Hi Everyone,

I have been longing for a R129 SL ever since it launched in 1990 and I reckon I could afford a pre-1996 one now.

Here are my silly questions:

1. What should I beware of when inspecting the car?
ADS, Automatic folding top, Suspension ??
2. Should I run away from garage queen as there is one
selling with 4 previous owners but only 6000miles was driven/
3. Does it worth to pay the extra for a 1993 Sl500 instead of an older one as I realized thers was a big difference between the 1993+Sl320 engine and the pre-1993 300SL engine.
4. I found most of the Sl600s are actually cheaper than the Sl500
with the same manufacturing year and condition. Is there anything wrong with the former model?

Thanks for your precious advice and info.

Cheers

 

You can do the usual things and check the oil for water content (white sludge), smoke from the exhaust, clunking transmission. but generally, Mercedes major mechanicals are very reliable if serviced properly.

What you need to know though is that the things that surround the basics are very expensive to repair if they go wrong, so check the operation of the convertible top, anti-roll bar, look for ABS warning lights, central locking, electric seats, look at the overall state of the interior which will give you the best information on how well the car has been treated.

If the car you are interested in does not have ADS, don't worry; it adds a lot of complexity and cost if it goes wrong and makes little difference, unlike the modern ABC equivalent on the new SL.

A car with too few miles is a warning sign. If the car has only been used for short journies, there may be more engine wear than you expect and things like oil seals dry out can lead to oil leaks. Equally, don't be put off by a high mileage car if it looks good in other respects.

I would get the most modern car you can find, there were two facelifts during its life, the first of which was the most significant. Buy a car that's completely original with no add-ons and beware of screw holes from old phones in the dash.

The SL600 does badly in re-sale (I know!) because people are worried by the gas consumption and perceived complexity of the V12 and so value it lower. The performance of the SL600 is in a different league from the SL500, even if the 0-60 times are similar, I've had both V8 and V12s. The huge torque from the V12 makes for effortless over-taking and the V12 is a relaxed cruiser, and gas consumption is only a little worse than the V8. The V12 adds front weight though and the SL600 is not as home on a twisty as some might like. I still use mine as my daily driver, it's done 70k miles and is as tight as can be.

 

BlueSL,

Many thanks for your useful comment and information. I reckon a frequent runner is always better than a garage queen especially for a V8 or a V12 engine.

Does anyone know the link that I could check when and what facelifts were made during the production of the R129?

Cheers

 

The facelifts that I know of are:

In 1995, the lower panels were body colored (no more two tone cars with the grey lower panels)

In 1996, the front airdam, rear apron and side vents were updated. Sport Package started as an option.

In 1999, the mirrors were changed to smaller an more aerodynamic ones. The SL500 gets the newer 5.0 liter V8.

In 2002, all SL's had the Sport Package AMG body and wheels as standard equipment.

 

Thanks for your information. I also heard there was an update on the V8 engine starting at 1993 as the upgrade of Sl320 from Sl300-24 engine.


Wasn't it true?

Rgds,

 

I know this is an old friend but it covers some things I'm interested in and I have further questions... could you ellaborate on what exactly ads does? I'd mainly be interested in it as an option for lowering so are there any aftermarket controls maybe? also does the 96 have the new dual ac system? or the older one?