SL/R129: Advice on '92 500SL purchase?!?
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Advice on '92 500SL purchase?!?
Guys -
My wife is looking at buying her friend's 92 500SL Vert. I am not a MB guy, so I was looking for some helpful advice...
1) What is the reliability like on these cars? This one has 92K... What should I check for? Common problem areas?
2) What is the maintenance cost on MBs this old? Electronics a problem, etc...?
3) Anyone know a good independent MB mechanic in the Houston area?
Any other advice?
Danke
Nate
My wife is looking at buying her friend's 92 500SL Vert. I am not a MB guy, so I was looking for some helpful advice...
1) What is the reliability like on these cars? This one has 92K... What should I check for? Common problem areas?
2) What is the maintenance cost on MBs this old? Electronics a problem, etc...?
3) Anyone know a good independent MB mechanic in the Houston area?
Any other advice?
Danke
Nate
Last edited by Ntotx; Apr 28, 2005 at 10:50 PM.
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some
my father had 92 500sl and it ran wonderfuly. he did not have any problems with it untill about 130K on it, then it was the stearing column and like the radiator. check the seals on the hardtop and the soft top (i just had to replace on 94, alost 600$!!) the tranny will be good along with other things if it did not sit for a long time. other than those things it should be a wonderful buy!! how much>?
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Originally Posted by RedMongoosE
other than those things it should be a wonderful buy!! how much>?
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From: UK
SL55 AMG
Keep in mind that Mercedes spare parts are very expensive; all will be fine providing you only need normal maintenance. If anything out of the ordinary fails, it will be big $$$. That said, you will not be suffering much depreciation, but the car IS 13 years old.
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92k miles for a 13y/o car is not that bad. That averages out to roughly 7k miles a year, which isn't very much. I put on double that miles in a year easily.
16k for the car, I'd definitely do some negotiation, not much cause of the price, just more along the lines of 'because I can'. But does the price reflect the condition of the car? Is it immac? Inside and out? Do they have service records since day 1? Are they the original owners? There's a lot to consider if the price is justified. It also seems they cared for the car pretty well though, as it has an average of 7k miles a year and you say they pretty much only drove it when weater permitted.
16k for the car, I'd definitely do some negotiation, not much cause of the price, just more along the lines of 'because I can'. But does the price reflect the condition of the car? Is it immac? Inside and out? Do they have service records since day 1? Are they the original owners? There's a lot to consider if the price is justified. It also seems they cared for the car pretty well though, as it has an average of 7k miles a year and you say they pretty much only drove it when weater permitted.
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From: Renton, WA
1992 500SL (wife); 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10
Ntotx,
I have a post forthcoming for my '92 500SL for sale. As RedMongoose said, the steering column, well a big issue is the power steering unit, and the steering box. What happens is the exhaust is so close to and hot, that it essentially fries the seals in the power steering unit, and the steering box. Mine HAVE been repaired - not a fun thing.
Check the post for my 500SL - More money, but perfect (whatever that means) condition.
Later,
I have a post forthcoming for my '92 500SL for sale. As RedMongoose said, the steering column, well a big issue is the power steering unit, and the steering box. What happens is the exhaust is so close to and hot, that it essentially fries the seals in the power steering unit, and the steering box. Mine HAVE been repaired - not a fun thing.
Check the post for my 500SL - More money, but perfect (whatever that means) condition.
Later,
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