eddieo45

When I bought my first CLK, a 2006 CLK350 in 2009, I could have chosen a convertible for the same price as a coupe, but I had no interest. In those days it was my year-round car and I would seasonally switch to snow tires on winter wheels and the thought of doing that on a ragtop seemed ridiculous. When I replaced it in 2013, the only CLK available to me on short notice was a beautiful CLK550 coupe. I drove that for 5+ years and never missed being able to put the top down. While I would often drive with all the windows down (no B pillar) I almost never also opened the sunroof, and never on the highway. In close to 1000 miles with the SL, I'd bet I've had the top down for 800 of them, and it is glorious!! As solid and refined as I found the CLK550, this is a whole 'nother world!

1. I've mentioned it elsewhere, but the seatbelt delivery arm in the CLK would be equally useful in an SL. I'm sure I will eventually stop waiting with my hand out after starting the car.
2. I knew I'd have to keep the cabin tidy for top-down driving, but I had a shopping list blow under the passenger seat today and it's gone forever! This car is put together tight!
3. Styling is subjective, but I feel the side mirrors are to far aft. I can't recall the last car that could see the road between the mirror and the A pillar. I will acclimate, I'm sure.
4. Operating 4 windows with 2 switches is neat, but just like the CLK it seems that the fronts are express-up and down but not the rears?
5. The ventilated seats are far more functional than those in the CLK.
6. I typically leave headlights and wipers on auto-mode, but a week into having the car I noted the headlights were set to "on". Still, the car seemed to know when to shut them off?
7. I tend to cross lines to avoid manhole covers and potholes, and that lane-assist feature can be a harsh master. I won't turn it off though as it has caught me looking to long at the radio on the highway.
8. Lane assist is also making me a more courteous driver as I use turn signals so as not to feel it when changing lanes, an anathema here in Massachusetts.
9. This happens in my wife's 2015 C-Class too: it sometimes beeps at me and I have no idea why.
10. I can swing my foot from side to side under the rear bumper to no affect, but while washing the car the hose has triggered the trunk open several times.

Well, that's all for now. Feel free to add any random thoughts of your own.

Utopia Texas

When I wash my SL and water runs over the door handles the doors lock and unlock multiple times and the horn honks.

allfortheunion

same here and very annoying. Going to try to remember to leave my key inside the garage next time.

fun33

I share your enthusiasm. Absolutely love my SL. Hate to bring this up, but it appears you have not yet discovered that the speakers mounted on the rear deck, behind your seats, are essentially useless. The good news is, it's not you, the bad news is, it's ALL of us.

eddieo45

no, I just disagree; made my points HERE. I think they function appropriately for rear surround speakers. when I listen to music, I like to come from in front of me.

Wolfman

Happens on every MB with Keyless go. But you are having the audio activated on locking the car? That annoys me so much that disable that even on loaners.

Wolfman

In regards to:
9. Could be the blindspot sensor. Just look if the triangle in the mirror blinks while it beeps. (possible scenario could be driving straight but having the turnlight on. any car approaching the next lane will make it beep. Blindspot sensor thinks you are trying to pass with a car in the way).
10. Just place your foot under the bumper and then pull it back quickly.

Utopia Texas

Where do I disable this.....Command Center or Steering wheel buttons?

Wolfman

I am not near the car but it should be in comand under vehicle settings. I'll take a pic if you can't find it...

eddieo45

Steering wheel: Settings -> Vehicle -> down arrow to Acoustic Lock -> OK to Disable








OMG, very helpful, thanks!

Utopia Texas

Thanks!

Wolfman

On the Steering wheel settings it was! On the S & E-Class it's in Comand...

eddieo45

Couldn't find it at all on my daughter's 2010 ML350!! Gotta search another forum!

eddieo45

11. Just put the Navigation on for the first time and I have two questions:

How are the maps stored in this car? I've had DVD based systems, both with the DVD in the HU or in a separate unit in the trunk, as well as an SD-based system. Not sure where these are.
Can I change the orientation so that it shows the direction I'm heading in as "forward"? I was headed south when I tried it and looks like I'm headed backwards, as it's oriented north=forward....

rorywquin

Map data.....On a HDD I believe.

TennesseeZ4

Rory is correct, HDD for the map data; dealer has to update. Related to direction of travel, that is something that I will need to play with this weekend when we tour in the mountains of Tennessee & North Carolina.

eddieo45

I finally did notice SOMETHING during the beeping, and it was the "proximity indicator" lights on the dash. I was behind a bus in slow moving traffic - one of those tour buses that looks opaque from all sides - and in between stopping and going, I get the beeping and the right-most light on the dash was red. I was already lightly braking and nowhere near hitting the darn thing, so I don't know what the beep was trying to tell me.


Similarly, I took the car through an automatic, "soft-touch" car wash (I kind of assume few on this forum use those) and I had more beeping and flashing lights - front and rear - than I hope to ever see again! I was scared it was gonna jam on the brakes and shut down the car wash!

rorywquin

The "travel direction up" is there and not too deeply buried in the options....should be easy to find.

eddieo45

Found it, THANKS!

eddieo45

Over 2000 miles now and some features I'd like to ask others about:

• Beverage cooler in glovebox: does anyone use this??
• Headlight cleaners with washer: copied this from a sale ad; it's just the basic spray that works when lights and wipers are both on, right?
• Illuminated Door Sills: can someone post a pic of these and would they be hard to retrofit? Saw a post on anotherforum that ForMyMercedes has them....

Wolfman

Not sure I understand some questions...
1. There us no beverage cooler on the glove box that I know of. There was a large plastic beverage holder in the rear center console. Tossed that out to make space but there is no heating/coolin beverage holder in the SL unlike other MB models.
2. Headlight cleaners with wiper arms were last used on the R129. Garbage. MB switched to high pressure sprayers later and then killed them off altogether. No loss IMO.
3. The door sills are easy to replace. Ours always had them and the wiring is there as far as I was told. Double-sided tape

places

On occasion my sensors beep too for particular reason but it's so random and rare that it's a non -issue for me.

As for the car wash, just turn off the parktronic feature by pressing the P button on your dash (not console, that's obviously the park button) when going through. That will stop all the beeps and sounds.

eddieo45

I've seen it referred to as a beverage cooler but it's really just an additional A/C outlet, as mentioned in the manual:



Another thing I've seen in sale ads, and it's referred to (but not described or explained) in the manual:

Wolfman

Ok, that makes sense now

1. A simple vent opening to cool storage compartments. Normally nice to have and more useful in the center than a glovebox which are unpractically small. Won't hurt to have it open.
2. The pre-facelift R231 SL's have the headlamp cleaning system (like yours) and were removed on the MY17 when switching to LED's from Bi-Xenons. No separate switch though. The headlight washer is activated when the windshield washer wiper is used while the lights are on.

eddieo45

yeah, I had a W203 Coupe - the C230 Kompressor that was a two-door hatchback. I think it was the cheapest model MB ever offered, certainly the cheapest one I've paid for, and in a lot of ways it was my favorite car till this SL. The open/close control in the center console allowed A/C into the back seat (or not), and you could fit a small Italian submarine sandwich in there (not that I ever did, lol)

The separate button comes in handy when driving in dirty conditions; without it you're wasting washer fluid in plain old rainstorms....