PaulS555

My SL55 is scheduled to be built at the end of May for a late June delivery.
I placed a non-refundable $5k deposit down on the car, and I have until 4/15 to finalize my order. For me to take this car, I have to get rid of all my other toys – M5, M3, and Boxster – And get some type of beater SUV. I need room for the kids….
I gotta say, I’m having second thoughts. I know the SL55 is a great drivers car – I’ve read the reports – but I also know that some people aren’t very happy with the brake feel.
Can anyone comment?
I’m leaning towards ordering the Magma Red with Ash interior,, panoramic roof, keyless go, BiXenons, and the active seats.
If I decide not to take the car, and want to pass the car on to someone else, would the Magma Red be an impediment? I also like Black.
I WILL miss a manual shifter.
I just can’t decide what to do, so I’m trying to hedge my bets.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Paul

bobafett

To sacrifice 3 cars for one is a pretty big step. If financial considerations aren't the driving factor - while I'd like to say you've done the right thing, it's really very difficult to say so. With the m5 (e39?) you had the perfect everyday car. The m3, must've been a great GT, and the boxster a nice convertible. Now, with the SL, you're getting a *great* package, but at the expense of all three.

Do you really like this car that much?

--Dan

Ebrigham

This is a tough call and I have to agree with bobafett. Unless you have a 5 car fleet, the need to sell off three cars may be an indication it's too much of a stretch. But you aren't asking for financial advice so I'll keep it to myself. Personally, I do not think the car is overpriced but I have no personal experience with it. As far as break feel is concerned, I always viewed it as a weakness that could be overcome. I think it's a great car. If it's no big stretch for you, I say go for it. Just make sure your troop transport/grocery getter is acceptable.

Is a non-refundable deposit the norm? What dealer are you going to??

Ronald

Hi Paul,

the brakes are really incredible. Especially if you switch from an M3/M5 the feeling won't be as direct, but you'll get used to it after just a few hours. Afterwards it's very easy and intuitive to control the massive braking power.

As a comparison: The standard CL/S-class breaks feels a lot worse!

Ronald

Doody

life is exceptionally short, dude. if you have to trade 10 cars to get the one you want, then trade 'em. the fact that you're trading cars shows financial responsibility just as much, if not more, than any stretching.

hey - nobody really needs that many cars anyway! you can get really nice family haulers for really reasonable money these days. have your dealer do a 3-for-2 deal with a used ML or a used E wagon.

none of those three trades are going to do anything but seriously depreciate from here. assuming you've enjoyed them - save and savor those memories and swap the cars for a new experience.

life moves pretty fast......

doody.

northbenz

Trading BMW's for a Mercedes is a no brainer. (Just my prejudice though.) Seriously it sounds like you want the SL55 but others in the household are saying go ahead, but we need a kid transporter so to make peace in the family you have to get the SUV - and with two new vehicles it requires making some room. On that SUV I've heard great reports about the new Infiniti product that has a Nav that even works and lets you see behind as well. Alternatively the new Sienna minivan from Toyota with all wheel drive and split fold flat 3rd row seats sounds like a winner. If you get it the DVD player for the kids is a great option.

JackStraw

I think you need to consider how many people you need to transport. If it is just the wife and two kids, keep the M5, ditch the M3 and Boxster and forget about the SUV. If you have more than this to transport, you are starting to get into minivan territory (unless you can find an SUV that COMFORTABLY seats 5). If this is the case, the M5 won't work as the family vehicle.

PaulS555

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen.
I have three children, and my wife drives a Honda Odyssey (with a better NAV system than my M5.)
Right now the Honda S2000 and 01 M3 cab are company cars, and I lease the 02 M5.
Bobafet, I remember your name from bmwm5.com.
I see you went to the dark side...

I'm not wealthy , but I have a very understanding wife; likewise a board of directors with my company.
To be honest, I'm kinda bored with the S2000. I like the fact that I can take the M3 out and carry four people with the top down.
I love the M5, and would be very sad to see it go..
BUT - 493 HP with a great shape is hard to resist.
So I'm thinking I'll get rid of the M3 and S2000, and somehow hang on to rthe M5. I can lease the Sl55 for about $1,800/month with no money down, but I think I'll have to keep the car for duration of it's lease. I think it would be rather difficult to put it on a swaplease-type site with that type of payment.
Or I could just get rid of the S2000, pass on the SL55 and lose my $5k deposit, and be first in line for the rumored SL65 next year.
I hate the thought of learning an expensive lesson, though.
Decisions, decisions. Damn.

I hate the thought of learning an expensive lesson, though.
Decisions, decisions. Damn.

northbenz

If your deposit on the SL55 is non-refundable then your seller should allow you the option of finding an alternative buyer. If I recall correctly there are persons on this board who would even be willing to pay you a nominal premium to get your slot and their SL55 earlier. (I assume you are dealing with a leasing company as most Mercedes dealers I know of would give your deposit back in a heart beat just to keep you as good customer.)

Eurosport

i'd sell the odyssey, m3, s2k, keep the m5, divorce the wife, move the kids with grandma and get the sl55



on a serious note
m5 and sl55 by each other everyday is priceless

bobafett

Paul, what can I say - you're doing it too?

Hmm, if you had the option of dumping only the S2k and the m3, I would say do it in a heartbeat! One alternative might be to let go of the m5 and s2k if that's a better option?

Regarding your non-refundable deposit - I'm sure there are many people who would gladly step up for a sooner delivery, but I find it very strange that the dealer is not giving you an option here...

If leasing the car instead of the m3 and s2k through your company is an option that works out - maybe that's best?

--Dan

bimmerlover

man you took the words right outta my mouth

blueSL

IMHO, the SL55 is a truly great car and you shouldn't think twice about taking one. The SL65, if it happens, and if it's available in the US, is unlikely to offer a huge amount more and it will be rather more expensive as well. Remember that Mercedes have the SLR coming out, so the SL65 could not out-perform that.

If you need to thin down your cars to be able to have the SL55, well maybe the SL55 and a well chosen - interesting - car for family use is the way to go. Maybe the M5 already does that, maybe one of the upscale SUVs will be better. Either way, you should go with the SL55, I am delighted with mine.

evanichka

i also agree that waiting for sl65 is not going to be worth it. it obviously is going to be less bang for the buck than the sl55, which is already expensive to begin with

i have to agree with others that you should keep the m5 and get the sl55. might be hard to let go three cars for just one, but i feel that sl55 would be worth it

however, if you decide to back out on the sl55... im one of those ppl who would gladly pay a small premium to have your slot

carcrazy

if it makes sense financially to you, it is a no brainer to get the SL55, my friend who owns a Porshe Turbo was very very impressed even though he could not open it up as it is still in the break period. It handles great, tight, and the brakes fine.

reminder99

evanichka,

I might be able to get you a Diamond Silver/Charcoal for you for about $8K over if you are interested. The car would be for immediate delivery on a West Coast dealer.

Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks.

James

WyattH

If your kids are young, or even just relatively small, the M5 could work as a 5 seater. Also, how often do ALL 5 of you go out together? If it's only once in a while, the M5 will do. If they are young, the M has plenty of room, and you can look at a different car in a few years... I agree with Eurosport... SL55 + M5 = HEAVEN!

Maybe you can get an SL500 with a little less of a burden... Maybe, just a thought.

Doody

don't know if you're still interested in opinions, dude, but here's another yet another one!

all this M5 fawning is making me a bit ill

i owned an E39 M5 and if i had an M5 and an SL55 in the garage, i'd never drive the M5 UNLESS i had to carry the family (which i did in fact do), in which case, i wouldn't "drive" the M5, i'd just be "transporting people in it" (which i did).

once you strap the kiddies in, you may as well be driving a used beater 528 with knobby snow tires on it.

i got rid of my M5 'cuz i had a 996TT in the garage next to it and i never ever (ever) drove the M5.

the M5 is a fine car, but you'll just never drive it. lose it along with the others and get a car appropriate (safe as houses, roomy, etc.) for hauling the kids around as a second vehicle. you'll want to drive the SL55 every day of the week and twice on sunday.

my two pennies, worth precisely what you paid for them.

doody.

WyattH

Doody holds a valid point there...

Is that a 550 (575M) Maranello on your avatar above the F355 Berlinetta??? I loooooove the Maranellos!

JustinTRW

I would not call the SL55 a driver's car. A driver's car is something like a 911 GT3 or your M3. In terms of driver involvement, all three cars you currently own give you more. That is not to say the SL55 is not entirely awsome. It's a hard choice, but I won't suggest anything to you because it's really on you. If you can get a nice SUV, then maybe it makes your choice easier.

55-BEAR

Best of both worlds IMHO!

Bear

blueSL

Wish someone would explain to me what the appeal of BMWs is in general and the M5 in particular.

There are too many on the streets here, bought by aspirational middle-achievers who think headlight washers are where it's at - they are everywhere and although the M5 may be at the top of the tree, the 5 series is now a dated design, soon to be replaced by a worse one which is every bit as ugly as the 7 series.

My own experience of BMW (not first hand, I wouldn't touch them with a barge-pole as we say here) is that they are badly made and unreliable. I don't know which is worse, the quality of the cars or the attitude of the dealers.

Bilal

LOL,

I agree with BlueSL, whats so damn special. The 5er is gong to be replaced with an even more badly designed car, and giving it 550BHP doesn't help anything. Sure autocar will go nuts and **** their pants, but will the average joe public here in London give a rats *** about how good the car handles on the "twisties" on the M1/M25?

55-BEAR

bobafett

Your closed-mind attitude and presumptions based on silly comments (there are too many) without ever having driven the car really does nothing for you. And frankly, it's your loss.

--Dan