blueSL

I know most here are in the US, but for those in the UK, the prices being charged for some options at the point of delivery are a little lower than in the price list. I picked up my car yesterday and paid £860 instead of £970 for Keyless Go and £590 instead of £775 for Parktronic. On the other hand, I paid £620 instead of £590 for a Nokia mobile phone installation.

Welcome price reductions. These include tax and for comparative purposes, prices before tax are now $1140 for Keyless Go and $780 for Parktronic, roughly. The total cost of my car was still £96713 including taxes, call it $151k.

This compares with $1015 and $1035 in the US. It's interesting Keyless Go is more expensive in the UK, other way round in the US. Having now had time to play, I'd say they are both well worth having as is the tire pressure monitoring which provides a digital readout in the instrument display. Accurate too, matching my professional gauge.

So far, 17 mpg (UK gallon)...will be putting in Shell Optimax at first opportunity and boy, is this car effortlessly quick, even respecting a 4000 rpm limit (most of the time )

GMW

Congratulations on your purchase and receipt of the SL55! Hope to see pictures soon and your full review!

morebhp

Do you know when these prices became effective as I paid for mine last week and paid the brochure prices for TV, Nokia, Parktronic and Garage Door Opener!

Richard

Congrats ! Join the club of happy UK SL55 owners !!

R

blueSL

Thanks to everyone for their congratulations, just come back from a 150 mile blast into Wales, just incredible. All the comfort of my old SL600 (better actually!) and all the performance of my F355 (also better!).

It's difficult to imagine a more tightly integrated and polished package. I just love it.

I'll post some pictures once I get hold of a copy of Photoshop to process them.

rs200evo

I was informed about the price reductions about 3 weeks ago when I specc'd my car. Delivery in December.

Couple of new option I was informed of...... Panoramic roof and Heated steering wheel.

blueSL

Can't say I'm hugely impressed by the comfort seat option, the blue LEDs may look pretty but I can't feel a hurricane blowing up my a..e and the massage function is unnecessary given the seats are so comfortable to start with.

Nappa leather is good, but the rollover bar is covered in it and once you fit the wind deflector to it, the tight straps are going to mark it long term. Unfortunately, it obscures the rear parktronic display and access to the rear bench straps.

My only real gripe with the car is if you open the roof with standing water on it, say after a rain shower, the roof panel tilts forwards as the roof opens and both the inside of the car and you get drenched by the water running off the roof. I've just spent 15 minutes wiping down the leather.... the water went everywhere. I've also made a mental note to keep a sponge cloth on board to wipe down the roof if needed. After all, getting soaked while you open the roof to impress the blonde on the sidewalk would kind of spoil the moment.

mookie

do u have the aluminum trim and if so what do u think ? Is the car everything u thought it would be?

blueSL

Yes I have the aluminium trim and it looks great. I think it's going to be quite durable providing you don't take a screwdriver to it, certainly far more so than the leather which surrounds it. The surface is quite heavily textured, matches the texture of the supercharger casing under the hood. Personally, I don't think wood is right for this car (and is easily damaged too) and carbon fiber is too much - the choice is finely judged.

The car is, uniquely in my automotive life, everything I thought it would be. So often in the past (944, 911, F355) there's been the eager anticipation, let down by the reality. It's been a bit like a kid looking longingly at the picture on the box of a model rail-road and then opening it to find, well actually, it's not like that inside.

This car though is everything I expected, and more, some wonderful design touches - I love the +/- aluminimum inserts in the steering wheel showing where the shift buttons are and the way both side windows, not just the front ones, drop slightly when you open a door and then return, front one first, then the rear one, to maintain a proper seal. The roof is a marvel and I had a bunch of people spell-bound at the gas station when I closed it yesterday. The instrument panel at night is so attractive, soft blues with red highlights.

But of course, what really sets the car aside is its performance. Straightline is incredible and getting past something holding you up is so easy, giving you a much greater margin of safety. You can feel the weight when cornering of course and the car is not as agile as a Ferrari, but with all the electronics to help you out, the handling is very neutral and you can corner at pretty much whatever speed you want, certainly beyond what's safe if you want to be able to stop within the distance you can see.

On the freeway, the car is very happy to go with the flow and settles down to a luxurious coupe and driving through towns and villages where there is often a strictly enforced 30mph limit, you do not feel the car is restless, its nature is quite docile and that makes for easy, legal and considerate driving until the open road beckons. It's then just a quick jab on the throttle, you're past whatever is in front of you and away.

I could go on, but that would be at the risk of boring you. For those of you who are waiting, don't lose heart, the car will reward your patience. My advice is to catch up with your work so you can take some time off to enjoy it when it arrives. I'm off again today

Oh, the multi-spokes are a real pain to clean....

SL55lova

BlueSL... you never can bore us with detailing your experience of the SL55. It is nice to hear about it from deferent views. Actually that what helped me on deciding on getting one. If it wasn't this forum, and people like you talking in details about the car, I would have bought something else.

So let me thank all the poeple (owners and future owners of the SL55) in this form to help me out on learning more about this car.:p :p :p

blueSL

Maybe you've seen this before, but this picture shows Berry Red Exclusive Nappa leather, Aluminium Trim and Comfort (perforated leather) seats.

Richard

blueSL, are your mats Red aswell ? Do they have a MB logo or an AMG logo.

My dealer told me I should have had AMG mats and ordered me a set, but claims they are only available in Graphite. (and I think he is wrong on the 1st point, and right on the second)

(So now I have a set of grey MB mats in the car, and an unopened set of AMG graphite right-hand-drive mats)

R

blueSL

There seem to be a number of variants. Mine are red, non-AMG with a silver badge "Mercedes Benz" but strangely, no rubber heel pad. They will wear quite quickly and they show the dirt very easily. I'm thinking of maybe getting a graphite set for the winter.

I was hoping for Canuck's red mats with the SL 55 logo but maybe they're not availabe in right hand drive.

SL55lova

BlueSL...
Can I ask if you know any difference between the regular Berry Red and the Exclusive Nappa leather? am talking here about the looks (colorings, stitches.. etc) not the feel.

Thank you...

blueSL

Nappa leather is softer, has less grain but is also rather less durable than regular leather, so this is only an option to consider if you are prepared to take great care of it to maintain its appearance and, down the road, have especially the seats re-trimmed.

The option also changes what is covered with what, and thanks to Graham (LondonLad), I have a chart showing the differences between the two options. I've distilled the key information out of it. What's interesting is that if you take the number of different items, the two leather options and the number of colors and then multiply them up, the number of different parts they have under the umbrella "interior trim" is boggling.

Once I can get my scanner working, I'll post the chart.

mookie

Thanks bluesl u could never bore me with what u have to say, can not wait for my car sometime late January, not the perfect time in the northeast during winter but just the same cant wait.

blueSL

Here's the chart of the materials used for each part of the interior depending on the leather option chosen (L = Normal Leather, X = Exclusive Nappa Leather). Exclusive Nappa Leather is not shown on the MBUSA web-site so I think the designo options take its place. Otherwise, US cars have an alcantara roof lining instead of what is shown in this table.

SL55lova

Thank you BlueSL. The chart was so helpfull.
But please can you explane what you mean "re-trimmed"?

SL Boy

BlueSL - this is not boring, its fascinating to share your new experience. I have learnt and been entertained so much over the past weeks from postings from guys like you, Richard, Nightsea, morebhp, Canuck and many others.

I was originally planning to buy a 500 but decided only recently to change to a 55. This actually brought forward the delivery date as I am told there have been fewer people than MB expected ordering the right hand drive 55 for the UK market. Car due for November build.

blueSL

SL55lova - Because the leather is so soft, it is not as resistant to abrasions as the normal leather, so you need to take extra care of it, without becoming paraniod. Feeding it regularly will help, as will avoiding wearing clothes which can damage it, jeans with rivets or metal buttons, even plastic buttons if you can.

You won't need to go as far as one person I know who forces his girlfriend to wear track-suit bottoms before she can ride in his car (what she sees in him, I have no idea).

Down the road, the leather may show its wear and you can restore it by re-connolising which effectively spray paints it in the same way as when it is new. If it's beyond repair, or torn, you may need to take it to a trim shop to have one or more panels replaced. They should be able to match the color with the existing, although the pattern of holes can be a problem.

I think the important thing to realise is that although this type of leather is more expensive than the regular leather, what you are getting is wider use of it in the car and higher quality leather but not necessarily longer lasting leather. However, I've just had the leather in my 7 year old SL600 restored, cost $400 and I'm pleased with the results.

SL Boy - interesting because I have heard similar things. My dealer actually had a spare car and was able to offer it unexpectedly to a customer who then had to get busy organising the finance. So if the demand in the UK is lower than expected, the lead times might actually come down to something sensible.

Richard

Hi

I had nappa in my CLK55, and I knelt on the front driver seat to reach into the passenger footwell, and put a nice big mark in the leather which I could always see ...

So, I specifically decided against the nappa for my SL55.

Interesting comments about lead times. I ordered 5 years ago. I was 14th on my dealers SL list (for that branch) overall, but the 1st on that list that wanted a SL55. I was told that I would get the SL55 before I would get a SL500 because of that - even though the SL500 had been going for 6 months (so I guess their SL500 allocation was around 2 per month).

Given (a) Fuel costs, (b) the amount of speed cameras and (c) the SL500 is very fast, it wouldnt suprise me if SL500 sales *far* outstrip SL55 sales here in the UK. Saying that, (excluding at my dealer), ive seen one other SL55 and 3-4 SL500s. So that gives a ratio of about 1:2


Richard

mookie

I agree with slboy, having to pick all my options and trim its been extremely helpful reading the postings and have finally settled on what I want. I would like to thank all of u who post

SL55lova

Thank you so much BlueSl...
I have Nappa on my car. And that one order that I was forced to accept. Because th eperson who ordered the car left the contry with out telling me that he ordered the Nappa. I was so suprissed with the dealer telling me after finishing the car that I will enjoy my Nappa. It was to late teo tell him I don't want it... I will just have to be carefull with it..
Thanks again..

morebhp

I was suprised how quick I got the SL55 in the UK - was told to expect around June 2003. But got it last week - 9 more months of good sleep! I ordered about 18 months back.

I think I got my local dealers second AMG car - the first one is back in the showroom at £110k with 200 miles on the clock. Silver and graphite immediate available for the 20k premium (Nottingham).

On the tour the MB factory guy said they had expected the SL55 to make up about 25% of sales but it has come out actually nearer 50%.

blueSL

Not surprised to hear the SL55 is doing so well. Seems to me that if you can stretch to one, the extra money spent is the exact opposite of diminishing returns. Far from being money wasted, the extra makes for a much more charismatic car and a much more special experience, so well worth the premium. The AMG magic has certainly been deftly applied.

Did another 150 miles today, just fantastic though there were a couple of times when I realised I was going into a corner a little too fast. Steady.....

Sent my salesman and his manager a case of wine each as a thank you for putting me in a car earlier than I dared ever hope. They were dead chuffed but I've spent nearly that on gas since Monday... 16.8 mpg

Was in a gas station in Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire this afternoon when a gorgeous blonde in a Boxster shouted out "Beautiful car!" as she was leaving and I was filling up. Quick as a flash, I shouted back, "Beautiful woman!". I'll never know if she heard.

But, make no mistake, the multi-spokes are a pain to clean. Washed them again, so many surfaces and mine seem to be coated in grease which attracts brake dust. From a simple practicality point of view, the alternative 5 spokes are attractive.