sl r129 anyone taken the risk on a 3/4k car
Discussion
Skyedriver said:
Mine wasn't in the budget discussed above but bought in August 2019, done about 2000 trouble free miles so far, going into a Scottish Indie tomorrow for a full condition check and service just for peace of mind .
Described as a generally good condition car, a few minor bits and pieces to sort out over the next few months.Just to answer the original question, yes I did 3 years ago....
I live in Switzerland and wanted a daily driver to keep miles off my other car. I use public transport to commute but wanted something for trips further afield and for a bit of cheap summer fun. I always admired the 129 growing up, and seeing the generally low prices looked at a few locally (not the cheapest place to buy clearly).
The one I had in mind was up for 10k CHF so I guess 7k GBP at the time, with 200k Km on it, and was not shifting. I dropped the dealer a line, went to see it and tried it, and whilst not perfect, he did want it moved on, so after quite some haggling I got it for about 4K GBP equivalent in the end, sold as seen. It’s a 1995 SL 320. I would have preferred the very early styling but in black I quite liked this one.
I got my local Indy to go over it, it hadn’t been serviced for about 3 years, but until then had always gone to a main dealer, so we went through it, a really thorough service and MFK (MOT), new discs, tyres, engine mounts and belts (about 1.5k GBP, again not bad for Switzerland), and here I am 3 years and 35k Kms later it’s never let me down, and all through regular servicing and generally preventative maintenance.
They really are a cracking piece of kit, and whilst mine is a bit tatty in places, when you look at how well MB engineered them, not just the assembly but the entire general approach and that those decisions were taken probably in the mid-80s when the car was conceived, it’s really something else. So much so for a while I contemplated getting either a late model or a mint early one, and in the end I only hesitated as I fell for a slightly (for me) more elegant R107 SL that’s now for high days and holidays only. And stylish as the 107 is, the 129 is rapidly catching up and infinitely the better car, and I will keep mine until its no longer economical to do so...
I live in Switzerland and wanted a daily driver to keep miles off my other car. I use public transport to commute but wanted something for trips further afield and for a bit of cheap summer fun. I always admired the 129 growing up, and seeing the generally low prices looked at a few locally (not the cheapest place to buy clearly).
The one I had in mind was up for 10k CHF so I guess 7k GBP at the time, with 200k Km on it, and was not shifting. I dropped the dealer a line, went to see it and tried it, and whilst not perfect, he did want it moved on, so after quite some haggling I got it for about 4K GBP equivalent in the end, sold as seen. It’s a 1995 SL 320. I would have preferred the very early styling but in black I quite liked this one.
I got my local Indy to go over it, it hadn’t been serviced for about 3 years, but until then had always gone to a main dealer, so we went through it, a really thorough service and MFK (MOT), new discs, tyres, engine mounts and belts (about 1.5k GBP, again not bad for Switzerland), and here I am 3 years and 35k Kms later it’s never let me down, and all through regular servicing and generally preventative maintenance.
They really are a cracking piece of kit, and whilst mine is a bit tatty in places, when you look at how well MB engineered them, not just the assembly but the entire general approach and that those decisions were taken probably in the mid-80s when the car was conceived, it’s really something else. So much so for a while I contemplated getting either a late model or a mint early one, and in the end I only hesitated as I fell for a slightly (for me) more elegant R107 SL that’s now for high days and holidays only. And stylish as the 107 is, the 129 is rapidly catching up and infinitely the better car, and I will keep mine until its no longer economical to do so...
This post has trundled along nicely, mirroring my R129 ownership.
I bought my 1990 car a year before this thread started, so I’m now 9 years in.
Can’t believe where the time has gone.
My car cost my £5k, and took some finding, but reflecting the experience of others, ownership has been a delight.
In recent times, as scarcity has honed the appreciation of others, positive comments have increased; unsolicited pleasantries have become commonplace, and I think the 129 is starting to bask in the status it rightly deserves.
I bought my 1990 car a year before this thread started, so I’m now 9 years in.
Can’t believe where the time has gone.
My car cost my £5k, and took some finding, but reflecting the experience of others, ownership has been a delight.
In recent times, as scarcity has honed the appreciation of others, positive comments have increased; unsolicited pleasantries have become commonplace, and I think the 129 is starting to bask in the status it rightly deserves.
MickyveloceClassic said:
This post has trundled along nicely, mirroring my R129 ownership.
I bought my 1990 car a year before this thread started, so I’m now 9 years in.
Can’t believe where the time has gone.
My car cost my £5k, and took some finding, but reflecting the experience of others, ownership has been a delight.
In recent times, as scarcity has honed the appreciation of others, positive comments have increased; unsolicited pleasantries have become commonplace, and I think the 129 is starting to bask in the status it rightly deserves.
Stunning. I love the two tone colour comboI bought my 1990 car a year before this thread started, so I’m now 9 years in.
Can’t believe where the time has gone.
My car cost my £5k, and took some finding, but reflecting the experience of others, ownership has been a delight.
In recent times, as scarcity has honed the appreciation of others, positive comments have increased; unsolicited pleasantries have become commonplace, and I think the 129 is starting to bask in the status it rightly deserves.
shopper150 said:
Stunning. I love the two tone colour combo
Thank you. Originally designed to “shrink” the size of the car in the eye of the beholder, the lower (Sacco) panels were originally a satin-matt finish, which most no longer have.
This car will be back out next month, and almost certainly tick over 150,000 miles in this, it’s 31st year.
Little jobs include gluing the headlining back to the hardtop, and agonising again as to whether the original, leak-proof (yet slightly shabby) soft top needs replacing.
Hi
Looking for a bit of advice please:
My passenger window which has always been the slowest has now started to stick. Would lubricating it with silicone grease (not door card removal - I'm too inept for that) be in any way damaging before I start squirting and smearing?
Smear & Squirt video
Also the door latch is starting to show a bit of light rust and is sticking due to it's hiatus. Is white lithium grease the best for this?
Many thanks,
ETA. Unnecessary picture of the 15 footer.
Looking for a bit of advice please:
My passenger window which has always been the slowest has now started to stick. Would lubricating it with silicone grease (not door card removal - I'm too inept for that) be in any way damaging before I start squirting and smearing?
Smear & Squirt video
Also the door latch is starting to show a bit of light rust and is sticking due to it's hiatus. Is white lithium grease the best for this?
Many thanks,
ETA. Unnecessary picture of the 15 footer.
Edited by Crook on Wednesday 14th April 11:32
Crook said:
Hi
Looking for a bit of advice please:
My passenger window which has always been the slowest has now started to stick. Would lubricating it with silicone grease (not door card removal - I'm too inept for that) be in any way damaging before I start squirting and smearing?
Smear & Squirt video
Also the door latch is starting to show a bit of light rust and is sticking due to it's hiatus. Is white lithium grease the best for this?
Many thanks,
ETA. Unnecessary picture of the 15 footer.
I'd definitely try lubing the regulator before anything else. Door card removal isn't all that difficult, follow one of the guides online. Buy some cheap trim removal tools too. Looking for a bit of advice please:
My passenger window which has always been the slowest has now started to stick. Would lubricating it with silicone grease (not door card removal - I'm too inept for that) be in any way damaging before I start squirting and smearing?
Smear & Squirt video
Also the door latch is starting to show a bit of light rust and is sticking due to it's hiatus. Is white lithium grease the best for this?
Many thanks,
ETA. Unnecessary picture of the 15 footer.
Edited by Crook on Wednesday 14th April 11:32
I bought this last week.
Paid more than £4k for it but it comes with the private plate. I will be selling the plate which should bring it down to a sub £5k car. RegTransfers value the plate at £2000 but I am not expecting to get that sort of money for it. There is one bubble of rust on the NSF arch. This looks like it could be down to a stone chip but I will be taking the arch liners off and rust proofing everything in sight anyway.
One issue I want to sort is the seats:
I ran the vin through MBdecoder.com and it gives the interior as:
The problem I have is I can't tell which colour is which. I am guessing the headrest and the U shaped part of the seat back are Mushroom/ Champignon and the squab and bolsters are Cream Beige. I need to order some dye so I can fix the split leather in the drivers side bolster and fill in the cracks.
Paid more than £4k for it but it comes with the private plate. I will be selling the plate which should bring it down to a sub £5k car. RegTransfers value the plate at £2000 but I am not expecting to get that sort of money for it. There is one bubble of rust on the NSF arch. This looks like it could be down to a stone chip but I will be taking the arch liners off and rust proofing everything in sight anyway.
One issue I want to sort is the seats:
I ran the vin through MBdecoder.com and it gives the interior as:
The problem I have is I can't tell which colour is which. I am guessing the headrest and the U shaped part of the seat back are Mushroom/ Champignon and the squab and bolsters are Cream Beige. I need to order some dye so I can fix the split leather in the drivers side bolster and fill in the cracks.
plasticpig said:
I bought this last week.
Paid more than £4k for it but it comes with the private plate. I will be selling the plate which should bring it down to a sub £5k car. RegTransfers value the plate at £2000 but I am not expecting to get that sort of money for it. There is one bubble of rust on the NSF arch. This looks like it could be down to a stone chip but I will be taking the arch liners off and rust proofing everything in sight anyway.
One issue I want to sort is the seats:
I ran the vin through MBdecoder.com and it gives the interior as:
The problem I have is I can't tell which colour is which. I am guessing the headrest and the U shaped part of the seat back are Mushroom/ Champignon and the squab and bolsters are Cream Beige. I need to order some dye so I can fix the split leather in the drivers side bolster and fill in the cracks.
Excellent!Paid more than £4k for it but it comes with the private plate. I will be selling the plate which should bring it down to a sub £5k car. RegTransfers value the plate at £2000 but I am not expecting to get that sort of money for it. There is one bubble of rust on the NSF arch. This looks like it could be down to a stone chip but I will be taking the arch liners off and rust proofing everything in sight anyway.
One issue I want to sort is the seats:
I ran the vin through MBdecoder.com and it gives the interior as:
The problem I have is I can't tell which colour is which. I am guessing the headrest and the U shaped part of the seat back are Mushroom/ Champignon and the squab and bolsters are Cream Beige. I need to order some dye so I can fix the split leather in the drivers side bolster and fill in the cracks.
Can't help on the colours BUT IIRC the seats are identical driver/passenger so you may be able to pick up a used one with virtually no wear. Not sure if the bolsters are separate items though.
Clifford Chambers said:
I'd definitely try lubing the regulator before anything else. Door card removal isn't all that difficult, follow one of the guides online. Buy some cheap trim removal tools too.
Thanks for the advice. Do you know if the clips are still available? It may be the difference between a no chance and a slim chance of me completing it and the door looking relatively unchanged.Crook said:
Clifford Chambers said:
I'd definitely try lubing the regulator before anything else. Door card removal isn't all that difficult, follow one of the guides online. Buy some cheap trim removal tools too.
Thanks for the advice. Do you know if the clips are still available? It may be the difference between a no chance and a slim chance of me completing it and the door looking relatively unchanged.Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff