Mercedes r230 SL500 titivation
Discussion
This will be a good thread to keep an eye on.
A friend of mine has an R230 500SL, or rather his parents do. They've owned it for years and years! It used to take pride of place in the garage until my mate bough a Citroen DS21 EFI and an M4. A few of the issues you've had already sound familiar and it's on 40k!
While he doesn't have rust his wheels are in a super sorry state, and are the 18s that you are fitting!
I await to see how you get on.
A friend of mine has an R230 500SL, or rather his parents do. They've owned it for years and years! It used to take pride of place in the garage until my mate bough a Citroen DS21 EFI and an M4. A few of the issues you've had already sound familiar and it's on 40k!
While he doesn't have rust his wheels are in a super sorry state, and are the 18s that you are fitting!
I await to see how you get on.
I pulled the car into the tip that is my garage last night and had a go at cleaning up the interior. I used a Bit Hamber Surfex HD solution everywhere. My brother used to smoke and he either chuffed on his cancer sticks or on those ridiculous vapes in this car. Plus he has a little dog which has been in it.
I quite like the design aesthetic. The cluster in particular is rather nice. A bit fiddly and precious but nice all the same. The swooping centre console is pleasing and the faux-leather surface on the dash and door trims I don't mind at all.
The ergonomics are a step back from the 129, however. In particular, I find the clustering of switches in single units really inferior to the previously used system separate switches. The latter are easier to find without taking your eyes off the road. Nor do I like putting the window, seat heating and boot switches in the door card. They are harder to operate than on the console and, of course, unavailable to a passenger. The switches themselves are cheaper and have less of a substantial feel. Many of them have the same position whether on or off. I have noticed that some of them (the gear selector switch for example) are gummed up. All of this is about making a car cheaper to manufacture at the expense of longevity and ease of operation.
Visibility is inferior to the 129 but hardly bad. You sit lower in the 230 and the rear of the car rises up and wraps round you much more than in the 129. It is a good job it has parking bleepers. Of course, the 'A' pillars are bigger than the 129's and the screen rake is compromised to accommodate the folding top (you will have noticed that in order to make the top feasible, the top of the screen effectively provides the front of the roof).
The shell feels stiffer, although not much, and the driving feel is more direct than in the 129.
The hard plastics around the bottom of the seats are just unforgivably cheap and nasty. Hard, thin, sharp, flimsy, they are a disgrace. The door bins seem to have worked loose.
I can't really fault the seats but then I haven't driven very far in them. The absence of jump seats in the back is major marketing faux pas, I would have thought.
In short: it has its merits but it is of far inferior quality to earlier products. Which you can say about pretty much any car produced after 2000.
I quite like the design aesthetic. The cluster in particular is rather nice. A bit fiddly and precious but nice all the same. The swooping centre console is pleasing and the faux-leather surface on the dash and door trims I don't mind at all.
The ergonomics are a step back from the 129, however. In particular, I find the clustering of switches in single units really inferior to the previously used system separate switches. The latter are easier to find without taking your eyes off the road. Nor do I like putting the window, seat heating and boot switches in the door card. They are harder to operate than on the console and, of course, unavailable to a passenger. The switches themselves are cheaper and have less of a substantial feel. Many of them have the same position whether on or off. I have noticed that some of them (the gear selector switch for example) are gummed up. All of this is about making a car cheaper to manufacture at the expense of longevity and ease of operation.
Visibility is inferior to the 129 but hardly bad. You sit lower in the 230 and the rear of the car rises up and wraps round you much more than in the 129. It is a good job it has parking bleepers. Of course, the 'A' pillars are bigger than the 129's and the screen rake is compromised to accommodate the folding top (you will have noticed that in order to make the top feasible, the top of the screen effectively provides the front of the roof).
The shell feels stiffer, although not much, and the driving feel is more direct than in the 129.
The hard plastics around the bottom of the seats are just unforgivably cheap and nasty. Hard, thin, sharp, flimsy, they are a disgrace. The door bins seem to have worked loose.
I can't really fault the seats but then I haven't driven very far in them. The absence of jump seats in the back is major marketing faux pas, I would have thought.
In short: it has its merits but it is of far inferior quality to earlier products. Which you can say about pretty much any car produced after 2000.
It has stood up quite well. Certainly, no holes. There is the usual black creasing on the outer bolster of the driver's seat: I always find that it is worse after cleaning. It is not the lovely nappa leather of my late-model 129 but it is certainly a lot nicer quality than you'd find in a C- or E-Class. If it ever stops raining, I'll get it cleaned up inside and out and do some nice photos.
I love the 230 shape, I think it's an absolute cracker, especially the rear, and still looks fresh today. Very envious.
You're right about the lack of 2+2 seating. I think the bulk of the folding metal roof mechanism robbed the interior of the necessary space. I would have bought a 230 over my 129 if rear seats were available.
You're right about the lack of 2+2 seating. I think the bulk of the folding metal roof mechanism robbed the interior of the necessary space. I would have bought a 230 over my 129 if rear seats were available.
Strela said:
Well, not much to say just now. The little beastie's having an MOT next week and is pictured here having a new set of Pirellis fitted the other day. It'll be an interesting voyage of discovery.
Oof, nice alloys!
I hope they moved the balance weights to the inside of the alloy Oof, nice alloys!
Lovely car
Zonergem said:
Wonderful thing that Bitter and I can't wait for Mr S to really go to town on the write-up.
It strikes me that if anyone needed a classic all-terrain expedition vehicle that is both funky and bulletproof it's Strela.
Given the nature of the vehicle, and a German vendor, I guess the “bulletproof” can be taken literally?!It strikes me that if anyone needed a classic all-terrain expedition vehicle that is both funky and bulletproof it's Strela.
Edited by Zonergem on Wednesday 21st March 20:11
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