Hi guys,

I need your advice on this car near me...it's a 2004 SL55 AMG with 130k miles on it - I know thats a crap ton of miles but it was a one owner, GREAT condition, and maintained to the T. It just recently had the front bulbs replaced, battery replaced, ball joints and front strut bearings replaced (less than 20k miles ago).

I've already checked out the car in person and see no signs of roof leakage or any weird noises - seems like this thing was built like a tank.

For less than 18k, what would you personally do? And what advice can you give me on other things to check for?

 

even !5,988 seems a little high when you compare it to cars with half the mileage in your area for less than 5k more.

The lack of Keyless go seems trivial (I assume it is lacking since the pics go out of their way to exclude the top of the shifter), but this is a must have in my opinion.

Most of the service you mention happened a little over 30,000 miles ago (according to the carfax).

The fact that it is "designo mocha black metalic" seems cool (if you are looking for a black car).

This may be just the car you are looking for and in that case there is no denying it is a lot of car for the money .... but with those miles, it will be a lot of service liability as well.

If you go ahead on this, drag it to the local Mercedes Dealer for a FULL inspection before you hand over any money.

I would consider broadening your search and find a car with less than 80k


the last 2 AMGs I bought, were halfway across the country and well worth the extra bother of flying to pick them up.

Cheers,
Chris

 

too many miles for the $, too big a risk

 

agreed





Its data card suggests it is NOT designo mocha (as indicated in one of its listings) but rather obsidian black

and as I guessed, it does NOT have keyless go


TPMS and bi-xenon are the only non-standard items I see

Chassis
Sales designation: SL 55 AMG
Order number: 0 4 704 58604
Delivery date: 03 12 2003
Paint code 1: 197U OBSIDIAN BLACK
Equipment: 281A LEATHER - BLACK/ANTHRACITE
Engine no.: 113992 60 024303
Transmission: 722643 04 968380
SA code
044 NEW TELEMATICS GENERATION NTG 2.5
197U OBSIDIAN BLACK
212B OP. INSTRUCT. AND MAINT. BOOKLET-ENGL. FOR USA/CAN
221B SIGN COOLANT/REFUELING - ENGLISH
232 GARAGE DOOR OPENER WITH 284 - 390 MHZ FREQUENCY
264 LICENSE PLATE ATTACHMENT AMERICA
280A LEATHER
281A LEATHER - BLACK/ANTHRACITE
349 PREP. FOR EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM
352 COMAND
404 MULTI-CONTOUR SEAT, FRONT LEFT
405 MULTI-CONTOUR SEAT, FRONT RIGHT
423 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
461 INSTRUMENT WITH MILES IND. AND ENGLISH LEGEND
475 TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR (TPM) HIGH LINE/MID LINE
487 ABC SUSPENSION (ACTIVE BODY CONTROL)
494 U.S. VERSION
524 VEHICLE PROTECTIVE COVER (FULL BODY COVER)
531 COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5
614 BI-XENON HEADLAMPS FOR RIGHT-HAND TRAFFIC
634 DELETION - FIRST AID KIT
636 DELETION - WARNING TRIANGLE
668 PRODUCT PROT.F.TRANSPORT VEH. W/ TIE-DOWN HOOKS
669 SPARE WHEEL / FOLDING WHEEL
673 HIGH-CAPACITY BATTERY
731 TRIM PIECES - WOOD BURRED WALNUT VENEER
763 RADIO REMOTE CONTROL W/ PANIC SWITCH (315 MHZ)
772 AMG STYLING PACKAGE-FRONT SPOILER, SIDE SKIRT
790 18" AMG SPOKED WHEELS WITH MIXED TIRES
7XXL NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA
804 YEAR OF MODIFICATION
810 PREMIUM SOUND SYSTEM
819 CD CHANGER
873 SEAT HEATER FOR LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SEATS
875 HEATED SCREEN WASH SYSTEM
986 DEVIATING VIN WITH MODEL YEAR
989 IDENTIFICATION LABEL UNDER WINDSHIELD
M001 ENGINES WITH SUPERCHARGER
M113 V8-GASOLINE ENGINE M113
M55 CAPACITY 5,5 LITRE
N62 CONTROL CODE BREMEN PLANT
N65 CONTROL CODE BREMEN PLANT
N91 CONTROL CODE BREMEN PLANT
N99 CONTROL CODE BREMEN PLANT
U44 LUGGAGE NET SET IN LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT (3-PIECE)
Y83 DESIGNO ALCANTARA ANTHRACITE ROOF IN



Chris

 

Thanks guys!!

 

yer welcome

If you find another you like and want to see it's Data Card (build sheet), you can PM me the VIN and I'll send you a copy

Cheers,
Chris

 

If I was picking members to take advice from on purchasing an R230 or more specifically an SL55, it would be Chris and okbarnett.

Here is my two cents. Don't be in a hurry. The right car is out there for you, but you have to be smart. Use the folks here to help out. I am not technical like many, but can share all of the issues I have had with my SL55. Seems I have dealt with many if not most of the maladies associated with the R230. For what it is worth, I think most issues relate to the body. The SL55 drive train has proven itself very robust. Even after many of us have pushed it hard with modifications to get more power out of it.

 

I appreciate it, Cal

 

Chris,
are these two correct?



044 NEW TELEMATICS GENERATION NTG 2.5
531 COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5


I thought that the ntg2.5 didn't start till 2009..

 

correct? well it is what mercedes has on the data card for this car, but clearly the picture shows a Comand 2.0
https://www.carstory.com/detail/2004-mercedes_benz-sl-memphis_tn-WDBSK74F44F072282
this link (above) takes you to a dead autotrader page ... but if you cut and paste it, it works (explanation for that ... none)

this has been brought up on the UK MB Forum (showing ntg2.5 on a car that could not have come with it) ... perhaps Mercedes recycled some of the "sa codes" but that seems like a silly explanation.

I have found the rest of the info on the data cards to be reliable ...

Chris

 

I personally dont agree to this, I have a SL65 with 95k kms and its fine, if the previous owner looked after it this can be a better buy then a car with much less kms but the owner neglected or wants to sell because they know its due for some serious services, cars that are over 90,000kms have usually had a lot of new (upgraded) replacement parts which in my view makes it more reliable and cheaper for your next services as they have already been replaced

 

I will certainly agree with your point that how a car is maintained is more important than the actual mileage... and it is great to hear that you are enjoying yours (SL65, my favorite).


I'm unclear as to what you disagree with, however. The OP was looking at a car (that was the lowest priced in that area) with over 210K Kms . It was suggested that he keep looking and I pointed out that he could find cars in his area with half the mileage (close to the mileage of your car) for less than $5k more.


Cheers,
Chris

 

yea it takes about 2 seconds to drop $5k on an SL55 if you're not careful

 

The 04 you're looking at seems like an average deal. Get a PPI and you will know for sure what could be wrong. Personally I'm looking for the right 05 but seem some sweet deals on 04s out there. This SL55 article has helped me narrow down my search a lot: http://www.exoticcarhacks.com/car-re...-buyers-guide/

 

^ On behalf of the gang here, feel free to ask plenty of questions. We will do our best to tell you what we know about the realities of owning an R230 AMG. I will say this: after all these years, when my SL is running right, it still makes me giggle when I hit the go peddle and the ride is simply sublime.

 

I have no idea why that article states 'most of the kinks were worked out by 05' As far as I know the major changes were the comand and the roof seals (which still have leak problems and you can still put the new version seals on the 03-04). There are also a lot more differences between an 03 and an 04 that the article misses. The 03s dont have a central gateway (which only makes things a bit harder if you are using a STAR tool yourself), they have different retainers for the rear trim next to the rear window (the 03 trim is discontinued and you have to buy both the new trim and retainers when this trim starts to fade), and early 03s had a different differential with a smaller ring gear that requires a different limited slip if you decide to upgrade to one. I prefer the 03 credit card keyless go and to make it so the 03s have the manual shift function on all modes requires swapping out the valve body in the transmission and the TCU out of an 04+. The 07-08 models had a larger throttle body and different ECU mapping and that is what accounts for the HP difference.

 

My 2005 SL55 has about 115,000 miles on it. It's been dead reliable, no issues at all. It was a one owner car. All service history (what little repairs the car has needed over the years) and religious maintenance. The car came from Phoenix and I live in Vegas so, it's always been on Southwest roads as smooth as glass. I grew up in New England and wouldn't dream of buying (or owning) one of these cars from a pot hole/frost heave state (at ANY price or ANY mileage). It's also never seen humidity either.

I went through the car at 100,000 miles all new ABC accumulators, rebuilt both ABC valve blocks, I flush the ABC fluid every 20,000 miles. No leaks or even weeping on any ABC hoses anywhere. New front lower control arms, new engine and trans mounts, driveshaft donuts, Aluminum shifter pawl upgrade, all new brakes pads and rotors, both batteries, all filters and fluids etc. She's ready for another 100,000 miles.

I wouldn't dream of selling mine for $18,000. They're that cheap now? You just can't replace it with anything nearly as nice for that amount of money. I just assume drive it into the ground which the way it's built will be a long, long, long time from now.

I'll take the right high mileage car hands down over a lower mileage car that's had a litany of issues over the years.

My wife owned a 2003 BMW X5 5 speed. She was hit head on in a snowstorm (when we lived back east). Was glad to see that car put out of it's misery - at 90,000 miles it had a fairly extensive service history. Always seemed to be some little (or not so little) thing popping up. We replaced it with a 2004 X5 6 speed as she won't drive automatics and likes the X5's. I thought "here we go again". Manual X5's are rare as hens teeth and this one had 110,000 miles when we bought it. It now has 170,000 and has given us absolutely no issues AT ALL. The only item we've repaired outside of routine maintenance was one ripped CV boot. She thought about selling it and buying an M3 but, why? It's long paid for and been so dead reliable (and still drives like a new car honestly) there's no point in selling it.

German cars are built to be driven.