Hi to everyone. I am considering trading in my 1995 Nissan 350z roadster on a 1991 Sl500 . My roadster has 55000 miles and the sl 500 has 100000 miles on her. A local dealer that i know quite well is willing to take my Nissan on trade and based on current car values will be making up the difference in cash back to me. My question to all is...does this sound like a crazy idea. I know the Nissan is much newer, sportier to drive and probably a lot more reliable. My rationale is as follows, since i only drive my Nissan 4-6 months a year and i am getting out of the boy racer mentality ( ha ha at the age of 59 ) i am looking for a much more relaxed ride in a very high end luxurious classic car like the R129. I have always loved the look of the car and imagined one day owning one. i would only be driving around town 4 months a year as i have a second car. I am retired and i want to treat myself to a classic future collectible car. The car qualifies for collector plates next year. With cash back and collector plates i could put that money into future repairs.So far the Sl 500 appears in really good shape.. Everything works , has a hard top and is running well. It will also be going through a complete inspection from the dealer before i consider the move. I also have the option of an independent inspection. My wife drives a 2006 BMW 325xi all wheel drive wagon and i have a 2002 bmw 325xi sedan. Love the feel and class of a well made German car. Does this plan make sense in terms of the trade-off. i am expecting the added cost of ownership but i am hoping the enjoyment of having a well built luxury sports car will offset the additional cost. Also my roadster will only continue to depreciate and is at a stage where i will need to start putting money into it. Any advice would be welcome.....I am a total newbie when it comes to Sl ownerhip. Sorry for the long post and thanks for any advice in advance

 

Hi dodi,

You didn't state how much cash back you were getting in the deal, but in my experience it's always better to sell your car outright to a private purchaser.
You'll get more. Then you can take some time and find the right SL for you. Also, do some research on what year(s) SL are the better choices. Please fellow owners, I'm not trying to insult anyone here- but in my research '96-'98 were the better choices. I picked up my '96 Sport a month ago. I am in the process of going through it and doing all the basic maintenance- new shocks, bushings, fluid changes(tranny, diff, oil), filters.
Also, plan on pulling all your hydraulic cylinders for the top and sending them off to Top Hydraulics for rebuild if you have no proof that it was done. They will leak eventually.
As far as your Nissan - I had a Infiniti G37S and really enjoyed it. It handled better in the turns than my SL and yes, it did depreciate by half between 2008 and 2014, but still a good mix of luxury and sport, but many 20 year olds were turning them into boy racers and it was one of the deciding factors in getting rid of it.
I'm about your age and I really enjoy my car, I do however miss having a manual tranny, and being able to throw it into a hard turn on a back country road with confidence. It's just not that kind of car. But hearing the big 5 liter spool up from 45 to 80 when passing on a back country road will really put a smile on your face.
Sorry for rambling on.

 

Thanks for the reply.....My roadster is worth around 15 Grand tops and the Sl 500's asking price is in the 10 grand range. i would probably get around 2 or 3 grand back. i have found in the past its best to sell privately, but sometimes with the tax savings of over a $1000 dollars plus the hassle of selling the difference is pretty close. Also buying from a known source gives you a chance to go back to the dealer if a major issue was not disclosed. A perfect scenario is if the car is very good condition and i pocket some money i will have myself a nice car with some money to tweak any minor issues. if i sell for 14 grand and buy an sl for 10 plus a grand in taxes i am up 3 grand...if dealer gives me 2 grand plus i am pretty close. Hope i am not taking too much of a risk on a 1991.....the 1995, 6 or 7 model years should be better. Also should i be concerned about the problematic bioderadable insulation harness issue or is the 1991 model year exempt from that problem. Thanks again for your reply.

 

The 1991 does not have the harness issue, so you are safe there. I personally would do the trade but that is mainly based on my dislike of the 350Z. Despite that, I have driven both the the SL is superior in most ways (I feel). It is faster, feels to be of better construction, looks much better and as such does not really show its age. I personally prefer the 99-02, just due to cosmetics and more features but model year is purely personal preference.

 

You haven't mentioned how many miles are on it. Not that it will make a difference if it is a well maintained SL. From all that I've read on this forum and on the net, the drive train is pretty bullet proof.
Go for it!

 

The car has approximately 100 000 miles on it and the body and interior are in very good shape.....i am considering making the deal happen. A 10 year old 350z roadster has in my opinion a limited number of buyers and the timing for me anyways is just right. I know the owner of the car lot selling the vehicle and last year i traded a 2007 jeep jk for a 2002 Bmw 325 xi with low miles staight up and have been happy with the BMW and no issues in 8 months. It's not everyday that you can pickup a Sl500 on a trade in with money back...The Nissan is worth more but according to Nada uides and canadian Black Book prices the difference is not really that much.....Thanks for the info so far.....I am getting some pretty good advice on this site....Hope to be a proud owner of a mercedes Benz Sl 500 soon.

 

Pull the trigger dodi, join the club!

 

Do it. You already have the bug. You will justify it and ask for others to back you up. Once you get restless on the idea, its over. Like a rock in your shoe, it won't just go away. Cars have that effect on me too.

I'm going through the same thing with a 2002 Collector Edition Trans Am convertible. I want a 'big boy car' and my CETA is dressed as the 2002 Daytona pace car and loud as a Sprint Cup racer. With 28,000 miles, I hate to see it get dirty and its too loud to drive before noon. Covered in a garage is no way for a car to go through life. So I will sell it and get an unproven R129 with more miles that costs about half as much. Makes no sense but, like you, I will do it anyway.

I just make a point of remembering the good times and telling myself 'it was time to move on' rather than thinking 'I never should have sold it'. There are always reasons.

Good luck with the new (to you) SL.