Sinatra23

I'm 23, but I started driving my father's 2000 SL500 Slate Blue Edition at 16 (he owned it until I was 19, and I drove it waaay more than him lol). Now I'm on the hunt for my own!

ChrisB

ChrisB

Did you find your own R129? At 23 years ... you are the youngest R139 driver in the current survey.

MBWizard

70, second owner since 1997 of a 1995.

ChrisB

Did you ever think you would still be driving the R129 21 years later?
My how time flys when having fun.

MBWizard

Of the 4 we own, the R129 is still my favorite.

ChrisB

Your favorite ... over the 2013 SL550 - interesting.

Why would you say the R129 is better?

MBWizard

My first experience with a Mercedes was in 1968 when I was stationed in Europe. The PX taxis were MB’s. There was a distinct feel, very unique. Our first MB was a 1986 SL560. It still had the feel. The 95 isn’t quite the same but it’s close. The newer ones have been lightened up for the mileage and while they’re fantastic cars, the MB feel is missing. Having said that, the 2013 SL550 has unbelievable performance right out of the box. It’s a close second.

ChrisB

That "feel" of the solidity of the car is definitely tangible.

The few people that I have allowed to drive the R129 have expressed the sensation shortly after rolling away from a stand still - experiencing for the first time what we have all become accustomed to. They all thanked me for the experience afterwards.

One fellow who was used to driving a Lexus daily and his son drove very fast Porches, said ... oohhh, this is way different than I thought it would be! That was after driving 100 feet around the condo round-about and barely off the sidewalk crossing onto the street. We proceeded to put the car through it's paces ... 0 to 100 mph acceleration and some quick cornering. He was impressed.

We have recently bought a 2011 E550 4Matic ... that 5.5 Liter normally aspirated engine is a beast ... lots of fun to drive.

BrewCrew

Good morning, I am 58 years old and have owned my 1998 SL500 for 15 years, the car never disappoints!

James Hansen

49 and bought my 1993 500SL almost four years ago. It needed a ton of work but it was a two owner example that never left L.A. and was always serviced. I invested $7000 in it to make it a daily driver that I’d never fret about in a parking lot surrounded by idiots who can’t drive or on a highway surrounded by morons who can’t see...but I refuse to own a car with less than 300 horsepower. Ha! Ha! Ha! At 132,000 my SL has another 100K to go now! I’m frankly surprised so many people have cars with less than 100K miles on them!!! Keep the R129 alive because no matter what they say, they’ll never build them like this ever again.

ChrisB

Might as well try to keep the refreshed thread going ...
Turning 64 in a few days.
Have owned our 1999 SL500 since Dec 2002 - almost 18 years.
22,000 miles on the odometer when we bought - now 156,000 miles.
We have done some great road trips - Vancouver Canada to Key West Florida & back one winter.

I have another old thread tracking High & Low Mileage R129 stats.

No one has posted on that for a while.