ChrisB

Who can offer a good comparison between the R129 and the R230?

Not many R230 owners would be following this forum any longer. Why would they? I don’t follow the R170 forum.

I have seen it written that the R230 does not have the “hewn from solid” material that the R129 does. We can all relate to that solid feeling.

Performance will be similar SL 500 R230 vrs R129.

What about the Active Body Control? Is that significant? I can take corners as fast as traction will allow in my R129 … and in relative comfort.

I personally am very interested in the R129 SL 600. Even though I would use that extra torque and horse power only ˝% of the time. Then again the SL 500 is very satisfying from a power point of view. Why does one need more?

dafi129

I have driven the R230 500 and 55...the 55 has definitely extreme power but handling wise any R129 with the proper spring and brake setup can easily match that...the 500 is like any R129 500...quality wise our 129's are definitely better put together...you can see 15 year olds still as good as new
in and out...I have seen a 02 R230 looking already shabby inside....
So there isn't a wide gap between the two..
What the R230 gains in modernism it looses in quality.
Finally,MB built great cars till 1999...so they say!!!

Pigzmickey

I drive the SL 600, compared to my SL 320 it is extremely powerful. I've never driven the SL 500 so I can't compare the difference. The ADS on the SL 600 is worth having though!

As for the 230 models, I guess time will tell... Although I bet the new SL 65 is rather rapid with its twin turbo's!?!

ChrisB

From what I have read in magazines, the R230 SL 600 with it's bi-turbo set-up apparantly has mind blowing mid range torque.

Great for passing at highway speeds.

ChrisB

Just to be clear ... in the SL line the cars from 1999 to 2002 were exactly the same. Except for trim packages and rims.

So great SLs extend to 2002, the end ot the R129 modle series at least.

mebeJOE

I don't know much about MBZ's, or the R230, but I know that my five year old R129 with 45,000 miles is always being mistaken for brand new. Just last night a valet at a club thought it was new.

For some reason people don't recognize my car as SL500. I was driving with a woman friend of mine, in my baby, and she had been going on and on about how pretty my baby is, and we passed her neighbor's R129, and I pointed out that it was the same type of car, and she was surprised.

But the point is, that these cars are built well enough to where people think they are brand new even when they are 5 years old. There is very little wear on the interior. The exception is the speaker mesh on the driver's door. I have noticed that it is almost always worn out on the R129's, I guess because it is hard to get out without rubbing your shoe there.

If one mantain's the exterior, they look good and new for years and years. I don't know if the R230's do that. I guess only time can tell.

Oh, one more point . . . when the R129's came out they were pushing $100,000 in price. In 1990 (that's probably about $140,000 in today's dollars) . You can get a brand new R230 for about the same price, I think.

So, in terms of today's dollars, the R129's were more expensive cars. Thus, one might expect a decrease in quality, no?

ChrisB

1) Our cloth speaker covers had nasty stains (like the windows were left down in the rain & mildew formed?) and dirt / shoe scuff marks.

On my wife's recommendation I mixed up Ivoy Snow Deterget (very gentle) and warm water. Then damp sponged and towell botted & patted them dry several times in one clean up effort.

They came pot looking brand new.

My cloth covers werer not scuffed to the point of tearing the fabric. Maybe yours are?

2) Same with he mesh wind screen. It had blotchy water arksthat were quiote unsightly. I thook the frame off and emersed it in the bath tub witht Ivory Snow. Scrubbed li ghtly with my hands and folwed the stationary water through the mesh wityh a pumping / filtering actrion. Hosed it off with the shower. Let it iiiidry. Again. It looks brand new.

ChrisB

A few months after we had bought our SL ... I was sitting at a light when a blonde lady drove by in a briliant silver SL with the top down and roll bar up. The vision was stunning. I said to my self ... what a georgeous car!

Then realized in a split second. Hey I've got one of those at home!

ChrisB

For the first time … (there are just not that many around in these parts) … there was a 2004 SL 600 for sale at a MB dealer not too far away for the past 3 weeks.

17,000 Km. Broken in! Oh Ya! I really wanted to go for a test drive.

I had to go out of town the first weekend.

Last weekend my wife firmly announced she thought it was a complete wate of time. That took the fun out of it.

This week end the car has been sold.

I will have to wait for my chance to experience the Bi-turbo V12.

With some luck, in the mean time … perhaps I will earn the cash necessary to making such a car a reality rather than a dream. Wouldn’t that be nice?

dafi129

Would'nt that be nice?
It would be lovely to have 600 horses under your foot,but where will you go?
A car like that is made to sit on an autobahn at 240 km and keep there all day...It's a shame to drive beasts like that on restricted roads or worse
in crowded towns..
I think the 500 SL's are the best choice to have in terms of power and usability and value for money..

ChrisB

It is comments like that (from a spirited driver), the posts that claim the R129 is the last solid SL and the daily experience of totally enjoying 300 hp / 340 ft-lbs of torque ... that keep me happy with my 1999 SL 500.

If money were less of an object ... i would be a different story.

dafi129

Even if I had the money to spend on a biturbo monster,I would sit all day
frustrated just looking at it...
Trafic light starts would become boring after a while,as no one in his right mind would race you,and top speed runs would have to be on the ring in Germany...
Then again ,if I had 50 millions $ doing nothing ,I'll buy it and put is in a glass house to be admired....
BTW,I came across a 380 SEC 1985 yesterday going for $2000.
The cheapest and one of the most beautiful Mercs I have ever seen..
I might buy it and restore it to former glory....

HLG600

From 1990-1998, the SL500 carried a 32V V8 Engine rated at 315 hp. In 1999, the engine was altered to 24V, thus, the hp rating was reduced to 302. This 24V 302 hp V8 is also used in the current mercedes 500 models, including the R230. The 600 is a different story. In the R129 SL600, the engine is a 6.0 Litre V12 rated at 389 hp and 420 tq. However, in the R230 SL600, the engine was only a 5.5 litre V12, but had Twin Turbos added on to compensate for the 0.5 litre loss (one hell of a compensation might I add). As for build quality, the R129 is extremely solid and well put together, even better than the R230. Regardless, they are both fantastic German automobiles.

hbluthi

The ABC in my R129 V12 did not feel different from my current R230 500. You will be able to take corners about as fast as you do in the R129. The V12 I owned was a killer. I loved having the V12 and could drive the absolute hane out of it w/ no problems. It is always good to have the extra power! What other questions do you have for R120 SL600 vs. R230 SL500?

SL BRABUS

The R129 SL600 don't have ABC...........

hbluthi

I know, I meant the suspension adjustment thing. Got to typing too fast.

SL32O

annnd this was taken off of www.kenrockwell.com/sl ??

Pigzmickey

ADS... Adaptive Damping System, I believe.

Whatever it is, it's cool!

hbluthi

Quote SL320: Annnd this was taken off of www.kenrockwell.com/sl


Wow, 84 MPH in reverse. That would be crazy.

ChrisB

Have you driven the R230 Bi-turbo SL 600?

How often driving the R230 SL 500 do you find yourself saying I wished I still had more power of the V12?

hbluthi

I have not driven the R230 V12. But I have driven the SL55, and the performance stats are close. Lets just say, I am getting an SL55 in the near future, I am already making plans for it. The R230 SL500 is no slouch though!

ChrisB

Do you like the SL55 muscle car sound? I don't care for it.

The R230 V12 has similar performance comaired to the SL55 on paper. But I read that the stock Bi-turbo has muh better highway passing power delivery.

Plus the availabiltiy of after mlrket tuning paciiikages (like Renntech) for the SL600 bi-turbo turn it into a mind blowing monster.

I'd want to test drive the R230 SL600 if I was in the position of upgrading from the R230 SL500.

If you do test drive the R230 SL600 , please write up you driving impressions and comparisons.

It seems you really like the SL55 extra power. You had a R129 SL600 before.

In terms of the R230 ... on the R230 forum I read a post recently for someone who said in essence "We all love our R230 SL500 cars. So watch what you do. If you drive the R230 SL600 you will hate your R230 SL500".

HLG600

Regarding the R230 SL600 and 55 AMG models, they are not exactly the same on paper. The 600 Twin Turbo comes stock with 590 tq as opposed to the 55 AMG, which has 516 tq stock. ChrisB, you also have a good point regarding the aftermarket for that car. RennTech offers an ECU upgrade ($7-8K) which will raise power to 625 hp and 745 tq.

Regards

HLG600

SL320,

Actually, it was not. I guess with all the posers out there I can't really blame you , but Mr. Rockwell is not the only individual with some knowledge of automobiles. Regardless, I did check out his site after your post and enjoyed reading his notes. Just wanted to clarify.

Regards