When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
As of today, it's been 3 full weeks my dealership has had my SL63 to address the "Check engine" light coming on. I was backing out of my driveway when it came on and the engine began to stutter and misfire like when a plug would foul. I pulled it back in and the MB towing people took it to the dealership. We have talked with the Service Manager several time and they basically don't know what to do. They say they have submitted it to MB engineers, but no results yet. They are being asked to take apart the engine and report new info to MB for diagnosis. It seems like a long time not to know anything with all the tools at their disposal. In Texas, 30 days without your car triggers the Lemon Law violation. Hoping for the best soon, but going to look at Aston Martin Vantages in the meantime.
Gents:
My first SL purchase was a 1986 560SL.........Diamond Blue/Blue.......I still own it. ( It has 272 miles) The paint was flawless. The fit and finish exemplary. Each succeeding SL exhibited worse paint and ever more questionable engineering decisions. The 600SL had the infamous wiring issues. The R230 and R231 SL65s have the much sought after "Sunkist smooth" paint. The R232 models are being sold to consumers willing to beta test. Admittedly I do not use my SLs but I took out my trusty 345K mile1982 240D stick yesterday.........incredibly well designed and built.
I recently spoke to a dealership owner at a Mercedes club event. He is beyond frustrated with MBUSA's aloof attitude with the myriad problems presented. He claimed this was the worst new model launch he's ever seen in his decades as a dealer. The SL was traditionally the flagship model........what happened to "The best or nothing" or "engineered like no other car in the world"? I feel sorry for the R232 clients and the dealers and sincerely hope MB gets back to reliability and quality of the past.,
Gents:
My first SL purchase was a 1986 560SL.........Diamond Blue/Blue.......I still own it. ( It has 272 miles) The paint was flawless. The fit and finish exemplary. Each succeeding SL exhibited worse paint and ever more questionable engineering decisions. The 600SL had the infamous wiring issues. The R230 and R231 SL65s have the much sought after "Sunkist smooth" paint. The R232 models are being sold to consumers willing to beta test. Admittedly I do not use my SLs but I took out my trusty 345K mile1982 240D stick yesterday.........incredibly well designed and built.
I recently spoke to a dealership owner at a Mercedes club event. He is beyond frustrated with MBUSA's aloof attitude with the myriad problems presented. He claimed this was the worst new model launch he's ever seen in his decades as a dealer. The SL was traditionally the flagship model........what happened to "The best or nothing" or "engineered like no other car in the world"? I feel sorry for the R232 clients and the dealers and sincerely hope MB gets back to reliability and quality of the past.,
It's really incredible. Seems every week it's always a software update away from perfection.
It's now been 34 days without my car or any real explanation other than they had to partially disassemble the engine to gather information for Germany. The last comment was last week saying Germany had sent a major part which would take 30 hours of labor to install. Assuming that works, it looks like I will at best be getting back an SL with major engine problems. Not exactly what I expected from Mercedes AMG. Has anybody had a service order complaint number opened by MB on major engine repairs?
It's now been 34 days without my car or any real explanation other than they had to partially disassemble the engine to gather information for Germany. The last comment was last week saying Germany had sent a major part which would take 30 hours of labor to install. Assuming that works, it looks like I will at best be getting back an SL with major engine problems. Not exactly what I expected from Mercedes AMG. Has anybody had a service order complaint number opened by MB on major engine repairs?
This sucks.
This should be lemoned/bought back. I wouldn't want it. Period.
We now have a case number with MB of North America and will talk to MBFS next about their getting paid for a car that I don't have. Lemon lawyers looking into it too.
Thanks but I thought about that and understand that the Vantage uses a prior version of the 63 drivetrain and software so that should avoid whatever my problem is. Also, the 2024 Vantage is getting a drivetrain update supposedly going to a 600+ HP version. That, admittedly, could re-introduce the same issues. Hard to say where this is going, but we are talking to MB North America and next MBFS to see what we can work out. I also look forward to hearing what the underlying problem is that takes 30 hours of labor after they supposedly have the correct new part.
Now the dealership says another part is coming from Germany in about 2 weeks and that should fix it. Signed representation agreement with a Lemon Lawyer today. Let the game begin.
Now the dealership says another part is coming from Germany in about 2 weeks and that should fix it. Signed representation agreement with a Lemon Lawyer today. Let the game begin.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by JohnGigi
As of today, it's been 3 full weeks my dealership has had my SL63 to address the "Check engine" light coming on………..
If you live in California, you are just another week or so away from getting MB to buy back your car, no questions asked. AND, you’ll get every dime you spent buying or leasing the car, including the sales tax! In CA, if the car is out of service for a cumulative 30 days, that’s it: it’s a LEMON! If you don’t live in CA, check the law in your state. Best of luck to you.
The local dealership called and now says MB of North America has authorized them to install a whole new engine in my car. The engine is crated up in New Jersey and should be in the car and back in my possession next week if it goes as planned. Not sure yet if my lemon law attorney has issued a demand letter which triggered this response, but it is some progress. The COO who called also said they are going to be offering some financial reimbursement too so it's too early to say what the results will end up being, including whether I get out of the lease into some other hot rod.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by JohnGigi
The local dealership called and now says MB of North America has authorized them to install a whole new engine in my car. The engine is crated up in New Jersey and should be in the car and back in my possession next week if it goes as planned. Not sure yet if my lemon law attorney has issued a demand letter which triggered this response, but it is some progress. The COO who called also said they are going to be offering some financial reimbursement too so it's too early to say what the results will end up being, including whether I get out of the lease into some other hot rod.
Amazing that they feel that their “hand assembled” AMG engine is defective. Of course, it sounds like they are REALLY trying to work this out for you, but this is tantamount to major surgery on your brand new car and you have to decide if you want a car that has been taken apart to that extent. I’m sure that the service techs at your dealership know how to do an engine swap, but will they do every single thing as good as when the car was originally built? Personally, I would tell them to fix the car and sell it to someone else as a CPO and that you want a brand new one, but that’s just me. Whatever you decide, best of luck to you.
Good thoughts and I'm sure it took some time for MB to come to this conclusion. They had multiple unknown parts come in from Germany supposedly with 30 or so hours of labor expended before they decided on a full replacement with a crate engine. According to one source online, that crate engine costs $71K with major labor costs on top. At least I will get my car back for awhile and, according to the lemon lawyer, will have the opportunity to close the lease out plus get some financial restitution also. The lawyer says the engine replacement is actually an admission that the car they sold me was defective so it makes our case that it was a lemon.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
[QUOTE=JohnGigi;8916149]The new crate engine came in. Here we go. Hope this or the lemon law works.QUOTE]
Since someone signs their name as the ONE person who “hand assembles” these AMG engines, I wonder what will become of “Dieter or Rolf or Hans, etc.” who assembled the defective one??? I am truly amazed that MB would even come close to admitting that one of their AMG “Uber Motors” was found to be defective. I would have thought that they would have told the customer that the car needed a new “Johnson Rod” and would have tried to keep this a very low key thing. I’m impressed and wish the owner a very successful outcome.
Haha, but to be fair to Steffen,
I’m not sure the engine actually failed, but rather MB Techs, couldn’t properly diagnose the point of failure. (electrical or otherwise)
At some point, it becomes more economical to R&R the whole assembly to get the car out of the shop. Rather that, than remove the engine several times, commit more labor, to throw parts at it. Honesty, things are so crowded in there, you have to drop the engine or take out many other parts, just to get to some engine components.
Sucks either way though…
Hope they get it right this time and you get the car back soon.
Good Luck!
Last edited by crconsulting; Jan 31, 2024 at 08:34 PM.
Well, after two months I have my SL63 back and it's great. New engine so I have the break-in period to do again. To those interested in such things, these are two of the 12 pages of the work order which give the shop foreman's verbal description. The other 10 pages are the parts list. They said the crate engine by itself was $71,200.
2025 BMW Z4 M40i (Manual); 2025 Lexus NXH Luxury; 2021 Porsche Macan S; 2023 Audi Q5
Originally Posted by JohnGigi
Well, after two months I have my SL63 back and it's great. New engine so I have the break-in period to do again. To those interested in such things, these are two of the 12 pages of the work order which give the shop foreman's verbal description. The other 10 pages are the parts list. They said the crate engine by itself was $71,200.
Congrats on the return of you car! So glad to hear it seems to be working out. Hopefully all the troubles are in the rear view mirror.
Damaged Valve Seat & Burnt Valve. Such little mileage points to a probable machining issue or something may have been physically sucked in. Probably an isolated incident.
Delayed by shipping damage to new cylinder head.
Not any less painful 😣 but, glad they got it worked out for you.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
