SL/R129: 1995 SL500. New MB owner needs advice.
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Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3
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1995 sl500
1995 SL500. New MB owner needs advice.
This is my first MB and I'm looking forward to owning it for many years.
It has 100,000 miles and has been well maintained. No rust, never driven in winter. I do most of the mechanical work on my domestic Ford trucks and Saturn cars but have never worked on an import.
What do I need to know about keeping this car in top shape? Timing chain, brakes, wheel bearings, routine maintenance and anything else I need to know about. Any common problems or annoyances with this model?
What is the best maintenance and repair manual to purchase?
Tell me all I need to know.
Thanks, Al.
It has 100,000 miles and has been well maintained. No rust, never driven in winter. I do most of the mechanical work on my domestic Ford trucks and Saturn cars but have never worked on an import.
What do I need to know about keeping this car in top shape? Timing chain, brakes, wheel bearings, routine maintenance and anything else I need to know about. Any common problems or annoyances with this model?
What is the best maintenance and repair manual to purchase?
Tell me all I need to know.
Thanks, Al.
Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 142
Likes: 16
From: California
AMG GTS, Bentley GT, SL600, Range Rover V8 5.0 Supercharged, Aston Martin Rapide S, S600, GLS63
These are pretty reliable - the engine lasts forever. The convertible top mechanism is reliable but the plastic parts can break away from the cloth top so check those. I have had no real issues with this car. Parts are cheap from autohausaz.com
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 598
Likes: 19
From: Eastern Kansas
94 SL 600, 98 993, 89 XJS Conv., 85 Daimlier Princess 16 Hybrid Lincoln 16 Chevy crewcab
Welcome the MB community and good luck with being your own mechanic. Money pits take many forms!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3
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1995 sl500
What is the harness issue? Please explain the diagnostic software you mention. Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 282
Likes: 3
From: Bradenton, FL
'87 560SL Sold, '99 SL500 For Keeps
The 'harness issue' was Mercedes trying to be 'green'. In '94MY, MB had their wiring harneses made from biodegradeable material. Nice concept but I think they failed to test the stuff in a hot engine bay. Needless to say, they fail. You're probably ok with 100K miles on the car as it would have failed by now. But to be safe, have a dealer or certified independent MB Tech look at it for you.
Manuals choices....
-MB produced DVD-Star Service Manual Library, p/n P-2700-129-07. There is an older version of this disc around where the p/n ends in '04'; this was an earlier and very unreliable version that was scrapped. Don't buy it. The newer DVD will run on Win2000 w/SP4, WinXP w SP2, and Vista. You can find them on ebay from time to time as they are out of production at MBUSA. Originally sold for around $89.
-WIS Discs (MB Workshop Information System or Series) Found on ebay, these maintenance discs are usually copies of MB's material, and while thorough, are very difficult to run. They are cheap($5-$20), however; just be sure to check the Seller's feedback carefully, and verify that whatever operating system you've got will support these CD's.
-AllDataDIY.com- This is a subscription service that essentially puts the MB DVD online and lets you access it as often as you'd like for a subscription fee of around $20/year.
Good hunting-
Bob
Manuals choices....
-MB produced DVD-Star Service Manual Library, p/n P-2700-129-07. There is an older version of this disc around where the p/n ends in '04'; this was an earlier and very unreliable version that was scrapped. Don't buy it. The newer DVD will run on Win2000 w/SP4, WinXP w SP2, and Vista. You can find them on ebay from time to time as they are out of production at MBUSA. Originally sold for around $89.
-WIS Discs (MB Workshop Information System or Series) Found on ebay, these maintenance discs are usually copies of MB's material, and while thorough, are very difficult to run. They are cheap($5-$20), however; just be sure to check the Seller's feedback carefully, and verify that whatever operating system you've got will support these CD's.
-AllDataDIY.com- This is a subscription service that essentially puts the MB DVD online and lets you access it as often as you'd like for a subscription fee of around $20/year.
Good hunting-
Bob
