MY First MB - SL600 - Oh' Lord won't you buy me a MB! He says "YES!"

[SL600Mojo]

After much research, and many fun test drives (Vettes, Maseratis, Porsches, Jaguars), I decided on a purchase of a 2004 SL600 Roadster. Has less than 20k miles, and is Black on Black. I'll post pix after a photo session. My budget was sub $50k. There were many cars that would do, but the combination of smooth exotic sleeper to take a client out to lunch, and converse top down on my phone or with a passenger, combine that with wicked acceleration, I couldn't find it's equal. Maybe the SL65 which caught my eye, but it's just a little more aggressive looking that I wanted. Admittedly, love that one too! I want to do 4 additions right away - please let me know your thoughts. 1. Chip-it - I'd like to release the beast in that 5.5L V12 Twin 2. Exhaust - muffler delete straight pipe? 3. Tint windows 4. 20" rims staggered Mojo

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[HemiTom]

I also have a '04 black SL600. It has the Renntech stage 2 package, I just did a muffler delete, it has tinted windows and has staggered 20's! It's a great car. See my video in my signature.

[Benz-O-Rama]

Originally Posted by SL600Mojo

After much research, and many fun test drives (Vettes, Maseratis, Porsches, Jaguars), I decided on a purchase of a 2004 SL600 Roadster. Has less than 20k miles, and is Black on Black. I'll post pix after a photo session. My budget was sub $50k. There were many cars that would do, but the combination of smooth exotic sleeper to take a client out to lunch, and converse top down on my phone or with a passenger, combine that with wicked acceleration, I couldn't find it's equal. Maybe the SL65 which caught my eye, but it's just a little more aggressive looking that I wanted. Admittedly, love that one too!

I want to do 4 additions right away - please let me know your thoughts.

1. Chip-it - I'd like to release the beast in that 5.5L V12 Twin
2. Exhaust - muffler delete straight pipe?
3. Tint windows
4. 20" rims staggered


Mojo

Yep, that's the list. Did all of that to mine within weeks....

[SL600Mojo]

Can y'all tell me about the consistencies between the SL65AMG and the SL600? Like my bumper, it totally looks like the SL65AMG, and my tail lights have the black bar across them like the SL65AMG. How much of the car is transferable between the SL65AMG and SL600? I want a spoiler lip on the trunk. And I'd like to get the front lip spoiler. Even the bi-turbo badge would be sweet - might give away my sleeper affect.

I know the motor for the AMG and some of the suspension technology is different. Even the exhaust is a bit richer tone.

Thoughts?

Thx

Mojo

[1995E320Cab]

Originally Posted by SL600Mojo

After much research, and many fun test drives (Vettes, Maseratis, Porsches, Jaguars), I decided on a purchase of a 2004 SL600 Roadster. Has less than 20k miles, and is Black on Black. I'll post pix after a photo session. My budget was sub $50k. There were many cars that would do, but the combination of smooth exotic sleeper to take a client out to lunch, and converse top down on my phone or with a passenger, combine that with wicked acceleration, I couldn't find it's equal. Maybe the SL65 which caught my eye, but it's just a little more aggressive looking that I wanted. Admittedly, love that one too!

I want to do 4 additions right away - please let me know your thoughts.

1. Chip-it - I'd like to release the beast in that 5.5L V12 Twin
2. Exhaust - muffler delete straight pipe?
3. Tint windows
4. 20" rims staggered


Mojo

1. Chip-it - Speedriven V12 Biturbo Kits
2. Exhaust - V12TT Exhaust Modification.....
3. Tint windows - Yes do it
4. 20" rims staggered - Way to many options, but here's one of the best - When power meets grace: The V12 and Vossen - Full photo shoot

Enjoy the V12TT

[SL600Mojo]

Ok, I'm a little HP confused...looking at TUNING CHIPS and HP Improvements. BENZ-O actually running nearly into the 10's on just an ECU/TCU tune and muff delete? Damn, I wanna be there!

From what I read - the MB stated flywheel horsepower for the 2004 SL600 is 493. When Car and Driver ran the car - they found the car was very understated as they were able to run an 11.9/120 stock. @ 4200 lbs that's about 570 at the flywheel. So...

When these "tuning chip" companies (Speedriven, OETuning, Renntech, etc...) state they will add 110hp - are they starting with the fact that the stock hp is "understated," or are they considering the car is really running at 570ish flywheel (at 18% driveline loss - about 467 RWHP), and adding their +110hp making the car nearly 700 at the FW, or about 560 RWHP thus a potential 11.3 quarter post CHIP? When I look at the OETuning site and access the ECU tune for my car - it says:

STOCK PEAK HP = 493
TUNED PEAK HP = 590

So in truth, if I pay them $1800 for their tune, I get maybe 20 HP?

I'm also looking at the great deal that Speedriven is doing with the ECU/TCU $1290 and they say max 100 RWHP improvement. REALLY??

One other thing - do most of these chip companies require you to send them your current ECU/TCU and wait for it to come back?

Thanks for any input!!

[halm]

When OETuning did my car, it was on a dyno so there was a base run and then the tuned run. The 100hp gain was real from what I saw. Dyno says 600hp/700tq

Not sure about the C&D article. There was some controversial stuff going around at that time. There are a few (a lot) of discussions of this on the SL55 forum you can look up for your amusement and edification

[Tal@ACGAutomotive]

Let me know your budget on the wheels. Here is the SL65 we just did using SpeedDriven ECU tune. Ont he exhaust I suggest a muffler delete. It is inexpensive and it makes the car sound a lot better.

Mercedes SL65 R230 by Automotive Connoisseur Group - Pics, Dyno Graph etc.

[SL600Mojo]

Halm,

Do you have the dyno before and after graph? What was the charge for the dynotune?

Love to know what you base run was, and I assume you had a 600rwhp/700tq as you mention?

Controversial? How did you react to the information. Did you own the car already, or buy one, and then hear about the C&D road test. I bought specifically because I had stumbled upon the C&D road test and realized this may be a pretty special car.

Thanks for all your help!!

Originally Posted by halm

When OETuning did my car, it was on a dyno so there was a base run and then the tuned run. The 100hp gain was real from what I saw. Dyno says 600hp/700tq

Not sure about the C&D article. There was some controversial stuff going around at that time. There are a few (a lot) of discussions of this on the SL55 forum you can look up for your amusement and edification

[Zaddick]

It is commopnly believed the C&D SL600 was chipped before the test. It was an outlier result commpared to other tests at the time.

If I hade the SL600 I would tune the ECU. Easiest and most effective mod for any SL.

Z

[halm]

We did run a baseline before beginning to play with the ecu.

The gains were about 100 on both parameters

Unfortunately, I do not believe these are rwhp figures, but rather flywheel numbers

I did already know about the "controversy" and it did not affect my purchasing decision