R230 sl500 shed/project / massive money pit
Discussion
Oh the R129 have less faults for sure but then less to go wrong in first place. Honestly I never enjoyed a car more then in the shape of a R129 or R230 with roof down, sun on cheeks and wind in hair. The essence of motoring from inception. Let's face it. If I need to get somewhere I take my 320d as I know it will make it. If I want to go a drive and hope nothing goes wrong (nothing in my SL experience has every stranded me) then I'd take an SL. The difference is dependability and temperament leading to an experience beyond the sum of it's parts. However get a wrong one and like a devious mistress she will bleed you dry. If you let her!
hoppo4.2 said:
Do any of you lovely people have any indeapth knowledge of Merc electronics?
I'm missing 3 lights for an mot but it's not bulbs or fuses.
Would this SAM communication issues cause this?
I'm reluctant to spend massive money for a new one if it's not the problem
I am 99% certain the signal acquisition module (SAM) will be the cause of your lighting issues. It's a well known symptom of a duff SAM module.I'm missing 3 lights for an mot but it's not bulbs or fuses.
Would this SAM communication issues cause this?
I'm reluctant to spend massive money for a new one if it's not the problem
Go on to Ebay and search 'breaking r230' or 'breaking sl500' and you will find some being broken.
Really enjoying seeing this car come good, much as I love our 107 I can see the appeal of something more modern. We did a few hundred miles at the weekend in a long trip and got properly baked, would have been nice to be able to stick the roof up and crank up the air-con. What's a 230 like at speed on a motorway? The 107 keeps up alright, but is wearing after a while so an A road route makes a better road trip.
idiotgap said:
Really enjoying seeing this car come good, much as I love our 107 I can see the appeal of something more modern. We did a few hundred miles at the weekend in a long trip and got properly baked, would have been nice to be able to stick the roof up and crank up the air-con. What's a 230 like at speed on a motorway? The 107 keeps up alright, but is wearing after a while so an A road route makes a better road trip.
A 230 eats motorways for breakfast. Comfortable, effortless and even by today's standards pretty fast. Well I can confirm that the 129 and 230 both eat up the motorway miles with no problem and with the wind deflector in place there's very little bufferting.
The 230 feels much more modern in comparison to the 129 in terms of steering feel and refinement.
Our 129 is a 320 face lift model with the 5 speed auto box. The 6 speed coupled with the v8 make the 230 much quicker and smoother but its still not going to set the world on fire .
The 230 feels much more modern in comparison to the 129 in terms of steering feel and refinement.
Our 129 is a 320 face lift model with the 5 speed auto box. The 6 speed coupled with the v8 make the 230 much quicker and smoother but its still not going to set the world on fire .
Mot day
Roof down and off we go 40 mile round trip first drive in 4 years or so suns out and it's running lovely.
15 miles in and she cuts out and won't restart. Get out and DISASTER oil raining out.
Get it recover to the garage one new crank sensor later and were up and running but that oil leak.
Undertrays off and it a corroded hose on the gearbox oil cooler. Which snaps off the cooler union.
So now she's stranded at the garage in till I can get a new hose and dad. 😣
Roof down and off we go 40 mile round trip first drive in 4 years or so suns out and it's running lovely.
15 miles in and she cuts out and won't restart. Get out and DISASTER oil raining out.
Get it recover to the garage one new crank sensor later and were up and running but that oil leak.
Undertrays off and it a corroded hose on the gearbox oil cooler. Which snaps off the cooler union.
So now she's stranded at the garage in till I can get a new hose and dad. 😣
hoppo4.2 said:
Mot day
Roof down and off we go 40 mile round trip first drive in 4 years or so suns out and it's running lovely.
15 miles in and she cuts out and won't restart. Get out and DISASTER oil raining out.
Get it recover to the garage one new crank sensor later and were up and running but that oil leak.
Undertrays off and it a corroded hose on the gearbox oil cooler. Which snaps off the cooler union.
So now she's stranded at the garage in till I can get a new hose and dad. ??
The curse of the R230... you have to expect a few issues with it being stood for so long.... mine has issues and is used every week lol!Roof down and off we go 40 mile round trip first drive in 4 years or so suns out and it's running lovely.
15 miles in and she cuts out and won't restart. Get out and DISASTER oil raining out.
Get it recover to the garage one new crank sensor later and were up and running but that oil leak.
Undertrays off and it a corroded hose on the gearbox oil cooler. Which snaps off the cooler union.
So now she's stranded at the garage in till I can get a new hose and dad. ??
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