SL55 AMG, SL63 AMG, SL65 AMG (R230) 2002 - 2011 (2003 US for SL55 and 2004 for the SL65)

SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Is this a good deal for a 2005 SL65

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old Jun 9, 2006 | 03:21 AM
  #1  
george1234k's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Riverside County
2013 SL550 2013 M6 f12 2011 X5M
Is this a good deal for a 2005 SL65

Hi Guys,

Really need your advice on this car, is this a good deal? The buy it now price was $127,000.00 Should I jump on this?

Can anyone do some indepth research on this. The carfax came up clean. I'm very tempted. Right now I'm driving a 2006 E55, it would be a dream come true to have this car added to the garage.

Thanks in advance for your help

Sincerely,

George

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...QQcmdZViewItem

Last edited by george1234k; Jun 9, 2006 at 03:35 AM.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 10:48 AM
  #2  
david_101's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
2005 SL65
there's nothing wrong with the price. the question is: who's the seller?

i avoid all private transactions with people i don't know personally or to whom i haven't been referred by someone i trust.

you could get almost exactly the same price from a dealer. i went to see a very similar car at MB miami with a price negotiated down to below 130k. i think it was 128k. and they'd CPO it for you. that'd be my choice every time.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 11:29 AM
  #3  
Juice it's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 746
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda,Md.
Bentley Arnage Red Label
Doesn't make a difference who owned it if it checks out fine and is under warranty and all the paperwork is fine. It is nice to buy a car from the dealer because hopefully they will stand behind it but when hunting a car like this usually the deal will be at a far away dealer so they would be of little help down the road anyway and the car is under warranty so either way you should have no trouble having it serviced. Many of these cars are auction cars at the dealer as well so I personally would rather buy from an original owner that I don't know than a dealer feeding me a bunch of BS. Now if I didn't like anything about a particular deal or person I would walk, no big deal. Does the car have the options you want?
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 11:38 AM
  #4  
david_101's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
2005 SL65
i think it does matter who used the car.

my preowned experience is very limited. i'd always acquired new. for my current SL65, i knew quite enough about the sole driver to feel confident it was treated properly.

an auction car's history might as well be a fiction. there's absolutely no way to know how it was treated, or whether it was serviced or repaired outside the dealer network.

buying privately from an original acquirer might be just a shade better than buying an auction car.

but overall,. buying from a dealer, who has deep pockets and a reputation to defend and a manufacturer relationship to preserve, holds advantages over buying privately or an auction car through most any channel.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 02:54 PM
  #5  
Juice it's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 746
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda,Md.
Bentley Arnage Red Label
So what you are saying is whoever buys your car when you are done they are getting a shade better than an auction car? I have bought plenty of cars from private owners and from my experience it is about the individual car, not the seller. Dealers can lie better than a first owner because they just say "we have no prior knowledge of any body work etc." They also buy their used cars from the auctions so I don't see your point. The only thing that may benefit you is if you have a real problem and need to sue someone, then I agree with you or if you are buying from your local dealer for service purposes. Other than that a car under warranty can be serviced anywhere and if you do your homework when purchasing a private owner can be just fine.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 06:08 PM
  #6  
david_101's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
2005 SL65
yes jeff, someone buying a car directly from me might be doing a shade better than purchasing it through an auction.

while i know how well i care for my cars, one who buys from me without having had prior experience with me cannot know how i care for my cars. that said, a car i sell privately could die a tragic death the day after title transfers. (do you think i'd want to be on the receiving end of a lawsuit? what if i purchased a demo car directly from a dealer and sold it privately thereafter. the buyer finds later that there'd been frame damage and i've already represented the car had never been in an accident? what then?

at least through an authorized dealer one typically receives warranties and guarantees over and above that which a private seller would typically offer. and should there be problems after the transaction, it's more likely that those problems could be resolved. granted, that could take time. but with an individual that time could stretch into never.

being very familiar with your profile location, and reviewing your car list, i'm fairly certain of this: you got there because you're knowledgeable. you must know how well an individual seller can be protected in such a transaction.

a dealer -- especially an authorized dealer -- has much more at risk than does an individual. while they can prevaricate as well as or better than most, they can't hide as well from their obligations as can individuals.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 11:10 PM
  #7  
Juice it's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 746
Likes: 0
From: Bethesda,Md.
Bentley Arnage Red Label
I completely agree that if you need to go after someone that sold you a car you would have an easier time getting resolution from an authorized dealer but I disagree about it being any more beneficial if you do your homework and are talking about a fairly new low mile under warranty car. There is no way to know how your car was actually driven based on what your dealer tells you and I have bought many cars from dealers and private individuals and if you take the proper steps while purchasing you should be fine either way.
Reply
Old Jun 10, 2006 | 11:48 PM
  #8  
david_101's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 800
Likes: 0
2005 SL65
i just backspaced over a private purchase scenario i thought would be acceptable. i could describe a few, but each roughly conformed with the conditions i stated previously.

yes, if one shops cars as the highly-educated shop antiques, then why not consider private transactions.

but if one doesn't have a greasy thumb, then perhaps one should avoid private transactions the same might be said for dealer transactions involving auction cars.

to date, i've purchased only one preowned car: the current SL65. what mattered most in my decision was that there was a single driver, very well known to the dealership, who'd gotten it from and returned it to the dealership, that the service history was clean and it was starmarked. accordingly, it was a non-auction car with a near-auction price. does it get any better?
Reply
MB World Stories

The Best of Mercedes & AMG

story-0

6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 13, 2006 | 01:24 PM
  #9  
art@kronen's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
From: Fremont, CA.
SL55 AMG, 2006 Range Rover Sport with Kahn Design Package
Congratulations on your car!
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:11 PM.

story-0
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-1
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-4
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-6
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

Slideshow: From bulletproof sedans to surprisingly tough SUVs, these Mercedes models proved that the three-pointed star can go the distance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-08 09:55:49


VIEW MORE