How do you own an SL55 AMG without going mad? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for watching! #amg #mercedes #sl55 #futureclassic 📸 add me on IG: / taboncars 👉 add me on FB / taboncars
I really like this angle of "how to own an... X". It's good to get your head straight going into a car purchase and potentially tempering your expectations. I love this era of Mercs and have fond memories of them in period but now I know I simply don't have the mental bandwidth to own one. Great video, thanks, maybe I'll investigate a later 6 series next.
I agree with you! I'd say - If you want one, go into it with your eyes open and be prepared to have some bills. It's also very sensible to have good breakdown cover. It's a cliche, but buy the best car you can, rather than a particular spec. - and keep some money for repairs. I've owned a lot of classic cars - I always make sure there is a marque specialist within travelling distance. I have one of these SLs at the moment and happy to say there are three good Mercedes specialists within a 15 mile radius of home..... :-)
I’ve just bought one blind😂, going into the indie next week for an inspection and we’ll see. My uncle and aunt had many Mercs back in the 1980s and 1990s and i fell in love with the 55 when I saw them as F1 pace cars. Coming from a stage 2 996 turbo, so bills happen 😢
I’ve still got my 2005 SL55 (with f1 pack) which I bought from new. When Clarkson showed his off on Top Gear I too was smitten, just had to have one! It was my every day runner for the first six years, by which time it had covered around 60k miles with very few issues. Right now it’s got 78k on the clock and these past 10 years only used for trips down to Spain and the continent. There have been one or two fairly big bills, exactly as you have detailed in your video series. But that said, a small price to pay for the sheer fun and enjoyment this car has given us for nearly 20 years. Mine will probably become a family heirloom one day unless someone comes along and bites my hand off, it still looks like new… Good luck with yours! 👍 ruclips.net/video/vFOfq-Cte4E/видео.htmlsi=aXWqWl0hqze5r79p
Alas when I saw his on Top Gear I reached down the back of the sofa and there just wasn't enough there 😆 Kudos to you for owning your SL for so long - it sounds like you're doing a very good job of it... Hope it continues for much longer! 👍
Sage advice Tab. I think it’s important to enjoy these lovely cars but be realistic as to the budget to maintain them. High maintenance but high reward. Thanks again for the content.
Ive just been offered one of these as a non runner, possible misfire, suspension low, batteries flat, rear arches corroded, what sort of price would you expect to pay for a car in this condition, the owner is wanting rid but still wants 5k, im a mechanic and am very tempted, but as you say the price of parts is a worry, its very much a case of how much do I have to put into it to potentially get it back to a good standard??, good videos by the way!
Depends if you want a project and how much time you can spend. Could be at least another 10k to pump in to a car like that. Thing is you don't know what else might be wrong with it?
Man if anyone is putting people off it’s your comments, it’s enough to make people run to the hills, I think you need to use them a lot and not just every now and then, all cars with this performance cost a lot of money to run!!
I really like this angle of "how to own an... X". It's good to get your head straight going into a car purchase and potentially tempering your expectations. I love this era of Mercs and have fond memories of them in period but now I know I simply don't have the mental bandwidth to own one.
Great video, thanks, maybe I'll investigate a later 6 series next.
Thanks for the comment, yep, although I think you buy with the heart for cars like this - you need some mind over matter powers too!
@@TABonTV 100%. I am a weak man ;-)
I agree with you! I'd say - If you want one, go into it with your eyes open and be prepared to have some bills. It's also very sensible to have good breakdown cover. It's a cliche, but buy the best car you can, rather than a particular spec. - and keep some money for repairs. I've owned a lot of classic cars - I always make sure there is a marque specialist within travelling distance. I have one of these SLs at the moment and happy to say there are three good Mercedes specialists within a 15 mile radius of home..... :-)
Good shout, it's very important to know some good indies! They'll keep it on the road! 👍🏻
I’ve just bought one blind😂, going into the indie next week for an inspection and we’ll see. My uncle and aunt had many Mercs back in the 1980s and 1990s and i fell in love with the 55 when I saw them as F1 pace cars.
Coming from a stage 2 996 turbo, so bills happen 😢
Nice! Do let us know what the garage say about it, hope it gets a clean bill of health!
I’ve still got my 2005 SL55 (with f1 pack) which I bought from new. When Clarkson showed his off on Top Gear I too was smitten, just had to have one! It was my every day runner for the first six years, by which time it had covered around 60k miles with very few issues. Right now it’s got 78k on the clock and these past 10 years only used for trips down to Spain and the continent. There have been one or two fairly big bills, exactly as you have detailed in your video series. But that said, a small price to pay for the sheer fun and enjoyment this car has given us for nearly 20 years. Mine will probably become a family heirloom one day unless someone comes along and bites my hand off, it still looks like new… Good luck with yours! 👍
ruclips.net/video/vFOfq-Cte4E/видео.htmlsi=aXWqWl0hqze5r79p
Alas when I saw his on Top Gear I reached down the back of the sofa and there just wasn't enough there 😆
Kudos to you for owning your SL for so long - it sounds like you're doing a very good job of it... Hope it continues for much longer! 👍
@@TABonTV Over-engineered yes, but sadly we’ll never see the likes of it again… 😢
Sage advice Tab. I think it’s important to enjoy these lovely cars but be realistic as to the budget to maintain them. High maintenance but high reward.
Thanks again for the content.
Thanks Paul. Yes, important to keep a bit of realism about you 👍🏻
Ive just been offered one of these as a non runner, possible misfire, suspension low, batteries flat, rear arches corroded, what sort of price would you expect to pay for a car in this condition, the owner is wanting rid but still wants 5k, im a mechanic and am very tempted, but as you say the price of parts is a worry, its very much a case of how much do I have to put into it to potentially get it back to a good standard??, good videos by the way!
Depends if you want a project and how much time you can spend. Could be at least another 10k to pump in to a car like that. Thing is you don't know what else might be wrong with it?
Man if anyone is putting people off it’s your comments, it’s enough to make people run to the hills, I think you need to use them a lot and not just every now and then, all cars with this performance cost a lot of money to run!!
This won't put people off, trust me. Folk who want one of these will do their research. They are BRILLIANT cars.
@@TABonTV yes I have one!!
@@andrewstubbings5628 I know - saw your comments on the other videos 👍🏻
Leaving a 20 year old car to a mb dealer? Dont buy it if you can fix something yourself.
Let's not forget a good indy