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Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK (all models)

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  • laxatl1laxatl1 Member Posts: 2
    I have the same trouble. did you ever find out what that warning means?
  • mhancockmhancock Member Posts: 1
    hello, i have a 2000 model slk 200 manual six speed, and i have a transmission problem.all gears are smooth and selecting fine, except for second gear.i am unable to enter second gear when car is mobile or stationary.there was no indication of any problem before, and the problem was immediate.the car is still driveable,but i am not sure if it will cause any more problems.i have been advised it may be a linkage problem, and i am looking for any advice anyone has to offer.
    many thanks for reading this, mark.
  • jimbo409jimbo409 Member Posts: 18
    I am considering buying a used sl 91 thru 95 which one do you guys recommend. are there anythings I should look for when buying. I am a novice with these cars.
  • cosito1cosito1 Member Posts: 2
    I just recently bought a 2006 SL 55 AMG. I know my question might be out of context to the topic at hand , however I will try just in case.
    The problem has to do with the manumatic -speed shifting .
    This car has 5 speed and 3 settings , comfort , sport , and ,manual . the manual can be done by pressing buttons on the back of the steering wheel or by tipping the shifter to the left or right.
    This trans, in manual is crazy , say you want to take a 2nd gear turn, you come on 5 hit the downshift button 3 times (spaced) and the software which has a mind of its own chooses 1st gear instead.
    It is certainly not a sequential shifter .

    I am wondering if any of you has experienced the same with any Mercedes with manumatic.
  • jomanojomano Member Posts: 1
    I have been looking for a 450SL for a couple years and just found one online, in CT (the car is originally from CA--emissions sticker claims). The car is in really good shape (almost no cosmetic problems) with 170K miles and the seller claims it runs well. Would someone with knowledge of these cars let me know if you think $5900 asking price is okay for the year and mileage. The prices are ALL over the place. Also, can anyone make a suggestion on if I should look for something specific in the engine, etc.... I'm not a mechanic. Is 170K too many miles? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    I've asked this question before with no response. I need some advice. I'm looking for around a 1990-1995 SL. Which one would be the best to buy based on reliability? All of them seem to fall in the $12,000-18,000 price range for a good one with records, original paint (a must) and relatively low mileage. I don't care whether I have a 6 or 8. I understand there have been issues with the 5 speed automatics. This is the info I need.
    Help me out so I can start nailing down what to look for.
  • cosito1cosito1 Member Posts: 2
    I had a V6 and a V8 .There is a world of diference between the two . I beg you not to buy the V6 , it is very , very slow , also it starts on 2nd gear unless you hammer the throttle .You will be frustrated . The V8 on the other hand is much better and has better resale value
    Had no problems with the transmission .
    I hope this helps.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    Thanks very much for the advice. There are more 500SLs around anyway so I'll concentrate on those. I'm not worried about the lack of speed though. This will simply be a fun car for weekends and for detailing -not a daily driver. I have other cars for daily chores and road trips. I'm glad the 5 speed automatic was not a problem though.
  • jmancinijmancini Member Posts: 3
    I have been looking, test driving, looking, etc. for close to a year now for my perfect SL500. I would only go with the 500 as those engines are pretty much bulletproof. The price differential between the 300/320 and the 500 is minimal.

    Keep in mind the 5 speed electronic transmission didn't start until 1996. From 1990-95 they were 4 speed hydraulic, which worked fine but a little slow on the downshift.

    The V8 engine used until 1999 was a 4 valve, DOHC V8 that was replaced in 1999 with a 3 valve per cylinder, SOHC. The earlier engines pack 322hp with 353 +/- ft lb. torque vs. 302 hp / 339 lbs. torque. Not much difference, but still. (Please excuse me if I am off a little on hp/torque #'s). Suffice it to say these cars move.

    You can view the production run of the R129 in three phrases: 1990-95; 1996-98; 1999-2002. IMHO, while not taking anything away from any year of the SL R129 run, I have focused on the years of 1996-1998 in my search.
  • dispencer1dispencer1 Member Posts: 489
    The 1990 300SL had a 5 speed automatic. The 500SL had the 4 speed. I understand that the 4 speed was more dependable. Thanks for the advice. I'm going to look for a 500SL.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    to the posters above...I am contemplating a SL500, 1996-1998...quick check of KBB brought prices of about 20-25K, unless I made some major (minor?) mistake...

    Anything specific to these models to be on the lookout for???...I have admired Benzes for years, dreamed about owning one, now dreaming further...

    Since the cars are 8-10 years old, should I expect to find about 100K miles on the odo, and is that the point of just breaking in the engine, or am I preparing for major problems in the near future...

    Do the convertible soft tops seal well against the frame for rain/wind leakage???...are these the cars Mercedes made when their reputation was bulletproof, or was this the beginning of the "quality downslide?"...

    What routine maintenance items should I anticipate after 100K miles, such as alternator, water pump, starter, fuel pump, etc., or are these items good for 150K or more???

    Are my quoted prices correct, or am I way off in what I should expect???

    Were Xenon headlamps a stand alone option, or part of a sport package, and would you recommend the sport package for better handling or is it simply too rough???

    Your thoughts and feedback are welcome...maybe my dream can come true in the near to medium future...
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    a long time ago, that there was a website, maybe Mercedes own site, maybe an independent sit, that would list each year and model, and, like a brochure of that year, would list the various options, exterior and interior colors that were available in that year...

    I am trying to determine the colors that the 1996-1998 SL500 came in...if I had my druthers, I would like exterior of Navy blue or silver, and interior leather of charcoal gray or navy blue (light color interiors, to me, show dirt and grime easily, colors like white or tan, whereas navy blue/gray/black does not look bad after 50-100K miles of wear...

    Your thoughts and recos are appreciated...
  • thedonclkthedonclk Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know the residual value on this car? I'm looking to lease one around May when my lease on my CLK 500 is up... Anyone paying a good price on this car leased per month?

    Thanks!
  • chaddydchaddyd Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    I'm thinking of buying the above, but have read in the past that there are problems with this model. Specifically, I've heard that there are problems with odors coming from the glue Mercedes used for the side panels. Any truth to this? what are your thoughts about the 2003 sl500? i love the car, and i love the trim, but i'm not about to drop $70K on a car that smells bad! Also, any thoughts on reliability? thanks!
  • ClairesClaires Member Posts: 1,222
    marsha7, clicking on the year at Edmunds.com Mercedes Benz will bring you to a list of Mercedes-Benz models offered for that year. If you click on the SL Class link and choose the SL500, you'll see a menu on the left side that shows the available colors, specs, and other data for that year's model.

    MODERATOR

    Need help getting around? claires@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.

    Tell everyone about your buying experience: Write a Dealer Review

  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Thanks
  • jsharpejsharpe Member Posts: 1
    In Europe, the previous SL model was available with children-sized back seats. Was this an option on US cars? If so, I'd like to find one.
  • golffoolgolffool Member Posts: 6
    How do you reset the indictor if you change your own oil or have it serviced by other than MBZ?
  • pfentonpfenton Member Posts: 16
    I am the proud owner of a 93 500SL and its desireability, dependability and phenomenal performance, gives me the ultimate driving experience every time out. I really
    appreciate this car. My only small complaint is a slight
    fluttering or flapping noise from the dash on the passenger
    side. Can anyone tell me what this is?
  • gentilegentile Member Posts: 2
    24 months 10K 76% or 12K 75%
    36 months 10K 64% or 12K 63%

    Money factors for lease through MBF are:

    24 months 0.00415
    36 months 0.00390

    I have just returned my CLK and got a SL550. One new thing I have learned is the GAS GUZZLER TAX ($1700), and is not part of the MSRP where can be rolled in to the lease but is not counted as the MSRP of the vehicle. So calculate your payments accordingly.

    I got my deal at $795 A.Fee, No Doc Fee, and $1100 over invoice. Make sure you verify all the numbers yourself (there is an Excel spreadsheet in these forums) as dealers seems to make a lot of mistakes to their favors. After going through a lot of Mass and then NH dealers, I have found one dealer in NH that I felt comfortable working with. If you are in MA, I would not go to Chambers.

    Regards,
    Gent
  • law4youlaw4you Member Posts: 7
    My experience is with a 1999 SL500 with 60,000 miles which is my wife's daily ride the past 6+ years. It has the 7 year Starmark warranty (about to expire) which may not be available for the SL you are looking for. Some problems I recall are: 1) Driver's side "door hinge stop" creaked and cracked upon opening the door....not covered by Starmark
    2) No seal leaks from top but noisy inside the car....never fixed 3) rear drive train replaced recently due to noise 4) rough noisy ride with all four sets of tires (Michelin, Dunlap & Goodyear) 5) lousy trade-in value ($24M) recently offered by dealer for mint garaged car which means you will probably find or have found an acceptable car at a fraction of original MSRP.
  • roger341roger341 Member Posts: 59
    I'm hoping someone will know where I could get info on the subject vehicle (or even if it exists!).

    Can't find anything on the net. I'll see the car this weekend to be sure it fits the description. I'm going to sell it for someone.

    Thanks
  • sympleredsymplered Member Posts: 2
    Man, haven't been on this site for a while. Yeah, the problem went away after changing oil 10w40, plugs and adding lucas gas treatment to clean up some of the carbon build up. That was over a year ago and hasn't knocked since. I use lucas periodically
  • 1111jer1111jer Member Posts: 1
    Do you know how to obtain the original sticker price for a past model? thanks
  • brislance1brislance1 Member Posts: 87
    My daughter and her husband live in Chicago and also have a home here in Arizona. They have an 84 500SL (Euro) with 75 thousand miles on it. It is black and in mint condition. The car has been maintained by a local independent and is perfect mechanically. They are the third owners.

    They are thinking of selling the car as they drive it only once a month if that much, but have no idea of the real value of the car. If any of you have a hint of the dollar value, please let me know. I would buy it myself, but have no room at the inn or knowledge of the value of a gray market car.

    Thanks.
  • lsorensenlsorensen Member Posts: 10
    Please consider a 1999-2000 SL500 with the SL1 and SL2 package. This way you will get all of the latest upgrades for the R129 chassis. If you can find one with a Panoramic top well all the better. I bought a 2000 SL500 in July,07 with 20K miles for $33K. Not bad for a $95K car.
    The car has both the SL1 and SL2 packages and is triple black. R129 doors have a tendency to make noise so I had my INDY R&R the door strap/stays for $278.00. I love this car and it is fast, responsive, and has a great sound system by Bose.
    I have owned two other SL's for the last eleven years. Both were the R107 chassis. I purchased my 1988 and 1989 560SL with 30K miles and recently sold the 1989 with 80K miles after seven years.

    Here is a list of the R129 optional package features.

    SL1 Sport Package ($4,995)

    AMG designed sculpted lower body aerodynamic enhancements, to include:
    Front apron with mesh air intake, two seperate tow hook covers
    Contoured rear apron
    Sculpted side skirts with Sport emblems
    Halogen projector-beam front foglamps
    245/40ZR18 front and 275/35ZR18 rear, low profile high-performance tires
    8.5Jx18" front and 9.5Jx18" rear, staggered-width AMG 5 spoke monoblock alloy wheels

    Note: Suspension and steering calibrations are unchanged by the Sport Package.

    SL2 Value Added Package ($1,820)

    Xenon headlights w/ automatic level control w/o headlight washer/wiper
    Integrated trunk-mounted 6-disc CD changer
    Electrically heated seats
  • detroitlionsdetroitlions Member Posts: 21
    hey sphinx99 u seem to be very knowledgable about alot of issues..tell me,ever heard of a gearshift not able to move frome park unless jimmyed for a few minutes? pretty odd huh? i have mb s430 really dependable up to this point may im missing something amist all the saftey features?
  • norcalmike53norcalmike53 Member Posts: 2
    Hi folks,
    I stumbled onto a 1996 600SL today; 1 owner, 32K miles, California car. Will sell for $22,000.00. The gentleman has 500K worth of cars (Viper, Jag XKE convertible, new Vette, classic Ranchero, boat, motorhome) in his garage! The car is flawless. Anything about the 1996 600SL that I should worry about? Good price? Anybody know how many 600SL were sold in the US that year? Thanks for any information.
  • jpilljpill Member Posts: 1
    So much negative press about mechanical issues, electrical problems, reliability, ect. I even read a complaint about an odor of "cat piss" in a 2007 designo edition due to MB adhesive! Is this just MB bashing? Any thoughts?
  • ahassibiahassibi Member Posts: 1
    When the engine warms up and you are in park the idle races up and down. Any suggestion as to the cause and how to repair? Is it the idle controller that is defective??
  • ezenezen Member Posts: 2
    I found a '76 450SL convertible selling for $3900. Ad states it only has 123k miles, but that seems awfully low to me. What should I look for when I take a test drive and check the car out? Are there any issues I need to be aware of? This would be a 2nd car for me, but I'm not a mechanic, so I don't want something that will need a ton of maintenance.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    "This would be a 2nd car for me, but I'm not a mechanic, so I don't want something that will need a ton of maintenance."

    Need I state the obvious? You are considering buying a 31 year old German car. You think 4,000 miles a year seems "awfully low", suggesting you may intend to drive it frequently.

    IT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF MAINTENANCE. :surprise:

    Not that I know anything about the 450SL, but one of my neighbors has had his 30+ year old Mercedes 280SE out of commission for over 4 months waiting for some parts. If you buy this car, do so with the anticipation that if things start going wrong, you may need to just hand the keys to your local charity.
  • s550iwishs550iwish Member Posts: 28
    I got in a car accident driving a 2007 Lexus RX350 loaded to the max. The guy that hit me was driving a 2007 MB SL550. My car was totaled and his car held up great i was surprised. The only damage on his car was a damaged hood and a broken tailight.That really is a great & safe car!! :)
  • brush_busterbrush_buster Member Posts: 1
    Inside hood latch handle will not release my hood when pulled. Any ideas as to how to get the hood to release.
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    Further suggestion. If you buy this car, and I certainly might if I were in the market, take it to a reputable shop (Benz store if that's what it takes) and have them replace all the hoses and everything else that shows "age fatigue". It will cost you a couple grand out front but can save you a lot of grief in the long run. Bart
  • a_loha_loh Member Posts: 3
    While driving my 2004 SL500, I hit a bump and the rollbar popped up (it made some awful grinding noise when popped up) and now the rollbar won't go back down + the convertible hard top doesn't work any more. Any suggestions to reset the rollbar and get the hard top to work again?
  • marc29marc29 Member Posts: 1
    The very same thing happened to me in my 2003 SL500 last week, complete with grinding noise. Here's what I did: (1) push the roll bar UP button underneath the flap which operates the hard top and hold for a few seconds, even though nothing much seems to be happening; (2) now the hard top should operate - pull the flap to raise and close the roof; (3) finally, press the DOWN button to lower the roll bar inside the closed roof. It worked for me. Good luck.
  • a_loha_loh Member Posts: 3
    It worked like a charm! You just save me a trip to the dealer. Thanks a bunch!
  • mpiempie Member Posts: 1
    I think this is a great idea
    care to move ahead /
  • gbuckilgbuckil Member Posts: 1
    The sl 500 was not charging, so I put a new alternator in, but the light is still on and the car is not charging. Any suggestions?
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    maybe a bad cell where it simply will not accept a charge...a load test on the battery may reveal it...
  • greasykid1greasykid1 Member Posts: 336
    Suggest a computer readout of your systems. May show the fault code that will identify the problem.
  • williebzwilliebz Member Posts: 3
    Can anyone tell me how to remove the factory radio from a 2005 sl500?
  • greasykid1greasykid1 Member Posts: 336
    1. Why do you want to remove your radio?

    2. The radio is in intrigel part of the car. Uses multiplexed fiberoptics which I am told do other car functions. Any good installer should have the small tools that slide along side the radio for removal.

    Trying to replace the radio with another brand can be big trouble.
  • williebzwilliebz Member Posts: 3
    I'm going to replace it with the european version of the same radio, it works the same way with the same connections but I can watch dvds while I drive and a tv tuner can be hooked up to it.
  • tkalotatkalota Member Posts: 1
    I am not an NBA player, however, I am as big as one: 6’8” – I am looking for an after-market custom car interior shop, preferably in the Southern California area, that can modify the driver’s seat to increase length and height from the factory built specs. Can anyone make some recommendations?
  • corbeilcorbeil Member Posts: 1
    Hello I,m researching , boosting the power in my 91 SL 500, Can anyone tell me for a fact the best way to go about it. Keep in mind car has only 58000 original km.and is show clean, so buying one with more power is out of the question. Sincerly Terry PLS. RESPOND......
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    A reporter from a large finance magazine is looking to speak to consumers who just purchased a new Mercedes-Benz SLK350. If you’re interested in speaking to the reporter, please contact Chintan Talati at ctalati@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than June 23, 2008.
  • leroy10leroy10 Member Posts: 1
    My wife owns a 1987 560 SL with 138K miles. Recenty the car stopped on her while driving and would not restart. We were told the car needed a fuel pump. A few weeks and $900 later the same thing happend. Again, everythihg checked out, the battery, starter, alternator, etc. This time, the repair shop found nothing wrong with the car. Was unable to duplicate the problem my wife had experienced. So we reluctantly brought the car home. Low and be hold the car stopped on my wife again. After the car sat for a few hours, she was aboe to drive it home.

    It seems it happens after the car has been driven for a while. The repair shop claims the car was driven and tested while cold and after being driven

    Does anyone have a clue as to what is going on?
  • bmlexusbmlexus Member Posts: 755
    Dont you think its time to replace a 21 years old car?
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