R231 SL400 vs SL500 - any advice please

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DSK

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sl500amgsport said:
The 2016 model gets the newer grill but I always preferred the original more aggressive look.

The R230 is by far the prettiest SL if you have bottomless pockets..

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

But for avoidance of doubt, a factory kitted out R129 if the best looker. I saw an SL60 a few years ago cruising gracefully along the M1, no modern crap could compete.


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sl500amgsport

sl500amgsport

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DSK said:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

But for avoidance of doubt, a factory kitted out R129 if the best looker. I saw an SL60 a few years ago cruising gracefully along the M1, no modern crap could compete.


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I agree with the first sentence only

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SL63 Mark

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sl500amgsport said:
God knows how SL63 drivers keep their licences, but then I guess the AMG exhaust makes it sound better a low speeds. My AMG can have the exhaust opened at any speed for pops etc so I can keep my licence clean. The in line 6 sounds good under acceleration but nothing touches the V8.

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You have to be quite disciplined not to floor it at every opportunity. Fortunately the traffic usually acts as a brake. You can reach very high speeds very quickly, (so I've heard), with complete smoothness. The exhaust note is intoxicating. Much more of a drivers car than the SL55 was, IMHO.
 
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brandwooddixon

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SL63 Mark said:
Yes, but, none of the SL63s I looked at had ceramic discs, I think it was a very rare option, largely because of the issues you mention. The standard steel discs on mine work just fine :)
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True, ceramic discs are rarely seen.
The R231 63 must use cheaper discs than the C217 63s then, either that or suppliers are getting their prices mixed up between ceramic and steel discs.
I've noted that on the S63 Coupe the front AMG performance steel discs typically cost £1100 each (£2200 total). The cheapest that I've seen was £600 each during an ECP sale. I hate to imagine what the ceramic discs cost. I'd assumed that an SL of similar age had the same disparity in price between discs for a 500 and a 63.
 
SL63 Mark

SL63 Mark

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brandwooddixon said:
True, ceramic discs are rarely seen.
The R231 63 must use cheaper discs than the C217 63s then, either that or suppliers are getting their prices mixed up between ceramic and steel discs.
I've noted that on the S63 Coupe the front AMG performance steel discs typically cost £1100 each (£2200 total). The cheapest that I've seen was £600 each during an ECP sale. I hate to imagine what the ceramic discs cost. I'd assumed that an SL of similar age had the same disparity in price between discs for a 500 and a 63.
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The only way to find out is to get a quote from MB for new discs and pads for an R231 SL500 vs SL63. IIRC there is not much change from £1,000 for a set of four, fitted.

I think that was ballpark similar for the SL55. I did my own fronts, using MB parts, approx £500 all in. I never had to do the rears in 10 years/50,000 miles.

To be honest, the OP is asking about SL400 vs SL500, so the SL63 is a bit of a red herring.
 
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Malcolm Johnson

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Interesting. why do you want this SL ? is it to tour countries ? do you think the design is special and attractive ?
Personally falls into function, attractiveness, your long term intentions, costing and for me beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone has a choice.
 
S500 Pete

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The M278 is the 4.7 V8 twin turbo as used in the S500 saloon.

Mine had a rattle for quite a while at about 80,000 miles which got worse until it put up an engine light. Needed new chains and tensioners which was over £4000 at an indie , but bought the car pretty cheap and was prepared for the chance of a big bill. Now lovely and quiet. Two separate indies reckoned this was caused by the stop start continuously pushing the tensioners in and out.

The older 500s were a non turbo 5 litre which I had in an E class for 11 years and was bulletproof.

The current 4.7 is a 450 BHP beast or a smooth cruiser depending how you decide to drive it.
 
sl500amgsport

sl500amgsport

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S500 Pete said:
The M278 is the 4.7 V8 twin turbo as used in the S500 saloon.

Mine had a rattle for quite a while at about 80,000 miles which got worse until it put up an engine light. Needed new chains and tensioners which was over £4000 at an indie , but bought the car pretty cheap and was prepared for the chance of a big bill. Now lovely and quiet. Two separate indies reckoned this was caused by the stop start continuously pushing the tensioners in and out.

The older 500s were a non turbo 5 litre which I had in an E class for 11 years and was bulletproof.

The current 4.7 is a 450 BHP beast or a smooth cruiser depending how you decide to drive it.
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Interesting another reason to keep the stop start off, had mine programmed off on my SL.

The E53 though is pretty much designed around it!

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Slartibardfast1

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sl500amgsport said:
Perfect has the Night Edition wheels, best by far and an expensive option! This must be an SL500 amg sport, does it have the maple wood or aluminium dash?

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2015 SL400 41k miles (MB Approved). 7k in factory options :)
 
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Congrats on the interior colour - can’t beat a light colour interior!


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