Used 2016 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Consumer Reviews

Most Capable Motorcar: updated 2019

I was approached not long after purchasing the SL by a gentlemen who has owned a good number of exotic and sports cars. In his words, "the SL is what all cars want to be when they grow up". I could not agree more. You may find a sportier car or two, a better looking luxury car, or a car that covers great distances in extreme comfort; but the SL does all of that, and more. This car loves to eat road, top up is like a coupe; solid and silent. Top down is like, well, a high performance convertible. The SL has become our grand touring car and it has proven itself to be most worthy in every instance. We went the CPO route, which lessens the pain of the check book, but provides solid Mercedes warranty and support. Drive the other contenders, then drive an SL. It continues to amaze with it's power, torque, ease of operation, and rock solid build quality. And while the looks may be contentious to some, this car draws admiring looks in even the most discerning crowds. It does not disappoint. 2019 UPDATE: the car is now six years old, and has over 40,000 miles, and still makes me smile while I drive. It has become our weekend touring GT car; delivering performance, style and reliability. In many trips of over 1,000 miles, the car is a joy to drive, on the interstate or the back roads. My only area of issue has been the AMG wheels; as I have had two that cracked; I have replaced them with an aftermarket set with great success. It would appear that the next-gen of the SL will be on a shared modular platform with other models. That would make the R231 the last of the bespoke SL's; so this vehicle is destined to be in our garage for a long time. Looking for a competent coupe / convertible? This is a great choice.

First - decide what matters to you

For my money, the best all-around way to spend money on a used convertible. Any car I mention in this review I have owned or driven for an extended period of time. I have owned well over 100 cars. I bought my 2013 SL550 2 years old with ~45,000 miles. General: Just to provide some context to how I think, I have a budget for cars, it is not tight, but it is not crazy to me, to others including my wife, it borders on insanity. I don’t buy new because I don’t want to pay the new depreciation. I sometimes buy carefully inspected, and well repaired branded title cars (I don’t suggest this for others, if you don’t take the time to learn the game you will lose your shirt, maybe your pants, and sometimes your shoes). I will probably never own the likes of a Bentley, Rolls, Ferrari or McLaren, and couldn’t pretend to play in the world of Pagani, even if I gave up my entire net worth. Although I really like them, I can never seem to justify the relative cost for a 911 (at the age I buy them, generally 2 to 5 years old) – maybe if I kept my cars longer. For me, this SL550 is my favorite car that I have owned to this point. For the first time I could see myself trading this for a newer version of the same car. When I change this car, if I change it for a different car, it will likely be an S class cabriolet. In terms of SLs, I have owned a 1996 SL500 (great car!) and a 2004 SL55 AMG (not so great, but maybe the specific example I owned). Crazy performance: If visions of track days dance in your head – buy a corvette Grand Sport or Z51 with magnetic ride. In my opinion, if you are anything short of a professional or every weekend armature, you will never be able to competently test the limits of the Corvette, and you can pick up a manual C6 for practically nothing now days. Budget no object? Knock yourself out with something more exotic. Porsche cocksters . . . err . . . Caymans are also fantastic for track days if you are willing to give up grunt for precision. Reasonable performance: When it is dry, with good tires, there isn’t a road that I can’t easily, and safely, send myself to jail on with the SL550. I can generally take sweeping canyon corners, easily and safely, at 2+ the posted limit while staying planted. Very tight corners, same thing, but I admit this is the one place where this generation SL feels its size and weight. The rear end doesn’t predictably kick out like a gen3 RX7, but what does? Plus, the electronic nanny’s will stop it anyway, which is probably a good thing. Steering is lighter than a sport car, and not as communicative as some, but for public roads, any public road, absolutely more than competent. There is noticeable turbo lag under certain circumstances. Styling: I am tired of reading about how ugly the exterior of latest couple of generations of the SL are. I like them, but styling is subjective, if you hate the styling, I assume you aren’t reading this. In my opinion, the interior is absolutely top notch in quality and aesthetics, and most of the reviews seem to agree with me. Not spartan, and not busy. Things are accessible and intuitive. I have a maroon and black interior color combination; with white exterior, and I really like it, again maybe the best of any car I have owned. Comfort: Not going to beat it at any price. Budget/reliability: If budget is no object, and you are willing to pay twice as much for an incrementally better ‘drivers’ car, with similar performance, go for a 911 S. Repairs aren’t cheap, after 25,000 miles I have found reliability to be on par with similar cars, but there will be repairs, and repairs will be on the pricier side of ‘normal’. Driving: I have never owned a car that is more enjoyable for a weekend road trip. As I have said, but I will repeat, nothing is more comfortable, especially after several hours. If I hit a canyon, I can set sport mode, stiffen the suspension and the steering gets a little heavier, the throttle and shifts are downright snappy, and the car stays nearly as flat as a corvette with magnetic ride in sport in the corners. There is also a nifty feature that stiffens the seat bolster on the side you are turning into to keep you in your seat without cramping you. When the freeway straightens out, turn on the massage and relax. I have heard complaints about the sound system, but for me it is literally the best sound system I have anywhere, including any room of my home. With all of the climate options (heated seats, air scarf, and very good heater) my wife and I have traveled with the top down, on sunny days, but temperatures well below freezing, and were completely comfortable. Final Word: I love this car! I accept that when a car is a ‘general’ car, it can lose its ‘purpose’. The SL550 isn’t a Ferrari, or even a Corvette. It is a car that serves nearly every purpose for 2 people driving anywhere for less than a week, and does everything much much better than is ‘necessary’.

First SL550 but third Mercedes Benz

If you are a Mercedes enthusiast and considered buying an SL550 for your retirement years, don't hesitate but choose the 2013 or newer. The improvements with this new redesign starting with the 2013 are well worth the extra it costs. It is a fantastic car and worth every penny. I have no regret purchasing mine and plan to keep it as long as I can drive, and then park it in the garage and just look at it.

PURE SUBLIME ELEGANCE

This is my dream car. I love that its fast as lightning , beautiful to look at and the way it handles, but does it all in an effortless, professional way. It is so packed with luxury but is still a masculine car. do we really like to get punished in a Porsche just because we want to drive in a sports car? Maybe getting soft in my 40's but I like a quiet, smooth, UN-jarring ride mixed with massive power and agility. I'm not competing on a race track. anyone saying this SL is anything less than totally sophisticated understated and beautiful is maybe upset that they don't own it. Update: excellent reliability still just as beautiful as the day I bought it.

Great Car, So So Sound System

I own the 2013 SL550 with basically all options ( except the Bang & Olufsen sound system upgrade). My car has the Harman Kardon standard sound. To be honest the sound is mediocre at best, I was expecting much better from a 6 digits car. I like to drive and enjoy a good sound and the Harman Kardon seem to missing bass response, the subwoofer seems under powered and all the sound comes from the front of the car. I even took the car to Mercedes to have a sound check and they told me my system was up to specks. Except for the sound, however, I am quite happy with the car. The torque is fantastic! Steering is not as precise as a 911 but the car does not want to be a sport car, it is a very conformable cruiser and is quite enjoyable even at slow speed. I had a 2010 M3 before and that car was no fun at everyday speed. UPDATED REVIEW 6/19/2017 I took the car to Mercedes dealer to figure out if there was something wrong with the sound. After checking the car for 2 days they told me the car sound system was fine. (Actually I had the impression they treated me as I was crazy! ) At that point, I tried on the internet if there was an explanation. I found this explanation "The sound is surround sound and the rear speakers don't produce much sound unless listening to a DVD-Audio disc and there is no front to back volume adjustment. Without a DVD-Audio disc ( a defunct system) I the sound is unacceptable, with too much volume coming from the front speakers. " So I realized the sound was tuned to DVD Audio : I follow the remedy I found on the web and added a separate rear speakers amplifier and a subwoofer and the sound is now great. But it was really disappointing that Mercedes tuned the sound of one of their flagship cars so poorly and without giving guidelines for a remedy.

Live in your car, love what you drive!!!

Best car I have ever owned. It's solid, feels super safe. It' a fun drive! The trunk is deceiving. It fits more than you can imagine. Haven't had any problems with it other than a couple of minor things that were covered. It's almost 5 years old.

Is it a Prince or a Frog? Definitely a Prince

I have been fortunate through the years to own a lot of premium sports cars and the SL was not one of them or even on my "Top 5" list. This time around, my "wants" changed, with comfort, amenities and room as a top priority. Because of the new SL's aluminum construction and bi-turbo V8, it was added as a possibility. After driving everything else out there, I finally drove a new SL. It's agility, raw power and amenities were surprising, but the exterior lines seemed disjointed. UPDATE 11/2016 This car has not disappointed me in any way. It has been problem free, and its performance limits are beyond anything I had expected. I replaced the wheel and tire package with aftermarket 20" wheels and non run flat tires. I also added the factory rear spoiler. I hate run flat tires which come with the car, and the new wheels and spoiler give the car a more performance look. I have owned many nice cars in the past, but this car has definitely exceeded my expectations. I bought the SL, added custom wheels and the rear factory spoiler and I am very pleased. These additions seem minor, but they changed the entire look of the car and I am pleased.

SLick550

I have owned a 2013 sl550 for about 6 weeks now. If you like a comfortable, good handling, fast car, look no further. Yeah, a 911 might be a better sport car, but this is a classy, sweet ride. Acceleration is awesome. With over 500 foot pounds of torque, it will make your ears flatten. Can’t tell you about repairing, haven’t had it long enough.

Wonderful

Replaced my Jaguar XK with a SL 400. Big step up in sophistication. Tech is far superior in the SL. Great rear drive handling. Mine has a CD player (Edmunds review says it shouldn’t). Also, the top is a two piece, not three, which limits the stylists in the size of the quarter windows. After eight months I remain very pleased with my SL. The shift points on the transmission are sometimes odd. Maybe Mercedes should consider providing ZF units as do many of their competitors. Still enjoying my SL. It recently required a repair to the retractable hardtop. It is a hydraulic system. It had a leak in one of the lines. A not inexpensive repair. Maybe a little early for that type of repair with only 34,000 miles. My last several months have been trouble-free motoring. My SL continues to turn heads especially when the top is down. I continue to enjoy my SL. I recently replaced the front sway bar links, an issue my mechanic had not seen before. Otherwise, no issues. I’m not sure that there’s a better looking two seater out there with the top down. My SL is great but not waterproof! Apparently not unique to my car. I will be applying a conditioner sold by Mercedes to the weather seals with the hope that I can stay dry while driving in the rain. My experience remains positive with maintenance and a few repairs. Brakes and tires were recently replaced with good service life experienced from both. Repairs have included a cam sensor which I'm told is not unusual for European cars and small leak of gas fumes which triggered a check engine light. The repair was to replace the fuel filter and a sealing ring.

Everyone who enjoys driving should have an SL

My wife and I bought a 2015 550SL with every option except Magic Sky Roof. We are delighted with the car! The comfort for two persons, particularly on long drives is exceptional. All aspects of performance including acceleration, braking, and handling are well beyond a level anyone can use on public roads. Driving with the roof down on a winding road is an experience that every driver should have. We find it hard to imagine that any comparable car can provide as much luxury and performance as we are enjoying in our SL.

SL550

This is a great car and I would by another one. Some people don’t like the outside appearance of the vehicle. In 2017 MB gave the SL a facelift and the car looks aesthetically better. The Nav screen is small and the 2013 technology on the GPS isn’t that great. Newer models have better NAV. Other than that, I love this car. In terms of power the car is a monster, very smooth and fast. Great freeway ride w the top up or right down. I would recommend this car.

Convertible

Great summer toy! Can fit golf clubs (2 sets in smaller stand bags with the woods removed from bags and located between the bags) in the trunk with the top down. The car is fast, reliable, extremely comfortable with very minimal wind buffeting with the top down.

A classic Benz

Styling is subjective but I think it’s gorgeous. Twin turbo V-6 has plenty of power and gets 30+ mpg on highway. Love the massaging seats and other luxury features. Ride is firm, even in Comfort mode, but not punishing. I bought an off-lease car with 30k miles for less than half of list price. Like all Mercedes products, maintenance costs are high. This car has a very high “wow” factor.

SL550 as every day driver

The strength of the SL is that is sort of like a 2 passenger GT Touring luxury vehicle. Compares with Maserati, Jaguar XK, & BMW 650. This car is the peak of technology and easy to learn. Holds two tour golf bags in trunk with top up and one with top down. The negative is that the look is getting a little boring. Even though it is different from the 2012, it is only slightly different. Inside is major, outside is not. I ding the value on this car, not because it is not the best of its competition, which it is, but because they lose so much money the first year. Outside of that, the car does so much more than its competitor and does the more excellently.

Fits Like A Glove

This fast, responsive vehicle fits both passengers like a glove. The seats are very comfortable and the steering wheel can be perfectly positioned for hours of driving with little fatigue. All of the controls are intuitive and positioned for quick driver access. I try not to drive it too much, in the city in which I reside, due to excellent mass transit. Most of my miles driven are on the highway with the tranny and suspension in Sport mode. Set as such, it is a BEAST! Whether in the mountains or on the plains, it is a blast to drive with the top up or down. At highway speeds, and with a drag coefficient of 0.29, it gets better mileage than the previous generation of SL (R230) by up to 30%. I thought my sleeper 2012 E550 (W212), with a record-setting drag coefficient of 0.26, was my favorite until I got this new generation SL (R231). Standard maintenance is not that expensive. Repairs, if/when needed, can be.

About that nose.....

Great power, great street cred, a joy to drive... and it can do its wild thing... just an unflappable, very well thought out vehicle for those lucky enough to have the means to own one. I agree the previous iteration had a nicer exterior, but having owned three of those (03 sl55, 04 sl500, 05 sl500) I can attest to the fact that this car is so much more advanced and competent that I can get over the rather unattractive at first glance and chubby exterior.. much like living in Las Vegas.. it grows on you. I now like my view of my car with the exception of the front fender view. I highly recommend this car. Worth every penny and there are not too many of these built for whatever reason so the exclusivity is another value to me.

I miss you Iridium😢

I absolutely loved this car. I had it for more than three years. No problems at all. It’s beautiful, accelerates like a dream and stops on a dime. The ONLY reason I traded it was because my husband kept complaining about it being too small (it wasn’t). It has lots of storage and lots of legroom. He wanted it to ride like a luxury sedan, but it’s a sports car!! Driving with the top down is exhilarating. He finally wore me down and we traded it for an S550. I still miss my SL.

Luxury and performance

SL550 is a blend of luxury and performance in one vehicle. I’ve had Mercedes AMG’s and they have performance handling, and lots of features but the ride was punishing even in the “comfort” mode. The SL550 offers all the performance that could ever be safely used but with good ride quality and very acceptable handling. This is what I would consider a specialty vehicle and probably not what you would want for your only means of transportation. At the end of the day, this is a two seat roadster with limited storage. I get upset with people who review a vehicle like this, then complain the trunk space is limited. Well if you want to carry 5 suitcases, buy an SUV. There are tons of features such as massaging seats, radar controlled cruise control, various audio functions, driving lane departure warnings with automatic brake and steering correction etc. All of these features work very well but it’s not always easy or straightforward to setup and/or program them. Once you’ve set everything to your individual preferences, remembering how to modify them in the future is a challenge. Ride is smooth and cornering is also very nice. With about 450 hp power is more than adequate. Sound system is also adequate but limited in quantity. I believe that the limited size of the interior does not allow for a dozen or more speakers with their versatility as you would find in a sedan or SUV. Interior is very comfortable and well laid out with limitless adjustability in seat positioning steering wheel position etc. Some are critical of outside design but that’s a matter of taste and in my opinion, a vehicle of the nature should be more elegant and subdued like this one. If you buy new, be prepared for a steep depreciation curve. There are plenty of low mileage used vehicles to choose from if you’re patient and take your time if you choose that path. I write this review as someone who enjoys comfort, lots of convenience features, power and handling in normal everyday driving not as someone who drives aggressively or races on weekends. Also as I previously mentioned, vehicles are built for a specific use and purpose. They should be reviewed with that criteria in mind. Don’t buy a heavy duty truck for hauling and complain it rides rough.

My Little Jewel

My 2015 SL is a very fine automobile. I love it. No problems since I purchased it used in 2019. Handling is a dream. It has a V6 under the hood. I have been made aware of the fact that the SL550 has a V8 that is about 450lbs heavier than my V6. All that extra weight is right over the front end of the car. When I get into twisty roads, my car goes where I point it with no drama. It just goes where I point it. I love it.

Perfectly Balanced Convertible Super Car

Mercedes got it so right. Excellent ride, prodigious power, and unmatched comfort.

Everything's Great Except the Steering's Feel

Beautifully crafted for sure... can't say enough good things about it. However, the electric steering really takes away my feel for the road in this 2014 SL550 version. Actually my other SL (R129 platform 1995 SL500, with the M119 Engine), is probably the nicest driving Roadster ever crafted by Mercedes.... and the body lines are much more pleasing to a discerning eye. The loss of the hydraulic steering, coupled with the ABC (Automatic Body Control) may make the ride of the 2014 more "opulent" but, if you enjoy the feel of the road, especially through the corners, the 2014 leaves a fair bit to be desired.

Sl550 2013 fully loaded with Bang Olufsen audio.

I love the car, classy, powerful and reliable. I bought it with 30.000.00 miles and now 70.000.00 miles later I have no issues, no repairs only normal oil changes and new tires. Now 80000 miles an no issues. I love the power and elegance of my Sl 550.

Had many SLs... This 2015 is by far the best

Last of the REAL mercedes SL and by far the best looking both inside and out. I may never trade this one. Love the SL400 because plenty of power and one of the most classic interiors so far. Also big differece in insurance cost and gas MPG without giving up the pep. Still fast enough to get in and out of traffic with turbo.

Great car

The car handles very well on the highway and brakes very well. Very quiet and it’s awesome to have a convertible and a car that rides so nice

Love this car!

I've only had my 2015 SL400 for 1 1/2 weeks and the handling is amazing. I previously had a Lexus IS350C and it was a nice ride, but I have to admit, nothing like this one. The interior is absolutely gorgeous is my car. My dog, who ironically is not a car guy, may not be be crazy about the minimalist back seat, but again, he's not a a car guy. I'm more than pleased with the car up to now. It may not have some of the bells and whistles and power of higher end models, but for me it fits the bill.

Awesome vehicle, one bothersome problem

I love the car, It's everything one could want at an advanced age (61 bad back) in a sports/luxury riding car. Love the seat massage! One BAD problem is the backup camera. There's a nasty passenger side blind spot and the camera does not show it or make a sound. I've come close to accidents in parking lots a number of times., The cars 9 years old, a real cherry (still looks and rides like new) and I would've kept it forever but for that camera . Otherwise I'd have given 5+ stars!!!

amazing certied preowned or new sports car

no regrets ....everything you ever thought it was or wanted

SL Experience

Ease of Convertible Top and Great Performance.

Perfect

Buy only CPO

Great car

Changed tires for softer ride. Love everything about this car.

SL550 nice and confortable

World Class Style, and a two seater sexy rocket!

I've owned plenty of luxury cars from other Mercedes, Corvettes, a 308 Ferrari, but hands-down the best overall luxury sports car. Plus the retractable hard top takes it over the top!

Sweet benz !!!

Beautiful car this is my 5th Sl they never disappoint