500sl r129 - First 6 months
Discussion
adam917k said:
Here is one that deserves rescuing. I don't know what the Japanese imports are like generally, but this colour combo works really well. Estimate is less than £4k.
http://www.swva.co.uk/mercedes-500sl-1991/
oooh.http://www.swva.co.uk/mercedes-500sl-1991/
The 500s are very strong at speeds above the legal limit; once upon a time I used to enjoy baiting Subaru Imprezas and Focus ST220s and the other day it gave a 330D a surprise out of a roundabout. I couldn't shake a 335i and I was comprehensively toasted by an Audi S2 (which I assume had been fitted up with a dustbin-sized turbocharger). I'm pretty sure it is quicker than a 996 tiptronic. Childish, I know.
A good SL is a lovely way to travel. Just put the pano roof back on my 500 and it is limousine like in its refinement. Another big plus is the low cost of consumables, they really are very cheap to service and maintain.
The only problem I have encountered was a fried central locking pump due to a guy not jump starting the car correctly. SL electronics are susceptible to damage. It is easily avoided by not disconnecting the charging unit as soon as the car is started, this causes the alternator to "see" no battery and spike the output. Just rev the engine to put some life into the battery for a couple of minutes...then disconnect the charging unit.
The only problem I have encountered was a fried central locking pump due to a guy not jump starting the car correctly. SL electronics are susceptible to damage. It is easily avoided by not disconnecting the charging unit as soon as the car is started, this causes the alternator to "see" no battery and spike the output. Just rev the engine to put some life into the battery for a couple of minutes...then disconnect the charging unit.
Great write up! Loving mine too - also 6 months in with very few worries at all. The performance is superb, the sound is glorious and my kids think it's amazing!
It does however need an exhaust which at first search almost caused me a heart attack. Any recommendations anyone?
Thanks - Simon.
It does however need an exhaust which at first search almost caused me a heart attack. Any recommendations anyone?
Thanks - Simon.
r129sl said:
The 500s are very strong at speeds above the legal limit; once upon a time I used to enjoy baiting Subaru Imprezas and Focus ST220s and the other day it gave a 330D a surprise out of a roundabout. I couldn't shake a 335i and I was comprehensively toasted by an Audi S2 (which I assume had been fitted up rwith a dustbin-sized turbocharger). I'm pretty sure it is quicker than a 996 tiptronic. Childish, I know.
I'd agree about the 996 tiptronic..
The bornite with tan leather is a fantastic colour.
R129 - my most recent scalp was a Clio 200 cup. Caught out of his natural habitat - the twisties - he was easy game.
A more serious question re. the electric hood - with winter approaching do people put the hard top on and keep it on until the spring or is the consensus that you should try to keep exercising the hood mechanism even in colder weather? Is there a special hood lubrication/maintenance service which a good independent would typically do? Any thoughts appreciated.
R129 - my most recent scalp was a Clio 200 cup. Caught out of his natural habitat - the twisties - he was easy game.
A more serious question re. the electric hood - with winter approaching do people put the hard top on and keep it on until the spring or is the consensus that you should try to keep exercising the hood mechanism even in colder weather? Is there a special hood lubrication/maintenance service which a good independent would typically do? Any thoughts appreciated.
I just give the softtop a good clean and make sure it is dry before folding it away until spring. During the winter I unlatch the hardtop when I wash the car in order to dry in the gaps but I never remove it or re-erect the soft top. It's always a nervous moment come spring when I try the soft top for the first time. If you want to be really precious, you could insert a soft towel into the fold of the plastic window. This will stop it scratching and help avoid splits. I've never bothered.
chris333 said:
Fabulous colour!
Indeed! I test drove one a few years back from David something or other cars down in Surrey in that exact combination.I want to get one here in Dubai but
- a lot of imports with dubious history
- lack of the specialists that we have in the UK
- the interiors don't hold up that well to the intense sun!
Same here! I've a 1990 300-24 in astral silver with blue leather, and those lovely 15 hole alloys and no airbags.
Mine was first registered to a company in Oxford. I seem to remember them going for well over list price (which was not inconsiderable) in those heady days.
Proper Silver Arrow motoring.....
Mine was first registered to a company in Oxford. I seem to remember them going for well over list price (which was not inconsiderable) in those heady days.
Proper Silver Arrow motoring.....
f1ten said:
Hi Penny
You have an identical twin to mine
What is the origin of yours? It must have been a dealer demo like mine. Mine was a jan1st 90 reg although pdi was nov 89... which makes it one of the very first RHD cars and yours must also be. Any ideas where yours was first registered?
I just had a look at the maintenance book and its PDI was on the 24/11/89, so our cars must have been next to each other on the production line! Mine was sold by Bradshaw & Webb in Chelsea and was serviced by them up until 2000, after that it has been looked after solely by specialists TM Motors in West Molesey, Surrey. I intend keeping this up as they aren't too far from me and have a great reputation. It was on a private plate B8 WOT but is now on a 'G' plate.You have an identical twin to mine
What is the origin of yours? It must have been a dealer demo like mine. Mine was a jan1st 90 reg although pdi was nov 89... which makes it one of the very first RHD cars and yours must also be. Any ideas where yours was first registered?
mickyveloce said:
Same here! I've a 1990 300-24 in astral silver with blue leather, and those lovely 15 hole alloys and no airbags.
Mine was first registered to a company in Oxford. I seem to remember them going for well over list price (which was not inconsiderable) in those heady days.
Proper Silver Arrow motoring.....
Hi MickeyveloceMine was first registered to a company in Oxford. I seem to remember them going for well over list price (which was not inconsiderable) in those heady days.
Proper Silver Arrow motoring.....
Yours must have been on the same line too. Blue leather sounds nice - is the soft top blue too? Not sure it was an option from new but would look good when it comes up for replacement!
Mine has a driver airbag and one thing I'm going to look into is retro fitting a passenger one also.
Original alloys for me every time too.
There's a thread on here titled 'Anyone taken a risk on a 3/4k car?'by mossco456.
http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Well I was lucky enough to get mine for around that. I love these earlier Mercs, I had a 1990 W124 300TD which was written off by some moron whilst it was parked in a petrol station. This was replaced by a 1994 E300D multivalve model which although a great car, had a more 'modern' feel about it and was more prone to rust.
The OP, adam917k, talks about todays prices of Porsches from the same era. I might be wrong but I think the R129 was listed at a higher price than the Porsche when new, the performances of the two were not that far apart yet today's prices are! Surviving numbers perhaps. The Merc was probably bought by a more mature 'old money' type and used on the weekends whereas the Porsche very often bought by younger 'city' types with their bonuses!
I was also considering the W124 coupe and convertable. A good coupe seems to go for the same money as the R129 and the convertable is now out of my price range.
SO glad I went for the SL tho'!
Edited by penybontboy on Wednesday 15th October 05:52
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