Beowulf

Picked up a new rag today called "Modified Luxury & Exotics" (see http://www.modified.com/modle/). Looks like their first issue.

Craig Leiberman (no email address given) did an op/ed piece about dealer customer service expectations vs. reality (page 14).

In it, he makes a couple jabs about SL55 (and by inference all 55K) engines, saying: "A brief tour of websites revealed reports of Mercedes SL55 engine failures" and a bit later on in the same paragraph, speaking about how a glut of 996's on the market has hurt Porsche resale values, says: "The same glut has hurt Mercedes resale values, not to mention the notorious reputation of the SL55's powerplant".

SL55 engine failures, notorious (negative connotation) reputation of the 55K motor??? Sounds like a newbie mag trying to attract attention.

blueSL

I agree about the 996 residual values; amyone thinking buying a 996 is a bullet proof investment is mistaken. The early 996 cars in particular were not liked and are worth yes than the last of the air-cooleds. As for the SL55 engine reliability, you can read lots of things here about Mercedes build quality but actually the level of serious failure is very small especially engines. Don't get me started about 996 engine oil leaks and failures...

Overall though, I think you're right. The guy is trying to drum up support by making extreme claims. Perhaps he ought to justify them with hard facts.

RossN

I read the same article, I wonder what websites he learned this from???

This is the biggest MB website and I have yet to see a SL55 engine failure or did I miss something?

carlosfernandez

I agree with you THIS IS THE BIGGEST and as far as I recall no post about engine failures.

sprins

I read somewhere, I believe, one post of someone blowing up his engine (SL55), but considering the ammount of 55(K) engines out there, I call

There is lots of criticism about MB quality issues, but usually the engine of a Mercedes (any mercedes) will keep running. Of course fuel pump and/or power-steering, etc. issues can ruin the experience, but that's not the engine.

IngenereAMG

I've had mine for almost 2 years and the whole car has been bullet proof!

Beowulf

too. Wish I had the email addy of the author.

vraa

It's easy to create a fake persona with no contact information and blow out hot air.

3199cc

Craig Lieberman has a custom blue flossman widebody M3. M3s are known for failures too....

AMG///Merc

As I had never heard of anything of the sort, and the always the exact opposite. I'm glad to know hat it's not true. I also figured that since the SL55 engine is essentially the same engine as the CL, and E55, not to mention the NA 55 motors, this would be a problem common throughout the range.

By the way, Mr. Leiberman is a member on this very board. I don't recall his screen name, but I believe his last name is included in it...


Best regards,
Matt

MBH

Yes this is true, the 2001 M3's blew motors left and right brand new from BMW. A friend of mine blew one with only 4,300 miles on the car. I have never seen or heard of a SL55 engine going south. Mr. Leiberman must have smoked some nice crack before he wrote that aticle

best wishes,
MBH
2005 E55

3199cc

from what i understand he is very well known and respected in the car show community, so he must have some basis to make this statement on, however I feel like people he might know with the 55 engines really might max out their cars, perhaps not break it in properly. I've never heard of too many Mercedes engines failing, the engines are the last reliable thing they still build.

carlosfernandez

Agree.

viper65

CRAIG LIEBERMAN is a joke. He is the consultant for the movie FAST and FURIOUS. As far as I can remember, his most "luxurious" car is a Nissan Skyline. People in the "import" community don't give much credibility to him. In one of the Fast/Furious sequel, he even make sure, his skyline gets into the movie