How expensive was it to own a Mercedes SL 55 AMG?

Follow me on Instagram for additional content: @swisscarguymario / swisscarguymario
Before selling it, I review my 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG and I list and add up all the costs I've had to buy and maintain the car.
If you only want to know the costs, go directly to 18:25.
Spoiler: It's CHF 22'370.- in 794 days and 23'571km of ownership. CHF 10'284.-/year
CHF 856.97/month
CHF 197.76/week,
CHF 28.17/day
CHF 0.89/km
At the time of filming CHF 1.- ~ USD 1.-
Expensive? Yes, but considering I got to drive a gorgeous 500hp roadster for two years it's not too bad.

[@Macedonia270]

You should get yourself a Ferrari...It will solve your problems...in the sense that you will NEVER think that Mercedes maintenance is expensive...

[@vics5623]

Ferrari was never meant for daily drive. Mercedes is

[@Macedonia270]

@@vics5623 I want a Ferrari...but I don't know why...🤣

[@vics5623]

@@Macedonia270 I would love to have the extra money to get a ferrari for the weekends

[@milkmadetea]

Or an aston martin. 1400$ oil changes can suck my dick.

[@pussygalore5947]

" I'm a car guy and I want something else." The perfect honest reason to sell.

[@frankburdodrums8984]

He shouldn't have a car on this level. He should by a prius.

[@saulespino2510]

He should of added this - "and want to sell it soon before something else breaks!"

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

Yes, that's being a true car guy.....It's also a will of increasing your culture in the automotive matter. I did the same for twenty years or so,and I had so much fun and really had my knowledge enhanced. Obviously the whole thing stands on the strictly personal side....and budget as well.

[@ALLK1LL3RNOF1LL3R]

He's exactly the sort of person I'd want to buy the car from. Great understanding of what it needs and how much it costs

[@timojongejan907]

Excellent, realistic review. A lot of car journalists should take lessons from this. And your comparison to driving a Prius for a year is absolutely right: what price tag can you give to the 'pleasure' a car can give you every km you drive it? Driving a winding road through a beautiful landscape is a pleasure with every convertible by the way. But just a little more enjoyable with a V8 I can imagine...

[@absentbrainded]

Absolutely loved your review. Very thorough. I own a 2004 SL 55, and I learned a few things watching it. Cheers from Nashville, TN, USA.

[@despot2180]

Cheers from Frankfurt, GER, EU, Earth.

[@101tcp]

I also had a 2004 SL 55AMG, the 3 most expensive and fun years of my life!

[@mistamac57]

Great video and review Sir. Don’t be embarrassed by your attention to detail. Lots will thank you for it !

[@charlierhodes4069]

You the only one I can talk too lh B

[@charlierhodes4069]

Im really Hello U no up a been planned do low distinct for a couple days and and it is a miss I need some help would I ask for someone to walk me to this thing and nothing's ever happened all I get is Golo Google play and lovable you know and Amelie gins sick of it so ammonis trial thing and a and if I wanna quit what I do

[@INDIGOBLUE555]

Can't agree more, SwissCarGuy is a true connoisseur not as those fanboys talking pure nonsense ...for they aren't AMG owners,just being magazine readers. When dealing with such high end cars detail is all important. Excellent review as for my humble opinion.

[@henkdeboer1960]

@@charlierhodes4069 kit yuj

[@gotglasses]

As a 2004 SL500 owner I have lusted after the SL55 because of the supercharged performance. As I get older that seems less important. The SL55 was the first real 200 mph street car. A popular modification in the US is a smaller drive pulley to increase the boost. Those cars can do a 1/4 mile in the 10 second range at close to 140 mph. It would be fun! Your comments on depreciation are enlightening and make perfect sense. My wife’s 2018 BMW has cost us over $30,000 In depreciation! The next time she complains about my $209 oil change I will tell her about this! Thank you my friend!

[@MisterCee41510]

Going to look at one of these tomorrow. Highly considering buying one. This video is one of the more practical / relatable reviews on YT. Informative without going over the top. Thanks for taking the time to make this.

[@mrmartin553]

Finally, an actual review! Well done!

[@or6144]

Enjoyed this Review tremendously. Simple, no frills like one SL owner with another engaged in a simple conversation about their experience in owning this car. BRAVO!

[@PauloHeaven]

I've come across your videos and watched the Phaeton, the LS600h and now this. I appreciate a lot the in-depth character of the maintenance part of your reviews, your tone and the timestamp for the prices. It's all very informative and relaxing to watch.

[@nunoabreu3983]

Excellent review!!! Very clear and useful!! Congratulations!

[@siko3x0]

The best and most honest review I've ever seen

[@brucesmith6942]

Thank you for your insight and extreme detail. It was most informative and makes me see things from a different angle where running costs VS depreciation is concerned. You are great!

[@cologne2792]

An excellent, highly informative, greatly detailed, relaxed, very interesting, practical review with a great deal of logic and sense. Your English is superb as well!

[@phil702x]

Nice review. I miss my SL55. I think your supercharger clutch is on the supercharger pulley. You can buy those online for around $500. They’re somewhat easy to replace. I don’t think you needed the entire supercharger.

[@p0werl0ve]

thanks for sharing. a pretty objective analysis on "owning an old supercar" case. The whole expense thing was insightful too also for people outside Switzerland.

[@70053morayfirth]

I kinda like this guy - so honest, excellent communicator, useful information. Interesting approach to the cost of running one of these fantastic vehicles. I need to subscribe.

[@jameshollingsworth2821]

Thank you for this excellent video! I just bought an '03 SL55. Serviced at MB for the life of the car and the supercharger was replaced about 10K miles ago. So hopefully I'm good for another 80K miles. Thanks again for the detailed narrative. Cheers from Texas!

[@glasser2819]

at least keep an open eye on ATF and rear Diff fluids for early drain/fill ✌️

[@LandscapeMaster33]

Great vid. I can’t wait for spring time here in Canada to get my 03 SL55 🤗🤗

[@riazghuman8698]

Very open , honest and detailed review in absolutely simple way .

[@bobsedgwick3057]

Excellent, helpful and very detailed review. I’m in the process of finding a good SL55 now and doing my homework. Thanks.

[@garykeller5096]

Very nice review on the SL55 you did a great job explaning the drivability and costs of owning an older Mercedes, thank you.

[@Linerguru]

Thank again SCG. Your educated and witty analysii are always of great interest !!!

[@jonatanhedberg7377]

Truly a great and real review! This is what the reality is and it´s what most wanna know! Keep it up!

[@nottherealmccoy4955]

Great review, a lot of fun! Beautiful car & your English is perfect! More please.. :)

[@lukeskywalker1574]

Very good video. Easy to listen to and nice to watch. One day I hope to own an SL myself, perhaps not the 55 AMG, but maybe the 500.

[@jackcpo]

I really enjoyed this video.You sir are very well spoken. I own a 1984 500 SL euro version and I love it and thank God it is not nearly as expensive to operate as your AMG. My SL has only 66000 miles on it and it is totally unmolested . I plan to keep it for many years. I look forward to your next video.

[@julianadams2206]

Great and very informative review. Always interesting to learn about the real world costs of owning an older performance car. I was thinking that the costs didn’t seem to steep until you mentioned 6000 S-Francs for a new Supercharger from M/Benz. I’m now very glad that I have a non Supercharged AMG 55 model. Yikes!

[@wmbrice]

Very nice review! Thanks, I have been looking at these & it’s nice to have a realistic view of the vehicle characteristics & costs

[@raymondfrye8696]

Articulate, conscience and detailed. Great job. I have become a subscriber. Keep up the great work.

[@disinverted]

best real world review of the reality of owning an SL55. Very honest and analytical

[@Linerguru]

Nice, precise report on actual costs of owning this car. Like you, I share the desire to drive, and older classic car than a new cheaper type car.

[@BeePee1503]

Very informative video...thanks for the meticulous record keeping and a wonderful detailed presentation of your ownership. It was great to watch.

[@Iamsoundofsoul]

Loved this review! I’m looking forward to the next!

[@twilson1973]

Nice review. Thanks for including all of the maintenance and repair costs. That generation SL looks the best. Currently looking for a CL 55 from the same generation with the 5.4 Supercharged V8. Some of the repair costs will help with negotiating the price.

[@conradcasper2799]

Very informative! Thanks for posting. I have had several European mechanics tell me not to buy this car do to cost of ownership, but like you said, it's just something you have to figure into the equation when driving such a cool car.

[@francis191]

Great Video. Factual but entertaining. Living in the UK it is fascinating hearing the cost comparisons on purchase, servicing and fuel. I loved the driving route you took as it gave a context to the fact the car is a convertible. As to the nerdy figures......keep them coming. There are more car enthusiasts here who live in the real world than otherwise. In 2018 I bought a 2013 500 SL (the ugly one you referred to :-)) specifically because I wanted to avoid the issues of the ABC. I will say that the pneumatic suspension systems on Mercedes are reliable and the overall handling is ideal for real world sporty but comfortable driving. It would be nice to see a review from you on those cars as I think they are a fantastic deal in the performance vs real world driving scenarios. Keep the reviews coming.

[@Ketta3Sportback]

Great video, and with the best sound recording I have ever heard 👍🏼

[@Max_Thunder]

Thank you for these cost of ownership videos. They are really cool to watch. I must say you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself. Especially after the Phaeton video. The costs are pretty high but I guess somewhat expected. What is not expected is the cost of insurance compared to the U.S. You guys get shafted a bit when it comes to insurance premiums.

[@dallisb1047]

One of if not the best reviews that I have ever seen. I get made fun because I keep track of fuel mileage and cost. I saw that my mpg was down on my truck. Ran just fine, but was about 3.5 mpg. Dealership found a problem and repaired it. Mpg went back up. Love your attention to detail! 👍

[@swisscarguy]

It might be nerdy to keep track of these things, but without cold hard numbers you can never have a grasp of what's going on with most things.

[@opieg7333]

Those changes in miles per figures often reveal problems before they are obvious, more than a 1 or 2 mpg drop is likely something requiring attention. It is the reason I track on my daily driver toyota since I am pretty sure it was built to run broken or not and basically tells me when it need maintenance. But, I do not track to the degree referenced in the video for the toyota. And do not track fuel consumption for any of my toy cars because I already know those will break (I go out of my way to try and break them), and they get horrible sub 10mpg fuel economies. That said, tracking can keep you informed and allow you to catch something before you are stranded and its well worth knowing your consumption rate over time.

[@derekburgess]

@@swisscarguy And a shout out for Spritmonitor too!

[@JayMaverick]

Thanks for this video, man! Beautiful car. Very cool and useful to hear EXACTLY how much it costs to run in a place like Switzerland.

[@vince_only_way_is_up]

I guess the problem isnt so much the car, but more the costs of Switzerland added on.

[@JAYJAY-ch4ik]

I can buy 3 in Switzerland for the price of one in my country Singapore. So it’s still pretty dirt cheap even in Switzerland

[@hoen2009]

@@JAYJAY-ch4ik Sinapore really doesn't make sense, in swiss everything is expensive cause people earn alot of money too.

[@mrlaw711]

Absolutely terrific, and also entertaining. Have owned several MBZ's so can relate. Thank you.

[@josephking7021]

Super interesting take on used MB ownership. I have an 07 SL550. Original cost $110K USD. No warranty and 48K miles. I’m not sure what to do. Buy a new Toyota or KIA. I paid $22K 6 years ago. Thanks for cost breakdown, Good work!

[@petardenchev6596]

Very nice review! Informative and real world- thank you

[@ionetu3972]

I like your straight to the point video.... no bla bla like so many other people..... I have a 2003 cl 500 in Spain..... insurance is 400€/year and road tax 160€/year .

[@TheMezzy712]

When ever I see car review. This is what I expect, but rarely see. Thank you for your effort in making this video. Subscribed.

[@benjaminevans6018]

Thoroughly enjoyed your review of a beautiful car and its realistic cost of operation in Switzerland. I live in the Atlanta area and currently have two Mercedes.One is a 1999 ML430 that I bought new for about 45,000.00 USD . It's my daily driver and currently I have accumulated over 415,000 miles and she still runs great ! The other I bought last year ..a pristine 2003 ML55 with 70.000 miles and I paid 13,500.00 ! Obviously I love the W163's with their tank-like construction , four-wheel drive with low range, safety and excellent visibility. KEEP THE SHINY SIDE UP !!

[@Alex38FR]

Best review I found on KZbin about this car ! I am also living in Zürich now and dreaming of a SL 55 AMG for many years so your situation is quite close to mine. I tested a 2003 one last WE but still hesitating a lot because of the potential bugs that can be costly in CH

[@swisscarguy]

If you want some suggestions, feel free to write me at [e-mail]

[@loginzastrzezony]

I've watched many reviews of this model, but this one is the best! Huge thanks for all the calculations :)

[@morahman6709]

Great review from the UK!! Keep it up dude!

[@smokey240]

wow, Thank you, I viewed this video months ago and wanted to see it again. You are a very detailed and smart guy. I am driving a 2004 BMW 325i with only 60,000 miles that I bought in 2006 with 10,000 miles on it. It still drives great.

[@WI_Redneck]

Excellent review! I just bought a 2009 SL550, so I think I'll have to watch out for a few things that you pointed out. Thanks!

[@islandknight6105]

After 5 months now how has your experience been in terms of repairs and maintenance costs??

[@martinnwosu4259]

Excellent video....very informative. Loved the technical specifications

[@chriskeenan531]

That was a very informative video, thank you for sharing. I love the the SL but I'm pretty sure that I will end up with the SL 350

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Your English is better than my English because of the quality of your educational system. Thank you so much for this awesome review!

[@rupeshsingh9142]

Really great review! I am looking into an 07’ SL55. Seems like a cool car to own!

[@tayyebshabir177]

Really helpful and information I was looking for to help me with my next car. I have subscribed.

[@khndenmark]

The best review I have ever seen. Thanks a lot, it was brilliant.

[@rockoneal7621]

Great organized review. I have owned 6 Mercedes cars, 5 being 2003 to 2005 V8 AMG cars. I too buy low mileage, devalued cars. I actually have had better luck on maintenance. Overall, I do not consider my Mercedes cars to be money pits. Leasing a new luxury AMG Mercedes is expensive. I look at my occasional maintenance as just another "lease payment" that does not happen next month, again. I enjoy the V8 power. The fun to drive factor is a big plus with these powerful cars.

[@richardsmart4377]

Great review, thank you, I have owned an 03 SL55 for nearly 3 years now and yes there are some high maintenance costs, I have replaced an ABC strut🙄, general servicing etc, but each time I drive it and hear the sound of the engine and the power under foot, it’s worth every cent😊. I would highly recommend owning one if you enjoy your cars.

[@MrHZ-og2uw]

How much did it cost you?

[@mitchelrucinski9178]

How much did it all cost?

[@coscorrodrift]

Very interesting videos, I've watched all three of the cost videos and they are very informative and clear. Could you do one that just talks about costs of car life in Switzerland? Comparing labour at the dealer and at other shops, just your personal thoughts on it.

[@swisscarguy]

Thanks for the suggestion. Will look into it.

[@MartinJWilliams]

Great video, and really useful cost comparisons!

[@TH3RIV3RM4N]

Wirklich eine klasse Video, womit man die Kaufentscheidung nochmal überdenken kann. Super detailliert und faktenbasiert 🤓👌👌👌

[@MegaGuitarpicker]

Great review and what beautiful scenery!

[@bauer10943]

Excellent review and great guy. This is a perfect review for customers for "want to be guys" in Hollywood. I am enjoying my 03 SL and came to same conclusion after owning several 03 SLs.

[@maxfactorone]

Brilliant review, also interesting that you did some of your own maintenance. Thanks 😊 Tax and insurance a lot cheaper in the UK.

[@btr04]

Really good Review! Fantastic and keep it up!! I love the fact that you bring up the R129. I've actually been looking into the R129 for quite some time because I think it looks really cool and retro. The only thing that makes me look at newer AMG-models instead is that I'm not sure that I'm up for the old-cruisers. Let's see :)

[@swisscarguy]

I owned a 1991 500 SL for 4 years. Nice classy car. The R230 feels way more modern (it is), but if you are ok with the slightly cramped seating position and the indirect steering they are probably the last of the reliable old school Mercedes.

[@JNFGAMBLER]

What an intelligent, sensible and informative review! Good Job!

[@nigelbullock9039]

Brilliant analysis and presentation. That Nokia was awesome.

[@leejones7139]

Great review, very informative and nicely edited 👍

[@MrArslanabd]

I really like your videos. I wish you would have more cars to own and share your experience! Good luck!

[@swisscarguy]

I wish I owned more cars as well. 😄

[@NorVack]

Man amazing review! really good quality content!

[@magnat7]

Excellent video. Loved the reason to sell and loved the conclusion. That's why I bought a 19 year old CLK to my first car.

[@RayfesM]

great video! I'm an engineer and appreciate the more technical aspects and your spreadsheet. I've owned my '09 SL for almost 10 years (bought it 2 years used for $50k less than original sticker). Repairs and maintenance total close to $30k over that time not including fuel and insurance (which are pretty cheap in the US). I don't do anything myself so this is the cost of having work done at a dealer or good shop. Still loving this car! You're right about the vacuum systems. The power trunk closer broke which affected the power door locks.

[@swisscarguy]

Your comment just made me remember that my trunk soft close had broken as well at one point. Needed to slam the thing shut, like I hated the car and wanted to hurt it. That one I managed to fix cheaply by just epoxying all the cracks and holes in the trunk lock case. Never gave me any problems after that in the year until I sold the car.

[@joesmith9216]

Yikes, you've done about 30k in repairs in ten years? well, I am selling my '11 550 ASAP, HAHA.

[@Highvdubguy]

Awesome video! Super informative, thank you!

[@alexter001122]

Thank you for this very informative video Swiss Car Guy. After watching the video I realized the maintenance alone for this car is enough money to buy a decent SL500, I guess I will stick with the non-amg SL! I wanted the power, but if I enjoy the 500 or 600, maybe I can upgrade to the 55 eventually!

[@brianbutler3397]

great review,very detailed and informative.also,a lovely part of the world you you drove the car.please do a review of the ls600h,when you have time please.really enjoyed it.you seem like a perfectionist,interested to know what you do for a job?

[@jimbosliceatlanta]

One of the best (early gen) AMG reviews 🏆

[@ericmutnan6358]

I just stumbled on your videos. You are right up there with Doug Demuro. Keep it up!

[@quatrevelo]

The best video I've seen regarding running cost of owning such (very nice) vehicle. Grüss aussi Morges.

[@ThomastheTank113]

really good video, very instructive. Must be a fluke or something with Mercs in Italy. my e240 broke down on holiday last summer in Milan. at a tollbooth my alternator said goodbye. luckely i made it to my destination and got it fixed

[@edoardodisetti4798]

Outstanding review. By chance I am considering bying the same care and your review is crucial to make the final decision! Thanks.

[@swisscarguy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@notonlyforthem]

Fantastic review, thank you for sharing!

[@robertocormack4688]

You did a great job reviewing the car....thanks!

[@stevebilenky4059]

That was very informative, thank you. I think I'll keep my lower tech '99 SL500 and install and remove my hard top once a year.

[@ModeSarka]

Really awesome video, enjoyed it a lot!

[@jassonsw]

I completely agree, these are the last of the pretty SL's and they still look great. They new square ones just lack beauty.

[@jmarkr100]

I owned a 2007 SL550 several years ago. Excellent car and very few issues. Sold it with 125k and still ran great. I liked it so much I wanted a SL55. I went through 3 cars that did not pass a ppi. I finally found one in Miami that checked out. I flew down from Atlanta and saw the car, drove it and then went to the bank to get a cashiers check. With the check still in my pocket I got in the car to take the previous owner home and it wouldn’t crank. The starter had gone out! Back in bank to cancel the check and a cab to the airport for me! Thank God!

[@Timtimzi]

How long does a PPI usually take? Did you get it with the owner?

[@abdelhameedalotaibi3657]

To be honest you are a good owner and really looking after this car .. for me in Dubai owning a CLS55 amg 2005 model is much cheaper .. when the hydraulic system started leaking and failing i simply changed to normal struts , i had to change spark plugs , engine mounts , radiator all from BOSCH which is much cheaper than dealer .. and thats about it . Insurance for older cars are much much cheaper over here , im practically paying the same amount as a small hatchback owner , no taxes and fuel is relatively cheap .. So in conclusion its worth it to own one here especially that people here are always attracted to newer cars which help depreciate the older ones really fast .

[@radmansa5514]

They are nice to own as “Fun” cars, not as your daily driver, I own my R129 from 2014 and did not spend much on it as it came with full maintenance and service history, but now I have to replace the soft top hydraulics which is expensive. I have a 1990 ford laser for 29 years and rebuilt it for the same cost as the hydraulics for the soft Top!. However my daily driver is my 2002 C200 Kompressor which I own now for 14 years and has proven to be very reliable, with only regular service and consumable cost to it. The key is either to do most of the repairs yourself or know someone who will not overcharge for it, and always use good quality / agent parts for the repairs. I do all the my repairs myself, Great video 😎👍

[@b.snoodleman5864]

There are two types of people in the world, those that like good rock-n-roll and those that like the back street boys. Those who like good rock-n-roll are willing to pay some extra money for good audio gear and those who like the back street boys don't even know what good audio gear is. This video sums up the difference between those who care about their integrity, life, pleasure, fun, and other human beings and choose to drive an AMG, and those who don't care about any of those things and drive a Toyota Prius.

[@antoniomerida-perez676]

WTF, I love the Backstreet Boys and hate Prius as it is the symbol of democrats and socialism, long live the SL55 AMG baby, the ultimate car for those right in the middle of the spectrum...not poor, not rich.....enjoy life Noodleman and your AMG!

[@alansoler2653]

Love the video bro!!!

[@NickForest999]

I have an R107SL and agree those vacuum operated items are a pain when they play up...I didn’t realise MB were still using that system on this model though, quite bizarre. Really good review

[@JBsC6]

Cool ride and it is interesting to tally up total cost of ownership...cool ride and thanks for doing it in english

[@nathansmith2853]

Great video an very detailed good job mate

[@georgeachillea5946]

Great review, well detailed and informative.

[@pavo555]

Good point about devaluation, never thought this way...very good english and vid mate!

[@joseaparicio782]

Hello I am a Portuguese owner of the same car from 2004. Is a second hand car and I follow all your comments and agree with all your messages. The car is a superb car for weekend travels and the pleasure and the road head turning we have compensate all the other odd things you weel said. Thank you for your complete reviiew of that excelent roadstar mercedes.

[@KingofInterns]

Nice ride. Also living in Switzerland and just picked up a C55 estate at Christmas. I am lucky to have LSD and upgraded brakes from factory :) also no expensive ABC or other toys to fail ;) plus the bikes go on the roof. Enjoy it!