Nile Griffith
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2017
- Messages
- 76
- Reaction score
- 31
- Location
- Worcestershire
- Your Mercedes
- 2009 Sl350 R230
Hi Kids!!
Well I did it, a short while back I decided to embrace the mid life crisis head on and indulge my urge to own a Mercedes SL.
I'll admit the temptation to let a testosterone fuelled shopping spree see me mooning over an SL55 on the drive got pretty close, but a degree of cool headed calm saw me purchasing a MY 2009 facelift SL350. Yes the V8 burble of the 500 might have appealed a little more but when it came down to it the thoroughbred SL55 was too much of a long term gamble and the 500 just didn't present enough bang for buck difference over the 350.
What was a struggle was finding the right car. Essentials were colour, (I didn't want a silver or black car and I really didn't want a black interior) Pano Roof, Airscarf and that all important full MB service history. How hard could it be? Well pretty hard actually.
My ideal colour combination, Tanzanite Blue body with a beige interior seemed to be non existent on a 2009 car and as much as I have drooled over R230 SL's since they hit the UK roads in 2001'ish. The facelifts long headlights showed up what I have felt had always let the SL down a little, the slightly gawky "peanut" headlight face.
So in the end it was compromise time (especially on the part of my significant other, she is vegan and buying a car with a leather interior wasn't high on her ethical Fair Play list). A trip down south saw the purchase of a dark silver grey car with a pebble interior (don't ask me what the official MB colour designation is) In fairness the dealer pic's made it look darker than it actually was, but a five minute test drive later and a quick swipe of my debit card and she was mine.
What I was pleased about was the car hadn't been valeted by the dealer prior to my purchase. A dirty car to my mind is something that I think gives a better indication as to what the previous owner has been like with their vehicle. A car valeted to within an inch of its life on some swanky forecourt can raise the excitement a little to easily at times. What it also enabled me to do was have a more successful position with which to argue the price. Wheel and tyre condition was pretty good, although three of the rims would benefit from re-polishing or re-finishing. They hadn't been curbed, but it was obvious that the car was regularly parked close to low height bushes or such like. Similarly with the paintwork. Despite parking sensors the previous owner obviously was in the habit of getting up close to something on a regular basis and the front bumper had a couple of pea sized Dinks in it. Nothing disastrous but all things that soon whittled a good amount of the asking price (and work that I could get done to my satisfaction and not a dealers need for a cheap fix). The interior was pretty much perfect. Again the lack of a good valeting displayed some tell tale signs. The cars regular driver was obviously female and one with a penchant for hand cream (the residue was everywhere!!). On the up side the boot had quite obviously being professionally de-badged (something I would have looked to have had done) and that all important service history had the replete amount of stamps and with 8,000 miles left before it's 'B' service, I can anticipate a good years worth of driving without any big service bills.............. fingers crossed on everything else.
On the whole I'm pretty pleased. Having the Tanzanite blue would have put that extra inch on the grin on my face when I look at the car sat on my drive each morning but with it's shining grey paintwork the whole thing gives the impression of a sleek shark and is a real looker!! It was well worth holding out for the Pano roof too and the roller blind sun screen is a nice touch, although a little rattle'y for a few moments once rolled back in. Airscarf works well and although not quite as immediate as I thought it might be, I think MB got it's more restrained application of warmth just right.
So with all these positives there has to be a negative? Well yes. Have to say that I find the Harmon Kardon stereo a complete let down. I think it must be nearly twenty odd years since I've owned a car where the stereo system sounded so lack lustre. Don't get me wrong, I'm no bass junkie, but the whole sound just lacks any kind of presence especially at lower volumes. The seats seem to be a bit of a mixed blessing too. Try as I might I just can get comfortable, is it me or are they just a tad too hard??? I'm 6'3" and seat size etc is great, but try as I might, forty minutes into a drive and I need to get out.
However roof down and a half way decent bit of tarmac and I love it. A bit of attention to the wheel balance and tracking sorted out a rough patch at 80 mph ........ahem, but it's an effortless cruiser with more style than you can wave an oily dip stick at.
Well I did it, a short while back I decided to embrace the mid life crisis head on and indulge my urge to own a Mercedes SL.
I'll admit the temptation to let a testosterone fuelled shopping spree see me mooning over an SL55 on the drive got pretty close, but a degree of cool headed calm saw me purchasing a MY 2009 facelift SL350. Yes the V8 burble of the 500 might have appealed a little more but when it came down to it the thoroughbred SL55 was too much of a long term gamble and the 500 just didn't present enough bang for buck difference over the 350.
What was a struggle was finding the right car. Essentials were colour, (I didn't want a silver or black car and I really didn't want a black interior) Pano Roof, Airscarf and that all important full MB service history. How hard could it be? Well pretty hard actually.
My ideal colour combination, Tanzanite Blue body with a beige interior seemed to be non existent on a 2009 car and as much as I have drooled over R230 SL's since they hit the UK roads in 2001'ish. The facelifts long headlights showed up what I have felt had always let the SL down a little, the slightly gawky "peanut" headlight face.
So in the end it was compromise time (especially on the part of my significant other, she is vegan and buying a car with a leather interior wasn't high on her ethical Fair Play list). A trip down south saw the purchase of a dark silver grey car with a pebble interior (don't ask me what the official MB colour designation is) In fairness the dealer pic's made it look darker than it actually was, but a five minute test drive later and a quick swipe of my debit card and she was mine.
What I was pleased about was the car hadn't been valeted by the dealer prior to my purchase. A dirty car to my mind is something that I think gives a better indication as to what the previous owner has been like with their vehicle. A car valeted to within an inch of its life on some swanky forecourt can raise the excitement a little to easily at times. What it also enabled me to do was have a more successful position with which to argue the price. Wheel and tyre condition was pretty good, although three of the rims would benefit from re-polishing or re-finishing. They hadn't been curbed, but it was obvious that the car was regularly parked close to low height bushes or such like. Similarly with the paintwork. Despite parking sensors the previous owner obviously was in the habit of getting up close to something on a regular basis and the front bumper had a couple of pea sized Dinks in it. Nothing disastrous but all things that soon whittled a good amount of the asking price (and work that I could get done to my satisfaction and not a dealers need for a cheap fix). The interior was pretty much perfect. Again the lack of a good valeting displayed some tell tale signs. The cars regular driver was obviously female and one with a penchant for hand cream (the residue was everywhere!!). On the up side the boot had quite obviously being professionally de-badged (something I would have looked to have had done) and that all important service history had the replete amount of stamps and with 8,000 miles left before it's 'B' service, I can anticipate a good years worth of driving without any big service bills.............. fingers crossed on everything else.
On the whole I'm pretty pleased. Having the Tanzanite blue would have put that extra inch on the grin on my face when I look at the car sat on my drive each morning but with it's shining grey paintwork the whole thing gives the impression of a sleek shark and is a real looker!! It was well worth holding out for the Pano roof too and the roller blind sun screen is a nice touch, although a little rattle'y for a few moments once rolled back in. Airscarf works well and although not quite as immediate as I thought it might be, I think MB got it's more restrained application of warmth just right.
So with all these positives there has to be a negative? Well yes. Have to say that I find the Harmon Kardon stereo a complete let down. I think it must be nearly twenty odd years since I've owned a car where the stereo system sounded so lack lustre. Don't get me wrong, I'm no bass junkie, but the whole sound just lacks any kind of presence especially at lower volumes. The seats seem to be a bit of a mixed blessing too. Try as I might I just can get comfortable, is it me or are they just a tad too hard??? I'm 6'3" and seat size etc is great, but try as I might, forty minutes into a drive and I need to get out.
However roof down and a half way decent bit of tarmac and I love it. A bit of attention to the wheel balance and tracking sorted out a rough patch at 80 mph ........ahem, but it's an effortless cruiser with more style than you can wave an oily dip stick at.
