R129 - life on the street
Discussion
Morning all.
Would appreciate some advice.
I need to get a car for schlepping up and down motorways for work. Not daily but a couple of times a week. Budget £10k. Rather than get something 'normal' I wondered about an R129. I don't care about investment value but I do like the idea of having a loafing GT to float about in, dropping the roof and taking the long way home occasionally.
The thing is it would have to live outside on the street. I know about the legendary build quality etc, but they're getting on a bit - can they handle it?
Marwood.
Would appreciate some advice.
I need to get a car for schlepping up and down motorways for work. Not daily but a couple of times a week. Budget £10k. Rather than get something 'normal' I wondered about an R129. I don't care about investment value but I do like the idea of having a loafing GT to float about in, dropping the roof and taking the long way home occasionally.
The thing is it would have to live outside on the street. I know about the legendary build quality etc, but they're getting on a bit - can they handle it?
Marwood.
Yes. Mine lives outside, and I use it a few times a week, the hardtop turns it into a proper coupe in winter. They are getting on a bit now, so running costs are not just insurance, fuel and VED. You need some periodic preventative maintenance on them. They are well built so hide abuse, buy wisely, cloth hood and mechanism is expensive to fix, make sure it all is as it should be. Oily bits are old school merc solid. Lots of good info on here and the various Merc specific forums about them.
Importantly, find a good Merc independent garage that knows the 129's, saves you lots of headache and money. They still hold their own, very well, against modern cars, and are still a good looking car, 2 almost 3 decades later.
Check this thread out, lot of very knowledgeable people on the 129 on it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Importantly, find a good Merc independent garage that knows the 129's, saves you lots of headache and money. They still hold their own, very well, against modern cars, and are still a good looking car, 2 almost 3 decades later.
Check this thread out, lot of very knowledgeable people on the 129 on it.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Friday 24th November 10:55
Yes, but a few bits of preventative maintenance are good.
First, I'd change the oil every 5000 miles or so.
Blast the heater/aircon at full chat once a week for at least 15 minutes. And an Italian tune-up once in a while will do no harm at all
.
If the paintwork is damaged have it seen to. If solid, decontaminate, clean and wax the car. Better still, apply a long lasting coating to protect it from the elements. Keep the car clean and maintain the wax/protection. In particular, ensure that any dirt and salt are washed from the wheel bays and underside regularly.
Look carefully and regularly at the bodywork near the wheel arches. My 1990 started popping a bit there but a quick bit of bodyshop activity fixed it. In fact I'd suggest you ensure all is well and then have the car undersealed and waxoyled (or whatever) every couple of years.
Check all the drainage ducts and don't let leaves settle in the gap at the top of the bonnet.
I'd also replace the boot rubber seals as a precaution.
Pop up the hardtop every month and clean out any muck caught in the gaps. Use Gummipflege on all the rubber seals once or twice a year to keep them fresh.
Don't let the battery charge drop too much or you can end up with problems with the hydraulics. And don't economise on the battery! It's a big bugger for a reason.
Never put the soft top up when it is cold. Let the car warm up first. The plastic rear is easily damaged in the cold.
First, I'd change the oil every 5000 miles or so.
Blast the heater/aircon at full chat once a week for at least 15 minutes. And an Italian tune-up once in a while will do no harm at all
.If the paintwork is damaged have it seen to. If solid, decontaminate, clean and wax the car. Better still, apply a long lasting coating to protect it from the elements. Keep the car clean and maintain the wax/protection. In particular, ensure that any dirt and salt are washed from the wheel bays and underside regularly.
Look carefully and regularly at the bodywork near the wheel arches. My 1990 started popping a bit there but a quick bit of bodyshop activity fixed it. In fact I'd suggest you ensure all is well and then have the car undersealed and waxoyled (or whatever) every couple of years.
Check all the drainage ducts and don't let leaves settle in the gap at the top of the bonnet.
I'd also replace the boot rubber seals as a precaution.
Pop up the hardtop every month and clean out any muck caught in the gaps. Use Gummipflege on all the rubber seals once or twice a year to keep them fresh.
Don't let the battery charge drop too much or you can end up with problems with the hydraulics. And don't economise on the battery! It's a big bugger for a reason.
Never put the soft top up when it is cold. Let the car warm up first. The plastic rear is easily damaged in the cold.
It's a lovely motorway cruiser. I have two early V8's with the sometimes maligned 4 speed box. The gearing is such that going from 70 to 90 (where legally permissible) is at the very point (about 3000 rpm) where the M119 wakes up and starts to sing.
Fuel consumption obviously becomes a factor if you keep the engine running at the higher end of the rev range (and with the lack of overdrive in the 4 speed cars) but driven sensibly you should see 23-25 mpg from the early cars, maybe a bit more from the later ones.
You'll want to make sure the engine cooling system is working well. Water pumps and viscous fan clutches will wear out over time. Seeing the temperature gauge rising in a jam can induce panic. A snapped serpentine/auxiliary belt would be no picnic so renew it soon after purchase for £25. The timing chain is a very solid duplex design and needs inspection at around 150k miles, more for the plastic guide rails than anything else.
Condition and proof of regular maintenance is widely acknowledged as more important than mileage, though of course the market 'prefers' low mileage even if that means the car has rotted unused in a garage. Suspension components will perish with time as well as with use but many are shared with the W124 so availability is good, from MB and from the spectrum of good & bad aftermarket suppliers.
Life outside won't be a challenge if the paint is cared for and the underseal checked. These were made from high-grade seal and painted properly with solvent-based paint. Still, check the jacking points on any car you buy as the factory jack scratches the paint and lets rust start. The hardtop may well leak around the A pillar in heavy rain but various home-brewed internet fixes are available.
There's a really clean and original looking two-owner early 500SL, 91k miles with excellent history on for £8k with a dealer in the furthest flung reaches of the West Country. Buy it, try it and if you don't like it you can sell it in April/May for at least what you paid for it IMHO. PM for link.
Fuel consumption obviously becomes a factor if you keep the engine running at the higher end of the rev range (and with the lack of overdrive in the 4 speed cars) but driven sensibly you should see 23-25 mpg from the early cars, maybe a bit more from the later ones.
You'll want to make sure the engine cooling system is working well. Water pumps and viscous fan clutches will wear out over time. Seeing the temperature gauge rising in a jam can induce panic. A snapped serpentine/auxiliary belt would be no picnic so renew it soon after purchase for £25. The timing chain is a very solid duplex design and needs inspection at around 150k miles, more for the plastic guide rails than anything else.
Condition and proof of regular maintenance is widely acknowledged as more important than mileage, though of course the market 'prefers' low mileage even if that means the car has rotted unused in a garage. Suspension components will perish with time as well as with use but many are shared with the W124 so availability is good, from MB and from the spectrum of good & bad aftermarket suppliers.
Life outside won't be a challenge if the paint is cared for and the underseal checked. These were made from high-grade seal and painted properly with solvent-based paint. Still, check the jacking points on any car you buy as the factory jack scratches the paint and lets rust start. The hardtop may well leak around the A pillar in heavy rain but various home-brewed internet fixes are available.
There's a really clean and original looking two-owner early 500SL, 91k miles with excellent history on for £8k with a dealer in the furthest flung reaches of the West Country. Buy it, try it and if you don't like it you can sell it in April/May for at least what you paid for it IMHO. PM for link.
Edited by Zonergem on Friday 24th November 11:48
I`ve had my R129 for ten years and I intend to keep it indefinitely, brilliant car. Most of my tips regarding use have already been mentioned above. Particularly the battery,especially as yours may be outside at this time of the year. Make sure you have the best quality,most powerful battery you can find and always keep it fully charged.129`s do not like poor batteries,and NEVER jump start a 129 !! They do suffer from quirky irritating electrical issues.Mainly caused by poor connections. A can of electrical cleaner and time spent removing and refitting multi plugs works wonders.
As said, in the winter its a GT with a glass HRW,in the summer its a super cool drop head. Remember though you need somewhere to store the hard top and its a two man job to remove it.
The front suspension gets tired. My local Merc` Indy replaced various ball joints,bushes etc and most important,adjusted ALL the geometry (not just the tracking) It cost a fair bit but I noticed the difference straight away,it drove like a different car.
I have the 320 with the 24v straight six,that engine is ultra reliable and as tough as old boots. I did drive a 280 but found it a bit flat and lacking guts. I`ve been told by various Merc` men that the early V6 engine had a few issues? Of course if you want grunt and reliability the V8 is bullet proof,totally indestructible.
Don`t rush take your time,there are plenty of good examples around. Always go for one with a good history that`s been cared for by a proper "Merc` Man". Best of luck.
As said, in the winter its a GT with a glass HRW,in the summer its a super cool drop head. Remember though you need somewhere to store the hard top and its a two man job to remove it.
The front suspension gets tired. My local Merc` Indy replaced various ball joints,bushes etc and most important,adjusted ALL the geometry (not just the tracking) It cost a fair bit but I noticed the difference straight away,it drove like a different car.
I have the 320 with the 24v straight six,that engine is ultra reliable and as tough as old boots. I did drive a 280 but found it a bit flat and lacking guts. I`ve been told by various Merc` men that the early V6 engine had a few issues? Of course if you want grunt and reliability the V8 is bullet proof,totally indestructible.
Don`t rush take your time,there are plenty of good examples around. Always go for one with a good history that`s been cared for by a proper "Merc` Man". Best of luck.
Best of luck with your search . I had the same idea so once I'd sold my e type I started to look for an early R129 that I could use on an occasional basis. I couldn't decide on which engine I preferred , however events overtook me and I ended up with a SL300 currently sat at 65k & an SL500 at 55k. Both live outside, both are relaxing to drive, both full of character and reasonably economical to own and maintain.
I would suggest that you allow to undertake a regime of " preventative care" as well as general servicing to get the best out of these cars. The various owners sites give details of known issues and problems common on these models and likely to require attention. Once addressed I've found the reliability to be very good..
There are a number of specialist independents around to help and the availability of spares is excellent.
I would suggest that you allow to undertake a regime of " preventative care" as well as general servicing to get the best out of these cars. The various owners sites give details of known issues and problems common on these models and likely to require attention. Once addressed I've found the reliability to be very good..
There are a number of specialist independents around to help and the availability of spares is excellent.
Edited by Skidmarks on Thursday 21st December 17:34
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