SL55/63/65/R230 AMG Are there any year's model of the SL55 should be avoided?

Feb 2, 2009 | 03:07 AM

kcphuah

Thread Starter

Member

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 103

Likes: 7

911

Are there any year's model of the SL55 should be avoided?

Thinking of buying a used one as value has really dropped on these gorgeous cars. However, want to get some feedbacks as to how reliable the 03 or 04 are. And exterior wise, are they any differences to the 06 and let say 04? Thanks.

Ken

Feb 2, 2009 | 09:47 AM

jmf003

MBWorld Fanatic!

Joined: Dec 2005

Posts: 1,653

Likes: 5

From: Ann Arbor

'03 SL55

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcphuah

This topic comes up from time to time and you can probably find quite a bit of information if you search past postings. The short story is, the earlier years were more problematic than later years although that doesn't mean any particular car will be reliable or unreliable. There are several active forum members with very reliable 2003s.

As far as exterior differences go, there were definitely minor changes from year-to-year but nothing major until the 2009 redesign.

Feb 2, 2009 | 10:09 AM

Sharkster

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2006

Posts: 388

Likes: 1

From: Austria

Mercedes

I upgraded my 04 SL55 to the 07 body style (see picture, left: before, right: after). There were quite a lot of minor bodystyle changes from 06-07 cars. There were also some changes at the rear: different tail-lights (clear glas) and the third brake light (also clear glas).

However, since all of these changes were really minor, it's relatively easy and inexpensive to upgrade a pre-07 SL to the 07 bodystyle.

Attached Thumbnails

Are there any year's model of the SL55 should be avoided?-mopf1_umbau.jpg

Last edited by Sharkster; Feb 2, 2009 at 10:11 AM.

Feb 2, 2009 | 02:30 PM

sound 8

MBWorld Fanatic!

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 2,838

Likes: 19

From: U.K.

SL 63 W/B AMG , S600,C220

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcphuah

Don't buy a 2002, they were plagued by teething troubles, you should have seen all the warrant items replaced when it was new. I have also spent about 8k repairing various things. I would start at late 03 model.

Feb 2, 2009 | 03:32 PM

LOVEMYBS

Super Member

Joined: Oct 2007

Posts: 917

Likes: 1

From: Manassas, VA

10 Cayenne GTS, 07 Porsche 911 Turbo

Yes, my soon to be repaired 06.

Feb 2, 2009 | 11:08 PM

damian155

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 252

Likes: 0

From: Jersey

SL55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharkster

I want to upgrade my 03 also. The mesh on the 07 front bumper has larger holes, question is.. did you have to change the rear bumper mesh also to match or did that not change through the years?

Feb 2, 2009 | 11:47 PM

Sharkster

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2006

Posts: 388

Likes: 1

From: Austria

Mercedes

Quote:

Originally Posted by damian155

I want to upgrade my 03 also. The mesh on the 07 front bumper has larger holes, question is.. did you have to change the rear bumper mesh also to match or did that not change through the years?

The mesh on the rear bumper did not change IMO. Thus I stuck to the 04 bumper and the 04 mesh.

However I did notice a minor change in the turning signals in the external rear mirrors between the 04 and 05 models (do a direct comparism on pics of 04 and 05 cars to see what I mean). That change was really, really small, so I stuck to the 04 turning signals in the rear mirrors aswell.