55rider

Guys, Ive had this discussion with a lot of people i know , im wondering what your thoughts are
I considered buying a 500 for a moment until i read about the specs of the 55 VS the 500 and one day I took a friends 55 for a spin. I came back and decided I would sell My Jaguar XKR that moment
Now on the road I sometimes bump in to 500 drivers. Loud as a motorbike, could t bust a grape in a fruit fight type
They have the arm hanging out of the window and sitting like Al Capone behind the 500. UNTIL:, they see that Im not in a 500 but a 55. The arm goes back in the car a little bit and suddenly they dont act so tough anymore
Now those are the moments that Im really happy i didnt buy the 500
What i want to say is:
Why would there be any reason at all ( except financial reasons ) for buying a 500 in stead of a 55?
Now dont get me wrong. I have friends that could easily buy a 10 of them. They still choose the SL500. I always tell these friends they are greedy MF and they dont understand shi t about the car. And i know them for years and they are greedy MF

Since my thought is, if you can afford a 500 you can afford a 55 and when you dont your just being greedy to yourself or a ***** that's afraid hit the brake
so 2 things , aether buy a nice Volvo or don't buy the 55 . If you cant afford a 55 , you wont afford the 500

Tell me your thoughts. Would you ever ever, ever buy a 500 after youve experienced the 55?
Dont you just laugh your *** of when you come to stop next to a 500 ?Im asking this because i know almost all 55 owners are people who just love to enjoy life under the motto: " you live once, better have fun"

Zaddick

There are several reasons to buy an SL500 -
1) Cost. New the difference was about $30K. That's a lot of money.
2) You don't need the power for your driving style.
3) Maintenance. An AMG will cost you more to own.
4) You wanted one now and there were no AMGs available (when purchased new).
5) You like the seats/wheel/interior of the SL500 better.
6) Insurance costs are lower.
7) SL500s are a lot cheaper used and most people will not care/notice the difference.

Not everyone has the same preferences/needs/desires as you. I would never buy a Jetta but I see them on the road all the time. Same with the SL500.

Best,

Z

55rider

HI Zaddick, are you a SL 55 owner ?

Zaddick

yes, as noted in my little blurby thing. I was not saying I disagreed with much of what you said, just that there are plenty of reasons why one might buy a 500. I personally would not, but I might have bought an SL550 as you get most of the go you need with that engine. I just liked the SL55's driving characteristics better.

Z

55rider

Yes I agree with you I think the same . Just was wondering if you drove 55 too since t
You helped me out with other threads
The reasons you mentioned are basically 1. Financial 2. Being a *****

Thanks for the puls button advice I'm checking those options tomorrow
Any idea how I open the seat up ?

cfoster

I chose a 500 mainly because of the running cost, especially being in the UK, fuel costs are horrendous, insurance is horrendous and SL55 servicing at MD's are horrendous, plus with the roads as they are and the amount of Police (and people that can't drive), plus the traffic you rarely get the chance to put your foot down. So in my eyes it seemed the best option. Fortunately bought one with the factory AMG kit etc, just no supercharger!

I'd say thats a valid reason?

IngenereAMG

Allot of people that opt for the 500/550 may not be sports car enthusiasts, or have the need or want for the power (I still get calls from 500 guys that want more power, though).

For instance, if you lived in London, Paris or NY, you can barely use a SMART car's power, let alone 500+ hp. But they still like the look of the car and the ability to open the top on a sunny day.

The people who are here, are probably not the average buyer. We are enthusiasts, who probably grew up knowing the stats of every cool car made and dragged our parents 20 miles out of the way just to get a glimpse of something cool.

alx

most typical merc owners will not care about power, but will care for ride quality and features .
that and the price difference

carcommander

I have owned a SL500, SL55 and currently an SL65. None is cheap or cheap to maintain. Just of question of how much power you can or want to afford. Only a car nut (like me) would notice or care about the difference. My GF's never notice till some valet makes a big deal out of it.

grane

Having had a similar SL with AMG handling package, and having driven in the UK, I think you have made a great choice! Pics?