SL's...For older gentleman???

[RJC]

I am getting tired of my '07 Porsche 997S mostly due to the 6 speed manual tranny and I mentioned to my girlfriend "what about a new '09 SL"..she replied "maybe when you are in your 50's"...I also queried some of my colleagues and they pretty much said the same thing with some saying they'd drive one when they hit 60. I realize age shouldn't matter so long as I like the car, but it is true most folks around here that drive SL's are 50-70 yrs of age. I am in my 40's btw. Thoughts?

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[W211 BEAST]

I was never the kind of person who thought that you should drive what others like, or what really makes sense. I'm 19 and I drive an E55, not an SL, CL, CLS or CLK- the cars that are normally thought of as younger cars than the E, but I love it. And I see in your sig that you used to have a 2006 E55, so obviously you dont really care either. I always thought that when a person entered a dealers showroom he should have one of those Polar heart rate watches on to see if his heart rate goes up when he sees or drives a car, if not, on to the next dealership. Good Luck

[IngenereAMG]

If an 'old guys' car can do 0-60 in the 4s, go 200+ flat out and keep up with a Z06 on a road course, and have looks to die for... I'll drive my SL55 anytime!

If you like SL's, then get one..... and don't forget to let us do a little 'massage' on it!

[elviento]

I think it's silly anyways to say a car belongs to an age group.

I mean, to use a comparison to the SLK, you can see (wealthy) young girls drive the SLK all the time. The SL is a similar car, except faster and more expensive, and slightly longer.

Older people tend to have more disposable income and able to afford a more expensive car, but that doesn't mean when you are in your 40s, you should not get an SL if you can afford it.

[Sunir]

Mercedes always seemed to me like it was for an older crowd compared to BMW which made sportier lighter cars for a long time...but looks like with the C63 AMG and other cars that playing field is more closer to level. I'm a diehard BMW guy, owned 3 of them and one full out race car which I compete with in club racing yet still with BMW, NASA, PBOC, and SCCA and have been doing so since '04. All this said I've always loved the SL, from the 129 body and even more in the R230 body, it's probably one out of maybe 3 Mercedes cars I really like...so I got one when I could find a good deal and work the numbers to where I needed them to be. It was a very drastic change from what I ussually love to drive and my friends and family were surprised! They are great cars, the top down experience which was new to me is fantastic, the cars are great high speed cruisers and smooth boulevard sleds...and they look amazing when cleaned up nicely. They have a great sense of style and body lines, just a wonerful piece of engineering and art in one package. By the way this is my first MB purchase and I'm 32.

[sammy1]

Originally Posted by W211 BEAST

I was never the kind of person who thought that you should drive what others like, or what really makes sense. I'm 19 and I drive an E55, not an SL, CL, CLS or CLK- the cars that are normally thought of as younger cars than the E, but I love it. And I see in your sig that you used to have a 2006 E55, so obviously you dont really care either. I always thought that when a person entered a dealers showroom he should have one of those Polar heart rate watches on to see if his heart rate goes up when he sees or drives a car, if not, on to the next dealership. Good Luck

A beautiful and sensible answer and he is only 19
Another imporatnt factor is the car your daily driver or not? As a general rule performance cars such as 911s are not the best DD. Ultimately nothing has to do with your age, simply your needs and wants!

[M-bENZ]

I would LOVE to have one of those SL eventhough I'm 26 but too bad cant afford that much...

[RJC]

The 911 is my DD but I don't have a daily commute etc; the new 328 is for the girlfriend.

The 911 can be a great DD with the right gearbox...perhaps I should just wait for the new '09 facelifted DFI 911 with the PDK unit and get the best of both worlds...just tired of the manual gearboxand clutch stuff...

[gqmagic]

If the girlfriend isn't paying for it, I wouldn't give her a vote

[teeth]

Originally Posted by RJC

I am getting tired of my '07 Porsche 997S mostly due to the 6 speed manual tranny and I mentioned to my girlfriend "what about a new '09 SL"..she replied "maybe when you are in your 50's"...I also queried some of my colleagues and they pretty much said the same thing with some saying they'd drive one when they hit 60. I realize age shouldn't matter so long as I like the car, but it is true most folks around here that drive SL's are 50-70 yrs of age.

I am in my 40's btw.

Thoughts?

Well... as I have gotten older my cars have changed:

25 years old: 1st new car: Mazda MX-6.
29: Miata. Great car but I got teased about it being a girl car. Oh well.
32: M3 cab SMG
36: 650 cab
40: SL55

Next: Tesla is they're still around. My house will be solar after rebuild (fire)... drive for free!

[gqa]

Originally Posted by teeth

Next: Tesla if they're still around. My house will be solar after rebuild (fire)... drive for free!

this maybe off topic but those are my exact plans. no oil dependency for me either. way to go brotha!

[W211 BEAST]

Originally Posted by RJC

The 911 is my DD but I don't have a daily commute etc; the new 328 is for the girlfriend.

The 911 can be a great DD with the right gearbox...perhaps I should just wait for the new '09 facelifted DFI 911 with the PDK unit and get the best of both worlds...just tired of the manual gearboxand clutch stuff...

Screw anyone who thinks a 911 cant be a DD!!!! Thats the beauty of Porsche, supercar performance, without supercar lack-of reliability.

[djamer]

Isn't Paul Newman in his 70s or 80s still racing sports cars? Age has no bearing on cars. If you enjoy a car buy it, drive it, enjoy it. You only live once, make the most of it.

[bltserv]

When I first started looking at SL`s. I thought it was kind of a chick car.
So I bought a CL500. Nice big old dude car. I was like 48 at the time.

Then I started looking at getting a muscle car when biz was really good.
Again drove a couple SL`s and it was kind of just OK. Nothing special.

Then I did the AMG Challenge. Drove a SL65 and did a few laps with a SL55.
That did it. Within a few months I got the 55. Nothing chick about a SL55.
And at 52 it makes you feel about 10 years younger when you drive it with the top down on PCH.

Its more fun as a weekend car. Then you dont take it for granted as a DD.

Your never to old to own an AMG.

[JackStraw]

Originally Posted by RJC

I am getting tired of my '07 Porsche 997S mostly due to the 6 speed manual tranny and I mentioned to my girlfriend "what about a new '09 SL"..she replied "maybe when you are in your 50's"...I also queried some of my colleagues and they pretty much said the same thing with some saying they'd drive one when they hit 60. I realize age shouldn't matter so long as I like the car, but it is true most folks around here that drive SL's are 50-70 yrs of age.

I am in my 40's btw.

Thoughts?

By the time you are sixty we will all be driving electric cars and eating soylent green. Buy one now if you like it.

[Havoc]

+1 Hahaha!!
I was 33 when I bought my SL55 a couple years ago. I figured, if I can afford it today, then why wait? Enjoy it TODAY!!

[BACK2DTM]

I am 25 and I just got my SL500 on Sunday and yes I paid for it myself. I have been independent since I was 22.
Luckily I look like I am 30 so people might not think I am just 1 of those rich kids.

93 BMW 325IS - 18yrs old
95 BMW M3 - 19yrs old
04 Subaru WRX Wagon - 20 yrs old
05 MINI COOPER S - 22 yrs old
96 BMW Z3 - 23 yrs old
01 Boxster S - 24 yrs old
03 MBZ SL 500 - 25 yrs old

Hopefully I can keep this car until its warranty ends (2010)

[Jakpro1]

Didn't know most modern rappers and NBA ballers were representin old people.

I'll never look at MTV and BET the same way again.

I never knew!!

Top brand mentions in rap music survey

Mercedes received 100 mentions, while Nike came in second with 63 mentions and former No. 1 Cadillac took third with 62, according to a report by Agenda Inc., a San Francisco-based marketing firm. The report tallies which products were most name-dropped in the 106 songs that reached the Billboard Top 20.


***Just off the phone with Jay Z and Fiddy. They were thankful for the info as well.

50 Cent's "In Da Club" ("When I pull up front, ya see the Benz on the dubs"), another 50 Cent tune called "21 Questions" ("If I went back to a hoopty from a Benz."); Jay-Z's "Excuse Me Miss" ("She sees more than the Benz wagon"), and Lil' Kim's brand-packed "The Jump Off" ("This is for my peeps with the Bentleys, the Hummers, the Benz").

[bigben320e]

Buy one now, forget about that age stuff. I ride three Benzo's at 34.

[Havoc]

Originally Posted by Jakpro1

Didn't know most modern rappers and NBA ballers were representin old people.

I'll never look at MTV and BET the same way again.

I never knew!!

[BrabusTrojanSL]

Age doesn't matter, if you can afford the car buy it.
Needless too say, I can't say much, I got my SL when I was 18 back in 03

[Sunir]

Originally Posted by Jakpro1

Didn't know most modern rappers and NBA ballers were representin old people.

I'll never look at MTV and BET the same way again.

I never knew!!

Top brand mentions in rap music survey

Mercedes received 100 mentions, while Nike came in second with 63 mentions and former No. 1 Cadillac took third with 62, according to a report by Agenda Inc., a San Francisco-based marketing firm. The report tallies which products were most name-dropped in the 106 songs that reached the Billboard Top 20.


***Just off the phone with Jay Z and Fiddy. They were thankful for the info as well.

50 Cent's "In Da Club" ("When I pull up front, ya see the Benz on the dubs"), another 50 Cent tune called "21 Questions" ("If I went back to a hoopty from a Benz."); Jay-Z's "Excuse Me Miss" ("She sees more than the Benz wagon"), and Lil' Kim's brand-packed "The Jump Off" ("This is for my peeps with the Bentleys, the Hummers, the Benz").

NAZ mentions "500SL" in one of his songs back in the day when I was in college, mid to late '90s...I think he was refering to the 129 body though

[LETO]

I think the 911 & the SL have mostly the same demographic these days. Both are sensible sports cars that are not as falshy as they used to be in the 90's. Mostly due to cars like Aston V8 vantage, bently continental and the R8 that have parked them selves at price point that the SL customer can mostly reach for. IMHO the SL & 911 are the two best DD sports cars that I can think off at the 100K mark without the joys of exotic car ownership!!

I am pretty sure you girlfriend would complain about the 911's ride quality if you were getting one after having her ride in a SL for a couple years

[RJC]

Drove the '09 SL550 today...very smooth, very nice, very torquey and the updates look great in person. The new Silver Arrow edition is very sharp. 13 MPG city rating...yikes. Also drove the big CL550...just not for me at any age...a huge 4 seater with no room for the back occupants at all, can't undestand why they made it so damn big with so little room???

BTW the new 19" wheels for the SL AMG package are quite lovely .

[CY]

I picked up my brand new SL at age 25 and almost went for the 997 instead but was won over by the SL's luxury, prestige and elegant looks. I think either car can be rocked by the young or older...but I personally would keep the 997 (which is AWESOME) and wait for the new SL. Bottom line: the P-car is way more fun to drive but the SL is the best of both worlds. Lately Ive been thinking I need to sample a 911 before I turn 30 for some odd reason.