RE: Mercedes-Benz 500 SL: Spotted

RE: Mercedes-Benz 500 SL: Spotted

Author
Discussion

sagarich

1,213 posts

149 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
I would bloody love one of these to waft around in this summer! Properly cool things.

mikey k

13,011 posts

216 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
cidered77 said:
Values are starting to spread a lot - you see many optimistically priced cars on Autotrader and Pistonheads, with low mileage and originality seeming to drive the premiums. But if you look at eBay and search on completed sales, they (albeit generally more rough and ready) examples, they go for less.

I got mine as part of a swap that effectively valued it at £6750 with 73k miles. Now with 78k miles, a great health check from The SL Shop and a couple of grand of sorting rusty arches i wouldn't sell for less than £12k but it would still take ages to move at that price i think.
Ironically I was looking at these last weekend and made the same observation.
The japanese imports are lower priced and probably better condition.
They just don't have some of the EU bits or "provence"

dickyf

807 posts

225 months

pSyCoSiS

3,594 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
mikey k said:
cidered77 said:
Values are starting to spread a lot - you see many optimistically priced cars on Autotrader and Pistonheads, with low mileage and originality seeming to drive the premiums. But if you look at eBay and search on completed sales, they (albeit generally more rough and ready) examples, they go for less.

I got mine as part of a swap that effectively valued it at £6750 with 73k miles. Now with 78k miles, a great health check from The SL Shop and a couple of grand of sorting rusty arches i wouldn't sell for less than £12k but it would still take ages to move at that price i think.
Ironically I was looking at these last weekend and made the same observation.
The japanese imports are lower priced and probably better condition.
They just don't have some of the EU bits or "provence"
They don't, but they generally are always low mileage and rust free examples.

myhandle

1,187 posts

174 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
From article : First off, it took such an almighty step up in performance from its comparably lazy predecessor that even today it

Comparatively, not comparably

Amirhussain

11,489 posts

163 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
One of my all time favourite car designs. Love to own one one day...

sinbaddio

2,371 posts

176 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
pSyCoSiS said:
That is absolutely stunning. Bournite?

And I only paid £3200 for mine back in 2015, but admitted spent more that that in upkeep and maintenance. Well worth it though, it's such a pleasure to drive.

Yes they do lazily pull off in 2nd unless you kick down, at which point the nose lifts and propels itself down the road with a lovely V8 growl. They are crying out for a 5th gear though, which the later models did get.
It is indeed Bournite. I've spent a bit in upkeep and maintenance but still overall great value. However my roof hydraulics will need doing this year frown

cidered77

1,626 posts

197 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
A few of mine - in both civvy, and Le Mans clothing.








pSyCoSiS

3,594 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Lovely and the F1 tribute to the pace cars is very cool indeed.

Much prefer the early models than the later ones, seem to have a better quality about them.

thelostboy

4,569 posts

225 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
They look great - in the right spec.

For me, it has to be something like following:


sidewinder500

1,144 posts

94 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Only car so far I missed after selling so had another one, albeit a little projecty one...
Looked good from the outside, very strong drive train, full amg pack and 2001, lots of miles but cheap...
I wonder if they ever get up, car in ad looks overpriced for me, low mileage can be a culprit as well, these things are built to be used.
I would only go for condition, not for miles...
Good thing is, you get any part you want, either brand new at MB, sometimes surprisingly cheap, or used.
As they share the general platform with the 124, they are good to work on and not too complicated.
But apart from the brutal V8 shove ( still impressive I think), which btw the 3-valver delivers lower and fatter and keener because of its gearing, I prefer the A124 much much more...
Tells you something when the lesser mobile generates the better value and may be even go up in price eventually.

Augustus Windsock

3,366 posts

155 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Goddamn you PH, as soon as I start to look at a certain car, pow! You hit me between the eyes by featuring it and drawing it to an even wider audience!
In fairness, I’ve been mulling over the 600SL AMG (V8) as opposed to the V12 like that which Harry Metcalfe owned (and which is up at, or has just been at, auction)
The kudos of a V12 6.0 over the 6.0 V8 doesn’t outweigh the fact that if it goes wrong then I don’t have sufficient major organs that are in good enough condition to sell to pay for repairs...

Titan2

150 posts

96 months

Thursday 2nd May 2019
quotequote all
Augustus Windsock said:
Goddamn you PH, as soon as I start to look at a certain car, pow! You hit me between the eyes by featuring it and drawing it to an even wider audience!
In fairness, I’ve been mulling over the 600SL AMG (V8) as opposed to the V12 like that which Harry Metcalfe owned (and which is up at, or has just been at, auction)
The kudos of a V12 6.0 over the 6.0 V8 doesn’t outweigh the fact that if it goes wrong then I don’t have sufficient major organs that are in good enough condition to sell to pay for repairs...
Did Harry sell his?

I could have sworn it was still in the background on his last video.

Didn't think the SL600 came with a V8,thought it was only V12 although the SL60 is a bored out V8.

Would love a SL60 one day...

soad

32,894 posts

176 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
thelostboy said:
They look great - in the right spec.

For me, it has to be something like following:

Not sure I'd want a black one personally. Reminds me too much of a R-plate C Class.

ras62

1,090 posts

156 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
The longer I've owned my 500 the more I've come to appreciate what it is and how it drives. Classy, refined and effortless. Still a very quick car, the 119 engine is superb. Totally unstressed, remarkaby good on petrol and it makes a lovely noise when driven hard. That is still looks so striking on the road amongst a sea of throw away modern junk is also a large part of the appeal, I guess at a stretch it could even be called eco freindly!
I prefer the post 96 electronic 5 speed box and a pano roof makes the cabin a really nice place to be. Anyone who fancies a 129 I would highly recommend them. The usual caveats apply, buy the best you can find.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

196 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
One of the local council estate big men was ahead of the curve, had a bright yellow one (looked a factory finish to me) 5-10 years ago.

Stunning car, driven like a plank.

Sold it and moved onto picking up the kids from school on a quad bike I seem to recall.

Venisonpie

3,269 posts

82 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
ras62 said:
The longer I've owned my 500 the more I've come to appreciate what it is and how it drives. Classy, refined and effortless. Still a very quick car, the 119 engine is superb. Totally unstressed, remarkaby good on petrol and it makes a lovely noise when driven hard. That is still looks so striking on the road amongst a sea of throw away modern junk is also a large part of the appeal, I guess at a stretch it could even be called eco freindly!
I prefer the post 96 electronic 5 speed box and a pano roof makes the cabin a really nice place to be. Anyone who fancies a 129 I would highly recommend them. The usual caveats apply, buy the best you can find.
As a previous long term owner I concur with all that.

oilit

2,625 posts

178 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
I saw one at an auction the other day 2 owners 70k miles and it struggled to make £4k - it had in fairness touched every wall it had ever parked next to.

Trusty Steed

291 posts

194 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Mine out of its winter slumber!


PistonBroker

2,419 posts

226 months

Friday 3rd May 2019
quotequote all
Had an R-plate SL280 in dark blue in my watch list a while back. No doubt a disappointment compared to the lump in one of these, but it still struck me as a nice thing to waft about in.

Back in '03 I was selling ad space into the motoring section of some local papers. Two chaps who ran a pitch in Stourbridge bought themselves identical R129s, albeit one in that lovely aforementioned dark blue and the other in a nice metallic red. I was smitten.