I have a 03 sl500 bought with 50k miles only thing I’ve done was an oil change after putting 7k miles on it so far no issues thank God! No suspension or roof leaks Thank the word
Good luck with the car.I’ve had my 2005 model for the last 15 years and apart from servicing and filling up with fuel,it’s needed nothing doing to it.Great car and the best looking SL Mercedes have ever made.
Great video , I’m in the UK 🇬🇧,and i have a 2003 SL500 i bought 2 years ago , and even now its at 35K miles. A few of the normal problems that i fixed myself, before this car I wouldn’t know what to do with a screwdriver, as all of my cars were always brand new and warranted. Today I’ve just cleaned and oiled All sealants and drainage canals for the roof, this will last more than a year ,, I had loads of electrical problems a, i wasted so much time looking to fix one at a time , But this was solved in one swoop. Both Batteries were replaced with the more expensive Mercedes-Benz approved ones , And WOW , It cost me £500 or around $600 ish,, but now i feel i have a brand new car. Im 56 and have never been this excited with a car for this long,, And i have been thru some nice ones
I know that feel, I never had any car like this before so it's definitely worth the hype! Definitely needs constant looking after but if it's kept up with, then it'll be mint!
The old me when I had new cars , I would just send them back , but now I’m saving crazy money, and there’s loads of great people looking to share the ideas
@@alanbaxter8100 agree completely. I wouldn't feel nearly as confident in fixing the issues this car or any other car has without all the available information in forums and videos. and yes, it definitely does wonders in saving bucks
I sold one of these cars whilst working at a non franchise dealer. The car had a few issues which were awkward and costly to repair. Very beautiful car.
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Some are also interested in detailed mechanical videos :) thanks and best wishes on your journey. I know how it feels like to be wanting some great cars for years, but don't know how it feels like to get one, I didn't even had a car for this long, but I will get something wonderful one day.
2003 SL55 since new. I do everything, too expensive to give it to someone, let alone Mercedes. You should do suspension accumulators 1 in front & 2 aft. Change hydraulic fluid/filter. Rebuild 2 hydraulic valve blocks. It's the most beautiful car but requires maintenance. Engine/Transmission are bulletproof. Good luck
I have a 2002 R129 Silver Arrow in very nice condition. After having the car serviced I mentioned I was thinking about buying a newer model. The guys went ballistic begging me not to do it. They claimed it was the best MB made in many decades and not to ever sell it.
The sagging suspension is due to the seals in the valve blocks deteriorating. Reconditioning the valve blocks is quite a simple job you can do yourself. Plenty of videos on RUclips to show you how.
I had the 2004 Mercedes 500 SL and I loved the look, the color was red (as I wanted) and cost $100,000.00. No power, no torque to speak off on take off, and not a lot of technology (other cars had more). I called it my Bimbo car (looks gorgeous but wouldn't want to spend money on it). Had a few problems with the top and had parts on it replaced twice. I wanted the one in this video but chose to go with the one I bought.
R230...yup, still looks better than any new car, any make or model, the '09 to '12 also got more modern with the fish eye headlights removed, my 2011 turns more heads than a ferrari.
100% agree! would have loved to get the more modernized headlights with slightly less problems but obviously those ones were more expensive, especially for the 6.2L instead of the 5.4L. then again, it was a tradeoff in reliability, as the M113K is pretty solid
@@ShutterSpeed_auto your SL55 is awesome though, with some engine mods that thing is super car level fast, good luck because I think they are too fast, haha.
Suspension sag is kind of normal. MB say it is only expected to stay up a week, you can sort of live with it if you get no running errors. Rodeo can be beneficial. See you've got Distronic which is a nice touch
im not surprised, these old cars have so many features so theres a lot that can go wrong with them. i just wish they used normal locks instead of the vacuum powered ones 😣😣
@@Mlive722 im definitely doing to be doing that later this season. so far the ABC works well (when active) but i need the peace of mind of a passive suspension that isn't too complicated 😁
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Now don't go throwing away your abc suspension just yet! My 2003 SL500 is almost at 230,000 miles and abc is running strong! coilovers will not deliver the the unique feel of the abc suspension by any means. but it will make it more reliable. i have driven both
@@xXEricakeemXx that is trrue, it's definitely a tradeoff to convert the suspension, and i've always heard a well-functioning ABC suspension is second to none!
To make it clear before my rant. I love the r230 and I even own one. BUT. It is a massive moneypit. Even if you do all the work yourself like I do. Most its problems are old plastic and rubber. The biggest issue in my opinion is the brake system. It still has warranty, but it has a major wear item that is often not serviced and it might kill you. It has a pressure accumulator ball that can, or rather will, tear internally, rendering your brakes inoperable in the blink of an eye. They have to be replaced every 10 years, but hardly anyone does it. Same goes for the "suspension balls". If they fail, it won't kill you. But the ride gets really harsh and the expensive suspension ten starts eating itself. Because the bumps in the roads are hammering instead of being dampened.
It’s both a bargain and a money pit. I picked up a 2005 SL65 for $27.5k. It was around $200k new. I’ve had it for 4 years and have spent probably $3000 replacing ABC stuff, all new rotors, and one coil pack. I’ve spent more, but the other stuff was optional (aftermarket audio, carbon fiber trim)
I have an 04 SL500 and if you are not mechanically inclined, run away from this car. You will spend a fortune fixing it. I love mine but it needed everything the guy said in the video plus many more things to get it to run and pass Smog in California!
Amazing! But yes i'd definitely recommend test driving and seeing it in person to see what you can find. I've heard maintenance can be roughly $2-3k per year for upkeep, provided that the model you have is already in good shape, though I haven't had mine long enough to confirm that
This SL55 19 years later is still a Roadmaster Beast 🙌😎👍. I am anxious about the maintenance costs hence I have decided to step down the SL ladder 🪜 and settle for a 2013/14 SL 350 V6 engine by summer next year. 😊
I got mine, same colour but cream I interior - a 2004 r230 in 2018 for £5500 - only done 75k - great cars but fraught with electrical problems - l took good advice and got the 3.7 without the ABC
Very true. such a shame sometiems that the cylinders wear out so commonly. But I'm definitely thinking a coilover swap, just for the piece of mind that the suspension won't blow on me on the highway in the future 😁😁
unfortunately yes 🙁🙁 Very annoying that some of the O-rings in the convertible top hydraulics are some of the first to go. And yes, either pay thousands for a mechanic to fix them, or the DIY process to take apart some panels to locate the troublesome cylinders and replace.
I'd certainly service the engine too, have the oil and filter out plus air filter, I've a 2013 CLS AMG and the running costs can bite you in the butt, mines a toy probably like yours, and I have a C3 1.6hdi for work, it balances out the cost! Glad your pleased with it, I did the same as you, I got my dream car 👍, well without being silly and saying I want a Sf90 or something.
Yep! routine maintenance definitely is a requirement with these AMGs. First thing I did was have the oil change, I don't know when the last owner had it done
i bought an 03 sl500 for 1200. when thru it and repl the entire abc and all worn out parts. if you are going to buy one then you better learn how to work on it and get the star diag system. I also repl all the RHT hydraulics even though they were still working. do not get one of these and put coil over suspension.
Ha! You said the engine is good. Then why did it blow blue smoke when you romped on it? 😮 Valve seals? I still like the look of it. I could probably buy one but I couldn't maintain it. I'll subscribe if you are going to make more videos fixing things on it.
Yes, still my favorite generation of SL after all these years, there's definitely gonna be more content about it 😁😁Honestly think the smoke looks a bit bluish from the color grading, in person it looks white
There is frrom what I've read, I'm planing on doing that in the near future, usually it's done with aftermarket coilovers.. the biggest issue is usually changing the tandem ABC / power steering pump to a non-tandem pump (without the ABC function since it will no longer be needed) because it's hard to access
the ones i've seen were usually in this range, and the facelift ones were much more difficult to find, especially at this mileage :/ I wish i could've paid 10k less!
i feel the exact same way😅 soo many overengineered features, when I hear a noise I sometimes don't know if the car doing its thing, or something has gone wrong
Spent 10K in repairs and maintenance in past 8 months on my 2009 SL550 purchased CPO 9 years ago or so - seriously considering buying a Lexus LC500. Replace the trunk struts ASAP - my mechanic says worn ones will cause additional wear on the hydraulic pump used for the convertible top.
I have a 03 sl500 bought with 50k miles only thing I’ve done was an oil change after putting 7k miles on it so far no issues thank God! No suspension or roof leaks Thank the word
Very nice! i'm hoping the same for mine after some small repairs haha.
That's great but if you wait enough you'll get some surprises
Get ready, it’s coming.
@@NomenClature-o8s it’s already happened 😆 I switched to a coilover setup
i love you didnt drag on the video and waste time. all car reviews should be like this. great video hopefully you make more on this car!!
Thank you! tried to keep it brief but interesting 😁😁
Good luck with the car.I’ve had my 2005 model for the last 15 years and apart from servicing and filling up with fuel,it’s needed nothing doing to it.Great car and the best looking SL Mercedes have ever made.
thank you! routine maintenance is definitely a must, but you're right, I'll never get over its looks!
R129 looks way better imo
Agreed, R129 just had some flaws, but still a great SL too. R231 blows, to many faults.
Great video , I’m in the UK 🇬🇧,and i have a 2003 SL500 i bought 2 years ago , and even now its at 35K miles. A few of the normal problems that i fixed myself, before this car I wouldn’t know what to do with a screwdriver, as all of my cars were always brand new and warranted. Today I’ve just cleaned and oiled All sealants and drainage canals for the roof, this will last more than a year ,, I had loads of electrical problems a, i wasted so much time looking to fix one at a time , But this was solved in one swoop. Both Batteries were replaced with the more expensive Mercedes-Benz approved ones , And WOW , It cost me £500 or around $600 ish,, but now i feel i have a brand new car. Im 56 and have never been this excited with a car for this long,, And i have been thru some nice ones
I know that feel, I never had any car like this before so it's definitely worth the hype! Definitely needs constant looking after but if it's kept up with, then it'll be mint!
The old me when I had new cars , I would just send them back , but now I’m saving crazy money, and there’s loads of great people looking to share the ideas
@@alanbaxter8100 agree completely. I wouldn't feel nearly as confident in fixing the issues this car or any other car has without all the available information in forums and videos. and yes, it definitely does wonders in saving bucks
@@ShutterSpeed_auto dam right
03 all money gone, purchase 2 years ago and 7k up “fixed” later, but still loving it! Can’t beat “Herman the German “ engineering!!
that's how i feel right now 😅😅 But every time i drive it I am reminded of how much I love the car!
Stunning. You are very talented. A super review with beautiful editing and audio choices.
thank you very much 😁
Seriously these cars are so beautiful and aged like fine wine. Also you get so much car for little money. Its worth it!
very true! maintenance can be expensive but nothing compares to cruising with the roof down in one of these 😁😁
I remember renting this gen of SL65 in Boston. It's an absolute dream machine. good thing I don't have to do the maintenance on it.
My daily is Mercedes E class. I am also fancying to purchase a full on AMG car. Very special.
I sold one of these cars whilst working at a non franchise dealer. The car had a few issues which were awkward and costly to repair. Very beautiful car.
Agreed. Still love the look but there are definitely issues to be addressed
Really well done video. I like your content, pace and information. Please keep going. Subscribed
thank you very much :) going to keep making updates on this!!
great review man, if you keep them casual, fast faced and well produced like this then you will see great growth!
thanks a lot :) I plan to keep them shorter videos, and stay with brief topics!
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Some are also interested in detailed mechanical videos :) thanks and best wishes on your journey. I know how it feels like to be wanting some great cars for years, but don't know how it feels like to get one, I didn't even had a car for this long, but I will get something wonderful one day.
2003 SL55 since new. I do everything, too expensive to give it to someone, let alone Mercedes. You should do suspension accumulators 1 in front & 2 aft. Change hydraulic fluid/filter. Rebuild 2 hydraulic valve blocks. It's the most beautiful car but requires maintenance. Engine/Transmission are bulletproof. Good luck
Thank you. sounds about right from what i've heard from all the forums on this car!
I have a 2002 R129 Silver Arrow in very nice condition. After having the car serviced I mentioned I was thinking about buying a newer model. The guys went ballistic begging me not to do it. They claimed it was the best MB made in many decades and not to ever sell it.
I don't know much about the R129 but I've definitely heard people talk very highly of it / the last good SL
The sagging suspension is due to the seals in the valve blocks deteriorating. Reconditioning the valve blocks is quite a simple job you can do yourself. Plenty of videos on RUclips to show you how.
that's what seems to be the consensus. Any sagging while the car is off = 100% valve blocks
I just dismantled the blocks & cleaned the valves & put them back together . Didn’t replace any seals. It’s been good for maybe 3 years now. No parts!
I had the 2004 Mercedes 500 SL and I loved the look, the color was red (as I wanted) and cost $100,000.00. No power, no torque to speak off on take off, and not a lot of technology (other cars had more). I called it my Bimbo car (looks gorgeous but wouldn't want to spend money on it). Had a few problems with the top and had parts on it replaced twice. I wanted the one in this video but chose to go with the one I bought.
I was really deciding between the 500SL or the amg 55, I figured I'd go all out if I was going to buy one
"No power, no torque" Seriously? 😆
R230...yup, still looks better than any new car, any make or model, the '09 to '12 also got more modern with the fish eye headlights removed, my 2011 turns more heads than a ferrari.
100% agree! would have loved to get the more modernized headlights with slightly less problems but obviously those ones were more expensive, especially for the 6.2L instead of the 5.4L. then again, it was a tradeoff in reliability, as the M113K is pretty solid
@@ShutterSpeed_auto your SL55 is awesome though, with some engine mods that thing is super car level fast, good luck because I think they are too fast, haha.
"Turns more heads than a Ferrari" Yes, I'm sure it does 😆
Suspension sag is kind of normal. MB say it is only expected to stay up a week, you can sort of live with it if you get no running errors. Rodeo can be beneficial. See you've got Distronic which is a nice touch
The good part is when the car runs, the ABC is nimble and effective, not a single error, so not a huge worry for the time being!
Loved my 03 SL55.But after it got about 10 years old it was a MASSIVE money pit especially the ABC suspension,vacuum locks and top hydraulics.
im not surprised, these old cars have so many features so theres a lot that can go wrong with them. i just wish they used normal locks instead of the vacuum powered ones 😣😣
First thing i did was swap for adjustable coil overs best choice ever
@@Mlive722 im definitely doing to be doing that later this season. so far the ABC works well (when active) but i need the peace of mind of a passive suspension that isn't too complicated 😁
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Now don't go throwing away your abc suspension just yet! My 2003 SL500 is almost at 230,000 miles and abc is running strong! coilovers will not deliver the the unique feel of the abc suspension by any means. but it will make it more reliable. i have driven both
@@xXEricakeemXx that is trrue, it's definitely a tradeoff to convert the suspension, and i've always heard a well-functioning ABC suspension is second to none!
To make it clear before my rant. I love the r230 and I even own one. BUT. It is a massive moneypit. Even if you do all the work yourself like I do. Most its problems are old plastic and rubber. The biggest issue in my opinion is the brake system. It still has warranty, but it has a major wear item that is often not serviced and it might kill you. It has a pressure accumulator ball that can, or rather will, tear internally, rendering your brakes inoperable in the blink of an eye. They have to be replaced every 10 years, but hardly anyone does it. Same goes for the "suspension balls". If they fail, it won't kill you. But the ride gets really harsh and the expensive suspension ten starts eating itself. Because the bumps in the roads are hammering instead of being dampened.
Subbed - very solid production quality
thank you! there will be more to come :)
Lookin’ juicy 💪🏼 How much can you deadlift?
It’s both a bargain and a money pit. I picked up a 2005 SL65 for $27.5k. It was around $200k new. I’ve had it for 4 years and have spent probably $3000 replacing ABC stuff, all new rotors, and one coil pack. I’ve spent more, but the other stuff was optional (aftermarket audio, carbon fiber trim)
couldn't have said it better myself!! enjoy, those V12 AMGs are godly!!
Great video and lovely ride.
Thank you!
I have an 04 SL500 and if you are not mechanically inclined, run away from this car. You will spend a fortune fixing it. I love mine but it needed everything the guy said in the video plus many more things to get it to run and pass Smog in California!
Great Video! Would you be making a more in depth video about this car?
thank you! I probably will, I want to go over multiple things such as unique features and make other short videos as I repair more things with the car
You got the money pit part right.
Saw some similar 100k mile slk350 and sl55 going in my area for less than
Amazing! But yes i'd definitely recommend test driving and seeing it in person to see what you can find. I've heard maintenance can be roughly $2-3k per year for upkeep, provided that the model you have is already in good shape, though I haven't had mine long enough to confirm that
Beautiful car. I also love the location used.
Thank you!!
This SL55 19 years later is still a Roadmaster Beast 🙌😎👍. I am anxious about the maintenance costs hence I have decided to step down the SL ladder 🪜 and settle for a 2013/14 SL 350 V6 engine by summer next year. 😊
will definitely save lots by going the V6 route while having the sleek looks of the SL!! 😁
Nothing wrong with that, I’ve already been thinking the same , but will definitely keep the 500 for a while longer,
@@alanbaxter8100 👍😎🙌
Unforgiving but helpful bro.....👍
I got mine, same colour but cream I interior - a 2004 r230 in 2018 for £5500 - only done 75k - great cars but fraught with electrical problems - l took good advice and got the 3.7 without the ABC
Roof issues will be something you gotta live with sadly.
Replace the ABC suspension with coilovers and you’ve increased the reliability drastically
Very true. such a shame sometiems that the cylinders wear out so commonly. But I'm definitely thinking a coilover swap, just for the piece of mind that the suspension won't blow on me on the highway in the future 😁😁
What state are you in bro? That water shot looked like The Bay
here in south jersey!!
Out of 10 used cars buy 9 will have a top that doesn't work costing thousands to replace
unfortunately yes 🙁🙁 Very annoying that some of the O-rings in the convertible top hydraulics are some of the first to go. And yes, either pay thousands for a mechanic to fix them, or the DIY process to take apart some panels to locate the troublesome cylinders and replace.
I'd certainly service the engine too, have the oil and filter out plus air filter, I've a 2013 CLS AMG and the running costs can bite you in the butt, mines a toy probably like yours, and I have a C3 1.6hdi for work, it balances out the cost! Glad your pleased with it, I did the same as you, I got my dream car 👍, well without being silly and saying I want a Sf90 or something.
Yep! routine maintenance definitely is a requirement with these AMGs. First thing I did was have the oil change, I don't know when the last owner had it done
The top tier offering was the SL65 and it had the V12
i bought an 03 sl500 for 1200. when thru it and repl the entire abc and all worn out parts. if you are going to buy one then you better learn how to work on it and get the star diag system. I also repl all the RHT hydraulics even though they were still working. do not get one of these and put coil over suspension.
Ha! You said the engine is good. Then why did it blow blue smoke when you romped on it? 😮
Valve seals?
I still like the look of it.
I could probably buy one but I couldn't maintain it.
I'll subscribe if you are going to make more videos fixing things on it.
Yes, still my favorite generation of SL after all these years, there's definitely gonna be more content about it 😁😁Honestly think the smoke looks a bit bluish from the color grading, in person it looks white
Dont even think its that incredibly cheap...it was probably already cheaper 3-4 years ago no?
But 40k miles is probably what it is about here
is there a way to convert the hydraulic struts to independent OEM coils? that dont depend on the stupid hydraulics?
There is frrom what I've read, I'm planing on doing that in the near future, usually it's done with aftermarket coilovers.. the biggest issue is usually changing the tandem ABC / power steering pump to a non-tandem pump (without the ABC function since it will no longer be needed) because it's hard to access
@@ShutterSpeed_auto thanks, sounds complicated...think i shall skip the SL550 and get the M3 hahahaha
Nice video.
27k is Like 10k too much for a pre facelift 55. at least in Germany
the ones i've seen were usually in this range, and the facelift ones were much more difficult to find, especially at this mileage :/ I wish i could've paid 10k less!
Valve block seals are bad.
I love the 230’s but god they scare me at the same time 😂
i feel the exact same way😅 soo many overengineered features, when I hear a noise I sometimes don't know if the car doing its thing, or something has gone wrong
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Same with my 211. Took me a few months to learn what sounds were expected, like the SBC pump starting as soon as you unlock it!
@@gregdesena7362 yep that's a good one! that loud growling every once in a while 😂😂
Had one of these in mystic blue color. Great car! Lots of fun!!
wow, blue is definitely a rare color these days, even with any SL model actually. but yes, when it's working right this car is such a blast!
Spent 10K in repairs and maintenance in past 8 months on my 2009 SL550 purchased CPO 9 years ago or so - seriously considering buying a Lexus LC500. Replace the trunk struts ASAP - my mechanic says worn ones will cause additional wear on the hydraulic pump used for the convertible top.
That is a crazy amount of money for under 1 year 🙄🙄 Had no idea the struts would affect the pump but thinking about it, it definitely makes sense
MONEY PIT!
Every noise this car makes makes me nervous 😅😅
Odd stuff here for sure. The car should have cost about $9000.00 I hope he gets the clicks on this video to pay him.
Nice
That roof repair will be painful to your wallet.
anybody thinking an m113 & 722.6 is a money pit shouldn't breed🤣
You should have washed it.
Never use music with lyrics to narrate your video
Used Benz can’t be reliable
130 k for this ? 😂
Great video man! What's your email? Couldn't find it in your about page.
You yust spend a 130.000 on a 19 years old Mercedes, and broken dude i dont know what to say cccc
He bought it for $27,000 he said