sl55 v sl65

[pancholi]

i have read previous treads about the above subject but have still left wanting some direction...
before i waste time on a viewing,,
is the exhaust note vey different between the two on idle and full throttle?
is the SL65 nose heavy to the extent that it would spoil a country drive?
servicing cost?
reliability issues?( having had an 1991 500sl which i did 170,000 miles without any problems to the engine/gearbox are the modern cars as good)..
fuel?
fun factor?
i know 0-60 (does not bother me) there is not much in it, would the differance be more noticable in the mid/high range speeds?
future residuals?(i am looking at £50-60k sl55/sl65)
any advice welcome...
thanks

 

[st4]

The 65amg every time. 12's are smoother than 8's and IMHO sound nicer. Both are monsters on fuel + tyres so if cost is an issue at all then neither car is for you. A fella on the other forum had both a CL55 and 65 and said the 65 was noticiably gruntier and more powerful-especially above 100mph. He noted that the extra mass of the 12 did upset the balance, but this is something you'd need to assess yourself. TBH the SL600 may also be an option for you to consider as well, as well as used Brabus and Kleeman fettled cars.

IIRC no viewing is a waste of time, and a drive of the 2 cars may well answer your questions far better than I or anyone else can. Road tests favour the SL55 over the SL65 and this was partly based on the cost differential, but £for£ I'd have a V12 over a V8, but I am in a minority on that front.

 

[pancholi]

good point about the sl600...
but i feel that it looks too plain(sorry, but very little difference to a sl500),unless brabus etc have been on it(rare?)

 

[stumpy]

I have driven the 65 engine and gearbox combo in the maybach and it was very smooth, but IMO the v8 k has far more character. The v12 is heavy but the 55 isn't light either. Running costs on the 12 will be huge but for pose appeal you may not care. I feel the 55 is more than enough really and hyper mercs have trouble putting their power down. Mbworld have a one year old 5 k mile 65 for 80 grand - half price!

 

[pancholi]

i am in the position that i have the option of buying either a sl55 or sl65 both top spec both priced the same,both exactly what i am looking for, both have the same qudos in my opinion,..
if this was the dilemma what would you choose and why....
choices choices.......

 

[st4]

£for£ I'd go for the 65. There is something about V12's. Sorry but most will disagree with me.

 

[stumpy]

Go for the 65 then but make sure it has a warranty. F430 fast, irrelevent, but fun nonetheless.

 

[st4]

Go for the 65 then but make sure it has a warranty. F430 fast, irrelevent, but fun nonetheless.

I wish I could. A nice move from 4 pot derv clatter to double 6 smoothness

 

[television]

The 4.5 sec to 60 on the 65 is very nice,it has a good sound as well,,a hard choice to make

 

[pancholi]

The 4.5 sec to 60 on the 65 is very nice,it has a good sound as well,,a hard choice to make

does that mean a thumbs up for a 65?

 

[television]

does that mean a thumbs up for a 65?

The standard extras on a 65 over and above the 55 are mobile phone, TV , Exclusive Nappa and tyre pressure monitors, and you cant have Distronic on a 65.

On the SL600, the AMG body kit was an extra, as was Distronic, tyre pressure monitors.

The SL600 did 0-60 in 4.7 sec, the same as the 55, the SL65 (06-06 on) did it in 4.2 sec as against the 55 in 4.5

 

[pancholi]

does the 65 sound as nice as the 55?
does the 600 make any noise at all??
the other problem is that i cannot find mid-range acceleration figures as that is what floats my boat when it come to power.. i have been reading that the 65 has too much power that it cannot cope..all the figures/reading suggest that there are no speed differences (0.2s does not count!!) between the 600, 55, 65 ..i find that hard to swallow..
490 bhp to 604 bhp!!!
531 lb to 738lb!!!

 

[television]

I do not have any mid range speed figures either, The V8's always have that roar when accelerating, the 65 sound is different again.
Even in my humble 500 the wheels spin with ease when pulling away, so the 55 and 65 should have that mid band torque.

The 65 has 1000nm at 1k to 4k rpm and the 55 has 720nm from 1.5k rpm to 4k

 

[stumpy]

The 65 cannot use all of it's torque whereas the 55 copes better. The mid range on the 65 only shows above 100 mph but it is still limited to 155 so whats the point really. The V12s whoosh whereas the V8 rumbles. I'd take a 55 personally or wait a few months and the 63 will be in range.

 

[st4]

The 65 cannot use all of it's torque whereas the 55 copes better. The mid range on the 65 only shows above 100 mph but it is still limited to 155 so whats the point really. The V12s whoosh whereas the V8 rumbles. I'd take a 55 personally or wait a few months and the 63 will be in range.

The 63 is a very different kettle of fish, but probably not far out of the OPs budget. Its a much revier and peakier engine with less mid range torque but more high end power. It also brings a less attractive design but a technically facelifted and updated car.

If its mid range then its the 55, 600, or 65 cars that are best. Its a dilema I'd love to have.

 

[pancholi]

you can see what i am trying to get at here....
nice 2003 sl55 are beeing negotiated at £27000ish is it worth spending a significantly larger sum on a sl65.......

 

[st4]

you can see what i am trying to get at here....
nice 2003 sl55 are beeing negotiated at £27000ish is it worth spending a significantly larger sum on a sl65.......

Depends how much extra you need to spend on the 65 TBH. @ £27k I'd jump into the 55 TBH if this extra is >£10k.

 

[stumpy]

The 63 is a very different kettle of fish, but probably not far out of the OPs budget. Its a much revier and peakier engine with less mid range torque but more high end power. It also brings a less attractive design but a technically facelifted and updated car.

If its mid range then its the 55, 600, or 65 cars that are best. Its a dilema I'd love to have.

I agree - the 'old' SL looks far more cohesive than the new one and in some colours the 63 looks a mess. BUT, I was at MBworld on Tuesday walking down the approach road to collect our Smart and the noise of the AMG cars pounding the track was just sublime. The C63 estate is top of my MB wish list right now. Like I said before, my advice to the OP is get a facelifted 55 and I don't think he will be upset.

 

[pancholi]

Depends how much extra you need to spend on the 65 TBH. @ £27k I'd jump into the 55 TBH if this extra is >£10k.

thats about the price difference it will be
right about the 63 though....facelift just does not fit well with an SL

 

[carlsson20]

I would love to know where you live where you can use all these extra foot pounds and fractions of a second to sixty matter, we've been stopped three times in the last 4 weeks, once for agressive acceleration and twice for speeding (not booked) by a unmarked car both times at around 82mph.

In this lovely wet country the traction control light will be burnt out in a couple of months.

Just buy what you feel comfortable in.