SL 55 Anyone?

Yo guys,
My friend owns a local Mercedes Dealership in SE PA, and I was talking to him about new cars coming in and what is sold and what isn't. I know the rules of this site and I am not trying to sell this car to make any money I just want to make it public knowledge in case anyone is looking for one. His dealership will be getting a new 2004 black/ash SL 55 in next week. It isn't sold now that is what I was shocked to hear, and the reason I am posting this. If anyone is looking for a deal on a semi tough to get car let me know. PM or email me at [email protected] and I can help you out. BTW I have driven one and these are amazing cars. 493hp come on. He said $125k is the number.
Erik

 

thats a great car

but the new CL 65 is where its at

 

Wrong the SLR is where it is at
M-B is going crazy with HP.
Erik

 

i meant more realistic price wise

 

SL55s are no longer tough to find. the market has inverted. they grossly over-produced the cars.

i was going to buy one when i sold my 355, but after getting hammered on the resale of my 996TT (which was also grossly over-produced), i saw the SL55 following an identical depreciation path that i didn't want to participate in again.

it's a GREAT drivetrain, no doubt about it though! but the SL55 should have a manual option. it's one thing for the E55 and S55 and CL55 to be slushboxes, but the SL55 should have a sportier stick angle available for it, IMO, FWIW.

doody.

 

Doody I agree with what you are saying that the car should offer a manual, but M-B hasn't had a stick on anything except the SLK in about 20 years. Also I thought when I drove one that the tranmission did a great job of always being in the right gear at the right time and now the new 04's have a six speed auto so performance is even better. The other thing I think the SL 55 has going for it that the 911 TT didn't was how close in price it is to the run of the mill SL 500. a heavily optioned one is still stickerd at over 100 by a hair and the SL55 sticker is $117. They are within 15 of one another as opposed to the 911 which was 30+ less then the turbo. Also I think Mercedes is making so many because people are buying them to drive. I might get some flack for saying this but IMHO I know I could drive an SL 55 everyday no problem. Not to knock the 911tt but I just don't think that car even makes sense for everyday use. Also if you look at what these cars are selling for used they aren't losing anymore money then most normal cars. SL's and CL's have always held up pretty well until body styles change then they tank. Just my thoughts.
Erik

 

See, now that's actually a really good point about the bodystyle changing, so that begs a very interesting question.

Every high end Mercedes sedan over the past...well, since they changed the designation from "SEL" has been the S-class - S320, S500 - whatever it may be. What would happen to values of Mercs, Bimmers, etc., if they actually called the new models by different names?

Think about it - would Ferrari 355s still be priced where they are if the new 360, instead of being named the 360, was still named the 355? (For Mercedes, it would be like the designation of the C-class - just the name used to designate the entry level car). I think it would probably be worth less. But, there's a sense, with new model markers, that the old one hasn't REALLY been replaced. Maybe the other carmakers should do the same.

 

I'd buy a SL 55 but MB won't give it a stick, so.... no sale.

 

Mark- I keep thinking of getting one and 'gutting' it, whilst of course adding a stick 6-speed. Just to see the looks I get from a Merc with exposed floorpans.

Could probally toss out 800lbs of nonsensce electronics and 'driver aids' too.

The only 'driver aid' I want is individual throttle bodies per cylinder!

Best!
Ben.

 

Ben: it'll still weigh 3600lbs dry...which is better, but still not great.

--Dan

 

SL55 is a tough sell right now. Yesterdays "must have" car. The new SL600 is a gem though.

 

my understanding is that while the non-AMG cars have switched to a seven speed automatic, the AMG cars have not, since that tranny can't handle the torque numbers. so they still have the same five-speed.

as slushboxes go, the five-speed does a capital job. but it's still a slushbox, for sure.

fwiw,
doody

 

Doody you are right I forgot 7 speed auto, but I heard someone say that the SL 55 got it also. I will make a phone call and let you know what I find out?
Erik

 

make all the calls you want AMG hasn't switched to the new seven speed.

BTW, the "manual" mode on the tranny is actually quite impressive. when you put it in manual mode, you can shift with the stick (left/right) or with the +/- buttons on the backside of the steering wheel. the tranny will downshift if you're coming to a stop and you're going to stall. but it won't upshift unless you tell it to. it'll just let you bounce off the redilne (which, btw, is not indicated on the tach - doh!) limiter. that said, the sport mode of the tranny is pretty smart about figuring out your intent and behaving appropriately. i use the manual mode now and then, but generally find that the sport mode will behave quite similarly, without any input on my part, if i'm driving aggressively. fwiw. it's STILL a slushbox.

doody.

 

Teenferrarifan,

You are slightly wrong about M-B offering manual transmissions only on the SLK - my 2001 C-Class sedan has a 6-speed.

Also, anyone who wants a manual transmission in any M-B can get one by calling me. I am a distributor for RENNtech and for a starting price of a mere $25,000.00 we can have a manual installed in your car by Hartmut and his crew of speed demons. Any takers?

 

Ben,

I didn't realize that was your post about gutting the car and putting in a 6-speed. We can talk more on Monday about it if you want.

Brent

 

The only Renntech benz i ever saw in person should have had a manual, but didnt. It was Dan Kary's renntech CLK60. It hada v8 which i guess was stroked to 6L, and then supercharged. This guy enters it in the one lap of america each year. I saw it in virginia at a hotel. Its hard to imgaine that thing being driven on the street so much, as it was pretty much a race car. I think i actually talked to Hartmut.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=15&article_id=3821

 

I find it ironic, that in the slush boxes, as soon as drivers get a + or a - to change what gear they want, they like it. But, having a manual throw to change up several gears rather then tap the + or the - and hope it landed in the right gear is archaic? LOL!

 

Teenferrarifan,

Yeah, Dan's car is pretty well known in M-B circles. My company was one of the sponsors of Gemutlichkeit at Indianapolis Raceway Park this past May, and everyone had something to say about his car and got a kick out of seeing it on RENNtech's marketing materials. It's a pretty wild ride.

The manual transmission is an option, so I can only assume Dan didn't want one in his car. It's an option that a lot of people ask about, but when they hear the price, very few want to pony up the dough.

If anyone needs some RENNtech stuff, let me know.

 

Doody: do you find that it shifts during a turn (sport mode)?

--Dan

 

dan - i haven't watched for that. i'm still in the break-in period, so i'm not beating it to hell...... yet .

the week after thanksgiving i should be clear to "experiment" as it were.

i'll find some good cloverleaf to test on.

doody.

 

Don't forget to wear your snow shoes!

--Dan

 

Doody you are right the SL 55 still has the 5 speed trans for 2004 it is not gettting the 7 speed at this time and most likely will not due to the power the engine puts out. I called about it.
Erik

 

Brent- now you're talking! More on monday for sure.

Do they offer anything for the upcoming CL65 AMG as well?

Best!
Ben.

 

Ben,

Probably not yet, since it isn't out over here. But I'm sure they are doing R&D already. They usually have parts available shortly after the cars hit the street. I'll check in with them to see what's in the works and let you know.

Brent