SL/R230: 2003 SL 500 scared!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
sl500
2003 SL 500 scared!!!!!!
Great GOD almighty folks. I bought a 2003 SL 500 about 6 months ago. I do all my own work on any car I drive. If I don't know how to fix it I will find out how.
I have had a couple of E-class benzes and drove them in the ground. 200K + All I hear on every forum I go to is the SL 500 is a piece of @#^%$. Hell I'm afraid to leave town with it after hearing everyone talk about them.
Does anybody have anything good to say about them other than they look cool???
I have owned just about every kind of exotic car out there, except the ones over $150K. I am just a blue collar guy that makes just enough to have fun with cars.
I've never heard such bad things about a car in my life until now.
What's up guys????????????????
I have had a couple of E-class benzes and drove them in the ground. 200K + All I hear on every forum I go to is the SL 500 is a piece of @#^%$. Hell I'm afraid to leave town with it after hearing everyone talk about them.
Does anybody have anything good to say about them other than they look cool???
I have owned just about every kind of exotic car out there, except the ones over $150K. I am just a blue collar guy that makes just enough to have fun with cars.
I've never heard such bad things about a car in my life until now.
What's up guys????????????????
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
sl500
Thanks man for the somewhat vot of confidece.
I'm talking about going 1K+ 12To 14 hrs. no stop except for gas. I owned a 2005 Corvette and drove the hell out of it for 2K at a time and never had to worry about anything. I didn't even carry a cell phone. I understand that this is a different animal but @#$%^ man I'm seriously afraid to go on a trip with it after reading these hundreds of posts talking about MAJOR problems. I'm not really *****ing about my car YET. But I'm asking why do people buy these cars if they are junk????? SL 500 stands for quality. S class is the big dog. Or suppose to be. Am I wrong????
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 168
Likes: 3
2005 SL65
I have owned several corvettes and absolutely loved each one of them. Even the one that left me stranded and had to be flat bedded home.
I purchased my SL to be used as a GT car. I do plan on using it for long, nine hour one way trips back home. I do this about four times a year.
The good thing is the problems with the SL are well know. Look for and inspect those areas. For example, if all your ABC hoses look to be in good shape without any leaks I think it would be unlikely to have a sudden hose failure.
Its the cars that the owners dont even know they have a problem that have problems.
Most failures of any kind can be prevented with proper maintenance.
Learn the car and keep an eye on it. You will be fine
I purchased my SL to be used as a GT car. I do plan on using it for long, nine hour one way trips back home. I do this about four times a year.
The good thing is the problems with the SL are well know. Look for and inspect those areas. For example, if all your ABC hoses look to be in good shape without any leaks I think it would be unlikely to have a sudden hose failure.
Its the cars that the owners dont even know they have a problem that have problems.
Most failures of any kind can be prevented with proper maintenance.
Learn the car and keep an eye on it. You will be fine
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
sl500
SL 500
Thanks for the reply man. I always tell my (I got to take it to the dealer for an oil change friends) LOOK, LISTEN, SMELL your car and you will catch stuff before it becomes a big problem. Always change your own oil, brakes, ect. Not so much to save time but so you can see if anything looks abnormal. If you feel that you are not capable of doing stuff like that then maybe you should find another hobby.
Again, Thanks for the reply.
Again, Thanks for the reply.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 376
Likes: 12
From: Atlanta, GA
SL550 Designo Crystal & Red Interior - SL55 Silver & Black Interior - E550
Prior car was a Maserati and I can say that this one beats it hands down. I've spent a fair bit on things I consider to be preventative and I don't mind doing it because I plan to keep this beautiful thing for some time...
Like others have said in the past, keep up with maintenance, fix things that need to be fixed and deal with the other issues when they surface. The better you treat this car, the better it will treat you.
Like others have said in the past, keep up with maintenance, fix things that need to be fixed and deal with the other issues when they surface. The better you treat this car, the better it will treat you.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,477
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From: Colorado
07' SL65, 04' E55, 03' Evo8, 08' GSXR, DSM's...
If it was taken care of and up on its maintenance i don't see why you couldn't take it on any long road trips. I took my SL on a roughly a 35hr long road trip across the country and didn't have any issues except having to constantly refill my gas tank :P
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Super Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 992
Likes: 245
From: Tucson, AZ
'20 X5 M50i; '17 Ram 3500; Golf Cart; Bikes; Scooters
Not to worry
Same as WHTEVO - I drove mine from Philly to Denver, w/o any issues, with 86K miles on it. Since then I have addressed all of the 'known' issues and maintenance items that will stop the car. FYI - I got 21 MPG on that trip.
Would not hesitate to do it again.
A Jaguar XK8 was a shop queen until I addressed of it's problems. You just need to know what can go wrong and prevent them.
Would not hesitate to do it again.
A Jaguar XK8 was a shop queen until I addressed of it's problems. You just need to know what can go wrong and prevent them.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 7
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SL500 E550 F450
I have an 03 SL....51k....had it for years....still pristine and still acts like a world class car...had one shock replaced....soft close acts goofy sometimes.....roof revolted once when my 17yr old slammed the snot out of the trunk, it seemed to have jumped a cog on the flaps causing the micro switches to not engage....taped em up w blue painters tape and it worked, and it works ever since....been on many 1000 + mile trips, never ever a problem....just a sexy, soon to be classic that has a timeless look....the few probs outlined here aren't tough to fix and the maintenance is not difficult....buy, drive, enjoy 
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
2003 sl 500
ABC
My ABC has been fine. I keep a pretty close eye on the level and condition of the oil and haven't had any major problems. Once I had a blowback through the reservoir (don't know why) but I just topped the oil off and (very important) cycled the suspension between all different heights several times (not just once or twice) to purge and it was fine. Now that I said that it will probably go to hell.
Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 96
Likes: 9
From: Tampa
2003 R230 and 2007 W209
Have owned my SL500 since new...While it has absurdly LOW miles on it (7800), I have regularly driven it weekly since new. Having flown Navy planes for 18 years I am naturally a maintenance freak and thus I monitor EVERY item on the car.. While the ABC system is complex and bears watching - under careful care, it will perform VERY well as designed.. After reading some of the ABC horror stories on this site , I ALMOST changed out the ABC system and installed coil/overs when the seals on my rear struts started to slightly "seep".. After carefully researching options and talking with the nice folks at Arnott at Merritt Island - (who really helped with the specs) I installed rebuilt SL55 spec struts and replaced the filter and oil in the system at the same time.
While I LOVE the car, the ONLY other areas that have really anger me about the car are the freaking PLASTIC parts such as the top/flaps, sprayer nozzles, trunk valves and other CHEAP cost- cutting parts while demanding ridiculous prices on the replacements.
Having owned, driven 12 Mercedes, 10 Porsches, and 2 BMWs (and raced a few), I am disappointed with the degradation of the build and parts quality of these expensive cars.. Granted, the production costs keep climbing ..but one would think testing and common sense applied to CERTAIN high- wear items would dictate better materials.
Still ... I can live with certain flaws as long as the overall return is there !
rwm
While I LOVE the car, the ONLY other areas that have really anger me about the car are the freaking PLASTIC parts such as the top/flaps, sprayer nozzles, trunk valves and other CHEAP cost- cutting parts while demanding ridiculous prices on the replacements.
Having owned, driven 12 Mercedes, 10 Porsches, and 2 BMWs (and raced a few), I am disappointed with the degradation of the build and parts quality of these expensive cars.. Granted, the production costs keep climbing ..but one would think testing and common sense applied to CERTAIN high- wear items would dictate better materials.
Still ... I can live with certain flaws as long as the overall return is there !
rwm
Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
From: Denmark
SL65 AMG, X5-4.8i M-Sport, 530D, 528i
My Sl65-AMG has worked perfekt without problems for years. (besidde one small problem). I think most problems are caused by unskilled/unprofessional mechanics who destroy more than they solve. One example is the ignition coil pack, whereof we have been reading of a lot of problems......but most comes when the mechanic tries to unplug it and breaks the circuit board inside because he don't know when to be careful...... And then a lot of stories....
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 451
Likes: 44
2007 E350; 2018 GLE350
Quit reading these forums and getting worried about things that haven't happened and perhaps never will. If and when something breaks ... fix it. Otherwise, drive your magnificent car ... and that's what it is ... and enjoy the ride.
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 85
Likes: 3
From: California
SL500R, 500SL, C230, 560SL, 450SL, 450SLC, 300CD.
