rogersar

I just purchased a used SL-it was just about 1/2 price of new. I tried to clean the wheels but they have been "straightened and welded" and now have rough groves on the inside of the wheel. The dealer wants to have them "fixed by their wheel guy". i don't think he could smooth the rough surface. I think i would need to purchase new wheels. Any opinions? Anyone had that done? The picture does not show how rough it is.

Streamliner

All of the wheels or just one? Did you buy it from an MB dealer? If so, as a CPO car, it really should be up to factory standards all the way around. I'd push to have them replace the wheels. When you say "straightened and welded," that sounds like they were severely damaged. Sounds like a safety issue to me. I'd raise a stink. Good luck.
P.S. I have a 2013 SL550 that I bought CPO.

rogersar

Thank you for your reply. It was 3 wheels that they did the "straightened and welded" and it was Mercedes of Maplewood. They were going to give me new wheels at 1/2 of their cost. I would pay $1,750. Now they are saying we should try the repair, but i agree with you on the safety issue and i did mention that. I am dealing with the general manager of the dealer.

TennesseeZ4

Guess my feeble old racer car boy brain goes into the 'what would cause four wheels on a car to require welding / polishing'? One wheel, OK, maybe a stray curb; two wheels, well maybe a martini induced parking error. Three or more wheels on a relatively new vehicle leaves me more clueless?? Salt exposure? Flat spotted when going 100 mph over the hump? Off-roading in an SL? I am really curious as to the 'why' this has occurred and look forward to the dealer's explanation. It just does not seem to make sense to me in the context of an SL that is a CPO. There has to be a Paul Harvey moment here somewhere, you know, "the rest of the story". Please let us know the 'cause'. Thanks.

rogersar

thanks for your reply Tennessee
it was 3 wheels that were straightened and the car came from Texas so i don't think the dealer would know the cause
when i bring the car in today i am going to tell the dealer i don't want the wheels repaired-i think they are unsafe-having been ground down on the barrel part of the wheel

Streamliner

Please let us know how it ends up working out and good luck.

rogersar

after a very difficult experience with the service dept. they have ordered new AMG wheels and i will split the cost with the dealer-they should arrive by next week
in the meantime i am really enjoying the top down weather in Minnesota-the SL drives so smooth and powerful-just have to be careful not to accelerate too hard off the line

Streamliner

The standard SL550 is just SO powerful and fast. Can you even imagine anyone wanting anything like a 63 or 65? I can't.

CCOOK

Nice leather - I think it's the same as mine.



I can - I like going fast - that's why I'm gonna do a Weistec tune on mine.

rogersar

just got the car back from the dealer with the new wheels

Wolfman

Congrats! Enjoy your new ride!

Didn't you have a red R231 SL before? Curious what made you change cars...

rogersar

you are right i did have a 2013 Mars Red SL550 and most recently prior to this 2014 SL550 i had a 2016 SL550-i only keep a car for 6 months and then trade-after getting bored with the car-who can keep track-i did have several Porsches and BMWs between the SL550s-this gets expensive-mostly i want a cabrio in summer and all wheel drive in winter-today has been great top down weather in MN-love'n it
and it is only the wheels that are new on this one
next week i have a smart top installed on the SL

TennesseeZ4

Your churning of vehicles is similar to one of my neighbors, a retired automobile dealership owner. In the twelve years I have known him, he has had twenty-nine cars/trucks (not counting his wife's). One time it was a 1948 F3 Ford pickup (well restored), others have been CTS-V coupes; Porsches; Vettes; a couple of Prius'; Challengers; BMW's.

As we had a neighborhood gathering one evening, I asked him if he had heard of ADD, he said yes, Attention Deficit Disorder; I then asked if he had heard of OCD, he replied yes, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; I shared that I believed we had diagnosed him with CADD, Car Attention Deficit Disorder!

We have had a great deal of fun with that line ever since. But I do enjoy having a friend that has that malady, rather like a friend that owns a boat; ever so often I get to drive some really nice cars that I might not normally sit in.

Enjoy your obsession!

Streamliner

I'm afraid I fall into the CADD category as well. Here's my list:

Bought used & sold:
1954 Corvette-Polo White
1955 Cadillac Series 62 Coupe-Cape Ivory
1956 Oldsmobile Super 88 Coupe-Alcan White
1958 Corvette-Snowcrest White
1962 Oldsmobile Starfire Coupe-Chariot Red
1962 Corvette-Sateen Silver
1963 Corvette Conv.-Sebring Silver
1965 Corvair Corsa Coupe-Willow Green
1965 Jaguar XKE Roadster-Cream152447985337
1965 Corvette Conv.-Silver Pearl
1965 Corvette Fuel Injected Conv.-Nassau Blue
1965 Corvette 396 Coupe-Silver Pearl
1966 Corvette Conv.-Sunfire Yellow
1966 Corvette Coupe-Nassau Blue
1967 Corvette 427 Conv.-Rally Red
1967 Corvette 427 Conv.-Marina Blue
1968 Corvette Coupe-Rally Red
1969 Corvette Coupe-Lemans Blue
1970 Porsche 911T Coupe-Beige Gray
1972 Corvette Coupe-Elkhart Green
1972 Mercedes-Benz 350SL-Signal Red
1972 Porsche 911T Coupe-Signal Orange
1973 Porsche 911T Targa-Beige Gray
1973 Porsche 911T Targa-Signal Yellow
1973 Porsche 911T Coupe-Silver
1973 Porsche 911E Targa-Aubergine
1978 Porsche 930 Turbo-Polar White
1982 Corvette Coupe-Red
1997 Jaguar XK8 Roadster-British Racing Green
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL550-Mars Red (still have)

Bought or leased new and sold or returned:
1975 Toyota Celica-Red
1978 Chevy Van-Red
1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL-Signal Red
1980 Volkswagen Vanagon-Orange/Ivory
1981 Honda Accord Hatchback-Hampstead Green
1983 Honda Accord Hatchback-Red Metallic
1983 Toyota Supra-Dark Blue Metallic
1984 Honda Accord Sedan- Silver
1984 Cadillac Seville-White (for my mom & dad)
1985 Toyota Supra-Red
1986 Honda Accord Hatchback-Silver
1986 Toyota Supra-White
1986 Porsche Carrera Cabriolet-Signal Red
1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL-Signal Red
1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC-Arctic White
1987 Rolls Royce Corniche Conv.-Acrylic White
1987 Honda Prelude-Yellow
1988 Mazda RX7 Conv.-Red
1988 BMW 750il-Alpine White
1989 BMW 750il-Jet Black
1989 Porsche Carrera Targa-Signal Red
1990 Mercedes-Benz 300SL-Signal Red
1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SL-Signal Red
1991 BMW 850i-Alpine White
1992 BMW 850i-Bright Red
1992 BMW 750il-Alpine White
1992 Acura Legend Sedan-White
1992 Acura Legend Sedan-White
1993 Acura Legend Coupe-White
1993 Lexus LS400-Taupe
1994 Toyota Camry-White (for older daughter)
1994 Toyota Camry-White (for younger daughter)
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet-Arctic White
1995 BMW 750il-Alpine White
1996 Lexus LS400-White
1997 Lexus LS400-Moonstone
1997 Chrysler Sebring Conv.-Red
1997 Corvette Conv.-Red
2000 Lexus LS400-Silver
2002 Lexus SC430 Conv.-Thundercloud
2003 Lexus LS430-Silver
2003 Corvette Conv.-50th Anniversary Red
2003 Chrysler Sebring Convertible-Silver Blue
2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 Sedan-Alabaster White
2004 Merceces-Benz SL500-Mars Red
2005 Lexus LS430-Silver
2008 Lexus LS460-Silver
2009 Porsche Carrera Coupe-Signal Red
2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan-Arctic White
2011 Lexus LS460-Anthracite
2013 Mercedes-Benz S550 Sedan-Black
2014 Mercedes-Benz ML350-Polar White
2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Sedan-Palladium Silver (still have)
2016 Mercedes-Benz E350 Sedan-Iridium Silver (still have)

jetjok

That disorder, regardless of how expensive it may be, is infinitely cheaper than doing that with wives. Now that would cost more than an arm and a leg.

TennesseeZ4

You, my good man, qualify for the T shirt. CADD. And I do agree with jetjok, much cheaper than buying houses and cars, and, and, and,