sl r129 anyone taken the risk on a 3/4k car

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The hardtop edge would be an easy fix, and premium tyres is a good sign, albeit not a matching 4. As long as the hitory checks out, and the roof (and everything else!) works faultlessly, I don't see that you could go far wrong at that money.

Is it black or a dark something else?

[Zonergem]

Blue-black.

http://www.allwoodautos.co.uk/used-cars/mercedes-b...

In the head-on photo with the hardtop on the nearside indicator lens is smashed. By the time they took the photos with the top off and the price in the window it had been replaced. Could use 30-40 quid's worth of new wheel centres.

May also have a defunct oil pressure gauge - dashboard photo shows the engine idling, going off the rev counter, but the oil needle is dead.

Does have the black leather book pack visible on passenger seat in one of the dealer pics - even if it doesn't have detailed invoices I would say there's a decent chance of a reasonably stamped service book, which at this price is a win.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Zonergem said:

May also have a defunct oil pressure gauge - dashboard photo shows the engine idling, going off the rev counter, but the oil needle is dead.

... which at this price is a win.

A faulty oil pressure gauge is very common. They usually head straight to 3 with ignition on and stay there - my A124 does this and I've never been sure if it's important enough to get sorted.

As you say though, this car looks a decent proposition.

[PositronicRay]

Zonergem said:

May also have a defunct oil pressure gauge - dashboard photo shows the engine idling, going off the rev counter, but the oil needle is dead.

It could be a sign of an engine wiring harness problem, I replaced upper/lower engine + TB harnesses on mine.

[Skyedriver]

Anyone know this car?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-MERCEDES-500-SL-32-...

Red was the colour I was after and the price isn't high.
Mot history shows mainly a lack of miles and worn/perished tyres year on year

There seems to be a bit of a kink to the wheel arch front offside in the close up, makes me wonder if it's had a bump and the red looks a bit pink but could be the garage lights.

Never sure if that little use is good for the car but my TVR probably hasn't done much more this year.

Thanks

[Zonergem]

Re: lack of use - it probably isn't good but it will also depend on the condition the car has been kept in. Heated garage on a trickle charger vs outside in the rain and cold. Distributor suffers from condensation IIRC and electrical systems go screwy if the battery runs flat.

Are those wheels definitely AMG and not replicas? They don't seem to be stamped AMG on the face like these later monoblocks

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/152219495429?_mwBanner=1

so I'd want to have one off and look for codes on the back.

There's at least one Mercedes indie in Leicester who advertises in the back of the MB Club magazine - Silver Star Garages - so you could try to arrange an inspection/health check perhaps.

[Skyedriver]

Zonergem said:

Re: lack of use - it probably isn't good but it will also depend on the condition the car has been kept in. Heated garage on a trickle charger vs outside in the rain and cold. Distributor suffers from condensation IIRC and electrical systems go screwy if the battery runs flat.

Are those wheels definitely AMG and not replicas? They don't seem to be stamped AMG on the face like these later monoblocks

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/152219495429?_mwBanner=1

so I'd want to have one off and look for codes on the back.

There's at least one Mercedes indie in Leicester who advertises in the back of the MB Club magazine - Silver Star Garages - so you could try to arrange an inspection/health check perhaps.

Thanks
Dropped them a line but not heard back yet

Can't decide from the pics if that's a fresh coat of paint - don't like that if true as it might be hiding something

[Yacht Broker]

well i put my 97-R 280sl in for a MOT on Monday... was expecting the worse as it's mid-winter, everything feels miserable and the car has just ticked over 150k miles.... it passed! only a couple of very minor advisories.

i almost fell off my chair when they called.

so, if anyone fancies a cheap SL with shed loads of recent expenditure, no rust, hardtop etc etc, give me a shout... not on the market quite yet as i need to get my plate off so i can stick it on my new toy (a porsche 997).

these old mercs are really made of something else...

[Hereward]

http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1996-mercedes-benz-sl50...

This one has done 81 miles! I wonder what it will go for? I like the photos of the underside of the car.

[acme]

Hereward said:

http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1996-mercedes-benz-sl50...

This one has done 81 miles! I wonder what it will go for? I like the photos of the underside of the car.

This was featured in the current Mercedes classic magazine and they're estimating 45-55k Euros.

What the ad doesn't mention, though the story did (allegedly) is why the car has done so few miles, they lost the keys apparently and never drove it again!

If true it's truly weird!

What would a R129 of this vintage be worth with say 70k miles, ten grand?

[dickyf]

what an interesting story i think it will do verywell Re the 70k mile car, is this for sale as im looking for a 129...???

acme said:

This was featured in the current Mercedes classic magazine and they're estimating 45-55k Euros.

What the ad doesn't mention, though the story did (allegedly) is why the car has done so few miles, they lost the keys apparently and never drove it again!

If true it's truly weird!

What would a R129 of this vintage be worth with say 70k miles, ten grand?

[jke11y]

I would have to put a Pano roof on it, but this is all sorts of win

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C857574

[Lowtimer]

acme said:

What would a R129 of this vintage be worth with say 70k miles, ten grand?

All depends on condition. If it's a genuine minter, more like 15K. If it's not, anything down to about £4K for something in need of massive work.

[acme]

Lowtimer said:

All depends on condition. If it's a genuine minter, more like 15K. If it's not, anything down to about £4K for something in need of massive work.

Wow, shows I'm well out of the loop on prices. So say 10k for an average on etc?

Cheers

[Skyedriver]

Been thinking about this one but would need to know what was actually wrong with it and I'm too far away to view.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-500-SL-/1224402...

A fellow PHer has offered his comments on it.

[acme]

Skyedriver said:

Been thinking about this one but would need to know what was actually wrong with it and I'm too far away to view.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-500-SL-/1224402...

A fellow PHer has offered his comments on it.

Doesn't the running issue sound like moisture in the caps etc, a well documented issue in the Merc club magazine?

That said my Indy had two 129's in last year with similar issues, they changed all othe caps etc, including using official Benz parts & still couldn't figure it out, one car had been in there for months. And these are dealers with years and years of experience and use to working on old stuff, which I always see in there when I take mine in.

[dickyf]

its says POA. any ideas?

jke11y said:

I would have to put a Pano roof on it, but this is all sorts of win

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C857574

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Skyedriver said:

Been thinking about this one but would need to know what was actually wrong with it and I'm too far away to view.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-500-SL-/1224402...

A fellow PHer has offered his comments on it.

That looks pretty good. Re-gingerfication obviously needed, but great colours. Even the wheels look good on it and it looks to have had some sensible work done.

I reckon that's well worth a punt at 4-5k, taking a chance that the running issue is pretty readily fixable.

[harrykul]

Lowtimer said:

acme said:

What would a R129 of this vintage be worth with say 70k miles, ten grand?

All depends on condition. If it's a genuine minter, more like 15K. If it's not, anything down to about £4K for something in need of massive work.

I'm hoping for £20K for mine when the time comes!

[Lowtimer]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Skyedriver said:

Been thinking about this one but would need to know what was actually wrong with it and I'm too far away to view.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-500-SL-/1224402...

A fellow PHer has offered his comments on it.

That looks pretty good. Re-gingerfication obviously needed, but great colours. Even the wheels look good on it and it looks to have had some sensible work done.

I reckon that's well worth a punt at 4-5k, taking a chance that the running issue is pretty readily fixable.

Honest advice: this is not the end of the market to be buying an SL from unless you are a highly skilled individual with excellent workshop facilities and able to do a lot fo work yourself. Cheap ones with problems are much more expensive than good ones without.