Hello, I recently bought a 2017 SL450 and despite a electronics failure day 2 which I discussed in the reliability thread... I am in love with this car! My first MB and my first modern real luxury car (Old Audis and loaded up American brands mostly). I have read 100+ posts on this forum and have learned a ton. I went back and read a bunch of old posts from when my car was new as well and those were great... But the recommendations are old now so lets chat about mods that have been great over a long time or ones that are now more available then back when many of our cars were new... dash cams is one example.
I live in rural Vermont where nice cars stand out more than in places like Miami and CA. I feel like police are going to target me and so I decided to by a radar detector. I also am thinking of getting a dash cam. What are brands you have all used and would recommend?
What are some other mods you all think are a must? I am not looking to be flashy and tacky, but convenience, durability and reliability stuff would be great.

Some concerns I have:
1, HK sound is Meh. my daily driver/dog/kid hauler is a Ford Edge Titanium and that sounds great in comparison. can I upgrade the speakers, amp, sub? Recommendations?
2, Is there and affordable code reader? I don't think I am ready to go full benzninja, but something to tell me if my engine is about to explode vs a wheel speed sensor is confused when my check engine light comes on sure would help. I am handy and an electrical engineer so I don't plan to fix my own stuff normally but knowing if I can keep driving safely or need to call a flatbed on a roadtrip sure would be great.
3, I plan to store it in the winter. The place is not heated so I plan to remove the main battery and bring it home to trickle charge. What do you recommend for a battery conditioner unit?
4, The top is an engineering marvel. But there is no option on the key to open and close which is a missed opportunity to me. I have seen the SmartTop thing advertised and seems like a really nice convenience.
5, The bolster of the drivers seat makes a great place to use as leverage to push when getting out of the car. I worry this is going to wear/stain/damage the seat. Any tips to avoid this? I am only in my early 40s so " just don't do it" is a valid answer I guess, but it is not easy to get out of like an SUV. :-)

Anything else you all recommend? I have car play since it is 2017 but earlier models that would be a no brainer! I keep a boost pack, air compressor, first aid kit and basic interior/exterior detailing supplies in every car I own. Anything special I should keep in the SL? Based on my day 2 experience where the top got stuck open due to a bad wheel speed sensor, I am considering a tarp. lol

Lastly, Any good names for a white SL? I was thinking Casper but my kids rejected that.

Thanks everyone!

 

4. You should be able to use the lock/unlock buttons on the key fob to close/open the roof. Just hold them down during the entire process. I believe you have to be near the drivers side door for best results.

 

1. I'm tone deaf.
2. The general consensus is that the LAUCH Creader Elite 2.0 BENZ is the best bang-for-the-buck code reader. Around $150 on Amazon. https://a.co/d/8EWRiLn
3. CTEK MXS 5.0 trickle charger. CTEK is OE for Mercedes-branded chargers. https://a.co/d/8EWRiLn
4. What @Markrtn7 said.
5. Don't really understand the question.

Other: You may want to get a Vehicle Service Contract (a.k.a., extended warranty) if it is affordable. There is a separate forum on this site for extended warranty plans you can research. @Highline-Autos.com is a sponsor here and offers Freedom and Fidelity plans. I have Endurance, but can no longer recommend them. I've used my plan twice: once for a split trunk hydraulic line (>$1000 repair) and a passenger seat motor failure (>$3000 repair). While these cars are much more reliable than the R230, things still can go wrong.

 

WRT a dashcam, I have the VanTrue E1 dashcam and really like it. Small and compact with lots of great features. https://a.co/d/dtxNRZQ

Fits right up behind the rearview mirror.



Here's an example from my camera.

 

Thanks for the replies!
I did not know about the key functionality! I am going to look into it more and see what else it can do!
After learning about ILS+ I think I am going to go full BenzNinja. That is a huge upgrade!
Let me ask Q5 another way. When you all get out of your cars, do you push on the seat with your left hand to give you a boost? does this eventually damage the leather or mechanics inside the seat? Or are the seats more durable than other vehicles I have had?
Thanks for the camera recommendation and video... I agree with your comment at the end, That guy is an @$$hole! haha.

 

I generally just swing my legs out and I guess I do push off on the seat cushion.

Unfortunately, there were severely injured passengers in the white car. When it went down the embankment, it hit the concrete footer of the streetlamp, which you can see falling over, and flipped. Otherwise, it would have gone through the empty building it was headed for. The white lexus had paper plates, so it was new to the driver.

 

Wow, that Lexus driver is beyond retarded.

 

I have been using the bolster as a grab point to get into and out of the car. Now that area has torn where the perforated leather meets the seam. I'm currently looking to get it fixed or to replace the seat cover.... Just a heads up

 

Please let me know what you learn about this. This is the exact issue mine has and is the only place on the car that looks like fingers have ever touched. I might get another year or two before it really tears fully open, but Repairing now vs replacing later would be ideal. I wonder if an upholsterer could replace panels or if the sets need to be totally reskinned?

 

Will do