I was browsing the Bring a Trailer daily email when it struck me, when I decide to move on/upgrade, what is a better convertible GT than my SL65, and how much is it going to cost?

a newer SL, Ferrari California, or Aston will be $100k+. Can get Bentley and Maserati coupes for reasonable money, seems convertible versions are ugly, rare, and expensive.

anyways - it’s not like I’m anywhere near moving on but what are your thoughts?

 

There is no better convertible/coupe combination and enjoyable to drive high performance car than an MB with a vario roof as found on the SL65 or SL55-P30. My opinion, add an AMG GT coupe to the stable and keep the SL65 for your top down driving days from what I have seen/read owners of well sorted SL's all express their regrets after selling them.

Best H

 

I went to an R231 SL65. I think it is better than the R230 in every way. The engine is better tuned, it has a 7speed, a way better sound system, quieter with the top up, better exhaust sounds in sport, sport+ and R. A lot more automated convenience items and it is 200 pounds lighter.
You could always wait for the SL73 that has sort of been announced.

 

The sl63 5.5 twin turbo, has the 7 speed MCT with speed shift, and it a much more updated car. I think it beats all the SL s before it

 

pretty much sums it up. . .

 

Ive owned a bunch of really nice sports / gran touring cars from other manufacturers ( Jaguar R's, Porsche 996 / 997, Z06 C5 / C6) & IMO the R230 SL65 far & away is the best car Ive owned. For a hardtop GT car I really dont think you can match the driving experience, smoothness, power, etc. without spending substantially more & even then not sure. . . Looks are subjective but IMO the r230 amg cars (especially the 65's) are #1 as-well.

 

Having owned both an SL55 and SL600 (R230), it's hard to let go. I only gave up both because the extended warranty was up and I was terrified of the maintenance costs. Yet now that these cars are older, repair costs seem to be coming down a bit as independent shops figure out more cost effective repairs. I'd own an SL55 out of warranty, but owning a V12 would scare me.

-The R231 is a better car, but the front end is ugly. Even the facelift cars are only "meh." Plus the prices are still super high for AMG cars of this body style.

-The 2007+ XKR offers similar performance, and has a much better transmission, but I just don't think it looks as good as an SL and driving the SL feels more special. Still, I'd call this a solid option. I liked mine. The 5.0 is wicked, but the 4.2 is more reliable and can easily make big power with a tune and pully.

-911's make terrible daily drivers in my opinion. Great sports cars, but terrible to own in the city. These are lightweight sports cars not GT cars. (I had a 996)

-The 650i or M6 are fantastic cars, but early 650i engines were time bombs and even the later engines can be a hassle. Yet I'd call this another option.

-The Bentley GT is a great car but it has a lot of hype to it and repairs can be extremely expensive. The SL looks better, performs better, and is cheaper to maintain.

-A Ferrari California would be cool, but as you said, it is much more expensive.

-I have not had the chance to drive or own a Maserati Granturismo. But I actually hope to soon. The car does have some exotic Ferrari magic with it's sound and interior layout/materials, but I can't comment on how they drive. The specs look a bit disappointing with only 427 hp and yet still 4,100-4,300 pounds of car to move around. Everyone says they handle well, but given the weight, I don't know how. Plus it is significantly slower then the SL55. It's really a shame Maserati didn't keep the weight of the Granturismo around 3,600 pounds. A 3,600 pound car with that 4.7 engine would probably be a blast. More comfortable then a Porsche or Ferrari, yet much lighter and agile then the XKR or SL.

 

i got my sl65 very very cheap.

to have the v12tt performance i would have to spend many many multiples more

front is a little dated but understated

the thing i love about the 65 is the average person cannot tell it between a base model SL. those who know the incredible performance it offers understand but it’s value. also not in your face like a ferrari

in todays dollars the 65 was a quarter million dollar GT car when new, that is incredible value since they have depreciated significantly.

i think an r231 65 still would go for around $100k not worth it for me personally i’d probably get an AMG GTR instead or maybe for a bit more a convertible SLS but neither of those are v12tt

 

This is one of the problems after owning a R230 SL65. They are so crazy cheap and offer so much (within reason for the time period), that there really isn't anything else that will get you the same level of [insert your metric here] for $30k.

I personally said I checked off the SL65 off the list, but I honestly feel like I will eventually gravitate to another: a 17+ facelift R231 SL65, one day. I recently test drove a 19 SL63, and it definitely felt like a great, tight car. And the facelift definitely makes the car seem so much more sleek than the pre-facelift.