VETTE-NV

I sold my C6 GS last spring in anticipation of buying a C7 GS, but was willing to wait a few months for the car to go on sale for a while and for prices to drop. To kill a few months, I purchased a bucket list car with the full intention of selling it when I got bored.

The SL550 was by far the best built and most comfortable car I've ever owned. Thunderous power from the TTV8 and the handling wasn't too bad for a 4000 LB sports car wannabe. The real stunner was how comfortable it could be in cold weather with the top down. Simply raise the windows and the air scarf system in the seats keeps your neck nice and toasty. Very little wind entered the cabin and even at highway speeds, a cold night could still yield some top-down fun. The B and O stereo was flat out amazing.

One thing about Mercedes ownership (I still have my CLS63 but it's for sale) is that their service department treats you very well...sort of like checking into a Four Seasons. I wish Corvette had it own similar service department.

Comfort and exquisite build quality was beyond my expectations, but a $120K sticker seemed a bit much. I bought a 2013 used at the right price and got almost all of my money back when I sold it after six months in December. Despite the massage seats and "active side bolsters," all the bells and whistles, some of which were mere gimmicks, got old pretty quickly. It didn't take long for me to miss my "lowly" Corvette.

I'm not really sure who this car is for or where it fits into Mercedes' lineup anymore. Their AMG-GT convertible is far more of a sports car and not too far off in price. Perhaps it's just for guys who want the looks of sports car but don't want to put up with the lack of pure luxury and comfort that a true sports car yields. I guess somebody still wants them...they've been building them forever.

I know my new GS will not come close to the quality....in fact this Benz may have ruined me for life as far as that goes, but I can't wait to get back into my new Corvette which will be delivered, hopefully, in a couple of weeks.

It was an interesting six months, and it convinced me, more than ever, that what the Corvette offers is still quite a bargain.

FAUEE

The SL is Mercedes luxury 2 seat grand touring convertible. It's a weird market that exists because Mercedes SL buyers are very often repeat buyers, and the margin on them is insane so they don't need to move a lot of them.

They're utterly gorgeous cars. Surprisingly fast too. Super smooth riding, and incredibly comfortable and well built. But of course, they are not a sports car, and they typically depreciate like rocks (definitely from new). The only downside is they cost MEGA bucks to fix. And they have typical MB terrible reliability.

I would certainly drive one. Under some sort of warranty.

VETTE-NV

Everything you said is right on the money. I bought it for 50% from original MSRP and sold for $1k less than I paid. Not bad for using it for six months.....but the initial depreciation is insane. It was certified, but so many things went wrong I couldn't imagine keeping it past the warranty. Even the service manager at the Mercedes dealer told me to sell it before the warranty expired.

The rear/center cupholder sliding door just stopped working. The assembly would have been $800 plus labor without the warranty, and it was something that looked like it might cost $50. What really pissed me off was that the inside driver door handle, which was supposedly brushed aluminum, started to peel. It was piece of plastic with a faux brushed aluminum plating. In a $100K+ car? Unforgivable.

To put it in other terms, it was like dating a supermodel who was a perfect 10, but ultimately was just too high maintenance and annoying to deal with....and not really all that sexy.

Patsgarage

I have always loved the style/power/ride of the SL coupes, but the repairs are just crazy. You got in and out at the right time, there is a reason that 3+ year old models depreciate faster than just about anything else.

themonk

someone posted a pic of this same car in another thread, I can't quite remember which one but I will.....

My '79 450

VETTE-NV

Yeah...dodged a bullet with that car.

VETTE-NV

Yep....that was me. A response to something about how bad stereos are in two seaters. Not in the SL...it was incredible.

Fagunza

Nice photography. Great job of getting the wheels to line up.

Good luck with your GS. In my opinion the best bang for the buck in the C7.

VETTE-NV

Thanks...didn't even notice the wheels lined up!

Rons65

I have a 13 SLAMG63 Black/Black with the high performance pack - it is my daily driver and I must say, comfortable, love the seats/massage/heat/cooling and comfort mode. However, turn the dial to Sport+ and this thing becomes an animal with 667 lbs of torque - and handles great. Now, it surely does not compare to my ZR1 for "grins", but for an everyday driver I love it. $177K MSRP but I bought it with 3,600 miles on it from the owner and he took a $90K bath for 3,600 miles - did not even blink! I will drive this for a few years and move on once my extended warranty comes due. Hate to have to pay to fix all the computer components on this one!

themonk

yeah, that's it....glad it was you.

VETTE-NV

There is no way you could own one of these without a warranty. Even if you've got very deep pockets, the repair expenses would drive you crazy. Incredible car, though.

themonk

and you have the tame model, the 65 Black, 738 lb/torque