SL55 Brabus K8

[SL55k8]

Apologies if this is the wrong section (I note a previous thread on this car was in this part, so hopefully I am okay - link; http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/amg-lounge/139898-brabus-k8-e55.html)

Copied from my thread on another popular car forum..

We have a 2002 factory upgraded SL55 with 36,000 miles on, 1 of 6 commissioned for the UK. It has a full Mercedes service history, brand new alloys, and a number of other bits consistently replaced over the years. I've been tasked with looking at selling it for the family, would anyone have an idea on pricing?

I've read somewhere that you should find the value of a standard SL55 from a similar year with similar mileage and to then double the value. But I've also read that it's whatever somebody would be willing to pay due to it being quite a rare car.

Pictures will follow, but would a price tag of £35,000 be an unreasonable starting point?

Naturally if anybody is interested in the car before it goes up on various sites, please PM me. Based in West Berkshire.

From some advice received there, they suggest;
'Perhaps, thinking further, it should sit with/around/a little above the SL55 with the F1 pack (on the basis of performance, rarity) which I think leaves you in the £28-32k range. I don't think you can pitch it above the 65AMGs which tend to sit at about 35. A robust £29.5k seems like a sensible place to me. (And for goodness sake if you wind up in the low twenties PM me, I'd love a Brabus in the fleet!)'

Basically - You are all obviously all very knowledgeable and interested in Mercedes so I would really like some honest feedback on where to sell it, how much for, and anything else I've forgotten!

Thanks for any help!

 

[SL55k8]

Anybody have any opinions? :fail

 

[nico2014]

Thanks for your post. I love this car. But the asking price is a bit too much to be honest. I looked at Autotrader and you can find SL55 from 11k (with high mileage though) but I have found some similar cars like yours with even lower mileage for 18k. So I know you are aiming your price too high. Most people would rather get a new car at the price you want to sell. So you would really need to come down on price if you want some interests...
Hope this helps.

 

[lxi]

Being brutal, I wouldn't value it much if anything over £20

 

[SL55k8]

Thanks for your post. I love this car. But the asking price is a bit too much to be honest. I looked at Autotrader and you can find SL55 from 11k (with high mileage though) but I have found some similar cars like yours with even lower mileage for 18k. So I know you are aiming your price too high. Most people would rather get a new car at the price you want to sell. So you would really need to come down on price if you want some interests...
Hope this helps.

Thanks for the response. This isn't a standard SL55 though, and cost circa £70,000 more than the standard one.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Thanks for the response. This isn't a standard SL55 though, and cost circa £70,000 more than the standard one.

Yes, over 10 years ago.

I think you would struggle to get over £18k

 

[lxi]

Thanks for the response. This isn't a standard SL55 though, and cost circa £70,000 more than the standard one.

Even if it did, that was 13 years ago.

It's common knowledge that all the extras for which the original buyer pays a fortune add very little if anything to residual value.

At the end of the day it's worth what someone's prepared to pay for it and not a penny more.

 

[automaniaman]

Advertise it at what you perceive the price to be, and then see what the market say's.

 

[Giantvanman]

That car has to be worth virtually £250,000 but because I am feeling flush, I can virtually afford twice that so here is my virtual £500,000. Where can I collect the car from?

If you want real money price, find a similar age/condition 'standard' car and add £5k, maybe. The market is relatively small to start with but to many, their ignorance about Brabus and it being non-standard might limit the market further. Just a guess on my part, based on nothing other than my own thoughts.

 

[MicB]

Little or no hope of £35k

There are a limited number of potential buyers for such a car even though many would very much like to own the car......me included but I am not a buyer.

I think lxi's assessment will not be far off the mark. The hash reality is that R230's do not change hands for a great deal of money.

I think an asking price of £19950 being prepared to take £18k would be realistic.

Mic

 

[Alex]

Thanks for the response. This isn't a standard SL55 though, and cost circa £70,000 more than the standard one.

The K8 package from Brabus was nigh of 20K Euros including VAT or 16K Sterling. Not sure where another 50+ grand went. Do you care to post the detailed spec of the car if you have one or the original invoice?

 

[SL55k8]

35k price tag came from advice on this forum 2/3 years ago. I did forget to edit it as PH have told me around £28k. Which is where we will look at starting it I imagine. As an aside we have been offered 23k for it already and that's someone who is lowballing us as well.

Most genuine Brabus cars I have seen have always been advertised for at least double the equivalent AMG (at least since Mercedes aquired AMG) whether they sell for that is another matter. You always face a waiting game with these cars particularly if its had a number of owners and mileage is just average or high.

There's a 2003 SL55 K8 on 56K miles for sale at the moment for £37k, what would a 2003 SL55 AMG cost you with similar mileage £15-16k

Indeed - however from my point of view as a potential buyer I'd look at the going rate of a standard SL55 of that era and then add ~50%.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

35k price tag came from advice on this forum 2/3 years ago. I did forget to edit it as PH have told me around £28k. Which is where we will look at starting it I imagine. As an aside we have been offered 23k for it already and that's someone who is lowballing us as well.

2/3 years ago yes it would have most likely been worth £35k. Now its not

Im failing to see the point of this thread, you have been offered £23k (which is a great offer IMO) but you think its worth more, yet dont agree with what we have all posted?

 

[nico2014]

Even if it did, that was 13 years ago.

It's common knowledge that all the extras for which the original buyer pays a fortune add very little if anything to residual value.

At the end of the day it's worth what someone's prepared to pay for it and not a penny more.

The fact of the matter is that all cars depreciate considerably and more so with Amg cars. You car is no exception unfortunately and it is older than 10 years. I know how you feel as you have an attachment to the car and I would too feel a bit upset to sell it cheaper if it were mine but you will struggle to get a buyer for the asking price...

 

[Mat B]

Based on rarity and the level of work brabus put into a car over a standard tuner I would be advertising it for more than £25k. I think you were right around £30k
It will certainly limit the market but it is not for someone who wants an sl55. They can go get one. If is for someone who wants something rare and special. So there for stay firm with your price. It's one hell of a car.

 

[SL55k8]

The K8 package from Brabus was nigh of 20K Euros including VAT or 16K Sterling. Not sure where another 50+ grand went. Do you care to post the detailed spec of the car if you have one or the original invoice?

Taken from previous thread

Brabus also have a choice of options for you to choose from. I still have a full Brabus options price list for the SL55 in 2003.

Brabus Price list.

Engine Tuning Program
K8 Performance Kit: Crank Pulley, Secondary Charge Cooler, Idler, s/c belt tensioner, wider s/c belt, Brabus map, £15,900 (Installation £1,490)

Powertrain.
Differential with 40% locking rate £4,990.00 (installation £450.00)

Instruments.
Brabus Speedometer Backlit dial only: 220 MPH £1,099 (installation £75.00)

Exhaust.
Brabus Sports Exhaust System: Complete Stainless with Quad pipes for SL55 £2,490 (installation £260.00)

Rear Bumper.
Rear Bumper Pur-R-Rim: for Quad Exhaust outlet £1,590.00 (installation £590 painted)

Front Bumper.
Front Bumper with integrated front spoiler £2,090.00 (Installation £590.00)

Wheels.
Brabus 20" Monoblock VI Front: 9J x 20 H2 offset 25 £1,590.00 each.
Brabus 20" Monoblock VI Rear: 10.5J x 20 H2 offset 29 £1,590.00 each.

Sports Suspension
Brabus Sports ABC Suspension Module: £1,590.00 (Installation £160.00)

Brabus Brake System
Brabus 12 Piston Aluminium Fixed Callipers: £17,900.00 (Installation £590)

Leather Interior
Front Seats with headrest £4,800.00
Inner Door Faces £980.00
Middle Console £600
Door Covers £1,800
Rear Compartment £1,190
Safety Roll Bar £890
Dashboard Upper £1,890
Dashboard Lower £600

Floor Mats
Front £590
Boot £690

Badges
Boot £50
Bonnet £70
Sides £40 each

Brabus Steering Wheel.
385mm Leather and Carbon £1,426.00

As you can see there are many Brabus option and I have not listed all of them only around 70% of them...therefore, because each Brabus conversion/modified car is dependent upon that the buyers option choice you have very little to tell if the car is genuine or not; with mine I contacted Brabus and gave them the chassis number, they then confirmed that they had modified the car.

Some Brabus Modified cars only have engine and exhaust mods....some only external (Body kits) mods.... some of the "external only" modifications are carried out by the Mercedes authorised Brabus dealer..so many variables.....

I believe that this E55 K8 is genuine...
is it worth £20k....? I would say yes...an original Brabus modified car will always gonna be worth more,

My car is 1 of 6 made in right hand drive and imported into the U.K market. :bannana:

In years to come these Genuine Brabus modified cars will become collectors cars and be worth far more that the standard model, just in the same way that Original early BMW Alpina models are worth much, much more than standard models.

 

[SL55k8]

2/3 years ago yes it would have most likely been worth £35k. Now its not

Im failing to see the point of this thread, you have been offered £23k (which is a great offer IMO) but you think its worth more, yet dont agree with what we have all posted?

I mean no offence by this.

But nobody has given me a reason to believe the prices they are quoting. PH forums have suggested 29.5k and given reasons for it.

I welcome opinions, but will challenge them for more explanation if they are vague.

 

[Alex]

Based on rarity and the level of work brabus put into a car over a standard tuner I would be advertising it for more than £25k. I think you were right around £30k
It will certainly limit the market but it is not for someone who wants an sl55. They can go get one. If is for someone who wants something rare and special. So there for stay firm with your price. It's one hell of a car.

Mat, there isn't much in the K8 package really so it's hardly any rarer than the F1 packaged SL. The car doesn't have the Brabus bodykit either, just the wheels.

From the good old wiki:

The Brabus K8 performance kit for the SL model (SL55) includes modifications to the supercharger incorporating a custom vibration damper and pulley, high-performance metal catalysts, and an auxiliary circulation pump with opposing radiator.

This SL has a full 6.3 Brabus twin turbo V12 and has been for sale for ages @ 40k.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

No offence taken

How long have you had it on sale for? As said in previous posts, its only going to be worth what someone is willing to pay.

Keep it for another 15 years, locked up, unused and its value will sky rocket

 

[SL55k8]

Will go on sale on Sunday I imagine, when I've acquired all the information in regards to what was done to it, what has been done etc... I am selling on behalf of my father in law so exact details about the car are a bit vague at the moment. (and also why I may be a bit stubborn on the price currently)