@@Rok Dox Another one just turned up on Bring a Trailer today...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/20...ign=2021-07-31

 

Thanks for the heads up. There are few p30s out there. I really want a silver one as opposed to black.. How about a 2009 or 2010 AMG SL63? I think there more silver ones out there.

 

Steven Kessler Motorcars in FL seems to source quite a few. Worth a look to see and keep up with. Good luck with the search, it should be as fun as the result!
Mine certainly was!!!

 

No p30. Silver with black leather. 45,000 miles. Paid 35,000. Perfect body with great tires, brake pads. I took it to our local MB dealer today. The car needs: new batteries, valve gaskets, engine and motor mounts and the ABC fluid is "dark and burned." Would you spend the money and fix it, or would you return it for a refund?

 

Herman can give you a better idea on the extent of the mechanical needs. Not sure I would return it, but I would probably ask for a price adjustment. Did the MB dealer give you a price estimate for the work?

 

$4,200 for the work...

 

I would negotiate a discount. And if they’re unwilling, ask for your money back and walk away. I’d be surprised if they weren’t flexible, since the next buyer would presumably also uncover the same issues.

 

Thanks for the advice. Do you know anybody who wants to sell a "reliable" sl55? (Is there one?)

 

No, I don't. I think in general you should stick to the later years (MY 2007 and 2008) and you should be OK. MBZ had most of the bugs worked out by then, but they are not a cheap car to maintain.

 

This is an 08. The dealer said that changing the fluid in the ABC has a 60% chance of preventing suspension problems. What do you think?

 

All fluids need to be changed at some point, no matter what car it is, so probably good advice.

 

Here’s my newly acquired P30, fresh from its first wash in probably five years - I wouldn’t have even required an enclosed carrier except for it’s rarity. Arrived with barely over 46,000 miles on it, and a $5000+ list of needs from the White Plains MB sourced PPI. Which boiled down to well under $1000 in parts mostly from FCE.
There’s quite the story to go behind the purchase which I’ll share as time permits if there’s any interest.
For now I will simply extend a heartfelt thank you to Vlad, and indirectly to covid, as I understand it was what allowed the time for him to gain his encyclopedic knowledge of all things R230 P30. He was instrumental in finding and researching this car, without him it likely would have been flipped by a BaT dealer.

 

Good luck with your newly acquired Beast! I am sure you will love it as much as I love mine. Fyi, you may want to join the Mercedes Club of America. Besides the club get together aspects you also will get the great quarterly magazine and should get 10% off parts and labour at your local Mercedes dealer. Through experience I have found that it is hard to find local shops, other than Mercedes who are knowledgeable enough about AMG to work on them with any great efficiency.

 

John your car looks great in white! If this crazy world ever regains some semblance of normal again perhaps we can have lunch together. We used to - and hope for the future option of - take the Black Ball to Victoria at least a couple times a year. Between the two cars we’d have the colors of the Canadian flag, and in the unlikely event a blue one appeared, USA too!

 

Ha ha…Absolutely! There are some lovely drives on Vancouver Island.