Nice pics of the SL55..

 

thanks! I am redoing it in a few weeks. wait till u see the results!

 

Sillydriver - your reaction to the RENNtech mods was largely the same as my own. The first time I floored my S600 after the upgrade, I just laughed for about 20 seconds. Then I dialed up Hartmut and we laughed some more. It's totally unreasonable for a car this big to be this fast.

I love it.

FWIW, 14000 miles and >100 dragstrip passes later, there hasn't been a single mechanical problem with the powertrain. However, I'm going to need some new rear tires soon...

 

treynor:

Slipping from one DiamlerChrysler product to another, I would like your impression of the '03 Viper. I'm looking at this (as well as the new C6 Corvette and the SL600) and need to start comparing pros and cons.

On the surface...

Viper: Raw brute force (with racecar like) power and handling.
C6 Vette: Refinement and practicality (with sensible pricing).
SL600: A bullet train with a science degree (which as these related postings indicate, is not always so scientific in reliability). (Though my wife's new C-Class sedan has been sound. The dealer is another matter.)

Yet, I would welcome any driver experience specifics (Viper).

Almost all the magazines relegate the Viper as a woeful precision family member of its AMG cousin in terms of refinement and road manners. However, the Viper is said to have far superior performance flavoring which has the driver constantly aware of the machine underneath, and thus worth the fanfare.

What comments would you have?

Thanks.

Tidbit: In November 2000, Wolfgang Bernhard, who had been CEO of Mercedes AMG in Germany, took over running day-to-day operations of the Chrysler Group in this country. The formation of PVO followed in 2001 to consolidate all of the Chrysler group's high-performance products and racing activities. The first three PVO offerings are Dodges, which will all be badged "SRT.” The Viper is the flagship of this group.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....&page_number=1

 

sillydriver, absent and Treynor,

Really just wanted to know if after the modifications whether you could still launch the car smoothly enough to avoid causing your passenger's steaming hot cappucino to spill. In other words, how is the comfort mode affected by the mods?

 

In my case the car is just more responsive but without affecting the Comfort mode,you can still launch smoothly and just cruise like a regular 600.

 

So given this great thread on the SL55 and SL600...

Since I don't have one yet, is the sl600 equipped to handle the increased hp and torque put out by the renntech 3. Brakes, suspension, chas, gaskets, headers?

I ask this because some have stated the the package amg sl55 is complete because affected products/parts are addressed with upgreaded brakes, exhaust, etc.

I feel that the sl600, even though it may be too tuned down by MB due to marketing purposes, should be able to handle and perform much higher as renntech has been able to do with them.

Does anyone feel that there maybe any unwanted side effects in the upgrading sl600 [expect for a good rush anda couple of heart attacks]?

 

Whether in S mode or C mode it’s easy to drive the car smoothly and tamely: I’ve been practicing just that for the sake of my license.

Both the 55 and 600 are heavily reinforced relative to the 500. For example, the 500 has an aluminum subframe for the rear suspension while the 55 and 600 both use steel. Similarly, the 55 and 600 both have 8-piston front brakes.

I’m sure there’s no problem with the engine since the original Maybach version produces nearly as much power as the Renntech version. Also, speed laws being what they are, the engine will run at full throttle for much shorter periods in the US than on the autobahns for which it was designed.

My only concern is that the various lock-up clutches in the transmission might be stressed (and I think AMG has upgraded those for the 65) but I’m betting that Mercedes has built a lot of engineering margin into the design.

 

Thanks for posting your experiences with the SL600 upgrades. You may recall that we both considered the SL600 at the same time and both had similar initial impressions, that the V12 seemed lethargic. I went for the 7G SL500 and you stuck with the SL600 and made it work.

Now I am satisfied with my SL500 but am still left with V12 envy. I am sure I won't get twice the satisfaction from an SL65 versus my SL500, but it will surely cost that much more, so here is what I am considering next:

1. 2005 SL600
2. 2005 Bentley Continental GT
3. 2005 Astin Martin DB9

Which do you all think and why?

 

If I were to make this choice,it would be DB9 because it will be the sportiest and probably most "driver satisfying" then the other two.It will definitely be more "exclusive" then either one, too.
Did I mention better looking?

 

Thanks for the insight sillydriver. Good stuff to consider.

 

Of those three the SL600 has the highest performance and most thorough engineering, ranging from the retractable hardtop to the active suspension, BUT ...

In the end, if I were you, I would also go for the DB9.

First and quite simply, I’ve gone through a couple R230s and so have you. In my case the second was different enough from the first to make it seem new and fresh, but a third would be old hat.

Second, part of the reason I plan to keep the 600 around for a few years (if it stays reliable) is its role as a city commuter car. Commuting up here is very tough duty with all the potholes, flying gravel and aggressive tailgating drivers. Even if Mercedes doesn’t really stand for electrical reliability, I think it does stand for mechanical toughness. During the short months I owned the 55 I had the hood repainted because of a gouge from a stone impact. Imagine the heartache of seeing a dent in a beautiful Aston or Bentley.

Also, the SL is much less exotic than the other two, and consequently fits better with the conservative Boston Yankee culture. There are at least four other R230s that regularly park in the garage under my office building, and plenty of 911s. There’s safety in numbers.

All of these considerations would be reversed if I lived in the Northern California countryside. I would be much more open to driving a more beautiful exotic car.

Between the Continental GT and DB9 I would go with the later. First, I always thought modern Astons were stunning. The unique gauge cluster on the Aston is a temptation in itself. Second, the Aston is much lighter and sportier. The Bentley is beautiful inside and out, but to my taste it is neither fish nor foul: a huge car in dimensions and mass trying to be sporty. I think the new Bentley design will come into its own in the sedan version, which ships in the 06 model year. I have a deposit on one of those, to replace an S500. I don’t plan to use it primarily for commuting.

If you do go for the DB9, would you get the coupe or convertible? It would be a tough decision for me.

 

There is an interesting article in this month's EVO about the Bentley. The author pretty much nails me and the other people with deposits on the Bentley "whose interest in the car seems to stem entirely from owning, or having on order, The Next Big Thing. The car of the moment."

I have already put the Bentley at the top of the order of these three cars, but not really sure why aside from the fact that they are hard to get and I can get one.

BTW, I am not sure that driving a Mercedes SL doesn't cause the same feelings of "Why does that *** get to drive a nice car while I don't" in other people. Of course, the Bentley would be worse, but I just don't think we are viewed as common folk when we drive SL's.

 

Im about to pull the trigger on a 600sl. Its not quite clear if its faster than sl55. Can anyone in here confirm that is or is not.

Im nervous with the lazy throttle thing stated. Help please.

I have to commit b4 the end of the day. HELP!!!!

I currenly drive an 02 911 turbo. This 600 will be my cruiser. Is there any comparison?

 

It's slightly faster than the 55 without ECU mods, significantly faster with them. My experience is with the C4S, not the turbo. They are very different cars: GT vs. sports.

 

Getting the ECU upgrade will take care of any lazy throttle fears if any. I got one for my sl500 and the laziness is gone.

You not only get increase in HP and Torque but also you get it to kick in faster starting at lower rpms. Go sl600.

 

Thanks for all your comments. I read the whole thread with interest. I am picking up my 04 SL55 on Thursday and am very curious, having driven Lime Rock several times, how did the SL55 do on that track. How did it handle and did you encounter brake problems. The main straight going into Big Bend is a brake killer for many. I will probably track the car a few times and am wondering what your experience was like given the speed capability and weight of the car.

 

can anyone confirm that car shifts quicker with renn tech software. i got conflicting answers from people at renn tech.

id like to hear from an actual owner.

 

LOOKS LIKE NO RESPONSE.

ANYONE KNOW IF SL55 HANDLES BETTER THAN SL600?

 

I heard that the software for the tranny just is there to protect the torque converter from the additional power from the engine mods. If anything, I would guess you would get less performance from the tranny (which should be offset by more power).

Said another way, if you are like me, and want tighter shifting, and more of a "sport" mode where it winds out more and holds the gear longer, forget it.

(I sure wish MB made a shifting program as good as my Audi A8L)

Greg

 

It seemed to me that my S600 shifted significantly more quickly after the tranny ECU upgrade. My ETs at the dragstrip dropped by 0.1 secs as well. YMMV.

 

Yes, definitely, it shifts quicker and better after the upgrade. The shifting of the stock car was so slugish that I used to run the car in 3rd or 4th to keep RPMs high. Since the tranny upgrade I'm perfectly happy in "D" since the shifting is quick and responsive.

 

I ended up getting Brabus instead of Eisenmann because I feared Eisenmann might be too loud: I’d rather err on the conservative side. The car is still a little quieter than my old SL55, while the V12 has a completely different tone than the V8. Overall I’m happy with the exhaust.

 

very very nice car!!! Do you have video capabilities?thanks!

 

just noticed the leather and stitching on the hood above the gauges......lovely

special desigo order or standard on SL 600 ?