Thinking of buying an SLS

[Isda]

Hi there - I'm on the verge of buying an SLS and when asking questions about the car it turns out that the previous owner was Mercedes Benz Transport Services. Does anyone know what this might mean the car was used for in practice? If it means the car has been driven by fifty test pilots then I'd rather know now than later!

Thanks,

Isda

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi there - I'm on the verge of buying an SLS and when asking questions about the car it turns out that the previous owner was Mercedes Benz Transport Services. Does anyone know what this might mean the car was used for in practice? If it means the car has been driven by fifty test pilots then I'd rather know now than later!

Thanks,

Isda

Welcome to MBClub. I don't know but I suspect it was one of the cars used on track at Brooklands - where members of the public pay for an hour on track with an instructor.

 

[developer]

These are the answers I got when I asked the same question:
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/155124-mb-uk-transport-department-2.html

I'll see if I've still got the PM that Peter DLM referred to.

I understand that press cars are very well looked after by MBUK, though that doesn't account for the press treatment.

If they are put back out to the dealer network then anything wrong should have been sorted.

If you can find where it was serviced you might learn some more.

Edit - no pm sorry, but basically Pete confirmed they were well looked after.

Brooklands cars - I asked the dealer to confirm mine wasn't a Brooklands car.

 

[Isda]

Thank you - very helpful. As it only has 5k on the clock it hopefully doesn't sound like the worst case scenario. If the dealer I'm buying from isn't an MB dealer is there any way of asking MB to see exactly what it did?

Thanks,

Isda

 

[Howard]

Hopefully not 5k sideways

Can you get a printout of the service history using the VIN , if the history is all Brooklands , then i'd be cautious.

Although to be fair , the sideways action at Brooklands is mainly c63 and e63's , i'm there fairly regularly , and i've yet to see an SLS doing sideways trips round the track.

 

[flango]

The cars I have driven on PR duties that were MB were registered to MB UK Transport services I think it covers the cars that are used on PR duties and cars allocated to the motoring press for test drives long term road tests etc. All the cars I have driven at Brooklands have never had number plates on like below, so presume they are not UK registered at that point?

 

[PenelopePitstop]

There's SLS in Brooklands, I saw it last weekend. But I think all their track cars aren't registered and they are fitted with extra pedals on the left. I booked test drive in SLK 55 AMG and C63 and they told me they don't have demos but I can drive the cars on the track.

 

[Howard]

I know that they have SLS's at Brooklands , but what i was saying is that they aren't driven sideways ( round the skid pan ) or taken on the track as much as the c and e 63's .

 

[John Jones Jr]

There's probably about a 100 nationwide for sale at any given time. If you have doubts about that particular car , I'd look elesewhere. M-B Transport Services, could cover just about ever aspect of their business, i.e. their vehicles that are used for all sorts. If in doubt walk.

 

[Isda]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice - I've haggled the price to a point where I think the proportionate risk is worth taking so have pulled the trigger. As I live outside the UK I've now got to try and keep my excitement under control as it may take a couple of weeks to sort the paperwork...

Isda

 

[John Jones Jr]

Enjoy, you lucky, lucky man.

 

[The _Don]

Thanks again for all the helpful advice - I've haggled the price to a point where I think the proportionate risk is worth taking so have pulled the trigger. As I live outside the UK I've now got to try and keep my excitement under control as it may take a couple of weeks to sort the paperwork...

Isda

Congrats is it the grey sls at romans ?

 

[p3tchy]

MB Transport dept is based at their HO in Tongwell, they get cars in there for the press to use/drive/photograph.

They also get used by staff at weekends and they get thrashed. Believe me I know.

If it was registered to transport then it's seat would have been adjusted many times if you know what I mean. Still would have been serviced and maitained better than any MB dealer as they have their own workshop.

 

[Isda]

Nope - it's Daytona blue. I'll try and put some pictures up when it arrives.

Isda

 

[The _Don]

Nope - it's Daytona blue. I'll try and put some pictures up when it arrives.

Isda

Have seen it, seems well priced for a low mile 12 plate sls with the rare bucket seats plus has bo sound forged alloys and c/f trim, not a bad spec car.

Did you consider a c63 black series, will hold value much much better ?

 

[Isda]

Have seen it, seems well priced for a low mile 12 plate sls with the rare bucket seats plus has bo sound forged alloys and c/f trim, not a bad spec car.

Did you consider a c63 black series, will hold value much much better ?

Thanks - I just fell in love with the SLS and this one ticked most of the spec boxes for me - I can wear some depreciation but hopefully given the slap it's taken already this one won't do too badly.

Isda

 

[The _Don]

Thanks - I just fell in love with the SLS and this one ticked most of the spec boxes for me - I can wear some depreciation but hopefully given the slap it's taken already this one won't do too badly.

Isda

Yes looks approx £10k cheaper than most other 12 plate cars.

 

[sssammm]

Make sure it has the extras, Carbon pack, Ceramic Brakes, Bang and Olufsson, Forged wheels, about £35k worth, I looked at 2 cars, one had them all, one had none, yet both the same price, but if you go to sell the car you will get slaughtered if you have none.

I bought the one with the lot

sam

 

[The _Don]

Make sure it has the extras, Carbon pack, Ceramic Brakes, Bang and Olufsson, Forged wheels, about £35k worth, I looked at 2 cars, one had them all, one had none, yet both the same price, but if you go to sell the car you will get slaughtered if you have none.

I bought the one with the lot

sam

The condition of the car is just as important, do not purchase the car just because it has every/most options.

 

[sssammm]

The condition of the car is just as important, do not purchase the car just because it has every/most options.

obviously