Specifically a SL350 R230 - 2006 vs 2009 ish

[Blobcat]

I might suspect you two are having a giggle at my expense thinking about me inching over endless speed bumps, but seriously, thanks. I will take this onboard.
The only time I have ever heard of cracked alloys before this week, was when discussing cheap imported after market wheels on another forum. I had no idea it was such a common thing.

Not having fun at you at all. Have a search on the forum, it’s quite a common occurrence.

You could also speak to your local tyre dealer and ask them what they’re seeing coming through the door. I walked passed an Audi Q8 in a local tyre place recently and both rear wheels had cracked - they were showing the owner the damage and why they were leaking air.

 

[Naraic]

I have 19s...no problem.

 

[sausage]

Not having fun at you at all. Have a search on the forum, it’s quite a common occurrence.

You could also speak to your local tyre dealer and ask them what they’re seeing coming through the door. I walked passed an Audi Q8 in a local tyre place recently and both rear wheels had cracked - they were showing the owner the damage and why they were leaking air.

I was joking. When my friend collected his new-to-him E450 and then found he had cracked alloys I did a little research to learn about it. So I do accept what you are saying. I just being friendly.

 

[sausage]

I have 19s...no problem.

Good to know.

 

[SL63 Mark]

Still not really getting any commentary on my original question. Any one ?

I think the original question was "should I buy a 2006 SL350 or a 2009 SL350 ?"

I think it comes down to personal preference. I rather like the later looking car, but if I found a decent early car with low mileage and full service history that had been cared for, I would have the early car.

So it rather depends on what comes along, just buy the best you can find for your budget, after you have driven a few. I have not heard many bad things about either car. We get a few prospective 350 owners on here, but then we don't seem to hear much from them, so hard to say.

 

[Michael386]

Hi, I bought a 2006 sl350 about 6 weeks ago and absolutely love it! It’s not perfect but then it is 15 years old. It hasn’t got the ABC suspension. I think a lot depends on what you are used to. My workhorse car is a 16 plate Astra k series elite estate diesel ( my company car until I retired) and I liked that enough to buy it from the company. Still find it a comfortable drive but the sl is far superior. The sl is on 17” wheels.
The sl is booked in with Star at Reading for service and MOT in 2weeks, hopefully I’ll find out how good a buy it was, wish me luck.
The other consideration for me was the colour. There are so many in silver or black but not much else. My Astra is silver and my wife doesn’t like black cars (thinks they look like a hearse), so I wanted something different. Mine is blue with beige leather.

 

[sausage]

Hi, I bought a 2006 sl350 about 6 weeks ago and absolutely love it! It’s not perfect but then it is 15 years old. It hasn’t got the ABC suspension. I think a lot depends on what you are used to. My workhorse car is a 16 plate Astra k series elite estate diesel ( my company car until I retired) and I liked that enough to buy it from the company. Still find it a comfortable drive but the sl is far superior. The sl is on 17” wheels.
The sl is booked in with Star at Reading for service and MOT in 2weeks, hopefully I’ll find out how good a buy it was, wish me luck.
The other consideration for me was the colour. There are so many in silver or black but not much else. My Astra is silver and my wife doesn’t like black cars (thinks they look like a hearse), so I wanted something different. Mine is blue with beige leather.

Very nice indeed. Good luck with the service. I was surprised at the amount of silver and black cars, there were also one or two light metallic blues and greens, but most were black or silver. I would have been OK with silver and I think the "black and tan" black cars with the light tan interiors look stunning. Alas, I've only had two cars out of fifteen that were not black so I tried hard to avoid black this time. That said, the SL does look very very nice in black, it almost tempted me.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Black and Tan is a lovely combo, as is black and ivory. Really stands out. Something like 40% of all MB cars sold are in a variation of metallic silver though!

 

[sausage]

Be interesting to see what you think of the ride on 19”s

Very happy with the ride on 19" wheels.

 

[sausage]

 

[sausage]

As requested, a pic of the car on our first early morning drive out to the East Coast via the Lincolnshire Wolds.

If you live in the central part of England like I do, there are a few options for nice drives, but they all take a little while to get to. Wales is by far the best if time is not an issue. The Peak District is enjoyable, Cannock Chase has a few nice routes, but for me taking a trip to the East Coast is the one I tend to opt for, and Linconshire has some nice routes, particularly towards the wolds area. The only downside is it is an area that seems to suffer from a lot of tailgaters, and caravans. Although on the plus side there are a lot of quiet roads out that way.
But watch out for pot holes, some roads are quite poorly maintained.

 

[sausage]

Some better pics.

 

[NJS5]

Many thanks - but I can't open the first ones!

Edited to add the second set look good - I hope you are enjoying the car.

NJSS

 

[Hotspur]

On the alloys and cracking - in my experience it is down to the quality of the alloy...in terms of increasing strength...

Replica Alloys...<...Genuine Alloys...<...Flow-Formed Genuine Alloys...<...Forged Genuine Alloys....

You shouldnt really have a problem with Genuine Alloys upwards, but for real poor roads the Flow-Formed or Forged sets are perfect, will not crack - but you pay for the additional strength...approx. 10x extra or more per wheel...

Love that SL sausage - been looking for one myself recently, just like yours a 350 late 230 (approx 2009 era) to use as a daily....

 

[sausage]

NJS5 - thanks. I certainly am enjoying it. Every time I get a new car I am one of those folks who makes a trip to the local shop much longer than it needs to be

Thanks Hotspur. Have you seen the black one on autotrader that is in North Finchley ? It has been for sale on and off since I started looking in July. I have no idea why this car has not sold, maybe the 5 owners is putting people off, maybe it is a scam. Perhaps the engine number is one that is affected by the balancer shaft issue? However, I imagine after 5 months the guy might be highly motivated to sell. Caveat emptor!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110168566989?year-from=2008&aggregatedTrim=SL350&sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SL Class&radius=1500&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&make=Mercedes-Benz&postcode=le128rr&page=2

I really did not want yet another black car, so that made my search a lot harder, and I also wanted the panoramic roof. There really was only one or two options for me, and thankfully one of them was within 25 miles of home and from a dealer with a lot of positive reviews. So far so good, 6000 miles clocked up in 5 months.

 

[LostKiwi]

SLs demand taking the long way home. Even after 4 years I take the long way home from the shops in ours.

 

[Hotspur]

NJS5 - thanks. I certainly am enjoying it. Every time I get a new car I am one of those folks who makes a trip to the local shop much longer than it needs to be

Thanks Hotspur. Have you seen the black one on autotrader that is in North Finchley ? It has been for sale on and off since I started looking in July. I have no idea why this car has not sold, maybe the 5 owners is putting people off, maybe it is a scam. Perhaps the engine number is one that is affected by the balancer shaft issue? However, I imagine after 5 months the guy might be highly motivated to sell. Caveat emptor!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110168566989?year-from=2008&aggregatedTrim=SL350&sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&model=SL Class&radius=1500&include-delivery-option=on&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&make=Mercedes-Benz&postcode=le128rr&page=2

I really did not want yet another black car, so that made my search a lot harder, and I also wanted the panoramic roof. There really was only one or two options for me, and thankfully one of them was within 25 miles of home and from a dealer with a lot of positive reviews. So far so good, 6000 miles clocked up in 5 months.

Thanks Sausage - that car in the link looks nice - how would i check the engine number / balancer shaft issue?

I would ideally like to find a car close to me to save trekking down to London once or twice esp. for collection without a car - I am like you located near Leics. Still looking, find the looking to be enjoyable but also excruciating at the same time...

 

[Paul Garrett]

Craig, personal choice. Now I am an old man I have no interest in needing to buy the newest, best or most expensive, so I don't need to have the top of the range, the fastest car for bragging rights or for my own need, experience tells me those cars come with the biggest bills. I had my last sports car for 10 years and towards the end of that time I found driving it on the UK roads was more of a frustration than anything, lots of abuse every time I overtook someone, lots of traffic calming and roads where I could not stretch the legs, and after doing many European tours with friends the UK driving experience was disappointing. I would get the car out of the garage with the expectation of enjoying the drive, and afterwards would realise I had not enjoyed it so much. The Range Rover is a different experience and whilst it is no slouch it does encourage a more relaxed driving style that is better suited to my age and to the UK roads, and I believe that for the next few years an old SL350 will be just the thing for roof down and enjoying a nice drive to the golf club.
As for fastest, top of the range, expensive I've done that, and had huge amounts of depreciation over a few years, I have no interest in that now, and I am quite happy to pootle around in an old SL350. I have to be honest, your question did not read well, and it did not read like "out of interest", it read like a challenge about my financial situation especially using superlatives like "so tightly", it's not "so tightly" at all, it's a personal choice, but thanks for your contribution regardless, nice to meet you.

Have to say im with you on this one,
Seems today a lot of people are obsessed with horsepower, Nm torques ( gotta have more & more of them!) And higher & higher top speeds, not as though you can do them on our british roads!
As for myself, my 2002 S500 has been improved in performance but only to improve effiency and has more than enough power and torque for my needs, this grasping need for 600/700/800 and even higher BHP is just stupid and a sales gimmick that people fall for, oh and then say" well my car does 180/190/200/210 mph? "
Ok so where can you do these speeds without losing your licence eh?
Oh yes, track days of course, then have to replace tyres and brakes costing stupid amounts of money!
On the Autobahn?
Even then it has only certain sections you can let loose the full power, only to have someone pull out in front of you?
Im a petrol head and love my cars but all this quest for just more and more power and also can a lot of drivers handle or have respect for all that power under their right foot? Leading to all kinds of trouble?
Remember the known saying, " high performance car, low performence driver"

 

[Blobcat]

Thanks Sausage - that car in the link looks nice - how would i check the engine number / balancer shaft issue?

I would ideally like to find a car close to me to save trekking down to London once or twice esp. for collection without a car - I am like you located near Leics. Still looking, find the looking to be enjoyable but also excruciating at the same time...

You can check for balance shaft issues on the M272 engine with the below website:

Mercedes Benz balance shaft engine issues. How to check by VIN. M272/273 – MB Medic

www.mercedesmedic.com

 

[JBell]

One important point is don't straddle the cushion type traffic calming measures.

The reason is that when you do, all the weight is focused on the unsupported inside edge of the alloy. It can also cause really bad wear and splitting on the inside of edge of the tyres - which is really difficult to see.

It also ruins your tracking!!!

Much better (but slower) is to put one wheel through the gap and the other over the middle of the bump

Absolutely