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Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK (all models)

786 messages,  Last post on Jul 24, 2012 at 10:07 AM

You are in the Mercedes-Benz SL/SLK-Class Forum.

What is this discussion about? Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, Convertible

Messages Page 54 of 79

#526 of 786 Mercedes has all my money by shoes

Feb 02, 2004 (11:52 am)

Look, I am not a rich guy- Mercedes has all my money. OK, I will admit, I have gone a little overboard on Mercedes lately.
 
I have not heard confirmation on the SLR nose for the SL in 2005, but we should know in March when Mercedes tells its dealers about the next model year. I would be happy just to know if Mercedes will finally offer satellite radio in all the cars that have been prepped for it.
 
No firm dates on the 65 either, but it is a fair guess that September, 2004 it will arrive. Pricing has not been announced, but I hear $175,000 is a good guess.
 
The SLR? Beyond my budget unless they come up with an incredible lease deal. My dealer says they will only get one in the second year of production. Seems like the SL65 will have similar performance at half the price and with a retractable roof to boot. I don't think I want a $350,000 car with a seatback with limited adjustment.

#527 of 786 SL600 0-60 by chavis10

Feb 07, 2004 (10:16 pm)

Did anybody see the 0-60 time for the SL600 in the lastest Car and Driver? Simply ridiculous.

#528 of 786 E63 by sphinx99

Feb 08, 2004 (7:01 am)

I saw a magazine scan of what apparently is an upcoming E63 wagon. Shoes' next car?
 
Why aren't SL55s selling for tens of thousands over sticker? I would have expected them to be runaway successes but the vanilla 911 Turbo seems to have longer legs with owners. Nobody seems to be keeping SL55s for longer than a year or so. Any idea why, or am I just off base with this impression?

#529 of 786 by merc1

Feb 09, 2004 (1:25 am)

That 3.6 sec 0-60 time reported by Car and Driver for the SL600 seems a little suspect to me. Thats just *semms* too fast for such a heavy car, even with 590lb-ft of torque.
 
sphinx99,
 
The SL55 has been a runaway success, but what you're seeing are probably cars that were "flipped" for an early profit.
 
In the Chicagoland area this is done regularly, per the dealers that is. In all of the high-end car lots here there is also a glut of 911 Turbos too, also flipped.
 
What magazine did you see something about a E63 in?
 
M

#530 of 786 I flipped one too by shoes

Feb 09, 2004 (12:15 pm)

I think people are flipping the SL55 because the build quality on the early ones is not great. The 2004 SL500 I now own is much better than either the 2003 SL500 or the 2003 SL55 that I used to own. Problem areas were brakes and fuel pump noises.
 
Mercedes has made it clear to me that they won't be bringing any AMG wagons to the US where wagons don't sell as well as in Europe.

#531 of 786 merc1 by sphinx99

Feb 09, 2004 (6:07 pm)

You owe me, this took forever to dig up from where I saw it on my favorite S2k board. I don't know what publication this came from.
 

#532 of 786 shoes by merc1

Feb 09, 2004 (11:20 pm)

Ok so thats a E55 and a SL500 "currently" in your collection right? I think they really should sell all AMG vehicles here, including the wagons, why let Audi have all the fun in the hot-rod wagon segment. MBUSA: the C55 and E55 "Estates" please.
 
sphinx99,
 
Ok, thanks. I'll make a note of it. An E63 wagon...gee whiz.... This must be the new generation, direct-injection 6.3L V8 that I've heard so much about over the years. This engine is supposed to deliver 600hp in the next round of AMG S, SL (current SL w/facelift) and CL cars. I didn't think they'd drop it in the E-Class too! I see the next ML gets a version too, oh my.
 
That CLK with the DTM reference is pretty interesting too. Diesels???
 
M

#533 of 786 SL600 vs. SL55 by 600sltt

Feb 09, 2004 (11:44 pm)

Since the SL600 is turbocharged instead of supercharged as the SL55. The SL600 can by mildly modified to increase the power and performance (by over 100whp and 120 torque over stock). And you can do 0 - 60 in 3.6.

#534 of 786 SL600 by sillydriver

Feb 10, 2004 (8:15 am)

I’m a bit deflated by shoes’ description of the SL600 as a car for those with a mental age over 60, since mine is supposed to show up in a couple weeks and I am well under 60. I took delivery of an SL55, which I loved, in late 2003 and sold it back to the dealer late last summer after a couple of high-speed engine failures. The fuse for the ignition system would blow without warning, causing the car to coast to a stop. The service department replaced the coil packs, which they claimed were at fault, but the engine continued to die. I put in an order for an SL600, which is about to be delivered. I agree with shoes that in the SL55 “it always seems like everyone in front of you is driving too slow.” Part of the reason for my switch to the 600 is that I ended up driving much too aggressively in the 55, which I used as my summer commuting car. I would end up doing full-throttle right lane passes of slower cars on Route 128, just so I could hear the roar of the engine. I thought the 55’s worst characteristic (other than its unreliability) was the hum or drone of the engine at highway cruising speeds. I thought that resonance was actually more annoying with the top up, since it was drowned out by highway noise when the top was down. I expect the 600 will be much quieter at speed.
 
One thing that has made me think I’ve made the right decision is the CD test result for the 600: 3.6 seconds to 60 and 11.9 for the quarter mile, although I agree with others here that the times are suspect. I think the truth of the matter is revealed by a comment in the review. They talk about the transmission having three modes, the third being a manual mode like the SL55. My understanding is that the US SL600 doesn’t have a third transmission mode, just the usual two. However, you the manual mode comes with Renntech’s ECU and transmission computer upgrade, so I assume CD’s test car had been modified in that way. The test result would then be just plausible. I agree with 600sltt that the 600 is ripe for modification, and I certainly plan to add those enhancements once the car is broken in.

#535 of 786 by chavis10

Feb 10, 2004 (10:01 am)

Maybe MB slipped the Maybach engine in into the SL by accident?!?! They are the same just with different boost pressures and computers.

Messages Page 54 of 79

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