SL/R230: Buying an SL500 on Saturday but not sure which one HELP
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 68
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2003 and 1998 E320
Buying an SL500 on Saturday but not sure which one HELP
Hi,
I have an 03 e320 and a 98 E320 so the wife and I have been around the MB block for a number of years now.
I have decided to get rid of my 2007 Corvette Convertible (Currently on ebay) in my search for SL's over the last month I have a dealer I know reasonably well who is willing to do an even trade for me vette with two 2004 SL500's he has or take my car and give me $2000 and a 2003 SL500. All cars are in great shape and have been checked out mechanically. The 04's have mileage of 58K and 59K and the 03 only has 43K. All have the AMG package and the 04's have the wood package as well.
I had someone look over the cars for me and got the thumbs up but i live in Charlotte and the cars are two states away. I am driving there Saturday morning to pick one. I really don't know if it is better to go one year newer and stay away from an 03 or go with the 03 and $2000 and have 15k less miles on it.
I was steered away from my 03 E320 before i bought it and in the 3 years i have had it i have had not one maintenance issue over 21k miles. It has been awesome. I wanted black and the 04 with 58k is black although the 03 is a beautiful silver in its own right
Any insight into the differences? I also had a chance loacaly to do an even trade for an 03 S55 AMG and I REALLY want to but the car has been driven alot with 59k miles and i am scared to death of maintenance or am i a fool and just should take the plunge on the AMG
Please let me know your thoughts
Robert
I have an 03 e320 and a 98 E320 so the wife and I have been around the MB block for a number of years now.
I have decided to get rid of my 2007 Corvette Convertible (Currently on ebay) in my search for SL's over the last month I have a dealer I know reasonably well who is willing to do an even trade for me vette with two 2004 SL500's he has or take my car and give me $2000 and a 2003 SL500. All cars are in great shape and have been checked out mechanically. The 04's have mileage of 58K and 59K and the 03 only has 43K. All have the AMG package and the 04's have the wood package as well.
I had someone look over the cars for me and got the thumbs up but i live in Charlotte and the cars are two states away. I am driving there Saturday morning to pick one. I really don't know if it is better to go one year newer and stay away from an 03 or go with the 03 and $2000 and have 15k less miles on it.
I was steered away from my 03 E320 before i bought it and in the 3 years i have had it i have had not one maintenance issue over 21k miles. It has been awesome. I wanted black and the 04 with 58k is black although the 03 is a beautiful silver in its own right
Any insight into the differences? I also had a chance loacaly to do an even trade for an 03 S55 AMG and I REALLY want to but the car has been driven alot with 59k miles and i am scared to death of maintenance or am i a fool and just should take the plunge on the AMG
Please let me know your thoughts
Robert
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 7
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From: Atlanta, GA
2005 SL500
here's a helpful website www.mybenzguy.com
I bought a certified 2005 SL500 silver last month and LOVE it. I traded in a black 2001 SLK 320. I would not buy a black car again, because I tend to keep my cars a long time, and black doesnt age well. I must admit that the dealer got it looking really good again though!
I would not buy an AMG without some kind of warranty.
check out www.mybenzguy.com for helpful catalog info, and other stuff
I would not buy an AMG without some kind of warranty.
check out www.mybenzguy.com for helpful catalog info, and other stuff
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 379
Likes: 3
From: Southcoast England
CL500 216
Yes keep off the AMG the rotors etc are 3 times the price to replace. My SL is an early one but its been quite OK for the best part, though silver is on the way out, black is a pig to keep clean,, when you go and look, what are the specs re the extras,, comfort seats are so much nicer than the standard
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
Several MB's Superperformance MK III Cobra
I bought a certified 2005 SL500 silver last month and LOVE it. I traded in a black 2001 SLK 320. I would not buy a black car again, because I tend to keep my cars a long time, and black doesnt age well. I must admit that the dealer got it looking really good again though!
I would not buy an AMG without some kind of warranty.
check out www.mybenzguy.com for helpful catalog info, and other stuff
I would not buy an AMG without some kind of warranty.
check out www.mybenzguy.com for helpful catalog info, and other stuff
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 5
From: Ann Arbor
'03 SL55
My experience as an SL55 owner and forum participant is that while the AMG-branded parts on an SL55 are extremely expensive, other than routine maintenance items such as brake pads and rotors those AMG parts aren't especially likely to require replacement.
The most trouble prone systems on an R230 are the ABC and SBC systems, and those systems are shared by the SL500 and SL55. The SBC system is already covered by a 10 year MB warranty which eliminates some of the risk. And the ABC system could certainly be covered by a CPO or other warranty.
The AMG-branded components on an SL55 (body panels, interior, powertrain, wheels, rotors, etc) are not particularly trouble prone. That's probably obvious for the non-moving parts such as body panels but it's even true for the powertrain, which is extremely strong and doesn't often fail even when people modify the engine to make 600+ horsepower.
So from my perspective, no need to steer clear of an SL55 as long as the particular car has been well maintained and doesn't have a problematic history.
Good luck with the decision!
The most trouble prone systems on an R230 are the ABC and SBC systems, and those systems are shared by the SL500 and SL55. The SBC system is already covered by a 10 year MB warranty which eliminates some of the risk. And the ABC system could certainly be covered by a CPO or other warranty.
The AMG-branded components on an SL55 (body panels, interior, powertrain, wheels, rotors, etc) are not particularly trouble prone. That's probably obvious for the non-moving parts such as body panels but it's even true for the powertrain, which is extremely strong and doesn't often fail even when people modify the engine to make 600+ horsepower.
So from my perspective, no need to steer clear of an SL55 as long as the particular car has been well maintained and doesn't have a problematic history.
Good luck with the decision!
Last edited by jmf003; Dec 11, 2008 at 05:44 PM. Reason: fixed typo
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
2003 and 1998 E320
Thanks for the info.
Actually I am now having an 2005 driven to me from out of state on saturday and they are taking my vette in trade and i pay $870 dollars with a 3 year bumper to bumper extended warranty thru 100k miles (Which iw ould never put on it by then anyway)
It will have a 30 day tag on it and i am sure it will pass inspection, if it fails the warranty will pay anyway
My uncle in the #1 MB salesmen in Zone 1 for them. He said an 05 is my best bang for buck so that is what i went with. I gave up the wood wheel and massaging seats for it but it has the upgraded COMAND system and obviously an 05 is ahea don the depreciation curve and the warranty is worth a lot to me
Robert
Actually I am now having an 2005 driven to me from out of state on saturday and they are taking my vette in trade and i pay $870 dollars with a 3 year bumper to bumper extended warranty thru 100k miles (Which iw ould never put on it by then anyway)
It will have a 30 day tag on it and i am sure it will pass inspection, if it fails the warranty will pay anyway
My uncle in the #1 MB salesmen in Zone 1 for them. He said an 05 is my best bang for buck so that is what i went with. I gave up the wood wheel and massaging seats for it but it has the upgraded COMAND system and obviously an 05 is ahea don the depreciation curve and the warranty is worth a lot to me
Robert
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BMW F02 (750Li) F10 (550i)
My experience as an SL55 owner and forum participant is that while the AMG-branded parts on an SL55 are extremely expensive, other than routine maintenance items such as brake pads and rotors those AMG parts aren't especially likely to require replacement.
The most trouble prone systems on an R230 are the ABC and SBC systems, and those systems are shared by the SL500 and SL55. The SBC system is already covered by a 10 year MB warranty which eliminates some of the risk. And the ABC system could certainly be covered by a CPO or other warranty.
The AMG-branded components on an SL55 (body panels, interior, powertrain, wheels, rotors, etc) are not particularly trouble prone. That's probably obvious for the non-moving parts such as body panels but it's even true for the powertrain, which is extremely strong and doesn't often fail even when people modify the engine to make 600+ horsepower.
So from my perspective, no need to steer clear of an SL55 as long as the particular car has been well maintained and doesn't have a problematic history.
Good luck with the decision!
The most trouble prone systems on an R230 are the ABC and SBC systems, and those systems are shared by the SL500 and SL55. The SBC system is already covered by a 10 year MB warranty which eliminates some of the risk. And the ABC system could certainly be covered by a CPO or other warranty.
The AMG-branded components on an SL55 (body panels, interior, powertrain, wheels, rotors, etc) are not particularly trouble prone. That's probably obvious for the non-moving parts such as body panels but it's even true for the powertrain, which is extremely strong and doesn't often fail even when people modify the engine to make 600+ horsepower.
So from my perspective, no need to steer clear of an SL55 as long as the particular car has been well maintained and doesn't have a problematic history.
Good luck with the decision!
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