I remember Jeremy Clarkson talking about how he traded his F355 for this car back in 2000 or so. He said the Ferrari could never deliver the calmness and plushness the SL can. A jewel of a car.
I never want these videos to end when they do. I could watch endless hours of AMG cruising. Talk about a great day, just chilling in an AMG Supercharged V8, just fantastic!
In my opinion, the M113k is the best AMG V8 ever made. Power and torque for days, a sound that puts the newer 4.0L Biturbos to shame and at the same time very reliable. And yes, the R230 SL has the SBC "brake-by-wire" system, which is known for being somewhat problematic, but Mercedes covered the whole SBC pump under warranty for like 20 years, I'm not sure if it's still covered though. I completely agree with you regarding the golden era of AMG being the early 2000's (after the pre-merger era which holds a special place in my heart). Great engines, and stylish but still luxurious cars, not trying to be "racy" like they are now.
@@sp7873 It's amazing that they still do it. At that time they still cared about their customers and wanted to make sure they really delivered the best cars they could.
On the sixth day of Christmas my Tedward gave to me 6 SL roadsters 5 GX’s 4 Newcomb’s Ranches 3 R8’s A peek in Garage 42 And a Wilhoit Speedster in a pear tree
The 2002 SL 55 AMG was one of my favorite cars in Gran Turismo as a kid. It was so satisfying to drive because of how smooth the transmission shifted. I know it sounds weird to say that about a video game, but I swear, the transmission felt much different than virtually every other car in the game! The one in the game also had the absolutely gorgeous 22 spoke wheels. Maybe one day I will own one just because 🙂
Dude no way every time I see an R230 I think the exact same thing I’d always leave the stock transmission equipped in GT6 too because it shifted so satisfyingly smooth lol I’d love to own one someday as well
My dad (who is a total car nut like me) took me out in one of these in the exact same color for a test drive back in I believe November of 2006, and it felt so flipping fast. Still love this car due to that core childhood memory.
Staying on top of tires, brakes, fluids and general maintenance means being thoughtful about how I would like to have one, a low mileage unit that can be pampered as it should be....with a little rambunctious speed as a plus.
What's wild about these generation SL roadsters is they're timeless. They haven't aged like the c-class, clk, cls, slk, or s-class. All of those from 2003-2009 look so old now, but not the SL. 😍 and with the m113k you have unnnnbelievable value. They're regularly $20-30k range with moderate mileage on them in 2024. What a car.
I think the W211 E-class is the greatest E ever. Also, the W203 looks great in my eyes, even today. But nothing beats the almighty R230 SL55 AMG. And like you said, what a motor!
These are WAY ahead of 2007 M6's in terms of appointments and features. Don't know why I've overlooked these until recently. For the money, you cannot get more car.
I recently went the coilovers in my SL and I can't tell you the amount of pleasure I am having no more worries about the ABC breaking down and this cost wasn't all the expensive
6:00 yes it is. (With a hydraulic backup) They called it SBC "Sensotronic Brake Control". And they put the system into the SL, the e-class and the CLS. Stopped putting it into the E and CLS at the mid-life update as well as a feww small things like the little "belt" around the rear armrest to save money. SBC was and is expensive for them as the SBC unit has a dedicated EOL in terms of how many times you use it for braking it seems. They then replace the unit. I had an e-class with that system. (but a 4cyl Diesel with incredible range) And while the brake modulation isn't 100% as intuitive at first as a normal hydraulic brake. It has many party tricks: it was the first braking system that removes the water film off the brake discs when it rains, so the usual little delay between hitting your brakes and them slowing the car down in heavy rain does not exist. Later on they made it possible with normal hydralic brakes too. But this was standard in those 3 Mercedes models in 02 already. Also it has what they call EBV (german abbreviation) which means if you hit your brakes while cornering, the car will keep the radius you chose with teh steering wheel. Something normal hydraulic brakes will not. -> because it will distribute brake power different left-right-front back depending on your steering wheel angle! Another thing: you can do a full "throwing the ananchor" by putting your big toe fast onto the pedal. (my dad found that out the funny way when he almost bit into the steering wheel one time i lend him my car) And lastely: many people lift off the brake pedal when they hit the point of ABS pulsing in emergency braking situations. With SBC you don't feel the ABS pulsing in your pedal, you only hear it.
Strangely this car looks much better with roof up, while the same era Z4 looks better roof down. This merc no matter how old, seen in real life looks still better than most modern ones from mercedes. At least for me.
Great car and a great video, as usual! Many people consider the 2007 and 2008 R230 model years the best. The car had a number of subtle but substantial improvements over previous years, and in the 2009 and later model years they eliminated the classic headlights we see here, in favor of the more modern angular type typical of Mercedes in that time. I absolutely love my 2007 AMG SL65, which I bought for a fraction of its' 2007 MSRP of $192,000. Incredible cars!
I think the classic headlights fit the car way better, the "new" headlights look goofy on it. Unless it's a black series one with the wide body, but those are on another league.
I have one of these. A 2008 sl55 no p30 option though. It is a great car. I also have a m112k car. Both are easy to add power and not complicated compared to other amg engines.
unless you're specifically just referring to the ABC suspension idk what else you mean... this engine/transmission combo is one of the all time proven, stout powertrains
This engine sounds amazing. This is a favorite car not only for quality and its ultimate touring. But 2007-8 was the last moments before every instrument and dash went full iPad touchscreen electronic. Drivers are isolated from the road and everything is numb.
The subtle whine of the supercharger never comes through on video, but it is intoxicating. This car seems to also have the nappa leather option as the dashboard leather is totally smooth. The regular dash leather had a bumpy texture to it.
These all old school Mercedes with V8's such a SL, CL, CLS are my dream. Unfortunately I got only W209 Clk 500 :/ Would like swap to SL55 I guess, looks really cool.
It’s so funny i have an s2000 love it but the weather isn’t always top down friendly. This car bridges the gap between really nice days and it might rain a little. I bought one of these on carsandbids for 16k which was cheap but it’s holding up relatively well.
Can’t believe you drove one and it wasn’t mine. 😭😭😭 Would be curious to hear your thoughts driving mine which will soon be decently modified. Good or bad… Also SBC is brake by wire
Not for that type of car. They are very solid. Especially engine and transmission. But of course if you buy a neglected one things can ger seriosuly expensive.. since the car consists of lots of expensive parts compared to a regular car.
It is brake by wire. And it has a fake hydraulic/air noise to make you feel better about it. I sold my “kompressor” CLS55 because I could never get it to hook up; fun but annoying too.
I consider a high sense and level of control, i.e. handling, to be one of the most important aspects of luxury. I think that without that, you are always a little out of control, i.e. you don’t have all the info, feel and control that you could have, which is stressful! I want my luxury car to handle!
@@lamboguy123 89k… at the end of the day these are 15-20yr old cars that have a handful of costly or annoying issues but once you sort them, they’re reliable as all hell. Question is can you stomach the repairs
Tedward, given that you’ve driven both how does the Sl55 stack up against the LC500 convertible? Is the juice worth the squeeze to upgrade to the newer car?
Depreciation and not as wanted vs like dodge charger etc, I’d say that’s a good thing for car enthusiasts wanting to try new cars for “cheap” and being reliable
It is a great-looking car, but that steering wheel looks so plasticky in my opinion, even with the Alcantara hand inserts. The rest of the interior is what you would expect from a luxury Mercedes, though.
Hooo it’s so ugly though.. I’m sorry, but I’ve never found these cars to be quite attractive. Looks like an insect upfront and the back looks like a grandma car..?.
Most of AMG 55's are my dream cars, but SL55 amg have one of the most beatiful back of the car's Ive ever seen.
Only the CLS63 AMG (c218) has a sexier rear end
Easy there Assman.
I remember Jeremy Clarkson talking about how he traded his F355 for this car back in 2000 or so. He said the Ferrari could never deliver the calmness and plushness the SL can. A jewel of a car.
he should have went to a maranello
One of the best engines ever made overall, imo. Very powerful and very reliable. Great video!! :)
I think that the komoressor V8 era was truly special. I would legit take this over the modern turbo engines every day of the week.
I never want these videos to end when they do. I could watch endless hours of AMG cruising. Talk about a great day, just chilling in an AMG Supercharged V8, just fantastic!
In my opinion, the M113k is the best AMG V8 ever made. Power and torque for days, a sound that puts the newer 4.0L Biturbos to shame and at the same time very reliable. And yes, the R230 SL has the SBC "brake-by-wire" system, which is known for being somewhat problematic, but Mercedes covered the whole SBC pump under warranty for like 20 years, I'm not sure if it's still covered though. I completely agree with you regarding the golden era of AMG being the early 2000's (after the pre-merger era which holds a special place in my heart). Great engines, and stylish but still luxurious cars, not trying to be "racy" like they are now.
Just got my SBC replaced in my SL 55 from 2004 for free.. actually I love it
@@sp7873 It's amazing that they still do it. At that time they still cared about their customers and wanted to make sure they really delivered the best cars they could.
💯💯😆
On the sixth day of Christmas my Tedward gave to me
6 SL roadsters
5 GX’s
4 Newcomb’s Ranches
3 R8’s
A peek in Garage 42
And a Wilhoit Speedster in a pear tree
Omg this is awesome
If I'm not mistaken that whine at startup is the oil pump which is a bit noisy on these engines, but I find that to be a part of the charm.
Yep, every 55 with this engine has that infamous noise during startup, definitely a unique character!
As an E55 owner it’s nice to see some high quality POV reviews of the 55 series of Mercedes :)
The 2002 SL 55 AMG was one of my favorite cars in Gran Turismo as a kid. It was so satisfying to drive because of how smooth the transmission shifted. I know it sounds weird to say that about a video game, but I swear, the transmission felt much different than virtually every other car in the game! The one in the game also had the absolutely gorgeous 22 spoke wheels. Maybe one day I will own one just because 🙂
Dude no way every time I see an R230 I think the exact same thing I’d always leave the stock transmission equipped in GT6 too because it shifted so satisfyingly smooth lol I’d love to own one someday as well
@@64Spokes haha that’s awesome dude, glad I’m not alone in thinking that! Awesome car
Excellent engine. One of the most beautiful Mercedes ever made
My dad (who is a total car nut like me) took me out in one of these in the exact same color for a test drive back in I believe November of 2006, and it felt so flipping fast. Still love this car due to that core childhood memory.
Always loved this shape of SL, such a timeless car
This and the W204 C63 are my favorite AMGs from that era.
Staying on top of tires, brakes, fluids and general maintenance means being thoughtful about how I would like to have one, a low mileage unit that can be pampered as it should be....with a little rambunctious speed as a plus.
What's wild about these generation SL roadsters is they're timeless. They haven't aged like the c-class, clk, cls, slk, or s-class. All of those from 2003-2009 look so old now, but not the SL. 😍 and with the m113k you have unnnnbelievable value. They're regularly $20-30k range with moderate mileage on them in 2024. What a car.
I think the W211 E-class is the greatest E ever. Also, the W203 looks great in my eyes, even today. But nothing beats the almighty R230 SL55 AMG. And like you said, what a motor!
These are WAY ahead of 2007 M6's in terms of appointments and features. Don't know why I've overlooked these until recently. For the money, you cannot get more car.
I recently went the coilovers in my SL and I can't tell you the amount of pleasure I am having no more worries about the ABC breaking down and this cost wasn't all the expensive
6:00 yes it is. (With a hydraulic backup) They called it SBC "Sensotronic Brake Control". And they put the system into the SL, the e-class and the CLS. Stopped putting it into the E and CLS at the mid-life update as well as a feww small things like the little "belt" around the rear armrest to save money.
SBC was and is expensive for them as the SBC unit has a dedicated EOL in terms of how many times you use it for braking it seems. They then replace the unit.
I had an e-class with that system. (but a 4cyl Diesel with incredible range)
And while the brake modulation isn't 100% as intuitive at first as a normal hydraulic brake.
It has many party tricks: it was the first braking system that removes the water film off the brake discs when it rains, so the usual little delay between hitting your brakes and them slowing the car down in heavy rain does not exist.
Later on they made it possible with normal hydralic brakes too. But this was standard in those 3 Mercedes models in 02 already.
Also it has what they call EBV (german abbreviation) which means if you hit your brakes while cornering, the car will keep the radius you chose with teh steering wheel. Something normal hydraulic brakes will not.
-> because it will distribute brake power different left-right-front back depending on your steering wheel angle!
Another thing: you can do a full "throwing the ananchor" by putting your big toe fast onto the pedal.
(my dad found that out the funny way when he almost bit into the steering wheel one time i lend him my car)
And lastely: many people lift off the brake pedal when they hit the point of ABS pulsing in emergency braking situations.
With SBC you don't feel the ABS pulsing in your pedal, you only hear it.
The R230 SL55 AMG is one of my all-time favourite cars, and this has to be the finest example of it.
Love the SL55 and pretty much all the AMGs from 04-08ish
It might not be an SL65, but to have a Supercharged V8, a working roof, and that fine silence in the cabin... that's quite worth it.
It even has benefits over the v12
Strangely this car looks much better with roof up, while the same era Z4 looks better roof down. This merc no matter how old, seen in real life looks still better than most modern ones from mercedes. At least for me.
This generation SL is still one of my dream cars. Just timeless.
Great car and a great video, as usual! Many people consider the 2007 and 2008 R230 model years the best. The car had a number of subtle but substantial improvements over previous years, and in the 2009 and later model years they eliminated the classic headlights we see here, in favor of the more modern angular type typical of Mercedes in that time. I absolutely love my 2007 AMG SL65, which I bought for a fraction of its' 2007 MSRP of $192,000. Incredible cars!
I just saw a video from car wizard talking about that engine and there's some parts that can go that aren't available anywhere. 🤯
I think the classic headlights fit the car way better, the "new" headlights look goofy on it. Unless it's a black series one with the wide body, but those are on another league.
I have one of these. A 2008 sl55 no p30 option though. It is a great car. I also have a m112k car. Both are easy to add power and not complicated compared to other amg engines.
My dad has this car. We used to have some great memories car such as riding with 3 people and putting down the convertible top
The most incredible thing about this one is that it's working.
unless you're specifically just referring to the ABC suspension idk what else you mean... this engine/transmission combo is one of the all time proven, stout powertrains
@@stroock6394 The suspension and chassis as a whole is known the have a shelf life of 15 years MAX
@@stroock6394 it has a planned obsolescence lifespan of 15 years. Proven.
@@justinkrizeneskymine is 20 years old.. no probs with the suspension or chassis..
This engine sounds amazing. This is a favorite car not only for quality and its ultimate touring. But 2007-8 was the last moments before every instrument and dash went full iPad touchscreen electronic. Drivers are isolated from the road and everything is numb.
What a machine! I love CLS 55 AMG, but man this is sooo good
My c55 has been a great daily driver. Been dying to drive a car with the M113k
Have always loved these and I personally prefer the styling of this generation to newer ones.
Thats nice! Gotta S65 here! Greetings from Finland!
You must’ve read my mind. I was just looking up S55/SL55s and this video drops. I need one. I miss my R129 but I feel like this would be even more fun
OMG this V8 sound sooooo good ❤
It was nice to watch this. I have a E500 and have been considering moving up to a 55
i love the tail lights on these
Im a big bmw guy but man oh man this was one of the best looking mercs they ever made aside from the McLaren model 💯
2000-2010 was peak german car era
Looks beautiful that place
The subtle whine of the supercharger never comes through on video, but it is intoxicating. This car seems to also have the nappa leather option as the dashboard leather is totally smooth. The regular dash leather had a bumpy texture to it.
I have a black E55 Kompressor Estate with 7 seat option. Super solid, comfy, still uber rapid and sounds montrous with C63 exhaust.
What a great care and I have one, so lucky. It still looks fantastic.
The rear end of this gen looks delicious.
"Kompressor" or Supercharged Mercedes' are always so fucking cool!!!!
How cool! Didn’t know they made that engine with a super charger! I have a 2014 e63 s which I love but I would to try something like this out.
THE Jeremy Clarkson car!! SPEED, SPEED AND POWERRRRR!!!!!!!!
Such a Good looking Mercedes 👌
Today we have real AMG with 4 cylinders 😂
These all old school Mercedes with V8's such a SL, CL, CLS are my dream. Unfortunately I got only W209 Clk 500 :/ Would like swap to SL55 I guess, looks really cool.
"sometime you read the body language of another driver and you're like 'ohhh boyy'" hahaha, for sure!
i own one with 60k on the clock, and it is a great car. When pressed it stands its ground with much more expensive cars.
It’s so funny i have an s2000 love it but the weather isn’t always top down friendly. This car bridges the gap between really nice days and it might rain a little. I bought one of these on carsandbids for 16k which was cheap but it’s holding up relatively well.
M113K is the king of all amg engines
i love this car sl55 amg
Call me crazy, but I'd much rather this car over a new Mercedes.
Give me an SL55 AMG or an '05 CL65 AMG over any two door Benz today.
Can’t believe you drove one and it wasn’t mine. 😭😭😭
Would be curious to hear your thoughts driving mine which will soon be decently modified. Good or bad…
Also SBC is brake by wire
Maintenance must be insane
Nothing more expensive than a cheap Benz
The new ones are totaled by just breaking a fender.
Stupid planned obsolescence.
@@faheemabbas3965what are you talking about dude 😂
Not for that type of car. They are very solid. Especially engine and transmission. But of course if you buy a neglected one things can ger seriosuly expensive.. since the car consists of lots of expensive parts compared to a regular car.
Abc suspension and velero roof are a problem
It is brake by wire.
And it has a fake hydraulic/air noise to make you feel better about it.
I sold my “kompressor” CLS55 because I could never get it to hook up; fun but annoying too.
LSD and swap the air suspension for coilovers and that would have solved that issue. That's what I did on mine.
Hey don't diss the sl300 like that, damn pretty cars those are too!
I consider a high sense and level of control, i.e. handling, to be one of the most important aspects of luxury. I think that without that, you are always a little out of control, i.e. you don’t have all the info, feel and control that you could have, which is stressful! I want my luxury car to handle!
I never understood why Merc carried on with the dial keypad on the centre console for so many years
Love this generation of SL. Anyone know how reliable these are, and how expensive they are to maintain? Would love to get one in the future.
I’m about 10-12k in fixing the known issues on my 03.
@@peterladas9766 sheesh. How many miles?
@@lamboguy123 89k… at the end of the day these are 15-20yr old cars that have a handful of costly or annoying issues but once you sort them, they’re reliable as all hell. Question is can you stomach the repairs
ABC is not cheap to fix, other than that is all good
These cars need to be driven regularly (and oil changed) - then no probs with the ABC
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
Hey I was wondering how you got into this line of work. Educationally speaking, I am trying to follow in this path. Thanks
Make videos. Upload them. That was mostly it haha
If you wrapped this in taxi cab yellow, tinted the taillights, and blacked out the chrome it would look like a supercar.
it would look like a ruined mercedes benz
i see where you’re going
I've heard the suspension system was really fancy and it gets expensive fixing it
Lool i know what your referencing😂
@@DonOfValor It must be that one tiktoker who did it to the sl550 😂😂
Can you review a audi rs5 v8?
When Mercedes was MERCEDES!
Tedward, given that you’ve driven both how does the Sl55 stack up against the LC500 convertible? Is the juice worth the squeeze to upgrade to the newer car?
The lc500 is the car. I’d take it over sl or Aston db11. Perfect no. Great yes.
Thanks for the reply! I’ll check one out.
S for standard, W for wet, M for manual
Remember: Steve Jobs was a big fan of the SL 55 AMG!
He also liked turtle necks so we can’t trust his taste
@@TedwardDrives 🤣
Imo the M113K is about as good as it gets for a fast daily
SL55 for daily, gt3 for weekend
I own a CL55 AMG and that engine is addicting. Only downside is the atrocious transmission
The car is a bit of a chav, but I really like it. So over engineered 😍
why is it so cheap now?
Depreciation and not as wanted vs like dodge charger etc, I’d say that’s a good thing for car enthusiasts wanting to try new cars for “cheap” and being reliable
@@NudaMan thats a great car for little money
M113k :)
Beautiful car. Just budget $15k/year in repairs, good to go.
Get rid of the ugly wood -> perfect car!
Terrible scuttle shake over bumps.
They could do more, over 200 mph.
It's weird seeing modern paddle shifters behind a steering wheel and interior that's so dated
Hey I have this car!
Hey you have great taste!
@@TedwardDrives yeah.. until it breaks on ya, lol
Mercedes discontinued brake by wire in 2005 because of its unreliability.
"unreliability" in this context is bone chilling
Ran until 2008 on the r230
First car I'd buy if I won a lottery
Had no clue the roof of these came down
Why? That has been the whole SL thing since forever... The roof of the Black Series is fixed though.
Just never knew, they didn't look like it from a glance
If ICE vehicles aren't outlawed by then, this is gonna be my midlife crisis mobile
Probably will be, knowing the EU and the US government.
EU is pushing it the hardest I think.
Never gonna happen in the US and CAD market,well not in our lifetimes.The market for gas is just too big and important.@@faheemabbas3965
Ok so basically you know almost nothing about the car you're driving and you rely on watchers to tell you what's what, very interesting.
Find a SLR or CLK GTR
How about CLK DTM
@@TedwardDrivessaw one in seaport
A trillion times better then turbo nonsense
It is a great-looking car, but that steering wheel looks so plasticky in my opinion, even with the Alcantara hand inserts. The rest of the interior is what you would expect from a luxury Mercedes, though.
Hooo it’s so ugly though.. I’m sorry, but I’ve never found these cars to be quite attractive. Looks like an insect upfront and the back looks like a grandma car..?.
This car is wasted on rich people.
Was wasted. They are affordable now. If you can work on your own stuff you can own one for less than you might think.
They're the same price as dirt nowadays. And that's not for nothing either.
First
cool