Car arrives at rail station on Monday and transported to VPC late Monday, early Tuesday.

I need this car by Wednesday morning so it is going to be a battle.

Got a flat bed ready to pick it up. They won't like that but that is all we can do. We need the car by Wednesday 5:00 AM when my mechanic is coming in off his vacation to complete the long list of items that have to be done.

We just need them to put the phone in on Tuesday and release the car to us.

We will see.

Will keep you posted.

 

Wife and I are excited for you. We know how you feel.

 

Thanks Tigger, hi to the wife.

 

hey Lovin what is it that your mechanic is going to do to your SL

 

Here is the car with the things I am changing.

1. Aegean Blue
2. All black interior
3. Sport package
4. All other options except the pano roof.

Here is what I am having done to the car:

1. Replacing the Burlwood wood that comes standard on the car to Black Ash wood. That means I have to change the steering wheel, center console wood, gear shift knob and both door panel wood trims with the Black Ash wood. With an all black interior I think the Black Ash wood is going to be incredibly hot.

2. Going to replace the rear tail lamps with the AMG tail lamps which have charcoal in them.

3. Installing the white illuminated door sills.

4. Installing the black Alcantera instrument cluster cover. (This comes from the AMG and matches perfectly since my interior will be all black.)

5. Replacing the gray colored Alcantera A-pillars, front, center and rear headliners, and sunvisors, the gray rear view mirror and the gray lamp assembly to the black Alcantera A-pillars, headliners and sunvisors and the black mirror and lamp assembly. (Going to look great with the all black interior) This Alacantara will match perfectly the instrument cluster cover which has the black Alcantara mentioned in 4 above.

6. Replacing the AMG package wheels with the 5-Twin Spoke Wheel Multi-piece (STAGGERED).

7. Installing the SIRIUS radio with the aftermarket TREK antenna in the front windshild grated area.

As you can see my mechanic has a lot of work to do to the car in addition to the PDI.

Hoping he can get it done in one long day and then they will detail the car.

Happy Holidays.

 

congrats and I hope all goes well! Hopefully things wont start rattling... Aegean Blue is a goregeous color!

 

Thanks Al.

I can assure you nothing will rattle. I am incredibly careful about what happens. For instance, all clips either metal or plastic, plastic trees and alike must be replaced by new clips or plastic trees as once you take a clip or plastic tree out, just once it is never the same.

For instance, the wood on the door is held on by about 8 clips. All those clips will be replaced. The door panel itself has 6 clips to hold the door panel on and each of those clips will be replaced. Screws are OK so long as they come out of metal. If they come out of plastic, the screws are replaced.

Additionally, in order to replace the tail lamps you have to take out the side panels, the center panel and the hood boot. All of these parts have plastic clips or plastic trees and some have trim pieces like the hood boot. Every single plastic or metal clip or plastic tree will be replaced as well as all the trim pieces that snap in. Anything that is removed that is snapped back in will be replaced.

I have this theory that once some part like that is taken out, even just once, it won't go back as tightly. Therefore, everytime my car is touched and those pieces are removed, they are replaced with brand new pieces.

A little on the cautious side but it does make sure that there are no rattles.

 

I got the idea to put the SL 55 taillights on my brilliant silver 500 from Lovin. I think anyone looking to inexpensively upgrade the look of their SL without disturbing the balance of the exterior design should give it consideration. Though subtle, the little bit of black in the taillights really balances all of the other black in the car (tires, black in the rear window and black in between tailpipes).

Thanks for the heads up on the trees and clips. I am also a fanatic when it comes to creaks and rattles. I cannot stand them and whenever I get them, they must be fixed immidiately. So far I have had no problems with my SL (keeping fingers crossed). These trees, clips and screws are pretty much the root of everything in the car. If they are tight, everything is tight. If they are loose (even a little) we get rattles. I am not sure if they used new trees and clips when I had my headlights changed but thankfully there is no rattling. From now on, whenever I have body work done on my car I am going to request new trees and clips in the circumstances that you mentioned.

Thanks again for the great advice Lovin.

 

Lovin,

Sounds like you are going to have an one of a kind SL600. Please post some pics when the work is complete.

 

Chris,

How much are the AMG tail lamps installed?

 

The lights are $306 each and I think Chris paid around 1.5 hours of labor.

Chris can confirm.

 

Mattnaz,

Yes, Lovin is right. The lights are $306 each and labor will take 1 and a half hours. My service person quoted the labor time from a MB service book based on how long the work should take. Make sure that your service station does not quote/charge you more time for the job. It should take 1 and a half hours.

lights - $612.00
labor - $132.00
NJ sales tax 6% - $44.64

Total - $788.64

Of course, your price will vary depending on AZ sales tax.

Hope this helps.

 

The car will be nice, but how much are you planning on spending on these changes? Isn't the steering wheel alone close to 2k? And the wheels will be thousands. By the time you change everything with labor it will be close to 10k unless you got them to give you credit somehow for the other parts. MB also has an all black interior option for 3750 that is supposed to be a very nice upgrade as well.

 

It is not going to be pretty, cost wise, but I think it will be worth it in the long run. The all black upgrade is gorgeous for the $3,750 and I do have that option but you still get the Burlwood which is not as nice as the Black Ash wood with the black leather and you still get the light gray (ash) Alcantara on the top inside which I also think will not be as nice as the black Alcantara. The problem here is you also have to change the mirror assembly and the lamp assembly, both of which are not cheap. The lamp assembly housing comes with computer components.

This is how it comes out.

The MSRP of the base car is $145,750...now for the extra's.

1. Replacing Burlwood steering wheel, center console wood, gear shift knob and both door panel wood trims with Black Ash wood. The freaken steering wheel is $3,250 alone and the center console is $1,470 so this whole package will be over $6,000 excluding installation.

2. Going to replace the rear tail lamps with the AMG tail lamps which have the charcoal in them. The tail lamps are $306 each and with installation, about $800 in total.

3. Installing the white illuminated door sills. The sills are $995 and with installation around $1,200.

4. Installing the black alcantera instrument cluster cover. The black alcantara instrument cluster cover is $386 and nothing to install. It just snaps in.

5. Replacing the gray colored alcantera A-pillars, front, center and rear headliners, and sunvisors, the gray rear view mirror and the gray lamp assembly to the black alcantera A-pillars and headliners and the black mirror and lamp assembly. This part is VERY ugly. In total for everything, about $6,100.

6. Replacing the AMG package wheels with the 5-Twin Spoke Wheel Multi-piece (STAGGERED). The wheels are $2,392.

7. SIRUS radio which is about $900 installed. I am installing the aftermarket TREK antenna in the windshield grate area.

So, adding them up, in addition to the $145,750 base I am spending $17,778 for a total of $163,528 plus some labor and tax.

Not cheap but I know the car is going to be gorgeous.

 

LovingSL600,

You could of got a SL65 for what you spent.

 

Yes, but this is how I see it. The front lower bumper grill with the side air intakes are really nice. The wheels are these hyperblack wheels which are gorgeous. Other than that the outside is the same.

BUT:

The inside is the same as the SL55 and in my opinion the leather is not even close to being as nice or as plush.

If you ordered the black interior on the SL65 you would get the black alcantara and the alcantara instrument clusture. You could also choose the Black Ash as an standard option which does not come on the SL600.

Bottom line, I also think the SL600 will drive more like I want to drive. I love the power of the SL600 but I am not a "hot rod". I like the fact that you get a smooth ride in the SL600 until you hit 1800 RPM's and then it flies.

The SL65 is a rocket ship and can not be driven with the same ease and comfort as the SL600.

All things being equal, I would still get the SL600. Not sure that is the best financial decision but it is the best decision for what I am looking for in a car.

 

WOW! You should have went to Aston Martin and ordered a DB9 Volante just the way you wanted it! Another 20k and you could have gone with the 65 but then you would have had your same issues with color I guess. Man, you have some ***** but I hope you don't plan on selling that thing for a long time! Post the pics when it arrives.

 

Funny you should mention the DB9. I had one on order that came in two weeks ago and I let it go. See my reasons at the following link which I posted:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t299238.html

The link is entitled, "DB9 over SL600, I don't think so."

I see these cars as an adventure. I will keep this car for two years and then start over.

I am hoping the SLR becomes more user friendly but not counting on it. Maybe a command module at the least? I certainly love how it looks but it does not fit my driving criteria and I certainly don't feel like sending it back overseas everytime it needs any body work. There are no authorized body shops in the USA to work on the SLR if it is needed.

I read an article about new sports cars coming out in the Mercedes line in 2007/2008 but who knows if any of it is true.

 

Thats funny, I rather liked the car but would only consider the Volante which I have yet to see. I have an order in for one of the first Bentley Cont. GT convertibles that come out and the way they sit with you and personally design your interior options is unmatched. You can change the colors of anything from huge palots and choose whic ever wood/aluminum you desire. Then they will show it to you on the computer what it will look like. Totally first class. I can't wait. I love the SL's but my biggest complaint would be that they are everywhere in my area. Also, for the money I feel they need to do more to differentiate the body/interior of a SL500/600/55/65. For 8k your SL500 can look just like an SL65 and that is wrong!

 

You and I have some very similar thoughts and feelings. Mercedes is still what is termed a "mass produced car" while the DB9 or Continental GT are not therefore you will never see as many of them.

I did love the looks of the DB9 but it has very few options or "gagets" and it definitely is not as comfortable. I went for the comfort as opposed the the "exclusivity" of the DB9. My friend has a Continental GT and loves it. Good luck if you decide to go that way.

 

I see your point LovinSL600. I was also planning to upgrade the leather in my SL500. I just do not like my plastic a-pillars and plastic paneling in the rear where the cd changer is located.

I was afraid of getting a SL600 because I thought the big engine would produce a lot of heat around the feet. I have to have the air-condition on when I drive my SLK because of the excessive heat around the feet. My dealer will have a SL600 in next month and I will test drive it to see how the heat is around the feet.

On my yellow Hummer order that I cancelled, I was going to spend an extra 5K to upgrade the leather in the Hummer and another 20K for something else.

 

Tigger, heat where your feet are? Have you heard from other SL 600 owners or SLK owners that can say that they have noticed this? It doesn't seem normal. Have you brought the concern up with the dealer?

Lovin, that car is going to be one of a kind. You will very likely be one of the only people in the world to have an SL with that configuration.

The wait is coming to an end.

 

I still have not seen a real pic of the all black 3750.00 option. I know many people think they have it standard on 600's and 65's but they don't it is an option on all. I am not big on the wood colors they are puting in the benzes these days either but do like the carbon fiber. Only benz can get away with charging extra for black interior as opposed to charcoal. I have heard it is not just color and it is more leather and better quality but again, I have not seen one in person with this option. I guess now all my questions will be answered when it comes in!

 

When I ordered my car I researched this exact point in major detail as the Dealer knew nothing about it since it is a new option for 2005. Got the information from a Mercedes Product Specialist in Montvale. Usually you only get to talk to a customer service person who I find are never that knowledgeable but this time I got to speak to a specialist. You'd be surprised how many they have in Montvale.

You'd think, you'd hope that for $3,750 you would get more than just "black" leather but I am saddened to tell you that this is exactly what it is. You pay $3,750 just to get the "all black leather" interior. No other upgrades.

This is how it works and if you go to MBUSA.com and build an SL600 you will see it works this way.

All the SL's have what is called "Nappa" leather. From the SL500 to the SL65. What the SL600 has is "exclusive" nappa leather and it is that word "exclusive" that changes the leather to this soft very plush type leather.

SL600's only have four standard color choices for leather which are charcoal, stone, ash and berry, all exclusive.

If you want an all black interior what you have to do is order the charcoal interior code 501. It is the code 501 that tells the production line that this car gets the "exclusive" nappa leather. Other SL's do not have this 501 code. Once the computer sees the 501 code it knows it is the fancy exclusive leather and it is charcoal. This gives you charcoal on the lower portion of the leather areas and black on the dash and other uppper portions of the leather. Then what happens for your $3,750 you go to options and you order the black leather option which is code X11. What this does is that it changes the lower leather section from charcoal to black. Now you have the 501 exclusive leather which has the black on the top and with the X11 code the charcoal bottom is now replaced with the black exclusive leather now giving you an all black exclusive leather car.

PHEW, that is how it works, nothing for your $3,750 but black leather all the way around.

Amazing they can get away with this but they do. I am sure it will be gorgeous and I am looking forward to seeing it. Have never have seen an all black Mercedes interior as it is new to 2005.

Hope this explanation helps.

 

If that is true than that is truly BS. I hope when your car arrives you are pleasantly supprised that some stupid little plastic parts are now in rich black leather!