SL-Class (R230) 2003 -- 2012: Discussion on the SL500, SL550, SL600

SL/R230: Very Serious PROBLEM!!!

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Old 11-21-2002, 01:37 PM
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Unhappy Very Serious PROBLEM!!!

My car just arrived at my dealer. So they called me and I went there to see it.......... I WAS SHOCKED!!!! I WAITED 6 MONTHS for this Car and guess what......... it came WITHOUT the PANORAMIC ROOF I ORDERED!!!!!!!! I ORDERED IT and it came WITHOUT IT!!!! WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO NOW!!! ANYONE PLZ HELP ME!!! Should I take it or order another one and WAIT another 6 months!!! NOOO I WON'T!!! I'm so sad and so depressed about this........ My dealer appologised but it's no good! I want the car the way I ordered it... or am I mistaken for my actions?!?!?! Can anyone here plz help me deside what to do now?

Can they order the panoramic roof and then add it to the car.... or what?

Plz reply ASAP ... Thank you for your time
Old 11-21-2002, 02:16 PM
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2003 S500 4-matic, 2003 SL55
A wait of 6 months is not that bad i have been waiting well over a year! The car is special and i would not want to wait another year for it so I would take the car as is. So u will just have to throw the top down more than u thought. Maybe they would order u another one and when it came in u could decide if u want it and if u dont then u can resale it in the after market. I would imagine that the car will still trade at a 20 thousand premium even then. or u could sell u current car and get back sticker and take possession of the new one. Either way I would grab the car, do not let it slip thriugh your fingers!
Old 11-21-2002, 02:29 PM
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Thank you for your advice....

But you see, we women HATE to wait...... the same way you guys hate waiting for us to get dressed and all. So I might take your advice and do as you say. But there has to be a way where I can order the panoramic roof and then install it on my car... right?
Old 11-21-2002, 02:51 PM
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I would take the car and try to make them order me a new top and install it for free. Getting the top is no problem, however, the cost and installation of the top may be a little over the top (no pun intended).

However, if they refuse to do so, it's not like they are obligated to because you don't have to buy the car. At any rate, the car will be sold to someone (and they know that). If you don't want the car, use your deposit to reorder the car again. Good luck.

Last edited by internet_mafia; 11-21-2002 at 02:55 PM.
Old 11-21-2002, 02:55 PM
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Mmmm... no solution that I can think of. Certainly not an after market fit yet.

Take Mookies advice - no Pano is better than no car. Its not the end of the world - and did hear the Pano could have problems with structural rigidity + others think it spoils the lines....
Old 11-21-2002, 03:16 PM
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thanks guys....

I'm gonna call them up and see if I can ask for the top.... basicly I'm gonna tell them what you told me internet_Mafia...... I just hope it works..... IF NOT....... I'm gonna go ahead and take the car.

Thanks all and enjoy ...
Old 11-21-2002, 04:06 PM
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W126 1991 350SDL
unlike the R129, the R230 tops - panaroma -vs- standard - are the same form factor. so while you couldn't put a panorama roof on an R129 that wasn't built for a pano roof, that is apparently not true for an R230.

the dealer got screwed by MB germany. MB germany should absolutely suck up the cost of a panorama roof, shipped to your dealer, and reimburse your dealer for the labor.

this is a no-brainer. you should accept no less.

i'd be stunned if the dealer refused this.

doody.
Old 11-21-2002, 06:32 PM
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Doody......

...... thanks for the info, but do you really think it's possible for MB to send the Pano-roof to my dealer and then the dealers can install it?

I mean, if someone who owns a SL without the pano-roof and then desides to order it as a seperate peice of glass, can they accually install it? I thought it should only come with the car..... hmmmm ... info plz ...... thanks and waiting :\
Old 11-21-2002, 06:58 PM
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That sounds a little extreme. Again, no company is going to do anything that it doesn't have to. OK, someone screwed up, but no money has been exchanged, so it is very unlikely that the dealership would break their back to make a sale on a car that they know will be sold whether or not it has a pano roof.

What interior/exterior colors did you pick?
Old 11-21-2002, 07:39 PM
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2003 CL 55 2003 SL55 2000 S500 DESIGNO, 1999 SL 500 Sport, 1997 S320
I ordered my SL55 without the pano roof since the color is going to be Pewter. In my humble opinion, the lighter colored cars look better without the dark glass on top( I don't know what color you car is). I've had sun roofs on my last two S500's and I don't think I've opened them more that an handful of times. I don't quite understand the redundancy of a sun roof on a convertible, again just my opinion.

However...If not having what you want bothers you everytime you get in the car...don't settle for second best.

Breeze
Old 11-21-2002, 07:57 PM
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2006 SL55 with 030 Performance Package
Cool

If it makes you feel better the cabin will be more soundproof at high speeds without the pano roof and if your car is light in color I like the clean coupe look that turns into a roadster in 14 seconds.

In my experiance with drop tops you want the sun or you don't top down or top up.

I would work on a nice discount from MB and take the car.

But remeber if every time you get in the car you wish you had the roof I would make MB allocate you a new car within 3 months they can do it don't kid yourself I have seen MB make good on much more outrageos demands then you are asking for. MB has a certain amount of alloction spots that are for such issues.

If my 2003 SL55 came with pano roof I do not know if I would accept it, I just like the interior and exterior without it.

Again just my crazy .02 cents

Good Luck

AMGBENZ
Old 11-21-2002, 09:00 PM
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W126 1991 350SDL
guys - it's not the queen mary. it's just a roof assembly. they have to be able to slap in the right one at the factory - it's all modularized and intelligently designed. they can put one on the next boat over if they don't want to fly it. you'll have to wait, but it's not that big a deal.

you guys waited months to years to get the car you wnated. you entered into a contract with the dealer to purchase said car. you spec'd it. you and the dealer reviewed the specs. the order was propertly submitted and MB screwed up. hey - it happens. IMO you would be crazy to accept at $100K car that wasn't what you wanted it to be and wasn't what you ordered. this is fixable. it might take some time, but it's fixable. it's not rocket science.

doody.
Old 11-21-2002, 09:29 PM
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I know that the acquisition of the roof is a minor issue. However, the cost may not be minor issue. Do you know how much a roof costs, not including the labor involved in the installation? I'm thinking of a figure in the thousands. On top of that, the dealer would probly be the first to install one, which could mean that something else would go wrong. I wouldn't want my car to be an experiment.

If I were the dealer, I would be very reluctant to do this for free. And haggling MB germany could take months. It's not worth it. At best, I would say that the dealer would discount the car.

Last edited by internet_mafia; 11-21-2002 at 09:32 PM.
Old 11-22-2002, 09:29 AM
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2003 S500 4-matic, 2003 SL55
Take the car as is and see what your options are!
Old 11-22-2002, 10:10 AM
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@Car Lova, hows the Status ??
Old 11-22-2002, 11:07 AM
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I'd take a trip to Home Depot, buy me a rotary saw and a piece of tinted glass together with some silicone sealant to tidy up the edges. A nice little job to keep me busy one Sunday morning before Church.

Seriously, I'm sure you could replace the roof with a pano one if you wanted to, it's going to cost a whole lot more than the option price because that is just the UPGRADE from one to the other and you should get the dealer to pay. It's their problem, not yours.

Before you give them a hard time, think about the comments here - that a pano roof looks best on a dark coloured car - black/blue, less so with silver. You might actually prefer the car without it, I know I do. Personal opinions all, of course.

I went to an MB Technical Forum in February where they talked about a complete replacement roof being about $7000.
Old 11-22-2002, 11:26 AM
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i'd wait some more... at another dealership, if your dealership isn't amenable.
Old 11-22-2002, 01:11 PM
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here is an option that would save the dealer the cost of the installation...demand that the dealer assign you the next available build date and order the car again exactly you wanted...take the car now as delivered...make the dealer agree to take your current in back in trade when the new one comes in...he should be able to sell your slightly used car for a small premium...which would make it a wash financially...you get your car now...and the car you really want in a couple of months and the dealer makes his money...you both win...if they won't do this they are stupid and they should get a call from your lawyer!
Old 11-22-2002, 03:34 PM
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Colours are on my SL500 AMG

Exterior = Tellurium Silver ; Dimond Silver <== USA
Interior= Exclusive leather Delta Blue

Thank you guys for all the help you have given me .. I'm gonna go ahead and take the car since I have waited for so long...... Then again ... It looks better than I have imagined it with the pano roof ... it would have spoiled the look of it since it's a light exterior ... thanks all and have a good time ........
Old 11-22-2002, 07:26 PM
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Re: Colours are on my SL500 AMG

Originally posted by Car_Lova
Exterior = Tellurium Silver ; Dimond Silver <== USA
Interior= Exclusive leather Delta Blue

Thank you guys for all the help you have given me .. I'm gonna go ahead and take the car since I have waited for so long...... Then again ... It looks better than I have imagined it with the pano roof ... it would have spoiled the look of it since it's a light exterior ... thanks all and have a good time ........
Another happy ending in MBZ land.

RJC
Old 11-22-2002, 11:07 PM
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Re: Colours are on my SL500 AMG

Originally posted by Car_Lova
Exterior = Tellurium Silver ; Dimond Silver <== USA
Interior= Exclusive leather Delta Blue

Thank you guys for all the help you have given me .. I'm gonna go ahead and take the car since I have waited for so long...... Then again ... It looks better than I have imagined it with the pano roof ... it would have spoiled the look of it since it's a light exterior ... thanks all and have a good time ........
Please do show us pics of the car once you pick it up.
Old 11-24-2002, 05:09 AM
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Pics........

Sure...... No Problem
Old 11-27-2002, 08:47 PM
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sl and M-class E320 4Matic SLK350
Blue interior

Really curious what that blue interior looks like. I've yet to see it. Sounds like it should really go well with the Diamond Silver. Looking forward to your pics. (As to your dilemna, I would have suggested you simply have the dealer contact the zone and see if there wasn't already another vehicle in the pipeline that could be diverted to your dealer and he would have his shipped to the other dealer supplying it to him. Then when I saw you had the custom blue interior, I could see that would be pretty difficult to do since those are probably only special ordered in the first place.)

By the way, those who suggested you had some legal right to the car you ordered have probably never looked at the fine print. I can assure you there is language on the order form that says they are not required to supply the vehicle as ordered leaving you with the sole option of not having to take the vehicle if it varies from your original order.

Last edited by northbenz; 11-27-2002 at 08:49 PM.
Old 11-28-2002, 12:30 AM
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SL55 AMG
The blue interior is certainly an unusual colour. I've never seen any pictures of it. What colour is the dash - blue/black with a black steering wheel?

There are a few colours we're not seeing - Travertine Beige, Andradite Green, Green/Black plus the blue and sand interiors. The "Taste Police" chart has some interesting combinations which are not recommended, for example Travertine Beige/Blue, Jasper Blue/Berry and Silver/Sand. Only black takes any interior...

The guys making the cars (if they care) must get a kick out of the seeing a dire combination go down the line. I think the pink car shown on the AMG visit thread beats them all by a mile in terms of bad taste... people would laugh wherever you go.
Old 11-29-2002, 04:24 PM
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Lightbulb Diamond Silver + Exclusive Delta Blue leather!

The dash board is exactly the same as the SL55 AMG ALUMINIUM! The steering wheel and the gear shift are both in Black Ash trim.

The exclusive leather Delta blue is lighter than the standered color. Makes the car baby_Blue from the outside!

I will post pics soon

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