wugambino

Hey Guys

New to wanting a MB, let alone an older Roadster, so I'm not well versed.

I'm wanting a sub $30k fun car. I started looking at 09-11 SL550"s, then noticed 03-08 SL's were around the same price, soooo

What are some opinions on the two options? What are issues I should be looking out for?

okbarnett

03 to 08 are the first gen SL then 09 to 12 is the 2nd gen with different front end and rear bumper, interior, etc. If you have the money to get 09 up youll have a more current car. Especially the 6.3 amg and 7 speed DCT but thats not a 30k car. A 550 maybe. The newer the better. AMG is far better than regular SL If your looking for a performance car. I SL55 is one of the best, cheapest supercars there is.

wugambino

That's the thing. I'm not trying to go too deep on another toy. Maybe in a few years I'll upgrade to a SL63, but for now. Best bang for $30k' Around $20k would be even better

Guess the question for me is.. older Sl55, or newer SL550?

Are either one considered unreliable? And, any major issues with either? I have a 944 and RZR 1000's. I don't want any more wrench time.

El_Toro_33809

Just give a thorough search for both. Finding something with a good service history. You will see a lot of talk about the Active Body Control on these cars. I haven't owned my SL for very long, but from what I've read, they can be expensive to repair.

Read and study the forums, don't be in a rush to buy one, and if you could get one pre-inspected, I'm sure that would be beneficial.

Good luck,
Tim

carguyshu

the maintenance is going to be the same for both cars (which will BTW likely be a lot more than you expect), so you are much better off getting the SL55 given its superior brakes and engine. In fact I regret getting even the SL55 and not spending 10k-15k more and getting the SL65.

wugambino

Thanks for reply.

That's kinda my thought.
So 03-08 SL55 over a 09 SL550?

Anything change major between 03 and 08?

BlownV8

Best bang for the buck is the 600/65. It's tough to be the biturbo V12 unless you go to the new V8 biturbo.

carguyshu

03 was only year keyless go was a credit card, instead of the standard key seen in other years and models. 03 had a smaller differential compared to 04+ which is slightly more expensive if you are upgraded to a limited slip compared to the 04+. many 03 transmissions had brown top solenoids in the valve body which flow less fluid compared to the 04+ (these can be upgraded). 03 had different mounting brackets for the plastic trim pieces next to the rear window that fade and look crappy after awhile and the 03 trim pieces are no longer available. bc of this you must upgrade both the bracket and the trim pieces adding extra expense when the time comes to replace them. 03/04 had a smaller screen COMAND stereo screen that runs on the d2b fiber system & to upgrade to an aftermarket headunit you must also replace the amp. 05+ have a bigger screen and use the MOST fiber system. You can retain the factory amp by using an OPTI-1 converter box on these. 05+ have a revised rear window top seal that supposedly leaks less into the trunk vs 03/04. 07/08 had a larger 80mm TB and a supercharger that produced slightly more boost due to different gearing. According to merc this adds 17 HP compared to the 03-06 (you can easily upgrade not only to the 80mm on earlier years but go even larger with an 82, 85, or 90). 07/08 had upgrades to the ABC system which make it SLIGHTLY more reliable. The pulsation dampener was moved from the wheel well to the pump, which makes replacement a lot harder, but also puts less stress on the hose that goes from the pump, through the engine compartment, and to the distribution block that divided between the front/rear. The programming on the ABC on 07/08 also makes the valve blocks slightly open and close when at a stop, which puts less stress on the system. over the years abc hoses had some minor revisions that supposedly make them a bit more resilient. having said that, a well maintained 03 car will likely have less abc problems than an 08 as this is affects reliability more than the small revisions to the system. the 07/08 have a pump that operates the roof that is not as high end as earlier models. 07/08 brakes are MUCH more expensive vs 03-06 (instead of 120 a rotor, you're looking at 720 a rotor). Later years had the option for the electric push button trunk closer.

Having said all that, there are a ton more 03/04 cars available and how the car was maintained, and what climate it lived in (all cars hate the rust belt and cars with ABC do NOT like high heat states like Florida) is more important to overall reliability than the year it was produced. Here are the productions numbers for each year:

SL55
2003 3095
2004 2280
2005 1072
2006 860
2007 583
2008 464

So of the 8,354 made in the US, 5,375 (64%) were an 03/04. If you're wanting an SL65 (which as both blownv8 and I have pointed out is an even better performance value) there were not a whole lot made (1,305 total).

SL 65 AMG
2005 651
2006 390
2007 144
2008 120


ANY merc you look at you should have someone with a STAR diagnostic tool hook up to see if there are any codes (I didn't do this and found out a HVAC blend door is bad as well as one of the lumbar bags in the drivers seat). A full service history would also be suggested. Buying the 'cheapest' car you can find will likely end up costing you WAY more money versus finding a more expensive well maintained car. While you can buy a lot of car for the money with any SL AMG, be prepared to budget at least 1000-2000 a year for maintenance and upkeep, especially if you are not a DIY kind of guy and take it to a shop. Double that number if you take the car only to a dealer.

wugambino

Nice write up carguyshu. Although now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. At least I know I'm looking for a SL or SL600(I think

Currently on feebay, there is a 03 SL55 w/ 55k miles Guys says previous owner was old guy attorney/easy life. He just had supercharger service/bearing replaced, and the top serviced.

If you fellas are bored-browsing, please send me some links to some good value cars.
I can't seem to find those sub $20k deals everybody talks about.

BlownV8

Look on Autotrader for good deals.

wugambino

What is the typical repair cost for the supercharger bearing on a SL55?

kustom2k1

Sell you mine for 20k.

wugambino

Pm'd you

wugambino

What are the major issues with the SL600. They sound, and are priced, too good to be true.

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tandan

Had an 05 for 10 years. Solid car. Other than standard maintenance, the only big pop were coils at about 70,000 miles.

BlownV8

Coil packs are expensive on the 600/65 but you don't have any of the supercharger issues and they are cheaply and easily upgradeable to 600+ hp with just an ecu tune.

carguyshu

besides the coil pack issue, you also have a significantly tighter engine compartment and labor to repair/replace things such as ABC lines are higher vs the v8.

carguyshu

also, b/c of tighter engine compartment you have to remove the entire engine and subframe to do motor mounts on the v12, which you don't have to do on the v8. You are looking at several thousand to get that done in labor on the v12.

Steven Mapua

If your looking for looks the SL550 is great. Most folks can't tell them apart. Only hard core AMG types can tell. If your looking for performance the SL55 is the way to go. They're so different performance wise. Mine is tuned to 650 hp. Maintenance averages about $3k a year. Everything is more expensive with an AMG. But the teeth clenching brute force and the angry scream when you punch it is worth it. FYI, don't punch an AMG until you really know it. The ESP cannot contain the power.

Steven Mapua

[QUOTE=wugambino;7024883]Nice write up carguyshu. Although now I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. At least I know I'm looking for a SL or SL600(I think

My 07 SL55 has more horse power and torque than an SL65. Expect to spend a lot more maintaining a 65

carguyshu

[QUOTE=Steven Mapua;7031307]more torque than a SL65 is a pretty bold claim given they make 738 and had to be limited at that as the rest of the driveline couldn't handle more. Much of the driveline in the SL65 (clutch packs in tranny, axles, etc.) is beefier than what is found in the Sl55. A lot more info on your mods would be nice to backup such a claim.

Steven Mapua

Pulley, headers, ecu, tcu, racing cats. Those will push an 07 55 Past 650 hp & 760 tq

carguyshu

unless you are using a wagon wheel for a pulley and longtubes, you're not getting 760 tq out of an SL55 and if you are, you're going to be so heat soaked with no cooling mods that it won't even make it down a 1/4mile track without pulling timing due to excess heat.

here's dyno results from MBH on an SL55 with their longtubes (which are going to make more power vs a mid length header)

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...o-results.html

and here's the one where he puts the 180 pulley and tune on

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl55-amg-...80mm-tune.html

The stock SL55 makes 516 ft/lbs of torque. Max he picks up 148 ft/lbs at the wheels, which is about a 30% increase. A 30% increase from 516 is 670 ft/lbs. This is waaaaay under the 760 ft/lbs you are claiming.

A stock SL65 makes far more torque and is in a different world compared to even a modifying SL55. As I stated before, I wish I would have just spent the extra 10k and bought an SL65 vs the SL55 I have. Once you account for the price of mods on an SL55 it closes the gap even further and you don't get the other features an SL65 has like the nappa interior, stronger driveline, better brakes, etc.

BlownV8

Yes, MB limits the torque with the ECU. Most tuners also limit the torque because it will rip everything apart. Without the limiters, it will be bumping close to or exceeding 1,000 lb-ft with minor mods.

Do you have a dyno of your SL55?

Ingenere

Remember...... you get what you pay for. If you buy the cheapest SL55, there is usually a reason it's the cheapest. Whether its the care it's had, a story, things don't work. There is a reason.

Everyone I know that went cheap at the beginning, ended up either being miserable or spending more money making it right than if they had stepped up and bought a stand up car.

I have had an '03 since new and these cars can be brilliant. However, if they have been trashed or neglected, they are a money pit.

The problem with these cars is the low cost to get in. They are a $130K+ car, with all the expense and parts that entails. At $30K, the buyers are usually not exactly flush (most of the time), and the first bill they get, they start cutting corners. When that happens a few times, the car will be a restoration project or a parts car.