Finished my 129!

[derin100]

I bought this damaged R129 SL280 a while back and have now had it repaired, fully resprayed plus made some other improvements:

Before as Cat D write off:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

And now repaired top left thumbnail:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php

[Mikey_W]

Not bad i suppose

[r129sl]

Not exactly wrecked, was it? Amazing that it should be written off, though. Tell us what you did with it, I often look at the cars on your site, it's very impressive.

[derin100]

Sorry for the slow response...went away to France fishing a few weeks ago and have been on a crash diet ever since which has somewhat preoccupied me....to say the least!

Having now had dealings with the previous owner I've got a hunch as to why the insurance company may have just got fed up with him and just written the car off even though the damage was so minor.

I can imagine he was insistent that the car (despite it's age and value) be repaired by a MB Maindealer from whom he told me in an email he had a quote of £5.5K to repair the car! I suspect that (as Maindealers would because it's just easier for them especially if someone else is footing the bill) they would have quoted on the basis of replacing the whole OSR quarter panel rather than repair the damage to the wheel-arch. This was by far the worst bit of damage really and was a simple repair for the bodyshop I use to effect.

So I think they probably just paid him a write-off sum and took the car. Apparently, they took it whilst he was still haggling over it with them!

Anyway when I contacted him regarding the service history he confirmed that he does indeed have the service history but then wanted to charge me £350 for the service history along with the 1 MOT certificate he had and a second-hand wind-deflector!!! (I'd already bought one anyway).

Needless to say that attitude has raised a few eyebrows both at my local MB maindealer and in the MB Club i.e that he would actually be so "un-gentlemanly" as to actually wish to charge me for the service history which belongs to a car he no longer owns and for which he has been paid out on?!

Anyway...I wasn't going to pay him that but did offer him the price of two decent bottles of Single Malt (i.e £50) as a gesture for his trouble in posting the service book to me. He didn't have the courtesy to reply and I have heard no more from him at all...and frankly have no wish to have any further dealings with him.

I've chased the previous MOT records (which can now be accessed on-line for free) and they seem to back up the indicated mileage of 88K miles. I'll service it and that'll be good enough as far as I'm concerned.

I've re-instated the correct Becker stereo unit along with an Alpine CD boot-changer to replce the non-functioning one that was in the car. Plus I've added a new set of Alpine Speakers in the doors.

I still need to get the electric aerial working.( I can hear it making a noise but it does extend at the moment). Additionally, I might get the front seats "re-connolised/dyed" at there is a small amount of scuffing on the drivers side bolster. Any suggestions where to get this done?

I'm actually now thinking in terms of possibly selling it again as I've been bitten a bit by the SL Bug! I was thinking in terms of buying a Porsche 996 Carrera soon but looking at prices a SL55 looks like a whole lot more of a car to me and much more exclusive?

I know my R129 SL280 won't command a huge price but it's a good-looking, solid car that gets a lot of admiring comments and that I think has been wrongly and unnecessarily stigmatised as "Cat D" for relatively very minor damage.

However to have any chance of getting the SL55 I need to make space more than anything. So the SL280 along with my 540i Touring will have to go!

(BTW....it does have the hardtop!)

[Orb the Impaler]

This thread is a prime example of how people (usually in "general gassing") are often spouting rubbish when they say "never touch a CAT D" - crikey - a bit of a dent and a broken mirror - it hardly makes the car a death trap, does it.

Nice car

[Small Car]

Derin - I am interested to hear about those speakers as mine have blown. Where did you buy them, do they have a part number and what was the cost ? Thanks.

[E31Shrew]

Small Car said:

Derin - I am interested to hear about those speakers as mine have blown. Where did you buy them, do they have a part number and what was the cost ? Thanks.

I think if you click the 2nd link in Derins original post you'll see a pic of the speakers with the box...

[derin100]

I bought the speakers via an seller on German Ebay and they arrived promptly without any problems. I will try to find you the link.

However... I also managed to buy an original Becker/Mercedes head-unit. But...I have to be honest and say that whilst the combo is "ok"...and better than the original speakers in concert with the Blaupunkt unit someone else had installed.....

"It still ain't great!"

Edited by derin100 on Thursday 23 July 22:04

[derin100]

Here's the link for the Alpine Speakers:


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mercedes-SL-W129-R129-Alpine...

[r129sl]

The Becker/Mercedes head unit has a funny output. Something to do with ohms. With the correct speakers it sound superb. My car has the best sounding stereo I own!

When are you getting some more tasty BMWs?

[derin100]

r129sl said:

The Becker/Mercedes head unit has a funny output. Something to do with ohms. With the correct speakers it sound superb. My car has the best sounding stereo I own!

When are you getting some more tasty BMWs?

Soon I hope!....LOL!

Although I do still have a couple of tasty ones:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...


http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

Edited by derin100 on Friday 24th July 17:03

[Mikey_W]

derin100 said:

r129sl said:

The Becker/Mercedes head unit has a funny output. Something to do with ohms. With the correct speakers it sound superb. My car has the best sounding stereo I own!

When are you getting some more tasty BMWs?

Soon I hope!....LOL!

Although I do still have a couple of tasty ones:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...


http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

Edited by derin100 on Friday 24th July 17:03

Any plans to sell that rather lovely 540i Derin?

[derin100]

Mikey_W said:

derin100 said:

r129sl said:

The Becker/Mercedes head unit has a funny output. Something to do with ohms. With the correct speakers it sound superb. My car has the best sounding stereo I own!

When are you getting some more tasty BMWs?

Soon I hope!....LOL!

Although I do still have a couple of tasty ones:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...


http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

Edited by derin100 on Friday 24th July 17:03

Any plans to sell that rather lovely 540i Derin?

LOL!...Well, I would....but no one would offer me enough!

You know the story behind it?

[madou]

derin100 said:

Having now had dealings with the previous owner I've got a hunch as to why the insurance company may have just got fed up with him and just written the car off even though the damage was so minor
...
I'm actually now thinking in terms of possibly selling it again as I've been bitten a bit by the SL Bug! I was thinking in terms of buying a Porsche 996 Carrera soon but looking at prices a SL55 looks like a whole lot more of a car to me and much more exclusive?

I know my R129 SL280 won't command a huge price but it's a good-looking, solid car that gets a lot of admiring comments and that I think has been wrongly and unnecessarily stigmatised as "Cat D" for relatively very minor damage.

However to have any chance of getting the SL55 I need to make space more than anything. So the SL280 along with my 540i Touring will have to go!

I know that you love great restorations, but this does seem a lot of work for modest return, why not just get a straight R129 SL500 Have just got back from the South of France in a day in the E39 540i and can confirm this is still a pretty good car.

[derin100]

madou said:

derin100 said:

Having now had dealings with the previous owner I've got a hunch as to why the insurance company may have just got fed up with him and just written the car off even though the damage was so minor
...
I'm actually now thinking in terms of possibly selling it again as I've been bitten a bit by the SL Bug! I was thinking in terms of buying a Porsche 996 Carrera soon but looking at prices a SL55 looks like a whole lot more of a car to me and much more exclusive?

I know my R129 SL280 won't command a huge price but it's a good-looking, solid car that gets a lot of admiring comments and that I think has been wrongly and unnecessarily stigmatised as "Cat D" for relatively very minor damage.

However to have any chance of getting the SL55 I need to make space more than anything. So the SL280 along with my 540i Touring will have to go!

I know that you love great restorations, but this does seem a lot of work for modest return, why not just get a straight R129 SL500 Have just got back from the South of France in a day in the E39 540i and can confirm this is still a pretty good car.

I know Madou...you're right. Trouble was a) I didn't realise R129s were so cheap when I bought the damaged SL280 and b) It just seemed such a shame to let such a superficially damaged but otherwise good car go to waste.

I wasn't too bothered that it's only an SL280 and a fairly low spec'd one at that (e.g no Aircon) as I didn't really buy it to go tearing around in (although now IS what I want... ) and figured there would be less to go wrong on a simpler car. But even a basic SL280 cost £57K in 1995. Well made car though....!


The worst part is now that I'm thinking of selling but know it won't even be a modest return but a loss! But I want a truly fast car and I need the space.

[derin100]

And now I've just spent another £90-quid installing a new Hirschmann electric aerial so that the radio works

Still, I see what you mean about the radio sounding good r129sl! Maybe it's the CD bootchanger I've installed that doesn't have the greatest sound as on FM radio now it sounds superb!

Edited by derin100 on Saturday 25th July 12:30

[Small Car]

Derin

Thank you for the ebay link. Very helpful. I have a period kenwood with 10 cd bootchanger. I recall Mercs of this vintage came without a radio and it was a cost option ? So Becker et al was the option but some people chose to fit their own post delivery ?

Thanks again.

SC

[Mikey_W]

derin100 said:

Mikey_W said:

derin100 said:

r129sl said:

The Becker/Mercedes head unit has a funny output. Something to do with ohms. With the correct speakers it sound superb. My car has the best sounding stereo I own!

When are you getting some more tasty BMWs?

Soon I hope!....LOL!

Although I do still have a couple of tasty ones:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...


http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

Edited by derin100 on Friday 24th July 17:03

Any plans to sell that rather lovely 540i Derin?

LOL!...Well, I would....but no one would offer me enough!

You know the story behind it?

I have a couple of grand spare if thats enough?

No i don't know the story behind it

[derin100]

I sold the 129 a few weeks ago.

But have now finished (more or less! Never really "finished" at this age are they?)...67K miles on the clock:

http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk/gallery/index.php?spg...

[r129sl]

Good w201s are about to start shooting up in value (it has already started, really), just like good w124s have done. Except the 201 is even better built.