sl r129 anyone taken the risk on a 3/4k car

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Zonergem said:

... I happened across the pinnacle, the acme of badly written, misspelt, over-optimistic R129 bullst advertising spiels, and so I feel compelled to share it here.

That is toe-curlingly bad. If dealers wrote straightforward, honest, well-written ads I'm sure the financial return would be well worth the effort.

[Zonergem]

First new entrant to the market for a while. MoT checker suggests it has barely turned a wheel in the last ten years (or that the odometer is facked) and been SORN quite a lot. Some of the photos taken in different places but that's hardly a crime.

Has the wrong rear light clusters and what might be some damage to the bumper just around the numberplate. Not sure that AMG monoblocks are correct on a 1990 car, but they do look pretty good.

Quite tempted. Thoughts pls.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-Mercedes-Benz-SL500...

Edited by Zonergem on Friday 14th October 18:28

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Zonergem said:

Thoughts pls.

Looks OK to me, if slightly pimpy in red. I'm not sure I'd choose that colour combo.

Sparse ad. Should have gingercators I think, and I personally don't like the wheels, although they do have a following. The replacement of the soft-top windows is around £400 or so.

I'd be cautious of lack of use, but it has to be worth a look if it's close enough.

[Zonergem]

Are the earlier monoblocks like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Breaking-For-Sp...




ETA - wrong link

Edited by Zonergem on Friday 14th October 19:15

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Jonathan (r129sl) is the man for these questions on detail and correctness. I prefer the normal alloys myself.

[Zonergem]

Indeed. Currently planning to move from North London to North Yorkshire, so this car might end up under the care of Staithes garage and maybe even The Man if I'm really lucky/unlucky. In which case I'll have to leave some wine as a present at his chambers and hope to scarper before the clerks present me with a bill.

Sorry - of course those wheels aren't monoblocks but split rims. I meant, aren't they the earlier AMG wheel type (normally seen in chromed finish).

[f1ten]

Those wheels came out in 96 from memory so slightly wrong

It's got newer rear lights also

The car is not 1990 as the roof button is on the wrong side and likewise the steering wheel type is wrong
My guess it's a 1992 car before passenger air bag was standard

[Zonergem]

There's a bad part of me though that says - take the rude-bwoy red and run with it.


https://www.gumtree.com/p/wheel-rims-tyres/brabus-...



Trigger warning :

[Zonergem]

@f1ten and others - thanks for your help.

I hadn't known about the roof button swapping sides, and so went searching for early examples to compare against.

Which led me quickly to this

http://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2013-11...

and I thought that I should leave it here for reference. Boils my piss that 3 years ago you could buy this for 10k...

[Skyedriver]

Zonergem said:

First new entrant to the market for a while. MoT checker suggests it has barely turned a wheel in the last ten years (or that the odometer is facked) and been SORN quite a lot. Some of the photos taken in different places but that's hardly a crime.

Has the wrong rear light clusters and what might be some damage to the bumper just around the numberplate. Not sure that AMG monoblocks are correct on a 1990 car, but they do look pretty good.

Quite tempted. Thoughts pls.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-Mercedes-Benz-SL500...

Edited by Zonergem on Friday 14th October 18:28

Saw this earlier today and a red 500 is top of my list (followed by blue).
If it was closer I'go and look at it but it's too far away.
They all seem too far away.
Trouble is while I know my way around a car, there seems to be a lot of minor changes over the years which seem to be be added to older cars and folk on here seem to frown on that, preferring originality. Would I be buying a pup if I bought a car with the wrong ,lights, wheels, or grill?

[f1ten]

Yes not least of which cause it would look crap
It's an old car and trying to make it look younger is silly

[Skyedriver]

f1ten said:

Yes not least of which cause it would look crap
It's an old car and trying to make it look younger is silly

I agree that muckle great wheels stanced etc is not something you'd want to do but changing indicators?
Coming from TVR where various upgrades are often carried out, changing indicators to clear, better seats, brakes, engine upgrades etc
Some of the changes to cars I see for sale are quite subtle. Without a year by year catalogue I wouldn't know the changes were from a couple of years newer than the base car.

[PositronicRay]

Skyedriver said:

f1ten said:

Yes not least of which cause it would look crap
It's an old car and trying to make it look younger is silly

I agree that muckle great wheels stanced etc is not something you'd want to do but changing indicators?
Coming from TVR where various upgrades are often carried out, changing indicators to clear, better seats, brakes, engine upgrades etc
Some of the changes to cars I see for sale are quite subtle. Without a year by year catalogue I wouldn't know the changes were from a couple of years newer than the base car.

The modifications are serviceable and reversible, just a matter of taste. It'll reduce the target market however, so it just needs to be a bit cheaper. Reversing the mods could get pricy, so if they offend you walk away.

What you want to avoid is a bodged car (electrics and vacuum system seem favorite as do rusty wings). They're not expensive cars, so some owners are reluctant to maintain them properly and they do hide abuse well. If no evidence of suspension being touched budget this in.

Drive a few, some real dogs masquerading as cosmetically nice cars, make sure everything works as it should. A good one will drive and ride nicely, no vibrations, minimal scuttle shake, squeak and rattle free, try it with both hard top and soft top up.

Good luck

[truck71]

Zonergem said:

There's a bad part of me though that says - take the rude-bwoy red and run with it.


https://www.gumtree.com/p/wheel-rims-tyres/brabus-...



Trigger warning :

Er, is it wrong to like that. I can't stand non standard wheels and really don't like the AMG offerings but that works. May as well get this off my chest as well, the hard top stayed on mine all summer this year..

I'll get me coat.

[r129sl]

I like signal red. It looks good with the tartan red Saccos.

That car is possibly a bit expensive. It has the "wrong" rear lamps and clear indicators and the "wrong" steering wheel and road wheels. Taste is a matter of taste, though, and if those things appeal to you just like they appealed to the current owner, who am I to say you're wrong? The headlamp wipers don't work. This is hardly a deal breaker and nor is it uncommon. You can tell by the mis-parked driver's side wiper. I've no idea what "upgraded air con" means.

I don't really understand the fashion for clear indicators. They don't work as well as orange ones, which ought to be enough. I have noticed that with lots of modern cars where the indicator is integrated within the headlamp, it is very difficult to see whether the a front indicator is showing or not. Whether clears look good or not is entirely subjective but I do like the flash of orange on ginger cars.

[TR4man]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Zonergem said:

... I happened across the pinnacle, the acme of badly written, misspelt, over-optimistic R129 bullst advertising spiels, and so I feel compelled to share it here.

That is toe-curlingly bad. If dealers wrote straightforward, honest, well-written ads I'm sure the financial return would be well worth the effort.

...and if they used spell check.

[ras62]

I have always been amazed at how cheap some parts are for the 129. Suspension arms etc are great value if you shop around, likewise discs/pads.
My car has 18 monoblocs and while I like the look the ride is simply not as nice as a car on 16's. I may go back to standard wheels at some point.

[Skyedriver]

Thanks Guys,
My difficulty is always going to be that I don't readily know the changes over the years. THat and the fact that they all seem to be in the far south.
As well as the TVR I run a 1998 Volvo 940 Estate (the front view has some similarities to the R129), folks in the Volvoforum have a habit of replacing the orange indicators front and rear with the clear ones from the final run of cars too. On some colours it looks better on others not.
The headlight wipers on the 940 never work either and I've had 5 (or is it 6).
Re indicators in headlamps I agree totally, don't know how they ever got away with that unsafe design.
Re wheels, I don't particularly like split rims or the artificial ones: just a pain to clean.
Oh and if a car is designed to run on 16" rims it's rarely an improvement going up a couple of sizes to say 18" as the ride is usually compromised.

classic mini 10". The 12" and 13" wheel fitted later detracted from the running and add to the unsprung weight.
Volvo 940 15" or 16" not the 17" some fit as they compromise steering and ride.
Lotus/Caterham 7, only 13" wheels work properly, those going to 14" or 15" usually return to 13" after a while.

THe only thing bigger wheels inprove is aesthetics and that's always a matter of conjecture.

[Zonergem]

r129sl said:

I like signal red. It looks good with the tartan red Saccos.

That car is possibly a bit expensive. It has the "wrong" rear lamps and clear indicators and the "wrong" steering wheel and road wheels. Taste is a matter of taste, though, and if those things appeal to you just like they appealed to the current owner, who am I to say you're wrong?

I'm looking into parts availability to see if it could be returned to something like factory spec. Waiting on the VIN. Vendor and I had arranged to meet this morning as he was bringing the car into central London... but an ATF warning light kiboshed that plan. Probably a warning sign that I should take to my heels, but faint heart never won fair maid...

If the monoblocks are genuine I would probably sell them and get 8 holes (and try and swap the newer lights for older units through the breakers).

Though the Brabus wheels can look amazing on an early car.







Only the R129 and the right Saab can ever carry off three-spoke wheels.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=132...

[PositronicRay]

Zonergem said:

Vendor and I had arranged to meet this morning as he was bringing the car into central London... but an ATF warning light kiboshed that plan.

They don't have one