Customer Reviews

The SL Experience: The Ultimate Mercedes-Benz SL Resource Book

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sixty Five Dollars is a lot of money to spend on any book. My decision to buy this one was influenced by the many rave reviews and my desire to own the "Ultimate" SL resource book. Much of the book content was devoted to Gullwings and other collectables I couldn't afford to even think about. Medrcedes racing history also consumes many pages.

One real dissapointment is the propensity of the author to sell many pages to service providers for commercial advertising and much plugging for the SL market Letter - another commercial venture apparently produced by the author. My 3 star rating is a stretch. My copy is being returned to Amazon to be replaced by something a little less "ultimate".

Not only a nearly exhaustive review of SLs, from the Gullwing to the SL600, but a grab bag of useful information on MB art, books, clubs, toys, grand touring, and the like. Handy and beautifully crafted pull-out design appraisals by body type enhance the utility of the book. But the most compelling reason to include this book on your homework list before you buy an SL is for Olson's evaluation of the collectibility of each body type (and models within type) and the 8 factors that affect the value of a collectible car. While the book is a little skewed to the Gullwing and 300SL roadster, it's hard to argue with the author's obvious visceral appreciation of these works of automotive art, and the pictures and vignettes in the book are priceless.

Not a repair manual, and not a coffee table display, but just about everything else! This is Olson's third 100 page expansion of this subject; now 368 entertaining pages. Everything's here from why you should buy an SL in the first place to picking a good one, accessories that enhance their value, special insurance for SLs, restoration tips, four days at Bob Bonderant's high performance driving school, and what owners do with SLs to have fun besides merely driving to work. Concludes with comprehensive indexes on other collectible M-B books, art, service manuals, plus a "Who's Who" of ninty SL experts and how to contact them. For my money it's worth every cent. I've referred back to it a dozen times in six months.

Dear Mr. Olson,

Your SL Experience book is fantastic!!! It is one of the best sources of MB's SL info & history. After two months of reading & studying your book I purchased my 1st SL, a 1987 560SL with only 67k miles. I've had the car for over a year now and have enjoyed every minute of driving it. A sunny weekend isn't the same without it. Even on a rainy day, just sitting in it in my garage makes me smile. A good friend of mine two years ago purchased a 1992 500SL. On a few visits to his house, I would find my friend just sitting in his SL. When he got out he always commented how great the car felt. Now I know what he's been talking about. The SL is truly a special automobile. I feel extremely lucky as well as privileged to own & drive one. If at all possible, I plan to always have at least one in my garage for the rest of my life.

Thank you for sharing your SL knowledge and passion.

A very appreciative SL owner

This book is excellent for anyone looking to invest in one of these classic sports cars. There is plenty of information to provide you with a very good working knowledge of the car before you make a purchasing decision. The cost of this book is a small price to pay that can save you thousands of dollars if you buy the wrong car. Get the book and be better prepared to buy the car.

I agree fully with David L. Stanley's review of this book. To spend over $60 on a publication that contains advertising is ridiculous. Granted, it does contain some useful technical information, but the bulk of this book serves as a diary of the author's adventures. If your looking for useful information when purchasing a Mercedes SL, there are plenty of other sources. For the price, this book might qualify as a coffee-table collectible, but its small size and print prevent even this. I will probably be throwing this one into the fire, so I won't be reminded in the future of how bad a ripoff it was.

If you're considering buying an SL, or simply want to learn more about your existing one(s), I strongly recommend getting this book! I had spent countless hours searching the internet for specific information, but to no avail. However, once I bought the book, no more wasted time. All that I needed to know was between the covers. If you're an SL enthusiast, don't be caught without it!

The book received good reviews on the Amazon web site. I therefore had high expectations. The book is small format, a lot smaller than I expected. The author covers all SL roadsters but due to this fact very few are completed what I consider indepth. All of the American spec cars are covered but European spec cars are not covered as comprehensively. Photos are not particualrily good quality either. Generally I rate this book with 3 stars, as I don't believe it was worth the full cost. But for an SL enthusiast it is a good read especially those who consider purchasing American spec SL's. SL enthusiasts may consider books by LJK Setright and A. Noakes as better reads.

if you a fan of SL Mercedes, or if you own a SL this is the book for you i brought the book before i brought my SL 600 thanks to this book i got a great car , and now i own the car its a great referance book sure its alot of money on a book, but it saves thousands in the long run if you buy the car

The book was full of glossy pages, there was a lot of information on the most expensive SL (GullWings etc) not so much practical information on the the newer models from the 80 and 90. The watch out for what you are buying guide was only limited to general common sense, the book was informative but not worth the price, will there be a paper back addition?
However I did read it in a week as I was interested in the subject, there was a lot of history in the book, I wanted a book that would be a buyers guide this has some of that but mainly the history of the SL and where you can drive it if you are a millionaire.The SL Experience: The Ultimate Mercedes-Benz SL Resource Book