MERCEDES SL55 AMG (2003) / Smart investment, uber-cool and fast!
Vložit
- čas přidán 2. 04. 2023
- As a performance car it's probably a lot better than you think. Handles, stops, turns, goes, rides beautifully. Not just an autobahn-storm trooper one trick pony. If you've ever thought about getting a big Benz as an investment car, the SL is the model you want. And not many options better than the Mercedes SL55 AMG with that gorgeous supercharged 5.5 litre V8.
Please enjoy our review, and some of the other great cars on the channel. Let us know what you think with a comment and if you enjoyed it, please leave a like. It helps!
/ incarnationaustralia
/ incarnation_au
/ incarnationaustralia - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Cars like these will never be repeated, they are a treasure for those who can afford them
I think that’s the perfect description of this car.
Affording them is fairly easy. It's maintaining it that will kill your wallet
@@deucebigs9860i think what he means with affording includes maintenance
As a SL55 owner, I am not sure about the investment part unless you have a mechanic that works for free full time, but but I love my '05.
Ah....those long open roads with barely any traffic, sun shining...it is almost enough to make me want to ship my SL55 out there in time for our next trip. Mike
Fantastic car. I remember drooling over them when they were released…
Bought myself a 2006 SL55, 27,000 miles, 18months ago, magnificent machine. The grin factor starts just walking up to it. As regards to the gearbox, when it was launched in 2002 it was the most powerful production car ever made with an auto box. Hence, they had to use the bullet proof, tried and tested 5 speed box called the 722.6 (I think) which was first introduced in 1995-96 but was heavily revised in 1998-99 to strengthen it to cope with the awesome power of the M113K engine. When they dropped the supercharged M113K engine of the SL55 they could then put in the 7 speed boxes from 2006-07 onwards. As mine is the last version, it has real flappy paddles on the steering wheel!!
Hi, have you had any probs with the ABC system or other stuff? Its a real cool car you have👍😎 I have a G55 AMG with only 30k km on the clock. Looked at a mint 2004 SL55 AMG but ended up buying a mint LOW mileage 2010 Mustang Roush Stage 3(550hp/700nm) instead. Have recently tried a 2003 SL 55 AMG which I could end up buying but am a wee bit afraid of ABC system faults....🤔🤔 cheers from me in Norway
How much did you paid for just to have an idea cus im trying to buy one with 31k miles on it
?
@@503nation you asking me🤔
@@bikerman6907 I bought a 2004 SL55 about 10 months ago with just over 70k km, mine has a valve block O-ring issue that causes the corner of the car to sag overnight, or sometimes after a few days when parked. I don't think the previous owner changed the old fluid because it was black when I flushed it, and installed a new ABC filter. When the car is running, the ABC functions flawlessly and the suspension comes back up in seconds, and tere's definitely tutorials online for fixing the valve block O-ring yourself by taking the block out and putting a new rings, but I"m planning on converting mine to coilovers instead just to increase reliability. I've heard people say that as long as you flush the hydraulic fluid periodically, the ABC can be pretty reliable, but I don't blame you for fearing the expensive maintenance 😁😁
Always liked the SL Mercs. Great looking and sounding. These days though I agree with Stu, only buy one if you’re prepared to spend a lot to keep it going. Well built doesn’t mean nothing breaks or that parts and labour are cheap.
i have an SL 55 P030 and the setup is still a bit sportier - especially the limited slip is great..
That was fun guys, thanks and a lot more informative than many other channels - your style is superb -and your knowledge and insights very valuable to me as I'm in the UK and for the three days it does not rain this is the exact car I am after the SL 55AMG - I shall go for one with the Ruby leather, but now I'm unsure whether to go for the 5 or 7 speed box - my current E350 Petrol Estate has the 7 and it is great - but now I'm unsure - I get your points about both though - good stuff - keep on steering
Great cars ..SL 's certainly at the top ,,
but the CLK55 AMG 2 door is also good value compared to an SL, it is lighter , so with the Naturally aspirated 5.44 Litre AMG engine , it is just as fast , has better economy ,is able to carry four people in comfort , has larger boot space , and has no ABC or SBC to worry about.
Keyless Go , push button start and stop is a great feature , and no,it will not switch the engine off if you are driving the car and you press the button by mistake.
Sitting at home Easter Saturday recovering from Covid, this review was exactly what I needed and that lovely V8 burble, thanks guys
Thanks and you're welcome kindred spirit. I'm also sitting at home recovering from a bad head cold, Easter plans cancelled, wondering what next to review. Audi R8 V10, Nissan R35 GTR, Mazda RX8 or a 1970s classic JDM car. What do you suggest?
@@inCARnationAustralia the Audi R8 V10 would be nice.
I had an interesting driving week 2 weeks ago. Drove my wife’s VW t cross 35 kilometres to Fitzroy Falls picked up a Land Cruiser Sahara 2022 model and drove it the owners wife’s work in Bowral, then drove a 2018 Model X Tesla to Sydney and picked up a new Model Y performance for my client and bought it back to the highlands. ( I love my work )
@@russellchristison8425 Very cool. You'd you like the Model Y Performance?
@@inCARnationAustralia it was fabulous
Great review!
Thanks!
I've enjoyed an 04, midnight blue over light grey SL55 for years now. I work on it myself and really, the SBC isn't so hard or expensive. One just needs to stay 2 steps ahead of the maintenance. Rebuilding the hydraulic valve blocks are just an afternoon of patience and a bit of bourbon. I've replaced the stereo to a newer one that looks stock and I've recovered the seats with new leathers. Updated the steering wheel and changed the burl wood to piano black. People can never really imagine that it's 19 years old. An owner of the newest SL55 was comparing and after sitting in mine conceded that there's a feel of luxury and connectedness that the new one is lacking.
Every year it sits at the city's International Auto Show special "Exotics" display. It's the only non-exotic, but as many many people have commented, it's the only car in the lot that people would want to own long-term.
It'd feel confident driving it from California to New York, as it's just a rock solid reliable car. Mostly, I use it to drive up the California Coast (Highway 1) and through the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I've considered selling it a couple of times, but I simply cannot find another car that I'm more pleased with as a GT.
Your video has reminded me once again why I need to just hang onto it.
Thanks Gene. Cool story. It's important to use the right parts too, isn't it ... so which particular bourbon would you suggest?
@@inCARnationAustralia The correct parts are essential. I often tell younger guys who want cars like this: If buying the correct part or correct fuel is going to break the bank, you can't afford the car.
It's much like dating an ex-super model. Just because she hasn't been in the spotlight in a few years doesn't mean you can feed her McDonalds.
As for the bourbon, I actually prefer David Nicholson. Great bang for the buck. It can just be a bit hard to track down (Even here in California). A good pick-up-anywhere is Basil Hayden. Again, not too pricey and mild enough to work on the car without throwing tools.
Thanks for the comment. A drive through the Sierra Nevada mountains in this car would be perfect.
Beautiful noise.
Black series 💯 so rare
I have had 2 of these monsters in brilliant silver and Jasper Blue I will now be looking for my 3rd one but I will have to keep my rust free Japanese import E55 AMG ❤
This is a depreciating asset. It is most definitely not an investment vehicle.
Who am I to argue? You may well be right. I disagree but in an agreeable manner. Let's check this video again in 2028 and see.
i bought one in 2013 and it has gone up in value about 7 thousand EUR. of course i kept it in good condition so i surely paid net in but i got a lot of pleasure out of it .. not comparable to the cost benefit ratio of a new car which is depreciating at brutal rates..
For those poor bastards who bought them new yes, the rest of us won’t take that hit.
Look at what the early AMGs are starting to go for. For those who get them now and take car of them, they definitely will not go down any further. Mine has been fully customized by Kleeman. It now puts out 570hp.
They kept the 5 Speed manual in the SL55 as the 7Speed manual could not handle the power and would break
It was a five speed auto in the SL55 from its release in 2002 onwards. But they must have strengthened the 7-speed 7G-Tronic, as they used that for the 2006 model. And the SL600 and SL65 also used the 7-speed. And they had torque of 800 Nm and 1,000 Nm respectively, more than the 700 Nm in the SL55. So clearly the Merc auto boxes are pretty strong.
@@inCARnationAustralia all the sources I found say that the regular SL were updated to a 7speed. But neither the AMGs or the 600 had a 7Speed. Later versions like the 63 had a different box with a 7 speed though
McLaren SLR uses the 5 speed trans because the seven speed would not handle the torque.
4:04 “it’s a Mercedes so it won’t go wrong…correct?” No, wrong actually, very wrong 😂. ABC infamous for failures.
Australia prices of the original SL55 are absurd. The rest of the world is buying these at 25000 USD on average
can i rent ur car? when i got in australia lol
Sadly it's not ours to offer. Most cars we review are either press cars or borrowed from collectors
I Went with his hiro Coil overs.. Just just replace these struts and have the liquid drain out of it I didn't worry about the rest of that abc system and I'll tell you something it's a little bit faster and it handles much better! .. The difference in the ride I can't remember it it's where the market really small,, Do not get the old man's mode I think you will be disappointed I drive it at the sport mode and the difference is just negligible.. Race cars require sway bars I didn't notice it in my driving time... I wonder whether the value will go up I doubt it?
Many of you are having ABC problems coilovers is the definite answer Unless you want to drive it in the old man's mode Non sport you ought to go with those Coilover You need not worry about it forever