New R129 owner

[DocArbathnot]

Picked up the car today, dealer good as gold, collected us from the station in an immaculate Bentley Arnarge.

Car ready as promised, service, MOT, a couple of bits of paintwork completed to a good standard. Mrs Doc approve's (a good sign this)

1st stop fuel and then a gentle run back accross the Cotswolds stopping for lunch. Mrs Doc notices passenger window inop turns out later just an incorrect fuse has been fitted and blown (8a instead of 16a)

Lovely car to drive, only complaints; The hard top creaks like a wooden sailing boat in a force 5 (I will try some silicon lube on the seals) It's not as refined as I hoped over broken road surfaces, I will get in on a ramp next week to examine all the rubber bushes etc. (A suspension refresh is in the budget and may help with the sailing boat sound-track)

Overall very pleased, pulls well, natural habitat sweeping A roads and dual carrigeways.

Edited by DocArbathnot on Saturday 17th August 18:35

[P.Nott]

Glad you are pleased with the car. As for the squeaking hardtop, my 107 was the same when I picked it up and, as you have suggested, I tried some silicone lube but it only made it worse. Eventually tried some powdered French chalk to rub over the seals and that fixed it completely. Talcum powder may well do the same.

[slippery]

I hope you get many years of pleasure from it. One day, we will look back in disbelief at the ridiculously low sums of money that these changed hands for.
As an aside - Bentley Arnage!

[rednotdead]

Pics please, and lots of em. About to start hunting seriously so your story has been interesting to follow. Keep the updates coming.

[DocArbathnot]

rednotdead said:

Pics please, and lots of em. About to start hunting seriously so your story has been interesting to follow. Keep the updates coming.

Not my pics. This is from the selling dealer.

Edited by DocArbathnot on Saturday 17th August 19:38

[truck71]

Looks great, love the ambers.

[DocArbathnot]

truck71 said:

Looks great, love the ambers.

Errrrrrrrrrrrr ambers? Are there another type of indicators?

[truck71]

Sorry, I've been looking at a few today that have clear indicator lenses which don't look as good in my opinion.

[DocArbathnot]

Oh yes I see what you mean, some are clear.

[r129sl]

Broken roads: I find front anti roll bar bushes make a huge difference (about £10 and ten minutes to fit) to the extent that I have them done every service; the other thing that made a huge difference was the steering idler bush (about £50 for a kit from the dealer and another ten minutes to fit).

[DocArbathnot]

r129sl said:

Broken roads: I find front anti roll bar bushes make a huge difference (about £10 and ten minutes to fit) to the extent that I have them done every service; the other thing that made a huge difference was the steering idler bush (about £50 for a kit from the dealer and another ten minutes to fit).

Thanks I will try this. can you remove the idler bush without the extraction tool?

Edited by DocArbathnot on Sunday 18th August 08:10

[DocArbathnot]

P.Nott said:

As for the squeaking hardtop, my 107 was the same when I picked it up and, as you have suggested, I tried some silicone lube but it only made it worse. Eventually tried some powdered French chalk to rub over the seals and that fixed it completely. Talcum powder may well do the same.

Sounds like a good tip. Mrs Doc doesn't have any talc (I'm amazed, I thought all females had this in there "toolkit") So car the maintenance section of Boots it is.

I noticed today only one auxiliary cuts in (A/C on) whats the other one for or is it inop?

Edited by DocArbathnot on Sunday 18th August 14:58

[0a]

A great looking car, doc. I can take my time now looking for a 500 as I have just purchased another v8, I still think the SLs are outrageous bargains however.

Look how much v8 w124s and w124 cabrios sell for, then look at the prices for 320/500 SLs - outrageous!

[tobinen]

Great purchase! 129s are definitely top value cars

[r129sl]

DocArbathnot said:

r129sl said:

Broken roads: I find front anti roll bar bushes make a huge difference (about £10 and ten minutes to fit) to the extent that I have them done every service; the other thing that made a huge difference was the steering idler bush (about £50 for a kit from the dealer and another ten minutes to fit).

Thanks I will try this. can you remove the idler bush without the extraction tool?

Edited by DocArbathnot on Sunday 18th August 08:10

I don't know, I'm afraid. I didn't do it on mine. But the parts look pretty simple: a great big nut and bolt and two bushes.

The other thing which improves steering feel and straight line stability (especially in cross winds) is a steering damper. Merc price £40, OEM £20, and just a nut and bolt at each end to R&R.

[Old Merc]

Hi Doc,welcome to the world of R129`s.These cars are becoming more and more desirable,yours looks a good find.I`ve had mine for years and intend to keep it indefinitely.
Your comment on a front suspension re-fresh is a good idea.I bit the bullet and booked my 129 into my local Merc indy.They fitted new lower ball joints,steering idler,centre damper,(roll bar bushes and coil springs had been replaced)and most important of all!!,adjusted the lower arms and the rest of the geometry!!!.It transformed the car,money well spent.

[f1ten]

hi

well done !
an early car? looks like might be a 95 car with the half amber lights at the front.
is it a 500?

i agree, there is no better car with this technology or engine for anything like this price. our euro cousins cant buy them this cheaply either!

[DocArbathnot]

r129sl said:

I don't know, I'm afraid. I didn't do it on mine. But the parts look pretty simple: a great big nut and bolt and two bushes.

The other thing which improves steering feel and straight line stability (especially in cross winds) is a steering damper. Merc price £40, OEM £20, and just a nut and bolt at each end to R&R.

Thanks, I've got a workshop manual on the way. I'll get her up in the air and make a list.

[DocArbathnot]

f1ten said:

hi

well done !
an early car? looks like might be a 95 car with the half amber lights at the front.
is it a 500?

i agree, there is no better car with this technology or engine for anything like this price. our euro cousins cant buy them this cheaply either!

It's a "94" 320. I've always wanted a straight 6 plus the benefits of a bit more space in the engine bay for home maintenance

[DocArbathnot]

Replace the ARB bushes today, the old ones didn't look too bad, maybe slightly better ride. Top mounts are cracked so on the "to do" list.

I noticed the drivers footwell was wet, directly under the door mirror. Is the mirror a likely suspect? It looks like the interior trim by the mirror has been off at some point or am I barking up the wrong tree?

The drain by the fuse box seems clear.

Edited by DocArbathnot on Sunday 25th August 10:53