Discussion
So , at 3am the other morning , I finished work . A silver rapier of light defined the distant North Yorkshire Moors , as I dropped the roof on my 300-24 SL and rumbled onto deserted roads .
The patter of the P7's and the straight 6 bark slurring up and down the 5 speed 'box were the only noise for miles around as the car and I shared an uninterrupted cross country nocturnal blast .
Cocooned in blue leather , seat heaters on a low setting and a zepher of warm night air playing around the windows , I was reluctant to pull into the courtyard of my house where my C36 sat moodily and slightly neglected .
I switched off , poured a glass of red and listened to the hot manifolds ticking in the still night .
There are those who demand sub 5 seconds 0-60 , and the ultimate degree of driver involvement , but they tend to be journalists or the uninitiated .
Forget all of this though ; buy a 129 SL and , equally importantly , an alarm clock
Enjoy your day .
The patter of the P7's and the straight 6 bark slurring up and down the 5 speed 'box were the only noise for miles around as the car and I shared an uninterrupted cross country nocturnal blast .
Cocooned in blue leather , seat heaters on a low setting and a zepher of warm night air playing around the windows , I was reluctant to pull into the courtyard of my house where my C36 sat moodily and slightly neglected .
I switched off , poured a glass of red and listened to the hot manifolds ticking in the still night .
There are those who demand sub 5 seconds 0-60 , and the ultimate degree of driver involvement , but they tend to be journalists or the uninitiated .
Forget all of this though ; buy a 129 SL and , equally importantly , an alarm clock
Enjoy your day .
dickyf said:
i sold mine (SL500) today but to even things out i have replaced it with a R107 SL500. i will miss it and i never said that about my 997 s Cab....
Well if you are working backwards through the SL history, then I look forward to seeing photos of the gullwing when you get to it 
What was it about the SL500 that made you like it more than your 997?
My R129 was/is Black and in my opinion, looks purposeful. I followed it in traffic this morning and realised how striking the shape is.
For a good number of years the R129 looked dated in my opinion, car design changed significantly in 2000 onwards with design moving with the times but now i think they posses a stance which current manufacturers would kill for. It looks like a paper dart, a dragster, all angular with its nose down and tail up.
The R129 is two cars, as a cross country GT it is marvelous, it has the ability to cruise at highish speeds, on long trips i have had quick modern hatch style cars stay with me for a few miles which then drop away as i assume to maintain high speeds is tiring and uncomfortable but with the merc its easy. With the pan roof off it is fantastically flexible, roof up or down with no fuss to suit your mood.
i underestimated the cars ability until i watched a youtube clip, which i recall was the launch video, demonstrating how hard they can be pushed when driven properly.
A mate drove my car recently and commented that it felt like it was flattening the road infront of it....
The 997S cab is a very capable car and would leave the R129 for dead but Ive realised now its not all about flat out...ite more about the experience.
I shall miss the R129 but typically for me i have started, albeit tentatively looking at Sl60's.....this is what happens, cars just turn up and have to be bought....
For a good number of years the R129 looked dated in my opinion, car design changed significantly in 2000 onwards with design moving with the times but now i think they posses a stance which current manufacturers would kill for. It looks like a paper dart, a dragster, all angular with its nose down and tail up.
The R129 is two cars, as a cross country GT it is marvelous, it has the ability to cruise at highish speeds, on long trips i have had quick modern hatch style cars stay with me for a few miles which then drop away as i assume to maintain high speeds is tiring and uncomfortable but with the merc its easy. With the pan roof off it is fantastically flexible, roof up or down with no fuss to suit your mood.
i underestimated the cars ability until i watched a youtube clip, which i recall was the launch video, demonstrating how hard they can be pushed when driven properly.
A mate drove my car recently and commented that it felt like it was flattening the road infront of it....
The 997S cab is a very capable car and would leave the R129 for dead but Ive realised now its not all about flat out...ite more about the experience.
I shall miss the R129 but typically for me i have started, albeit tentatively looking at Sl60's.....this is what happens, cars just turn up and have to be bought....
dickyf said:
My R129 was/is Black and in my opinion, looks purposeful. I followed it in traffic this morning and realised how striking the shape is.
For a good number of years the R129 looked dated in my opinion, car design changed significantly in 2000 onwards with design moving with the times but now i think they posses a stance which current manufacturers would kill for. It looks like a paper dart, a dragster, all angular with its nose down and tail up.
The R129 is two cars, as a cross country GT it is marvelous, it has the ability to cruise at highish speeds, on long trips i have had quick modern hatch style cars stay with me for a few miles which then drop away as i assume to maintain high speeds is tiring and uncomfortable but with the merc its easy. With the pan roof off it is fantastically flexible, roof up or down with no fuss to suit your mood.
i underestimated the cars ability until i watched a youtube clip, which i recall was the launch video, demonstrating how hard they can be pushed when driven properly.
A mate drove my car recently and commented that it felt like it was flattening the road infront of it....
The 997S cab is a very capable car and would leave the R129 for dead but Ive realised now its not all about flat out...ite more about the experience.
I shall miss the R129 but typically for me i have started, albeit tentatively looking at Sl60's.....this is what happens, cars just turn up and have to be bought....
Great summary, very well put. I certainly think these are starting to look classic/unique on the road now and they still turn heads, especially with the roof down, which for a 20 year old design is remarkable. Mine is the best car I've ever owned and it also seems we're in the same position regarding the SL60!For a good number of years the R129 looked dated in my opinion, car design changed significantly in 2000 onwards with design moving with the times but now i think they posses a stance which current manufacturers would kill for. It looks like a paper dart, a dragster, all angular with its nose down and tail up.
The R129 is two cars, as a cross country GT it is marvelous, it has the ability to cruise at highish speeds, on long trips i have had quick modern hatch style cars stay with me for a few miles which then drop away as i assume to maintain high speeds is tiring and uncomfortable but with the merc its easy. With the pan roof off it is fantastically flexible, roof up or down with no fuss to suit your mood.
i underestimated the cars ability until i watched a youtube clip, which i recall was the launch video, demonstrating how hard they can be pushed when driven properly.
A mate drove my car recently and commented that it felt like it was flattening the road infront of it....
The 997S cab is a very capable car and would leave the R129 for dead but Ive realised now its not all about flat out...ite more about the experience.
I shall miss the R129 but typically for me i have started, albeit tentatively looking at Sl60's.....this is what happens, cars just turn up and have to be bought....
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