OzyMark

Hi Guys,

I'm just looking for advice on what issues/defects I should be looking for in a secondhand '95 SL500. I had a look at it the other day and it appeared to be in very good condition. It has only travelled 155000 km and the motor sounds sweet. I'm taking it for a test drive next weekend and would like to know what I should be looking for as far as defects, electrical, mechanical or otherwise.

I have loved this shape ever since I was young and finally found one at the right price.

Any advice on this particular year model would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

SRHsl600

If no multi light display from the instrument panel I would consider buying!
I would cycle the top (rag and hard ) , go into a high pressure car wash with the hard top an look for leaks, and drive fast for wind noise.
If you are lucky with the interior you will have all the plastic parts from visors, mirror area and center console, hinged door panels with no cracks or lost/broken parts. Most older front ends will have parking stops rash or breaks from the low front end.
The transmission may have "flairs" in the lower forward gear range. ( that repair is a few dollars in parts and demanding in skill and equipment ) The AC should not havve a squeal with the fan!
The original sound system "Becker and Bose" may be in need of a redo , but CD in trunk and power mast should still work.
In the world of forums there are buyer beware guides in the stickies at the top of the main page. Good luck. Where in the world are you?
The price for any older car is the tip of an Ice Berg!

MercedesTheBest

i like the 95 personally. SRHsl600 said everything pretty good. just keep in mind that an older car, especially a MB, will cost you money because of the over engineering. they are amazing cars and can work flawlessly, you just need to up keep it or the thing will die on you.

OzyMark

Thanks for the tips guys! sl600, I live in Brisbane, Australia. The car is at a car yard and when I started it the dashboard lights came on and went off when the engine fired. I had a good look through the interior and the only flaw I found was a hairline crack in the panel near the transmission lever. Haven't checked functionality on all switches but all are where they should be. I don't think there are any leaks as the car has been parked out on the lot and having had rain recently, there was no damp smell. Centre console slides work smoothly and hinged centre armrest feels firm when opened and closed. Car has yet to be roadworthied, but has been detailed. There is only 2 small stone chips, one on the drivers side wheel arch and one near the front grille. Carpets and leather seats are in surprisingly good condition. Leather has minimal scuffs. Carpet has no discoloration. Wheels are AMG with barely any scratches. I will look closely at the front undercarriage to determine if there were any parking , speed bump damage. I will definitely check the soft top operation too. All in all the car is what I would consider to be very well looked after.
Only other question is that a number of people on the net have said the '96, '97 models were the best due to the 5 speed auto being more economical and also kicked down more readily when driven a little harder. How do you guys find the 4 speed auto?

Thanks again
Mark

cdrusn

I would definitely cycle the top a couple of times and listen for the unmistakable sound of gurgling from a blown hydrulic cylinder. While the cylinders can be resealed relatively cheaply if you can't replace them yourself you're looking at a significant amount of labor. On my '92, I only put 2,000 miles on it and then reverse went out. The transmission rebuilder said he never gets a MBZ transmission in that reverse hasn't gone out first so look for a 3 second delay in shifting into reverse and when it actually goes into gear. Check the ball joints for play as that is guaranteed with that kind of mileage and while you're under there you might as well replace the tie rods and idler arm. The engine is all most bullet proof if properly maintained. Best wishes for a good buy.

OzyMark

Thanks for the tip. Will check the tranny

Mark

kedocom

in model years 93-96 Mercedes used a eco-friendly wiring harness that is known to disintegrate leaving lots of electrical problems ...... Mercedes replaced many of these and that is something to ask about .... a new wiring harness is about $800 and something you could do yourself as many have ..... though labor cost could escalate that to a $1500 + expense .... if it hasn't been done its a great bargaining tool .... most with 155K on the speedo have most likely been done ... but not all

Cheers

OzyMark

Thanks for the tips guys,
I have made an offer and it has been accepted however my wife said I have to get a loan as the savings are earmarked for home improvements.
So I should have the car by next weekend. Yay!

One thing the yard guys didn't know about is a switch near the steering column. At first glance it looks similar to the air recycling button however instead of having the round air recycling symbol it has the little car picture with an arrow pointing up. I downloaded a user manual and there is no mention of this. Does anyone know what this is used for? Could it be to raise the suspension? I will take a pik if no one knows what I mean next time I'm near the car.

Thanks
Mark