R129 500 SL - Will I enjoy it.

R129 500 SL - Will I enjoy it.

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Discussion

AllyBee

Original Poster:

313 posts

153 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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Hi All

I'm thinking of getting an R129 500SL. I currently own an Elise and as much as I love driving the Elise it does not get used very much. I figure an SL might just be that bit more practical and with the rear seat mean the whole family can come along. I've done a fair bit of research on this site and others so have a fair idea of what I'm getting into. I'm expecting the driving experience to be different however I am a bit worried I might end up missing the Elise, any one gone from something similar to an SL?

Thanks.

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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AllyBee said:
Hi All

I'm thinking of getting an R129 500SL. I currently own an Elise and as much as I love driving the Elise it does not get used very much. I figure an SL might just be that bit more practical and with the rear seat mean the whole family can come along. I've done a fair bit of research on this site and others so have a fair idea of what I'm getting into. I'm expecting the driving experience to be different however I am a bit worried I might end up missing the Elise, any one gone from something similar to an SL?

Thanks.
Lovely cars but rear legroom is only suitable for toddlers and those in the back get wind blasted with the top down. This is why I sold mine and bought a CLK convertible...the fact it also had a 6.2 litre V8 had absolutely no influence on the decision either...nosiree

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

235 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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If you expected the same reactions from the chassis, you'd be annoyed after about 10 minutes. The two cars are at opposite ends of the soft top spectrum.

However, if you enjoy characterful, quality brisk motoring, you'll love an SL.

The only comparison which remotely comes close to the two cars you've mentioned was a 1991 road test in CAR magazine which compared the then-new Lotus Élan (fwd) and the R129 300-24.
It concluded that the Mercedes was not only the superior boulevardier, it was also the superior sports car.

I've posted an article on here covering the retro fit of rear seat belts if that assists.

Buy the best, and enjoy....

truck71

2,328 posts

171 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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I ran a 981 Cayman alongside my 129 until recently, a great pair and world's apart dynamically. The 981 was hugely competent and a great steer but I never "loved it". The 129 has got under my skin and when I decided to go from 2 to 1 cars the porsche went leaving the merc as a daily driver. It goes to the dump, b and q, is currently in the black mountains on a walking holiday as well as being a summer sports cruiser. You'd need to have a good think about using it as family transport but otherwise they are superb- ahead of their time. Try some and see what you think, they are very usable with a broad range of capabilities.

AllyBee

Original Poster:

313 posts

153 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
mickyveloce said:
If you expected the same reactions from the chassis, you'd be annoyed after about 10 minutes. The two cars are at opposite ends of the soft top spectrum.

However, if you enjoy characterful, quality brisk motoring, you'll love an SL.

The only comparison which remotely comes close to the two cars you've mentioned was a 1991 road test in CAR magazine which compared the then-new Lotus Élan (fwd) and the R129 300-24.
It concluded that the Mercedes was not only the superior boulevardier, it was also the superior sports car.

I've posted an article on here covering the retro fit of rear seat belts if that assists.

Buy the best, and enjoy....
Not really looking for the same handling, really more the same feeling of the drive being an event, if you know what I mean. Plus I do have a bit of a V8 itch, that with petrol prices the way they are should really be itched.


P.S just looked at your profile to try and find the seat belt article. 924 Carrera GT - Nice choice sir.

AllyBee

Original Poster:

313 posts

153 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
truck71 said:
I ran a 981 Cayman alongside my 129 until recently, a great pair and world's apart dynamically. The 981 was hugely competent and a great steer but I never "loved it". The 129 has got under my skin and when I decided to go from 2 to 1 cars the porsche went leaving the merc as a daily driver. It goes to the dump, b and q, is currently in the black mountains on a walking holiday as well as being a summer sports cruiser. You'd need to have a good think about using it as family transport but otherwise they are superb- ahead of their time. Try some and see what you think, they are very usable with a broad range of capabilities.
Keeping the Elise is an option (not sure for how long with the running cost mind), as for families, it would really only be the odd Sunday afternoon and weekend away, daughter is only 5 so hopefully not too much of an issue. From the research I've done, one thing seems consistent, everyone seems to rave about them, which if you look at the car on paper to me should not really be the case, maybe its because I'm getting a bit older ;-)

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

235 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
AllyBee said:
Not really looking for the same handling, really more the same feeling of the drive being an event, if you know what I mean. Plus I do have a bit of a V8 itch, that with petrol prices the way they are should really be itched.


P.S just looked at your profile to try and find the seat belt article. 924 Carrera GT - Nice choice sir.
. The 924 was about 10 years ago! I much prefer my 129 though....

chris333

1,034 posts

238 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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[quote=mickyveloce

The only comparison which remotely comes close to the two cars you've mentioned was a 1991 road test in CAR magazine which compared the then-new Lotus Élan (fwd) and the R129 300-24.
It concluded that the Mercedes was not only the superior boulevardier, it was also the superior sports car.


[/quote]

Is that around online anywhere? Sounds like an interesting read!

mickyveloce

1,035 posts

235 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
Hello Chris, hope all going well.

I have/had this test somewhere in the depths of a million magazines somewhere in my garage.
There is a reference to it in a more recent edition of Classic Cars magazine who are reviewing a black 129 500SL too.
.As I remember it, the test coincided with the launch of the 300-24, so probably 1990/1. The Élan had been in production since 1990 (g-registration) .

The 129, if anyone is old enough to remember, commanded a big premium when it was new.

chris333

1,034 posts

238 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
mickyveloce said:
Hello Chris, hope all going well.

I have/had this test somewhere in the depths of a million magazines somewhere in my garage.
There is a reference to it in a more recent edition of Classic Cars magazine who are reviewing a black 129 500SL too.
.As I remember it, the test coincided with the launch of the 300-24, so probably 1990/1. The Élan had been in production since 1990 (g-registration) .

The 129, if anyone is old enough to remember, commanded a big premium when it was new.
I used to buy Autocar every week at that time. I remember seeing the spy shots,then all the launch publicity, long waiting lists, cars being sold at a premium etc. Its easy to forget how advanced and special the car was at launch. The pop-up roll-bar was a thing of wonder to me! I never tire of moving it up and down on my car: so smooth and precise. Like everything else!


ras62

1,086 posts

155 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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If I was to pick one car the exact opposite to an Elise it would be the R129. The SL is an event to drive simply because of the serene calmness experienced when you drive. The engine and auto box are a perfect combo, the ride is pillow soft and the control interfaces such as steering, brakes are smooth and effortless. Passengers new to the SL nearly always comment on the smooth quiet ride.
If you need the drug of feedback from the chassis or the controls then the SL is not the car for you. Open the taps on the V8 though and the SL is still seriously quick accompanied by a cultured snarl.... then calmness returns. They do get under your skin.

BGarside

1,564 posts

136 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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The SL is a refined boulevard cruiser, not a responsive sports car.

It will still be very quick and competent, but not feel fast. Think of it as a Merc S-class convertible with 2 seats.

Cheap to but but not cheap to run properly, as they were £70k+ cars in their day, quite heavy and therefore hard on brakes, tyres and suspension consumables and Mercedes parts are not cheap. They are also quite complex - engines, electric hood, standard electrical equipment.

r129sl

9,518 posts

202 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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I think the r129 and Elise have something important in common. What gets under the skin with the r129 is the quality of both the design and the build. It is a car with real integrity. In this respect, it has a lot in common with the Elise. Both are concerned with functionality; both possess extreme integrity of design. Neither is about appealing to passing fads. Neither is showy or bedecked with pointless fripperies. Both have qualities which become better appreciated on longer acquaintance. The thing the r129 is not is dull to drive. For sure, it lacks the immediacy and the agility of the Elise or a Boxster or even a BMW 3-series. But it is rewarding and feelsome in its handling. With long-travel springs but firm damping and with its multi-link rear axle, it can be hustled across bad roads with surprising rapidity, especially in 500 form.

I have done 240,000miles in mine over the last 12years. It has never once let me down. I frequently use it for a 780mile round trip to south Wales and back in a day. I take my children to school in it (18months and 3years). I have brought the Christmas tree home in it. I take it to the supermarket. And I take it for a drive when the urge takes me. It is one of the most satisfying things I have ever owned. But I wouldn't mind a 190 E 2.5-16 to feed the sports car urge...

AllyBee

Original Poster:

313 posts

153 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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Thanks everyone. Part of the reason for thinking of changing is to get more use of the car. My Elise doesn't get used very much as the scope for using it is pretty limited. I was thinking something like an SL with (just about) 4 seats would get more use.

Anyway going to see a couple that are fairly close to me tomorrow, they are at different ends of the price spectrum (one £5k, one over 10K) so it will be interesting to see how the difference is reflected in the cars.

nav p

324 posts

186 months

Friday 27th February 2015
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I have a 1999 500SL as well as a 190 2.5 16V

Just to add a bit of substance to this I also work for BMW and drive a wide range of that product..in the early nineties I worked for MB and sold these cars for £75k back then!

I love the 129 cars and have had several all V8 I must add, although the early 129 cars I feel prettier the late cars are far superior to live with.

As far as handling/ride etc my car has what most people dread with ADS but mine gives a great ride and handles very respectably,of course most new cars probably go round corners faster but these cars feel quite well resolved

I use mine most weekends whatever the weather and it feels a very special car still just like it did to me in the early nineties

My view is not an out and out sports car,it will hang on and grip even when the bodyroll is more than it should be but it is not ever anything but faithful and will not do anything to catch you out.The build is sublime and the ownership experience is great

It rides nearly as good as my 500SE,handles not far off my 2.5-16V and reminds me of my old 500E which is what it is based on

Get one,cherish it but remember what it really is.

PositronicRay

26,957 posts

182 months

Saturday 28th February 2015
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I use mine as a daily, but not commuting. Comfortable long distance cruiser (more so with the hard top on)

The soft-top isn't the most refined thing but it's okay.
Be prepared for electrical niggles, contact cleaner, test light & meter have become my best friends since owning an R129. A lot of cars are not used too regularly so niggles appear. Now mine is back in regular use (6-7000mpa) mostly long distance, I seem to have ironed these out. Consumables aren't too expensive, worth shopping around and most other bits are available from main dealers or breakers.

Heavy cars so this effects the handling, don't expect them to change direction like a sports car cause they ain't, but I don't need a "B" road blaster anymore. The ride isn't bad but not as refined as the saloons, the suspension is lower and firmer after all. But never gets crashy of uncomfortable.

My advise is to see plenty of cars before choosing, a lot of variation between price and quality out there.

You're idea of buying a car you can get more use from is sound. I had a sports car before this and over 5 yrs averaged 1000 mpa. The R129 lives on the drive and gets used. Rather than sitting in the garage on a Ctek, waiting for an excuse to take it out.

P.Nott

227 posts

188 months

Saturday 28th February 2015
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I owned both an SL and an Elise and couldn't comprehend keeping one over the other. I have, in fact, recently changed the Elise for the more mental Exige V6 and still I wouldn't change one for the other as, for me, they both satisfy very different aspects of motoring enjoyment. The SL I consider to be more of a long distance boulevard cruiser that is relaxing to drive on motorways or A roads, but the Exige is the only car I want if I am on the B roads and looking for an adrenaline rush.

Quite different driving experiences in my view.

AllyBee

Original Poster:

313 posts

153 months

Saturday 28th February 2015
quotequote all
P.Nott said:
I owned both an SL and an Elise and couldn't comprehend keeping one over the other. I have, in fact, recently changed the Elise for the more mental Exige V6 and still I wouldn't change one for the other as, for me, they both satisfy very different aspects of motoring enjoyment. The SL I consider to be more of a long distance boulevard cruiser that is relaxing to drive on motorways or A roads, but the Exige is the only car I want if I am on the B roads and looking for an adrenaline rush.

Quite different driving experiences in my view.
So an update.

Today I looked at this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321644524742?_trksid=p20...

And this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191159317850?_trksid=p20...

And as a test I drove to see both of them in my Elise, which was in rude health thanks to a rather large service bill. The first car was what they refer to as a 'Rough Diamond', the second car was, as far as I was concerned an absolute gem. However my thoughts on driving the second car are pretty much as P Nott has described. I'm not sure its an Elise replacement, but I would dearly love to own it along side my Elise however I'm not sure I can make the sums work. Got a bit of thinking ahead.

Oh and so far my favourite SL design feature is the bonnet release catch that's moulded to the shape of the bottom of the three pointed star - took a while to work that one out :-)

r129sl

9,518 posts

202 months

Saturday 28th February 2015
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That pearl grey car has been on my radar before and it does indeed look an absolute gem.

marcosal

396 posts

204 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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I acquired an R129 SL of 1999 vintage last year to use alongside my 4.6 V8 Marcos and as you will have discovered, the Merc makes a great boulevard cruiser that has ample power and effortless comfort. I love mine to bits but beware. parts and maintenance are eyewateringly expensive. if you buy one make sure it is checked over first and you have access to an experienced Merc independent specialist to fix things at sensible prices.

They are superbly built cars but they are very heavy and things like brakes. steering and suspension all take a bit of a hammering over the years.

Check under the carpets (as far as you can) any sign of water ingress or damp can be a real issue as there are Large ECUs under each seat. If they get damp or wet you can be into big bucks to replace them so make sure all the electric toys work.