SL/R129: Which year R129 is the best, least trouble free?
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From: Ft Lauderdale Florida USA
1999 CL500; 1992 500E:1991 560SEC
Which year R129 is the best, least trouble free?
Hi.......... I'm looking to buy an SL R129 body, probably the V8........
Can anyone advise me what is the best year.....or worse to own? What should I look for or look out for when shopping for one?
Thanks
Can anyone advise me what is the best year.....or worse to own? What should I look for or look out for when shopping for one?
Thanks
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From: UK
SL55 AMG
Agree with that. It's worth going for a car after the first face lift in 95/96 (identifiable by the door air bags). It's also correct that full service history is vital. Differences in how the car has been used and maintained will completely mask any year to year variation.
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Originally Posted by blueSL
Agree with that. It's worth going for a car after the first face lift in 95/96 (identifiable by the door air bags). It's also correct that full service history is vital. Differences in how the car has been used and maintained will completely mask any year to year variation.
I bought a 99 320 v6 last lear FMBSH 23K on the clock...
So far I have spent about £2000 on the bloody thing
Gearbox leak,
MAF/MAS sensor,
Catalytic Converter,
Paint Work,
now needs new plastic windows in the softtop and the windscreen requires refitting to solve a small leak
It had 2 Services as well in that time... and I have found some rust inside one of the sills...
The SL's are good cars and are genrerally reliable but parts wear out like any other car...
I don't think the service history is the only answer to a reliable car
The problem with the SL is that you are paying new car money for a +6 year old car so expect 6 year old car problems and you won't go wrong...
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From: Norrtälje, Sweden
SL60 ///AMG
Originally Posted by peterchurch
So far I have spent about £2000 on the bloody thing
MAF/MAS sensor, Paint Work,
MAF/MAS sensor, Paint Work,
I think that over all, the R129 is a car that have less problem than other cars from same catagori and year. It is´t for nothing that it´s called "safebox".
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Originally Posted by peterchurch
The last face lift got new engines as well...
I bought a 99 320 v6 last lear FMBSH 23K on the clock...
So far I have spent about £2000 on the bloody thing
I bought a 99 320 v6 last lear FMBSH 23K on the clock...
So far I have spent about £2000 on the bloody thing
The older models seem to be more stable.
I would say the best production years were 1994 (pre-Facelift) and 1998 (last year of Facelift1-Models) - it depends on what you're searching for.
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From: MD
95 R129
Originally Posted by peterchurch
I don't think the service history is the only answer to a reliable car The problem with the SL is that you are paying new car money for a +6 year old car so expect 6 year old car problems and you won't go wrong...
The problem with the SL is that you are paying new car money for a +6 year old car so expect 6 year old car problems and you won't go wrong...
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Originally Posted by SL60 ///AMG
The MAS sensor cost a couple of bucks and you cant blame the car for the paintwork, or .. was it scratching it self with the tyres :p
I think that over all, the R129 is a car that have less problem than other cars from same catagori and year. It is´t for nothing that it´s called "safebox".
I think that over all, the R129 is a car that have less problem than other cars from same catagori and year. It is´t for nothing that it´s called "safebox".
Rust on an _internal_ panel is worrying as it means that water got in to the car somehow so now you are faced with two tasks 1 find the leak 2 fix the rust...
The SL is built so well, most owners would not ever know that the car was rotting inside out in the event of a problem
have you taken your carpets up lately to check for water? I doubt you would find any water unless you did although it can be present in large quantities... The later paintwork sucks (post 98) I regularly see 10 year old cars with better paint than the last facelift models.This with possible rust issues could mean that the older cars are a better choice althought the v6 is certainly nicer than the older straight 6
Last edited by peterchurch; Jun 15, 2005 at 05:05 AM.
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From: London
1996 SL60 AMG
Originally Posted by peterchurch
The SL is built so well, most owners would not ever know that the car was rotting inside out in the event of a problem
have you taken your carpets up lately to check for water? I doubt you would find any water unless you did
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From: Adelaide, Australia. Formerly Bristol, UK.
1998 SL 600 ///AMG. 1997 SL 320. 1999 SLK 230K. 2001 BMW R850.
Originally Posted by SL60 ///AMG
The MAS sensor cost a couple of bucks and you cant blame the car for the paintwork, or .. was it scratching it self with the tyres :p
I think that over all, the R129 is a car that have less problem than other cars from same catagori and year. It is´t for nothing that it´s called "safebox".
I think that over all, the R129 is a car that have less problem than other cars from same catagori and year. It is´t for nothing that it´s called "safebox".
As for the rear window, as long as it's not cut, I used the MB plastic cutting polish. Brought them up like new!
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Originally Posted by nickg
I think I'd rather not know!!
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From: UK
SL55 AMG
Have the say the very last morning I had my SL600, I was cleaning it out, vacuuming the carpet behind the drivers seat and it was sodden. Lifted it up, a real mess underneath - so that was the musty smell - and was pleased the car was moving on. No idea how it can have got so damp.
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Originally Posted by blueSL
Have the say the very last morning I had my SL600, I was cleaning it out, vacuuming the carpet behind the drivers seat and it was sodden. Lifted it up, a real mess underneath - so that was the musty smell - and was pleased the car was moving on. No idea how it can have got so damp.
my water was comming in on the passenger side in the same place
I think its something to do with the door seals its very impressive how well the car hides water though
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From: Norrtälje, Sweden
SL60 ///AMG
Originally Posted by peterchurch
A few bucks ??? you wish (unless you pick one up off the local dump !) The MAS cost £250 ($480) or eur 380 (but it did take the cats with it so say £1500 all in for that little episode
Hmm, are we talking about same thing? I purchase my SENDER UNIT, AIR-MASS UNIT for 13 EUR
.
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From: Norrtälje, Sweden
SL60 ///AMG
Originally Posted by Pigzmickey
... As for the rear window, as long as it's not cut, I used the MB plastic cutting polish. Brought them up like new!
What is that? Do you have the article number. I used MB glass cleaner, and that was crap for plastic windows.
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Originally Posted by SL60 ///AMG
As I said -A few bucks! :p
Hmm, are we talking about same thing? I purchase my SENDER UNIT, AIR-MASS UNIT for 13 EUR
.
Hmm, are we talking about same thing? I purchase my SENDER UNIT, AIR-MASS UNIT for 13 EUR
.
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From: Adelaide, Australia. Formerly Bristol, UK.
1998 SL 600 ///AMG. 1997 SL 320. 1999 SLK 230K. 2001 BMW R850.
Originally Posted by SL60 ///AMG
What is that? Do you have the article number. I used MB glass cleaner, and that was crap for plastic windows.
Is there a way to recode the SL key's? I think my neighbour's has lost its code due to low battery...
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From: Norrtälje, Sweden
SL60 ///AMG
Originally Posted by KLP 92
That's not the mass sensor. Thats a sensor for something else. The mass sensor is the big tube casing with the sensor moulded into it.
.
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From: Norrtälje, Sweden
SL60 ///AMG
Originally Posted by Pigzmickey
Here you go, brought my rear windows up a treat. Got it on eBay, £10!
Is there a way to recode the SL key's? I think my neighbour's has lost its code due to low battery...
Is there a way to recode the SL key's? I think my neighbour's has lost its code due to low battery...
Yes, You have to order a new key and code it into the computer in the car. You can code 8 keys into the car. What happens after that I don´t know.
EDIT: Ok, He did´t lost it I see now. Lost of batteries should not force recode. However, that could be done if the car have lost the code.
Last edited by SL60 ///AMG; Jun 15, 2005 at 03:52 PM.
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From: Costa Mesa, CA
1990 White/Tan 500 SL
Key re-coding
If you replace the battery in the key holder, then it will lose it's memory for the code. Any mercedes dealer can give you instructions but it is very simple. You stick the key into the ignition and hold down the alarm button at the same time you are turning the ignition over and it should work fine.. May have to do it a few times.
A.j.
A.j.
