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Golf clubs in a SL55? Don’t bother trying the trunk!
I’m an avid golfer so it was a big decision when I bought my SL550 a few years ago. The fact that I could get my clubs in the trunk with the top down sold me. Fast forward 5 years and I really would like to get a new SL55, but once again, the clubs fitting in the trunk was an issue. A number of the media that reviewed early SLs said that clubs should easily fit, so when my local dealer finally got an example, I had to make sure for myself.
Well, as I suspected, a small carry bag will fit, BUT, the woods do not! Hard to believe that Mbz says that it went with a soft top to save space, when in fact, the trunk is now a fraction of the size of an R231. The only options now are taking the woods out and throwing them in the useless back seat, or you can leave the woods in the bag and place them in the back seat, all be it pretty tight. Not sure if a large cart bag or staff bag would even fit without the woods. Below are a couple of photos showing my tests.
Not sure what I’m going to do now as my preference is to get the light colored Machiato leather interior but I can only assume that putting in and taking out the clubs from the back seat a few times a week is going to trash it pretty quickly. Just seems like Mbz missed the boat here as there’s a large market of golfers that can afford and want a top down experience, and about the only high end convertible that will fit clubs in the trunk is Bentley.
I've tested this one myself. With some effort a golf bag will fit. Depending on the length of irons, they will need to come out and find their way into the rear seat.
My irons are standard length and will fit with a carry bag, but driving irons, hybrids, fairway woods or driver have absolutely no chance. Seems like the trunk is about the same as a GT C. I take that back. My driver would fit in a GT C but not while in the bag.
Well, that is very different from early reviews of the car that stated: The trunk is roomy enough to pack two golf bags neatly into it, and the plus-two seats good for two peoples' carry-on luggage...
They must have meant children clubs
I do not golf but this is another example of MB's inattention to consumer preferences. Clown college for the design/engineering and marketing teams. Worthless useless back seat. Lack of color selections for interior and exterior. Options that are not available. Clients that ordered cars wait months without any information pertaining to delivery. I also heard a rumor today the AMG One has been cancelled.
The assclowns in charge of MB should all resign........morons!!
I do not golf but this is another example of MB's inattention to consumer preferences. Clown college for the design/engineering and marketing teams. Worthless useless back seat. Lack of color selections for interior and exterior. Options that are not available. Clients that ordered cars wait months without any information pertaining to delivery. I also heard a rumor today the AMG One has been cancelled.
The assclowns in charge of MB should all resign........morons!!
Mike
A big factor are often regulations that lead to design decision that may not make sense. They did actually survey potential customers and the rear seats were added because it was requested by customers. The AMG One wasn't cancelled, but it's not coming to North America, again due to regulations. The One doesn't meet North American regulations and to comply it would significantly compromise the performance and driving character, so AMG decided not to homologated it for North America. Some potential customer may still bring one in under the "Show and Display" exemption as most won't actually drive the car anyway.
Superswiss:
You may be correct that MB "did actually survey potential customers". I'd love to know if ANYONE on this forum was involved in ANY MB survey. I know I was never contacted. There are myriad forum members who I'd consider pretty good clients. Anybody????? I'm not a marketing guy but I'd seek the ideas from previous SL buyers........did the assclowns talk to C and E buyers????(they have back seats)
My second query concerns did MB actually listen to consumer preferences. Perhaps my memory deceives me but most of this forum's members find those vestigial rear seats a joke. "Adding" rear seats would have been very early on in design.........wheelbase, trunk and top storage would all be affected.
IMHO, MB is run by assclowns, I stand by my position. Your opinion is probably the antithesis.
Superswiss:
You may be correct that MB "did actually survey potential customers". I'd love to know if ANYONE on this forum was involved in ANY MB survey. I know I was never contacted. There are myriad forum members who I'd consider pretty good clients. Anybody????? I'm not a marketing guy but I'd seek the ideas from previous SL buyers........did the assclowns talk to C and E buyers????(they have back seats)
My second query concerns did MB actually listen to consumer preferences. Perhaps my memory deceives me but most of this forum's members find those vestigial rear seats a joke. "Adding" rear seats would have been very early on in design.........wheelbase, trunk and top storage would all be affected.
IMHO, MB is run by assclowns, I stand by my position. Your opinion is probably the antithesis.
No they talked to people that will actually buy the car in enough quantities. The previous SL was a sales dud. Nobody really bought it anymore, that's why they went back to the drawing board and came up with a new SL that is expected to sell better. They could have also cancelled it completely. Did you know that one of the primary target demographics of the new SL are women? Asking your current shrinking customer base what they want is a losing strategy. You need to ask all the people who didn't buy the last SL what it would take for them to buy one, and find a large enough market then cater to it.
Last edited by superswiss; 08-08-2022 at 10:41 PM.
Forgot to add that if you have the moronic wind screen installed, putting the clubs in the back seat with top up or down may require that you bring Houdini along with you. I installed the wind screen and can say that it’s a cheap piece of crap and all but eliminates using the back seat for anything unless it’s removed. Just stood there and shook my head while looking at the $197,585 sticker.🙄
Well, that is very different from early reviews of the car that stated: The trunk is roomy enough to pack two golf bags neatly into it, and the plus-two seats good for two peoples' carry-on luggage...
They must have meant children clubs
MB said the R232 was an all AMG design. I suspect some MB marketing contamination. If it was really an all AMG design I doubt it would be bigger than R231, it wouldn't have those back seats, and it wouldn't have that stupid giant iPad stuck in the middle.
MB said the R232 was an all AMG design. I suspect some MB marketing contamination. If it was really an all AMG design I doubt it would be bigger than R231, it wouldn't have those back seats, and it wouldn't have that stupid giant iPad stuck in the middle.
I suspect that when Mercedes Benz AMG brings out the hardtop version with the same underpinnings as the SL next year (remember the vert AMG went to the SL line and the hardtop went to the AMG proper line) that people are hating on now, they will see the same "giant iPad" and will either say how wonderful it is or how much AMG has lost its way. Hmmm. Cognitive bias? I wonder. Would love to be wrong.
Well, that is very different from early reviews of the car that stated: The trunk is roomy enough to pack two golf bags neatly into it, and the plus-two seats good for two peoples' carry-on luggage...
They must have meant children clubs
There is no way I could have gotten two, EMPTY, carry bags in the trunk! Well maybe if you smashed them together. Yes, you could get two carry on bags in the back seats, but that’s about it. I played golf today and as I was putting my clubs in the trunk, I was amazed at how much larger it is than the R232. And then proceeded to put the hard top down for the ride home.
I just purchased my SL63 last week and tested this same thing before purchasing. I play standard length irons, 45 inch driver, 43.25 inch 3 wood. I had to:
1. unscrew the heads form the shafts
2. put the shafts tip down into my bag
3. Place the heads in the back cubby slot in the trunk
4. Then place the bag into the trunk
It all fits after doing this. Also still had room to put in shoes, jacket, and a laptop bag. All with the top down.
Now, if you walk the course most of the time and use a pushcart/power cart (clicgear, Stewart, MGi, Motocaddy, etc), you are definitely in a pickle with the SL. You can make it work, but put the interior leather at risk.
A friend of mine bought a 2002(?) T-Bird. Stiry goes that Ford did some surveying and learned that a must have was to be able to stow 2 golf bags in the trunk. So you can....
I don’t golf and I prefer having back seats. Why can’t you put the clubs in the back seat? Either way, there is more room behind the rear seats.
Having back seats is nice, more storage space and feels more roomy. I’m at the stage I will ditch the the basketball sneakers and pick up the golf clubs. Clubs in the back seat my not be the most elegant solution but it works.
A friend of mine bought a 2002(?) T-Bird. Stiry goes that Ford did some surveying and learned that a must have was to be able to stow 2 golf bags in the trunk. So you can....
That's exactly the image that AMG isn't going after...
08-08-2022, 04:18 PM
