Mercedes SL55 AMG special edition
Discussion
Can you upload a link or picture? The only special edition I'm aware of is the F1 edition.
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
nickbie said:
Hi I’m considering a SL 55 AMG, this particular one has a small silver badge on the boot saying special edition and a signature. Other examples don’t have this badge, just wondering if it signifies anything?
You can buy those badges on eBay. It signifies that the previous owner had a spare £4.95 and questionable taste in car badging.nickbie said:
Ok thanks, mystery solved, wonder if it will come off without leaving a mark??
Any comments on whether SL55 AMGs are good buys or to be avoided?
That should come off with a bit of help from a heat gun and dental floss with luck!Any comments on whether SL55 AMGs are good buys or to be avoided?
The good news about the SL55 is that the engines and drivetrain aren’t trouble.
It’s reputation for bork comes from a hydraulic suspension (who’d have guessed that would be troublesome ) and water ingress into the base of the boot where there are lots of electrical gubbins.
They made them up to 2007 and problems got dealt with during production. So my advice is to buy the youngest one you can find.
Scrump said:
You can buy those badges on eBay. It signifies that the previous owner had a spare £4.95 and questionable taste in car badging.
ah, that solves also a little mistery for me, a german slk 55 amg had such plate on a carbon strip on the dash just above the storage thing.I was thinking, what special was on that car, looked and looked at the pictures, not really a thing that stood out or what you could order, then I thought maybe a model for so many years or so? but not know of such, this explains it hahah
Edited by GTRene on Tuesday 2nd June 23:26
cardigankid said:
Ominous silence. I’m thinking, buy another R230 SL.
It might be worth finding out a few part numbers and googling.Also Merc seem to carry parts for a surprisingly long time so I’d give the local Merc parts desk a try too. They can give you the part numbers if nothing else.
Scrump said:
You can buy those badges on eBay. It signifies that the previous owner had a spare £4.95 and questionable taste in car badging.
That little badge stuck on the console of a budget boggo basic knackered SLK impressed the hell out of a lady I was squiring resulting in a delightfully mutually beneficial time and she remains a best friend - thus the best £5 I ever spent. Guess I had the last laugh (& other stuff) whilst others just 'entertained' themselves by sneering.Ditto AMG & 'M' badges no doubt.
I've done over 120k miles in an SL55, here are the things that I've had to replace.
1. SBC unit will fail, silly design where it will lock out after a certain number of brake presses. Discovered by European E class taxi drivers, but there are services now which reset the counter.
2. I've only had one ABC strut leak and need replacing. A second hand unit was fitted by a friend and the car raised back to life. You'll find the height adjustment a life saver in less optimum conditions e.g. flooding, safari or an agressive curb, so this is a small price to pay for small issues
3. Tandem pump, this is part of the power steering / abc system. The connecting membrane fails every 50k miles, but thankfully a non Mercedes-Benz part is available.
4. A lot of folk talk about roof seals needing replacing, I just needed to keep on top of the drain holes. They can get caked up with a very black dirt which makes them invisible and blocked.
5. Central locking pump, this is in the trunk - there's a specialist in Maidstone, Kent who can provide uprated units at the fraction of the cost.
6. Also, please make sure you service the 722 gearbox, though it's claimed that it's sealed for life and doesn't require an oil change I beg to differ.
It's most happy when kept on a trickle charger, but won't let you down as the check consumer battery will go offline if there's a current drain ensuring that you get going.
In this day and age the torque and comfort are still impressive and it's appearance is not ageing too badly until you load up the etch-a-sketch satellite navigation.
1. SBC unit will fail, silly design where it will lock out after a certain number of brake presses. Discovered by European E class taxi drivers, but there are services now which reset the counter.
2. I've only had one ABC strut leak and need replacing. A second hand unit was fitted by a friend and the car raised back to life. You'll find the height adjustment a life saver in less optimum conditions e.g. flooding, safari or an agressive curb, so this is a small price to pay for small issues
3. Tandem pump, this is part of the power steering / abc system. The connecting membrane fails every 50k miles, but thankfully a non Mercedes-Benz part is available.
4. A lot of folk talk about roof seals needing replacing, I just needed to keep on top of the drain holes. They can get caked up with a very black dirt which makes them invisible and blocked.
5. Central locking pump, this is in the trunk - there's a specialist in Maidstone, Kent who can provide uprated units at the fraction of the cost.
6. Also, please make sure you service the 722 gearbox, though it's claimed that it's sealed for life and doesn't require an oil change I beg to differ.
It's most happy when kept on a trickle charger, but won't let you down as the check consumer battery will go offline if there's a current drain ensuring that you get going.
In this day and age the torque and comfort are still impressive and it's appearance is not ageing too badly until you load up the etch-a-sketch satellite navigation.
Just had this year's annual service done on my SL55
Taken out of the main dealer network due to my local MB dealer changing hands of ownership (and they are now crap). So, all four of our MB's are now being serviced by John Haynes Mercedes specialists in Worthing.
Bit shout out to them as they recently sorted our E Class and the 55 has just been done and I collect tomorrow. Small report - the wiper blades have gone hard - no surprise as it hasn't seen a wet road for four years! :-)
Be good to get it back and get the roof down in the sun! Don't let the internet stories about ABC, SBC etc put you off - they're great cars and can't see any alternative for a 500bhp convertible at that price point.
Taken out of the main dealer network due to my local MB dealer changing hands of ownership (and they are now crap). So, all four of our MB's are now being serviced by John Haynes Mercedes specialists in Worthing.
Bit shout out to them as they recently sorted our E Class and the 55 has just been done and I collect tomorrow. Small report - the wiper blades have gone hard - no surprise as it hasn't seen a wet road for four years! :-)
Be good to get it back and get the roof down in the sun! Don't let the internet stories about ABC, SBC etc put you off - they're great cars and can't see any alternative for a 500bhp convertible at that price point.
Took the 55 out today for a Fathers Day hoon with some great company (CLK63 Black Series and a GT40 packing some serious HP)
Crikey the 55 is fast. A real A road and dual carriageway brute. Both my friends were aghast at how potent this old bruiser is. Both had trouble staying with it in a straight line.
Bang for buck as they say - there aren't many car's that offer that sort of performance for the money. The M113k engine is sublime. Must be something in it as i've had the 55 longer than all the GT3 Porsche's and Ferrari's i've had in the past. A nicer car than the F Type V8 i owned for a year (except the noise obviously). The F Type V8 really did score full marks for that - even more so than the 360 Challenge Stradale
Crikey the 55 is fast. A real A road and dual carriageway brute. Both my friends were aghast at how potent this old bruiser is. Both had trouble staying with it in a straight line.
Bang for buck as they say - there aren't many car's that offer that sort of performance for the money. The M113k engine is sublime. Must be something in it as i've had the 55 longer than all the GT3 Porsche's and Ferrari's i've had in the past. A nicer car than the F Type V8 i owned for a year (except the noise obviously). The F Type V8 really did score full marks for that - even more so than the 360 Challenge Stradale
Edited by Candellara on Sunday 21st June 19:06
Edited by Candellara on Sunday 21st June 19:07
I have had my SL55 since 2009. When I got it only had 1100 miles on it. I have now had 78 cars in my 72 years and my SL55 is my all time favorite car. The only problem I have had was I had to replace one rear strut. They are fast and beautiful. The wheels are from a CLK 63 Black Series. It now has 10,000 miles and has never been in the rain.
Edited by Gene G on Saturday 4th July 02:42
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