My first SL R129 320
Discussion
Looks fantastic, a lot of 1990s glamour, especially in that colour. Following your progress with interest as I'm looking to sell my BMW 635csi in favour of an R129 with this engine which seems to be the best all-rounder. In terms of their value, I think you bought correctly. I see lots advertised at very strong money but not sure if they're actually changing hands for the advertised £10k+ prices, so yours at a smidge over 6k with the attractive low mileage sounds like good value. They will climb steadily and do what the R107 has achieved with any luck. I guess the 129 currently sits in the sweet spot as a modern classic and are still affordable to most with plenty around.
I am hoping to use the back seat for a 4 year old. With the passenger seat moved forward a little (wife is only 5 foot) does this look like a possibility? How are the arches/sill ends/general underside looking on yours for corrosion (or lack of)?. Finally, I'd be interested to know how cheaply you've managed to insure it.
Any suggestions when looking at this age of SL, as I intend on doing, would be appreciated. Congrats on your purchase.
I am hoping to use the back seat for a 4 year old. With the passenger seat moved forward a little (wife is only 5 foot) does this look like a possibility? How are the arches/sill ends/general underside looking on yours for corrosion (or lack of)?. Finally, I'd be interested to know how cheaply you've managed to insure it.
Any suggestions when looking at this age of SL, as I intend on doing, would be appreciated. Congrats on your purchase.
ajb85 said:
Looks fantastic, a lot of 1990s glamour, especially in that colour. Following your progress with interest as I'm looking to sell my BMW 635csi in favour of an R129 with this engine which seems to be the best all-rounder. In terms of their value, I think you bought correctly. I see lots advertised at very strong money but not sure if they're actually changing hands for the advertised £10k+ prices, so yours at a smidge over 6k with the attractive low mileage sounds like good value. They will climb steadily and do what the R107 has achieved with any luck. I guess the 129 currently sits in the sweet spot as a modern classic and are still affordable to most with plenty around.
I am hoping to use the back seat for a 4 year old. With the passenger seat moved forward a little (wife is only 5 foot) does this look like a possibility? How are the arches/sill ends/general underside looking on yours for corrosion (or lack of)?. Finally, I'd be interested to know how cheaply you've managed to insure it.
Any suggestions when looking at this age of SL, as I intend on doing, would be appreciated. Congrats on your purchase.
Yeah I agree the odd spot between usable car like mine and then SL shop minter does seem slow however they do still move. A mate sells them and has just sold a great car to Oz for cira £17k. But I am hoping like you said I've got in at a good price where I can get some value into it. I am hoping to use the back seat for a 4 year old. With the passenger seat moved forward a little (wife is only 5 foot) does this look like a possibility? How are the arches/sill ends/general underside looking on yours for corrosion (or lack of)?. Finally, I'd be interested to know how cheaply you've managed to insure it.
Any suggestions when looking at this age of SL, as I intend on doing, would be appreciated. Congrats on your purchase.
Mine is okay bodywork wise but it's had attention in its like with new paint and some rust prevention I believe.
In terms of what to look for - bills, bills and more bills and also that everything works. I did take a bit of a risk on mine as it hadn't done many miles in the last 10 years but I did still have the maintenance to show it was still being looked after.
Usual rules of not being sucked in by polished turds apply, I think it's easy to make these sorts of cars look like expensive shiny things. Usual give aways for me are filthy mechanical areas so see if you can get under it as much as possible.
In terms of insurance through admiral it's about £190 a year and I'm 35 in Kent.
I think with a shorter person you could get someone in the back yes.
Happy hunting
Longest drive in the car so far today down to Goodwood to the supercar breakfast meet. Just over 200 miles round from mine and back.
I was pleasantly surprised on the A272 and A264 by Petworth where the old girl showed a surprisingly pleasant handling balance. It's also suspiciously fast with some revs - the engine now I'm used to it really is rather impressive for such an old unit.
Discovered I really don't like it with the soft top up at all, feels rather noisy but needs must first thing this morning in the slight mist. With the roof down though - lovely!
I can't work out if it's selecting 5th gear properly as it's doing about 2.6k at 70mph which feels a little high. So another thing to add to the list for NJS week after next.
Also steam cleaned the seatbelts which was disgusting.... Felt like loads of fake tan came out.
Joehow said:
Longest drive in the car so far today down to Goodwood to the supercar breakfast meet. Just over 200 miles round from mine and back.
I was pleasantly surprised on the A272 and A264 by Petworth where the old girl showed a surprisingly pleasant handling balance. It's also suspiciously fast with some revs - the engine now I'm used to it really is rather impressive for such an old unit.
Discovered I really don't like it with the soft top up at all, feels rather noisy but needs must first thing this morning in the slight mist. With the roof down though - lovely!
I can't work out if it's selecting 5th gear properly as it's doing about 2.6k at 70mph which feels a little high. So another thing to add to the list for NJS week after next.
Also steam cleaned the seatbelts which was disgusting.... Felt like loads of fake tan came out.
The weak point of these is always the fabric hood, impressive mechanism, terrible design, lubing the seals helps.
I think th data is in the handbook. I've a spreadsheet somewhere with engine speed in gears at different road speeds. I had an issue with my V6 320 where it stayed in 4th after manual shifting. I felt it going wrong when the shift from 4 to 5 (full auto) wasn't clean and was a fight. If it happened the car was sluggish as it was stuck in 4th, especially when slow pulling away from stop.
PositronicRay said:
Joehow said:
Longest drive in the car so far today down to Goodwood to the supercar breakfast meet. Just over 200 miles round from mine and back.
I was pleasantly surprised on the A272 and A264 by Petworth where the old girl showed a surprisingly pleasant handling balance. It's also suspiciously fast with some revs - the engine now I'm used to it really is rather impressive for such an old unit.
Discovered I really don't like it with the soft top up at all, feels rather noisy but needs must first thing this morning in the slight mist. With the roof down though - lovely!
I can't work out if it's selecting 5th gear properly as it's doing about 2.6k at 70mph which feels a little high. So another thing to add to the list for NJS week after next.
Also steam cleaned the seatbelts which was disgusting.... Felt like loads of fake tan came out.
The weak point of these is always the fabric hood, impressive mechanism, terrible design, lubing the seals helps.
I'll try some seal lubing.....
niva441 said:
I think th data is in the handbook. I've a spreadsheet somewhere with engine speed in gears at different road speeds. I had an issue with my V6 320 where it stayed in 4th after manual shifting. I felt it going wrong when the shift from 4 to 5 (full auto) wasn't clean and was a fight. If it happened the car was sluggish as it was stuck in 4th, especially when slow pulling away from stop.
I did look in the handbooks but couldn't find it! Joehow said:
PositronicRay said:
Joehow said:
Longest drive in the car so far today down to Goodwood to the supercar breakfast meet. Just over 200 miles round from mine and back.
I was pleasantly surprised on the A272 and A264 by Petworth where the old girl showed a surprisingly pleasant handling balance. It's also suspiciously fast with some revs - the engine now I'm used to it really is rather impressive for such an old unit.
Discovered I really don't like it with the soft top up at all, feels rather noisy but needs must first thing this morning in the slight mist. With the roof down though - lovely!
I can't work out if it's selecting 5th gear properly as it's doing about 2.6k at 70mph which feels a little high. So another thing to add to the list for NJS week after next.
Also steam cleaned the seatbelts which was disgusting.... Felt like loads of fake tan came out.
The weak point of these is always the fabric hood, impressive mechanism, terrible design, lubing the seals helps.
I'll try some seal lubing.....
Takes a few applications to recondition the seals, then whenever I cleaned it. Use silicon not vaseline.
So good news is 5th gear works and I'm an idiot! When putting it what I thought was Drive I was letting it fall across into 4th so the car never changed up. Anyway all solved now.
Old man purchased a new car today so took advantage of using the SL to ferry him there. Car feels really strong at the moment but can't wait to have all the last handling bits sorted by NJS next week. Albeit I'm not looking forward to the bill.
I hate sending cars into garages dirty... So have her a little spruce up before tucking away.
And a pic of the old man's new toy. I love these and having owned 2 x 981 Spyders between us there's absolutely no doubt in my mind the 987 is far the better car... Providing it is in the right spec of course which this is. It will sit along side his GT3 and 205 GTi so a nice mix amongst the SL and my Caterham.
Old man purchased a new car today so took advantage of using the SL to ferry him there. Car feels really strong at the moment but can't wait to have all the last handling bits sorted by NJS next week. Albeit I'm not looking forward to the bill.
I hate sending cars into garages dirty... So have her a little spruce up before tucking away.
And a pic of the old man's new toy. I love these and having owned 2 x 981 Spyders between us there's absolutely no doubt in my mind the 987 is far the better car... Providing it is in the right spec of course which this is. It will sit along side his GT3 and 205 GTi so a nice mix amongst the SL and my Caterham.
Joehow said:
So good news is 5th gear works and I'm an idiot! When putting it what I thought was Drive I was letting it fall across into 4th so the car never changed up. Anyway all solved now.
I did the same when I first had the CL so you're not alone. That humbling feeling when you shift across to D... 
So.... Update car spent two weeks at NJS where all the old arms and bushes put up a hell of a fight but we got through it and it's returned transformed... And also with the weeping camgasket fixed as well that's a weight off the mind.
Still need to replace all four tyres and sort some brake lines out but that can wait till after summer.
I've done about 1000 miles in the car now and absolutely love it. It's the perfect weekend wafter and makes a welcome change against the rawness of the caterham.
If course you always need pics...
Slowly getting there with the paint as well
Got a couple of longer journeys planned in the next couple of weeks. Before that need to sort the rattly death of the rear view mirror.
Oh and just for the juxtaposition... The caterham is flying.
Still need to replace all four tyres and sort some brake lines out but that can wait till after summer.
I've done about 1000 miles in the car now and absolutely love it. It's the perfect weekend wafter and makes a welcome change against the rawness of the caterham.
If course you always need pics...
Slowly getting there with the paint as well
Got a couple of longer journeys planned in the next couple of weeks. Before that need to sort the rattly death of the rear view mirror.
Oh and just for the juxtaposition... The caterham is flying.
Excellent, really pleased that you like the car Joe, very nice aren't they.
Just washed mine down to use for the next couple of weeks after a fortnight in the Boxster. The difference is that I would 100% trust the SL, the Boxster however always make me think it could throw up an issue, although in my ownership it's been sound.
The build quality of the R129 is second to none in my opinion....enjoy!
Just washed mine down to use for the next couple of weeks after a fortnight in the Boxster. The difference is that I would 100% trust the SL, the Boxster however always make me think it could throw up an issue, although in my ownership it's been sound.
The build quality of the R129 is second to none in my opinion....enjoy!
300sl-24 said:
Excellent, really pleased that you like the car Joe, very nice aren't they.
Just washed mine down to use for the next couple of weeks after a fortnight in the Boxster. The difference is that I would 100% trust the SL, the Boxster however always make me think it could throw up an issue, although in my ownership it's been sound.
The build quality of the R129 is second to none in my opinion....enjoy!
Yeah they certainly feel mechanically on point! It's got a few rattles but hopefully I'll fix those. Just washed mine down to use for the next couple of weeks after a fortnight in the Boxster. The difference is that I would 100% trust the SL, the Boxster however always make me think it could throw up an issue, although in my ownership it's been sound.
The build quality of the R129 is second to none in my opinion....enjoy!
Just spotted she's for sale on Car & Classic, looks stunning in your photos. I would be interested, alas you're in Kent and I'm the opposite end of the country.
I'm missed out on a car almost identical to yours 3 weeks ago having missed the auction while I was on holiday. R reg SL320, 62k, in Vivianite green and looked very presentable. It fell short but not far off its reserve of £6k, I think, but has sold since. I half expected it to pop up on here.
Anyway, all the best with the sale. You've breathed some well needed life into that car so will be a great buy for somebody.
I'm missed out on a car almost identical to yours 3 weeks ago having missed the auction while I was on holiday. R reg SL320, 62k, in Vivianite green and looked very presentable. It fell short but not far off its reserve of £6k, I think, but has sold since. I half expected it to pop up on here.
Anyway, all the best with the sale. You've breathed some well needed life into that car so will be a great buy for somebody.
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