Used 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Consumer Reviews
Used SL-Class for sale
Near Flawless Vehicle Even 14 Years Old!
Jason Coon, 05/08/2017
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class SL500 2dr Convertible (5.0L 8cyl 5A)
13 of 15 people found this review helpful
Not sure about all the negative comments. I bought this car for my wife as she has always wanted a convertible and geez you just can't go wrong with MB. I bought it over a year ago. It was a 2003 with 29,000 miles on it! I bought it in 2016. The car has never been in accidents and appears to have regular maintenance from records. We have put 8000 miles on it since owning it and almost all the original components are on it and have not failed with one exception (see further below). We do not drive it in the Minnesota winter. The car has been near flawless, fun, reliable, extremely comfortable, and surprisingly a good handling car. It's the whole deal. While it does not have the power my RS6 does, nor equal the cornering and braking of my Porsche or RS6....the comfort and styling just can't be matched. I would rather drive this car than the others. I was so impressed with this car I bought an AMG MB days after. The only thing that does not work is the lumbar control in the driver's seat. We are still on the original brake pads and only have had to do one oil change.
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Beautiful but unreliable
CPRCPR, 05/11/2004
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class SL500 2dr Convertible (5.0L 8cyl 5A)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I bought my SL500 in Jul-03. But ownership is blighted by consistent unreliability and visits to Mercedes service. SL parts are often not available, so your car sits, un- drivable, in the repair shop waiting for parts. In 10 mths I spent a month in loan cars, whilst waiting for parts & repairs. Mercedes paid for everything, but that does not take away the irritation. This weeks fault is the seat-belt (unsafe to drive, 10 day for parts); previous failures were hydraulics (undrivable), exhaust (illegal to drive) and electric seat adjustment stuck in fully forward (couldnt enter seat). So buy an SL500 as a third car, but not if you want something reliable.
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best car even after 16 years
Josef Baikal, 09/01/2019
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class SL500 2dr Convertible (5.0L 8cyl 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I had this car for 16 years with very few issues. Still drives like new. OK technology not up to date but engine transmission still amazing. Handling better than new ones. For the price on todays market its an amazing deal.
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Repair and Maint. Costs Take the Fun Away
Paul, 03/30/2019
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class SL55 AMG 2dr Convertible (5.5L 8cyl S/C 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Its first generation technology and expensive to repair maintain.
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SL55 just OK
Phil's View SL55 , 07/31/2005
2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class SL55 AMG 2dr Convertible (5.5L 8cyl S/C 5A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have had this car since Nov 2002, but don't drive it much. The car is fast ,but drive by wire needs work [touchy brakes and lack of trottle response at times is dangerous. I had a defective digital display which was replaced but not improved. The dealer refused to let me speak to factory rep. After a year, I finally got the dealer to compare to another SL and they finally fixed it. Stereo amp blew out and had to be replaced. Sound system is average at best. Why do you have to push a button to use the steering wheel shift controls? Command center is way too complex. Nav system is very difficult and inaccurate. A stunning car, but I prefer to drive my 1998 Corvette Convertible.