OtisSL55AMG

Can everyone on this Forum please tell me how much they paid over sticker for their SL55 AMG? I have one coming for $35,000 in about two weeks and the market seems to be getting cheaper and cheper and deciding whether I should wait. Thanks.

blueSL

I'm not in the US, but I bought mine at an MB dealer with no premium. Non-MB dealers have been charging $35-40k but that now seems to be down to $25k.

That may be due to improving supply or initial demand satisfied or the global economy/political situation all of which will continue to depress prices. On the other hand, there's also the seasonal factor. Next spring, I would expect the premium to increase a bit as people wake up to the idea of an SL for the summer.

Difficult call, but I do know my SL55 is not getting much use at the moment, the weather is just too awful to enjoy any car. My SL600 is my daily driver instead, hard top firmly in place.

London Lad

The same as Blue I paid list in the UK. There are a lot of 55s in the London Sunday Times for between £10,000 and £15,000 over list.

I know of 3 new U.K. cars locally, physically available now at £7,500 over with 3 more coming in 2 or 3 weeks.

I think the premium is nearly over in the UK although Blue maybe right about the summer.

Graham.

morebhp

Same as BlueSL and London Lad - List in the UK!

Long may demand outstrip supply. I'd be happy if I could run and enjoy mine for a year and get out with a £10k (15K USD) loss.

Hard to see what I will want next though

Fast_Bubba

$0; left deposit approximately 9 months ago and ordered officially in September

sillydriver

I was the first to pay list at my local dealership.

Mustard

Noticed dealers in the US can sell over list. Do you English guys know if it is still illegal for MBUK dealers to get over list for their cars, or do they do it anyway? The independents seem to get all the action.

I do know MBUK had a programme a while ago to flood the importers with cars early in a launch of a new model to get the premiums down as quickly as possible, probably because their dealers were moaning they weren't able to get the same premiums, which often far exceeded the dealer's margins. They then string out waiting times later in the car's model life.

There are now short order cars for sale in the Sunday Times at list or below.

This is all second hand from a dealer, so may be an exaggeration, but makes economic sense in the long run, I guess.....

blueSL

Since I'm semi-retired, I tend to take a slightly longer term perspective on things and I'm planning to keep my car for a while, as with morebhp, it's difficult to know what I'd replace it with. My name is down at the dealers for a 230 facelift and the next generation (R231?), so my future is pretty much mapped out for the next, say, 10 - 15 years.

If something else comes along in the meantime, I may get rid of my SL600 and F355 which will be clunkers by then and buy it but the SL55 is destined for a long sojourn at chateau blueSL.

mookie

Have one coming end of January, paying sticker.

Mr. Xristo

After placing my deposit a year and a half ago I will be paying Sticker!

OtisSL55AMG

Thanks to everyone for the premium info

morebhp

UK deales, as far as I am aware, can not sell new cars above list but they can sell used cars at market price.

Hence the first SL55 into my dealer was sold and bought back with 200 miles on the clock and resold at 20k above list, to a friends dad!

theine

Maybe it would be worth for the desperate one to buy it in the UK and bring it to the USA! Just an idea.
Unfortunately USA dealers take advantage of the situation.

blueSL

Well morebhp, your friend's dad must be more than a little narked to find that you've just got yours for list, That's £20k down the drain.

morebhp

It has wound his son up who has had one on order for a good while. His lads is an early 03 delivery I think.

davidxxxx

Just got offered a full spec UK supplied car in black at 5000.00 GBP behind UK list. The guy wanted a GT2, I was offered the car from the Porsche dealer.Went back into the MB network at 7k behind list. Car was one month old with 900 Miles.

Looks to me that the over list on these cars is about to end. My own car to F1 Pace car spec is due to arrive in Dec. Been offered small margin due to the only RHD to this spec.May take it depends how it drives.

996 GT2 640BHP Tech Art engine.
X5 4.6is
Range Rover TD6 New style
360 Sp Reg no 360S

mookie

Hey davidxxxx u have some collection of cars! What did u do to the GT2 and why? What is the Ferrari like compared to the SL55 and what is the 360Sp?

blueSL

I think he means 360 Spyder/Spider. Proof, if we needed it, that prices are softening and noone should be paying over list if they can help it.

London Lad

davidxxxx

What mods did you have done to get to F1 Pace car spec ?

Was this work done by AMG?

Thanks

Graham.

davidxxxx

High power engine. To 340KPH. 100mm race cat exhaust. Body kit to pace car with extra brake cooling vents. 19" Split rimms as pace car. . All work done at AMG.

zshly

David, can you describe the split rims on the pace (safety) car replica. As far as I know, the safety car has 1-piece AMG 5-spokers (Styling III), or am I living in the past?

Regards,

davidxxxx

For the SL55 to top 200 MPH at Nardo it must have been derestricted. As stated before AMG do not say by how much it ads on to the BHP when they remove to limiter.

All i was told was that there is a increase in BHP, they also remap the kompreser. It is my veiw that for the SL to blow off a GT2 it would need at least 550/575 BHP. I have been told that there is a massive increase in torque. As Ken tyerell used to say BHP sells cars torque wins races.

As for the rimms 19" two part as per pace car. Body work mods required to fit to TUV regs. Just sold SL500 new style last month. Just about the best every day I have ever owned.

London Lad

Sorry to disappoint but the pace car doesn’t have 19" split rims and the AMG de-restriction work (about E2,500) doesn’t add any power at all, it just removes the top speed limiter and changes the speedo.

You may also be interested to know that the rear fender mods are done with a mallet!

Graham.

davidxxxx

Without sounding rude, you are misinformed on the size of the wheels in the F1 pace car. I conceder to have been extremely fortunate to have attended 4 F1 races this year with Paddock club.

On 2 occasions my self and members of my party were driven round for one lap in the F1 pace car, guess what it had 19" AMG two piece rimms.

As for the derestricting you are correct the price is 2500 E, this is to remove the limiter change the speedo and the higer speed rubber, AMG also take over the warrenty from this point.

As for not increaseing the power, have you ever driven a GT2 on full power, it is absoutely terrifying. This car will out gun every production car apart from the big Mac. You can not rate the GT2 along side the SL55, both cars in my veiw are top of there class.

Dont forget this car is a road version of the GT1 Le MAN racer, not to be confused with a run of the mill 996TT.Takeing this into account i can not see how the SL55 with just the delimiter removed out gunned the GT2 to 200MPH by some 15 secs without a power upgrade.

Have you ever driven a Mitsubishi with the Speed limter removed before and after, there is a massive diff in mid range power. In any event as soon as i get my car im off the G-Force in bucks they have a roilling road rated to 1000 BHP, so we will soon see.

Sorry no more posts till i get my car, im off to HK visting customers.

996GT2 640BHP Tech Art GT street spec engine.
4.6is X5
Range Rover 3.0d
360 SP Soft top, reg plate 360S
Sunseeker Pred 54

davidegai

I got mine at 5% below list, most dealers in Switzerlabd have at least one SL 55 on stock, and they are not allowed by contract to sell under MSRP