very good to hear from you!

the wheels are perfect under the graphite body. really perfect.

i looked closely at a very sharp pewter CLS55 with performance package at the dealership yesterday. the wheels that came with that package looked perfect under that color.

i must say that every one of the guys at the MB store were very enthusiastic about the car. the detailer/prep guy, steve, didn't stop talking about it and couldn't do enough to assist with everything.

steve and i talked at length about the CLS55. he, too, thought that the perf pkg wheels that came with the car were exactly right, while the wheels on the SL65 were just right for that car.

i don't know how better to convey my thoughts about it.

the car's not down in S FL yet. when it finds its way to its new home, and i have some time after plaing catch-up, i'll shoot and post more pics.

speaking of finding its way, i'm clueless about the COMAND unit in this car. i figured out the CD and audio settings, but left my fingerprints all over over the screen edge in the process. also, when i used voice control to call up the map, as i've done in the CLK55, no map came up. i'll have to go through the manual to ascertain the correct command words for whatever functions are available.

i posted previously that i couldn't find the measurement of fuel quantity remaining in the tank. well, seems no one can...because it's not available. the analog gauge alone provides the reading. a disbelieving SA reviewed the manual, and a line tech sat in the car in front of the cluster. both returned the same verdict: N/A. all the feedback that car offers, but a single piece of useful info required at fairly frequent pitstops is deleted. MB brainiacs are earning their pay...again. if somebody out there tells me different, i'll gladly proffer my apology.

bob, what do you think of the SBC brakes?

 

i looked on the driver's door jamb for the info.

according to the GVWR numbers, there seems to be a slight rear weight bias of a few % ticks. i was surprised, having expected the car to be nose heavy.

please tell me if i've misinterpreted the numbers.

 

after the bluetooth "puck" was installed, i realized there was no way to charge the MB phone in the car other than by cigarette lighter charger.

my SA and the parts guys got together to decide if it'd be possible to have both in the car. the verdict was both yes and no.

yes, both the charging cradle and bluetooth puck could be in the car. no, not simultaneously connected. however, the good news was that i could change from one to the other, and back, very quickly as long as both the car and COMAND are off.

i think that's some fairly useful info.

 

this keyless go is a neat feature, but there's a downside at my right thumb: so far, i've twice shut down the car unintentionally.

i've been shifting at the shifter, not at the wheel. most recently, at the stop light off an I95 exit ramp, i shut it down. my first thought was a catastropohic electronic failure. i laughed out loud when i relaized the problem was a catastrophic david failure. needless to say, there was a displeased SUV driver behind me. i dispatched him in the usual way.

i'd better become more attentive to the touches in the car.

this SBC system feels weird under foot, from the variable pedal travel to the post-brake vibration supposedly associated with system recycling. something else to become acquainted with.

have any of you had similar experiences?

 

i recommend reading the owner's manual.. not that you haven't.. unfortunately, it's not that clear so i end up discussing items with my service consultant, who is very patient... .. imagine what they are up against with the new S class..
.
congrats and good luck..

 

I thought the keyless go did not work when the car is in drive? I will try it and see. I guess I have never bumped it since I don't shift with the gear shifter. I would hope it doesn't work in drive.

 

David,

I haven't had any problems with the brakes, but they did take getting used to. They feel "soft" to me, not what I expected at all. The performance is fine, but the feel and travel is variable, as you say, though I've never felt any 'recycling' vibration once they're fully depressed. Has anyone else? Hope this isn't an issue with your car (or maybe mine!).

There's still a lot to find out about such a car. Good luck and happy driving!

Bob

 

jeff,
the car probably was in neutral at the stop light, with my foot on the brake.
all the cluster lights came on and the brake pedal felt like i was stepping on a brick.
i should mention it restarted on the third attempt.

 

hi bob,

do you know whether the 65 and 55 brakes are calibrated differently?

i spoke at length with two SAs about SBC brake feel. the recycling vibration is, according to them, known and common.

apparently, SBC is not very well liked because it removes the true road feel from the driver.

 

David, make sure all of the SBC upgrades have been performed.

 

all upgrades were supposed to have been performed, but i'll contact my SA now to inquire.

thanks.

 

well, there's nothing to complain about. honestly, could anyone complain about driving an SL65? :-)

i do, however, have a few comments and questions:

1. the tach becomes a bit jerky between 1750 and 2000 rpm. it blips. and there's a noticeable slow, cyclic harmonic while driving that accompanies the blip. has anybody else noticed that?

2. the wheel-mounted shifter buttons require only very light pressure to trigger. i've unintentionally downshifted a few times already. please post your impressions of your own button shifters.

3. the ride quality is far better than i'd anticipated. it's better than my CLK55, as is the handling.

4. the power is awesome, and the throttle response is next to immediate. a few times on I95, while signalling into the left lane to pass laggards, discourteous drivers would speed up to keep me from entering the lane. as long as there was reasonable lane for maneuvering, i just added what felt like one-quarter to one-half inch of throttle and zipped right in. no drama, no trouble.

i'd be very appreciative if any of you could respond to my questions about the courtesy lighting, and the other issues i wrote about in this posting.

thanks!
david

 

I haven't noticed that about the tach but I haven't really paid close attention at that rpm. I will check next drive.
I rarely use the shift buttons because there is no way to shift faster than the computer. I want to swap the buttons for the new style paddles that should have been there in the first place. They will make it much easier to avoid while holding the wheel.
What courtesy lighting questions do you have? I didn't see them.

 

there's a very small light at the bottom of the rearview mirror, one in each footwell, and at each door release pull. they remained on in my car the entire drive down to FL. the only one that interfered was the rearview mirror light because it spilled between me and the road, illuminating the climate controls and the front area of the shift gate. during two stops, i read the manual without finding a way to shut them off. during a stop in south carolina, i spoke with an advisor after connecting via the "i" button. he said they stay on all the time.

during the day especially, it's hard to see the light under the mirror. but if you hold your palm up to it, you should be able to tell if it's on.

i'm very interested to learn whatever you find or don't find.

thanks,
david

 

Ok, just checked this and yes they are on whenever the headlights are on. They are so faint though I don't see how it could be an issue unless your mirror is pointed at an angle that points the light in your eye. If I never read this thread I probably would have never noticed that the light came from under the mirror. Maybe yours is brighter than mine.

 

yup, it's faint. but in the small hours of the morning, on a dark road without other headlights and roadlights around, i definitely noticed it.

i can't understand why MB would make those lights inoperable. it's not as is there aren't three other lights with switches overhead to turn on and off at will. and if they're too bright, then one could simply pull down the passenger visor and use the vanity mirror light.

 

In my '03 SL55 I can dim these courtesy lights by turning the 'reset' button between the 2 gauges. You might try this. This will dim all other lights in the car (gauges, comand, etc) but reading your story that is exactly what you want.

 

thanks for the suggestion. in fact, i'd already used the cluster reset to dim down the instruments to their lowest intensity.

as long as i'm nit-picking, i wonder why that reset button was placed in the middle of the cluster, forcing a reach around the wheel to get to it. esthetical balance is the only reason i can think of, if thought was applied to it during design.

i must say that this car commands attention. driving 95 to boca yesterday, a guy in a modded acura -- it was actually a good-looking job -- pulled up and shouted how great the car was, jabbing his right thumb toward heaven. a 645C pulled up alongside long enough for the driver's female passenger to gape at it, then took off. a few modded navigators and escalades nearly side-swiped the car as the drivers leaned over to look. seriously funny stuff.

but back to business... i wonder if the mirror light could be disabled without triggering a code, if there truly is no way to shut it completely. any thoughts before i head over to service?

 

I would give it a few more weeks and you probably won't notice it anymore. I wouldn't try to disable it. If anything put a dot on it with a black marker or a tiny piece of electrical tape over the hole to soften the light. Maybe the dealer can remove the bulb altogether.

 

i LOLed reading your thoughts about magic marker and tape. imagine, an SL65 modded with duct tape. ;-)

as you wrote, removing the light altogether is what i was considering. but i guess i'll know better after visiting service. probably won't be today because a few things came up and i'm off to boca again.

have you noticed any tach blips yet?

 

Thats what I was thinking as well! Yours must be brighter than mine because I really never noticed it was there. I am heading out in a few min. I will check the tach thing.

 

either mine is brighter or i'm developing photophobia and the bites on my neck aren't from mosquitoes! ;-)

 

the latest from the dealership is that the answers to the courtesy lighting questions probably are in the SETTINGS menu on the instrument cluster. the system didn't permit a reset while the car was driving, and the SAs said i needn't tinker with it because they'll call to walk me through it.

nothing yet on the NAV not accepting destination programming. i suppose that'll be up next.

there's definitely some harmonic while at 1750 rpm. i listened intently at that point, above and below. the very slow increase and then decrease of what sounds like a vibration seems always within ~150 rpm of that point.

i took my GF's mom for a brief ride, and she probably had as much a CV workout in those 5 minutes as she would while spinning. but when she understood the limits and tolerances of the car, she was much more comfortable. so, i gave her the wheel and let her rip. she loved it! i can't wait until she puts the top down and tools around the town... i even got her to program her own settings on M3! i think i racked up a few needed points. ;-)

i stopped into a fairly well known and reputable car broker to show the car. the number two guy, with whom i'd spoken a few times previously, said he was enthralled -- his own word -- with the designo graphite colors. he asked if he could drive it; i said "no." he didn't take it praticularly well. LOL. but he got over it, saying he expected his first SL65 in a few days. it's a 2005. so, being dumb, i asked what he'd want for it. he gave me what i thought was a reasonable number. being dumber, i gave him my number and suggested he call when it arrives. he's a decent enough guy, offering to try to troubleshoot the courtesy lighting. i declined the offer, figuring it'd be wiser to at least try the service fix first.

the worst thing about having this car is being certain of my dissatisfaction with other cars i might have to drive. the CLK55 will be the duty car. and whatever SUV we get will be the heavy duty driver. but this thing, well, it's just too much fun.

on 95 this afternoon, a lambo pulls on, sees my car, and decides to show off. his car rumbled right through my closed windows like it was a boombox on wheels. it wasn't that refined ferrari note. when i press the accelerator, i hear no such sounds, but rather a soft turbo whine and little more. granted, that's from inside the car. :-)

so, this car is big fun.

oh, one more odd thing that happened: leaving the broker's place, i pushed the shifter into D and took my foot off the brake, forgetting the emergency brake was on (because it'd been parked on a grade). the ride height was set at max -- two red lights. the passenger rear corner dropped down all the way, then jacked right back up inside a moment. very odd. i reported that to service, as well. any thoughts about that phenomenon?

 

No notice of an irregular tach issue. Don't know if I am recreating exactly what you are doing but with normal accelerating past 2k rpm, no jumping.

 

I don't have any issues with the tach sweeping through 1750 and 2000....

Other than the wild acceleration that follows

Welcome to the world of SL65 ownership!!!!