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It can drain your bank account faster than a supermodel with a heroin addiction. If you remove the ABC suspension, the car is only expensive to maitain rather than ludicrously expensive to maintain. Honestly, it's a crap shoot. Some have good luck while others have nightmare stories.
Good maintenance helps but it is not the cure all nor does it guarantee you won't have any issues. These are $100,000+ dollar cars with the repair/replacement parts cost of a $100,000+ car.
Want an SL55 on steroids that will be gone through by certified mechanics before being put up for sale? Wait about a week, cause we just took this one in on trade
To me it was a bargain. I have a 2004 with now 28K original miles on it. It was impeccably maintained by its previous owner and I plan on continuing that. For what I paid for it, I would get a new car that is less than half what this car is.
I've owned my '03 SL55 for 2+ years now, added 5K to the 46K it had when I bought it. Drove it 2.3K home from previous owner. Good care by 3 previous owners (and records). Has not had one issue.
Now - I've done all the maintenance that should have been done to it, and quite a few services that MB said were 'lifetime' (I always think that just means that the life of the car is shortened!!). Flushed the ABC system, drained/refilled the Trans and Diff, drained and refilled the supercharger, same for the coolant. All new brake rotors and EBC red stuff pads, installed a magnetic filter on the ABC at the reservoir, etc. I'll change the ABC fluid every 3-4 years (it is hygroscopic), even though it will probably be less than 15K mile intervals.
I'd drive it across the USA tomorrow, just check the tire pressures and fill with gas before I left!
now we know who emerson lake an palmer dedicated their signature song, lucky man, to!!
Originally Posted by kittyandgary
I've owned my '03 SL55 for 2+ years now, added 5K to the 46K it had when I bought it. Drove it 2.3K home from previous owner. Good care by 3 previous owners (and records). Has not had one issue.
Now - I've done all the maintenance that should have been done to it, and quite a few services that MB said were 'lifetime' (I always think that just means that the life of the car is shortened!!). Flushed the ABC system, drained/refilled the Trans and Diff, drained and refilled the supercharger, same for the coolant. All new brake rotors and EBC red stuff pads, installed a magnetic filter on the ABC at the reservoir, etc. I'll change the ABC fluid every 3-4 years (it is hygroscopic), even though it will probably be less than 15K mile intervals.
I'd drive it across the USA tomorrow, just check the tire pressures and fill with gas before I left!
Maybe lucky! But - I bought it privately from the PO, an MD who I'd known via the internet for a several years (another car marque forum). His ethics and credibility were well known by everyone in that tight knit community long before he noted that the car was for sale. So, with his input regarding the car and it's history, it was almost a no-brainer to commit to buy from 2300 miles away. Very happy result on my end. We still communicate about the car and families.
I have had small issues with mine - the intercooler pump started to intermittently fail. Took about 45 minutes and $110 to replace. My valve covers were leaking, took a couple hours and $50 to replace. A plastic piece that's part of the vario-roof trim failed. It will cost me $385 if I can't repair it without buying a replacement part. Other than that my SL has been running perfectly. I only recommend buying an SL if you are well off or a gear head and can fix it yourself.
Last edited by walterwhite; 09-21-2015 at 12:44 PM.
This 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG carries a clean CARFAX and low miles. This particular 2004 SL55 has been well maintained with very little signs of use. This roadster also comes with 18" black AMG wheels that make it stand out. Reach out at 217-744-8584 for more information-- BrianF@Isringhausen
Apparently I have been doing a poor job of maintaining my SL or I would not have had so many issues. Could someone please provide me with the proper maintenance process on the following items:
Fuel baffle maintenance to eliminate need to replace gas tank
Supercharger clutch pack
SBC Service Threshold reached
Motor mounts
Tranny mount
Front suspension issues (non-ABC)
keyless go locking system
SRS harness
Bi xenon light failure (not the bulb, maybe the starter or the ballast, or... too expensive to start replacing components cheaper to replace complete unit.
little flap on the retractable roof
Trunk struts
soft trunk closing system
IC pump (of course)
That is all I can think of off the top of my head.
Okay so I say most of this in jest, hopefully nobody is angry, but the fact remains, like blownV8 says, these are still 100k + cars when it comes time to repair. Good maintenance is essential, so is good luck with the particular car you get. And yes, I dealt with every one of the issues above to the total tune of well over $12,000 in repairs, much of which was covered under my Chrysler extended warranty.
A final note, my car is undoubtedly harder on clutch packs and motor mounts given its mods.
Oh, the weather is gorgeous right now and i am going to take the SL for a ride a bit later today. Already getting giddy just thinking about it. Driving an SL AMG when she is running good is sublime
09-16-2015, 05:16 PM
