Nice job! Looking forward to other videos you post on the SL. I have an '05 with 78k miles that is in very good condition. I do all the work on it myself. Have the same issue with the rear plastic covers. Cheers
I have a chance to buy a 2003 SL500 with 47000 miles on it. I checked it out today and examined the engine while it was idling at operational temperatures. The engine was clean and no smell of any fluids was present. No residue was noticed under the engine or inside or around the valve cover gaskets. Are there expensive maintenance problems on all these cars? Am I taking a risk buying this car?
It seems the short answer is Yes, but the long answer is It depends... previous owner maintenance goes a long way with these cars, and whether you're willing to tackle these problems yourself can also do a lot for your wallet. the biggest / most costly issues with these are ABC suspension components (leaky valve blocks / struts, blown accumulators / hoses, dirty fluid, etc) then there's the SBC brake pump issue (though this is covered under Mercedes warranty for 25 years) and leaky roof hydraulics. other things include PSE pump failures (for the vacuum locks) due to cracking actuators, leaky rear window seals causing water damage to PSE / roof pump. It sounds like a lot, but these are the more common things I can think of off top of my head. But yes cars definitely vary in condition , though 47,000 miles is very little for car of this age. It's good to also check the carfax and see how meticulous the previous owners have been with their maintenance schedules
Get rid of the ABC suspension $9000/ year expense. Put in coil over for $4000 and enjoy a trouble free sports car ride. The reason these 230's are rare is the leaky ABC $uspensionS.
I had a panelshop repaint the C-pillar trim. Done in matt as they struggled to get it in gloss on plastic, but looks fantastic.
I would go glossy black on those rear trim pieces 😁
Nice job! Looking forward to other videos you post on the SL. I have an '05 with 78k miles that is in very good condition. I do all the work on it myself. Have the same issue with the rear plastic covers. Cheers
You've got a great car!
Old Front Looked better than the new one
I’m enjoying your videos working on your SL, but I see the latest one is seven months old. Are you going to do any more?
I replaced the plastic panels on my 05 car with original parts from Mercedes at $65 each,much easier.
Interesting. I will consider doing this if I can find that parts. Sounds easier.
@@pile-o-projects I got them from Mercedes 3 months ago,arrived from Germany within 48 hours £60 each.
Where did you purchase the grille. I need one too. Please let us know
I have a chance to buy a 2003 SL500 with 47000 miles on it. I checked it out today and examined the engine while it was idling at operational temperatures. The engine was clean and no smell of any fluids was present. No residue was noticed under the engine or inside or around the valve cover gaskets. Are there expensive maintenance problems on all these cars? Am I taking a risk buying this car?
It seems the short answer is Yes, but the long answer is It depends... previous owner maintenance goes a long way with these cars, and whether you're willing to tackle these problems yourself can also do a lot for your wallet. the biggest / most costly issues with these are ABC suspension components (leaky valve blocks / struts, blown accumulators / hoses, dirty fluid, etc) then there's the SBC brake pump issue (though this is covered under Mercedes warranty for 25 years) and leaky roof hydraulics. other things include PSE pump failures (for the vacuum locks) due to cracking actuators, leaky rear window seals causing water damage to PSE / roof pump. It sounds like a lot, but these are the more common things I can think of off top of my head. But yes cars definitely vary in condition , though 47,000 miles is very little for car of this age. It's good to also check the carfax and see how meticulous the previous owners have been with their maintenance schedules
Get rid of the ABC suspension $9000/ year expense. Put in coil over for $4000 and enjoy a trouble free sports car ride. The reason these 230's are rare is the leaky ABC $uspensionS.
better u buy a tripod i guess. :) are you planing to paint the grill or gonna keep that shiny black?
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