Swapping my S55 AMG for an SL65 AMG - Questions and Concerns?

[CarpeD1em500]

Hi guys, I'm new here. Currently drive a 2006 S55 AMG with around 65k miles on it. Lots of things going bad with it lately and want to get out of it. I'm fortunate to be in a position to take a 2006 SL65 AMG off someone's hands with only 8,000 (yes) miles on it. Black on black, everything in perfect shape, one owner, no smoking, no snow, etc... A few questions: (a) What should I look out for? I'm taking it to a MB dealership for a full and complete "physical" if you will...but aside from anything the dealer tells me it is 100% clean. No accidents, no nothing. What happens to these cars typically? At 15k...at 25k, etc... I plan to own it for awhile and want to be ahead of the curve on issues others have seen. Does the roof break at 20k miles? Etc... (b) Can I buy an extended warranty from MB? What will it run me? (c) I'd like to do some of the following....what is possible, what will it cost me, and where should I look for more information? --Swap the steering wheel for one with real paddle shifters. Is this possible? What would a new wheel cost? When did this change occur...2008? --Carbon fiber all of the wood panels in the car. I've seen nearly everyone's car here with that. What does it cost? --Add phone connectivity + "Aux" audio-in for my ipod, etc. Also may want to consider ripping out the entire system. I can look into this myself I suppose, but if I assume $2-4k in parts (head unit, speakers, etc.), what can I assume in labor costs? --Learn more about "mods", namely technology and physical based mods. I'd like to investigate some of the cooler stuff I can do (i.e. carbon wrap various exterior pieces)...is there a place anyone would recommend in Atlanta GA? (d) Anything else you guys would want to share that I should know ahead of time.... Looking forward to joining and contributing to this great community!!! -Ms3

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[alx]

Reliability wise? You are getting into a car that is just as bad as yours if not worse. Those are old cars and they will have expensive to fix problems and a lot them. You will not be saving any hassle or down time by going to an sl65 of that vintage.

It is my experience that mileage has little to do with reliability with those cars. They go bad regardless of mileage.

They are beautiful and an absolute treat to drive when the work, but reliability is not a strong point with them.

Good news is that most of the common problems are already mentioned in one way or another here, so do a search- you will find plenty.

[WHTEVO]

Personally i think the cars with super low miles seem to have more problems than cars that have actually been driven. At least that's how it seems most of the time.

The change started in 07', which was a little more than just the paddles.

No, the roof doesn't break AT 20k miles, i have more than that on my 07' and has never had roof issues :knock on wood:

I would say as far as things to do, keep up on all the maintenance, maybe be a little proactive with some of it.

Doing a PPI is a good start. Good luck.

Aaron

[anotherAMG]

My mom has an '07 S65 we purchased used with no warranty and only 15k on it. The problems became so regular and expensive after a year I convinced them to sell the car. Get the inspection done at the dealer, and get one of the aftermarket warranties as soon as you get the car.

The dilemma with the aftermarket warranty is that when the work is done at an MB dealer it takes a few days longer than it should because the aftermarket warranty company has to send an inspector out to approve the work.

The SL65 is an amazing car for the price!!!! Just make sure you are ready to swipe your credit card at a few gas stations and MB dealerships.

Maybe I'm responsible for all the expenses of my moms S65.....

You Tube

You Tube

[abiazis]

I have an Easy Care Aftermarket Warranty on my 2005 SL 65 and it has worked out good as far as coverage, but I basically paid for the work that has been done over time up front - about $ 5K plus over 3 years.......paid 4k for it......4 years up to 60K miles on car..

Bought car at 27K has 45K now....

Had front rotors/all pads replaced at 30K - $ 3K

TYPICAL V-12 Misfire issue with coil packs - $ 1200 each to replace/replaced one - check OBD codes on car you are buying to see what has registered

Ignition module/map sensor replaced - $ 1K

Spring link bushings replaced - $ 800

Intercooler pump motor - $ 800

Trunk struts replaced- $ 60 - check those

New sparkPlugs - recommended to change after 5 years - not mileage - 24 of them at $10

New Conti DW Extreme tires at 40K - $ 1.1K

One front ABC strut replaced - $ 1.1K with labor using Arnott strut not OEM

My trunk soft close is not working now, so I think a $ 500 latch is due to be replaced, etc. at the least......

Budget $ 2,000 a year for repairs and tires.......

To replace the wood interior trim, get some financing.......not inexpensive........all relative of course.....

The fact that the car has low miles is good, but agree that mileage seems to have nothing to do with reliability....great when they are running perfect.....like any German made car......

[alx]

Originally Posted by abiazis

I have an Easy Care Aftermarket Warranty on my 2005 SL 65 and it has worked out good as far as coverage, but I basically paid for the work that has been done over time up front - about $ 5K plus over 3 years.......paid 4k for it......4 years up to 60K miles on car..

Bought car at 27K has 45K now....

Had front rotors/all pads replaced at 30K - $ 3K

TYPICAL V-12 Misfire issue with coil packs - $ 1200 each to replace/replaced one - check OBD codes on car you are buying to see what has registered

Ignition module/map sensor replaced - $ 1K

Spring link bushings replaced - $ 800

Trunk struts replaced- $ 60 - check those

New sparkPlugs - recommended to change after 5 years - not mileage - 24 of them at $10

New Conti DW Extreme tires at 40K - $ 1.1K

One front ABC strut replaced - $ 1.1K with labor using Arnott strut not OEM

My trunk soft close is not working now, so I think a $ 500 latch is due to be replaced, etc. at the least......

Budget $ 2,000 a year for repairs and tires.......

To replace the wood interior trim, get some financing.......not inexpensive........all relative of course.....

The fact that the car has low miles is good, but agree that mileage seems to have nothing to do with reliability....great when they are running perfect.....like any German made car......

this is an excellent break-down.

i would add that you will be looking at some point at a new tandem pump- about $1800 with labor and new valve block(s) - about $1800 with labor and you have two of them. dont forget the front abc hoses and all other non-arnot shocks. all $$$$

not to mention the obligatory h/e pump ($120 part + labor if you dont do it yourself). on an 05 and 06 the front bumper needs to come off and you need to know how to vacuum bleed the whole system after the replacement.

now, to be fair the ignition coil packs, valve blocks and the the h/e pump have been updated and the updated parts are largely problem free so once replaced they will be ok (prolly).

but the torque of that thing... the torque

[abiazis]

Good point alx .....Before I had my car with the above breakdown of expenses a new tandem pump was installed at less than 10K miles.....$ 2K I imagine....warranty covered.....

Bottom line is that a warranty is a must or an annual savings account established for repairs

[Benz-O-Rama]

Originally Posted by abiazis

My trunk soft close is not working now, so I think a $ 500 latch is due to be replaced, etc. at the least......

Just pulling this out of your post, because I want you to try something.

Behind your passenger seat is that little cubby. Pop up the false floor in that cubby, to reveal a fuse block. 3rd or 4th fuse from the left, is a 40A fuse, it's the only 40A in there. With the ignition off, pull that fuse for 10 seconds or so and re-insert.

Enjoy your soft-close trunk again.


PS - I'm assuming you're not speaking about an auto-trunk closer, but rather the soft-latch closing.

[abiazis]

Thanks for the tip........I have been doing exactly that for the last year........

20 A fuse that resets......4th holder in....

Lasted 6 months the first time and now functions less and less time with each subsequent reset....

I have researched through the forum and will have to have it repaired....thought it was the new trunk struts breaking in, that caused the issue, but not.....could be vacuum leak in latch mechanism or line from the PSE pump......all other devices run by PSE are okay.....

Saw the DIY on it, but warranty will cover the work in the near future when I take car in for next oil change at the dealer (warranty honored there)......

[Benz-O-Rama]

Right. 20A fuse.... Oops.


Mine is doing it more frequently too. 1st time was last summer. Reset the fuse and it was fine for almost a year. This month it's happened 3 times. Getting close to failure...

[abiazis]

Let me know what needed to be repaired.....thanks....

[alx]

Originally Posted by Benz-O-Rama

Right. 20A fuse.... Oops.


Mine is doing it more frequently too. 1st time was last summer. Reset the fuse and it was fine for almost a year. This month it's happened 3 times. Getting close to failure...

address the issue in a timely manner or be $700 bucks behind courtesy of a blown (overheated) air/vacuum pump plus the cost of the trunk air lock ($500)

[abiazis]

Hope I haven't passed the point of more damage .......going in next Tuesday for repair......warranty covers it......

[NCE500]

Lots of good feedback from our well heeled community, but I'll add a little bit more.

The V12 SL is an awesome car in every way, as you already know, and when things are right it doesn't get much better. That being said, it is expensive to repair and maintain, so whatever you do get a warranty for as long as you plan to own it. Would I do it again based on 2 years of ownership with warranty? Absolutely.

For what it's worth, mine has been completely trouble free since last Fall. It drives as new, and runs better than ever. Everything got serviced at once when the engine came out to do motor mounts last Summer, and add to that everything repaired prior to that I have reached a point where it has been paying me back! The wife had been bugging me big time to sell it, referred to it as our third child, but she has mostly stopped as it has been so trouble free of late. It will probably die on me tomorrow for posting this, but I have 2 years of warranty left if that happens, so V12 SL life looks to be about as good as it gets this Summer.

[CarpeD1em500]

Originally Posted by alx

Reliability wise? You are getting into a car that is just as bad as yours if not worse. Those are old cars and they will have expensive to fix problems and a lot them. You will not be saving any hassle or down time by going to an sl65 of that vintage.

It is my experience that mileage has little to do with reliability with those cars. They go bad regardless of mileage.

They are beautiful and an absolute treat to drive when the work, but reliability is not a strong point with them.

Good news is that most of the common problems are already mentioned in one way or another here, so do a search- you will find plenty.

Perfect, thanks! Lots of help already in this thread!!

Originally Posted by WHTEVO

Personally i think the cars with super low miles seem to have more problems than cars that have actually been driven. At least that's how it seems most of the time.

The change started in 07', which was a little more than just the paddles.

No, the roof doesn't break AT 20k miles, i have more than that on my 07' and has never had roof issues :knock on wood:

I would say as far as things to do, keep up on all the maintenance, maybe be a little proactive with some of it.

Doing a PPI is a good start. Good luck.

Aaron

Aaron - thanks so much. PPI = the dealership inspection I was talking about? Also, thanks for the information on the wheel!

Originally Posted by abiazis

I have an Easy Care Aftermarket Warranty on my 2005 SL 65 and it has worked out good as far as coverage, but I basically paid for the work that has been done over time up front - about $ 5K plus over 3 years.......paid 4k for it......4 years up to 60K miles on car..

Bought car at 27K has 45K now....

Had front rotors/all pads replaced at 30K - $ 3K

TYPICAL V-12 Misfire issue with coil packs - $ 1200 each to replace/replaced one - check OBD codes on car you are buying to see what has registered

Ignition module/map sensor replaced - $ 1K

Spring link bushings replaced - $ 800

Intercooler pump motor - $ 800

Trunk struts replaced- $ 60 - check those

New sparkPlugs - recommended to change after 5 years - not mileage - 24 of them at $10

New Conti DW Extreme tires at 40K - $ 1.1K

One front ABC strut replaced - $ 1.1K with labor using Arnott strut not OEM

My trunk soft close is not working now, so I think a $ 500 latch is due to be replaced, etc. at the least......

Budget $ 2,000 a year for repairs and tires.......

To replace the wood interior trim, get some financing.......not inexpensive........all relative of course.....

The fact that the car has low miles is good, but agree that mileage seems to have nothing to do with reliability....great when they are running perfect.....like any German made car......

I'm not all that car-savvy. Can I ask the dealership to provide the codes you mentioned, and then perhaps post them to the forum?

Also, thanks so much for this complete breakdown. Very helpful. Is the warranty you mentioned one you'd recommend I look into? Does Mercedes not offer an official warranty through them - do I need to go 3rd party?

Also, having the interior wood trim wrapped in carbon fiber - how much are we talking? I was thinking like $1000...but your "get financing" quote has me worried!!

Originally Posted by alx

this is an excellent break-down.

i would add that you will be looking at some point at a new tandem pump- about $1800 with labor and new valve block(s) - about $1800 with labor and you have two of them. dont forget the front abc hoses and all other non-arnot shocks. all $$$$

not to mention the obligatory h/e pump ($120 part + labor if you dont do it yourself). on an 05 and 06 the front bumper needs to come off and you need to know how to vacuum bleed the whole system after the replacement.

now, to be fair the ignition coil packs, valve blocks and the the h/e pump have been updated and the updated parts are largely problem free so once replaced they will be ok (prolly).

but the torque of that thing... the torque

Thanks!! Great info - I'll keep this in mind as I move forward.

Originally Posted by NCE500

Lots of good feedback from our well heeled community, but I'll add a little bit more.

The V12 SL is an awesome car in every way, as you already know, and when things are right it doesn't get much better. That being said, it is expensive to repair and maintain, so whatever you do get a warranty for as long as you plan to own it. Would I do it again based on 2 years of ownership with warranty? Absolutely.

For what it's worth, mine has been completely trouble free since last Fall. It drives as new, and runs better than ever. Everything got serviced at once when the engine came out to do motor mounts last Summer, and add to that everything repaired prior to that I have reached a point where it has been paying me back! The wife had been bugging me big time to sell it, referred to it as our third child, but she has mostly stopped as it has been so trouble free of late. It will probably die on me tomorrow for posting this, but I have 2 years of warranty left if that happens, so V12 SL life looks to be about as good as it gets this Summer.

Would you recommend a specific warranty? I've never bought a warranty for a used car before. I originally thought I'd start with Mercedes, but everyone here seems to be referring to 3rd party warranties. Is that my only option? Where is a good place to start and get a quote on one of those?


Thanks to everyone for all of the help and feedback!!! Can't wait to get behind the wheel of this monster!

[abiazis]

The reason I went with Easy Care is that the dealer would not CPO my car back in 2009 when it had 27K, but offered me Easy Care. I have been happy with their service.

In negotiating the SL's purchase I told them to give me more for my trade-in (Porsche C4S), a larger discount and throw in the warranty for free.

Back in 2009 they were more desperate to sell these type of cars, due to poorer economic conditions, and I got about $ 12K in concessions from where we first started. Side note - Mercedes also gave me $ 8k more than Porsche dealer on my C4S trade-in value.

As far as OBD codes, see what comes up as they should explain them to you if any show. People on this forum can assist on confirming, etc.....

Hope that helps.....research the forum for carbon fiber pricing or ebay for R230 inserts......$ 1K might be low....

[CarpeD1em500]

Originally Posted by abiazis

The reason I went with Easy Care is that the dealer would not CPO my car back in 2009 when it had 27K, but offered me Easy Care. I have been happy with their service.

In negotiating the SL's purchase I told them to give me more for my trade-in (Porsche C4S), a larger discount and throw in the warranty for free.

Back in 2009 they were more desperate to sell these type of cars, due to poorer economic conditions, and I got about $ 12K in concessions from where we first started. Side note - Mercedes also gave me $ 8k more than Porsche dealer on my C4S trade-in value.

As far as OBD codes, see what comes up as they should explain them to you if any show. People on this forum can assist on confirming, etc.....

Hope that helps.....research the forum for carbon fiber pricing or ebay for R230 inserts......$ 1K might be low....

Okay awesome, thanks so much!! This forum is really helpful - I appreciate all of the member support to a newbie!

-Mike

[abiazis]

Upgrade for carbon fiber kit from Performance Products is $ 1699. They have a low price guarantee so if you find a set for lower, press them lower if you feel better ordering from them, IF you do this........

There were several vendors selling for $ 2500 for the same kit as Performance Products and up depending if you want to do other areas, i.e. steering wheel

Do a search for "R230 carbon fiber interior upgrade" on Google or Ebay and lots of stuff pops..........

Also check DCT Motorsports on this forum search.......$ 1350 I believe........

[Benz-O-Rama]

Originally Posted by alx

address the issue in a timely manner or be $700 bucks behind courtesy of a blown (overheated) air/vacuum pump plus the cost of the trunk air lock ($500)

Fortunately, I have a warranty on the car. Unfortunately, warranty companies generally won't cover repairs until it fails. If the damn thing threw a code, I could probably get it addressed quicker. I'll just have to take it in, while the latch mechanism isn't working, and that should be sufficient, one would think.


I think my warranty is up this Fall. It's either this Fall or next, I need to look at the contract, as I'm nowhere near the miles.


OP, get a warranty, if you can. Many companies won't cover our V12s any longer, at any price.

[abiazis]

Called my warranty company(Easy Care) and they will cover diagnosis and trunk latch repair.......going in next week.....will update on the fix.....

I guess when my warranty runs out, and the costs are prohibitive for me to re-up, if even possible.....I'll establish a repair savings account for 2K a year....

If car fails big time with exorbitant repair number $, I'll trade it in to a Mercedes dealer "as is" and hopefully get some value for the car......

Shame we have to think about these cars this way, as unreliable with the anticipated repair costs being a real deterrent to long term ownership satisfaction.....thus our steep depreciating values....

Buying a pre-owned $200K list low miles car for less than half price seems like a great deal at first, but it is a crap shoot depending on the car, although these cars in general seem to have some very common faults among SL and SL AMG owners - weak coil packs, glovebox latch failure, common ABC failure, trunk soft close failure, gas tank flap issue, electrical gremlins with the batteries, etc........

Wish Lexus or Infiniti sold an affordable REAL performance car.......definitely would be more reliable and less expensive to maintain than our MB rides.........

[TheRoadWarrior]

im considering an r230 SL65 or w216 CL600 at the moment, so ive been lurking this forum learning a lot..... i think it comes down to just accepting the idea that you have to add $5k for a warranty on top of the asking price of whatever car you are shopping for.

i cant think of any cars with this level of tech, luxury, power, and features available that DON'T have some common weak points and problems... it is just the reality of wanting a car in this segment, something that "has it all" also has a higher amount of things that can go wrong.

[TheRoadWarrior]

also btw, i think those prices of $1700+ for carbon fiber interior trim is probably for ACTUAL carbon trim pieces, IE fully built from carbon fiber.

it should be significantly less expensive to have someone locally wrap your interior pieces with 3M carbon fiber wrap. not quite as cool, but much less expensive and easy to remove later for resale.