SL/R230: Who has the most miles on their R230?
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
On my 3rd coupe!
Just FYI...I just bought this 2003 SL with 7800 miles on it. And I bought it only 2 months ago. I couldn't resist it although I'm used to buying only brand new cars. I found out that a very wealthy grocery chain owner in my town had bought it for his wife, but she preferred driving an Audi all wheel drive auto. It wasn't used and sat in a thermostatically controlled garage along with 9 other cars. I was able to use one of my friends in the car business to approach the owner and convince him to sell it to me. It had only 2 service visits for oil changes, and it's absolutely "cherry". I bought it for $53,000 and it had a sticker of over $106,000. I even have his bill of sale, and he didn't negotiate at all. He paid the full price.
My dealer sold me a 5 year 36,000 mile bumper to bumper, Zero deductible warranty for $1620.00.
I love driving and I will put on some miles....but that's the story behind my very low miles.
I'm absolutely in Heaven over this deal.
Stan
My dealer sold me a 5 year 36,000 mile bumper to bumper, Zero deductible warranty for $1620.00.
I love driving and I will put on some miles....but that's the story behind my very low miles.
I'm absolutely in Heaven over this deal.
Stan
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: North Texas
04 Cadillac CTS-V, 04 MB SL600, 99 Mustang GT Anniversary Edition
20k on my 2004, bought in May of 2012 with 14k miles. So I've put about 1k per month on it. No major issues. Replaced the trunk struts ($70 shipped for the pair), and a passenger plastic floor/door moulding that got booted and snapped the little tabs that hold it on by my buddy's big feet. ($40 shipped off ebay Used but perfect cond). Replaced both batteries starter and consumer electrics. ($150 + $130)
AC is giving me fits tho the "AC OFF" light won't go off so AC won't work - but that's another post. And my front low beam sometimes gives a malfunction, but it's intermittent.
SL600MOJO
AC is giving me fits tho the "AC OFF" light won't go off so AC won't work - but that's another post. And my front low beam sometimes gives a malfunction, but it's intermittent.
SL600MOJO
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 30
From: Texas
M6 Gran Coupe
Bought car in July 2011 with 42k.....have put almost 50k more on it since (have 91k now). Still looks new and drives great....ABC problem here and there, though. Probably getting rid of it in next 3-4 months....should be able to get $20k at least still (SL55).
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: FL
2016 S63 Coupe & 2014 E550 4MATIC Sedan
Service costs ...
I don't have an exact figure, but it hasn't been much compared to the "horror stories" that some folks post. I have purchased a new crank position sensor, a new gas pedal (throttle body sensor), a remanufactured ABC Pump, a new PSE, and have flushed/put a new filter on the ABC system every 40,000 miles. Considering the mileage, this is "practically" nothing!
These are not Honda Civics, one should "expect" of course to pay for SOME maintenance. I mean, it is a machine after all, it's not gonna be free as some people seem to think when they complain about every little thing. Car enthusiasts KNOW that these cars aren't gonna be cheap, but it is a passion for great engineering, and a labor of love.
These are not Honda Civics, one should "expect" of course to pay for SOME maintenance. I mean, it is a machine after all, it's not gonna be free as some people seem to think when they complain about every little thing. Car enthusiasts KNOW that these cars aren't gonna be cheap, but it is a passion for great engineering, and a labor of love.
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: FL
2016 S63 Coupe & 2014 E550 4MATIC Sedan
An object in motion tends to stay in motion ...
Of course, these are DRIVER cars, not intended to be garage queens. Too many people are afraid to DRIVE the car. An object in motion tends to stay in motion ...
I drive all up and down the east coast in my car for the past couple of years.
Newton's first law
The first law states that if the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_force (the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_sum of all forces acting on an object) is zero, then the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity of the object is constant. Velocity is a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclidean_vector quantity which expresses both the object's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed and the direction of its motion; therefore, the statement that the object's velocity is constant is a statement that both its speed and the direction of its motion are constant.
I drive all up and down the east coast in my car for the past couple of years.
Newton's first law
The first law states that if the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_force (the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_sum of all forces acting on an object) is zero, then the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity of the object is constant. Velocity is a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euclidean_vector quantity which expresses both the object's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed and the direction of its motion; therefore, the statement that the object's velocity is constant is a statement that both its speed and the direction of its motion are constant.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
06' SL600 03' C230K
Whats the biggest repair you have done? I recently worked on one and flushed the suspension and power steering pump system and changed the filter which was "tit" and seems to be the biggest problem w/ the suspension system because people don't service it enough and dirty fluid screws it up, the only expense is that fluid which is like $20 a quart my cost, $40-60 through MB and i used like 6 quarts to get through to new fresh fluid and the filter was like $35 my cost and dirty fluid causes them the take a poop and go down, so if you keep it clean and change every 25k you should be golden and if it comes to you having to replace one of those big $$$ struts, they are rebuildable if you have the aptitude or know a competent mechanic that won't shove a broomstick up your ***.
Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 241
Likes: 16
2005 SL55 AMG
2005 SL55 with 97,000 here. She looks and runs like new.
Recently replaced brake rotors and pads, aluminum shifter pawl update, all 4 ABC Accumulators (preventive maintenance), rebuilt both ABC Valve Blocks (again preventive maintenance), flush ABC fluid and new filter, and new tires.
I have no worries at all about high miles with this car. Like other German cars I've owned with religious maintenance they will likely go a long, long time.
I can understand there were concerns with high miles on the R230 SL series cars as the 03's had some early issues. Any car this complex is going to have some teething issues early on but those have long been rectified and updates applied to newer models.
I would not hesitate to rack up the miles on a R230. Other than the few well known issues they are proving to be very reliable.
Recently replaced brake rotors and pads, aluminum shifter pawl update, all 4 ABC Accumulators (preventive maintenance), rebuilt both ABC Valve Blocks (again preventive maintenance), flush ABC fluid and new filter, and new tires.
I have no worries at all about high miles with this car. Like other German cars I've owned with religious maintenance they will likely go a long, long time.
I can understand there were concerns with high miles on the R230 SL series cars as the 03's had some early issues. Any car this complex is going to have some teething issues early on but those have long been rectified and updates applied to newer models.
I would not hesitate to rack up the miles on a R230. Other than the few well known issues they are proving to be very reliable.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: FL
2016 S63 Coupe & 2014 E550 4MATIC Sedan
171,000+
171,000+ (almost 172,000 now!) Just drove from Florida up to nearly New York and back, making many diversions ans zig-zagged across many state lines for an epic 2-1/2 week road trip, barely staying on one place more than three days. AWESOME RIDE!
Anyone higher?
Anyone higher?
Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Tampa FL
SL65
I have an 06 with 16,456 Got the car with 14k ive had it 2 months drives great.
I think i may have a right front strut going bad it seems to leak down about a 1/4 inch in about a day.when i open the door i hear the air pump kick on for 3 seconds sometimes and it looks like it comes back to hight..
This could be due to the original owner not driving the car like you guys say,but thats all i see at this point..
I think i may have a right front strut going bad it seems to leak down about a 1/4 inch in about a day.when i open the door i hear the air pump kick on for 3 seconds sometimes and it looks like it comes back to hight..
This could be due to the original owner not driving the car like you guys say,but thats all i see at this point..
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 1
On my 3rd coupe!
and how is she running?
Junior Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: PA
2003 SL500 Sport Package
Up to 196,800 miles now on a 2003 SL500 Sport Package (am the original owner of the car). Car has actually been quite good to me so far -- though recently I purchased (mistake) a set of Conti DWS All season tires -- the rears went bald basically under 8000 miles (4 months) ... and I've gone back to getting Michelin A/S 3 Pilot Sport. The one thing I'm going to take the car in for soon is to get the diagnostic codes checked to see if any of the sensors for the ESP system are failing (failed) as I get a weird shimmy on the rear tires that I never remember feeling previously (when change lanes on the highways as I pass over the white painted stripes if it is slightly damp or if I go over a metal grate that is flush / even with the road surface ... etc..
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
2005 SL500
On The Other End Of Mileage...
I bought a new 2005 SL500 ten years ago this month. It has been treated very, very gently and has never seen rain, snow or salt. I have 7600 miles on it. The annual wax job is quite apparent....water "dances" off the hood when I wash it.
I'm looking forward to own my toy car for a long time (based on the type of miles reported on your cars)....
I'm looking forward to own my toy car for a long time (based on the type of miles reported on your cars)....
