I hate making posts like this because it shows how indecisive I am over my next purchase

Wants:
- I've always loved the SL65. Powerful, beautiful, sharp GT hardtop convertible.
- I've previously told my father I would purchase an SL600 for him for his retirement, so after driving this a few years I may give this to him
- 2005-2008 model years is where it's at.
- Black exterior and black interior is the color combo I've always loved (although white/black sure does look nice!)
- Power of the SL65 over the SL600 doesn't really bother me - 500 hp/600 lbft is "good enough" for my cruiser
- It's time to put the top down and feel the V12....

SL600 vs SL65:
- I prefer the SL65 exhaust, bumpers, wheels, and taillights. I prefer to keep it stock, save possibly a lowering module for the ABC. If I went the SL600 route, I'd probably end up wanting to replace all these items to the SL65 versions. Only thing I like more in the SL600 is the matching wood steering wheel over the plain "sport" wheel in the SL65.

SL65:
- I prefer the 07-08 models due to the revised bumpers, tails, calipers, and paddle buttons. I also believe there were updates in 07 to the ABC?

SL600:
- I prefer the 07-08 sport models due to the better looking bumpers and same items as the SL65.

Pricing:
- I will be financing this purchase since cash flows into other investments are better than dumping a large amount of money into a depreciating asset. (I normally pay them off way early, but in the beginning I always find the payments better).
- Most 05-06 SL600's I'm finding are in the $27-33k range. Does this seem too "cheap"? I assume (haven't confirmed yet) the SL600 will be better with my insurance premiums.
- Most of the 07-08 SL600's are in the $50-65k range, which I find way too expensive comparing the same models just a year or two earlier
If I go the "older" SL route, I can use the money difference to get the 07-08 SL65 bits swapped out, although I don't know how readily available (and expensive) they are.
- Most 05-06 SL65's I'm liking are in the $37-43k range. Obviously wouldn't have the minor extras like the shift paddles and the slightly newer front bumper. Unsure if these will be less reliable than 07+.
- Most 07-08 SL65's I'm liking are in the $48-54k range (and up to $80k). This would be the nicest purchase, but also the most expensive. Is it worth going this route for marginal benefit, or using the extra cost toward something else?

Thanks for the opinion guys.

 

First off... payments for cars are the biggest BS, you can do!
You are still dumping money into an depreciating asset, even if you pay off early ( you could telling here the truth...but what if not)
At the very end, Interests and loan insurances kill basically your idea of trying to safe your money.
So if your up to fool us here at least dont fool yourself.
Well whatever Im not your financial councellor so lets move to your original question:
Usually any car you buy newer ( 07+ ) will be better then an older car however the overall condition, mileage is a big factor, here.
Its so hard to give you the right suggestion as we cant look into the cars you are about to purchase.
The biggest thing that would kept me away from these mentioned SLs ...is the ABC system, it is known to make problems.
So whenever your up to buy yourself such a car...by all means take an certified mech with you and dont buy yourself someone elses headache.
Dont want to even think about the situation you would put yourself financing such a car and the ABC goes down south...not good...
Sure guarantee...but start hasseling around with dealers and shops, guarantees and what not...you will see its a biiig hassle, headache and sleepless night, so IMHO no need for that!
Hey ever thought about an CLK 6.3 ? Great reliable cars....no ABC.

 

First off, a car loan is NOT necessarily a bad thing. If the interest rate is lower than the rate you can earn on your money in another appreciating account, it makes sense to leave it there. For example, the stock market was up 20% in 2013. It would be stupid to take money out of the market when it is so hot just to prevent losing 3% on a car loan. There can be other reasons to get a car loan, such as putting it under your business for tax reasons, etc.

Next, I have been making a spreadsheet with SL 65 AMG prices I can find. It is a bubble chart with the X-axis as the year, the Y-axis is price, and the bubble size is the mileage (bigger bubble = more miles). As you can see that higher mileage usually means lower prices, so larger bubbles in the same year are typically lower. There is also a best-fit line, so you can see the average price. I have tried to note if there are special additions like RennTech mods or rims, etc.

 

First off,
it's tiresome to read people lectures on financing/leasing, etc. Do what you like...

If you can get a SL65 for the same or less than a 600, go for that. No reason not to and no need to get busy upgrading the 600.
With maintenance and repairs, both cars will be reasonably similar in cost with an edge to the 600. Both cars will be pricey though, so cars with existing extended warranties should be considered first.

It's equally tiresome reading people's rants about ABC, especially when they haven't had a car with ABC.
If you buy a 600 or 65, even minor issues will cost you large amounts of money, ABC just being one of them.
The R230 also has a large marketplace of used and rebuilt parts, so there is lots of money to be saved when going that route and being handy.

After all, you are getting a fantastic car at budget prices that delivers an incredible fun factor.

 

First off, Stock market is gambling, so theres no guaranteed money and plain and simple very naiv to think that way you described.I think you posted here the best and easiest way to become broke. Hey coincidence it is called broker?
Also seems to me with your bubbles you got to much time on your hands, theres no need to show off great bubble making skills on here...
I dont need bubbles to understand an older car is less worth then an newer car, but thats just me though
Im still highly recomending wether car choice will be made, should be with an at least mechanically inclined person...otherwise its going obviously only in one direction, down the drain.

 

Well you know, its your statement and if you basically dont care about others lifes, really dont give a darn thing at it and basically see just avatars on here instead of real people with real families and all what leads to a happy living, if I would see it the same then...Yes I would agree with you, Id also would be with you on the same page regarding friendly advices on finacing and leasing...but man ...open up your eyes.
Everyday people suffer and everyday others get drowned in dept...and its the sadest part of this game.
So in other words dont do what you like, do what is reasonable for you, so noone around you suffers with your decision!
You are right, to hear people bragging about ABC and not even owned a car with that system is very annoying, I also dont like that and I think with this said, I clarified it for you and others.
My oppinion is ABC system is very fragile! Many people have problems with it, great system no doubt about it....but parts do age...issues occur.

A member on here allready started converting his CL and throwing out the ABC system for an "ordinary" suspension setup, if he gets successful with it, most problems regarding the ABC systems will be history.


As for the SL65 SL600:
Aftermarket is huge and parts can be had for the S600 as well as for the SL65 for almost the same amount of money, agreeing with you.

 

Wow... It was an EXAMPLE, of which I posted two and alluded to others. I never said you should jump into the stock market when you don't know anything about it. (By the way, if you have any retirement savings, they are probably invested in... the stock market!) There are a number of reasons someone might choose a loan. Just because you can't think of one doesn't mean someone might not choose one for their needs. In any case, the whole thing is

I guess you don't know much about using Excel, visualizing data, or best fit lines. The graph took me a whopping couple minutes to create. The whole point is the best fit line which shows the average price for a given year, but the bubbles help show the range. The graph gives a quick visual of average prices and ranges per year. That's what this thread is supposed to be about... SL buying recommendations and prices...

 

I'd like to know where the OP is finding all of those 05-06 SL65's for the prices indicated.

 

Reading post u want SL65 so go for that one rather than modifying 600.

 

Most of those prices have been found on eBay over the last 4 - 5 months. I only put the price if there was a "Buy it now" button so I really knew what the price was.

 

AutoTrader and Cars.com

Thanks for the feedback so far guys

 

Yep I started out looking for an 07/08, SL65 for around $80k too.

Dave

 

I had an 06 and it liked the shop alot. My 09 had been flawless. Any car that is complex and was 200K new is not going to be cheap to fix. As with any other car buy the newest, lowest milage, best condition car you can afford. An Sl600 is a great car but not if you still want a SL65 when you get it. Save some money for repairs and maintance. Brakes etc, are not cheap on these cars. It could be as much as 5K a year or more. Tires are 1500 a set.

 

in my experience mileage has not been a reliability indicator with those cars.

updated parts however are the determining factor. and those parts usually are presented in the "higher" mileage cars.

 

My 09 Sl65 with 17k has had no repairs in two years. My 64k mile Sl65 was in once a month for small stuff mostly. Your mileage may vary.

 

I went to go look at an 05 Silver SL65 today that was local (there are no local SL600's). One word: STUNNING.

I realized that pictures and videos don't do this car justice. This car was stock, and I was blown away. The did an excellent detail job on the car, because I normally don't like silver cars. Was absolutely floored by how awesome this car looked. I didn't test drive it because it was 30 degrees outside, plus it was inside in their locked garage and since I wasn't intending on buying it today, I didn't want to waste the salesman's time. All the contrasting details, sitting in it felt like you were oozing in luxury, was amazing. The lit up blue 'V12 Biturbo' in the dash was awesome.

Opening the hood showed the beautiful engine cover, although I realized how cramped everything is inside that engine bay. There was a quick realization of "whoa, I don't know anything in here", since I've gotten used to the basic ins and outs of the 55 engine. I guess I'll adapt to this one since I like to do most of the maintenance work myself. With this, I was also given a quick dose of maintenance reality seeing the plug and wires going into the strut mount.

I was also happy to see that they had a couple of Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadsters there, since I've been looking at those as well (as well as the DB9; I really like the DBS but way out of my price range). Definitely a nice car, but I think I was more attracted the SL. Talking with the salesman, he also discussed how the Vantage is like a British Camaro. It's a great sports car, more like a gentleman's car (grown up British Camaro?), but it's not all that fast, etc. SL and Vantage no comparison he said. They also had a Vantage Coupe in pearl white, definitely a beautiful car.

Overall, I was amazed at how different today's SL65 looked in person vs. in pictures. I had parked my Viper next to one at a hotel and was checking it out, but something about it just didn't stand out to me at the time (probably because I was driving my Viper, and that has killer looks, and the sculpting is so different between both cars that they kind of contrast in a negative way against each other). But seeing it independently today (against a plethora of other beautiful cars), I think the SL65 is the way to go. The paddle buttons (instead of paddles) and center-dash-looks-like-my-C-class-dash actually didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I think this is the way to go.

 

Went through a similar experience when I purchased my 63. There was a V8 Vantage at the same dealer at exactly the same price. Although I loved the Vantage and had been coveting one for some time, the SL63 side by side was the superior car in just about every way. I've only had the SL for a year now, but still no regrets I bought it and not the Vantage.

I know not comparable to the 65, but in the year I've had the 63 I've had no maintenance issues at all. It is a 2009 with 30,000 miles.

 

I'm doing my rounds today of sending emails and making phone calls on cars I'm interested in. Specifically, has anyone gone to see this SL65 in NY? The pricing is very aggressive and I'm wondering if they're just trying to dump it or if there's something seriously wrong with the car. Thanks.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...ngId=358939865

 

Seems like a pretty good deal on the surface. It is below the average asking price for that year and mileage. Definitely think you need to take a close look at it before you buy though.

 

The amount of mental diarrhea backed up in your brain is simply astounding, it's miraculous you were even able to regurgitate this fecal matter back onto the Internet, even though it's barely legible simply amazing sir

 

They are 33k into this car. Nothing spectacular in terms of pricing.

Good luck.

 

What do you mean by "33k into this car"?

 

That is what they paid for it. And I am giving them the benefit of doubt as this is most likely a trade in (no mb dealer will touch this car with a 10-foot pole under other circumstances) so they got it below wholesale anyway.

 

Interesting. Thanks for that bit of info.

 

Why do you say that?