Hello all,

As I have stated many, many times I absolutely love my SL. I have loved the SL model ever since the first time I saw one as a young man. FYI there's an old boxing movie called Diggstown that has two white SLs in it. a SL 300 and a SL 500. When I saw that movie back in the day I almost died when the SL 300 rolled onto the first scene. Absolutely stunning and super clean. By that time in my life as was already in love with the SL so I freaked when I saw it in the movie. Anyway, the local hotshot in the movie always parked his 300 in a certain spot during the film. As tensions build the bigger big shot comes to town in his same shade of white SL 500 and parks in the 300 SL parking spot. The cars looked identical less the size difference. Eventually the 300 owner comes to park in his normal parking space, but is stunned to see someone has parked in his parking spot. He is even more stunned to see the bigger SL 500 in the same shade of white as his 300 as the culprit. He just stands there and keeps staring at the 500 speechless. Once inside the 300 owners says something to the 500 owner like "I see you have good taste in cars." The 500 owner then says something like " Yes, the SL 500 is an awesome ride, not like that pu$$y of a 300". I was like dayyuuuummmm! To be honest at that time in my life I didn't even know the difference in the two models except that one was bigger. Trust me, it is a much cooler scene than I can describe. You might be able to find those movie scenes on YouTube and the movie is actually not bad, but it is older. Anyway, I am getting off track.

My complaints on the SL model are few, and if I counted them on one hand I would still have fingers left when finished. I have owned several sports cars in my life, but I am perplexed by the number of people constantly "challenging" me as I drive, or sit at a light.. Blatant engine revs and worse. Mind you it is not because I am doing 20mph in the fast lane.I typically drive 5 to 10mph over the posted mph when cruising and I have zero problem moving over to let a faster driver pass. I must also admit that I do get tons of complements on the SL from people too

Just yesterday as I was driving IN THE SLOW LANE in moderate stop and go traffic when there was a gap of several car lengths behind me. Out of nowhere this douche in a white BMW comes speeding in the lane behind me and then continues his high rate of speed, but waits until the last possible second to abruptly break behind me. Naturally continuing to rev his engine multiple times as he did this. (he had some type of exhaust upgrade it sounded like.) His speed and lack of slow down actually had me thinking that he was about to hit me from behind, but he didn't. It was close though. Even if he was going to hit me I had no place to go to avoid him. There were cars on my left and a retaining wall/barrier on my right. Also at that point of highway there was no shoulder due to construction supplies and equipment taking up space. I stuck my hands up like WTF dude? I am sure he could see me do that, because my window tint is not super dark.

Mr. BMW then lagged back a bit and within a few minutes he made his way over two lanes to the fast lane, however he wouldn't look over at me when he passed me by. 22 to 35 year old in a 5 series, or something. What is it about the SL that drives people crazy? Seriously what is it? If I had a dollar for the number of times some tinted out Honda, Subaru, or BMW blatantly slowed down to match my speed while I am cruising and then either revved their engine, or does the famously speed up a little, slow down to match my speed, than speed up again thing I would be rich. No thumbs up, or other compliments ever follow when this happens.

I have owned Porsches, BMWs and Mustang sports cars to name a few, but I have never had as many people trying to what I assume is race me, hate on me, or egg me on as I do since owning the SL. Does anything similar happen to you? The order of douche bag wanna be racer that I encounter often is.

#5 Dodge Charger/Challenger
#4 Any Subaru
#3 VW golf or jetta
#2 Honda driver. Mostly Accords.
#1 BMW

No offense if any of you fellow SL owners that also happen to own one of the brands that I mentioned. lol

 

Some is jealousy and some immaturity. I ignore it. There has always been a unwritten pecking order among car owners and some just take it too seriously. The really funny thing is currently a low end Tesla Model 3 at 45k is faster from a red light than 95% of the cars on the road even those over 100k in price.

 

I never get any challenges ... I have to do the challenging, and nearly nobody accepts.

 

Yeah, I don’t get it. Well, yes I do. What you drive doesn’t affect me, or what I drive at all. Some really don’t get it.

I almost purchased a Model S, but I couldn’t find one with the options I wanted. I really like the S and may still get one in the future. Basically nothing can compete with it speed wise. Quality issues still have some bugs to be worked out, but every car maker had some issue at first.

 

In my area near Houston,Texas the BMW drivers are by far the most aggressive especially weaving in and out of freeway traffic. Oddly enough it is mostly the 3 series.
BTW- For the money, quality and ride Genesis will be very competitive with the Mercedes S Class if they keep improving from where they are now.

 

We have encountered this on occasion with the SL550. Depending on where it occurs, the volume of traffic, quality of highway, we don't mind giving them a run for their money. The 550 is fast enough to hang with a lot of vehicles that people seem to think are quick. It happens much more frequently when we are in our E63s. I would also agree that BMW drivers seem to have an axe to grind and frequently drive on the edge of craziness even in heavy traffic.

 

I get the baiting a little and sometimes oblige but more often than not I don't. Mind you prior to owning SL's I had a couple of AC cobra replicas, now those cars are like a red rag to a bull for a lot of wannabe speed freaks. Constantly having cars trying it on, normally cars that wouldn't stand a chance. I got used to driving below the speed limit on highways and just letting them get on with it.

 

But only for a very short time before it has to limp, in low power mode, to a charger......

 

I’ve never been to Texas, but I plan on visiting there in the future. When much younger I would get the 3 series challenges, but hardly ever do now. It is almost always a 5, or 6 series, but that could just be the popular models in Md, Pa and De.

Genesis is making huge leaps over the last several years for sure, as is Kia. I personally really like the Kia Telluride. It has strong similarities in looks to my Range Rover. If I don’t go electric next I am considering the Telluride when my Range Rover bites the bullet.

 

3 Series is the ultimate boy racer car for the "boy racer” that has "made it” . Take a look at any footage on YouTube of Nürburgring Touristenfahrten drive days and count the BMW 3 series being driven by fools.

 

I get way more "action" from other drivers, especially Mustangs and Challengers, when I drive this. I try to ignore them.


2022 Camaro ZL1

The SL450... no one has done that in my recollection and hardly anyone ever notices it in traffic other than to say "nice car" or similar.

 

Dude, I think it's where you live. I really don't get many challenges and I drive my car ALL THE TIME -- she is NOT a garage queen. When I do get challenged, it's usually a soccer dad in his Kia minivan. I can only have pity for the guy. I'd be angry and aggressive too if I had to drive a minivan. Sometimes a kid in a WRX will rev his engine with his aftermarket blow-off valve at a stop light, but I let it go. No need to look like an *** -- you never know who else is on the road with you. And since I never (hardly) see another SL around, I know I will be easily identified (even though some people thought my car was red).

 

The genius behind Kia/Hyundai is that they copy other popular brands in design. Usually one car from the front and another from the back. I drove a Santa Fe as a rental back in the day and it was fine. However, I'm too insecure to actually own a Kia or Hyundai. I do like the updated Kia logo/symbol -- nobody thinks it's a Kia.

 

I’ve never been challenged.

 

Well, I have a neighbor who is always challenging me to who has the best looking yard. I think he would cut his grass everyday if gasoline wasn't so damned expensive!

 

This comment had me dead lol.


And it likely is where I live, and or commute that has so many setting their sites on me. Another thing I love about the SL is there are not many out there. In the last year I have seen maybe two. So you are correct, my car would be easily identified. Toss in a vanity plate and there you go.

It would drive me crazy if I’d pull up at a light and saw 3 other SLs, or saw another one every few miles. I don’t know how the Charger/Challenger or Jeeps do it. A zillion of them on the road.

 

Same thing with my 2004 Audi TT 225 quattro. You really don't see many. If I saw more than two SLs together, I'd say there was a club gathering.

 

I drove the car all week and must have seen 2 dozen SLs out here. But even though the weather is beautiful no one had the roof down but me. I'm getting better at guessing the years too. Man do I love this car.

 

2 dozen? Wow. Funny my top is down all the time. Guessing years is tricky, because multiple years look same. (Easier to guess which model. R231, R230, etc.)
Honestly if I saw 2 dozen other SLs I wouldn’t be happy. I like to feel special lol. The SL is truly something!

 

That's why I don't give a second look to BMWs -- they are all over the place. But so are E Class and C Class. I will sometimes see an S Class, but hardly ever another SL.

 

Yep!

I really liked my E series MB, but there were just way to many on the roads. Naturally I tried to make mine unique with wheels, tint and lowering, but everybody in my area has them. Literally still see them every day. Also almost always an older person driving them lol. I'm older too, but don't want to be looked at as older lol. I have issues...I really like the S class coupe. Very slick...

 

I have not had it happen yet in the SL, or maybe it has but I haven't noticed- I do find myself in bliss mode as I drive. I'll never forget about 15 years ago I had a new E550 and off a light next to me a grandpa in his Northstar V8 Cadillac floored it. I obliged and even though his surprising jump started him with 1-1.5 car lengths, by the time we hit 40-50mph he was comfortably seeing my taillights. At the next light when he finally pulled up next to me he was laser focused on the road ahead like a kid taking their road test. His next start was more proper for a man of his age, and car...

 

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I was behind two of those replicas today. They looked and sounded fab.

 

There's been quite a few cobra meets out and about this weekend (I'm still on the club committee) and I spent the weekend with four of them in the new forest, they headed off to Devon as I went up North towards Leicester.