Discussion
Something on the cheaper side of this, don't know what generation it is
www.pistonheads.com/sales/158323.htm
www.pistonheads.com/sales/158323.htm
I can vouch for the w129 model especially the 320sl mine is a very late 1999 ( new v6 model) just done 168 mile trip to the coast and back roof down wind deflector up heated seats on .....heaven !!!!
Not hugely quick but get about 25-29 mpg and 60 in 7.5ish cruses at 85 leptons all day
Things I would recomend :
Hard top
Heated seats
The orthopedic seats
Wind deflector
The little things make all the difference bust cost little at this stage of its life here is mine :
Not hugely quick but get about 25-29 mpg and 60 in 7.5ish cruses at 85 leptons all day
Things I would recomend :
Hard top
Heated seats
The orthopedic seats
Wind deflector
The little things make all the difference bust cost little at this stage of its life here is mine :
Only just found this thread, sorry.
Well, the specialist that Daz and Bedders big up happen to be one and the same - good old James and Pete at Auto Class in Milton Keynes.
I bought my R129 back in 2005 from a PH-er, whose mum had owned the car from new. It had a FMBSH, which for a 1990 car, is pretty damn good. Looking through the receipts, the car wanted for nothing, and also went through a few batteries! More on that in a bit...
Mine is a 1990 500SL - the badges swapped around in conjunction with a facelift in the mid nineties. Being of 1990 vintage, my car has the M119 V8 engine, which truly is bulletproof, and also no cats, so at the time it was advertised with 326hp. Going through a 4 speed automatic, it shifts, with 100mpg coming up in no time at all. The only Achilles of the M119 engine is the distributor caps, so ideally you'd want evidence of them being changed for the later (and much improved) replacements. Symptoms of dissy caps which are shot is poor idling / hunting, and maybe a misfire or two. If you ever need to replace them, for goodness sake buy the Bosch pattenr replacement, rather than the MB ones or others. The MB caps are twice the price of Bosch. The non-OEM are, in a word, shit. Go by my experience!
The only things I'd watch for? Firstly, service history, at either MB or a recognised indie. The latter, it could be argued, is better than a clutch of MB stamps on these old girls as they will be serviced by blokes who serviced them day in, day out, i.e., just like the blokes at Auto Class and other good indies. An MB mechanic would need to refer to the Workshop Information System as soon as the bonnet is opened. Also, bear in mind that many of ther parts on this car were bespoke for the SL - you will see this by parts starting A129 xxx xxxx - this is a euphemism for "bloody expensive". As an example, I had the wiper motor replaced this year, cost was £160 as opposed to most other Merc wiper motors which retail at around £40.
Final items to check? Electrics and THAT roof. Check all the electrics work, that the windows drop with one touch, and go up okay. On the facelift models, the window will drop about an inch when you open the door in order to facilitate closure - early ones do not so may need a gentle slam! The only electrical gripe I've had was the column stalk which packed in - in the rain one wet Saturday morning. This was mildly irritating as it left me with no wipers or main beam! That was a rare occurance though, according to the experts.
Finally, the roof. It has at least one ECU controlling it, about 12 motors and a shit load of hydraulics. So, if you see a car with the hard top on (which all should have), INSIST that it is removed, and the roof demonstrated. It should raise and come down with no drama, all in relative silence. If it does not, WALK AWAY - seriously. Do not take any bluff from the seller that it needs this, or that. I have personally seen other SLs with failed roof mechanisms that not even the experts can fix - there is an SL60 AMG that I've seen on E-Bay about 4 times with this very problem. Needless to say, roof problems are blank cheque and bend over-type money. The main ECU alone is over £1,000.
But....please don't be put off. If you can find a car that has been loved, with not many owners, and used regularly, then you will have bought an epic car, that chews long drives and spits them out with contempt. There are several owners on here, and also a wealth of experience on www.mbclub.co.uk and www.mercedesshop.com forums.
Hope this helps. Oh...the battery. Mine has gone through about a dozen in its lifetime. Why? Simple. If you leave it standing, the battery flattens itself in just over a fortnight, and its beyond saving. I know of several owners who this has happened to. I think its the MB alarm on it which seems to have a higher draw than other alarm systems.
Cheers!
Greg
Well, the specialist that Daz and Bedders big up happen to be one and the same - good old James and Pete at Auto Class in Milton Keynes.
I bought my R129 back in 2005 from a PH-er, whose mum had owned the car from new. It had a FMBSH, which for a 1990 car, is pretty damn good. Looking through the receipts, the car wanted for nothing, and also went through a few batteries! More on that in a bit...
Mine is a 1990 500SL - the badges swapped around in conjunction with a facelift in the mid nineties. Being of 1990 vintage, my car has the M119 V8 engine, which truly is bulletproof, and also no cats, so at the time it was advertised with 326hp. Going through a 4 speed automatic, it shifts, with 100mpg coming up in no time at all. The only Achilles of the M119 engine is the distributor caps, so ideally you'd want evidence of them being changed for the later (and much improved) replacements. Symptoms of dissy caps which are shot is poor idling / hunting, and maybe a misfire or two. If you ever need to replace them, for goodness sake buy the Bosch pattenr replacement, rather than the MB ones or others. The MB caps are twice the price of Bosch. The non-OEM are, in a word, shit. Go by my experience!
The only things I'd watch for? Firstly, service history, at either MB or a recognised indie. The latter, it could be argued, is better than a clutch of MB stamps on these old girls as they will be serviced by blokes who serviced them day in, day out, i.e., just like the blokes at Auto Class and other good indies. An MB mechanic would need to refer to the Workshop Information System as soon as the bonnet is opened. Also, bear in mind that many of ther parts on this car were bespoke for the SL - you will see this by parts starting A129 xxx xxxx - this is a euphemism for "bloody expensive". As an example, I had the wiper motor replaced this year, cost was £160 as opposed to most other Merc wiper motors which retail at around £40.
Final items to check? Electrics and THAT roof. Check all the electrics work, that the windows drop with one touch, and go up okay. On the facelift models, the window will drop about an inch when you open the door in order to facilitate closure - early ones do not so may need a gentle slam! The only electrical gripe I've had was the column stalk which packed in - in the rain one wet Saturday morning. This was mildly irritating as it left me with no wipers or main beam! That was a rare occurance though, according to the experts.
Finally, the roof. It has at least one ECU controlling it, about 12 motors and a shit load of hydraulics. So, if you see a car with the hard top on (which all should have), INSIST that it is removed, and the roof demonstrated. It should raise and come down with no drama, all in relative silence. If it does not, WALK AWAY - seriously. Do not take any bluff from the seller that it needs this, or that. I have personally seen other SLs with failed roof mechanisms that not even the experts can fix - there is an SL60 AMG that I've seen on E-Bay about 4 times with this very problem. Needless to say, roof problems are blank cheque and bend over-type money. The main ECU alone is over £1,000.
But....please don't be put off. If you can find a car that has been loved, with not many owners, and used regularly, then you will have bought an epic car, that chews long drives and spits them out with contempt. There are several owners on here, and also a wealth of experience on www.mbclub.co.uk and www.mercedesshop.com forums.
Hope this helps. Oh...the battery. Mine has gone through about a dozen in its lifetime. Why? Simple. If you leave it standing, the battery flattens itself in just over a fortnight, and its beyond saving. I know of several owners who this has happened to. I think its the MB alarm on it which seems to have a higher draw than other alarm systems.
Cheers!
Greg
Oh - one more thing...if you fancy one, but feel you can only run to a 320, for Gods sake don't drive a 500, or you'll end up with one.
Last year, I had mine off the clock on an autobahn with some friendly German chap in an SLK32 AMG beside me. The GPS was reading 160mph. My girlfriend was fast asleep in the passenger seat. The Fritzy was grinning and laughing like a maniac.
Last year, I had mine off the clock on an autobahn with some friendly German chap in an SLK32 AMG beside me. The GPS was reading 160mph. My girlfriend was fast asleep in the passenger seat. The Fritzy was grinning and laughing like a maniac.
Hey Pete
My old man has my car at the moment (we are moving house, so for dad to borrow it meant it didn't need packing lol), he is averaging early 20s to the gallon, about 20-22 I guess?
Later SL500s post facelift (96 from memory) had the 5 speed 'box, which gives you another 1-2mpg.
UPDATE: Just looked at Ken Rockwells R129 history at: http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/r129history.htm
He reckons the best to own is an SL500 from '96 with the 32-valve engine (M119) and the 5 speed auto. Not playing mine down at all, I'd probably agree with this. Although ignore his disparaging words about the 4 speed transmission - it is truly bulletproof, and such is the torque, a 5th gear is a luxury.
Any other q's, fire away!
Cheers
Greg
My old man has my car at the moment (we are moving house, so for dad to borrow it meant it didn't need packing lol), he is averaging early 20s to the gallon, about 20-22 I guess?
Later SL500s post facelift (96 from memory) had the 5 speed 'box, which gives you another 1-2mpg.
UPDATE: Just looked at Ken Rockwells R129 history at: http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/r129history.htm
He reckons the best to own is an SL500 from '96 with the 32-valve engine (M119) and the 5 speed auto. Not playing mine down at all, I'd probably agree with this. Although ignore his disparaging words about the 4 speed transmission - it is truly bulletproof, and such is the torque, a 5th gear is a luxury.
Any other q's, fire away!
Cheers
Greg
Hi all. I pick my SL320 up tomorrow (Tuesday) It's black with grey leather, Glass Pano' roof with stand, wind deflector sat-nav etc. 47k miles and a sept '99 car.
This will be my 5th Merc after a C220d, E320, E55 and E430 Est. It will be my weekend toy for the summer months and should make agreat pairing with my Ultima once that hits the road later this year.
I'll try and get some pictures posted up soon.
Ta. Paul.B
This will be my 5th Merc after a C220d, E320, E55 and E430 Est. It will be my weekend toy for the summer months and should make agreat pairing with my Ultima once that hits the road later this year.
I'll try and get some pictures posted up soon.
Ta. Paul.B
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