Advice on R231 SL63 purchase

[Scaramanga]

Evening all. Have lurked a fair bit on this forum and loved reading the various threads.

I’ve just sold my previous car and really fancy an SL63, in 5.5TT R231 guise. Am I mad to consider this instead of the previous generation 6.3L NA model ?

Any advice much appreciated ! Not much choice around, especially as i would like a Performance Pack example.

Any views/thoughts appreciated!

 

[Steve84N]

Good choice I'd say. I've never tried the 5.5 biturbo but I own a 6.2 C63 and it needs to be revved out to give its performance. The character (and weight) of the SL is more suited to lots of low down torque which the 5.5 has.

 

[Scaramanga]

That was my suspicion. Did the performance pack become standard in 2015/2016?

 

[c63chris]

Depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. I preferred the sound of the n.a. engine and think the older one look better. However the newer car will be more up to date but cost you more.

 

[E53AMG]

Safwat Cars | Prestige Cars Southend on Sea

Can recommend the garage, all their cars are good...

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Many experts will have their 2p & I'm not one - however everything I have read says that the R231 is a better machine than the R230.

I'd prefer a NA V8 ....but would opt for the R231 for all the other advantages - and I think the R231 is the better looking car as well.

Suggest you test drive a few - The V8 R231's are known to feel 'heavy' and less nimble.

 

[AndyRC]

The 5.5 TT SL63 is looking like a real bargin in a couple of years, can see these being sub £40k and some low mileage well looked after examples about, a lot of car for the money

 

[E53AMG]

Best convertible on the road, only drawback is long term reliability question of the ABC, if you expect to keep it more than a few years you may want to avoid the ABC and test drive the SL500, still V8, close on performance, no ABC reliability issues and very close on looks.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[AndyRC]

Best convertible on the road, only drawback is long term reliability question of the ABC, if you expect to keep it more than a few years you may want to avoid the ABC and test drive the SL500, still V8, close on performance, no ABC reliability issues and very close on looks.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

Never having owned a MB with ABC suspension what actually fails? Is there any preventative maintenance, or replace this bit before it’s “kna#£&d” that can be applied to keep it healthy ?

 

[Gbrowncls55]

Most of the time you are driving in the mid range in this country unless you are one of the few who drive all the time with their pants on fire. That being the case the huge torque from the forced induction 5.5 engine (particularly in contrast to the more revvy 6.3 N/A engine) give instant power at almost any revs. Great engine and will be my next albeit in a cls

 

[E53AMG]

Never having owned a MB with ABC suspension what actually fails? Is there any preventative maintenance, or replace this bit before it’s “kna#£&d” that can be applied to keep it healthy ?

I have avoided ABC but understand from other users on here that regular fluid changes help but the shocks and pumps were known to fail regularly on the R230 model at a considerable cost. Not sure about R231 but I guess some users will be along to advise.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Alex]

Best convertible on the road, only drawback is long term reliability question of the ABC, if you expect to keep it more than a few years you may want to avoid the ABC and test drive the SL500, still V8, close on performance, no ABC reliability issues and very close on looks.

Wishful thinking. Neither close on looks nor on performance, mister.

I have avoided ABC but understand from other users on here that regular fluid changes help but the shocks and pumps were known to fail regularly on the R230 model at a considerable cost. Not sure about R231 but I guess some users will be along to advise.

Having actually owned 3 cars with ABC, neither ended in disaster or cost extortionate amounts to fix. Not once. The whole ABC scaremongering stems from shady garages working on something they don’t fully understand (or taking advantage of the unsuspecting and uninformed owners) and overall neglect by the previous owner passed to the new one. General rule is: keep it clean, dry (on the outside) and don’t try to fix it if it ain’t broke. Hydraulic suspension is the best thing made for heavy cars (which SL is). Not to mention that hydraulics is used widely in the industrial applications.

Please don’t spread fake news (and go buy that SL63 you’re secretly dreaming about ;-))

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Best convertible on the road, only drawback is long term reliability question of the ABC, if you expect to keep it more than a few years you may want to avoid the ABC and test drive the SL500, still V8, close on performance, no ABC reliability issues and very close on looks.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

The R231 is now going on 8 years old and I'm not seeing reports of ABC problems......

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Having actually owned 3 cars with ABC, neither ended in disaster or cost extortionate amounts to fix. Not once. The whole ABC scaremongering stems from shady garages working on something they don’t fully understand (or taking advantage of the unsuspecting and uninformed owners) and overall neglect by the previous owner passed to the new one. General rule is: keep it clean, dry (on the outside) and don’t try to fix it if it ain’t broke. Hydraulic suspension is the best thing made for heavy cars (which SL is). Not to mention that hydraulics is used widely in the industrial applications.

..............

Agree and the R231 with the Aluminium body is also much less of a worry over any rust issues.

 

[c63chris]

Wishful thinking. Neither close on looks nor on performance, mister.



Having actually owned 3 cars with ABC, neither ended in disaster or cost extortionate amounts to fix. Not once. The whole ABC scaremongering stems from shady garages working on something they don’t fully understand (or taking advantage of the unsuspecting and uninformed owners) and overall neglect by the previous owner passed to the new one. General rule is: keep it clean, dry (on the outside) and don’t try to fix it if it ain’t broke. Hydraulic suspension is the best thing made for heavy cars (which SL is). Not to mention that hydraulics is used widely in the industrial applications.

Please don’t spread fake news (and go buy that SL63 you’re secretly dreaming about ;-))

This! ABC comes up on here time and time again. Had my SL nearly 4 yrs now. It rides and handles beautifully and the ABC has not been a problem. These are expensive cars to maintain when they go wrong and as they get older they will. A properly maintained car is not immune but less likely to have problems.

 

[E53AMG]

"Neither close on looks nor on performance, mister." Which other hard top mainstream production convertible are you comparing to?

"Please don’t spread fake news" - Ok Donald I will ignore all the posts on here just search ABC (not the American news company)!

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Alex]

"Neither close on looks nor on performance, mister." Which other hard top mainstream production convertible are you comparing to?

If this wasn't obvious from my post quoting yours, it's this:

SL500, still V8, close on performance, no ABC reliability issues and very close on looks

You're the only one in the world who seems to believe in undisputed similarities between the 500 and 63 AMG ;-)

"Please don’t spread fake news" - Ok Donald I will ignore all the posts on here just search ABC (not the American news company)!

I know ABC inside and out which is why I said that you're spreading misinformation without actual hands on experience with the car in question.

 

[Scaramanga]

Thanks for all the views! Much appreciated.

I’m a little confused about the performance pack on the R231. Are red brake calipers a giveaway of the performance pack being optioned ? I have seen a car with red calipers. The Mercedes VIN decoder doesn’t show the PP option but does show it has “brake calipers painted silver” but the actual callipers are red ?

 

[E53AMG]

If this wasn't obvious from my post quoting yours, it's this:


You're the only one in the world who seems to believe in undisputed similarities between the 500 and 63 AMG ;-)




I know ABC inside and out which is why I said that you're spreading misinformation without actual hands on experience with the car in question.

If you had read my post properly and removed your blinkers mister you would have seen the reference was about the SL63 not the SL500, I only mentioned test driving an SL500 if he wanted to avoid ABC as it would be the closest option to the SL63 without ABC.

I really do hope ABC issues have been resolved with the R231 and that all the negative ABC posts for the R230 on here are fake, I accept I was probably foolish to read and believe them when deciding to buy my car and bow to your obvious superior vision. The OP of course is free to make up his own mind with or without due diligence.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 126251]

^ The R230 is a 20 year old design and ABC in those cars was first introduced in 2006. We are 13 years further along (ABC) and it would be hard to imagine MB not improving on the product in that time.

The R231 has been around since about 2011 - so getting on now and as previously stated, not seeing many ABC complaints.

My opinion is that you will usually only hear about problems on the www. People that are happy tend not complain and there will be many happy drivers out there with ABC.