Yangster

Hi All. MB Newbie here. I'm looking at replacing my 335i with an '05 SL500. This will be my first venture into the MB world. I'm looking at an '05 w/37k miles for $38k. In checking edmunds, it doesn't look out of the market. Is there anything about the '05s that I should be aware of? Appreciate any help here.
Bill.

SPIKES

mine is on the market...same miles silver with sport amg package and cpo warranty.
your price seems about right. 2005 is a good year.

diablo2112

As a relatively new owner myself, and I also have an 07 335i, I'm no expert but I did a bit of research prior to my purchase (05 SL500) and found a few things to check for. The ABC suspension is known to leak, including leaking struts. Check for oil on the rubber boots around the struts, and if possible if the car has been in the same spot for 24 hours, look for leaks/spills. The ABC pump is another problem area; though I don't know a good way to check this.

Another known weak spot is the solenoid release from park on the automatic transmission. Unfortunately, there's no good way to check this other than ensure the shifter moves easily and repeatedly out of park when you press the brake pedal. Listen for a solid, quiet "thunk" from the shifter. A plastic lever is the weak spot, and when it breaks, you'll be stuck in park with no easy way to remove the console trim.

Drivetrains are generally reliable in the SL500, I didn't see anything other than the ordinary stuff to check. You'll find many examples of the R230 with 50k+ miles, which I take as a good sign. My service advisor said you want to see an R230 with little in the service history; these cars are either Jekyl or Hyde. Some seem to have lots of little problems, others are trouble-free for years. Do get the VIN and have a local Mercedes dealer print the service/repair history.

Do check the top operates smoothly, I read of occasional problems with the hydraulic pump that runs everything. Seals can be an issue, look for good rubber and evidence of leaks. The rear windows can show peeling of the covering at the sides, and my car was in Florida for 3 years and showed the beginning of corrosion in several areas, but nothing serious. With the trunk open, look at the metal below the rear window all along the bottom edge. Good spot to check for corrosion and whether your car was garaged, etc.

The version of COMAND in the 03/04s can have the screen go very dim, and the clocks are a known problem area - they stay dim and can't be read in the bright light/daytime. Also check that the release buttons are working on the rear storage bins, these can also go off. The IR receiver modules in the doors also go out; check that the top operates fully by pressing and holding the open button on the remote from 5-10 ft away, pointing at the IR receiver on the door. If you can't get the top to go down (or up), either the door module is broken or the remote battery is weak (look for the red LED on the remote).

Generally speaking, this is a pretty good model. Leaking suspension is the big thing, and leaking struts will cost $4k+ to replace at a minimum. Note it has 2 batteries, and the accessories battery in the trunk often loses charge when not driven for as little as a week. These cars are battery hogs; you get all sorts of funny errors when the batteries are low, and jumping them isn't easy, either.

garybc230

Diablo2112, you pretty much covered everything. Nice wrap up of what to look for in a pre-owned SL. The only other area I would check would be the brakes. At 37K, Mercedes brakes tend to need attention, not always but something else to look at. In looking at Carfax for a variety of SL500's, it seemed that breaks and ABC issues were most prevalent.

If the vehicle is still under warranty, make sure that you purchase something before your 4yrs runs out. I'd recommend MB extended service plan but there are others out there. You may want to check the forum for recommendations. Double check to ensure that the ac system cycles and blows cold. MB has a very good ac system but it to is also expensive to repair.

Best of luck to you and enjoy it when you get it....
It is one hell of a vehicle!

diablo2112

Oh, forgot to mention one other area: loose baffles in the gas tank. Well-known problem on this car, listen for a rattle behind the seats when driving. Design flaw, and it's uncertain how many SLs well eventually manifest this problem.

sjcsl55

Check all the buttons and electronics located lower then the cup holders... sometimes people spill their sugary sodas and the spills get inside the buttons. If possible, get the car on a lift and check not only the struts as others have suggested, but also the front suspension linkage and ball joints, etc. If important to you, check the headlight washers (mine turned out to be broken and I didn't catch it). For that matter, go through and check all of the buttons and levers, windows, trunk release, etc.

I've only had this car for about a month so I'm still in the honeymoon phase... but it is the most impressive vehicle I have ever owned. Love it!

mlandis

+1. I'm still honeymooning after 6 months.

Yangster

Thanks. The model I'm looking at is an SL500 Sport. I guess that means it has the amg package. How much are you selling yours for and can you provide any details?

OC_AMG

That problem was more on the 03 and early 04 models. By 2005 most of the bugs were worked out. Basically there are 2 kinds of R230. There are cars that are cursed and cars that are rock solid. Get the detailed reapir history from a dealer before you purchase. Make sure that there are NO recurring issues with the ABC system or the Electronics or SBC Brakes.

Personally I would test drive an SL55 as well. You will be amazed at the difference. Enjoy !!!!!

SPIKES

pm sent...check out the link and compare.