HKSL

Hi all, I am a very proud owner of a SL320, I love this car to bits. Right now I have the opportunity to change it to a SL600 in Tormaline Green with AMG body kit and 2 piece wheels, Carbon Fibra interior and Pano Roof. I love my car cos its Silver with 18' Monoblocs. Please help, I am concerned about the suspension and that massive motor going kaput! what do you guys think??

StephenK

Go For It.

I have both SL320 and SL600 and S500.

SL BRABUS

If you have deep pocket.......go for it.......if not........go with the V8.......

Pigzmickey

Brabus is correct, it all comes down to cost and affordability...

Check its service record as well, good luck!

Bigdot

the preformance of the V12 nad the V8 is almost un noticeable untill you are going about 75mph and hit the kick down. the 0-60 i think is 1/10 of a second faster in a 600. but the sacrafice for the 600 is the preformance, because with that huge engine up front, the understeer is much more noticeable, and to keep the V12 running costs more. but if the miles will mostly be freeway, get the 600, i heard that it is smooth... or somthing.


mark

dafi129

You have to consider many factors to your equation...
I think we would all love to own a 600 at some stage,no matter what is said about it's heavy nose and complexity..
Complex,it has in abundance,and if it breaks down,it will scare you to death..
I know of a 600 that sat in a repair shop 3 months and still could not be fixed.
If you get a good one,it might last forever with the right maintenance,
but really,does one need the headache?
Get a 500,chip it,add a sports exhaust,K&N filter and you have roughly
370/380 bhp...0-60 in 5.5 s ....delimit it and you have 180mph...need I say more?...

Bigdot

same mind set i had/had. and i did all of those things!! and my car is very fast for a N/A 500

mark

dafi129

I keep trying to tell people that an outlay of a few thousands will get you where you want to go...
Spend money on drivetrain[wheels,tires,suspension mods,brake mods] and you'll see how much more enjoyable your drive will be......
Spending 25/50000 USD on conversions to a car that is worth 20/25000 does not make sense....And you'll end up blowing your engine in the process..

HLG600

Engine aside, the R129 SL Class is an extremely solid car, blending luxury and performance. True, the SL600 is a powerful car (6.0 Litre V12), but the power is linear and smooth. At lower speeds (lets say up to 50 max), the 600 has gradual performance. The true difference, however, is at highway speeds. After 50mph, the vehicle pulls much harder than the 500. Trust me, unleashing the V12 is wonderful. That, along with a better quality interior make it solid choice. Don't get me wrong, any SL Mercedes is an excellent vehicle, but the 600 is truly something else.

Good Luck

sl3204me

I would love to own an SL 600.The problem is you have to have or find an honest Master mechanic to work on it without gouging you on labor or replacing parts that don't need replacing.Easier said than done.There is no room under the hood at all for DIY work.Changing an alternator or power steering pump becomes a very expensive and difficult event.Personally I would rather have less power with my SL320 and be able to do some mechanical work myself.If you do have a need for speed,then go with the SL500.Another consideration is the gas mileage.Premium gasoline prices are not expected to decrease in the forseeable future.Anyone getting 22MPG out there with their SL600? Good luck with your decision.

StephenK

Always nice to have an Honest Mechanic to work on your car.

You really wouldn't have the power? I have a SL320 and an SL600, I know which one I rather drive.

TheV12pwr

V12 -nothing like it!

hbluthi

I went from a 1995 SL320 to a 1997 SL600. The masssive engine will not go kaput. I drove the HELL out of my SL600 probobly once a day or so. The power is great. Go for the V12, you will not regret it. If you have the skill, your can chirp the tires into 2nd gear and kick it sideways for a short bit (with traction off).

ClayJ

You're in HK? Go with the SL600. Gotta try it once, and it should be easy to get rid of in HK when you're done with it and ready to move on.

JAM

The mpg is really not that terrible for a V12..... And, the torque is unreal.... You won't regeret it.

StephenK

As you said the MASSIVE MOTOR will go CAPUTT, better stay with the 320.

Pigzmickey

I own both, but only drive the 600 now. If you can afford it there's no contest, no matter what the 320 or 500 owners tell you!

justinwrock

I say if you are willing to spend the extra money on routine maintainence, go with the 600. The basics (like oil, brakes, fluids) are sometimes a bit more expensive. Take the oil for example. The SL600 takes 12 Quarts of synthetic oil. Compare that to the (I believe 8 or 9) on the SL500.

And then, there is the dreaded suspension. YOU HAVE TO USE THE MB FLUID! If you do not use the MB fluid, the hydropneumatic suspension will leak. And to overhaul the badboy isnt cheap. That is the major downfall of the 600. The suspension is super overengineered, especially for its purpose. It is nice though, as it will keep the car almost flat through corners, but it is a ***** to maintain, as the fluid is a special type, designed to keep the seals fresh in the shocks.

But other than that, it is an awesome car. It will pull away from anything at anything above 75 mph, and it does it with ease. It is silky smooth on the freeway, as the M120 V12 is a very refined engine. The 5 speed trannie is fairly smooth, even though it is the first generation. However, it does like to eat tires, but what V12 doesnt. The maintainence prices are a little bit higher, as they shoehorned that 12 under the hood. But As I would say, it is a gas guzzling, fire breathing dragon. But it is my gas guzzling, fire breathing dragon.