Mercedes 129 titivation
Discussion
r129sl said:
My cabriolet top is now on its last legs. Not only has the rear side window completely split but the lateral stitching across the top blew away the other day. I was bombing along with the roof up at a decent three figure lick and there was a big bang followed by a hissing noise. The top of the roof has essentially come away from the frame. I am running with the hard top at the moment. The alternative is driving a Bedouin tent.
So I have at long last ordered a new top from KHM. With all of the bits and bobs it comes to €1,120.11. I am guessing I'll have to pay import duty and VAT (out of my tax paid income, grr: serve me right for voting for Brexit) in addition to that. The top takes about a month to come. It is going to be fitted by Angus Kish at http://www.kishtrim.co.uk who is local to me. I spoke to him this morning (he called me rather too eagerly at 7h13) and he seemed to know his onions inside out.
I have gone for the original dark brown in the Sonnenland Plus fabric. KHM (www.cabrio.de) are supposedly the best top manufacturer for the 129 and they certainly are not cheap, though nor are they mad-expensive. Installation is £500 plus VAT. There is a good thread here in which all of the alternatives are considered and researched. https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/r129-soft-top-...
This is a big job, as big as a paint job or an engine transplant, it seems to me. I am very much looking forward to aesthetic and functional improvements. In particular, the thin Ultralite BUV plastic glass in the present top is inadequate. It flaps and bangs in the wind, setting the alarm off when park and making driving much above 120mph quite unpleasant. But the present top also is faded and heavily worn in places and it lets in drips of water around the edges.
Now the question is, do I get Mr Kish to install "Exclusiv" leather upholstery at the same time...
Replacing the soft tops on my 129 and 124 are very much on the list so that’s great information, thanks.So I have at long last ordered a new top from KHM. With all of the bits and bobs it comes to €1,120.11. I am guessing I'll have to pay import duty and VAT (out of my tax paid income, grr: serve me right for voting for Brexit) in addition to that. The top takes about a month to come. It is going to be fitted by Angus Kish at http://www.kishtrim.co.uk who is local to me. I spoke to him this morning (he called me rather too eagerly at 7h13) and he seemed to know his onions inside out.
I have gone for the original dark brown in the Sonnenland Plus fabric. KHM (www.cabrio.de) are supposedly the best top manufacturer for the 129 and they certainly are not cheap, though nor are they mad-expensive. Installation is £500 plus VAT. There is a good thread here in which all of the alternatives are considered and researched. https://forums.mbclub.co.uk/threads/r129-soft-top-...
This is a big job, as big as a paint job or an engine transplant, it seems to me. I am very much looking forward to aesthetic and functional improvements. In particular, the thin Ultralite BUV plastic glass in the present top is inadequate. It flaps and bangs in the wind, setting the alarm off when park and making driving much above 120mph quite unpleasant. But the present top also is faded and heavily worn in places and it lets in drips of water around the edges.
Now the question is, do I get Mr Kish to install "Exclusiv" leather upholstery at the same time...
300,000 miles, brilliant!
Chapeau to 300k miles.
SL1 hit 80k as I was driving it to a trimmers outside Chester where a leaky hardtop was being investigated as part of the sale, so this was my last time at the wheel of my 129.
The trimmers were
HoodTech Convertible Roof Specialists
0333 772 9652
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bBYGmwu8ED5UkKdU7
and I'd recommend them. Busy but seemingly diligent and experienced.
SL1 hit 80k as I was driving it to a trimmers outside Chester where a leaky hardtop was being investigated as part of the sale, so this was my last time at the wheel of my 129.
The trimmers were
HoodTech Convertible Roof Specialists
0333 772 9652
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bBYGmwu8ED5UkKdU7
and I'd recommend them. Busy but seemingly diligent and experienced.
The new cabriolet top has finally arrived so I need to get the car to the trimmers. Unfortunately, the G-wagen is at Mercedes-Benz of Newcastle who are being particularly useless about fixing it and the estate car is still having the crap welded out of it, so it will have to wait.
I was pleased to set a new personal best in the SL last night, however. I nipped down to Leeds to attend probably the grimmest ever black tie bash the world has ever seen (600 people, all pretty pissed and revolting, food definitely revolting, blaring music throughout dinner, weird compère, I'm bound to have the Covid now) but I had to hot foot back to Northumberland in order to be at work today. I filled up near the Royal Armouries at 23h09 and one hour later I was in the Tyne Tunnel, an on the road average of just over 98mph. I do love this car, although one day, I dare say, it will get me into big trouble.
I was pleased to set a new personal best in the SL last night, however. I nipped down to Leeds to attend probably the grimmest ever black tie bash the world has ever seen (600 people, all pretty pissed and revolting, food definitely revolting, blaring music throughout dinner, weird compère, I'm bound to have the Covid now) but I had to hot foot back to Northumberland in order to be at work today. I filled up near the Royal Armouries at 23h09 and one hour later I was in the Tyne Tunnel, an on the road average of just over 98mph. I do love this car, although one day, I dare say, it will get me into big trouble.
Well yesterday morning started with a misfire and so it continued. Very lumpy idle, no power, then at higher revs, maybe 3,750rpm plus, it would all come back together and suddenly go like the clappers. I suspected a dirty MAF sensor so ordered another this morning. Then I got in the car and it worked perfectly, running fine all day. Explanations?
I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
Edited by r129sl on Saturday 9th October 21:23
I salute you, so many people are scared to do the limit these days, never mind safe high speeds with good awareness and skill. I mean, for christ's sake, the motorway limit where I live is 120km/h, the vehicle I drive is limited to 100km/h and yet I am always passing people who are bumbling away at 80/85/90/95 (delete where appropriate, the only mode I have is foot down...) Then again, I find myself trying to save a few quid on fuel these days, by god the pocket hurts filling twice a week!
The car keeps warping its back brakes. It is really noticeable when sloughing off speed from 100mph-plus. I ordered new discs and pads from Autodoc. The whole lot, including sensors and accessories, was only about £100. Brembo for the discs and pads, ATE for the hardware and some unknown brand for the sensor. It was murder getting the discs off: they seemed to be stuck on the handbrake shoes. This made me think the handbrake was out of adjustment and maybe has been the cause of the warping. Once I loosened off the shoes, the discs came away easily enough.
The car is much smoother under braking. I was pleased that the callipers came off easily. The only difficulty was getting the old discs off the handbrake shoes but once I'd figured that out, everything was pretty easy.
Here is a shot of the handbrake shoes. You adjust them using the sprocket that is at the 2 o'clock position.
New discs:
And hardware:
The car is much smoother under braking. I was pleased that the callipers came off easily. The only difficulty was getting the old discs off the handbrake shoes but once I'd figured that out, everything was pretty easy.
Here is a shot of the handbrake shoes. You adjust them using the sprocket that is at the 2 o'clock position.
New discs:
And hardware:
r129sl said:
Well yesterday morning started with a misfire and so it continued. Very lumpy idle, no power, then at higher revs, maybe 3,750rpm plus, it would all come back together and suddenly go like the clappers. I suspected a dirty MAF sensor so ordered another this morning. Then I got in the car and it worked perfectly, running fine all day. Explanations?
I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
That could be damp inside your rotor caps. I don't think I have ever driven as fast for a prolonged period as the other night, except perhaps in Germany. I saw maximum speed at one point and I am pretty sure I never dropped into double figures from entering the motorway at J44 to leaving it at Whitemare Pools Roundabout. All very silly but I can't help it and no harm was done.
Edited by r129sl on Saturday 9th October 21:23
Mine kept going through a set every 40,000km or so till I changed the piece behind it. I think it’s called the insulator.
I presume the 500SL and 500e use the same ignition system ?
Dave!
I’m part way through a great road trip with my eight year old son, Arthur. Last year, George and I went to Stuttgart to the Mercedes museum. I asked Arthur about a trip and he wondered whether there is a teddy bear museum. Well there is and it’s in Dorchester.
So last night the nanny dropped him at my work and we set off in the 129. We broke the journey at Worcester and we’re in Dorchester for 11 this morning. The 129 was perfect: the misfire has not reoccured, the brakes are once again smooth and I even sorted the suspension on Thursday morning. We did the teddy bear museum, the dinosaur museum and pizza express. Then a look around Poundbury. Finally we went to Cerne Abbas to see the giant and to have a drink in the pub of the same name. Dorchester and Cerne Abbas are very pretty,
I decided to overnight in Oxford before calling at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon on the way back. We passed Stonehenge on a very fast run up the A303 and A34 with a lovely, black, early Audi R8 V8 in tow which my SL kept honest. We ran at 95 to 125 most of the way.
A nice Chinese in Summertown capped off a super day. Best bit about touring with an eight year old is going to bed at 8.30pm!
So last night the nanny dropped him at my work and we set off in the 129. We broke the journey at Worcester and we’re in Dorchester for 11 this morning. The 129 was perfect: the misfire has not reoccured, the brakes are once again smooth and I even sorted the suspension on Thursday morning. We did the teddy bear museum, the dinosaur museum and pizza express. Then a look around Poundbury. Finally we went to Cerne Abbas to see the giant and to have a drink in the pub of the same name. Dorchester and Cerne Abbas are very pretty,
I decided to overnight in Oxford before calling at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon on the way back. We passed Stonehenge on a very fast run up the A303 and A34 with a lovely, black, early Audi R8 V8 in tow which my SL kept honest. We ran at 95 to 125 most of the way.
A nice Chinese in Summertown capped off a super day. Best bit about touring with an eight year old is going to bed at 8.30pm!
We finished our trip with a visit to the British Motor Museum at Gaydon today. I was pretty impressed. It’s not too big, enough for a couple of hours which was all I could face with a horrible snotty cold (I was paranoid that people would think it was covid).
There was a meeting of Audi R8 owners out front. I do like these but only the original V8s, only bone stock and only in subtle colours. They seem beloved of well-heeled Geralds, unfortunately.
We left at 1pm and were home (245 miles) for just after 4.40pm with a stop at Trowell or some other disgrace-to-the-nation service area. Why do motorway services have to be so utterly awful? All low ceilings, plastic fascias, disgusting food, artificial light, oppressive seating areas. And rip off expensive.
There was a meeting of Audi R8 owners out front. I do like these but only the original V8s, only bone stock and only in subtle colours. They seem beloved of well-heeled Geralds, unfortunately.
We left at 1pm and were home (245 miles) for just after 4.40pm with a stop at Trowell or some other disgrace-to-the-nation service area. Why do motorway services have to be so utterly awful? All low ceilings, plastic fascias, disgusting food, artificial light, oppressive seating areas. And rip off expensive.
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