oppiefive

Have an issue that I need help with.. I am in the market for a SL55, found a 2003 at a MB dealer. One owner 36,000 miles with clean VMI( no issues at all since birth)..Car is SIlver/grey asking 39,000. The price seems high, although I havenot been able to find low milage cars in a affortable range.. Am I making a mistake getting an 03? Please help!!




Peter

jmf003

Several of us have very reliable 2003s. If the history is clean, that car might well be reliable but there are no guarantees, of course.

Good luck with your search!

aluthman

After fixing some pre-existing issues after buying my car, my '03 has been great. I have however had a few issues with 20" wheels and potholes...

dan1495

I sold my 28,000 mile 2003 SL55 late last year and have been sorry ever since. It was a great car. I just bought a very nice 2008 CLK550 convertible but there is no comparison.
Go for it!

B R

36k miles is low, that's only about 4.5K per year.

oppiefive

Other than GPS system, what else is the major difference between the years? I would also like to know if the price seems ok?

Thanks!!!

IngenereAMG

The cars are essentially the same. I have had my '03 since new and it has been brilliant! I know I wouldn't sell mine for $39K.

lagolag

My 03 has 112kmiles on the clock, the previous owner drove 235 Miles daily during 24 months in 2006 to 2008,commuting to his office.

Cars are made to be used and the worst thing is having them standing still, don't be afraid of a long distance one as long as all the Services/Inspections are carried out i time.

Seattle SL AMG

I think you should go for it as well! I love my SL and wouldn't trade it for any other car. I did however have a few problems along the way. Make sure to take a flashlight when inspecting the car and look carefully at the ignition battery under the hood. Try and look carefully at the battery tray and under compartment. I just had a major problem with battery acid leaking and had to replace the battery and clean up a big mess. Apparently, these models are well known to have this problem. Also, another well known problem is the trunk auto assist. I had problems with my auto assist not working due to cracks in the plastic where the air valves are. But thanks to the great people on this forum got it fixed :https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...w-fix-diy.html

Other than that my car has been running great. Good luck on the buy and hope you get it.

oppiefive

Good morning to all..I am going to make the jump! I just want to be sure that the price is ok. The dealer seems very fixed on the 39,000. Thanks for all of your feedback.


Peter

m_berman

Very Important. Negotiate some sort of bumper to bumper warranty.

Fidelity and Easycare are the two top contenders. Get the most mileage/time coverage as possible.

alx

I would not pay more than 35k for this car if in pristine condition. 39k only if they throw in a bumper to bumper 4 year 50k mile extended warranty...

oppiefive

Thanks for the info!!!

nir

I agree - $35K max. 2003's as long as they have clean history are just fine. I have owned 2 of them with no major issues.

jwrichter

Great to hear all you 2003 owners have had no serious issues. These cars are really awesome!