jimcob

Dear friends,

I'm a new member of the forum, and intend to obtain an SL-Class (R129).
Therefore I kindly request you to advice me which of the two models 500 or 600 you recommend.

In the anticipation of your feedback I remain,
Best Regards,
Dimitris

EggrollXpress61

Thats Comparing Apples to Bananas. SL600 if you can afford it! Full of torque and power.

ruperto

If money is no object, SL600. If it is, then SL500.

blueSL

I've had both and they are rather different in character. The SL600 is a markedly better mid-range performer even if the quoted numbers dont suggest much of a difference. And a V12 is much rarer than a V8. Dont be put off by maintenance costs, my transmission failure could have happened in either car.

ctrider

what year are you looking at?
the v12 will cost you much more in the long run as far as problems and maintenance, the 8 cylinder is probably mercedes best engine, if you've got the cash and want the speed go for the 12, if not there's nothing wrong with a 500, more reliable and probably less problems

blueSL

There's no reason why the V12 should cost significantly more. The V12 is fine, mine doesn't use a drop of oil and the V12 gives you a measure of exclusivity which you do not get with the 500. All these warnings of doom and gloom about how much more the V12 will cost are not confirmed by reality. Get a 600 if you can, just make sure it's had proper maintenance.

JAM

You may also want to consider getting one from an MB dealersihp. The StarMark warranties are excellent, and that way you don't have to worry about costly repairs to the V12. I have driven both and I could nevery go to a 500 after having a 600. Either car is wonderfull, but go for the 600 is you can find one at the price you are willing to pay.

blueSL

Don't know why people here are fixated about the V12 costing huge amounts of money to maintain. It doesn't, providing it's had proper maintenance, just like any car. You could easily buy a 500 and find out you've bought a real dog. Repairs to any Mercedes Benz engine are not cheap however many cylinders you have. Key is to buy on condition and history, not age or mileage.

JAM

Blue SL, you are right, labor is labor, I think that the SL600 maint. issues exist becasue of some of the other equipment that is complex such as the ADS suspension system...

MBE55AMG

I'd say SL 600.

blueSL

You're correct, the more toys the car has, the more likely you are to incur additional maintenance costs and I had to replace the ADS control unit in my car at the cost of $1300; this is just areflection that the SL600 is more highly specified as standard than the SL500. ADS was available as an option on the SL500 though how many people ordered it is hard to judge.

But, your point is well made and there's a lesson for people with the new SL and all its toys. At some point in the future, they will start failing and it will be a tough call which of them you decide to fix and which you consign to the "well, I never really used it anyway" bin.

When my gearbox failed, the dealer wanted to charge 1/3 of the value of the car to fix it. Just about OK for my car which has done 84k miles. But what about one which has done 184k miles? My prediction is that in the future, most Mercedes will be junked not because they have come to the end of their useful lives but because of a single failure which costs more to fix than the value of the car.