david_101

during which MY was diamond silver introduced on the SL?

v8plus4

In the US? 2003 for the R230. I don't believe it was offered on the R129.

david_101

thanks. some brilliant MB rep said it'd been introduced for MY2005...knowing full well that my GF's stuck on that color. what a dufus.

instead of driving new cars, i'm driving myself nuts here deciding which ones to get.

i must get her out of her batmobile aka SC430, which does everything fairly well, but nothing great, and gives me a headache each time i'm in it...because i bump my head continually.

sounds like SL's the way to go. but which year?? not new 2005 or 2006 because updates are imminent within one MY. not 2003 because it was buggy. decision: 2004 with extended warranty for a good attribute mix, maintenance included, and depreciation out.

as long as she gets that bluish silver, she won't complain.

good idea??

v8plus4

People say 2003 and some early 2004's are buggy. Personally, I would look for a pre-owned 2005. Prices should be coming down with the release of the 06 models. Plus, you get the upgraded DVD-based nav. system, which for me is a must-have. I live in NW Florida, and travel to New Orleans often, and the old CD-ROM based nav requires switching the map CD's when crossing from one zone to another. So I can't enter a final destination until I cross the Alabama-Mississippi state line and enter the map CD for that zone, and only then is the system able to calculate an ETA, a route, distance to destination, etc. The DVD based system contains the map for the entire US on one CD, so you could plot a route from anywhere to anywhere. If this isn't a concern for you, I would also consider a late production 2004.

david_101

we're in lauderdale...

you're right and i agree. a 2005 or late 2004, both used, sound right.

for my GF, however, the car likely would not leave FL. if i recall correctly from my several NE-SE I95 drives, then CD-based in FL nav requires only one CD. so, that wouldn't be a problem. and though she prefers the DVD-based nav we checked out in-showroom, she's familiar with the CD-based nav from her CLK, which preceded the batmobile.

the 2004s still had all scheduled maintenance included, so that'd make the thing less costly.

i guess it comes down to finding the right deal. a used 2005 at the right price certainly would be preferable to a 2004. perhaps we should wait a bit longer, unti the showrooms are stocked with MY2006s, then pounce.

now for the SUV question. are you up to advising about that?

vraa

X5. It's a rock solid vehicle.

If you have the money, get the Cayenne Turbo

v8plus4

I'm close to replacing my SUV, and I'm leaning towards the 2005 G55. It's not as modern as some of the other choices out there, ie the Cayenne Turbo, Range Rover, etc, but I appreciate it for being the last of the old school Benzes, it's hand-made, it's fun as hell to drive (fast), and it sounds incredible. It's an automotive icon.

I've looked at the Cayenne Turbo, a BMW X5 4.8, and a friend of mine just took delivery of a new Range Rover Supercharged. All are incredible cars, but of the three, I like the Range Rover. If not for the G55, and the fact that the nearest Rover dealership is 120 miles away, it would have been my first choice. It's well-made, totally refined, A LOT more spacious than the Cayenne or X5, and it's a performer with the supercharged V8 from the Jaguar XJR.

The X5 was my least favorite (sorry, Ricky ). It's a great car, and there's a local dealer, but I'm trading out of my second M-Class, and the X5 seemed too similar to me. It's due for a bodystyle change soon as well, FYI, and the new one looks terrible. Looks just like the X3.

LovinMercedes

The 2004 CD based Navigation system and the 2005 DVD navigation system are day and night.

Go for the 2005, it is a no brainer, IMHO.

david_101

yes, if the price is right, that's what i'll do.

you all convinced me. thanks...i think. ;-)

speaking of price, what do you think would be the right price for a 2005 diamond silver, comfort pkg, sport pkg (scooped wheels), bixenons, as minimum requirements?

david_101

i'm torn between the MY2005 G55 and MY2006 rover sport supercharged.

if you have time, then please post your detailed impressions of the rover.

as i've written previously, i'm interested in an SUV mostly for S FL weather evac situations. the rover spec claims a fording limit of ~28", while the MB specs ~18". also, i've come to think that the G55 wheel/tire combo wouldn't be nearly as versatile as that on the rover. it wouldn't be entirely unlikely that i'd take the SUV to the NE during winter, and the G55 probably wouldn't fare as well as the rover.

i admit grudgingly that i'd prefer the G55, but practicality may dictate the rover. that's unless you all convince me to stick with the MB.

tiggerfink

Need keyless go.

david_101

i'm sorry, but after spending better than two years driving intermittently in an X5, i'd prefer to pass.

i haven't heard great things about cayenne reliability.

thank you for the suggestions, though.

david_101

well, if you say so. ;-)

problem for the GF would be that she changes handbags daily, and almost certainly would misplace the card during the changes...which really are dumps and purges. (she'd be pissed that i characterized as such, but wouldn't disagree. LOL.)

tiggerfink

The keyless go keys look like the regular keys. There are no cards anymore. The key is duel function. It is a smart key that activates keyless entry.

Mercedes has one of the best keyless and keyless go system of all the cars I have test drove so far. I just leave the key in my pocket and jusr touch the door handle and the door will unlook. I just press the button and the car will start. Even BMW keyless entry system is no comparison to mercedes Keyless go system.

LovinMercedes

Absolutalamente!

Gunther

I agree with Tigger on all accounts. It's easy and I have not had (knocking on wood) the first problem with mine at all.

david_101

no card; no problem; no argument.

sold!

v8plus4

For me, the Rover would be a definite contender if not for the fact that there's no local dealer for service, etc., so my choice is limited to MB and BMW. The Rover is definitely more refined than the G, and it out-gadgets the G by far. I think it would be easier to live with on a daily basis. Go for the s/charged model, though, the HSE is a slug!

david_101

assuming the MB and ROVER dealers and service were equidistant -- which approximates our situation -- from your origin, which would you choose?

yes, s/c sport would be the only way to go. unfortunately, it's so demanded now that there's a list. no problem...i'm patient. so patient that i could even wait for incentives, which fuel prices may yet cause shortly.

david_101

so, i might've found a way to unload the batmobile with zero pain.

assuming it happens, i'll have to get the SL.

what do you think would be the right price for diamond silver, comfort pkg, sport pkg, bixenons, keyless go, <20k miles?

tandan

david, we love our new sl, but the one option (other than distronic) i really wish we had is keyless go. you're buying for your gf, and i consider it a safety feature for a woman. she is driving a very expensive car, and i would think it offers quicker access. before suv's became all the rage, i needed to get my wife something dependable to go offroading. we have a place southe of san felipe, mexico. it's pretty rough sledding down there. back in 1990 she was coming back with my two daughters, one 12, and the other 8mos. along in her stomach. her ford explorer broke down on her in the dessert. she made it back home, but that was it! we bought a new range rover. 50+ grand at that time was a lot for an suv. but i was sold on it's reputation. a few3 months later after a trip to mexico, the front end was so badly out of line the tires were bald in a couple of weeks. i was pissed. when they put it on a lift and raised it up, it blew my mind. everything was tweaked and twisted. at range rover they had never seen anything like it. i told them it was from potholes, they didn't believe me. (remember the old commercials with a guy slamming the drive train with a sledgehammer) but insurance replaced everything. came to almost 10 grand. i later found out, a local down there had stolen the keys while my wife was visiting friends at another camp. at night, he took it out to see what it could do. he was getting airborne on the trails and slamming our new expensive car into the ground at high speed. bottom line, the car paid for itself on that trip. i don;t think any other suv (at that time) could have taken thaqt beating and still brought m family home safe. rr's dependability is great, but i did change to a toyota land cruiser for one reason. the air conditioning on the rr sucks. and overall, although i'll always be grateful for the rr's rugged frame, i ended up liking the toyota more, for a lot less money.

david_101

thank you for your advice about keyless for the SL and the positive RR testimonial.

earlier today, i located just the right SL -- diamond silver, keyless, comfort, bixenons, and i think another option -- at just the right price, with fewer than 10k miles. catch is it's a MY2004...but with just the right combo. so, i EMed and am awaiting a reply with CARFAX report and build date.

regarding the SUV, that's next up. the MB G truly is an undercarriage tank. but, like your RR, not impervious to hazards. while spending far more time in the NE, i was at my then favorite dealer looking over the new line-up, which included the G. my tech advisor and pal walked me back to service to look at a G in for service. he said that although the thing is tough, the client had managed to BEND an axle and do other damage down below. he said they were all surprised because they'd never before seen a G with THAT damage, and they couldn't believe it'd happened. so, i'm not surprised that, insofar as your experience is concerned, someone actually trying to exceed limits managed to do so.

as for RR reliability you noted, that must be an endorsement that the G could only hope to receive. but isn't true that into the 2000s, RR was not considered so reliable?

looking forward to your reply.

david

david_101

while writing the previous post, i received EM stating that the SL had sold.

ROT!!!

back to the interminable searching...

tiggerfink

I love the keyless go for two main reasons. If I had keys in my hand, I would scratch up everything. But the keys are in my pocket, and I do not have to worry about scratching up my interior and do not to worry about fiddling with the keys to put in the keyhole.

Also I can open the trunk while the car is lock and close the truck and my alarm will turn on automatically.

david_101

i'm sold on the keyless.

please tell me what you think reasonable price would be for a used MY2005 diamond silver SL500, with comfort pkg, bixenons, keyless and fewer than 12k miles.

i believe the right number for a similar MY2004 car would be $82k or less.

thanks,
david