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Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK (all models)

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#575 of 766 lovesxm... by billymay Mar 24, 2004 (10:33 am)
Don't buy the 2004. I just sold my '98 (for $24,200) and put a deposit on the '05. Awesome car, but resale on the '04s will be bad until they get to collector status many years from now. Despite what the press says, it's hard to tell the difference between the existing SLK230/320 (except nicer exhaust sound on the v-6). If you like the current one, buy a gently used car. Depreciation will hit hard this fall when only bargain hunters are out for the current version of the car.   I would LOVE a panorama roof on the SLK. But I've heard nothing about that and my dealer didn't mention it. I'm guessing (only a guess) that M-B wants to keep some features for the pricier SL, because a 270-hp SLK is awfully close to a 302-hp SL, and they're both 2-seat toys.   Already looked at a new Boxster and Z4. The SLK350 looks to outperform the dated Boxster S, and Z4's are already piling up on used car lots. I have some reservations about the SLK, given the recent downturn in M-B initial quality ratings, but my '98 was virtually problem free (bad gas gauge and instrument cluster being the exceptions) so I'm still leaning towards it.   J
#576 of 766 M-B Initial Quality by mpyles1 Mar 24, 2004 (3:33 pm)
I just put 6300 miles on an '03 SL500 that I traded in for an '04 SL55, now with 1400 miles. Neither had a single quality problem that I noticed. It turned out the SL500 had a faulty wiring harness on the rollbar, but the dealer service shop found that before I even knew it had the problem. (The rollbar worked whenever I activated the switch.)   Contrast this to my '02 Audi A6 4.2 and my '02 Audi S6, which each went through electronic control modules at 12-week intervals like clockwork. And to my '00 Jaguar S-Type, which went through two modules, one transmission, and one suspension recall. And -- worst of all -- to my '98 Corvette which was in the shop 13 times in the 15 miserable months I owned it with more problems than I can recount in anything shorter than a novella.   For a car with as much technology and as many motors, switches, and gizmos as the new SL, I've found the initial build quality to be remarkably good.   BTW -- just got the new Renntech Monolite wheels put on today. They look quite good and are considerably lighter (20 lbs. vs. 31 lbs.) than the AMG 5-spokers they replaced. Maybe it's just a delusion, but the suspension feels quicker and more planted on the rough Chicago streets with the new wheels. Perfect fit, too. For anyone looking to upgrade wheels, they're worth considering, IMHO.
#577 of 766 Mercedes Quality by shoes Mar 24, 2004 (3:45 pm)
I too have had good luck with Mercedes and have owned 14 of them. The 2004 SL500 I have now is just about perfect. I must admit though that the early SL500 and SL55 had some teething pains with the brakes. My 2003 E55 also seemed to be developing problems right around 6,000 miles. Replies to this message: merebenz (May 13, 2004 10:42 am)
#578 of 766 mpyles1 by merc1 Mar 24, 2004 (10:35 pm)
Do you have any pics of your car?   Shoes,   You got rid of the E55??   M
#579 of 766 merc1 by mpyles1 Mar 25, 2004 (5:02 am)
No pics. I'll try to take some this weekend. You can see the Renntech wheels on a black SL on their website:   www.renntechmercedes.com   That car appears to have the 19" (which Renntech usually puts on these cars) instead of the 18" I have on my car. I do most of my driving in a pothole-ridden city and didn't want to go with ultra-low profile tires.
#580 of 766 My E55 is gone by shoes Mar 25, 2004 (8:58 am)
Yes, I sold my E55 back to my dealer since the values were still strong and I was beginning to be bothered by minor issues that, taken together reduced my ownership satisfaction, like: the ride quality was becoming rougher, the brakes were becoming more difficult to modulate and electronic gremlins were surfacing (my favorite gremlin is where you get a red warning in the center of the dash, but the words were in German. This really scared me, like I was supposed to ship the car back to the motherland or something).
#581 of 766 The more things change..... by callmedrfill Mar 26, 2004 (7:23 pm)
DrFill
#582 of 766 Seats by psedrish Apr 19, 2004 (10:22 am)
I've had no problems with any MBs I've bought in the last 10 years, but it seems the seats keep getting harder and harder. The '04 SL500 seats (with comfort pkg!) are just killing me. Any suggestions?
#583 of 766 Phil by carnaught Apr 20, 2004 (8:28 am)
Didn't you have the Cad. DHS? Did you come back to the Mercedes fold? Replies to this message: psedrish (Apr 20, 2004 12:09 pm)
#584 of 766 Re: Phil [carnaught #583] by psedrish Apr 20, 2004 (12:09 pm)
Replying to: carnaught (Apr 20, 2004 8:28 am) That's too funny! How would you know (or remember) that? I did come back, first with an '03 S430, which I got because my kids made fun of me driving an "old man's car"....so I caved and got back into a Benz. Frankly, I think my rear end was spoiled by the DHS (yeah, I know about all that lateral support & cornering stuff.....but it felt good!) Anyway, I thought the "comfort seat" pkg in the '04 SL500 would make me happier than the rather hard seats in the S430, but on long trips, they're even more Teutonically cruel! Right this minute, my dealer is padding the seat for me and providing some downward angle potential for the cushion, so I hope that helps. Otherwise, kids be darned, I'm heading back to Caddyland.

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