Today, after seemingly going to the MOON and back, thinking of how best to satisfy my craving for another convertible, I ordered a 2019 SL450. It will be Polar White with Ginger Beige/Espresso Brown interior. Every option except Magic Sky Control. Now I’m waiting to hear how long the wait will be.

I was going to wait for a 2020 and have told the dealer that if the 2020 D.O.G. is released before my car comes in, that I may elect to order one of those instead. Or, I may take the 2019 and possibly still order a 2020, should they offer an enticing special model or an interesting color for the last year of the R231. My reasons for not waiting are twofold: First, I don’t want to take the chance that MB does something crazy for 2020 like deleting the ABC option. Secondly, when you get on in years, continuing to wait and wait for that next new & improved, super-duper, model just doesn’t seem like the thing to do anymore.

Wolfman has called the SL450 a real “bargain,” and after looking at 911’s—and most every other high end convertible—I have to agree. Seeing as how I much prefer the ride of the 450 over the 550, all the stars & planets aligned (except for “Mars”:D) and I’m getting a pretty amazing, brand new car, for under $100K. Hard to pass up. Wish me luck that she arrives in a timely manner.
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I have also been waiting to see how the updated SL turns out but I am not holding my breath in the mean time. If the new SL has a soft top I’ll keep my 2017 indefinitely. Congratulations on your choice!

Just got the P.O. number. Scheduled to be built 3rd decade of March. Dealer says the car should be here in May.

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The AMG 19” wheels are not optional on the SL450 in the US, but they are, along with many other wheel choices, available on the 450 in Germany. I’m ordering the car with the standard 19” wheels, as I am most likely getting the dealer to swap them for 18’s. I really don’t care for any of the SL450 wheel choices available in the US this year.

I’ve mentioned this before, but if you want to have some fun, go to Mercedes-Benz.de, which is the MB German web site. It’s all in German, but pretty easy to figure out, just to use their “konfigurator” to design a car. The simulation there is LIGHT YEARS better than on the MBUSA site. The difference is SO dramatic, that you would think that the MBUSA executives would feel like idiots for leaving their site as sorry as it is. I “konfigured” these images of the white car on the German site. Try it, it’s a blast!


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My order is in “yellow” status. What does that mean? Based on Wolfman’s comments, I put the Soft Close Doors back into the mix. I love them on my S560 and the chances of me keeping this new SL forever are fairly slim.

You haven’t even received the SL yet and you are already thinking of the days when you get rid of it?

I know, but my behavior as of late, has been to keep a car for three years and get a new one. I haven’t had a new SL since 2004, so I got tired of waiting. If they do something special for 2020, like new colors, special editions, etc. I may get one of those. As I have previously mentioned, I feel as though I have “sold out,” getting a white with beige interior car, but to me, the colors currently offered are all so boring or unappealing, that I’m going for the least offensive, at least to me, combination. I’m hoping I’ll love it, but will probably tire of it quickly. Or, the new 2021 model may just be too much to resist and I’ll want one of those. New cars are pretty much my only vice, so when I want one, I usually get one. I can honestly say that there is not one new convertible out there that really lights my fire today. I’d like a new RR Dawn, but I’m my father’s son and I just can’t bring myself to drop that much money on a depreciating asset.:p: