i was like this chad at 27, single no kids, wrenching away all day, now i don't even have time to adjust my coilover let alone wash my car... but dont stop posting videos brother, so we can live vicariously through you.
I bought a 2003 w215 CL with 70k for $1000 and everybody told me it would be one of the worst decisions I’ve made. Even a repair shop said “stay away”. Replaced ABC with coils, same vacuum puck in the trunk went bad, now I’ve had the car for 2 years and has been the most reliable car in my driveway.
it's important to note that Yes, that would be a lot of money in 6 months but that you've been fixing YEARS of neglected maintenance and that many of those repairs will likely last the life of the car. From my reading the avg "appears" to be 2-3 issues a year at around 1,000-1,500 total, and that's having a shop fix things.
I think the key to owning this car is knowing what you're getting into. If you do and you're ok doing your own work, I think what you spend in a given year is pretty reasonable. And even if you're uncomfortable not doing your own work, knowing that you have to budget for inevitable repairs, I really believe it's worth it. I love mine, quirks and all :)
Awesome car and well worth it. Kudos for being able to do that yourself. DIY-ers are definitely not the target market for an SL55 AMG - HOWEVER - as a longtime Benz owner and frequent poster on the forums, as well as one fortunate to have an amazing Benz and BMW-only indie mechanic nearby, they are pretty easy to work on and you can save a lot even if you don't want to be replacing suspension components on your own. Just do your research for that engine/model/year first. Benzes are a joy to drive and own if you love cars.
I have a 2003 SL500 that I bought 6 years ago with 32,000 miles and an LPG conversion (important here in the UK due to fuel taxes on petrol). the car was a flood damaged write-off in 2005 but it was recommissioned by the MB dealership in Chester that year. Now obviously it has some electrical gremlins such as the auxiliary battery draining. I never found out what's draining it but just bought a Battery Brain so that I can isolate the battery when I park the car up (or it isolates itself if I forget). I've had to replace the hydraulic suspension pump with a reconditioned one but apart from that it's been little things. The car's now done nearly 60,000. It's been good fun, a nice summer car that I park up in my garage over winter and use my Jeep instead. The rear wheel arches need media blasting and respraying which I'll get done this winter, but for £5000 it's been a good car. If I ever get a mega bill, I'll just part it out and buy another. I also have a 1994 R129 SL600 V12 and the difference in build quality is profound. The R129 is built like a Mack truck compared to the R230.
thanks for sharing! I always hear extremely good things about the R129. it really is keeping ontop of small things with the R230 so that they don't add up, it really is such a great summer car. perhaps i should also get the wheel arches on mine blasted, in the bright sun they have that icky brownish caked-on dirt look 🤔
This couldn’t have come at a better time I just bought a SL55 on auction for 16000 pretty decent carfax not perfect. Mid 20s single my extra money is gonna go into this and I’m going to enjoy every moment. Cheers mate🎉
haha good luck! It couldn't be truer when I say that forums and other youtube videos have definitely helped a TON when getting this car into better condition 😁😁
I rarely comment on videos but I found this video in particular super cool. 10/10 for cinematography, as well as a quick and concise explanation of the repairs you did.
Great videos 👍 I actually love the fact these R230 SL’s scare people .. the result is driving a now evermore rare timeless beauty that seems to look even better as it ages. All the main issues are known about & a good Mercedes specialist will take care of any major issues …. All the other issues are now a very easy diy fix as mentioned in this brilliant video. Simple …. Main dealer is a total no go zone ! If you have an R230 I strongly advise you keep it, the prices have already bottomed out. Keep it covered (garage or good quality made to measure cover ….& the trickle charge is essential.
beautiful comment, thank you! yep, that seems to be the consensus! Funny you mention that about how these cars scare people away, I have a new found respect for people I see driving one in good condition 👍
if you get a CTS-V or a Escalade replacement parts are $3.00 - "Better quality" parts defined as the ones that don't break. I had a BMW 5-series 540i 6-speed E34 and things... Just didn't break! 5 solid years of wear items like tires, brakes, oil and lamps. It was awesome to drive and Toyota-level reliable! Sold with 252k miles and ten years later I see it driving around town with a surfboard on top. Mercedes Benz and BMW need to learn from their former selves and do the things that built their brands in the 80s and early 90s that made them the stuff of legend.
I have had the same experience with the 2002 G500 I purchased last year. It was a one owner vehicle and included in the sale were all of the maintenance/repair records. The original owner spent more per month on average than I have spent in the past year on maintenance and repairs by doing things myself or in the case of a regular oil change and inspection, paying my independent mechanic to do it (the G Wagon is too tall to fit through my garage door unfortunately). And some of the repair receipts from their Mercedes dealer wreak of ripoff (example: hundreds of dollars to "calibrate" a replacement seat position switch). I'll bet if I look through all the receipts I'll find that the original owner was charged by that Mercedes dealer for blinker juice...
I had a 2001 E55 AMG that I paid 6k for with almost 100k miles. It was the last year they assembled the car in Germany. It was a solid car, but like they told me at the dealer, its a 20 year old car. I basically had to replace all the suspension components, water pump, gasket around the exhaust manifold, and some other things. I was sorta lucky in the beginning because I was able to get a tech from the dealer to do the suspension and other big stuff. Once he moved out of state I was at the mercy of the dealership. The death blow came when the original radiator cracked. I dished out over $2000 for that then not long after the rack and pinion started going bad. The dealer wanted $5000 to fix that. Finally, I couldnt take it anymore and decided to part ways with the car. I spent close to 13k over seven years on that car and ended up getting $2000 on a trade in on a Lexus... I didnt tell them about the other issues I was having so it was a win.
I believe here in Europe, these were available without the ABC system which does boost the reliability a lot. But most were also sold with just a V6, so they're also slower... I'd still love one, i have a CLK myself.
CLK very nice! Yes the V6 ones were available in Europe with a standard suspension. Thinking I might swap out my ABC soon for coilovers as I don't do enough hard driving to justify such an expensive system
More than any other vehicle this car has the complexity of 2 cars in one. Even for a Mercedes R230's are complicated. Two years of research is mandatory to grasp all it's systems and become a proficient buyer. But the good news is R230's have largely been demystified and can even be improved on with modern parts solving it's most notorious issues. But it's the best roadster ever built with conversation possible top down at 100 mph.
I understand your predicament completely! I have an ‘08 SL55 as a fun/weekend car, and I keep wondering “how can something so beautiful be so evil?” You know what those cars are? They’re HEARTBREAKERS that’s what they are!
I don't care if it's a money pit, cars like your SL are amazing and completely worth the pain. People who use "money pit" or other phases like that to describe all old luxury cars are the same dudes rolling around in clapped out civics working at McDonalds. I have an 05 XJ VDP which I got almost two years ago as my first car and I've loved every moment, even when it has broken down. At the end of the day, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Great video btw 👍
I disagree. I own 6 high-end vehicles, only one of which is less than 30 years old, and the oldest is over 50. Not one of them requires this level of continual nickel-and-dime maintenance. The fact that a car with less than 20 years and 50,000 miles on its clock requires all these major items, to include suspension retrofits, tells the whole story--modern Mercedes are JUNK!
@@mattkase6644 You bring up an interesting point. i almost want to say that a lot of that has to do with the fact that cars like this SL are a bit overengineered with (at the time) new technologies- hydraulic suspension, hardtop convertibles, vacuum locks (IDK about this one). Maybe plastics and rubbers were definitely not the best choice to use for those commonly stressed components
If you can't do most of the work yourself or have no interest in learning how to do any of the work yourself I wouldn't ever get a Mercedes. I used to think I would never own a Mercedes until purchased my cls500 then e500 and now I own a w209 CLK55. By 2025 I have a goal of owning a SL55 the motors are amazing and I find the M113s easy to work on. I don't think they are money pits if you do the work yourself. I always hear the ABC suspension is so good when it works but day one when i get home I will be switching to coilovers lol. Good video!
I own a 2007 SL550 I purchased while it was still on warranty. Until this year my maintenance costs have consisted of routine service, tires, batteries, and a leaking gasket on the cam cover. I did have a computer module replaced under warranty and one strut I knew was leaking when I bought it. This year the locking actuator on the roof leaked and I had it replaced at the dealer as well as the damaged headliner. Since all the roof actuators are the same age, I am currently replacing the other 10 actuators with rebuilt units from Top Hydraulics. Actuator replacement will cost $2,000 vs nearly $20,000 at the dealer. Even at $20,000 for an 18 year old vehicle, the average yearly maintenance would no be that excessive for a vehicle that costs $100k new.
Mmmm Wagu beef .. nice. Great content bro - yes if you can't fix it yourself - you'll pay someone else to do so. Loved the Pick-axe for the front end repair. Gotta use what you got! :)
Got my 2001 SLK320 last year for $4K and she looks new and has only 120K on her! The M112 & 3 (V6&V8) Engines are great, just need to keep up on the little things! Need to pull my Hyd Cyls for the top and have them rebuilt as a preventive measure so car will last another 20 yrs! mercedessource is the most helpful channel on YT!
very nice! i actually have a '98 slk230 as well, fun little car (even though mine was the inline 4, but still zippy and light). The biggest issue I had was indeed the roof cylinders, had them replaced about 5 years ago at the dealership, was NOT cheap (I think around $5K 😬). So thankful now for online guides, and mercedessource is definitely going to help me through some of the suspension issues on this car
Well made, well told. As you said, it's a 20-year-old very fast car who needs some replacements. I have the same, and you will get some more trouble, but the engine and transmission is reliable. The rest can be done relatively easy... Enjoy the timeless looking car and the v8 sound...
up to 18K in maintenance and repairs so far over the past 4 years on my 2009 SL550. Much of that being repairs for the convertible top and ABC suspensions not sure I would do it again. I've owned thar approaching 10 years now. My next car maybe a Lexus LC500. I live in a major city and competent technicians are expensive. IIRC I have over 123K miles on it and it was purchased CPO and spent a lot of time at the dealer when under warranty being worked on.
Yep, drilled the cylinder to get that C clamp out so I could take the piston out of the cylinder. after that it wasn't too difficult a job to get the new O ring on there, put together the cylinder (used a pair of pliers to help put the C clamp back in), and reassemble everything
I bought a 2003 SL500 with 59,000 miles. Replaced the ac compressor, the suspension system, 2 sets of valve covers, brakes with rotors, ac climate control. Its a money pit.. tires, its fun to drive when it works. Also replaced the AGM house battery 3 times.
I had an 08 SL55 and I put so much money into it. Don't get me wrong, I loved it (when it worked). However, there were some random issues on the car that never properly worked right, even after getting fixed. Main problem was the oil leaks. 6 times I went to MB to get the leaks fixed but it never really got fully resolved. Once the ABC suspension went out, I sold the car.
I bought a 2003 Sl 500 and it needs tons and tons of money and work. But I like difficulties and challenges nothing like working on your car at your own pace.
Yes! lots of the larger parts and assemblies I got from FCP Euro, or AutohausAZ depending on which has better prices. the shifter level i got frrom Autohaus here: www.autohausaz.com/pn/14401793-UR-2202679724PRM?Mercedes&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoeemBhCfARIsADR2QCuG2bFHwHZoq2q4IlQ1kilMfYao8YnyhVs5L7JT5fcpZDzv5A74XVoaAk33EALw_wcB There is a 5mm and an 11mm, make sure it's the 11mm for the SL55
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Thank you my friend for replying. I will follow your vlog and i hope you keep it coming for the days to come. Regards from Manila, Philippines!
Positive video.. This model of Mercedes is a beautiful car.. They’ll always be looked upon as a dream car.. Irrelevant of its age issues.. Definitely a DIY owner with these cars..
If you buy a car like this just buy it with like 40 or 50,000 Mi and it'll last you for years to come definitely do not buy something like this with over 100,000 Mi you'll be dumping money in it all the time hands down 100%
I bought one knowing nothing about it (stupid me). 03 sl55. Has costed me 3 grand already and another 3-4k more to go. It was low mileage but I had to do all mounts, complete engine maintenance all fluid plugs etc. Just had conductor plate done too. Now gushing out oil from rear main seal and abc light come on when I go over bumps. I don't do any of my work, I pay shops to do it.
@@Cwra1smith 03 sl55 135km not miles. Rear main seal gushing oil when I step on it. "drive carefully" abc msg when I go over small bumps and a slingshot type of sound under the rear floor. I am thinking of doing coilovers
They’re like any other expensive complex car, they cost a lot to buy and cost a lot to fix…. but, like most cars, if you make sure they are properly maintained, ie regular fluid change and that they are used, then they will run to high mileages six figure mileages with no problem as the engine and transmission are bullet proof. The problem is cars that are not maintained or are left parked up for long periods and suffer for it and hence the reputation. They are a fantastic car to drive, giving you the best of both worlds, top up or down, they look and drive like a million dollars 👍
I have an 05 clk500.. which is by Miles my favorite car I've ever owned. If you can't work on your own cars you should probably not buy one. But parts are actually cheap.. as long as you don't buy from the dealer. And tried to buy gray market. What cost so much is labor. Something that would take an hour on a Ford Mike takes six on a Mercedes. Because Fords are kind of slapped together with the bare minimum. These are extremely high-end cars with Ludocrous s numbers of features non luxury brands just don't have. So to replace the radio I have to remove the right side of the dash so that I can remove the center console so that I can remove the ashtray so that I can then remove the radio.. it is stuff like that
They are. I have a son who bangs through big Mercs - he buys them, fixes them & sells them. Every drive to go deliver a car to a customer is "Pray nothing else breaks on the way".. because they are bloomin fragile, moody & they love to rust. Personally, I think you need your head examined to own one, but that's just me.
Even if you spent $8500 and get that stuff fixed, you still get a car that started at €108000 before taxes when it was new and will last if you look for it. I mean $8500 for a 20 y/o car = $425/y. That's not a lot, considering it maybe be a future classic.
I always tell my friends and family, don't buy a German luxury car unless you know or willing to learn how to maintain and repair them yourself. Cheers!
The dealer prices you quoted are WAAYYY below Bay Area prices. The absolute minimum cost here would be $250 for 1 hour of labor and no parts. The jobs you priced up would have been 2 or 3 times more here.
Alright Coil overs Ride nearly as good As the factory// Hiro $1000is the one I chose for my coil overs You can get coil overs done for 6 to 700 bucks Leave the rest of this crap alone. 0 to 60 5.8 secand A much much better handling with that car. And you will have continued nice car! Back in that era Mercedes made quality parts! Remember you're buying this car on cheap.. only thing is that you must stay on top of this car driving it is better than not driving it
They can call them all that BS. But definitely on the second hand cars listings. It's absolutely normal to see Mercedes diesel with 400k, 500k and in some rarer cases even 600k kms. Others not so much. Usually beyond that, on my neck of the woods, the rust took them and all the others to the car recycling heaven. In fact I also scraped a Mercedes diesel with absolutely impeccable mechanics due to rust. Exactly the same with a Toyota also diesel... Money pits. No, but you REALLY need to know what you're doing. Otherwise it will cost you. Now really curious. The Toyota OEM parts, most of the times, were more expensive than the Mercedes OEM counterparts!!! What about that?!
It costs a bit more than an average car, but you drive something that's so different than the shit you see today. FYI I have a E350 since 4 years, it costs me 817€/Y in standard maintenance (oil, filters, tyres...) and 1179€/Y in repair, including all 4 corners airmatic suspension. It's is about 190€ per month, doing the majority of the repair DIY.
It’s all about how u drive a Benz u can’t drive a Benz like a normal car these cars are bulletproof idk about this model but my s5550 matic is such a great car
Hi my friend,I listen to Scott kilmer saying Mercedes Benz is 💰 MONEY PIT,I laughed at him. Up to next morning I will buy no other car than Mercedes Benz. I say people like Scott kilmer are BRAND LOYALIST. And most of the time he turned against the Toyota and Honda. Late he turned to Scion, and later to Subaru.
Lots of anti German car commentators here who have never owned or worked on a German Car. There are so called 50 year mechanics with biases against German cars simply because they've either never been trained or don't understand sophisticated stuff. Having said that AMG stands for All Money Gone. If you can get a non AMG version go for that. Consumables for AMG are generally 2-3 times the cost of normal models. There should be two types of German car buyers - The buyer who buys new and insures and sells the car when the lease and warranty are up. The other buyer is who buys pre-owned wisely and has a mechanical aptitude and can throw the wrenches themself.
This is so true because many people think because it is German it is going to be great, but they are unreliable and they are very expensive to fix. The late 1990s and early 2000s Chrysler's were full of Mercedes and German parts and they were garbage. The newer Fiat Chrysler's are more reliable then the Mercedes Chrysler.
I had two Mercedes Benz’s. A 2004 E500 and a 2007 E550, both purchased used with less than 5K miles from MB dealers. The ‘04 was great until about 80K miles then if basically fell apart from under me. The engine, tranny and rear end were solid, car had no rattles. It got so bad that I rather take my wife to dinner in an old truck that risk seeing another failed air bladder after our dinner date. My service manager at at MB quietly advised my to sell the POS and buy an Acura because I was looking at $5K a year in repairs until I wised up. Guys who own these things generally don’t have the time or inclination for F around with parts and DIY to get it rolling again. Its not a hobby, its a necessity that has to be reliable, which these POS cars are not.
Not surprised tbh that it was something to do with the suspension that fails, and with a very expensvie fix - the same goes with these SL models too. how has the '07 held up comparatively?
The ‘07 was a better car than the ‘04 except there was too much nose dive under braking in the opposite lifting during acceleration in the ‘07. My ‘07 timed out of the warranty, I replaced all airbags in 2013 w/ 32000 miles and sold my mint E550 to my brother in law for $16K, who traded it in for a Lexus E350 a few month later. Busy people can’t be bothered with the mistress nature of a primary vehicle.
Mercedes....both I have owned were sh*^. Example: the rearview mirror cost $7,000 to replace (I bought a warranty and it was covered. Next was a weekly stop at MB service to have at least 2 or more issues fixed. Wiring harness was a disaster, and stopped dead in the middle of rush hour traffic. Lights on the dash went out another time. No cost to me, except a ton of my time which is extremely valuable. In 2006, I bought a 2003 S430 and 2004 CLK 430. Bought them used, low miles at the MB dealership. Insisted they take them back 3 months later, for a $20K loss. NOTICE: Benz doesn''t even make the top 10 list in any auto magazine. None. Never even close to ever having a 'car of the year award'. If you have tons of time to bring yours in for service, buy yourself a fake status symbol known as a Mercedes. I choose Chevy Tahoe for life going forward.
so the point is unless you care mechanically inclined and can repair these types of imports yourself......don't buy one if it has to be fixed at the dealership!
that's definitely part of it. a dealership will charge you insane prices, but another option is a trustworthy mechanic who wont cost you an arm and a leg
Only buy an exotic if you can afford to run and look after it......if you plan to run it on a 'shoe-string', stick to a 'bread and butter' car...simple!
My ML350 ign key assembly got weird. Dealer wanted 1100$. 20 mins on the internet forums and 5 mins with soldering iron, fixed. Learn to do 7r own stuff.
i am a mercedes tech. I own the 500 version of this car. paid $1200 for it. you will have to replace all abc components and rht cylinders. this car is intentionally over complicated. on average plan to spend 3-5k per year. do not spend a lot when buying this car. plan to drop 20k into it.
The issue with these cars is not so much the amount of money you need to spend to regularly maintain them, but the frequency of major maintenance items on low-mileage examples, as evidenced by everything you had to address on your 45,000-mile vehicle. These are things car owners shouldn't have to touch for well over 100,000 miles. Modern Mercedes are junk!
German cars are money pits, thats why such a high percent are leased..... They aren't created for people to keep for years and years, they are designed to last between 3-5 years.
Yeah it's crazy to think that he has had to spend that much replacing those sort of parts on a car that has clearly been pampered and stored in a garage for so long. A lot of the work he is doing is similar to what I am doing on my 2011 Hyundai Sonata that is now reaching 140k miles, never kept in a garage, baking in the brutal Texas sun 365 days per year, and barely maintained.
95% of people can't even change the oil on their cars. The fact that you can do repairs on these cars and save a lot of money is a credit to you ,but not relevant yo the video.The hamburger analogy is also not relevant.. Once purchased and eaten, there are no other costs involved.
These cars are shitboxes, intentionally built with numerous pending faliures AND having hydraulic driven sun roof, that's just stupid and intentional bad design that WILL eventually leak and fail. Mercedes quality is no better than much cheaper cars like Toyota or Kia, in fact Mercedes quality is poorer in some cases when it should be waaayyy better especially when you are paying so much more money.
i was like this chad at 27, single no kids, wrenching away all day, now i don't even have time to adjust my coilover let alone wash my car... but dont stop posting videos brother, so we can live vicariously through you.
haha 😅 let's see how long i can keep up like this!
I bought a 2003 w215 CL with 70k for $1000 and everybody told me it would be one of the worst decisions I’ve made. Even a repair shop said “stay away”. Replaced ABC with coils, same vacuum puck in the trunk went bad, now I’ve had the car for 2 years and has been the most reliable car in my driveway.
it's important to note that Yes, that would be a lot of money in 6 months but that you've been fixing YEARS of neglected maintenance and that many of those repairs will likely last the life of the car. From my reading the avg "appears" to be 2-3 issues a year at around 1,000-1,500 total, and that's having a shop fix things.
I think the key to owning this car is knowing what you're getting into. If you do and you're ok doing your own work, I think what you spend in a given year is pretty reasonable. And even if you're uncomfortable not doing your own work, knowing that you have to budget for inevitable repairs, I really believe it's worth it. I love mine, quirks and all :)
Awesome car and well worth it. Kudos for being able to do that yourself.
DIY-ers are definitely not the target market for an SL55 AMG - HOWEVER - as a longtime Benz owner and frequent poster on the forums, as well as one fortunate to have an amazing Benz and BMW-only indie mechanic nearby, they are pretty easy to work on and you can save a lot even if you don't want to be replacing suspension components on your own. Just do your research for that engine/model/year first. Benzes are a joy to drive and own if you love cars.
all very important and helpful information for anybody who has / is looking for a car like this, thank you!
Just proof that if you have the space, garage, and knowledge to do the work then you can absolutely do it yourself and save thousands.
exactly true! research definitely goes a long way, mostly for the wallet, and for that i'm thankful
You are the right man to own a car like this brother.
The editing, the cuts, and the jokes- 10/10 man. Love the breakdown and the content!
I have a 2003 SL500 that I bought 6 years ago with 32,000 miles and an LPG conversion (important here in the UK due to fuel taxes on petrol). the car was a flood damaged write-off in 2005 but it was recommissioned by the MB dealership in Chester that year. Now obviously it has some electrical gremlins such as the auxiliary battery draining. I never found out what's draining it but just bought a Battery Brain so that I can isolate the battery when I park the car up (or it isolates itself if I forget). I've had to replace the hydraulic suspension pump with a reconditioned one but apart from that it's been little things. The car's now done nearly 60,000. It's been good fun, a nice summer car that I park up in my garage over winter and use my Jeep instead. The rear wheel arches need media blasting and respraying which I'll get done this winter, but for £5000 it's been a good car. If I ever get a mega bill, I'll just part it out and buy another.
I also have a 1994 R129 SL600 V12 and the difference in build quality is profound. The R129 is built like a Mack truck compared to the R230.
thanks for sharing! I always hear extremely good things about the R129. it really is keeping ontop of small things with the R230 so that they don't add up, it really is such a great summer car. perhaps i should also get the wheel arches on mine blasted, in the bright sun they have that icky brownish caked-on dirt look 🤔
I have an 05 slclk. Planning on buying an old sl55 amg. Smoking a 2024 mustang gt or camaro for 20% of the price sounds awesome.
This couldn’t have come at a better time I just bought a SL55 on auction for 16000 pretty decent carfax not perfect. Mid 20s single my extra money is gonna go into this and I’m going to enjoy every moment. Cheers mate🎉
haha good luck! It couldn't be truer when I say that forums and other youtube videos have definitely helped a TON when getting this car into better condition 😁😁
Read up on the forums and get a hacker, electronics geek friend.
I rarely comment on videos but I found this video in particular super cool. 10/10 for cinematography, as well as a quick and concise explanation of the repairs you did.
thank you!!!
Great videos 👍
I actually love the fact these R230 SL’s scare people .. the result is driving a now evermore rare timeless beauty that seems to look even better as it ages.
All the main issues are known about & a good Mercedes specialist will take care of any major issues …. All the other issues are now a very easy diy fix as mentioned in this brilliant video.
Simple …. Main dealer is a total no go zone !
If you have an R230 I strongly advise you keep it, the prices have already bottomed out.
Keep it covered (garage or good quality made to measure cover ….& the trickle charge is essential.
beautiful comment, thank you! yep, that seems to be the consensus! Funny you mention that about how these cars scare people away, I have a new found respect for people I see driving one in good condition 👍
if you get a CTS-V or a Escalade replacement parts are $3.00 - "Better quality" parts defined as the ones that don't break.
I had a BMW 5-series 540i 6-speed E34 and things... Just didn't break! 5 solid years of wear items like tires, brakes, oil and lamps.
It was awesome to drive and Toyota-level reliable! Sold with 252k miles and ten years later I see it driving around town with a surfboard on top.
Mercedes Benz and BMW need to learn from their former selves and do the things that built their brands in the 80s and early 90s that made them the stuff of legend.
I have had the same experience with the 2002 G500 I purchased last year. It was a one owner vehicle and included in the sale were all of the maintenance/repair records. The original owner spent more per month on average than I have spent in the past year on maintenance and repairs by doing things myself or in the case of a regular oil change and inspection, paying my independent mechanic to do it (the G Wagon is too tall to fit through my garage door unfortunately). And some of the repair receipts from their Mercedes dealer wreak of ripoff (example: hundreds of dollars to "calibrate" a replacement seat position switch). I'll bet if I look through all the receipts I'll find that the original owner was charged by that Mercedes dealer for blinker juice...
definitely sounds about right! A good mechanic friend is also a good thing to have
Blinker fluid has tripled in price due to a shortage of workers willing to work with it.
@@mikeb1039 very true, that stuff gets everywhere
This not having 1m views ain't right, amazing quality man.
Awesome video! I have an 07’ CLK, and I agree with you, going the DIY route is the way to go with older Merc’s.
I had a 2001 E55 AMG that I paid 6k for with almost 100k miles. It was the last year they assembled the car in Germany. It was a solid car, but like they told me at the dealer, its a 20 year old car. I basically had to replace all the suspension components, water pump, gasket around the exhaust manifold, and some other things. I was sorta lucky in the beginning because I was able to get a tech from the dealer to do the suspension and other big stuff. Once he moved out of state I was at the mercy of the dealership. The death blow came when the original radiator cracked. I dished out over $2000 for that then not long after the rack and pinion started going bad. The dealer wanted $5000 to fix that. Finally, I couldnt take it anymore and decided to part ways with the car. I spent close to 13k over seven years on that car and ended up getting $2000 on a trade in on a Lexus... I didnt tell them about the other issues I was having so it was a win.
I believe here in Europe, these were available without the ABC system which does boost the reliability a lot.
But most were also sold with just a V6, so they're also slower... I'd still love one, i have a CLK myself.
CLK very nice! Yes the V6 ones were available in Europe with a standard suspension. Thinking I might swap out my ABC soon for coilovers as I don't do enough hard driving to justify such an expensive system
@@ShutterSpeed_auto I would change out the ABC only when it fails, why replace a working system?
More than any other vehicle this car has the complexity of 2 cars in one. Even for a Mercedes R230's are complicated. Two years of research is mandatory to grasp all it's systems and become a proficient buyer. But the good news is R230's have largely been demystified and can even be improved on with modern parts solving it's most notorious issues. But it's the best roadster ever built with conversation possible top down at 100 mph.
Totally agree Lawrence 👍
I understand your predicament completely! I have an ‘08 SL55 as a fun/weekend car, and I keep wondering “how can something so beautiful be so evil?” You know what those cars are? They’re HEARTBREAKERS that’s what they are!
either very good or very bad, no in between!!
And if you’re a professional person who works hard to own nice things why would you want to be married to your car in your free time.
I don't care if it's a money pit, cars like your SL are amazing and completely worth the pain. People who use "money pit" or other phases like that to describe all old luxury cars are the same dudes rolling around in clapped out civics working at McDonalds. I have an 05 XJ VDP which I got almost two years ago as my first car and I've loved every moment, even when it has broken down. At the end of the day, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Great video btw 👍
Thank you! some cars definitely take some time and effort for proper upkeep but there's no replacing that old school luxury elegance
I disagree. I own 6 high-end vehicles, only one of which is less than 30 years old, and the oldest is over 50. Not one of them requires this level of continual nickel-and-dime maintenance. The fact that a car with less than 20 years and 50,000 miles on its clock requires all these major items, to include suspension retrofits, tells the whole story--modern Mercedes are JUNK!
@@mattkase6644 You bring up an interesting point. i almost want to say that a lot of that has to do with the fact that cars like this SL are a bit overengineered with (at the time) new technologies- hydraulic suspension, hardtop convertibles, vacuum locks (IDK about this one). Maybe plastics and rubbers were definitely not the best choice to use for those commonly stressed components
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Excellent points!
If you can't do most of the work yourself or have no interest in learning how to do any of the work yourself I wouldn't ever get a Mercedes. I used to think I would never own a Mercedes until purchased my cls500 then e500 and now I own a w209 CLK55. By 2025 I have a goal of owning a SL55 the motors are amazing and I find the M113s easy to work on. I don't think they are money pits if you do the work yourself. I always hear the ABC suspension is so good when it works but day one when i get home I will be switching to coilovers lol. Good video!
So far it's been great!
I own a 2007 SL550 I purchased while it was still on warranty. Until this year my maintenance costs have consisted of routine service, tires, batteries, and a leaking gasket on the cam cover. I did have a computer module replaced under warranty and one strut I knew was leaking when I bought it. This year the locking actuator on the roof leaked and I had it replaced at the dealer as well as the damaged headliner. Since all the roof actuators are the same age, I am currently replacing the other 10 actuators with rebuilt units from Top Hydraulics. Actuator replacement will cost $2,000 vs nearly $20,000 at the dealer. Even at $20,000 for an 18 year old vehicle, the average yearly maintenance would no be that excessive for a vehicle that costs $100k new.
Mmmm Wagu beef .. nice. Great content bro - yes if you can't fix it yourself - you'll pay someone else to do so. Loved the Pick-axe for the front end repair. Gotta use what you got! :)
Got my 2001 SLK320 last year for $4K and she looks new and has only 120K on her! The M112 & 3 (V6&V8) Engines are great, just need to keep up on the little things! Need to pull my Hyd Cyls for the top and have them rebuilt as a preventive measure so car will last another 20 yrs! mercedessource is the most helpful channel on YT!
very nice! i actually have a '98 slk230 as well, fun little car (even though mine was the inline 4, but still zippy and light). The biggest issue I had was indeed the roof cylinders, had them replaced about 5 years ago at the dealership, was NOT cheap (I think around $5K 😬). So thankful now for online guides, and mercedessource is definitely going to help me through some of the suspension issues on this car
Great video, really enjoyed it. You are a brave guy doing all your all repairs.
It's definitely a project to take on 😅
You’re a really good filmmaker my man. You should make more videos! Subbed.
thank you! more to come soon!! 😁😁
Well made, well told. As you said, it's a 20-year-old very fast car who needs some replacements. I have the same, and you will get some more trouble, but the engine and transmission is reliable. The rest can be done relatively easy... Enjoy the timeless looking car and the v8 sound...
up to 18K in maintenance and repairs so far over the past 4 years on my 2009 SL550. Much of that being repairs for the convertible top and ABC suspensions not sure I would do it again. I've owned thar approaching 10 years now. My next car maybe a Lexus LC500. I live in a major city and competent technicians are expensive. IIRC I have over 123K miles on it and it was purchased CPO and spent a lot of time at the dealer when under warranty being worked on.
Thanks for showing us free game and saving people’s lives and money
Is the speed worth it?
I have the same vehicle. The good thing is if you know how to fix it if not, good luck. Well done man.
100% true. or unless you have deep pockets, an aging car like this can be detrimental to wallets!
Did you have to end up drilling your cylinder to replace the “O” ring or how did you get it out. In the same boat currently.
Yep, drilled the cylinder to get that C clamp out so I could take the piston out of the cylinder. after that it wasn't too difficult a job to get the new O ring on there, put together the cylinder (used a pair of pliers to help put the C clamp back in), and reassemble everything
I bought a 2003 SL500 with 59,000 miles. Replaced the ac compressor, the suspension system, 2 sets of valve covers, brakes with rotors, ac climate control. Its a money pit.. tires, its fun to drive when it works. Also replaced the AGM house battery 3 times.
add a trickle charger
I had an 08 SL55 and I put so much money into it. Don't get me wrong, I loved it (when it worked). However, there were some random issues on the car that never properly worked right, even after getting fixed. Main problem was the oil leaks. 6 times I went to MB to get the leaks fixed but it never really got fully resolved. Once the ABC suspension went out, I sold the car.
Sharp car. Brilliant work. Don't stop.
Great vid, I've also saved a fortune over the years doing what I can on bikes and cars.
I bought a 2003 Sl 500 and it needs tons and tons of money and work. But I like difficulties and challenges nothing like working on your car at your own pace.
can you share where you source out the parts especially that of the shifter
Yes! lots of the larger parts and assemblies I got from FCP Euro, or AutohausAZ depending on which has better prices. the shifter level i got frrom Autohaus here:
www.autohausaz.com/pn/14401793-UR-2202679724PRM?Mercedes&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoeemBhCfARIsADR2QCuG2bFHwHZoq2q4IlQ1kilMfYao8YnyhVs5L7JT5fcpZDzv5A74XVoaAk33EALw_wcB
There is a 5mm and an 11mm, make sure it's the 11mm for the SL55
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Thank you my friend for replying. I will follow your vlog and i hope you keep it coming for the days to come. Regards from Manila, Philippines!
Positive video..
This model of Mercedes is a beautiful car..
They’ll always be looked upon as a dream car..
Irrelevant of its age issues..
Definitely a DIY owner with these cars..
If you buy a car like this just buy it with like 40 or 50,000 Mi and it'll last you for years to come definitely do not buy something like this with over 100,000 Mi you'll be dumping money in it all the time hands down 100%
It's easy to repair an issue yourself when you know which part in the chain that failed (switch, relay, etc.). Labor involved to track it down.
Well put together! Great info!!👌🏾
thank you! love your channel btw, very useful information!!
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Thank you so much!!!
Did you have to source most parts from a dealer?
the only one from a dealer i purchased was the steering knuckle assembly but everything else was websites like autohausaz or fcp euro! very helpful 😁😁
@@ShutterSpeed_auto Well done, congratulations
I bought one knowing nothing about it (stupid me). 03 sl55. Has costed me 3 grand already and another 3-4k more to go. It was low mileage but I had to do all mounts, complete engine maintenance all fluid plugs etc. Just had conductor plate done too. Now gushing out oil from rear main seal and abc light come on when I go over bumps. I don't do any of my work, I pay shops to do it.
A rear main? What kind of mileage is on it? The ABC light means a compensator is going bad.
@@Cwra1smith 03 sl55 135km not miles. Rear main seal gushing oil when I step on it. "drive carefully" abc msg when I go over small bumps and a slingshot type of sound under the rear floor. I am thinking of doing coilovers
@@tectoronto2598 I've never driven one with coil-overs so I can't say how good they are.
The dealer is the stealer. Love my Mercs
They’re like any other expensive complex car, they cost a lot to buy and cost a lot to fix…. but, like most cars, if you make sure they are properly maintained, ie regular fluid change and that they are used, then they will run to high mileages six figure mileages with no problem as the engine and transmission are bullet proof. The problem is cars that are not maintained or are left parked up for long periods and suffer for it and hence the reputation. They are a fantastic car to drive, giving you the best of both worlds, top up or down, they look and drive like a million dollars 👍
I have an 05 clk500.. which is by Miles my favorite car I've ever owned.
If you can't work on your own cars you should probably not buy one.
But parts are actually cheap.. as long as you don't buy from the dealer. And tried to buy gray market. What cost so much is labor. Something that would take an hour on a Ford Mike takes six on a Mercedes. Because Fords are kind of slapped together with the bare minimum. These are extremely high-end cars with Ludocrous s numbers of features non luxury brands just don't have.
So to replace the radio I have to remove the right side of the dash so that I can remove the center console so that I can remove the ashtray so that I can then remove the radio.. it is stuff like that
Patience is definitely needed for something like this, but in the end it really makes it worth it
They are. I have a son who bangs through big Mercs - he buys them, fixes them & sells them. Every drive to go deliver a car to a customer is "Pray nothing else breaks on the way".. because they are bloomin fragile, moody & they love to rust. Personally, I think you need your head examined to own one, but that's just me.
I haveva 03 sl 500. A nice car,but wish i bought a different weekend car. Abc,and top problems
Yep! Definitely the two most common (and costly) issues that these old SLs will have
Real Wagyu would cost you $200 usd. Someone lied to you.
Even if you spent $8500 and get that stuff fixed, you still get a car that started at €108000 before taxes when it was new and will last if you look for it. I mean $8500 for a 20 y/o car = $425/y. That's not a lot, considering it maybe be a future classic.
I have sorta the same thing going on with my e class.
So true, I do all my own repairs so my SL 2004 is pretty cheap to run 👍🏻
lol the first 7 seconds is how I feel about BMW 😂
It all depends on how much your time is what, if you make $150 an then not worth fixing your self plus you’ll still have to buy the tools
I love my sl 500 2003 .
Glad I also own a 2003 model year car!
I always tell my friends and family, don't buy a German luxury car unless you know or willing to learn how to maintain and repair them yourself. Cheers!
good on you
The dealer prices you quoted are WAAYYY below Bay Area prices. The absolute minimum cost here would be $250 for 1 hour of labor and no parts. The jobs you priced up would have been 2 or 3 times more here.
im not even surprised to hear that- tbh it makes me feel even better knowing i could have saved myself even more money!
$250 per hour? Come on, I doubt the guy working on your car is making much more than $20-$25 per hour.
@@zfunk9 since when was the labor rate at a dealer linked to the mechanics pay?
Glad my w203 pickup last year wasn’t that big of a money pit
Alright Coil overs Ride nearly as good As the factory// Hiro $1000is the one I chose for my coil overs You can get coil overs done for 6 to 700 bucks Leave the rest of this crap alone. 0 to 60 5.8 secand A much much better handling with that car. And you will have continued nice car! Back in that era Mercedes made quality parts! Remember you're buying this car on cheap.. only thing is that you must stay on top of this car driving it is better than not driving it
Yep! Swapping to coilovers once the weather gets warm this season. Will probably be the best decision I ever make with it!
Did you use the beginning sound of Top Gear lmao
They can call them all that BS. But definitely on the second hand cars listings. It's absolutely normal to see Mercedes diesel with 400k, 500k and in some rarer cases even 600k kms. Others not so much.
Usually beyond that, on my neck of the woods, the rust took them and all the others to the car recycling heaven. In fact I also scraped a Mercedes diesel with absolutely impeccable mechanics due to rust. Exactly the same with a Toyota also diesel...
Money pits. No, but you REALLY need to know what you're doing. Otherwise it will cost you.
Now really curious. The Toyota OEM parts, most of the times, were more expensive than the Mercedes OEM counterparts!!! What about that?!
So where did you get that cheeseburger 🍔 man ?
haha! bareburger!!
It costs a bit more than an average car, but you drive something that's so different than the shit you see today.
FYI I have a E350 since 4 years, it costs me 817€/Y in standard maintenance (oil, filters, tyres...) and 1179€/Y in repair, including all 4 corners airmatic suspension.
It's is about 190€ per month, doing the majority of the repair DIY.
For sure- DIY goes a long with with cost saving!
It’s all about how u drive a Benz u can’t drive a Benz like a normal car these cars are bulletproof idk about this model but my s5550 matic is such a great car
Hi my friend,I listen to Scott kilmer saying Mercedes Benz is 💰 MONEY PIT,I laughed at him. Up to next morning I will buy no other car than Mercedes Benz. I say people like Scott kilmer are BRAND LOYALIST. And most of the time he turned against the Toyota and Honda. Late he turned to Scion, and later to Subaru.
I know Scotty Kilmer has mentioned "endless money pit" many times.
Lots of anti German car commentators here who have never owned or worked on a German Car.
There are so called 50 year mechanics with biases against German cars simply because they've either never been trained or don't understand sophisticated stuff.
Having said that AMG stands for All Money Gone. If you can get a non AMG version go for that. Consumables for AMG are generally 2-3 times the cost of normal models.
There should be two types of German car buyers - The buyer who buys new and insures and sells the car when the lease and warranty are up. The other buyer is who buys pre-owned wisely and has a mechanical aptitude and can throw the wrenches themself.
This is so true because many people think because it is German it is going to be great, but they are unreliable and they are very expensive to fix. The late 1990s and early 2000s Chrysler's were full of Mercedes and German parts and they were garbage. The newer Fiat Chrysler's are more reliable then the Mercedes Chrysler.
yes if you're not mechanically minded one of these cars is not for you. My parents have one and it's money Pit
Hey yah! We meet again
I had two Mercedes Benz’s. A 2004 E500 and a 2007 E550, both purchased used with less than 5K miles from MB dealers. The ‘04 was great until about 80K miles then if basically fell apart from under me. The engine, tranny and rear end were solid, car had no rattles. It got so bad that I rather take my wife to dinner in an old truck that risk seeing another failed air bladder after our dinner date. My service manager at at MB quietly advised my to sell the POS and buy an Acura because I was looking at $5K a year in repairs until I wised up.
Guys who own these things generally don’t have the time or inclination for F around with parts and DIY to get it rolling again. Its not a hobby, its a necessity that has to be reliable, which these POS cars are not.
Not surprised tbh that it was something to do with the suspension that fails, and with a very expensvie fix - the same goes with these SL models too. how has the '07 held up comparatively?
The ‘07 was a better car than the ‘04 except there was too much nose dive under braking in the opposite lifting during acceleration in the ‘07. My ‘07 timed out of the warranty, I replaced all airbags in 2013 w/ 32000 miles and sold my mint E550 to my brother in law for $16K, who traded it in for a Lexus E350 a few month later. Busy people can’t be bothered with the mistress nature of a primary vehicle.
Mercedes....both I have owned were sh*^. Example: the rearview mirror cost $7,000 to replace (I bought a warranty and it was covered. Next was a weekly stop at MB service to have at least 2 or more issues fixed. Wiring harness was a disaster, and stopped dead in the middle of rush hour traffic. Lights on the dash went out another time. No cost to me, except a ton of my time which is extremely valuable. In 2006, I bought a 2003 S430 and 2004 CLK 430. Bought them used, low miles at the MB dealership. Insisted they take them back 3 months later, for a $20K loss. NOTICE: Benz doesn''t even make the top 10 list in any auto magazine. None. Never even close to ever having a 'car of the year award'. If you have tons of time to bring yours in for service, buy yourself a fake status symbol known as a Mercedes. I choose Chevy Tahoe for life going forward.
fact is the older models are fsr more reliable than the newer models
so the point is unless you care mechanically inclined and can repair these types of imports yourself......don't buy one if it has to be fixed at the dealership!
that's definitely part of it. a dealership will charge you insane prices, but another option is a trustworthy mechanic who wont cost you an arm and a leg
People are just lazy and listen to stigma rather than actually doing research.
most definitely- knowing ahead of time is definitely a huge benefit
Exactly. R230's have been largely demystified. There's modern techniques used to cut costs and avoid common issues.
Only buy an exotic if you can afford to run and look after it......if you plan to run it on a 'shoe-string', stick to a 'bread and butter' car...simple!
My ML350 ign key assembly got weird. Dealer wanted 1100$. 20 mins on the internet forums and 5 mins with soldering iron, fixed. Learn to do 7r own stuff.
no better feeling than fixing a $1000 problem in 20 minutes for mere dollars!!
20 bucks for o ring?! lmao. That stated, a grand in 6 months is way cheaper than a car note
i am a mercedes tech. I own the 500 version of this car. paid $1200 for it. you will have to replace all abc components and rht cylinders. this car is intentionally over complicated. on average plan to spend 3-5k per year. do not spend a lot when buying this car. plan to drop 20k into it.
Worth it is a dumb question. Worth what?
The issue with these cars is not so much the amount of money you need to spend to regularly maintain them, but the frequency of major maintenance items on low-mileage examples, as evidenced by everything you had to address on your 45,000-mile vehicle. These are things car owners shouldn't have to touch for well over 100,000 miles. Modern Mercedes are junk!
German cars are money pits, thats why such a high percent are leased..... They aren't created for people to keep for years and years, they are designed to last between 3-5 years.
Yeah it's crazy to think that he has had to spend that much replacing those sort of parts on a car that has clearly been pampered and stored in a garage for so long. A lot of the work he is doing is similar to what I am doing on my 2011 Hyundai Sonata that is now reaching 140k miles, never kept in a garage, baking in the brutal Texas sun 365 days per year, and barely maintained.
honestly i aint watched the vid yet but title wrong. not a money pit
You have to remember that 98% of the population that buy these cars are not “do it yourselfers”….. so yes; these cars are ‘money pits’.
In short their money pits!!! Unless you have repair skills, the tools, space and time. Avoid those overpriced plastic cars.
the R230 demands the owner has an intimate affair with it. If your not mechanically minded or your not rich ... avoid the car.
For sure, constant attention is needed to keep this car running smoothly!
This car is not for the poor.
not applicable to AMG cars
Endless money pits.. Scotty Kilmer😁
Abs, will break...
95% of people can't even change the oil on their cars. The fact that you can do repairs on these cars and save a lot of money is a credit to you ,but not relevant yo the video.The hamburger analogy is also not relevant.. Once purchased and eaten, there are no other costs involved.
It's worse than a high maintenance woman. There is no other way to put it.
You can say whatever you like that makes you sleep at night.
They will both get your rocks off but at a cost.
😴 *promosm*
Stay away from the dealership !
Never go to the dealer!! Find a good mechanic that specializes in German cars
And hope they have a STAR computer.
These cars are shitboxes, intentionally built with numerous pending faliures AND having hydraulic driven sun roof, that's just stupid and intentional bad design that WILL eventually leak and fail. Mercedes quality is no better than much cheaper cars like Toyota or Kia, in fact Mercedes quality is poorer in some cases when it should be waaayyy better especially when you are paying so much more money.
Wow , that sounds like a crap car. Mercedes were supposed to be well made and engineered. All these things goimg bad seems poorly made.