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Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Convertible (2002-2011) running costs and reliability

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Running costs rating: 2.5 out of 52.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 19 - 30 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

If you have the sort of money to indulge in an SL then you won’t be too concerned about the running costs. That doesn’t prevent the car from being thirsty and expensive to insure while parts and servicing costs are high. However in the market for flash metal there are plenty that are even more costly to run and it’s such a desirable machine that residual values are pretty strong too.

The SL is not a green choice. The lowest emissions are 236g/km of CO2 on the 350 model which can also return 28.5mpg.

Some Mercedes-Benz models from the early 2000s drifted a bit in the quality stakes, but this SL largely meets expectations of peerless build quality and engineering. However, a few owners have reported problems with roof seals that haven’t been fixed despite several visits to dealers. There have also been a few recalls.