Here’s How SLS AMG Owners Can Avoid a $30K DCT Disaster
Tyler Hoover has a soft spot for the tri-star brand and reveals which SLS AMG component might burn a hole in your pocket.
If you are someone who loves a bargain and have scoured the internet trying to find advice on how to repair your cherished ride, then you might be familiar with Tyler Hoover’s work. Tyler runs a popular YouTube channel called Hoovies Garage and is a proud owner of a hoard of interesting cars which he affectionately calls the “Hooptie Fleet.”
Tyler also has a soft corner for the tri-star brand, as his grandmother passed her Mercedes unto him. Over the years, he has owned many interesting M-B models, including a 500 E, an E63 AMG Wagon, a G55 AMG, and the lauded SLS AMG.
Tyler’s 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG is one of his latest acquisitions. For the uninitiated, the Mercedes SLS AMG was the first production model to be designed by the tri-star brand’s high-performance subsidiary. It also happens to be a modern reproduction and a spiritual successor to the original Mercedes-Benz 300 SL sports car from the ’50s which just so happens to be Tyler’s dream car.
Back when it was new, the 6.2-liter AMG V8 motor that sits under the hood of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG produced 563 HP of power and 479 lb-ft of peak torque. The company offered its powerplant with a dry-sump oil system that was designed to cope with the sports car’s high-cornering speeds.
The company also offered a dual-clutch 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT transmission in the SLS AMG which was connected to the motor by a carbon-fiber driveshaft. According to Tyler, these dual-clutch gearboxes tend to breakdown if owners do not keep up with periodic transmission fluid services. Dual-clutch gearboxes are not as easy to repair as standard continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) and Mercedes even recommends replacing the gearbox altogether in case of any damage.
Tyler claims that replacing the transmission on an SLS AMG will cost around $30,000 which is why he decided to take the sports car down to his trusty mechanic the Car Wizard for or complete transmission service. Replacing the transmission (DCT) fluid and trans-hydraulic fluid on SLS AMG’s rear-mounted dual-clutch SPEEDSHIFT gearbox along with the engine oil would cost around $800 (As per Car Wizard’s estimate) which includes labor and parts cost.
Now, this might seem a tad steep for or a standard oil and fluid service, but it is better than shelling out for a five-figure transmission repair cost.