2004 SL500 with 177,000km.
I would be a first time Mercedes owner but I am afraid a large repair bills. Does anyone have any experieince with high mileage vehicles? Thanks
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2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
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by Erik K
Feb 25, 2024
The W 230 are a safity good car. Good engine and gearbox. Can have some issues : ABC suspension , hydraulic and electrical problems who cost a lot of money to repair. Fast and very good to drive. It will allways have costumers in the future. No problems with rust. If you want a better car you have to buy a Lexus. Best regards from Norway.Feb 25, 2024
by Guillermo M
Sep 15, 2023
Its an excellent vehicle y all features included ( Bluetooth, ventilated and heated seat, automatic lights, automatic wipers, power memory seat, etc, etc)
Sep 15, 2023
by Ouissem C
Feb 13, 2023
Suspension problem, hard top issue, oil leak, fragile gear…SL350 less problem Feb 13, 2023
User rating:
by Erik K
Feb 25, 2024
The W 230 are a safity good car. Good engine and gearbox. Can have some issues : ABC suspension , hydraulic and electrical problems who cost a lot of money to repair. Fast and very good to drive. It will allways have costumers in the future. No problems with rust. If you want a better car you have to buy a Lexus. Best regards from Norway.Feb 25, 2024
by Guillermo M
Sep 15, 2023
Its an excellent vehicle y all features included ( Bluetooth, ventilated and heated seat, automatic lights, automatic wipers, power memory seat, etc, etc)
Sep 15, 2023
by Ouissem C
Feb 13, 2023
Suspension problem, hard top issue, oil leak, fragile gear…SL350 less problem Feb 13, 2023
by Robert W
Nov 16, 2022
I have a 2005 sl500 an a 2011 SL63 you cant kill these cars Nov 16, 2022
by Dave A
Nov 13, 2022
Great place to shop
Great tires
Great motor
Great color
Great value
Great miles Nov 13, 2022
by Raul V
Sep 07, 2022
It’s I beautiful car and fast From Mercedez Sep 07, 2022
by Doug L
Aug 30, 2022
SL 500 is one the best cars I’ve ever owned a 2003 SL500R. Black on grey. Would love another Black on Red !! Aug 30, 2022
by michael M
May 27, 2022
I bit pricy on this one, Can find then from $14-17k all day long. I like the model year, will purchase when I find the one I want.May 27, 2022
by Anonymous
Oct 16, 2021
It is a Nice car but it is overpriced. Oct 16, 2021
by MARCUS L
May 10, 2021
Car way advance for the year. Many features that are common now on new cars.May 10, 2021
by Dan G
Apr 08, 2021
great car for a great price for me that goodApr 08, 2021
by Glenn P
Mar 15, 2021
The 2004 Mercedes SL500 is an exciting car to drive or just look at. I’m 6’2” tall and I have head room with the top closed. Some features are dated and require updating, mainly the radio for a better hands free experience and navigation, there are plenty of affordable options for this. The value is down because of the Active Body Control hydraulic system which scares people away, but there is now a coil over spring conversion kit which is cheaper then replacing 1 of the shock absorbers and eliminates the fear of a hydraulic issue stranding you on the side of the road. Mar 15, 2021
by André D
Feb 23, 2021
Sl 600 2003 to 2008 on good condition low millage Feb 23, 2021
by Robert C
Feb 01, 2021
Je la trouve trop che pour l’année. Une voiture de 17 ans quand meme! Feb 01, 2021
by Calvin M
Jan 11, 2021
Great if you know cars its the bomb, it has everything I was looking forJan 11, 2021
by Jayme P
Dec 31, 2020
best bang for the buck!!!
Incredible power and fun to driveDec 31, 2020
by Rammah R
Dec 05, 2020
great car , but this car are too expensive??!!
2005 Dec 05, 2020
by K1NG S
Nov 22, 2020
This is a dreamy whip here!!! cant wait till shes all mine!!!!Nov 22, 2020
by Carol D
Nov 14, 2020
It was a great ride but way over priced. It had a couple of oil leaks as well. Nov 14, 2020
by Pat S
Aug 22, 2020
milage js way too high for this price range Aug 22, 2020
by John W
Mar 13, 2020
Unfortunately, the rating system is too generalized. If you are an average car buyer, this is a very challenging car to buy. Compared to its MSRP, it will be an excellent value because it was a well engineered, quality built car but is targeted for New car buyers who trust their dealer and warranty for any troubles you might have. Used, these are hard cars to buy because if you have a problem and cant fix it yourself, you have a world class problem (seems appropriate for a world class car). Ill mention 2 examples. The top and ABC (suspension) Both systems are a marvel, but are a complex, integrated systems and if one of the many interactions is not lined up or functioning properly, the top wornt work and will not work until someone finds where the problem is and fixes it. Just finding the problem can be complex, because there arent any top experts around, like there are brake specialists or radiator specialists. So the dealer turns it over to one of their techs who probably hasnt ever had one of these problems before and even if they have, the problem youre having with the top might be different than the one he fixed last time. The other nightmare issue is the hydraulic suspension. Its the Top problem times 4. This system is four times more complex than the top. (Dealer top repair $4000+. Suspension $500-11,000).
If you can fix either of those two things yourself, these cars are the greatest car for the money, on earth. I recommend buying a car you are not going to be afraid of and in this case, ignorance is not bliss.
Hope this helps.Mar 13, 2020
by Fahri K
Mar 29, 2015
I liked everything about this car. Oh man specially on traffic people cant stop looking at it. It is definetely beautiful car. It is a big time head turner. I remember girls at gas station telling me its a nice car and walking away with big all smile. I get so much attention. It might not be good for girlfriend hehe. Because you will get really good looking girls if you are intented to do so..Mar 29, 2015
by Anonymous
Oct 24, 2014
I choose the Mercedes over Porsche 911 and Corvette Convertibles because of the built in hardtop. Other considerations were reliability & maintenance costs. I've only had it a day but I was impressed with all of the features it has and the build quality.
Now that I've had the car almost a year I must say that I still really like it. I've had a couple costly repairs water pump & replaced engine mounts and the left rear air shock needed to be replaced. Not unusual for car this old. While the cargo capacity is not great you can get a lot more stuff in the trunk than you might think. I also like how almost all of the interior storage compartments lock. I wish that the interior was a little quieter but convertibles are never as quiet as coupes or sedans. I recently took a long trip (5,000 miles) and on the highway I averaged between 22-24 mpg at interstate speeds. Not bad. Acceleration and handling on this car are really good. Most people are surprised when I tell them this car is 11 years old. Lots of favorable comments when you are driving this.Oct 24, 2014
by Anonymous
Jul 22, 2014
You never know how fun it is to drive until you try the SL. So many cool features, surprisingly good mpg on the freeway. Hard-top !!! you can't beat that. mine had the panoramic hard-top, can't beat that ! If you can afford one, just do it. Cheers !Jul 22, 2014
by Anonymous
May 18, 2014
Its a good car for sports minded people. The car has a good acceleration, braking and handling. I always felt safe in this car and it's always a pleasure to drive the car and have fun. People have nice comments about the carMay 18, 2014
by Anonymous
Mar 13, 2014
This is not a car for just anyone! This is the CAR ! that has it all. The ride ! the look ! and the Power ! with all the extra's Long trips are no problem, with both seats heated, ventilated, and Massage mode, makes any ride a pleasure.Mar 13, 2014
by Marcus D
Jun 14, 2010
stuff breaks-get a warranty. Mercedes Benz should bring back the "Orion
blue" color, it's the best. Buy used, new is too expensive. Cup holders are
annoying because they are in front of the nav. I love this car a lot.Jun 14, 2010
by Anonymous
May 11, 2010
Superb acceleration 0-100 near 10 s. almost supercar performance; 0-60 4.3 in my hands. Speed drive shifting is a bit slow by modern standards. Drive it like a pussycat, it doesn't care. It is massively solid (but heavy) tight as an open-top can be and the hard top retractable roof is the best. Interior is spartan, utilitarian German, 2004 exterior styling far better than modern angular looks to me. Is expensive as it is thirsty yet on cruise control at 80 m.p.h. gets over 20.0. Very very fun to drive. BEst feature? Pass anyone any time (foolish amounts of torque - 516 of them).May 11, 2010
by Farah Abdulrahman A
Jan 23, 2010
i really like the car because of its great handling and the rear drive option and the way it drifting around corners and not to forget the speed of 552 bhp and also from 0 -100 km/h in 5.2 sec that's pretty fast Jan 23, 2010
by Anonymous
Dec 13, 2009
Had an 01 sl500, nice & smooth, strong car.Repairs were reasonable and few...
The amg is Significantly more but is
one pissed off bigger brother. Much more
power,Appx 66% more power, and 66%momoney
Panoramic roof option great, push button start, overall great vehicle.
Dec 13, 2009
by Luis D
Oct 03, 2009
Is a Beast, it ain't quick, but give it a few seconds and you'll
hear the engine roar when I am passing next to you and...
don't worry, you'll have time to read the license plate... Yup...
AGT SLCK...
If you want to know the MPG, then you must drive a Prius...
this car is all about Style and Power...Oct 03, 2009
by Graham B
May 12, 2009
This should actually be a S500 AMG not SL500 AMG. Anyway, add 2 seats and tone down the AMG looks and you get the S Class.
There are so many positives (eg 0-60MPH in 6.3 secs, 5litre engine, V8, electronic everything, distronic etc) but unfortunately the negatives hold the upper hand after 3 years of ownership.
The biggest negative about any Merc is the dealerships. They will fleece you and rip you off because they know that you're scared of losing that "full dealer service history". So expect to pay $5-10k a year on servicing. On top of that add $3k a year to replace the P2000 tyres etc etc etc.
Everything is "an exception to the warranty". Including (no kidding) rust on wheel arches!!!
Yes, it's a beautiful car and has a kick-ass performance with top speed limited at 155mph (I've only clocked 130mph - uphill - before I chickened out) without shakes or vibrations - BUT (and it's a big BUT), it'll consume your life and you'll end up enslaved by ferocious maintenance and repair bills. May 12, 2009
by Kyle B
Jan 30, 2009
The SL500 was a 92 thousand dollar low production drop top to compete with jags amazing xk and bmws 6 series, now 4 years later I was able to buy my car for about 35 thousand, and only an expert can tell it from new, The SL follows a classic mercedes look, but sadly doesnt look as good as a 645 or a jaguar, which is dissapointing, but the interior is simple, very high quality, and surprisingly safe, in a s550 youd be worried to let anyone below 21 sit in it becuase they might move to quickly and scratch a trim piece, in this everything is laid back. The power comes from a five litre 302 horsepower 339 lb foot V8, with this the car should put c6 vettes in tail light view, yet the mercedes 4300 pound curb weight holds it back to 6.3 0-60 not very fast at all, which is emphasized when you think a 350z with a 3.5 litre v6 with the same horsepower and far less torque will be a 60 more than a half second faster then you, in your hundred thousand dollar sports car but when you start this car up, your not tempted to see what it can do, your more relaxed and opted to marvel as the folding aluminum roof with the full glass window takes its 16 seconds of glory, and glance at the tach to see just 1500 rpm at 70mph, or play with some of the toys like the ride height adjustment. anyway this car puts you in a place where your heart beat is lower than a meditating munk, and that can all be changed with a push of the sport button and a nudge from your right foot, even though it doesnt leap with joy, it pulls strongly all the way to the limiter, and while it does you can enjoy the amazing exhaust note, a strong deep V8 roar that I would put up with an Aston Martin, the great thing about the sound is it appears at the perfect times, at idle, and under power, not intrusive at all. But most impressive to me is the quality this car holds. everything is as good as it can be, the leather is perfect, the plastics are soft and smooth, the metal matches up perfectly, and when you park it you cant help but look back smoothly and smile. Jan 30, 2009
by Jessica C
May 14, 2008
I have driven this car many times and I am not impressed. There are scads of features, but good luck figuring out how to use them. Also, the gas tanks are defective and read wrong. The power roof is cool, but the cup holder situation is seriously lacking. This car is just not very practical. It's for the people who need something to show everyone how cool they are.May 14, 2008
by Erik T
May 04, 2008
really only road in it but it was still amazingMay 04, 2008
by Kamil Y
Apr 17, 2008
You can have as much as fun you want to have , Great for summer nights...Apr 17, 2008
by Anonymous
Mar 18, 2008
I like the car
Mar 18, 2008
by Bob G
Feb 27, 2008
Nicest car I've ever driven. Period. 493 hp. Wow.Feb 27, 2008
by Anonymous
Jan 13, 2008
I boughtit back in 2008 with 9000 miles
Shipped to here and fell in love with it even more than my SL 500
I installed the sprint booster chip and it makes it a wild beast when I switch it to that mode.
Love it, Love it, Love it!Jan 13, 2008
by Michael C
Dec 22, 2007
everything is fantastic, except the handlingDec 22, 2007
by Michael C
Dec 22, 2007
had it 4 years and hard to let go - all boxes ticked, except 'soul'Dec 22, 2007
What users have asked
Mercede SL 500 Doesn't start
When I try to start the car nothing happens. Nothing on the dashboard . Battery has charge.
63 views
500 SL 4500 miles
My abc light comes when I hit a bump I was told it was the motor mounts
16 views
Vibration
I replaced the engine mounts due to a vibration when we found the left side was broken. After the mounts were replaced the vibration continues. It was suggested to me that the torque convertor could be the issue as it seems to be more obvious when shifting. Trans function fine. Engine running in "P" and increase the rpm's and vibration persists.
393 views
Top Comparisons
Have you driven a 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?Compare this car
2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Pricing
Original MSRP
$89,520 to $126,970Price range
$15,071 to $16,400Average price on CG
$15,614YoY price change
$16,400 to $15,614Trims & specs
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Driver knee airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
CD changer: 6 · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Remote CD changer location: behind seat
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather and wood · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Cruise control: adaptive · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: passenger seat · Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated
Roof
Convertible roof: hard top · Removable roof: hard top
Safety
Parking sensors: front and rear
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: leather
Suspension
Leveling: self leveling suspension · Suspension control: electronic
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: rain sensing
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
CD changer: 6 · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Remote CD changer location: behind seat
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Cruise control: adaptive · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: passenger seat · Multi-function remote: trunk release · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: Auto on/off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: heated
Roof
Convertible roof: power retractable hard top · Removable roof: hard top
Safety
Parking sensors: front and rear
Seats
Front seat type: sport bucket · Upholstery: leather
Suspension
Leveling: self leveling suspension · Suspension control: electronic
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Air Conditioning
Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Driver knee airbags · Front side airbags
Audio System
CD changer: 6 · Single disc in-Dash CD · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Remote CD changer location: behind seat
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Comfort Features
Shift knob trim: wood · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Cruise control: adaptive · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Memorized settings: passenger seat · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps · Headlights: HID
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: auto-dimming
Roof
Convertible roof: power retractable hard top · Removable roof: hard top
Safety
Parking sensors: front and rear
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: leather
Suspension
Leveling: self leveling suspension · Suspension control: electronic
Telematics
Phone: cellular phone
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: rain sensing