Any Thoughts on Renntech ECU-Upgraded SL 65 ?

[PersianJ]

Renntech officially states 650 horsepower and 840 lb/ft of torque for an ECU reprogrammed SL 65 or CL 65, but dealers are dynoing these cars at well over 700 horsepower I've been told ......

Seems Renntech is being conservative in their estimates .....Just like how Benz claims their standard 600 V-12 engines produce only 493 horsepower but they're being dynoed stock at 580 to 600 .......

The tuners might already be hard at work on having internal upgrade packages for the 65 engines .... this should indeed take them to 800 or more horsepower ... but still don't know if the transmission will be able to handle it .... even though the 65 trans has been significantly strengthened over the standard 600 transmission. Atleast there are now Benz dealers out there with strong ties to Renntech and have dealer & Renntech backed full 4 year 50,000 mile warranties on all aftermarket work, so even if you have a 700 horsepower SL 65 and you keep blowing the transmission every couple of months, they'll just keep putting in a brand new one for you every time no charge.

Also, so far I have not seen ANY auto magazine really seriously gun out any CL 65 or SL 65, I mean really put it through the whole works, put them through the paces with measuring gear and get some solid numbers down. .... every article I've read so far just states official conservative factory numbers .... which everyone knows are extremely conservative in their estimation .....

I can't wait for Car & Driver to gun the s**t out of an SL 65, since the standard SL 600 is doing zero to 60 in 3.6 seconds already .... also I'd really like to see them post up their best 1/4 mile and zero to 100 and zero to 150 and zero to 200 times for the SL 65 .... I have a suspicious feeling that not only will the SL 65 absolutely destroy any previous SL 55 or SL 600 times ... but that the time might be competitive or better in some cases than many ultra super cars that cost well over $400,000 each.

It's already really getting fishy and weird that nobody has tested the 65's thoroughly .....

Any thoughts? Comments? I don't know how many people on this forum give a crap about Mercedes but I think there's atleast a couple others besides me that care .... 8)

[Anzeige eBay]

Hallo PersianJ,

 

kennst du schon Any Thoughts on Renntech ECU-Upgraded SL 65 ? (Anzeige)? Dort ist vieles zu finden.

 

Mercedes Ersatzteile (Anzeige) | Mercedes Zubehör (Anzeige)

[LateNightCable]

even if you have a 700 horsepower SL 65 and you keep blowing the transmission every couple of months, they'll just keep putting in a brand new one for you every time no charge.

Uhhh ... Okay.

Any thoughts? Comments? I don't know how many people on this forum give a crap about Mercedes but I think there's at least a couple others besides me that care .... 8)

I can hear crickets ...

[thepolarfoxqx]

SL600 runs to 60 in 4.6, not 3.6. The manufacturer says 4.6, no one has gotten under 4.3 that i can find. Mercedes will void your warrantee if you keep blowing up transmissions. You have an odd fixation and think they are for some reason god's gift to automobiles.

[Thunf]

I must say, all those xx65 amg cars aren't even available for our president!

[PersianJ]

what the f ?

http://www.caranddriver.com/article...article_id=7782

The above link is from the article about the SL 600.

I have an odd fixation? What with the attitude? I thought you guys grew out of that a while back when I had to fend off all manner of bad attitude on this site? Has nothing changed? What about the huge fixation on BMW's on this site? But when someone dares mention in a praising manner a Benz, nobody likes it?

I never ever for the billionth damn time claimed they are God's gift to automobiles ... that would be Lamborghini. 8)

I haven't heard of any Renntech ECU upgraded 600's having blown transmissions so far, and the 65's trans are much stronger so there's no reason to think they'll be failing a lot. But you all have to admit it's nice to know that when a dealer backs up aftermarket work with warranties, it makes the customer more comfortable knowing if it did ever break it will be fixed for free.

I thought if I waited a while, this site wouldn't be so f**cked up towards me, but it seems little has changed ... how pathetic.

You all's fixation on bimmer is ridiculous also but it never even gets mentioned on this website. bimmer's aren't a gift either by any means ya know ... take a SL, CL, or S any day over one.

But it's understandable that there will be alot of animosity towards new Benz's with alot of power ... a lot of resentment by hardcore fans of other brands .......

Can't wait for some U.S. magazines to really put down some hard numbers on the SL 65 .....

[skyline_r34v]

I wouldn't say Lamborghini is GOD's gift to automobiles. I'd say Ferrari would be more of a gift than lambo's.

I personally don't like Benz because they are doing the same damn thing chevy, ford and GMC is doing. They are stashing huge ass engines with supers out the ass in an already over-weight car to make it even more obese and then make you pay over half the retail you spend for the car in order to build some sort of suspension that can withstand all that insignificant weight around at the track.

It's stupid.

[LateNightCable]

Persian, this site has a propensity for BMWs' sure, but we don't go around saying out of this world things about them. Like ...

" Hey everybody, when the new M6 comes out, AC Schnitzer is going to bore the V10 out, chip it, and increase redline to 9,500 to produce 580 hp. and then they're going to strap on some turbos and intercoolers, which will make something like 720 hp. With an ECU upgrade it could be 800 . The limiter will be taken off of course so the car will be allowed to hit it's top speed, which will be like 220. And with optional aero body kit, could reach 240. While we comb our hair and listen to techno pumping on the 2,000 watt stereo that will be available 8) . Expect 0-60 in 3 seconds. If you blow the engine or trans, they will hook you up with a new one no charge for 4 years or 50,000 miles! "

You see how silly that sounds? Those are the kinds of things that come from you when you speak of Mercedes. It would be crazy no matter who you're refering to. The " attitudes " are not about you, just some of your claims. No offense, but you would be recieved much better if you came down to Earth a little.

Ferrari is Enzo's gift to Italy.

[Thunf]

You have showed a great number of links Persian! I'm just agains the numbers you say about Mercedes luxury cars. A FR luxury car runs fastest as best 4.2 but never under 4 sec to 100 kmh. Tuned Porches blows all BMWs and Mercedes anytime. The quickest car I've ever seen must be a supertuned Ford RS200, that would even blow Porches depending where you go. A big field track the tuned Porches would win. If you want more acceleration, get a Hayabusa! I'm sure you get a bigger acceleration kick by that! But this is CARpassion we discuss ofcourse...

[LateNightCable]

Tuned Porches blows all BMWs and Mercedes anytime.

This of course is a matter of opinion, and depends greatly on model, state of tune, and driving conditions.

[thepolarfoxqx]

tweaking porsches, you have the advantage that they are smaller and lighter in weight, but generally speaking, it's all what you do that makes the difference, they are different cars for different purposes.

And hey, schnitzer is making the M6 go 265, did you hear, they are using McLaren F1 tech to get it to do it. Persian Told me so.

[Anzeige Amazon]

Hallo PersianJ,

 

schau doch mal hier zum Thema Zubehör für Mercedes (Anzeige)? Eventuell gibt es dort etwas Passendes.

 

Auch interessant: Der V16 Motor zum Selberbauen (Anzeige).

[Thunf]

Look at this! http://www.autothority.com/video/autothority_996-stage5-high.wmv

and this...

http://www.t-t-p.de/downloads/ttp_porsche_gt2.mpg especially when he accelerates and the RR car wants to spin even in 2:nd!

And why not look at various things here:

http://kotisivu.mtv3.fi/harriyrt/videot.htm

BTW, M6 do 265? kmh or mph? I don't believ mph.

[SERGIOE34]

Im sorry persain but nomatter how much power mercedes puts under there hoods,they just dont make sports cars.BMWs and porches are true sports cars,.mercedes just dosent IMO have 1 real sports sports car on the market.The slr is the only merc that you could realy call a sportscar and that turned out to be a dissapointment too.If your wondering why people on this site choose bmw over merc that is probly why.Just like fox said a little while back.If he testdrove a merc and a bmw and the merc out preformed the bimmer he would buy the mercedes.But it dosent so BMW is the car you buy if you know your shit.

[thepolarfoxqx]

Along the logic of - at the same price, the superior car will sell better, BMW outsells mercedes by a huge margin, approaching 2:1 if I remember right, in north america. I'm not sure about other places in the world. On a good day however, the private holdings of the Quandt-BMW Groupe G.m.b.h are apparently greater than those of GM. They don't publically release much - being that they are privately held, but the BMW CEO swears on a good day (he even said it to fortune) their market cap crests over GM's. BMW runs a solid business.

BMWs are build as sport cars first, other things afterwards, they can definately be very luxurious, safe, other things too. Mercedes makes a luxury car, they can add sporting and other things to it, but in the end, the merc is made to be a luxury car and the BMW is made to be a sports car.

[Thunf]

Definately not 2:1 bor BMW over here, I know that. And stop put BMW and Porche in the same sentence.

[Thunf]

Im sorry persain but nomatter how much power mercedes puts under there hoods,they just dont make sports cars.BMWs and porches are true sports cars,.mercedes just dosent IMO have 1 real sports sports car on the market.The slr is the only merc that you could realy call a sportscar and that turned out to be a dissapointment too.If your wondering why people on this site choose bmw over merc that is probly why.Just like fox said a little while back.If he testdrove a merc and a bmw and the merc out preformed the bimmer he would buy the mercedes.But it dosent so BMW is the car you buy if you know your shit.

YET another one claiming it doesn't matter what mercedes do simply because "they don't make sports car"!! Have you tried the new SLK 350 with the new transmission? What if that would be more fun to drive than a Z4 BMW? What if that would be so? I'm sure you just would put the blind eye to that fact. "Mercedes simply don't build sports cars"?? What if they did achieve a perfect driveline like never before?

[thepolarfoxqx]

a perfect driveline.

Mercedes has this huge affinity for automatic transmissions. So long as there is an automatic transmission in the middle, they won't have a perfect driveline. I applaud them for making their 6spd manual unit more available, but they still are so far behind everyone else in the field in offering manual trannies. Wanna know why? You put manual transmissions on sports cars. People who want to buy sports cars typically don't buy mercedes. They do make sporty cars.

The SLK350 has a nice engine, i'll admit that, it's transmission isn't bad either (the manual) - if you put an auto in that car, it doesn't count. It is still overweight, it's suspension is still not on par with the Z-Axle in the Z4. The Z4 I'm sure still easily outhandles the SLK350, the Z4 pretty well outhandles most of the class. People have broken 70 through the slalom (more than a few big magazines) in a Z4. That's impressive. The Z4 is lighter, and it isn't ugly how the new SLK is.

Furhtermore, Z4 is getting some more power. It's 3.0L is getting valvetronic and a boost to 258hp. That's going to more than compensate. The Z4 beats out the SLK350. SLK350 has improved - yes, but all the same, it's no Z4 beater. BMW just does roadsters better. The C-Class will never be a better car than the 3. The 3 defines the category. The C used to suck, but it's become pretty good, almost 3-class good. If the S-Class weren't horribly overpriced and the luxury/build quality wasn't questionable, i'd think it was better than the 745i.

Mercedes makes good cars, I admit that, they are not sportier than their BMW counterpart in any price segment. They are making good drivelines, but a good driveline doesn't make a good sports by itself. All the same, technology is nice, but in terms of performance, the Mercedes drivelines for all their technology don't work any better than the offerings from Audi/VW, BMW or Jaguar.

Another interesting note. Fortune Magazine lists BMW as the most respected company in Germany.

[PersianJ]

If you "know your shit", you buy a BMW and not a Benz? LOLOLOLOLOLOL

too funny .....

Do any of you guys know anybody personally who has an SL 65? If any of you do ... please see if maybe they would be willing to race the new M5 & M6 when they come out ... it would be quite interesting ... 8)

In a straight line the SL 65 would kill them ...... and yes yes I already know what you all are going to say about "if they were in the twisties" .... blah blah blah .....

And don't discount or throw out the new SLK either .... recently when my 745 was in the shop ... I was given a new Z4 3.0 to drive and it was a piece of shit ...... build quality wasn't better IMO than the SLK 350 and it had a really rough and loud ride and not enough leg room by far ...it handled great and was quite speedy enough but that's not enough because the SLK 350 is faster, more comfortable, better built, and easier on the eyes and ears ..... I guess this is just a matter of brand loyalty and/or personal opinion as usual ....

the looks really blew nads also .... I believe the new SLK 55 blows the competition out of the water in the looks department .... and with a new 7-Speed AMG Speedshift trans and that bad-ass V-8 with AMG sports suspension and brakes ... I mean come on let's be honest here it's gonna be one bad-ass ride for sure .....

I honestly don't care anymore about all of the writing off of Benz as inferior to bimmer ... I've just accepted the fact that at CarPassion there is no hope in that department ....

As for quality of construciton ... the next S & CL will handily take care of that matter don't worry .....

[Thunf]

A friend of mine bought a SLK350 with 6 speed manual immediately after he tested a SLK 200K. We had tried a Z4 2.5i before that. We wasn't imperssed and it was very plastic interior in comparison. Also the Z4 2.5 was very slow, nothing impressive. Another friend bought a Z4 3.0i that is faster. Come on here, it's like some people claim Mercedes as dead!? The Z4 3.0 driver I know got into 2:nd gear after he outrev it in 3:rd! So it can't be that good. Also when he had the E39 he did the same more than once.

The SLK is better than the Z4 by allot of magazines. The SLK is as fast in corners as the Z4.

What if some other models than S and the SLK also would beat the BMW counterpart? Like the some models of the C? I'd probably hear that the rear bumper is ugly, or the speed is too high, or that human chests aren't designed for the G forces in the cornering capabilities in the C... it must be something bad right?

And the old C isn't bad, my dad got one. I felt like I was in a E39 when cruising. Very comfotable and it does go much faster in corners due to it's lighter weight of 1330 kg. It feels like all bumps are gone! Are some of you going to say I'm senile because of this?

And what did polarfox mean about questionable S class quality?!!! I'm surprised about this. Because the bimmers axles falls appart. Like the carinspection in sweden tells us. The most problematic cars are BMW 3 series. What about quality there!? Also the where the rearbumper spring is fasted to the body is frequently rusted to dangerous levels. How about searching for flaws eh? I don't say I hate BMW, I actually love them! But sometimes I have to defend using the same kinds of methods some of you are using when searching for flaws.

[SERGIOE34]

Im sorry thunf but the 3 series bmw has been dominating its class for over a decade.Audi and merc have been trying to out do it forever.The c class is not better and probly never will be better than a 3.And i cant see the slk outclassing a z4 either.The new slk is nice considering that the old slk 230 is the worst mercedes ive ever driven.But i dont think it can best the z4.

[Thunf]

Nah, the old slk beats z3 and the new slk beats the z4. Even if BMW dd beat the old slk with z4 but sorry, then came the new slk!

[thepolarfoxqx]

PersianJ is back to share his nice little pearls of ignorance with us again.

Joy.

The "New" Slk isn't really new in terms of chasis or underpinings. Suspension is something mercedes has never developed much. They came up with their 3 link/5 link layout and it worked pretty well, was versatile, so they didn't mess with it. BMW on the other hand has been far more experimental with their suspension. Given their Z-Axle is the reason they have no interior or trunk space and are heavy, it gives them handling that is fairly incredible.

The SL55 is going to beat everything in its class? Really.

With an automatic transmission and no optional stick shift? That doesn't sound that sporty to me. Furthermore, with that V8 up there, weight distrobution gets tilted very negatively and polar center of inirtia goes to hell. Translation, it understeers. A Z4 doesn't. The Z4 M-Roadster likely will not either, as it retains a 6-cylender powerplant. Furthermore, the new corvette has 400hp, weighs less, costs less, has an available 6spd stick, and has better weight distrobution. Explain to me how SLK55 is best in class.

Explain to me how the old SLK320 beat out a Z3 3.0L. The press doesn't agree with you (atleast not in america), and neither do the numbers. The Z3 3.0 was 10hp more potent, 100 lbs lighter, 3 tenths faster to 60, almost 4 miles an hour faster through the slalom, and 2,000 dollars less. Not to mention that the Z3 outsold the SLK here nearly 2:1

The new SLK350 is powerful, yes. In a straight line, i'd bet money it hauled. That said, the 225hp Z4 has been clocked as fast as 5.3 to 60. No one has a SLK350 being that fast yet, and Z4 is getting 33 more horsepower from it's 3.0L. I'd say Z4 will hold it's own there. Through the curves an SLK350 simply is going to be beat. At over 70mph through the slalom, the number of cars that will keep with a Z4 can be counted on your fingers. The suspension on the "New" SLK is damn near identical to the old one, only the new one is heavier, looks different, and has more power. Slalom speed on SLK350 is 64mph. A 6mph slalom difference is huge. To credit the SLK350, it rides smoother i"m sure, the retractable hardtop is a nice feature, i bet it has nice leg room. I'd also bet it has more responsive, tractable power than even the upgraded 3.0L Z4. That's just the benefit of more power and displacement. That said, standing start, the Z4 still holds it's own.

Style is matter of opinion.

And a 2.5L Z4 completely hoses the 1.8K SLK230.

In terms of build quality, BMW is often ranked amongst the highest cars in north america. Axles on BMWs don't often fall apart. Not even in minnesota, which is as harsh a climate as you'll find a BMW in. The S-Class has been widely criticized for lack of build quality. There are gaps between interior panels, bits aren't always fastened, hinges on trunk lids fail, just odds and ends that SHOULD be solid on the most expensive car in a very up market segment - who sells on safety, prestige and quality. My hopes are, as GIR has said, that the new S will fix all of the quality flaws. I'd bet the new S will be built as well as any car out there, the current one is imperfect.

As for an M5 vs. an S65 in a straight line. It would be a tight, tight race.

Mercedes, whose ratings for their cars are often VERY accurate when tested by the press rates S65 to a 4.2 seccond 0-60. I believe them.

BMW has yet to release their M5 0-60 data.

Let's compare the two though:

S65: 4,700lbs

M5: 3,850lbs

S65: 604hp

M5: 507hp

S65: 7.78 lbs/hp

M5: 7.59 lbs/hp

Notice M5 has a better power/weight ratio.

The M5 also works through a sequential 7 speed, while S65 is bolted to a 5spd traditional automatic, so that benefits that would seem to benefit M5.

I guarantee you that the S65 is much quieter and more pleasant to ride around in. I'm not convinced it's faster. I promise it handles like a school bus in comparison.

Also

S65: $180,000 (check out the MB website, it really does cost that much)

M5 ~$80,000 (the old one was 70k, BMW promised this one would not break 80, i don't know if i believe them, so we'll just say 80 to be safe)

So let's see, I can have two M5's for an S65. Or I could give that 100k of difference to Steve Dinan and see what he could make my M5 do for that much money.

Also, to note. A Dinan S2-M5 E39, which is 4,000lbs and 470hp runs 0-60 in 4.1 secconds, that's faster than a S65.

And while i don't know anyone with a S65, someone on the street my college is on has a CL65, if that does anything for you?

I love how people think mercedes is the greatest carmaker in every way. They aren't. Neither is BMW, or anyone else. They all have things they do well. Mercedes makes fast cars, but BMW makes cars that are made to be sporting first and everything else seccond. Mercedes takes a more well rounded philosophy.

[LateNightCable]

Well, it looks like everything that needs to be said has been said. But the thing that caught my eye was Thunf's comment about BMW axles frequently falling apart, and 3-Series chassis rusting to dangerous levels.

Do folks in your neck of the woods park their BMWs' in a rain forest? If it is at all true, this would be more the owner's fault for letting it get that way. Every car contains metal, and under crappy circumstances, it's going to rust. And your friend " out-revved " a Z4 in 3rd? Seeing as the car in question has 6 forward gears, I'd say maybe your friend just can't shift.

[Thunf]

Well, it looks like everything that needs to be said has been said. But the thing that caught my eye was Thunf's comment about BMW axles frequently falling apart, and 3-Series chassis rusting to dangerous levels.

Do folks in your neck of the woods park their BMWs' in a rain forest? If it is at all true, this would be more the owner's fault for letting it get that way. Every car contains metal, and under crappy circumstances, it's going to rust. And your friend " out-revved " a Z4 in 3rd? Seeing as the car in question has 6 forward gears, I'd say maybe your friend just can't shift.

First of all rainforests doesn't belong up here. Thing is that bigger main roads are salted during the winters here. That makes the freezing point go down making the roads wet instead of ice slippery. Salt isn't the only thing they put on the road. Sand is a good way preventing people to fall and cars sliding towards a ditch. When sand and salt is blasted towards the chassis that make rust a fact, some other carmakers have better protection against this - there is a mass of some kind that doesn't fall but isn't firm eighter on the underside. A wet icy road without salt or sand it's totally impossible to be able to stand still, you fall - when you brake on such road it feels as you are accelerating.

[thepolarfoxqx]

believe it or not, i come from a place that might just be colder than most of finland. I know about salting roads and winter driving. It doesn't change the fact that washing your car, keeping up with dings in the paint, just common sense maintainance will keep things under control. BMW's have fairly impressive corosion warrantees, so i'm guessing they do something about the corosion

[Thunf]

believe it or not, i come from a place that might just be colder than most of finland. I know about salting roads and winter driving. It doesn't change the fact that washing your car, keeping up with dings in the paint, just common sense maintainance will keep things under control. BMW's have fairly impressive corosion warrantees, so i'm guessing they do something about the corosion

I know! It's just that someone is trying to look for bad sides of the Mercedes and don't see much good in them. I love those cars, as a car you want to travel in. Tell me who's gonna win a S500 or a S65? Allot of power doesn't force you to compare what happens in curves. It's a big luxury car and you are certainly able to go fast enough in corners. I've traveled across the scandinavia several times and when I'm coming home I feel relaxed and wanting to travel even further next time. I find bad sides of any car just like some others. Trying to put a big Merc on tvisties is like having a bull running against a big cat. They aren't designed for track purposes, I like them as they are. PERIOD. I also like BMWs but I'm able to put them in the shadow if needed...