Chris-W

After waiting an age for these paddle shifters to be ready my patience has finally got to me..

If I was to purchase this

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...Q5fAccessories

Would I be able to fit it to me 2003 sl55 without to much fuss?

maxabo

Well, it fits, sure.
But don't expect the paddles to work, because there, I'm not too sure!
It's been said/written here that a guy in the Netherlands can fix that though...

And since I have that same steering wheel that you are about to buy in my 2005 SL600 (without shifting possibillities there at all), I kinda hope it's true..!

Chris-W

How about this one.. At least then I dont need to buy new buttons and and airbag!?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...Q5fAccessories

I cant beleive that mercedes would actually make the shifter buttons and paddles electrically different ?

Marcus Frost

Chris,

There is a local mb expert working on paddles for our cars. He currently has the wheel off my 65 and has successfully put together a set of paddles using all OEM parts. I believe he is planning on offering this service publically just as soon as we can test it and make sure there are no glitches.

Agree 100% shifter buttons on the R230 are incredibly stupid.

-m

allenjdmb

do you have any more pix of your 65 posted anywhere? What method did you use to lower her? Your height looks excellent, and I'm trying to make sure I get my 55 right. Thanks if you can....

maxabo

The airbag you have today fits on the flat bottom wheel too, no problem there!
But I'm sorry to say, that you'll have the same trouble with that last wheel also, since it has paddles...

And the reason for that, I think, is because on the wheel with buttons you can shift up/down on both sides.
But on wheels with paddles, there's up-shift on one side, and down-shift on the other...
That can at least be a part of the reason why.

lkirchner

I have been down this road before and can honestly tell you that there is no way that the wheel will work in your car. The early , 2003 to mid year 2005 SL55's, have a wheel that is different than any other year. I tried to buy the shifter button for my car (long story as to why I needed one) and was finally informed by AMG that for the early SL55's the only possibility was to buy the entire wheel.

Marcus Frost

Allen,

The picture in my profile is actually at stock height for the 65. I will be using the STAR/DAS to lower the car, the same way I did for the E55.

When the 65 comes out of hibernation it will look quite a bit different than it does in my sig pic.

-m

lkirchner

On the button wheel you shift up on the right side and down on the left just as in the paddles. The difference is in the circuitry on the buttons vs the paddles. Many a person has tried but I am not aware that any one has done it successfully.

Sharkster

You actually CAN make the paddles work, but you need to modify the paddles heavily. Different resistors and a different microswitch in the right paddle... et voila: They work!

I know this for sure, since they work in my car. I have a 2007 AMG performance steering wheel in my 04 SL55. It was a tough road to find someone to modify the paddles.

Unfortunately, that guy doesn't modify the paddles anymore, since it seems to be just to much of a hassle to get the job done.

As for the original question: Yes, the steering wheel works. You will be able to use your old airbag and the buttons to control your COMAND will work too.

The paddles DO NOT work, but they also DO NOT cause any problems. You do not get any error messages from them or so. They just don't work.

That's simply not true. Do you actually drive an AMG car? What you said is true for Porsche's Tiptronic. But on AMG cars with "buttons" you have an upshift only and a downshift only button (just like the paddles).

maxabo

My mistake!
Mix up! I'm thinking of BMW 745...
Sorry!

As I stated earlier, my SL600 doesn't have that.
But I've driven AMG's, of course, I just had a mental lapsus..!

But I'm sooo hoping that the guy from Netherlands can get my paddles to work...

mikare

If I got paddles on my car (09 CLK350), can this one fit my car?
Can I use my origianl air bag?
Thank you very much.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merce...Q5fAccessories

maxabo

I acctually think that the paddles would work, in your case.
And the airbag most definatly, because it did even fit in my car (SL600 -05)!

mikare

Thanks!