Raven85

I'm seriously considering buying one of these. Its coming off a lease, and various service paperwork may be coming so I can have a look at what maintenance was done.

What issues/items should I be looking for? The car has about 64k on it.

Streamliner

Raven85

Thanks, this one is/was a daily driver, although it seems to be in very good shape.

Wolfman

These cars are more or less trouble free. Typical small issues are switches in the A-pilllar that can prevent proper operation of roof or wind screen. $30 fix. Other than that, the bladders for dynamic seat bolsters or massage function (bladder or pump).
Re. the car you are looking at, I am not sure how a car this old can come off lease unless it was a used car lease. IMO it would have to be very cheap considering the number of owners & mileage as there are plenty cheap ones out with existing warranty or CPO and/or lower miles. If you show us options, MSRP and price you could get some feedback on the deal itself...

Good luck!

Raven85

Thanks for your reply. Yes, it is definitely coming off a lease and I think it was then re leased after the initial period of the lease was over. The car is on a lot of a major new car dealer here in Tucson and was traded in for a new domestic car. It was regularly serviced by an MB dealer in Phoenix. The option list I was provided has just about every box checked. I'm not sure what would be left to add. One aspect I'm curious about is the suspension system, as I have been told that the pneumatic suspension can be a problem. It does have the bladders in the seats and cold air seats. The ask is $ 37,800. Should I try contacting the servicing dealer to ask questions?

Raven85

I called the servicing dealer and talked to their service dept. They were super helpful. All scheduled service was done either ahead of schedule or on time.

The options it has include: Harmon Karkon Stereo, Active lane assist, blind spot warning, Walnut Steering wheel, pano roof, dynamic seats, bi xenon lights eco start and stop, keyless entry remote trunk open, AMG Body and Trim. and...

according to the service dept, it does not have Active Body Control.

Thoughts from anyone? Its very well equipped it would appear.

Wolfman

Since options change by model year I had to look up our last 2013 model. Here is a pic of our options. I personally wouldn't get one without ABC but understand it's rare. Nappa leather is also important to me. It sounds like you have the P1 and Drivers assistance package and the wood steering wheel.
If the condition and colors are good for you then you will enjoy it but the deal isn't that good. A quick scan showed cars for a few $K more with 20K miles. When buying used you can get a fully loaded car for little more than a base car...

Raven85

Thanks for all this useful information. I'm going to take a look at a couple more that are on offer. Two years down the road, if I decide to sell it, it would seem to be a lot easier to move a car with maybe 30 to 35k miles than one that has 70 to 75 k miles.

CGohring

I bought a 2013 a few months ago, and I have to agree with Wolfman, ABC is a must, but it is true that it was a rare option. I was able to convince my local CarMax to bring in one with and one without ABC and test drove them both. Once you do that, there can be no question.

itsfred

I don't mean to sound ornery with my first post on this forum, but I think that posters who claim that ABC is a "must" put first-time shoppers in an unfortunate state of uncertainty about a fabulous car. I'll bet I speak for many SL owners who have never even had the chance to drive a car with ABC and we love the ride and handling on our cars. I've owned Maseratis and Porsches and other high-end cars and I believe Mercedes got the comfort/handling balance juuuuuust right on my non-ABC SL450. Might I like an ABC-equipped car even more? Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that ABC is a "must!" Wouldn't it be better to spread the word on how terrific our cars are with the normal equipment available to the average consumer? Fred

SLclass

I agree! I am 100% thrilled with the comfort, handling, performance, ride, and drive of my non-ABC '18 SL550! And, without any worry and extra maintenance...

Raven85

I'm going back to have another look at the 2013 with 64k on the clock. These posts have all been very helpful. The ABC issue is one that concerns me because of the potential repair costs. I don't plan to toss the car around on winding country roads, so perhaps ABC won't be such a major issue for me. Here in AZ, AC, rather than ABC, may be the most important thing. :-)

Wolfman

This ABC discussion is getting cumbersome.

First off, the SL is a fine car without ABC. Let's not have anyone distract themselves with ABC and and hold off a purchase. These cars are a joy to drive and own.

That said, whoever has experienced ABC suspensions in the SL or other MB models before will appreciate its capabilities. For some, it is a must have, for others it's a nice to have. It's a choice that everyone has to make for themselves. We order our SL's and configure them as we want them, so stock or market availability is of no concern.

For others that fear reliability issues down the road or don't want to spend $4k on an option, don't select it. Simple choice. It's not helpful to try to cover that decision with some kind of fear mongering about what could happen years down the road or something that was read about some other cars having issues with. If one hasn't driven a car with ABC either, they also can't judge or make recommendation to others about it. That should be left to people with actual reference and feedback about the product.

In regards to the fear factor: ABC has been around for a long time (close to 20 years). R231 SL's with ABC have been very reliable. I think there has been one person on this forum with an issue in the last 5 years. Anything with complexity can break and in the scheme of things, ABC repairs are not particularly pricey. For reference, I curbed two of our AMG wheels and replacing them would have cost more than fixing ABC.

As an option, ABC is not spec'd often by dealers simply because it's an option that people can't see or touch or hear. I see people have less issues buying a more expensive audio upgrade (B&O) or get special paint/leather options so it is rare to find used. The good thing on a used car is that all expensive options essentially become freebies as they don't add value to the book value...

So please decide if ABC is for you or not, just don't try to create countless arguments for it or against it. It's not that big of a choice to make

Raven85

I've been back to see the one with 64 on the odometer. It seems very well cared for, and the ride is certainly luxurious!

putter

I've had my 2013 SL550 for about 9 months. It had about 60K mile on it when I bought it and it has been a joy. No ABC but I find that it handles just fine. Bought it primarily as a fun car for trips but it has worked very well as a daily driver.

Find one you like and pull the trigger. I'm betting you won't regret it.

Raven85

Thanks for the reply, Putter. I'm actually looking at a 2013 that's in Phoenix. Its a lovely car, I'll head back up this week to have another look and see what its like to drive in the summer heat of AZ.

putter

Raven85

Yes, I want to drive it in the heat of the day, because I would like to be able to use it as a semi daily driver. Its got 25k on the clock and its rather spendy at 52k or so out the door. IMHO.

Raven85

I'll be going up to see it and do a test drive today. Film at 11, as they used too say....:-)

putter

Raven85

The color is darker than I would like, given the amount of sun we get here. However, it is such a rich color that I think I can manage!

Raven85

Thanks to everyone for their helpful insights on the 550 SL. I'm now the proud owner of a lunar blue 2013!

Wolfman

Congrats! Now post some pics!

Raven85

Film at !! :-)

Raven85

The new to me Benz.