Thanks guys. So high level on the R230, overall they are great cars with quality befitting their price tag at well over $100k. My ad isn’t BS, I’m very impressed in the car and will look for another when able.
The biggest potential gotcha is the ABC hydraulic suspension, it’s scary good at eliminating body roll without compromising ride quality but can be temperamental if not maintained. The system is relatively simple from a mechanical standpoint, it’s basically just hoses and valves, all stuff that a decent DIY mechanic can fix. If you let a leak go and the system runs dry the pump is over $1000, but I consider that neglect. Valve blocks can start to leak which throws off the performance but they can be cheaply rebuilt with common o-rings. Struts last well over 100k and are available from Arnot at reasonable prices. Accumulators can go bad but they are affordable and easy to fix. The single biggest issue is that Mercedes considered it a sealed for life system despite the fact that it runs CHF11S which has a finite lifespan. It’s easy to change the fluid and filter, and if done about every 40k there are people with over 200k on ABC systems with minimal repairs. In 2007 they simplified the system, reducing the number of hoses and combining some components, these cars are considered to be way more reliable.
Otherwise they are pretty solid cars beyond the typical German car stuff. The tops are pretty solid, they are known for being more reliable than the R129. The air adjustments for the seats can leak but that’s just accessory stuff. The M156 up to 2011 had a small number of cars that broke head studs, and some that had cam and tappet wear especially if the oil wasn’t regularly changed. This is pretty rare but you want to avoid a car that’s consuming coolant or has a really noisy top end.
David I test drove an SL65, the TT V12 is intoxicating. The sound, the torque, the smoothness, damn I’d love to have a V12. The SL600 can be easily tuned to be faster than the SL65, and either can easily exceed the available traction. They don’t have the 7-speed Speedshift transmission because it can’t handle the torque, but with that much power I’m not sure if it matters. The engine mounts technically require engine removal for replacement and they don’t last much over 60k, but DIY folks have done it in the car. Also there are two big coil pack assemblies that can fail and are well over $1000 each, but I believe they can be rebuilt from several sources in the $500 range. The V12 models feature even higher grade materials than the V8 models, they were about the pinnacle of Mercedes of that era. Yes I’d love to have one.
