458 or SLS amg?

My wife and I have been big fans of Mercedes for the last 20+ years. We have always had at least one of their models in our garage at all times. My wife's D/D is a 2014 E350 4matic and I have a 2006 SL55 030 car as a fun toy. We have had up to 3 Mercs in the garage at one time. When I was thinking of adding another fun car to the garage I looked at the AMG GTS, GTC and GTR cars and drove a GTS to see if it was a good fit. I walked away from the car hoping for an unforgettable experience but didn't find it. The car was very twitchy and didn't give me the confidence it should have. Watching the Mercedes market is an painful at best. Buying a car for $200,000 and seeing it lose half its value in 3 years is not where I want to be. Because of this, I bought a pre owned '14 458 spider and I haven't looked back since.
I will probably always have a 3 pointed star car in my life but they will never compare to a prancing stallion.

Regards,
Gene Greer

 

I had both in the garage for about 2 years. Just about equal seat time and miles on both (Around 5-7,000 on each car since 2018)

SLS Pros:
-Timeless design
-Gull wing doors
-Low-key around those who are not familiar with it and think it’s just another silver Mercedes, but appreciated by true enthusiasts only (like wearing a Patek Aquanaut vs the universally recognized Rolex)
- Great engine note and very quick
- Excellent interior quality, leather with no bubbling or shrinkage, no sticky buttons anywhere.

Cons:
- Rough ride, much harsher than the 458 with its bumpy road setting.
- the transmission was so jerky especially in lower gears and from a stand still. Shifts were so slow that it’s hard to believe that the transmission in this and the 458 are identical.

458 pros:
- We all have 458’s so we know all the pros of this car, but the 458 was more comfortable to ride in around town than the SLS, especially for my wife. The transmission programming on the 458 is way better than the SLS, like a completely different transmission. 458 has dual personality, it is very compliant when needed to, and can be a total animal with the right settings. The SLS was just a hot rod the whole time and was not as compliant to drive in the city and in LA traffic with its jerky transmission and it’s rough ride.

458 cons:
- Gets a ton of attention everywhere and all the time. Impossible to be “low key” even in Black/Nero unlike the SLS that was under the radar until the doors went up.
- Interior feels way more fragile than SLS. Leather dash shrinkage, potential for sticky buttons. Just feels more dainty compared to the solid German built SLS with its solid aluminum milled center console and hard touch plastics and leather wrapped and glued taut with no sign of warping shrinkage etc.

In the end, the SLS is gone and the 458 remains because the 458 may just be one of Ferrari’s greatest cars ever built. I still look at SLS’ from time to time because it still makes for a great car to have in a collection.

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I own both. Traded in a 991.2 gt3 for the SLS. The gt3 didn’t do it for me, it felt like any other porsche.

Both are last NA V8 and will be highly sought after. The SLS has held its value for the past ten years, low mileage examples are still asking close to original msrp, and only 1800 gulwings were sold in the US.

Both are mordern day classics.

458 has a high pitch V8 scream while the SLS has a muscle car rumble.

458 is a Italian super car while the SLS is a German muscle car

458 has more modern interior

Both 458 and SLS has the same transmission but tuned differently. 458 shifts quicker but the SLS transmission can be brought to par with a simple software update at the dealer.

You can daily the SLS more as it’s more of a GT

SLS Is the first all amg in-house designed car, while 458 is the last pininfarina design.

I will never sell either.

Instagram with pics of both my cars
@lethalsleeper
http://instagram.com/lethalsleeper

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Just read thru what people said ten years ago. It’s funny how many “intelligent” people were so wrong about the future.


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Well I never predict the future, have a hard enough time with today, but the 458 is gone and I think I am probably done with Ferrari's. The 2019 Targa 4S (which is of course modified and can now easily outperform the 458) is now in its spot. The AMG GTS is still here (will be 2 years this month), and I have no intention of selling it, but I drive with no traction controls and must have cars that scare (the only emotion I can feel) the crap out of me for me to want to drive them. Next up another 4C (spider this time) that I will turn into a 450hp (going to put a new engine in it) monster.

 

the red seats look great!
both are absolute classics!