Dans_SL

Hi. I just saw the new 2008 SL in the showroom today. Wow... What a beautiful car I'd Love to buy one but one thing worries me... the front looks pretty LOW. Now I know some people in this Forum actually lower their cars even more, I don't know how or why. But if you saw the car I saw today you'd soon realize it can't be lowered much. In fact, if you lowered it another inch or two it would be Underground

I guess the "Lowered" car people live in a place with very smooth roads but I live in New York City, where there are lots of potholes and uneven streets. This may seem like an odd question, but instead of getting the car lowered, can the front (shocks, springs or struts etc.) be raised an inch or two? (Perhaps by a mechanic or by pressing some kind of "suspension" button)

Ok, so maybe I worry too much about small things, but has anyone here ever had front end problems (scratching, scraping, hitting the curb, concrete parking lot blocks, speed bumps etc.) due to the SL's low front? Thanks.

CY

Mine was slammed...but was too unconfortable to drive...now its at the "two finger height" (still low) and has 20's with 255 front and 305 rear and with 40 psi drives like sh*t over bumps....if I lower the PSI it becomes smoother but I have more chance of bending the rim. For steep driveways, parking lots etc etc I just push the suspension button twice and the car raises a few inches....this work whether lowered or stock on all R230 SL's.

What PSI should I be running guys?

Television

You have to remember not to park with the front over a high kerb. some folk lower theirs by 3cm, cant see the point in that, sure you could set the ride height to 1 but what is the point.

The tire pressures are inside the fuel filler lid

CY

20 inch X 11inch wide wheels will use different tire pressure the the narrow stock stuff.

Luce

285-35zr18? Narrow? Speak for yourself buddy...

Just traded my '03 CKL320 cab for an '04 SL600 and can't quit grinning. The torque has distorted my face.

Goyard

Stock SLs aren't too low, the car would have probably raised up when driven.

I have a lowered SL55 (cause I like the look) and I live in Manhattan and you will be fine even if you decide to lower it more like I did. Sooo get the SL!!

allminesl550

They all come with a push button lift feature, like an inch only, before you drive like that ask MB if its safe, i use it only while parking and worried front may scrape curb.
Car is also designed to change height dynamically on the fly depending on several factors like speed etc, so got to be aware of this when considering permanant height adjustment.
My opinion, try it as is when you buy it, chances are you'll be satisfied.

CY

Way too narrow for me "buddy"...I personally wouldnt drive a SL without a 305 in the rear after owning it with stock and then upgrading...feels like a different car. Maybe your comparing it to your CLK.

ldenise90

After owning my 2007 SL550 for the first five days...I did park over a high curb (and yes scraped the lower front bumper on a concrete parking block). I had to learn the hard way. We have really bad streets in the DC/Maryland/Virginia metro area so I did not invest in lowering the car. I chose to upgrade the AMG stock wheels to Brabus. I have the AMG package.

With that said, I actually do believe the cars look even more beautiful lowered (to me, its the area around the tire....that is so perfect....no gap). I still have that gap even after pushing the suspension button.

Either way...get the car to experience pure driving perfection.

Television

Tire pressures normally stay the same irrespective of the size of the wheels

IngenereAMG

The SL's suspension is an electronically controlled air suspension, called ABC (Active Body Control). Aside from helping the car stay flat during cornering, it can be raised or lowered via a button on the console.

We carry links that replace the stock links in the air suspension, that will alter the ride height. Most people want the car lower, but I am sure that it would work to raise the car as well.

E55texas

air suspension and ABC are totally different