I am getting close to adding a 2003-2005 sl 500,600, or 55 to my stable and i have some questions.
-Were there any mechanical problems of the cars between these years?
-What are some of the costs for things like brakes, etc.?
-Anything I should know about?

All help greatly appreciated!

 

While I am sure there are countless satisfied owners of '03s, I recommend staying away from that model year since that was the year the new generation was introduced. There were some common complaints among the early adopters including leaky trunks, rattles from the gas tank, finicky brakes, etc. many of which are documented here.

Buy the most recent model year available that fits your budget.

 

i would expect problems of any first year run of any car. but an 03 would only be my choice if there was a deal i couldn't pass up

 

Noticed your in Bellevue, Bellevue Jaguar/Land Rover has an 2004 SL500 with 9,000K miles for $39K!!! Heck of a deal if you don't mind red.

 

You'll get slightly better mpg with an 04-up due to the transmission upgrade. 7 speed vs 5 speed transmission is huge in my opinion. I've driven both and it does make a differnce.

 

Try going for the newest one to avoid more problems...

 

Hey Jibaholic,

I was in your shoes just a few months ago, and I did massive amount of research on several MB forums, as well as other sources. Many members on this forum were kind enough to help me out when I needed the insight, so I figured it is my duty as a loyal mbword forum member to give you the long and short of it all;

Cake daddy is 100% correct! the new SL of our generation has the 7-speed trany. HOWEVER.........this does not mean that the 5-spd is not reliable and more prone to failure. Mercedes has been using this 5spd trany for years, it is a great, strong, reliable transmisison. BUT the 7-speed does give better gas milage.

The newer generation also has the upgraded DVD based navigation system, whereas the 03' has the CD-based Navi.

Everybody on this forum, including myself will adivse you to get an inspection done from a MB dealer to purchase. its a small price to pay for peace of mind. Also, if it still has warranty..........it is considered GOLD!! THese cars are VERY expensive to fix.

The 03's have a common issue with thrust arm's, ball joints and bushings. sounds very minute, I know........BUT this is not a honda civic, on any other car this is maybe 200-300 of regular maintenance, on an SL its anout 1,200. So when I say get an inspection for 100$, Im not kidding!

Another problem to beware of (and this applies to ALL SL's not just the 03's in the suspension. The SL500 has the wonderful ABC suspesion, which is (height) adjustable at the touch of a button. However if one of the struts starts to leak, that approx. 1500$ per strut!

Having said all of the above, I own a 03' SL500 with 35k and I LOVE it!!! Mine had the extended warranty so when I had the inspection done and the service guy told me that it needed a new thrust arm, and bushing, it was all covered under warranty. I have not had any issues at all! I would drive this sucker anywhere....any time!! THE ONLY PROBLEM i HAVE is trying to pry the keys out of my wifes hands .

Hope that helps

 

yeah i would expect that it is more expensive to fix than most cars, but i own a C class AMG and a BMW and those arent cheap.i am not necessarily worried about the cost of one repair, i just dont want to have to take it in constantly. I would most likely opt for a 2004 just because I do not want to have a first year car.

Also, one more question
Is it possible to buy an AMG steering wheel that has the paddle shifters and install it into the sl500?

 

The answer is quite simple----NO

 

I'd look for '05 or newer due to the DVD-based nav systems in '05+ models. I also think the center console integration of the COMAND system looks better in the '05+ models.

I'm sure there are components beyond the steering wheel alone that enable paddle shifting. I'd be shocked if buying a new steering wheel is all i took to enabe paddle shifting. I could be wrong though.

 

yeah, i'm sure that something has to be configured to work it, but im just wondering if it is possible to hook something like that up. i know someone in the C or E class threads did it

 

Is the Navigation an option for the SL's or standard??

 

standard

 

Just to add a little more indecision to the whole deali-o, I'd make sure to get insurance quotes on the different models. I was priced out of buying a used SL55 (which I would have preferred to have) over the SL500 as insurance for 6mo. was going to run me 2.5 times what it would have for the SL500. 2.5 times more expensive! Basically almost a car payment every month in insurance cost. The SL600 was not a whole lot better, so the SL500 was my only choice.

I'm not sure what your financial situation is, but I'd take a look at that along with the price you want to pay for the car itself. It may make a big difference.

Rook

 

That's a pretty strong argument for buying a 500 and going the Kleeman or Renntech route.

 

Rook- I did the same thing- quoted insurance for the 55 vs. 500. It was basically for me $100 or so more over the course of 1 yr on the 55 AMG. I have three cars under my policy , and this was listed as a "pleasure car" with 5k annual, this may of helped....I'm not sure what justfied the huge jump in price or if this was your primary commuting car could be a difference.

 

Yep, this is technically my only car. My wife has a vehicle but we are on separate policies as it works out cheaper that way. I do have one moving violation ticket on my record in the last three years, but I don't think it affected the price that much. I think it is probably a factor of it being my daily driver along with the fact that it is a two-door supercharged sports car and my insurance company doesn't like that (Progressive Auto Insurance). Too bad for me.

Rook

 

yeah, im leaning more towards the 500 because in the long run it wont be as expensive. i split the work between all my cars, so it will get driven a lot. and plus, 315 is enough out of this car anyway, plus i have my BMW for speed.

 

Another couple of things to look for:

* The sports package for the SL500 includes the Tiptronic paddles, if you want to hold out for those without getting the AMG.
* Given that you do not sound too concerned about repair prices, ask yourself which is more important -- price or convenience?

As mentioned earlier, while there are many happy '03 owners, there are reports of more issues in the first year of the new design. Also, if a deal is too good to pass up, it's probably too good to be true. I'd recommend taking your time to find a nice one under warranty.

Best of luck!

 

Actually, the R230 was available in Europe in late 2001. So if there were ant 'teething' pains, most were worked out before the car hit the US market.

I have had my '03 SL55 since March of '03, and it has been brilliant, reliable and very fast. I can't tell you how many track days and different versions of our software I have had in it, and it still runs, looks and drives like the day I took delivery. Aside from the absurd depreciation, they are great cars.

 

was the sport package offered since 2003?

 

I think the shift buttons became optional in model year 2005.

 

So does that mean in my '05, if I buy the wheel, there's a way to put paddle shifting in my car?

 

I don't know if the shift buttons can be added after the fact. My guess is probably, but it will cost a small fortune.

 

Standard on the ’05 SL55, 600, and 65

If you purchase a stock wheel which has the paddles already installed in them, then yes, but I think you'll need further wiring.

Yep, like thousands!! Seriously!! Unless you find a good deal on a wheel…

I ordered '06 shift paddles for $250 to replace my '05 buttons, but they didn't fit.
I'm happy with my buttons for now..