Approved Used SL350 - how much is it worth?

[peterg1965]

I am at a loose end today!

Just seen this AUC SL350, Southport MB, nice car. 2004(04 plate). I know he has it up for £20995, but how much is it actually worth (ie what would he take for it?) It hasn't got COMAND and it is in an unusual colour for an SL - Cubanite - not the usual Obsidian Black or Silver. It would be v hard to shift on come resale me thinks.

Will this car have the 7G auto box or did that come later?

I actually quite like this colour combination.

http://www.mercedes-benz.motortrak.com/detail?template=/zoom/zoom20&vid=14733549&lang=en
http://www.mercedes-benz.motortrak.com/matrix.php?csref=embrt&mbid=382

 

[500E]

Beautiful car - well price for a 2004 model.

18k?

Don't you prefer the SL500 to the SL350?

 

[aka$h]

Very unusual to have an SL without COMAND. Id go in with an offer of £19k, but its realistically priced to begin with.

 

[Natalie]

But look what you could get for a lot less and a few years older!!

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/828399.htm

I guess that given the current economic climate - dealers may consider a sensible offer. Why not try to be cheeky if it's what you fancy?

 

[peterg1965]

The other advantage of that SL is that it is from a MB dealer so I assume it would come with a minimum of one years Tier 1 warranty. I thought COMAND was standard in SLs - oh well! So is it a 7G box? If I was buying one, I would prefer a V8 to a V6, no question but a SL350 with a 7 speed auto actually a reasonable proposition too.

That dealer has quite a variety of SLs, there is a beautiful silver/berry red leather SL500 for 'just' another £2K.

I have been having some 'mad' ideas. My wife has access to her Mini and the GL and I have a Jag X-Type. I was toying with the idea of changing all three cars and reducing to two. An E Class estate for my wife (we have 3 dogs and a disabled son) and me getting something sporty and V8ish! It would depend on the values of the Mini and GL to pay off their respective PCP finance deals. Of to find my calculator ..........

 

[500E]

Check this SL500 with 39k for £20k:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/539605.htm

 

[kraftwerk]

Check this SL500 with 39k for £20k:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/539605.htm

My God, that's an awful lot of motor for the money.

I like the cubanite 350 (silver cars bore me rigid and black's a bustard to keep clean), but would always have the nagging feeling that I should have bought a 500.

 

[peterg1965]

Check this SL500 with 39k for £20k:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/539605.htm

That is a lot of car for £20K, the only negative in my eyes is the wood in the centre console - wood in sports cars just doesn't 'do it' for me.

 

[Skintia99]

Looks really strange without COMAND, the radio doesn't look very Merc like either IMO, Still a nice car though!

 

[kraftwerk]

And another...

http://tinyurl.com/7dh6xl

 

[peterg1965]

And another...

http://tinyurl.com/7dh6xl

Nice, you don't see many in Bue either.

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

Myself I'm not keen on the colour its neither one thing or another? could hamper resale. Command could be fitted as it does look odd not being there.

There are so many about I would not do anything quick. Also 500 will be almost as cheap to run so why not go for the v8.

My dad has an SL500 with full SL55 kit and he can see 30mpg cruising. It sounds great and looks the business. 20K sits you in an awful lot of car today.

My advice would be to pass on that 350 and keep looking

 

[grober]

Being a 350 it may not have the active suspension system which can make a big difference to the handling. 2003/4 was also the year/s of the big improvements to Merc paint/ galvanising systems also but I don't know exactly when the changes took place for the SL. I would be very wary of buying such a sophisticated vehicle such as an SL without a full MB warranty.

 

[peterg1965]

Can't believe I am doing this but .....

...........I am off to look at an SL500 next week at MB Stratstone Ulverston (South Lakes). Same dealer I bought my GL320 from. They have a 52 plate SL500 in Tellurite Silver and v dark blue leather, 43,000 miles, full history (of course) but 5 previous owners! The last for just a handful of weeks - he told me the story (buyer was promised it was a one owner car, received V5 and saw 4 previous,demanded another car!). It is up for £18200, and has a Tier 1 warranty (so he told me) until Sept 09.

Thought they sold it Saturday but buyer was refused finance! It is in the workshop having hard tops seals replaced.

 

[vibesg]

The Cubanite SL 350 is unlikely to have the 7G auto box. The blue 500 is unusual in having a DVD Comand screen on a 53 plate SL. The ebay posting lists it as Novenber 2003. DVD Comand was not available until mid to late 2004 when the better colour baked SLs were introduced though I doubt you will notice the colour difference much.
SLs have softened in price over the last 5 months so £20k buys a lot of SL.
350s are rare with ABC which is standard on 500s. SLs are colour and mileage sensitive. They clearly can take the miles but with many low milers aroung leggy ones will be correspondingly cheaper.
I saw a green SL350 at my local stealership in August for £22995 at 73k miles. Its still there (unusual for an SL) and was priced at £17995 last week. Must have found renewed confidence from somewhere as its gone up to £18284 this week.

http://www.mercedes-benzofsouthlakes.co.uk/

Has Comand and heated memory leather seats.
I think its colour and the current state of the market work against it. Still a bargain for someone. I've fallen in love again with my CLK so I haven't the space (or finances) for an additional Merc else I'd put in a cheeky offer.

 

[Dieselman]

The last for just a handful of weeks - he told me the story (buyer was promised it was a one owner car, received V5 and saw 4 previous,demanded another car!). It is up for £18200, and has a Tier 1 warranty (so he told me) until Sept 09.

Thought they sold it Saturday but buyer was refused finance! It is in the workshop having hard tops seals replaced.

Speak to the last regd. owner to confirm the story, if they lied to him why not you.?
Surely you would get a new warranty from your purchase date.

Sorry to put a downer on things but another member had problems with a car bought from a Stratstone dealer and things were not as they seemed.

Check everything out before handing over the folding.

 

[peterg1965]

The Cubanite SL 350 is unlikely to have the 7G auto box. The blue 500 is unusual in having a DVD Comand screen on a 53 plate SL. The ebay posting lists it as Novenber 2003. DVD Comand was not available until mid to late 2004 when the better colour baked SLs were introduced though I doubt you will notice the colour difference much.
SLs have softened in price over the last 5 months so £20k buys a lot of SL.
350s are rare with ABC which is standard on 500s. SLs are colour and mileage sensitive. They clearly can take the miles but with many low milers aroung leggy ones will be correspondingly cheaper.
I saw a green SL350 at my local stealership in August for £22995 at 73k miles. Its still there (unusual for an SL) and was priced at £17995 last week. Must have found renewed confidence from somewhere as its gone up to £18284 this week.

http://www.mercedes-benzofsouthlakes.co.uk/

Has Comand and heated memory leather seats.
I think its colour and the current state of the market work against it. Still a bargain for someone. I've fallen in love again with my CLK so I haven't the space (or finances) for an additional Merc else I'd put in a cheeky offer.

We talked about the Green one, I shall see that next week too, but 73000 miles puts me off. Green is an odd colour for an SL, not that I am some sort of SL geek. It is still for sale at £17800 I think (so he said). The one I am seeing is not currently listed on the MB site or Stratstones, I saw it online Saturday and it was taken off by Sunday, when they presumably thought it was sold. I quite like the Tellurite silver, although if I had a choice, black with berry red or biege leather would be my ideal.

 

[peterg1965]

Speak to the last regd. owner to confirm the story, if they lied to him why not you.?
Surely you would get a new warranty from your purchase date.

Sorry to put a downer on things but another member had problems with a car bought from a Stratstone dealer and things were not as they seemed.

Check everything out before handing over the folding.

If I was tempted, I would speak to him. I have had dealings with Stratstones before. My GL came from the same dealer (no probs and v happy). My Jag X Type came from a Stratstone dealer in Bolton, awful service and still corresponding with them reference their appalingly prepared cars and poor administration.

 

[vibesg]

Peter
Ask him how long he's had the Tellulite Silver. It looks really good with nice spec but it might have been there for sometime. I think it was in a batch of SLs they bought in the Autumn.
The green one isn't bad if you can live with the colour but I see it as a long term prospect. If you are likely to change it within 2 years you'll lose money. They'll be prepared to do a keener deal on it though just to move it on.

 

[peterg1965]

Peter
Ask him how long he's had the Tellulite Silver. It looks really good with nice spec but it might have been there for sometime. I think it was in a batch of SLs they bought in the Autumn.
The green one isn't bad if you can live with the colour but I see it as a long term prospect. If you are likely to change it within 2 years you'll lose money. They'll be prepared to do a keener deal on it though just to move it on.

Will do, although he told me that the Tellurite SL came from Blackpool as a result of the previous owner 'swapping cars'. Apparently the new car was sourced from Ulverston and they received the original car in return. Assume Blackpool is another Stratstone MB dealer.

The green one is a 350, I think if I took the plunge I would prefer the 500, although I may drive the 350 to see the difference.