SL350 (2013) R231 Test drive: The Dilemma is real

[ninjamagic]

OMG.

I am in trouble now. My wife and I took out a 2013 SL350 today and it was much better than I expected. A lot of buttons and levers to confuse me but it was certainly nippier than I expected.

I was torn between finding a higher mileage newer SL350 and the older SL55.

The concern is that an SL55 will be a money pit. and whilst I might purchase it for £17k -- I could spend £5k in the first couple of years.

It's worth noting that the SL350 , however, didn't leave me with the OMG - I could have killed myself, like the SL55 did. But it was a nice car. A really nice car.

What is the maintenance on the R231's like? and that takes me to my new question -- I wonder, is a much higher mileage SL500 R231 something I could find for £25,000 to £30,000?

That's apparently got a 0-60 in 4.6 seconds which seems on par with the SL55... Which would be a better purchase?

Advice please!!

 

[Frosty149]

Wow!
Easy questions then...
Condition, history, spec, performance....
Which puts the biggest smile on your face?

 

[ninjamagic]

I wish it was that easy! I will need to test-drive an R231 SL500 to know for sure. They all make me smile (and potentially grimace) for different reasons. Each is beautiful in it's own unique way... Le sigh.

 

[carnut13]

R231 is far better quality. Also comes with a lot of extras as standard over the R230 A new one can be had at a fantastic discount

A two year old r231 can be had for £30k or there about a. I like the look of a r230 but my r321 is the better car and very fast

 

[John Laidlaw]

I’d go for the 231, it’s moved up several notches from the 230 IMO (No disrespect to any/all 230 owners on here, hell I was one!)- as carnut13 above why not look at the 400?

 

[Gkinghorn]

Does the 231 still leak though and suffer same potential ingress issues as the older 230 ?


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[John Laidlaw]

No it does not Gordon, and NO ABC in the larger engined models either unless you are crazy enough to specify them!!

 

[flowrider]

The R231 is a much better car all round than the R230, its just not as pretty.

 

[Monday]

OMG.

What is the maintenance on the R231's like? and that takes me to my new question -- I wonder, is a much higher mileage SL500 R231 something I could find for £25,000 to £30,000?

The pre-facelift (up to 2015) R231 SL400's must be at that sort of money now (earlier still was an R231 SL350). Having had a 2007 SL350 (R230) and changed to an R231 SL400, it is an all round better car. Everywhere you look seems to be a logical development of the R230. In particular the electrics seem to have been sorted out and I no longer need my CTEK charger. There is a post earlier this year where carnut13 and I have summarised the differences between the R230 and R231.

There's a caveat on all this of course - we are comparing a 2 year old R231 with a 10 year old R230 so that has to be allowed for. But the whole car seems more grown up.

Can't comment on the SL500 of any year I'm afraid. I was looking at a 2013 SL500, very high spec, Burmester sound etc, but somebody bought it before I could try it. But it was similar money to a 2 year newer SL400 and I think that is what I would have gone for even if I had had the choice. Not sure if that price ratio is still applicable?

Have fun with the search, good time of year to buy one of these.

 

[Jim Agar]

Similar dilemma to mine. I've still to sell an old Alfa before I'm allowed to proceed but I've test driven a 2015 500SL and a 400SL, 6 months younger with 5k rather than 15k miles,similar spec,similar price.
Although I loved the easy wafting of the 500 it actually felt too fast for our roads with any full throttle acceleration( actually scared me a tad!).The 400 had a lovely engine note( not dissimilar to my 340i BMW) and the performance seemed more usable on our roads. 2016 facelift 400's are now coming down to mid/high £40k's now so hoping when I'm able, they'll be within budget.
PS The only R231's I can see on Autotrader for £30k are 2013 reg. The cheapest 65 reg 400 is close on £38k. Maybe I'm looking on the wrong site?

 

[John Laidlaw]

You’re right 2015/16 R231 SL400’s are 40k ish...
Better looking directly on MB sites, there are not many on the Autotraders of this world

 

[Gkinghorn]

Fortunately £40k puts it out of my price bracket .... otherwise I’d be tempted back in..


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[ninjamagic]

Okay. Too expensive for me right now. But I see a 2009 SL63 up in Ayr for £33k from MB. 50,000 on the clock.

How would that compare? Worth the extra? These are still R230s right but do they still have the usual problems?

This search is doing-my-head-in. I started solely looking at SL55 because that seemed like the most bang-for-buck. With a following wind, I can make this purchase in January...

 

[John Laidlaw]

I feel for you!
When I was first SL shopping I was convinced I wanted a 129 and preferably a 600. I moved from there to a 230 again 600..then 63/65 but then a well known member (RIP) tempted me with a beautifully specced 500 230 2009 model I’d long admired .... that’s what I did. Sadly ABC and SBC issues made it unliveable. Shame as it was a beauty.
The 500 engine was bombproof as would be a 63, but the heartbreak if it goes wrong is the ABC and SBC .
Don’t get me wrong there are loads of members on here I’m sure saying they’ve never had issues but boy it hurts when you do!
In your shoes (easy for me to say now!) I’d hold out for a 231 - maybe not as pretty to some but less fragile

 

[Jim Agar]

Early R231 350's start about £25/26k on Autotrader.

 

[ninjamagic]

I think it's a toss up between an SL55 (for 15-17k) or I wait a little to get an R231 SL500. It's the 0-60 in 4.5 seconds that does it for me.

(I re-watched Baby Driver last night and the car chases are inspiring!)

 

[John Laidlaw]

Just don’t try to drive it like that when you get it!

 

[ajlsl600]

i think that the 350.400 is a sensible approach ,unless you have to have the roaring v8 or sublime and sweet vdoz i dont like the sharper lines of the newer models231 over the r230 but if i WAS doing it again i would be very tempted with the 350 400.still loads of possible tech grief ,but no wheels stuck in wheel arches abc and i understand no sbc aggro ? think even benz got fed up with that. one HAS to leave 3,4k in the piggy bank just for that ......i think that goes for everything benz, abreviated to three letters. thats a clue

 

[John Laidlaw]

Yip SBC is gone with the 231 too...praise the lord!later230’s too i think but my 09 FL still had it