R129 SL600 buying advice - am I crazy?

[AlfaNZ]

I've been offered a R129 SL600 (1996 model year) which seems very cheap. It's done 200kms and has had many owners but the service history is there and cosmetically it looks good. R129 market seems to have bottomed out, can only go one way now?

It seems like a bargain for such a well engineered and powerful car. However the thought of running a V12 scares me. It would be parked up and driven as a weekender.

I own a R107 280SL which I love and will never part with. Kind of an opposite to the 107 but could be a fun car to own for a while.

Am I crazy considering this? Anyone with experience they can share?

[PositronicRay]

Complicated beastie.

The V12 was developed from 2 x 6's. So everything is doubled up, they run a separate engine ECUs, one for each bank.

A lot of heat generated so expect problems with the engine wiring harness and vacuum lines deteriorating. If the wiring harness hasn't been tackled already the insulation is likely to be dust.

Plenty of V12 owners on here

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129-sl-class/

[ras62]

When the V8 does things equally well without the weight, mpg and complexity downsides? Yes you probably are crazy

[r129sl]

The V12 is a league apart from the V8. The additional refinement and power are significant.

Sure, they are more expensive when they break down. But they're not made of chocolate. They reward use. Lack of use leads to problems.

[ras62]

Mmm...given I rarely use more than 80% of the SL500's performance and have never wanted more in the refinement stakes, I seriously question the advantages of the V12 model as a usable car today. There are simply too many bills lurking to keep such cars in tip top order over the long term for my liking.

[AlfaNZ]

Thanks for your feedback which is what I expected. It seems like a bargain because it's probably 30% less than the equivalent 500. No doubt that is like go get eaten up by maintenance. I'll stick to the original plan and find the right V8. Cheers

[0a]

I may be interested in this car if you are happy to share details via PM!

Edit NZ probably won't be too useful for me

Edited by 0a on Saturday 26th March 12:54