Puma69

Hey everybody-
I just purchased an 06 SL65 w/ 22.5K miles and in excellent condition. Unfortunately my German mechanic (...he actually worked in the German plant)...about had a heart attack when he found out I purchased it. He claims that that car is nortorious for having all kind of issues with the V-12 all the way down to the electronics on the car. I told him I tried to research online for any known issues with that model...and couldn't come up with anything unusual. Anyway, does anybody here know of any inherent issues with this model? The car is still under factory warranty until 03/2010...and I have found a good exteneded bumper to bumper warranty with MasterTech VPP (issued by American Financial warranty corporation). Any information would be greatly appreciated!!!

Marcus Frost

He is right and wrong. I've had some pretty demonic problems with my 65 but they were things that with a little perseverance and some of the best MB techs in town we were able to get sorted out. I don't think it's any more/less reliable than any of the 55k cars. It does pay to have a very good technician though, as it can really make or break your ownership experience.

-m

Puma69

Thanks for the advice.

In your opinion- if the car is under either warranty (factory or extended)- do you believe that the dealer mechanics are good enough...or should I find an independent one?

Marcus Frost

It's really not a matter of if they are independent or dealer, it's a matter of competency. There are incompetent dealer techs and independent techs. You need to find someone who KNOWS the V12 cars, KNOWS the platform, and has actually put the TIME in working on them. My tech has pulled more V12s than just about anyone out there... and he knows what he's doing. In some instances you may want to consider even putting in a little travel time to have the right tech take a look at the car if the guys local to you are unable to.

-m

Puma69

In the slim chance that your tech just might know someone in Houston, TX- would you mind asking him the next time you see him? Since my tech refuses to work on V-12's - the only option I have right now is the dealer, but I want to have a backup. Thanks Marcus

sound 8

Hey, don't worry about it until it happens! Plus you still have warranty, and make sure you extend it. Stop worrying and enjoy your ride.

allenjdmb

a warranty immediately, while the factory warranty is still in effect. It's going to be a real kick in the teeth to get one after it expires. I don't think the 65 has really any more problems than most any other R230, and by the time you get to 06, the cars are quite good. Your guy may be making a judgement based on the previous 12 cyl cars (primarily S cars), and I agree, I don't want one of those either. Thing is, even if he's a good guy, he's going to be failiry limited in what he can do without SDS. The cars are just too complicated and specialized without it, and most shops are not going to make the monthly or one time investment to keep SDS up to date.
Get a warranty and start hauling azz.....

IngenereAMG

The biggest problem that I have seen with used 600s and 65s is turbo failure. I would bet that these problems come more from people failing to 'cool down' the turbos after a drive than problems with the turbos themselves.

CA_E55

Interesting comment, and I would agree with your conclusion. That said, I was surprised not to see a cool down function in this caliber car - e.g. the RS6 (4.2 V8) has an auxiliary water pump for turbo bearing cooling, even the radiator fan would run-on if needed. Result: Turbo bearing failures are virtually unheard of with the Audi crowd.
Of course MB mandating the low end Mobil1 does not help us either.

JR.

..

first of all, i wouldn't own ANY MB without a warranty..

i have 2 in the garage now and am looking to add a third (S65) so as you can see i like the company.

i currently have the daimler/chrysler service contract on my 55 and looked into chrysler service contract, or easy care or fidelity warranty services sold by my local MB dealer for the upcoming 65 purchase.

there are plenty of companies that will sell them to you and they are worth the $$.

enjoy the car, who knows how much longer BIG hp cars will be available.

..

Marcus F. love to know who the service tech is that you love..

..

nick 55

As far as a warranty is concerned, you are purchasing a car that cost almost $200k new. Even though you may get to take advantage of somebody else losing their a** on the depreciation, it is still a $200k car to repair. These cars are very well built, and for the most part are very trouble free, but parts do wear out, things break, and seals leak. It is impossible for your car to never have a problem. When it does, it will be expensive. If your car is still under factory warranty I would ABSOLUTELY, positively, without a doubt, purchase the MB extended warranty. It is by far the best coverage available, with the fastest turn around time(no waiting for an inspector to come out and look at failed components). It may be a little more than easycare, or others, but if, IF, something big breaks, your car will not be waiting for the warranty company to find some obscure used part to send to the dealership. Does it mean you will be tied to an MB dealer for covered repairs, yes, but they will probably already have all of the special tools necessary for diagnosis and repair of your car. A tech familiar with all aspects of V12 cars may even have the tools by his bay all the time Maybe you could ship your car up to Marcus' tech if you have problems.

And, to quote "The Great, All Knowing, Ever Powerful" Marcus Frost:

"Just my $.02"

Nick

Marcus Frost

Puma69: I don't think he does, unfortunately. The problem is the vast majority of techs see working on these cars as just a job rather than something they have actual enthusiasm for, and that's really the core of the problem. I think there are decent MB techs out there who can do most simple things, but you may have to have a backup plan if they don't come through for you.

JR: Please PM the individual who's post precedes mine. That's my V12 in his signature (removed to replace tired motor mounts), and I cannot say enough good things about what he's been able to do for my 65. Email me if you want more info.

I've also used DSMED who's at Loeber in Lincolnwood and also a stand up guy who's very knowledgeable about the V12s and 55K cars. We are very fortunate here in Chicago to have what appears to be the best selection of techs in the country!

-m

sound 8

It's funny you saying that, because 20 odd years ago it was drummed into
me to leave the engine ticking over for a couple of minutes after a hard drive in my turbo cars.
I would have thought by now MB would have designed a small oil pump to carry on supplying the turbo bearings for a couple of minutes after you switch
off, I must admit I have seen no warning about it.

sf65

New to the forum as well after purchasing a 2005 SL65 on Tuesday with 25K miles. Sadly after couple of days of driving (not long nor super hard) I had trouble starting the car yesterday, it shut off quickly and only started the 5th try. Since there are no problems starting but the "check engine" light is on.
This thread made me worried a bit more...
I'm based in San Francisco, any recommendations for a good shop?

BVLDARI

how does one do this on these cars?

sf65

Quick update and sorry for possibly hijacking the thread.
First I'd like to second BVLDARI's question, how should I cool down the turbo?

As for my car I went to AutoZone and turns out they don't rent those OBD II readers anymore, but they had one on sale for $50. I hooked it up and got 8 different code:P0300, P0301, P0307, etc..

The car runs very well now and I think it was probably bad fuel in similar fashion to what was discussed on https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-sl63-amg-sl65-amg-r230/287605-wont-turn-over-rough-idle.html

Having said that as a newbie sl65 I'd highly appreciate any advice on how to keep the car problems free.

CA_E55

Just visualize how a turbo works, and the answer is pretty much self evident: The turbo charger bearing housing is essentially part of the exhaust manifold and you want to make sure its not cherry red hot when you shut down, i.e. stop the flow of oil and water circulating through the turbo.
Worst case scenario: Run the car on a race track and come in after the last lap and immediately shut down the engine - turbo fries the oil to charcoal. Instead, run a cool down lap at very low throttle opening and at good speed for high airflow through the engine bay. Drive to the pit stop, open hood and idle engine for another two to three minutes: Your engine loves you!

Or in other words, cool-down is a function of usage: Anytime the engine was under peak load for a substantial period of time, the cool-down is critical; cool-down time is proportional to how long and heavy the engine was working hard. However, if you pull off the Hwy (probably not high load anyway at the relatively limited speeds we travel!) and you have another few miles on city streets to reach your gated-subdivision, cool down becomes irrelevant.

Conversely, if you travel on German Autobahns doing 150+ for half an hour, don't pull into a rest-stop and shut the engine off immediately.

BVLDARI

^^^^^
Thanks.

So if I understand you correctly, I dont really need to worry about it under normal driving conditions, or should I budget an extra 30-60 seconds after my every destination?

nick 55

I may or may not have any experience with V12s..... That said, if it were my car, and I treat all the cars I drive like my own, I let them idle for at least 30 seconds after driving them. If I am driving on an expressway or another long trip, I may let it idle for up to 5 minutes to allow it to cool down a little bit before shutting her down.

Just my $.02

Nick

nick 55

I would second the possibility of a fuel issue based on those fault codes. P03XX codes are generally misfire codes, and the V12s are kind of finicky with fuel, and if you are not blessed with 75 degrees and sunny everyday, chances are the fuel stations in your area have summer and winter blend fuels. If you get the wrong fuel for a particular temperature(i.e. Indian Summers) or spring days, you will probably experience a long crank and rough idle after a heat soaked restart. It may be followed by a check engine light with misfires of the front 4 cylinders(1,2,7,and 8).

Also, welcome to the ownership of one of the ultimate automotive experiences! These cars really are well engineered, and Mercedes and AMG did a fantastic job of making them very easy to drive, well engineered vehicle. A good tech that knows the intricate workings of the car will make any (usually) small things that come up a minor hiccup in the ownership experience.

Nick

BVLDARI

Nick, you better be from the "may have any experience with V12s" camp or I will have to come pick up my car in the morning

sf65

Thanks everyone, I'm feeling a lot better now. But would still probably see a dealer tomorrow. The car haven't seen one in 6 months and I just want to make sure the car is well tuned.

A friend recommended Autobhan Motors (San Mateo), any other suggestions?

BVLDARI

Nick,

Any thoughts on how to properly warm up the car?

Thanks.

Happy2th

I have EXACTLY the same problem. In fact, my 06 SL65 is at the dealer right now getting diagnosed. The check engine light is on, and my autotap says several cylinders are misfiring. Occasionally it runs rough when I start it (and when that happens, the turbo won't engage). If I turn the car off and back on, everything runs great.

The other day it ran rough after I started it, so I turned it off, but then it just would not start......tried for 30 minutes. Then, all of the sudden, it just started right up.

We will see what the dealer says.....

nick 55

Let it warm up for a couple minutes at least to allow proper oil circulation, more time if the car is cold(like Chicago now). V12s warm up pretty quick and hold their heat for a long time.

Nick