I previously owned a very nice 09 SL 550 which I had to sell for a family emergency. I am at a point where I will be purchasing another SL in the next couple of months. I am looking at 13-14 SL 550's and also considering 11-12 SL 550's the swing on price is about 10-15K. I am looking for some comments on folks that had a R230 and upgraded. I have read other posts and everyone says that the R231's have few issues. I had no issues on my R230 except for motor mounts showing wear. I am just looking for a sporty convertible to drive around the beach, Should I seriously consider spending the extra $$$ on the R231????

Attached is my 09 R@#) which I had to Sell ---- very sad!

 

The R231 is miles ahead of the R230. A much more reliable car with a better chassis, interior, engine and everything in-between. The issues people have with the R231 is typically a more controversial styling and being surprised when they find out that the ABC suspension that was standard in the R230 became a $4k option. Hence 95% of used ones out there don't have it and ride on springs.

A proper test drive is recommended! Technically, the R230 is inferior in every aspect. Which, of course, is expected from an older design. The difference is quite large given the 10 year run-time of the R230...

 

As Wolfman said there is no comparing the R230 to the newer R231. The difference between the 500 and 550 is simply incredible. I've owned two 500's and both had problems in all ways especially the ABC. My 2014 that I've owned for over 2 years is the most reliable auto I have owned along with my 2014 ML350 4matic. No longer is there a money man in charge of Mercedes and the newer models show the difference. Get yourself a 2014 if you want the perfect car which will be faster than the old SL55. Do not even consider anything pre 2013.

 

I owned and loved a 2004 SL500. It was totaled almost a year ago. I bought the 2004 knowing I would need to spend time and money on it. It was a really nice clean car with less than 50K miles and it suffered pretty much every common fault that R230's have. I have a great Indie and with the help of this forum we got the car really well sorted and then it was bumped from behind hard enough to make the repairs too expensive.

I really liked the older body style so I looked for a 2007/2008 to replace the 2004. I also looked at later models when they came up locally. I really struggled to find an older car that I was willing to spend the money on. Just one example was an 07 limited edition. It was immaculate, very low mileage and it drove really nicely. It had been services by an ex Mercedes mechanic at his home, so it had no service history. I asked if I could plug in my iCarSoft to see if there were any codes. There were many! Practically every system had thrown codes at some point. I was assured that the car had never exhibited any problems and apart from a transmission replacement under warranty it had never missed a beat. Given the huge number of codes from all around the car I suggested an independent inspection, which I would pay for. At this point the owner got quite abusive, climbed in the car and drove away...

I really struggled to find a car with low mileage, service history and a careful or knowledgeable owner. Even later models at high end dealers showed many signs of neglect, wear and tear.

After 5 months I came across a reasonably priced 2013 SL550 R231 with only 19K miles and all the options except ABC. I took a test drive and bought it immediately! I spent way more money than I planned to and I haven't regretted it for a second. It's a beautiful car. It performs better than the SL500. It has all the modern toys and technology. I don't have to worry when the next problem will appear and my indie hasn't taken a Mediterranean holiday at my expense this year! For me, the R231 is better in every way. There are only two things I would change - the sound system is optimized for DVD-A and is just OK with other formats and while the traditional suspension I have is just fine, I miss ABC, it is a bit special.

As Wolfman said, take a test drive. I think I know what will happen when you do ;-). You might also scan this forum. It's awfully quiet over here. I still hang out in the R230 forum just for fun and to see if I can be of occasional help.

Good Luck
Gary

 

My '12 S550 at work with AMG clone rims... more on that below


R230 rear is more appealing and has an inflatable donut if needed


R230 with ABC..looks more streamlined..


hope I don't have a flat...I'm SOL.. ljooking for an earlier donut from salvage


R231 side view showing the DOT required blunt grille that took a little getting used to but the car is "worth it"
I had not changed the wheels at the time of the photo..see below for more on the wheels
I also agree with the R231 being superior to the R230. I owned a well optioned '09 (with ABC) see photos and now own a '13 with springs. Both Pearl White with light interiors...
I loved the ABC ride but the accumulator that is near your feet started pulsing and my indie was going to repair. I got chicken and traded - because I had heard so many ABC stories.
I'm glad that I traded up..so to speak. The torque is incredible now. I had to take off the runflats and go with 18" staggered rims (off a CLS) to get a good ride. Both had the 19" 5 spoke AMG rims at the start...
Now I have approx 3/4" more sidewall for ride quality. I know that it does not look as agressive with 18's , but I'm older and was spoiled with the ride of my earlier '12 S550 that I owned between the SL's.. another photo
I do miss the open throat sound of the R230 that the twin turbos lose on the '13 4.7. I can always have some work on the converters to gain a little growl.
The bottom line is to just drive a 231 and you will be a believer. 27mpg on the highway with a 0-60 around 4.5 seconds is good enough for me!!