Mercedes-Benz R230 SL500. Great value or a liability? | Tyrrell's Classic Workshop 

YAY!!!!! An R230! Worked on many of these in my job, the hydraulics (suspension and vario-roof) can make one tear one’s hair out. As my baldness can attest. It is a shame Mercedes is not supporting these classics-in-waiting as they should with keeping parts like critical control units in stock. This gorgeous machine is definitely in immaculate condition and with ALL of the most desirable options! !! Hope to see more videos of this car again in the future!!!

As a fellow owner of a 2003 SL500 for the last 4yrs, I’ve been waiting for you to feature yours. I agree entirely with your summation, a superb car for so little money but, as with any machine, good maintenance is the key…... I bought mine specifically because of it’s excellent maintenance history and the fact that it had always been used, (as opposed to sat in a garage) averaging 3-4k miles per year. I bought it with 78,000mls on the clock and immediately had the gearbox serviced (it had previously been done at 38k) as well as changing the ABC fluid and put in an updated filter. I’ve now owned it for 4yrs and have just enjoyed my latest ‘Grand Tour’ trip down to Florence via the Swiss Alps and the Italian Lakes.. It really is the perfect GT car, comfortable, able to eat up the miles in style and can return 30mpg while sitting at 130-140kph on European motorways. With the panoramic glass roof you have all the comfort and quietness of a hardtop while enjoying the view of the sky and, when you reach the riviera and fold the roof down, you can cruise in style and still turn heads as it really is still a beautiful car. Like you say, whenever I park up I always turn back to look as it it really is such a beautiful car 🤩

What a great episode. I own an 2011 SL500 , bought it almost new and still have it. I love this car, because it's very comfortable as well as variable. The fuel consumption is sensationally low considering the size of the engine. So far did not have any serious issues and the car still runs great.

There is a vitally important lesson here…we should be making cars last 30+ years rather than constant replacing with what purports to be more environmentally friendly. The environmental “cost” of a 20 or 30 year old car has been well and truly sunk ages ago and it makes sense to keep them going. It goes almost without saying they’re more interesting to drive too…😎

Love all your videos but it’s especially nice to see when you cover a car that’s attainable for most of us car appreciators

Great cars, I've detailed probably hundreds of them. One of the most important things to do with these is to keep the folding roof seals in good condition, treating them regularly with a product such as Gummi Pflege. The seals dry out and then the boot leaks, there are a lot of electrical gizmos in the boot well which get wet and costs thousands to put right.

I need a sticker on the back of my car , saying, don't laugh it's paid for. I fully appreciate your balanced love of cars.

I have a '94 SL 500, your comments about "sealed for life" and preventive maintenance are SO correct. Thanks for a fascinating video 😊

“Britain’s horrendous roads…” never was a truer word spoken. Anyone who’s done the M25/M20 trek to the Tunnel knows the feeling of unmitigated joy and comfort when tyres touch that lovely French tarmac. Very good point about comfort and larger profile tyres. great video, thanks!

Have a 2006 SL500 with 64K miles. Bought it in 2012 with 28K miles for $38K. Has the AMG appearance package, pewter/charcoal. Use it as my summer daily driver, now putting 3K miles a year or so on it. Have taken two trips in it, 3500 miles and 1500 miles round trip. Great road car, plenty of luggage room for two of us. Bought some thin gel seat cushions off Amazon for the second trip, seats get a bit hard after a couple of hours. Issues with the car have been minor. New trunk closing mechanism this summer which I replaced myself. Other than that, besides maintenance, I can't think of anything that's been repaired on the car. It does settle down in front when sitting for 10 days or so. I place blocks under the jack points when in winter storage. Pumps right up in spring. I will definitely take your advice and flush the ABC and PS fluids. And yes, as with many first generations, it is a good looking, well balanced car.

High profile tyres - YES!!

For reference, the cheapest R230 SL500 on sale in Australia is $37,000 (AUD) or ~£19,000.. and the most expensive is $75,000. They are all spec'ed with a boring black or grey interior, and black or silver paint, and none are particularly 'low mileage'. To hear that you can buy a decent example of cars like this for under £5,000 is somewhat... depressing. Of course we are much less likely to run into [catastrophic] rust problems, and that means one less headache (migraine) to deal with. Still, you Brits are very lucky and I'm mildly envious.

Totally agree with your comments- I own a 2003 R230 but an SL350 (in Jasper blue) which I also turn back to admire. Such a lot of car for the money which, if a well maintained and good condition example should really be worth much more!

That is the last of the SLs that had classy styling. The modern cars are overstyled and most brands style their cars with front grills which are way too big. The more expensive S and SL class cars in the USA all require expensive annual maintenance. One of my uncles was paying $5,000 per year on maintenance on an S class built in the early 80s; he ended up selling it and buying one built in the 60s because it was built better. I also agree with going with the smaller diameter rims. They provide a more comfortable ride. If you go above 17 inches in diameter in the New York area, rims will crack or bend or you will just lose the tire because of the poor quality of many of the roads and the potholes which develop late in the winter. Larger rims look great, but you sacrifice ride quality and dependability.

I have one of the first of these, registered in April 2002 (not 2003 😊). It’s now on 103,000 miles and has only covered a few miles a year recently. Replacing the rear suspension units on the garage floor was fun but really satisfying when it was a success. I love the subtle power of the V8 and will probably keep it forever.

Thanks! Interesting, practical change of pace. All the best

My favourite RU-vidr covering the car I hope to buy one day! Christmas has come early.

Who would like to see an Iain Tyrrell and Harry Metcalfe road trip? Perhaps Switzerland? That would be awesome! I love these guys!!! 😃

1:40 Whenever I walk away from my Ford Transit van, I turn around, and have a look at the Transit van. Just a small peek, sometimes a turn around twice. And I love what I see. I do the same with beautiful women I see. But they never glance back. Oh well.

What a beauty Iain! It’s funny, when I was a kid in the 80’s I was in awe of Mercedes Benz, they seemed to me the pinnacle of solidly built, stout, beautiful vehicles. Then to hear you say that they got the timing chain wrong, and that they had “sealed for life” fluids really made me realize that they’re not the same MB. Anyway, thank you for the tour of this beautiful machine, here’s to many more years of happy motoring!

Thanks for another Sunday afternoon upload!

100% agree about the styling, same goes for S classes of this era vs later. It's a shame the early 65's are so rare, always been a dream for me.

I have a v12 one of these, amazing cars. I've also changed the ABC fluid and filter to help avoid frequent ABC failures

Hi Ian, agree entirely, the R230 is much better looking than the later ones. 2 years ago I bought a 2008 350 on the basis of no air suspension and lower maintenance. Love the car. Thanks for the review and suggestions, some people say changing fluid can disturb dirt etc. but I don’t agree. I will get the auto transmission fluid etc. changed

I love Ian's raw honestly..

They are a good looking car, so good in fact I bought one, I use it daily and is very reliable so long as I keep up the maintenance which isn’t to bad.

Next to the 300SL, the Mercedes SL500 is one of my top 3 favorites designs. I love the fact that you can go top up or down. So many times I see a beautiful car and say I wish it at least had a lift-off hard top. This is a outstanding example. This is a Beautiful restoration. Thanks for sharing.

Perfect mechanic’s car!

I own a 2010 BMW 335i with every factory m-sport option and power pack installed by the dealer. Hydraulic rack, 6 speed, 19" M wheels. 123,000 miles and every option works, even the active lights, headlight washers, and every interior light. Love that car, such a great driving GT car. I get what Ian is saying.

I worked for over forty years in oil industry maintenance and reliability engineering and maintained my own cars since a teen. It feels as it the machines have their own spirits, because after you change the oils and do other work on them, they seem happier. Call me crazy but I used to talk to the machines, but I found that my compatriots did the same and we all found that it helped with diagnosing their problems.

Ahh.....Where's the test drive Ian ? Nice car...and your right...nice looking design.

Great and accurate review, thank you. The R230’s big brother, the C215 (CL), especially the 55 Kompressor (which I have), is also a fantastic car and real bargain right now 🙂.

I had an identical SL500 a few years back. Now have an 03 SL55 because I liked it so much. But the 55 is a real wolf in sheep’s clothing. It munches miles effortlessly (albeit at 16mpg) and sounds great doing it. Try one Ian.

The (plentiful) 350 models generally don't have airmatic and ABC suspension (just springs/shocks) so aren't a bad choice.

Best generation SL! Great cars!

Thank you Iain for reviewing one of your own more "normal" cars. It's becoming a youngtimer! I really can imagine you love this car, it is beautifully engineered and will drive smoothly. Recently I was driven by one of my Morgan friends in his, I believe 10-years old, Mercedes S-klasse 500S, with I believe active contour seats which inflated the seat-sides in corners, so you it kept you better seated. He told me it sees bumps ahead with a camera, so they are leveled out as you pass them. And that in more than 10 years ago designed car! It felt really well, and although he doesn't need the space off the car, he cannot separate of it. I suggested to him next time wear a hat and I will sit in the back with sunglasses on ;-). As a car lover and Morgan driver he is in Spain at the moment in his Morgan for an event and vacation and even with preventive maintenance a rearview mirror glass fell off on the way in France and his fuel gauge stopped working, but it doesn't stop him of loving the car. It would certainly not happen on the Mercedes. Thank you for sharing this video and please go on!😍

My neighbour across the road had almost the twin of that car , same year , same colour , SL500 and with lots of toys , including a TV that no longer worked ( think it was analogue ) . I went out for a run in it a couple of times and it felt very fast , very impressive , so much faster than my W126 500SEL with the older M117 single cam engine . I had an SL too , but I was never so glad that I'd bought the earlier R129 , and a 300SL-24 at that , than when my neighbour told me that so much of the stuff on his car had stopped working , and there was a burning smell from the back ! We looked under the panel behind the drivers seat ( no back seats in the R230 ) and there was a module that had fried and much of the surrounding wiring had burned out . He eventually got some back street place that was willing to get parts from a donor car then cut and splice wires to get it running before he got shot . I ran my R129 for seven years , and did just about everything myself - it was basically a W124 underneath , and I've had lots of them , still run a W124 estate today , and they are so easy to look after and keep running if you are handy with the spanners . Just as you mentioned , regular fluid changes are a must , not only engine oil , coolant , ATF , but in the estate cars you have the hydropneumatic self levelling at the back , many people are scared of it but is is simple and reliable ; and only a couple of things go wrong - one is the pipes can rust through at the back , and if you lose the fluid the pump can run dry , and especially on the six cylinder ones , the tandem pump that runs the SLS and PAS is an expensive little item , so it is really worth checking those pipes regularly ; the level control valves can get covered in crud off the road and can become disconnected , and lastly the spheres can burst , although I've never had that problem in any of my five W124 estates . What I do do , though , is to change the ZHM mineral oil fluid every couple of years , by exactly the method you showed with the syringe ; and getting back to point here , on the R129 , the soft top is raised and lowered by a hydraulic system using exactly the same ZHM mineral oil , and the reservoir sits under the spare wheel ; again I changed that fluid every other year , but then I left my hard top in my mothers garage and had the soft top down virtually every time I drove that car ( ambient temperature permitting - they say don't raise or lower it below circa 8 deg Celsius or risk splitting the plastic windows ) ; I never had any trouble with my roof hydraulics , but did have to adjust microswitches a few times - great thing about the 129 was it used blink codes , no need for a computer ; just my trusty AVO meter 8 and count the kicks of the needle to learn where a fault was ! Anyone can work on one of these . I do plan to get another R129 , probably will be another 6 cylinder one , much as I'd love to finally get a V-12 , but I fear that would be too costly to run and too complicated .

I know that you mostly deal with older cars but I like that you make video for these early 2000s cars as well. I hope that this video is successful so you'd make more of these. Maybe not a car you own, but a car you used to own or a car that you have worked on.

I had a 2007 facelift R230 which got the more powerful M273 5.5ltr engine with 383hp. In some markets it was actually badged as SL550. I had one of those bags too I think they might be very rare!. IIRC the Vario roof was designed in a joint venture between Mercedes & Porsche. Together they apparently acted as design consultants and engineered aluminium folding roofs for a variety of other manufacturers too, of which Cadillac was one example.

I really enjoy your videos and as I’m off work for 3 months after an op I look forward to my 5pm Sunday slots even more ❤

I still love my R129 SL320 straight 6 Owned since May 2010 I love the old girl.

Stunning looking car. looks very well built and safe.❤

Someone once said about maintaining cars of this calibre....all of life's costs are high. It may be worth a fraction of its new price in 20 years but the repair and service costs remain constant. Nice video.

My father, who owned a service station, used to drive old luxury cars that he bought cheaply. If they had minor issues, he could get them fixed easily. The important thing with that type of machine was not to obsess over all the toys working. Luxury cars were usually well maintained, and that was very important. (In the late '80s I had a 1975 Cadillac whose AC needed a repair that would have cost more than the car was worth. The solution was to bypass the cooling system in spring, plumb it full on for winter, and modulate the temperature by opening the electric windows.) I suspect that modern vehicles have passed a threshold of chemical and electronic complexity that thwarts such approaches.

2:07 The "bug-eyed" look of the 1995(!) 210 E-Class always reminds me of the Jag XJ saloons, especially the Series 1. So, no wonder that styling looks good on the Merc - it's a modern slant (literally a "slant") on a classic styling touch from almost 30 years earlier.

It is a very pretty car😀😀😀 you are right!!

Great to see a beautiful desireable car that is attainable. Your videos are a tonic , due ,in part, to your deep and genuine enthusiasm for your passion and business. I know you have worked hard to get where you are, but lucky dog all the same. Good on you dude and thank you.

Have always admired the SL500. A car for touring in the grand tradition.

Very good point about “buying the maintenance”, Mr Tyrell. As cars values drop, they become tempting ownership propositions for people without such deep pockets, as those who bought new. Yet, the double whammy of an older car likely to need expensive repairs increases too.

Got an R129 SL500 @ 14,000 miles. First thing we did - Waxoyl the whole underside. Money well=spent

Yeah this generation of SL is one of the best looking Mercedes of the last 25 years!

I share your love Iain. Our “new to us” 2003 R230 SL350 took us round Ireland, Scotland, Côte d’Azur, Germany (Sindelfingen), France and many other places without fuss and in absolute comfort. Cruised effortlessly on the autobahn at 120mph with speed limiter engaged (my wife in the passenger seat). After eleven years and 55K miles it succumbed to water ingress and electronic problems which were too expensive to justify repair so traded it for a 2014 SL400. The R230 series are very a lovely design and a bit of a hidden gem….. I’ve now got a 2017 SL500 which I agree isn’t as beautiful but I think carries on the tradition of the SL series with even more mind boggling technology eg ABC “Curve Function” suspension technology. MB has lost the plot on the latest SL I think, it’s not really an SL at all, more of an AMG Porsche rival. End of an era sadly.

A beautiful example of a fine car, I own it's rather basic cousin, a 2002 C240 which has been excellent. 100% agree that preventative maintenance is the key to keeping older cars in great shape, at least rust isn't an issue where I live in Australia, my 22 yr old car still looks like new underneath.

But Mercedes sorted the 102 engine with a duplex chain in the end

The early R230s' aged really well.

Merc had a lot of rust problems when they switched to Russian 'steel'😢 in the 90s. My neighbour's E class was in every year under warranty for rust issues. I heard they switched back to German steel around 2010. My E class was rust free after 10 years. On the auto boxes, can't agree more. My German dealer insisted on changing the fluid every 125000km. Even though it was sealed for life. I love the shape of these. But can't afford mercs now I've retired.

Nice episode. Good to point out the servicing remains related to the original price, not what the market values these or any car at.

Lovely car Iain, I had an S350 for 5 years on 05 plate, I was still finding clever engineering features on it the same month as I sold to be minicabbed in Cardiff. I looked at SL 500's a couple of years ago and you are right, they are very expensive now for an old car

I agree. It is a pretty car. "Lifetime fluids" has always stuck me as a nonsense, too. It depends how you define "lifetime" for a start and it seems such an obvious way motor manufacturers try to ensure vehicles don't last and we have to buy new ones. Perhaps I'm just an old cynic.

Very much agreeable Iain in the notion that M Bs as have become as they are, somehow do lack the distinctive presence they ones had. On quite some models today, only the star on their cars is their give away. The R230 has plenty character, although the rear and front designs are indeed not in harmony. However, overall they still are a wonderful style of very much M B motoring.

I can related to the advice given here. I have a slightly older E55 AMG Wagon and have had to go through all the fluids, change suspension and brake pipes and do a lot of rust prevention. As much as I love it ,it is not particularly desirable ,and it is a lot harder to keep on top of than my other supposedly less reliable cars , looking at you my also much loved old Range Rover !

German cars theseday the componants go on them, end up with big bills. They are designed up to warranty time span

The Mercedes Benz 's from 2003 on to about 2010 had a brilliant design , E class , SL , S, C , CLK all share that timeless , well balanced styling. In Australia , rust in these cars is almost non-existent thanks to our dry climate ,,,the subframes ,brake pipes etc look much the same as they did when new.

I have the same feelings for my E39 - I always look back and think what a beautiful and harmonious shape it is, and how well engineered it is too. 225,000 miles and counting....

Your Mercedes is wonderful and has the proper mix of style and technology. I feel the same about Porsche 996. There is a great deal of hype about the 996, but as a 20 year old car, it too has a great blend of style and technology at of course an unbeatable price. These fine cars are within the financial reach of many people.

That just made my Sunday evening shine! Always a pleasure to step into the workshop and get a good lecture on what’s real and what works better. I love the style of those long Mercs and they do look comfortable.

Still love the looks of these cars. Hats off to you maintaining this modern classic and keeping it proper.

A lot of good points here. Sometimes a car is just a good fit with its owner, even if it isn't worth a fortune. I've had the same street car since 2009, because I just love it!

CHF 11S fluid brought back some memories about a friend’s E32 7-series that used CHF 7.1S fluid that was about $35 per litre from Pentosin many years ago. Your point about sealed fluids is excellent. Power steering systems, automatic transmissions, CVTs, these are all great candidates for regular fluid exchanges. Here’s a question: how would you cycle coolant through on a Porsche 991.2 GT3? It has a fiendishly difficult cooling system prone to airlocks and difficult to bleed even with vacuum applied. Change the reservoir bottle with every drive?

The magician shows another mechanical wonder. What more we want when tyrrel is back.

Another great episode..... can't stop looking at the Fiat 130's......

Love my SL. Might only be the V6 275bhp. But no ABC and fuel economy was a big influence on my decision. Great to see people being positive about a complicated car 👍🏻 keep up the good work

Couldn't agree more. I bought a 2002 clk convertible Brabus 3.8 conversion in 2003 two years ago for 2k . Love it.

The rear styling of the Fiat 130, definitely shades of Ford Granada Mk 2 in there

I first commented on problems with the ABC - but now you got to it. Totally agree with you on how to maintain the ABC system.

I had that one in that colour. Loved the growl from the engine, the starter button on the top of the gear stick, the space. I didn't keep it that long. Was worried about the bills if something went bang. Actually, I have a video of my son testing the roof for me

We had a 1983 230E for 17yrs…until the timing chain went …I don’t think BLW 797Y is on the road anymore. Our fault really, it was super reliable but you have to keep up the general maintenance

The last of the really handsome Mercedes SLs; looks a lot like a 2-door version of the S-Class that was out around that time. This one looks in great condition. I find the models that have come since this one are a bit too garish. You got a good deal on it but if it was in particularly bad shape I know you and your team would have brought it back up to scratch, but unfortunately it seems many of these cars have fallen into the hands of people who really can't afford to look after them, and I am seeing a lot more old and battered Benzes and Bimmers on the road now than I did as a child.

The car price curve that you described for the Mercedes is known as the 'bathtub curve' and it's shape applies to all regular production type cars. The only types that don't adhere to the said curve are specialist limited production type 'supercars' which are only made available to persons with a known and regular 'new car' purchase history with the said marque - an example being the Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

I think the best of breed W129 was the rare, low sales, 300SL with 5-Speed manual. transmission. I worked for a dealer in Greenwich Connecticut from 1970 to 1990. Earned Star Technician awards. Serviced 1950's models, 300 gullwing, 600 m100, greatest period for MB. Your looks great and has been blessed with care. Your correct- fresh lubricants is the key. Cheers from New HampShire 🇺🇲✌️ ps, I might be moving to the Isle of Man in 2 weeks if our presidential election goes to the orange man. Pray for us.

I own an R172 SLK 55AMG, and love it. It's not the best ride. Has an M152 engine, producing just over 400bhp. Will run on 4 cylinders on eco mode. Averages 27mpg. Runs a quiet as a lamb, until it's opened up. At what mileage should the timing chain be replaced, please.

Your Merc was truly a great buy. I'm looking forward to receiving my cap as summer is on its way for us in NZ.

Answer to your question: Both! At least it is a very loaded model and it looks indeed the part. This will be a classic, like all it's predecessors. But it probably will take a few years, and you need to drop a lot of money in it to keep it rolling. Love it though!!

Superb video Iain and informative, in your own words Tickety-Boo

I'm a new member and I bought a shirt....so, I'm not messing around. You other lackies need to step up!

Probably a liability but along with the Gorgeous R129, my favorite Benz and cars of all time. Just beautiful. Silky, comfortable power. Great, reliable V8, mostly I think. A mountain of torque comparatively. Such a huge nerd, I'd enjoy racing a humble SL500 alot in Gran Turismo 5. Just a good car despite any issues.

I have the CL 500 for the same reasons you have the SL 👍

I like it when older cars are kept well. That's why I keep my '98 CLK320 in good shape (just coming back from the Autobahn, what a nice ride it is). And yes, this lifetime fluid-fill is rubbish, especially on the automatic.

Aged well, haven't they. I was never over-enamoured with the bug-eye look and those enormous rear light clusters and probably would've preferred a Jag XK equivalent but nowadays, I think the styling has grown more into what we come to expect. Better than Mercedes current offerings imho...

I've got the same make model year and COLOR! Love mine! Put mine on custom suspension BC the hydraulics are unreliable. Love driving a 5L V8 with a hardtop! Love my bugeyes!

so easy on the eyes. what a timeless look

The combination of the M113 Engine and the 722.6 Transmition is the most bulletproof you can have in a gasoline Mercedes. I had this combination in 5 cars with high mileage. I never had any problem.

I agree, this was the best looking Merc.

Yay!!! The R230!! I have to say, I agree with everything you said and really, the CL's are right there with it.

Hello Tyrell, when you change any of the fluids, how many times or how often you'd change it to be safe it's done or partially done? Thanks

Im in the market for one (an SL500) but unsure whether to go for an Airmatic or ABC (Hydraulic) and 5G or a 7G.

A really enjoyable presentation about a relatively affordable but interesting classic.

The R129 is still my favourite but the R230 is very nice.

I have that engine in a 2006 CLS. The M113 is indeed a bulletproof V8.

Most basic but most important just change the fluids never a better bit of advice spoken Ian when I got my first car in the 80s my Dad would make shure I would at the minimum change the oil every 6 months no matter the mileage