Would a better choice for an "old man" be a two year old certified MB SL (around $75k) or a C7. Every Vette I see has a geezer in it, so do SL's, but some how it looks more appropriate. Your thoughts.

 

What is "appropriate" is what you like.

Get what you want, and enjoy what you have.

 

You're north shore, SL all the way to fit in with all the snobs! LOL
Just kidding, get what is most suited for you, comfort and drive wise.

 

I'm sure the SL will treat you right and all, but $75k for a used car has some competition. So if you don't mind that and the maintenance, a convertible hard top versus a c7 corvette rag top that isn't available right now anyway, what decision is there except to decide now or later. I'll say this much, my wife's c6 grand sport convertible top is quiet and doesn't leak. I like SL's a lot, although a vette is faster and lighter, it is far less refined, but still very enjoyable to drive and easy to own.

 

I bought a used 2004 SL500. I paid $28,000 for it - great car, loved it! The problem is that it's a $100,000 car when it comes to parts, service, repairs, accessories, etc. - $$$$$$. Plus, it had electronic adjustible suspension, power memory, massaging seats, electric headrests, ........... Too many things to go wrong. Aftermarket warranty was at least $5,000. I sold it before something broke!

 

I was driving behind a black SL 550 a couple of months ago. I kept repeating to myself as we were driving along...."damn, what a beautiful car". No "boy racer" look in the SL 550......pure elegance.

 

Around where I live nearly every SL, Jag XK, Porsche and Corvette I see is being driven by someone who has graying or already gray hair. Get whatever you like the best. There is a difference between them, the jags and SL's or more refined and the Jag is silky smooth to drive and is very nice to drive but quite different than the Corvette which is more in touch with the road and a drivers car as are also the Porsche's. The Mercedes hard top converts are a bigger maintenance problem and require a lot of additional care to eliminate the squeaks and rattles that my son informs me is a real problem with them.

When I go to the Fry's Marketplace grocery store in the Dove Mountain area in NW Tucson near me the parking lots are full of sports cars and converts of all brands and not unusual at all to see 3 or 4 vettes in the parking lot with about 3/4 of them being C6 converts.

My son is with Mercedes Benz and I can get a smoking deal on a SL but I choose to stick with the Vette converts as I have since I was 17 and to date have owned 25 of them.

The SL 500's were problem cars according to my son but the SL 550's that came next were pretty much problem free.

 

R230 Nice car but totally unreliable. Active Body Control (ABC) is a nightmare just 1 corner will cost you $1500 just for the part. Not mention labor, The Main reservoir also controls the steering, and roof operation.

Two companies are now doing conversions to replace the ABC suspension to coil over Arnott and Strutmaster. Then you have the roof hydraulic cylinders another expensive items and a cheap plastic flap that breaks. Not to mention other electronic gremlins.

Its a great car if you don't mind parking it at the dealership more then your own driveway.

Avoid any S-Class between 2000-06 / and SL between 2003 to 09.

You want a nice solid MB buy anything PRE 2000 (In short Avoid any MB during the Chrysler era.)


The R129 SL 1992 -02 more solid and reliable then the R230.
As for the R129 check the roof mechanism for leaks near bouth sunvisor if it leaks it will cost you few $$$$.

As 1 MB mechanic said: he is surprised that there was not any class action suit against MB for their ABC, saying many many customers had to pay thousands and thousands to repair this system in which in his opinion was a manufacture ill designed system.

I learned the hard way. Your better off getting a 2006 Aston Martin Vantage V8 Manual transmission. I INSIST on the manual transmission don't get the paddle crap unless your willing to pay over $5000 for a clutch Trust me they do burn out. Stick with Manual ---> Much more relaible then the R230 SL.

With the Vantage V8 your looking at $1600 maintenance every 10K miles / year depending on how much mileage you put on it.

Vantage V8 sounds great and will get more looks then any SL, Porsche or Corvette.

You can even pretend to be James Bond 007 driving the Aston Martin that's until Miss Moneypenny hops into her Red Corvette and blows your doors off the Vantage V8

As far as modern cars go, Corvette, and the NSX (Japans Corvette) are the 2 most reliable cars. I would even include the Vantage V8 all reliable all have different purposes. (Should something go wrong ( YOU F-ing UP) with the Vantage expect to pay $$$, still cheaper then the MB)

I hope I didn't discourage you regarding the R230 SL550.

PS: If someone tells you what i said is not true, ask them if they would keep it after their warranty expires.

EDIT: As a side note go to Ls1tech.com conversion & hybrids and see how many would dump an LS engine into their German car for more reliability and power. http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversions-hybrids-28/

 

For the latest technology, best performance and reliability, go for the C7.

Those who understand cars will appreciate your decision.

SL drivers will not "get it." C7 drivers care little, if any about the thinking of SL drivers.

 

I looked at the SL 550 yesterday it was 120k. Very nice car but I think it only had 420hp? or something around that number? I ran a SL AMG 600 and that thing was a beast, I still showed him my tail lights..lol They are a very nice looking ride.

 

Really???? what do you think everyone will tell you, on a corvette forum.

ask on MB forum, and see what your answer is.

also, corvettes break just like a MB, or any other car. Just ask the Z06 guys who had to replace theier motors because ****** valve train issues. Compared to replacing a whole engine, the MB ABS issue would be cheap.


just look in the tech section, see how many problems the corvettes have.
or z06 section to hear the horror stories.

good luck with your purchase.

 

Funny you target the Z06 engine but omit to address the class action suit MB is facing with its AMG 6.2L

There engine’s internals tend to wear prematurely, with the most common problems being related to the nodular cast-iron camshafts and 9310-grade steel valves. To be more specific, multiple cases of engine failure have been registered, with the causes allegedly being inadequate thermal treatment of the components, as well as incorrect offsets. And the story doesn’t end here, one of the statements in the lawsuits includes the idea that Mercedes has been aware of these problems since 2007, when the carmaker tried to solve the issue by releasing a service bulletin related to this.


Not to mention the depreciation. There was an article recently, here a quote of the first paragraph

 

I traded in my c6 to get my sl55amg in 07, and i didnt regret it for a second, the sl55 was a better car in every way. not even close. but thats not a sl550. for an amg sl? id take the mercedes every time, and you wont get a good on with a warranty for anywhere NEAR what the stingray will cost. i had the same debate myself, and im sticking with the stingray

 

That's a beautiful car.

 

That's because the old guys have the $$$ to afford them.

 

MISS MINE!

 

..

haaaaaaaaa, that's funny !

i have a ZR1 AND an SL55 which i love. it only has 23K miles and i thought that i would keep it forever............ supercharged is THE only way to go !

but i have considered the C7 vert if/when a HIGH hp version comes out..

.

 

I had always wanted one. I bought it for $28,000. I had it for a year. I was terrified something would break, and sold it back to the dealer I bought it from for $25,000. I'm glad I bought it. I had fun with it, but I'm no longer afraid!

 

My mom is 81 and drives an SL.

 

OP... an SL is a great car but it is about as different from a Corvette as you can get. They are fast and perform great but they are big and heavy. You would not take one to the track (if you are into that) and even driving aggressively on back roads is less fun. My C63 was way closer to a Corvette than the SL is and even it was a very, very different car. To me it is all what you are looking for.