronic is great. This should have been around since MY2005. The Bluetooth hands-free speaker mic works quite well. I was able to talk with the top down on the highway and my wife could hear me clearly.
4. Steering and brake feel are phenomenal - comfortable and friendly in daily driving, snappy when needed.
5. Much less wind buffeting with the top down - even without the rear windscreen.

The Not-so-Good:

1. Road noise. Maybe it's the rubber (Contis) but on imperfect highways, it's annoying. On smooth, fresh pavement, all is well.
2. Minor fit/finish issues - the storage compartments in the door armrest cause it to feel loose an squeaky, there's a broken flap on the vario roof cover (both common complaints int he R230 forum).
3. MPG - I was getting 17-19mpg on the CLK550 on my daily commute. WOrst would be 15/16 in horrible traffic. The SL550 has the same drivetrain, but I get more like 14mpg in the daily commute.
4. Getting in and out is a chore, especially in tight parking. It just reminds me of how old I am getting.
5. The silver KeylessGo button on the gearshift after sitting all day, even with the top closed, gets hot enough to scald my fingerprints off!

Regardless, none of the "Not-so-Good" things are enough to give me any regrets!

Yidney

I know what you mean about the Keyless Go button. If the sun hits it in a closed car you have to use something to press it or you can be seriously burned.

gaazmon

Agree about the keylessgo button. That thing in the summer reminds me of joe pesci in home alone and the door handle

The ABC is a phenomenal piece of technology. On our 02 CL500 it lets the car move like a dream. I had airmatic on my 04 E320 and even though I noticed improvements over traditional setups like on my CLK, it still felt heavy and not like a sharp knife through butter like the ABC system.

tw2

I found going from the C32 to CLK55 the extra length of the doors made it much tighter getting in and out while in a busy carpark. SL must be a bit worse. The CL doors look 6 feet long.

Rudeney

Yeah, I used to always look for wide spots in the CLK, but the SL is even worse. Partly because the doors are longer, but also the door sills are twice as side and twice as tall. I wish they would go back to the "good old days" where the seats could be programmed to slide back when shutting of the engine, but of course the lawyers killed that so now all we get is the steering wheel. I set one of the seat memory positions to full-back to help.

gaazmon

The only compensation I can see on the w215 CL is that the doors don't open straight out but kind of bend outward (I don't know if I'm explaining it correctly). Also, not sure if the SL is like this or even the w216 CL.

And yes that easy exit with the seat was a great feature. My 04 E320 had that and even our 06 Yukon XL Denali had a button on the door for that (one touch and it would put the seat all the way back).

2MCHCAR

What a beautiful machine, congrats Rudeney!

I also plan on joining the Mercedes two seater crew in the future.

Thank you for all the technical support and insight you have provided over the years to the W209 community!

Rudeney

Some more updates on the R230 compared to the W209...

I'm still loving it! I drive around with a big goofy smile on my face all the time. Well, I did until Thursday - I had to get orthodontic braces! Yeah, here I am, 50-some-odd-years-old with braces. I have TMJ disorder and step one of the correction is 2 years of braces to align my bite, then eventually surgery to fix the bad jaw joints. But anyhow, the car...

Even though this car has the same 5.5l M273 V8 engine and 722.9 transmission as my CLK, it feels totally different. There is ZERO vibration at idle. Even with new motor mounts, I really felt the engine in the CLK. In the SL, at idle, there is nothing, but you do hear a nicer V8 rumble - until you press the gas, then things change. In the CLK, it had a nice V8 exhaust sound. Not loud like a Mustang GT, but a distinct big European engine sound. The SL is much quieter, more like my fathers Chevy Caprice V8. I guess they figure the SL attracts different demographic that doesn't want to hear the engine. This does make it feel less powerful, but I think there is little difference in reality. I timed the CLK once and got a 4.8 sec 0-60. I suspect (and based on Car & Driver reviews) the SL is same. But with the quieter, more solid, heavier feel, it does not seem as fast.

The transmission has some of the same quirks as the CLK. There is a bit of "lumbering" at certain speed/RPM combinations just like the CLK. The SL always "boots up" in "C" comfort mode. You have to press the switch to get "S" sport. The CLK always remembered the last used mode. But "S" in the SL is different. In the CLK, it just meant starting in 1st instead of 2nd gear, and earlier downshifts and later upshifts. This is true in the SL, but even more exaggerated. Also, the downshifts include throttle blips, and it won't upshift below about 2,500RPM even when cruising. It's a much sportier "S" mode than the CLK. I guess this is why it defaults to "C" because it's a bit too sporty for daily traffic. There is also a "M" manual mode that requires manual shifting, though it will downshift when absolutely necessary. For anyone who is familiar with BMW's manual mode, it's pretty much the same logic. In any mode, manually selected shifts seem faster than in the CLK. I don't believe they made any changes to the transmission hardware, so this must all be in software. If it's something available for the CLK, I'd say it would be worth the price of a $150 dealer visit to get it upgraded.

Fatz

Interesting, regarding the tranny setup of the SL. My CLK is Kleeman tuned and it does not shift up from the gear you select until far beyond 2500. For some dyno tests I did earlier this year, I think it will shift up in the 3500-4000 RPM range.

There is an exhaust blip when pushing it hard in 2nd and then shift to 3rd (I do it too often.... ). Downshifts, even in C can be kinda brutal if you slam the petal to the floor when traveling at a fairly low speed.

I used a G-Tech for awhile after the tune and before the exhaust changes and got a 0-60 of 4.6 and the quarter in 12.6 at 116. Gotta do that again when I visit a buddy who lives in the wilderness......

Rudeney

When I say it doesn't upshift under 2,500 RPM, I don't mean when manually selecting a gear - I mean in "D". In "C" mode, if you are cruising along the highway, when you back of the throttle, it will upshift to the highest gear that keeps it above about 1,200 RPM. In "S" mode, it won't upshift even when you back off the throttle until it's over about 2,500 RPM.

xsever

When you have it hooked up to STAR, please let us know what software version the TCU is running. Thank you in advance.

Rudeney

Haven't hooked up to SDS to check te TCU code yet, but...

Here's another difference I've come to appreciate. ESP in the R230 is much less intrusive. From what I have read, the SBC and ABC are used to enhance handling and also work with ESP. Here's the scenario: When exitting my neighborhood on the way to my office, I take a left-hand turn onto a two-lane 45mph "highway" that tends to be fairly busy, I really have to plan my exit and jump into traffic. In the CLK, I really had to finesse the accelerator to keep ESP from intervening or else it would do a throttle cut-back and leave me almost stalled as traffic approached. In the SL, I can just hammer it and it goes. It will break the rear end loose a bit and do a little wiggle, but the electronics gently control everything and get me right where I want to be.

One thing I dislike is getting in and out of the SL. I mentioned this in another thread about chassis stiffness. The lower stance and wide and tall door sills make it impossible to exit the car gracefully. I find myself looking for wider parking spaces, or parking out in the open lots where no one is next to me so I can open the door wide and more easily crawl out.