How much attention do you get in the SL63?

[Jameswr]

Im planning to buy an SL soon as my daily driver. It will be a facelift 2017 SL500 or SL63. I would love the SL63 but my concern is that I want something fairly discreet to visit customers in. How noisy is the SL63 on start up and pulling out of driveways etc?

Im sure everyone will say that its best being noisy and I agree. I love the SL63 sound and its one of the best parts of the car but I don’t want anything too attention seeking. I expect the SL500 will be very quiet and discreet and will probably be seen as an SLK by a lot of “non car” people so maybe that is the better way to go.

Ive currently got a 2007 Porsche 911 and although it is worth much less than the SL it just has this flash image that doesn't fit well with customer visits so I end up using my BMW 520d estate all the time. Im hoping an SL will not be noticed as much.

What do you think?

 

[Skd884]

Park it a few doors away ( and the 911 ) ...........

 

[sgregory124]

Im planning to buy an SL soon as my daily driver. It will be a facelift 2017 SL500 or SL63. I would love the SL63 but my concern is that I want something fairly discreet to visit customers in. How noisy is the SL63 on start up and pulling out of driveways etc?

Im sure everyone will say that its best being noisy and I agree. I love the SL63 sound and its one of the best parts of the car but I don’t want anything too attention seeking. I expect the SL500 will be very quiet and discreet and will probably be seen as an SLK by a lot of “non car” people so maybe that is the better way to go.

Ive currently got a 2007 Porsche 911 and although it is worth much less than the SL it just has this flash image that doesn't fit well with customer visits so I end up using my BMW 520d estate all the time. Im hoping an SL will not be noticed as much.

What do you think?

If you want discrete, an SL63 might not be for you. I can kind of understand why you wouldn't want too much attention (or any attention) on a customer visit, I once worked for a company owner who bought his dream car (at the time) which was a Maserati 3200GT, full Tubi exhaust, sounded incredible. But he had similar concerns and ended up using his girlfriend's Alfa 147 (!) to go to customers, ended up selling it about 6 months later and bought a 325i convertible

Personally speaking, I enjoy the attention (but thats just me). But if you're going to the trouble of buying something with a 63 badge, use it - they're there to be driven!

Just my 2p's worth.

 

[John757]

Perhaps an S63 coupe would be more subtle?

 

[Londonscottish]

Im sure everyone will say that its best being noisy and I agree. I love the SL63 sound and its one of the best parts of the car but I don’t want anything too attention seeking. I expect the SL500 will be very quiet and discreet and will probably be seen as an SLK by a lot of “non car” people so maybe that is the better way to go.

What do you think?

If slipping under the radar is very high up your list of priorities then the SL500 would be a good shout. 450bhp but dressed down with a quiet exhaust.

In fact, a fairly similar formula to the original SL60. Apart from the Monoblocks, you couldn't really tell what it was.

 

[BTB 500]

Im planning to buy an SL soon as my daily driver. It will be a facelift 2017 SL500 or SL63. I would love the SL63 but my concern is that I want something fairly discreet to visit customers in.

I expect the SL500 will be very quiet and discreet

Hi & welcome.

To be honest any newish Mercedes 2-seater convertible is going to be viewed as an indulgence/extravagance by many people, which may not be the image you want to project (depending on your line of business). I occasionally got comments turning up in a (then) 7 year old SL500. In reality my Vito van had cost a lot more and was slightly more expensive on fuel, but nobody ever batted an eyelid at that!

If it's solely the noise that's a concern then try and test drive one of each ASAP to see what you think. Mercedes started to intentionally make the standard SL more 'sporty' from 1999 onwards (when they removed the centre muffler from the R129 version). And obviously the exhaust note became even more of a feature on AMG models.

 

[Red C220]

Most people who don't know cars assume my SL400 is a flash expensive car. The reality is it's now worth less than a VW T-Roc.

They also wouldn't know the difference between the base model and an AMG model.

If you're at all concerned about perception, an SL is not going to be any different to your 911. No matter what model of SL you go with.

 

[Jameswr]

Thanks for the replies. I think that has confirmed my concerns.

I do sometimes park the Porsche a few doors away but often its residents parking permits on street and the customer tells me to park on the drive.

I do like the S63 coupe but its just too large. There isn’t an E63 Coupe or Convertible. C63 could be good but would prefer a more high end platform like an SL or S Class.

I do keep deciding that the SL500 is the way to go. Its £20k cheaper, more discreet, still has 450bhp. I might keep the Porsche so an SL500 will fit nicely between it and the 520d estate.

Im definitely getting the SL500…………..but I still keep looking at the SL63.

 

[Jameswr]

I agree that any SL is a flash expensive car but Im hoping that to non car people an SL500 might blend in with the base SLKs that nobody really notices where as a rumbling AMG V8 will give the game away.

 

[Red C220]

I agree that any SL is a flash expensive car but Im hoping that to non car people an SL500 might blend in with the base SLKs that nobody really notices where as a rumbling AMG V8 will give the game away.

Non car people won't have any clue to the difference. If you're going to buy one, buy the 63. It's percepetion won't be any different to the 500.

Fundamentally buy the one you want rather than double guessing what you think other people, who don't know cars, think about your choice of cars.

If that makes sense.......

 

[BTB 500]

I agree that any SL is a flash expensive car but Im hoping that to non car people an SL500 might blend in with the base SLKs that nobody really notices where as a rumbling AMG V8 will give the game away.

As above you might find that the 500 has more V8 rumble than you expect (even if less than a 63).

You could always get a diesel SLK

 

[John757]

is the SL500 450BHP?

 

[BTB 500]

is the SL500 450BHP?

IIRC the 2016 facelift (9-speed) one is.

 

[John757]

wow did not know that!

 

[Londonscottish]

wow did not know that!

It's when they switched from the n/a 5.5 to the 4.7tt.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Ultimately people will conclude that any SL is “flash” regardless of the engine, especially people who aren’t into cars.

I understand your concerns, and some excellent points have already been made. Personally I drive ridiculous cars anywhere and everywhere in my home life, but I drive a Smart in my work life.

Ironically driving the Smart gets many more comments than driving something spicy to my face. Importantly though there are probably many times fewer behind my back.

Get yourself a Smart

 

[MEMERC7]

Im planning to buy an SL soon as my daily driver. It will be a facelift 2017 SL500 or SL63. I would love the SL63 but my concern is that I want something fairly discreet to visit customers in. How noisy is the SL63 on start up and pulling out of driveways etc?

Im sure everyone will say that its best being noisy and I agree. I love the SL63 sound and its one of the best parts of the car but I don’t want anything too attention seeking. I expect the SL500 will be very quiet and discreet and will probably be seen as an SLK by a lot of “non car” people so maybe that is the better way to go.

Ive currently got a 2007 Porsche 911 and although it is worth much less than the SL it just has this flash image that doesn't fit well with customer visits so I end up using my BMW 520d estate all the time. Im hoping an SL will not be noticed as much.

What do you think?

If discretion is your aim then why the pre-occupation with 'flash' sporting cars? A more adult sophisticated approach would be the coupe route but would avoid Mercedes & Porsche & possibly Audi.

 

[AMGeed]

I have never worried what other people think about my choice of car. Get the one you want.
Yes, an SL63 or any other car in 63 guise is going to stand out as it is noisy on start up.
The SL500 may be the perfect choice for you.

 

[whitenemesis]

Turning up to customers in an expensive looking car will signal one of two things.
A - You are successful in what you do and worth doing business with.
B - You overcharge for what you do and should be avoided..

Just get a run-of-the-mill daily hack for business and reserve the 'posh' car for private use

 

[Jameswr]

Thanks for everyone’s advice. I understand that the best plan is to use a normal car for work and a nice car for weekends but that is what I have been doing for the last few years. The issue is that weekend trips involve children so my nice car never gets used. I do all my work trips and most of my weekend trips in my BMW 520d estate. Life is too short to spend it driving around in a 520d estate. I want to use the estate for family weekend trips and a nice car during the week when on my own.

What I want is the nicest possible car that I can use for work without looking too flash. While an SL is an expensive car I don’t reckon its too much of an attention grabber with the roof up. Im sure that most people would have no idea which engine is in each model but if it is loud (ie SL63) then it does become much more attention grabbing. An SL500 is probably the answer.