rmorin49

I was perusing the R232 forum and was rather surprised to read multiple posts about CELs, engine shutdown and various other issues related to loss of power.
Have also been reading about the drop in reliability over the entire line of Mercedes vehicles. I guess we should be pleased that the R231s are relatively reliable compared to the current model. Sad.

jrupp

I have noticed that myself. Other than my dynamic/massaging seats not working my car has been amazing. While I'd like everything on my SL to work perfect, the cost, even by my indy, to diagnose and fix it is not worth the few occasions I'd use it. Everything else has been pretty rock solid. Not bad for a going on 14 year old car.

rmorin49

I agree about the dynamic seats. I have used mine a couple times but find it unnecessary. Perhaps driving on a track it might help stay planted but with the kind of driving I do now, completely unnecessary IMHO.

MB2timer

I have my seat settings fixed, and I don’t change them. I haven’t even set them as a preset. I have no use for the massage setting. I believe that is just a breakdown waiting to happen if I do use it.
The seat motors will have the longest lifespan if they are activated only when they are at ambient temperature, and not allowed to heat substantially.
I don’t know if not using seat motors extends their lifetime, or reduces it. They could, over time, freeze in their current position, due to lack of use.
I don’t use seat warmers, even on the coldest days. I suspect powerful electromagnetic fields close to human bodies causes short and long term physical degradation. Studies have shown this effect.
I have used the seat ventilation though, and so far I like it, maybe because of the novelty effect from it being the first vent seats I have had.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

2013 to 2024 is only 11 years. Or at least that's what the calculator on my Mac says.

Streamliner

Yes, over on R232 it’s a bit of a circus. The thing I find hard to understand, is how many “hoops” the owners there are willing to jump through to keep their overly expensive rag top cars running. The need to lock the cars even when they are sitting in their locked garage and then needing to keep the key fob 30’ away or the battery in the car goes dead. Several have required a software update to get their tops to go up & down and there have been many, of what I feel are serious electronic gremlins plaguing the cars. AND, the very worst thing, is that MB has allowed these & other issues to continue from one model year to the next, without addressing them, which I feel is absolutely unforgivable.

MB has bought back my last TWO S Class sedans in a row! The last one, a loaded 2022 S580 was such a mess that I came to really hate the car. Finally one day, it just completely died right in the middle of bumper to bumper traffic on a busy highway.

I love my 2019 SL450 and our 2019 E450 Wagon. They are rock solid and I so lament that when the Wagon—which my wife drives—becomes too long in the tooth, that there isn’t a Mercedes-Benz that I would even consider as a replacement, as I no longer have faith in the brand. For my next daily driver, which is on order as I write this, I’m going electric and it’s a BMW—first one for me since 1995. Wish me luck!

ThatsMyDawg

I actually love the dynamic seat function as well as the massage function. This is the first vehicle I have owned that had those features. As soon as I am in our SUV I miss the dynamic functions.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure what long in the tooth means for a car you enjoy. Why the hell would you get rid of a comfortable, reliable automobile that is "rock solid" and that you "love" because it gets old? The styling of the R231 is timeless. Even the R230 is a beautiful car. I only traded my 2004 SL500 because upkeep was going to get expensive. Otherwise, it was a wonderful car. But something like your SL and wagon should serve you well until they stop refining oil.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

I too love the dynamic seats. At first I thought they were to compensate for cars without ABC, but now I am not sure. My R230 did not have them (though it did have massaging seats), but it did have ABC.

Keon

Those "powerful electromagnetic fields" you are talking about are transformers and high-voltage power lines that have been possibly linked to adverse effects. Those studies were mostly done in third-world countries where homes are built right under these power lines and people are subject to them for years on end. A heated seat draws very, very little power. With your logic, being nearby a space heater or blender would be deadly.

Streamliner

Well, you make good points, but in the next few years, I will probably want my wife’s car to be an EV, in this crazy LaLa Land we live in where gas is $6 a gallon.

The wagon is a spectacular example, a reasonably rare “Luxury” model with the traditional grille, AirMatic, Designo interior, Acoustic Comfort Pkg., 18” wheels and WITHOUT the Panoramic Roof, which I personally hate. That said, as time goes by, there will be needed repairs and to me, once the repairs start, they never seem to end. And, these days, finding a shop that will do quality work is just about impossible and they almost always seem to screw something else up in the process.

As I see it, the days of mechanics taking pride in their work and adhering to a strong work ethic are nearly gone. The younger generation are all about getting the vehicles out the door and getting paid, not seeming to care how well the job was performed. I’m sure there are exceptions to this, but they are few & far between and in California especially, it all seems to be going down the toilet.

I have been addicted to new cars for many decades now, so if I like my incoming BMW electric, we will probably get the wife something a bit smaller but similar, keep it through the warranty period, then get a new one. I know we pay for the convenience, but new cars with full factory warranties are the way to go, at least for me.

It is such a shame that these wagons are no longer available like this:

jrupp

Jetta,
You are correct...I was not mathing very good when I wrote the post. Still, I think my point is valid, if not my arithmetic.

MB2timer

You do what you want. As for me, I am not using electric heated seats. We know for sure that EM fields have a negative effect on the human physiology. We don’t necessarily know how much, and we don’t necessarily know threshold levels.
We do know that cancer is widespread, and don’t know all those triggers for it.
No need to even consider deadly, although even a perfectly healthy life is deadly.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

They could be...

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

I know. That's like saying Joy Behar is pretty "with it" for a 95 year old. Oh, wait, she's only 81.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Beautiful car. But I would wait until we have the outcome of the next presidential election to know if we are going to go back to $3 gasoline or see $10 gasoline over the next four years.

Speaking of which (and a bit off-topic), but have you bought any lumber and fasteners to build anything lately? Lumber prices are bad enough, but paying $3 for a carriage bolt blows me away. Broke my heart to tell my grandkids grandpa wasn't going to mortgage the house to built them a fort.

Streamliner

We are in the architect stage of a major remodel of a home we bought this last December. When the plans are done, we may or may not proceed, depending on the bids we get. Something has got to give soon.

Wolfman

The R231 was really one of the most reliable Mercedes models of the last 2 decades, plus they are very practical cars for a convertible.
IMO, the R232 is a much better looking car and by all measures, a much better performing one.

Too bad that the experience is marred by small issues that create a big nuisance for owners.
The only benefit over prior models is that the fixes are mostly software rather than hardware fixes.

Mercedes is clearly to blame but it is indicative of a time where regulations, penalties and laws drive much of the technical changes rather than the drive to innovate.

It seems that all European manufacturers struggle with this.

The high depreciation continues on the SL and I have seen some great deals on R232‘s that would make me recommend one vs a late model R231.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Just like the precipitous fall of the value of EVs, the "great deals" makes you wonder why. If people are dumping R232s at a loss, I would want to understand why. BUT, the great deal may be not only the price, but now the known unknowns of new releases.

Wolfman

I was referring to new cars and this is nothing new to SL's. MB set very aspirational pricing with their latest SL's and has met reality. Mind you, this is not a new thing; the R231 was discounted just as heavily in their AMG trims (63, 65). Lesser models like the 400/450/550 were well discounted even in their lower pricing tiers.
In short, just the typical SL depreciation curve.
The only thing that really goes against the R232 is their poor launch. Unfinished product (in terms of software bugs, not hardware), wrong model-year and pricing strategy, post-COVID & Ukraine war supply shortages stacked the odds against strong sales.But I argue that the fundamentals are there. Gorgeous car, fantastic engine and drivetrain, great top-down experience, still.

Keon

I understand, but I have a biology background and can confidently say that your heated seats are doing you no measurable harm. There are numerous other things in the food you eat and water you drink that could be carcinogenic. Using those heated seats to stay toasty is fine, trust me!

Keon

I wouldn't touch an R232 yet, everyone complains about the poor build quality and lackluster interior.

Luckily the R231 is a tank in comparison to other German roadsters. I think that a "decontented" R231 would be unkillable, and would drive very well. Strip out the million-way power seats, the massage function, and even the dual-zone climate control. A set of basic, but comfortable seats would do a lot for both weight savings and reliability. I could do without the navigation system and CD changer, and the stupid button pad can go, too. A simple head unit with Carplay/Android auto is all I need. Collectively, MB could probably strip ~100kg of weight from this car without sacrificing comfort. Porsche knows what they're doing with the 911 T. It ditches a lot of the useless crap to chase a better driving experience, and as a side effect, should have better longevity than a base Carrera. An R231 centered around simplicity would be in a league of its own!

Wolfman

My experience has not been the case. The interior choices have been limited due to supply constraints but they still match the R231 facelift exclusive Nappa option.
No Sport seats or very few fancy stitched leather options but neither were on the R231 except the SL65 and final Designo edition had better seats.
Some trims are not my taste (not a fan of piano black stuff) but then the prior gen had some crappy ones too (aluminum trim).

As for the tech, it’s easy to complain but then the R231 used to be called outdated looking with its old looking tiny screen, software and controls.

As for quality issues I would consider the car to be the same as its predecessor in terms of build and fit. They are typically build in Bremen just like before.
IMO many complaints stem from the car being offered for $200k and still having orange peel and small fit issues. Same on the R231; those just used to cost a whole lot less.

My suggestion is to take one for a spin before making up your mind

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

$200k!

Sorry, but I won't drive a car I can't afford.

I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Question: Are we off-topic if we talk about topics that are off-topic to this topic?