SL350 or 500?

[P.Nott]

Ok, the situation is that I have just retired and want to get a used, but current version SL. I've had some great Mercs in the past and it's now time to get another. I would love to get a 63 AMG but, realistically that won't happen, especially as I no longer have a good regular income. My pension is not bad, but feel I will need to just watch the outgoings until I get used to the idea, if you see what I mean.

Use will be as a second car doing perhaps 7.5k per year max, on European touring etc so question is, in the real world, will the 500 cost very much more to run than the 350? Budget is up to £50k, so I should be able to pick up a decent car for that, but can anybody please give me an idea of relative running costs between the two variants, especially things like tyres, brakes and servicing costs?

I would obviously prefer the V8 but this retirement and reduced income lark is a totally new experience for me and so I just need to assess my approximate outgoings each year.

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

[P.Nott]

Can anybody help with cost estimates please?

Thanks

[XB70]

P.Nott said:

Use will be as a second car doing perhaps 7.5k per year max, on European touring etc so question is, in the real world, will the 500 cost very much more to run than the 350? Budget is up to £50k, so I should be able to pick up a decent car for that, but can anybody please give me an idea of relative running costs between the two variants, especially things like tyres, brakes and servicing costs?

I would obviously prefer the V8 but this retirement and reduced income lark is a totally new experience for me and so I just need to assess my approximate outgoings each year.

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

I don't know off the top of my head for the 350/500 in terms of fuel consumption (in the R129 shape there was not much of a difference between a 320 and a 500 but a huge difference in performance).

Brakes, tires - should not be too bad if the yearly miles are that low.

Where it will all come unstuck is a few years down the track with the suspension in the 500. If I recall correctly, the 350 uses conventional springs whereas the 500 uses active suspension (air or hydraulic - I can't recall at the moment). Air suspension is expensive to fix, hydraulic is hugely expensive to fix.

So, with a 350 you get a car that looks exactly like the 500, in the real world is about 8/10ths the performance, gives the same open top feel and the all singing and dancing roof and in the long run, will be easier (and cheaper) to fix than the 500. The suspension is a lifed part so it will go at some point.

From what you have described, and unless you are intent on Vmaxing it on an autobahn, I would recommend the SL350.

Buy one approved used and you should be able to get a decent facelift one from MB main dealer for about £40,000 so already ahead there on the funds.

Personally, I think the facelift looks wierd and looks like it belongs on a different car so I would go for a late model of the pre-facelift with all the options (panoroof etc) and seems to be had for mid £30's so now £15,000 ahead of your budget.

[P.Nott]

Thanks for your reply. I'm not so concerned with mpg considering the relatively low annual mileage I would probably do with it, but more concerned about servicing costs etc. I realise it would be more, but wondered by just how much.

Trouble is that I like big multi cylinder car engines which I probably shouldn't in these times but hey, you got to enjoy your toys while you can.

As for the suspension, I'm not sure which type the 500 has, but I wouldn't have thought they are too problematic are they? This car will probably be a keeper, so maybe that does need considering though.

As for your question in the email, yes I did a few years ago. Probably the best and most all round capable car I've ever owned of any marque. I'd love another one now but for previously stated reasons, that isn't very practical. Ho hum

[XB70]

P.Nott said:

Thanks for your reply. I'm not so concerned with mpg considering the relatively low annual mileage I would probably do with it, but more concerned about servicing costs etc. I realise it would be more, but wondered by just how much.

Trouble is that I like big multi cylinder car engines which I probably shouldn't in these times but hey, you got to enjoy your toys while you can.

As for the suspension, I'm not sure which type the 500 has, but I wouldn't have thought they are too problematic are they? This car will probably be a keeper, so maybe that does need considering though.

As for your question in the email, yes I did a few years ago. Probably the best and most all round capable car I've ever owned of any marque. I'd love another one now but for previously stated reasons, that isn't very practical. Ho hum

If you look at my garage profile, you will see that I am fan of the huge engines too.

Increasingly, the smaller capacity engines are closing the gap in what I call 'real world' performance. We had a Kompressor E-Class estate (a 4 cyl new one) in Germany and drove it flat out, everywhere. Top speed was 232kph (GPS), very quiet and stable, was able to hustle along the back roads with a cracking pace and average MPG was in the high 30's!!! When I collected the car I was fuming in utter disgust - 4 days later, I would have bought one in a second if I was looking for an estate.

The active suspension (air or otherwise) will always be more problematic unfortunately. While more reliable than that which appeared in the W220/C215 series cars, in the long run, I would not want to face the bills of a multi-thousand pound strut replacement which will happen on the ABC equipped cars and cheaper, although still expensive, on the AIRMATIC cars. The normal struts and springs mean that less to go wrong. Iny my experience of active suspension Mercs, they are average and I much prefer the ride on the older cars.

[r129sl]

Get the 500. The differences between the two are marginal in every area except performance. They're both expensive to maintain compared to, say, a Ford Focus. And they're both cheap to maintain compared to, say, a Ferrari V12. The 500 will be a bit more than the 350 but it'll be of the same order. You'll regret not getting the 500. If I were after a R230, I too would get one of the second generation models (2006 to 2009?) with the 5.5litre V8 but the pretty face, although the new one looks OK in silver.

Edited by r129sl on Thursday 14th April 14:31

[P.Nott]

r129sl said:

Get the 500. The differences between the two are marginal in every area except performance. They're both expensive to maintain compared to, say, a Ford Focus. And they're both cheap to maintain compared to, say, a Ferrari V12. The 500 will be a bit more than the 350 but it'll be of the same order. You'll regret not getting the 500. If I were after a R230, I too would get one of the second generation models (2006 to 2009?) with the 5.5litre V8 but the pretty face, although the new one looks OK in silver.

It's all subjective re the looks of course, but i actually quite like the look of the current corporate face on the SL. I've seen one recently in Palladium(?) silver and loved the look of that. Now i've got the time, I'll start trawling the used ads and see what's available.

Thanks for your replies and all other views welcome to help make up my mind.

[andy355]

ive been running an 59 plate sl350 for the last 6 months. it is excellent and very smooth. actually sold it today to trade and got a good price. 5k miles on the clock

there is a huge difference in fuel consumption between this an the sl55 i had 4 years ago which was rediculous in london traffic.

the new shape gets loads of good attention and looks best in silver in my oppinion. also get the sports pack car with the nice wheels and paddle change box. looks pretty similar to the sl63 just less extreme, pretty rare sight the new shape

if i had read this thread yesterday i could have offered you mine!

[P.Nott]

Can I ask what you are moving on to next? Think my next move is to get a drive in both variants. Trouble is I just know which I'll prefer!
The only advice here that concerns me is the ruggedness of the suspension on the 500.
No matter, I'll let you know what conclusion I come to in due course.

[Dog Star]

I have an SL500 and in all honesty and with the wisdom of hindsight I wish I'd bought the 350.

The reason: the suspension. It's given me huge bills (in the thousands) and at no point in my 3 years ownership have I ever been happy with it. At the moment for example when in standing traffic over a few minutes the left of the car will rise up.... then drop.... I've been saving up and now have the requisite £1000 to take it to MB to get looked at.

It really is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

Go and look on mercedesclub.org.uk and check out the litany of ABC problems: it's ste!

[r129sl]

Dog Star said:

It really is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

I think you're right and you have made me think about this. The comfort/handling difference advantage of the ABC suspension over the conventional steel suspension is marginal (it's hardly like the conventionally sprung car is dreadful or something); yet ABC is vastly more complicated and its consumable components vastly more expensive.

If I were buying a car for the long term, I don't think I'd want complicated suspension or complicated anything. I know I am looking at a brand new E350 CDI with a view to 20year ownership, and one thing I don't want is Airmatic. This is the problem for me with a lot of new vehicles: the benefits brought by the myriad complex systems do not come close to the problems and expense they pose for the long term (20years) high mileage (500,000) owner.

Dog Star, have you thought about throwing away the ABC and fitting four springs and four shocks? Or is it not that easy?

[Dog Star]

r129sl said:

Dog Star, have you thought about throwing away the ABC and fitting four springs and four shocks? Or is it not that easy?

As far as I am aware you can't.
I think I've just had a bad year with the ABC to be honest
However I can confidently tell you that I will never, ever buy a vehicle again that does not have conventional suspension.

[P.Nott]

Dog Star said:

I have an SL500 and in all honesty and with the wisdom of hindsight I wish I'd bought the 350.

The reason: the suspension. It's given me huge bills (in the thousands) and at no point in my 3 years ownership have I ever been happy with it. At the moment for example when in standing traffic over a few minutes the left of the car will rise up.... then drop.... I've been saving up and now have the requisite £1000 to take it to MB to get looked at.

It really is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

Go and look on mercedesclub.org.uk and check out the litany of ABC problems: it's ste!

Thanks for that, It's the kind of information i was looking for, although quietly hoping I wouldnt hear about the 500 since I love the big V8s. I have had big Mercs with air suspension before (CLS 55 amongst others) but always owned these when in business and so didnt keep for more than a couple of years or so. Consequently they were always lowish mileage when they were moved on and still in the warranty period anyhow.

This SL will be a keeper and so i dont want big money problems a few years down the line if I can help it. I think this thread has pretty much made up my mind for me now, so thanks everyone.

[XB70]

The only reason I bought my S600L (W22O) was because all of the ABC has been replaced. Everything.

It cost the previous owner thousands and even then, I though the ride was average. My W140 S600L on normal springs (albeit with SLS on the rear suspension) is light years ahead in ride.

Go the 350