RE: Mercedes-Benz SL (R129) | PH Used Buying Guide
Discussion
Spingo said:
When I was based in Germany with the RAF in the mid/late 90s and tax free cars were a fantastic perk of the job, the SL320 & 500 was a very common sight on base. If you were married you could have a new car every 6 months (split across husband & wife combo), so my boss had many of these as did many of the more mature Harrier pilots. Buying RHD tax free 'sausage side' and selling into the UK market 6 months later, a very tidy profit was to be had, even if they got the nickname the 'Grecian 2000' sports car!
If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
That's awesome! Do you have any photographs of these ex RAF SLs?If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 14:21
Mark_Blanchard said:
ELUSIVEJIM said:
Similar, it was dark blue with clear indicator lenses, must have been the facelifted model. It had mirrored glass and drove with 2 outriders front and back. We used to have to pull into the side of the road to let him passed. Very "Coming to America."Edited by Mark_Blanchard on Thursday 28th November 11:56
The Sultan apparently took 50 of the worlds production of 85 SL73s which for him, produced an extra 45bhp and were badged SL730 rather than SL73. Here's a well known one based in the UK. RHD as you can see.
isosonic said:
Spingo said:
When I was based in Germany with the RAF in the mid/late 90s and tax free cars were a fantastic perk of the job, the SL320 & 500 was a very common sight on base. If you were married you could have a new car every 6 months (split across husband & wife combo), so my boss had many of these as did many of the more mature Harrier pilots. Buying RHD tax free 'sausage side' and selling into the UK market 6 months later, a very tidy profit was to be had, even if they got the nickname the 'Grecian 2000' sports car!
If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
That's awesome! Do you have any photographs of these ex RAF Sls?If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 14:21
Dr Interceptor said:
isosonic said:
Spingo said:
When I was based in Germany with the RAF in the mid/late 90s and tax free cars were a fantastic perk of the job, the SL320 & 500 was a very common sight on base. If you were married you could have a new car every 6 months (split across husband & wife combo), so my boss had many of these as did many of the more mature Harrier pilots. Buying RHD tax free 'sausage side' and selling into the UK market 6 months later, a very tidy profit was to be had, even if they got the nickname the 'Grecian 2000' sports car!
If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
That's awesome! Do you have any photographs of these ex RAF Sls?If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 14:21
I did have a ride in my bosses car when we both went down to the Moers Porsche dealership to order our new cars - mine a Zenith Blue 986 Boxster and Mike a 996 911 Cab... Happy Days!
One of the nicest tax free cars was bought by a Harrier pilot working out of the same building as myself - he brought it in on the day he picked it up... a brand spanking new Guards Red 993 Porsche 911 - one of the last air cooled, registered in 1997. :-)
PS - In my first post I did of course mean Maidstone, NOT Maidenhead!!
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 18:04
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 18:07
I bought one a year or so back. Hateful hateful machine. Woefully underpowered (DO NOT BUY A 280) and downright frustrating with all the needlessly complicated hydraulics, vacuums and electrics. The stupid hydraulic roof catches would usually leak and drip on your trousers, ruining them. Flat batteries also seem to send them into meltdown. Then there is rust... oh the rust!
I'm sure that in their day they were spectacular, but then again, so were shell suits.
Mine was a facelift car which outwardly looked pretty decent, but inwardly, was an utter shower of s%&t
I'm sure that in their day they were spectacular, but then again, so were shell suits.
Mine was a facelift car which outwardly looked pretty decent, but inwardly, was an utter shower of s%&t
Edited by Yacht Broker on Thursday 28th November 18:16
Spingo said:
When I was based in Germany with the RAF in the mid/late 90s and tax free cars were a fantastic perk of the job, the SL320 & 500 was a very common sight on base. If you were married you could have a new car every 6 months (split across husband & wife combo), so my boss had many of these as did many of the more mature Harrier pilots. Buying RHD tax free 'sausage side' and selling into the UK market 6 months later, a very tidy profit was to be had, even if they got the nickname the 'Grecian 2000' sports car!
If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
My brother in law and sister were in the same position and it is how I ended up with their SLK32 for a lot less than I would have had to have paid for it at the time when they sold it. I'm sure that they had paid 27K for a 45K car off the top of my head and no massive discounts available off list price from the manufacturer involved either like there are today. For those wondering you couldn't just sell the car and bank the profit though, any money made could only be used to fund another car and you had to show proof of sale and evidence of driving it back to the uk yourself. He told me about plenty of folks who, although normally wouldn't be in the position to do so, had been based there for so long that they had managed to work their way up from the humble cars they moved over with right up to full on S Class' just by trading up a little higher each time. Nice work if you could get it!If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidenhead, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 14:21
Dapster said:
The Sultan had 700 Mercs at one point including these 2 unfinished horror shows. Both converted from the ultra rare SL73.....
Really it was his Brother Prince Jefri that was buying the cars, I don't think the Sultan was all that bothered with them. Jefri spent 3/4 of a billion on cars and kept Rolls Royce / Bentley afloat during the 90s. Lots of bespoke One offs at Aston, Rolls, Bentley and Ferrari. I saw most of them and they were very special at the time.But the Sultan just stuck with his 90s SL Merc.
Mark_Blanchard said:
Dapster said:
The Sultan had 700 Mercs at one point including these 2 unfinished horror shows. Both converted from the ultra rare SL73.....
Really it was his Brother Prince Jefri that was buying the cars, I don't think the Sultan was all that bothered with them. Jefri spent 3/4 of a billion on cars and kept Rolls Royce / Bentley afloat during the 90s. Lots of bespoke One offs at Aston, Rolls, Bentley and Ferrari. I saw most of them and they were very special at the time.But the Sultan just stuck with his 90s SL Merc.
I dont think they were actual McLaren F1's but they may have been based on that car.
I think they owned 2 or 3 of the limited run of 6 McLaren F1 LM's as well.
Getting a look at cars like that all in the one place must have been pretty eye opening...the storage might not have been the best for the cars though.
Titan2 said:
If I remember correctly,I read something about the Sultan of Brunei,or as you've said his brother had some bespoke McLarens made for themselves in the mid 90's.
I dont think they were actual McLaren F1's but they may have been based on that car.
I think they owned 2 or 3 of the limited run of 6 McLaren F1 LM's as well.
Getting a look at cars like that all in the one place must have been pretty eye opening...the storage might not have been the best for the cars though.
I thought that there were 5 LM’s, one for each car that finished the race that year, and that 3 were owned by the Sultan. With there being one at McLaren it only left one other out in the wild as it were. I dont think they were actual McLaren F1's but they may have been based on that car.
I think they owned 2 or 3 of the limited run of 6 McLaren F1 LM's as well.
Getting a look at cars like that all in the one place must have been pretty eye opening...the storage might not have been the best for the cars though.
I've had an indecent urge for an sl320 or 500 since I was a teenager.
About every 3 months I look on AT and lust after them. I'm starting to think if my Volvo had an 'accident', the insurance payout would cover a nice one plus some pennies for maintenance/unexpected bills.
Won't tow the gin palace, but I hate the thing anyway!
About every 3 months I look on AT and lust after them. I'm starting to think if my Volvo had an 'accident', the insurance payout would cover a nice one plus some pennies for maintenance/unexpected bills.
Won't tow the gin palace, but I hate the thing anyway!
Such a wonder. The SL500 Mille Miglia edition from
‘95 , the last of line Silver Arrow from 2001 - what a facelift that was with the complex multi - lens headlights , the new mirrors and the rest are quite the facelift . The only problem with the late R129 , like the late E36 M3 cabrios - another personal favourite - is the plastic rear window. In both cases, the only things I would change about the cars .
‘95 , the last of line Silver Arrow from 2001 - what a facelift that was with the complex multi - lens headlights , the new mirrors and the rest are quite the facelift . The only problem with the late R129 , like the late E36 M3 cabrios - another personal favourite - is the plastic rear window. In both cases, the only things I would change about the cars .
Spingo said:
When I was based in Germany with the RAF in the mid/late 90s and tax free cars were a fantastic perk of the job, the SL320 & 500 was a very common sight on base. If you were married you could have a new car every 6 months (split across husband & wife combo), so my boss had many of these as did many of the more mature Harrier pilots. Buying RHD tax free 'sausage side' and selling into the UK market 6 months later, a very tidy profit was to be had, even if they got the nickname the 'Grecian 2000' sports car!
If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidstone, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Aside from the interesting info, points for the Lord Flashheart reference...If you own an SL that was first registered in Maidstone, then there's a good chance it spent it's first 6 months as a BFG car...
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 14:21
Edited by Spingo on Thursday 28th November 18:02
I’ve got an SL60 in my sights and would prefer the V8 to the SL609 V12
Always worth watching Harry’s Garage on Youtube where he travels to the south of France and uncovers his SL600 V12 which as been sat for 2 months
Bought for the princely some of... £5250 with 140k on the clock and he says it drives like a dream
Harry also shows us the service book and it’s obviously had ££££ spent on it by attentive owners
Which I guess is the secret with these, but in condition and history first and foremost.
Personally I wouldn’t want the V12, access to the oily bits looks particularly tight and one can only image how much jobs under the bonnet cost
Always worth watching Harry’s Garage on Youtube where he travels to the south of France and uncovers his SL600 V12 which as been sat for 2 months
Bought for the princely some of... £5250 with 140k on the clock and he says it drives like a dream
Harry also shows us the service book and it’s obviously had ££££ spent on it by attentive owners
Which I guess is the secret with these, but in condition and history first and foremost.
Personally I wouldn’t want the V12, access to the oily bits looks particularly tight and one can only image how much jobs under the bonnet cost
Augustus Windsock said:
I’ve got an SL60 in my sights and would prefer the V8 to the SL609 V12
Always worth watching Harry’s Garage on Youtube where he travels to the south of France and uncovers his SL600 V12 which as been sat for 2 months
Bought for the princely some of... £5250 with 140k on the clock and he says it drives like a dream
Harry also shows us the service book and it’s obviously had ££££ spent on it by attentive owners
Which I guess is the secret with these, but in condition and history first and foremost.
Personally I wouldn’t want the V12, access to the oily bits looks particularly tight and one can only image how much jobs under the bonnet cost
I was bidding on Harrys SL600 earlier in the year at auction, it made a shade over £10k.Always worth watching Harry’s Garage on Youtube where he travels to the south of France and uncovers his SL600 V12 which as been sat for 2 months
Bought for the princely some of... £5250 with 140k on the clock and he says it drives like a dream
Harry also shows us the service book and it’s obviously had ££££ spent on it by attentive owners
Which I guess is the secret with these, but in condition and history first and foremost.
Personally I wouldn’t want the V12, access to the oily bits looks particularly tight and one can only image how much jobs under the bonnet cost
Regretted not buying it then and still regret it now.
Yes the mileage is high so it will never make a future investment garage queen. Imagine when I'd be selling it on it'd have 200k+.
SL600 with 200k
)As you say access to the engine looks a nightmare.
Been running a 1994 SL320 as a summer-only classic for 3 years and it has been an absolute joy. A very well written article here and have to say I agree with pretty much everything that it says. Personally I much prefer the earlier models with the Sacco panels and for sure these cars have the slight edge over later ones when it comes to overall quality. After looking at a large number of examples before settling on mine, the best advice I can give is to buy on provenance, service history, and condition rather than mileage. I never bought mine to make money on it, as I love cars too much for that however I would advise anyone thinking of taking the plunge on an R129 to not hang around for much longer as they are really starting to become collectible now in good condition no matter what the engine size.
Edited by yme402 on Friday 29th November 07:09
The late, much-missed Russell Bulgin said this of the 129 in a 1994 article for CAR magazine.
A Mercedes Benz SL is a reassuringly costly way of saying F@@@ you to the whole leering gawping awful tawdry world.
Men who drive SL Mercs possess large penises. (How do I know this? I just do. You do too). Women who drive them have big sunglasses, geometrically optimised ovoid bottoms and endless cleavages. SL owners have personal equity. SL owners don’t like us much.”
I’m a long-term owner and personally attest to Bulgin’s accurate précis.
A Mercedes Benz SL is a reassuringly costly way of saying F@@@ you to the whole leering gawping awful tawdry world.
Men who drive SL Mercs possess large penises. (How do I know this? I just do. You do too). Women who drive them have big sunglasses, geometrically optimised ovoid bottoms and endless cleavages. SL owners have personal equity. SL owners don’t like us much.”
I’m a long-term owner and personally attest to Bulgin’s accurate précis.
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