SL/R129: 1998 SL 600 Sport shedding parts
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 4
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From: Outside Montreal
1998 Sl 600 Sport
1998 SL 600 Sport shedding parts
Hi, I'm a new member and don't want to start off on a down note BUT, the other day while driving home from Costco, my car shed it's right front turn signal light. I had washed the car before going to the store and didn't notice anything loose. OK I thought, I'll just call my local dealer and order the part. Parts guy says $148, but he'll need to check with Germany to see when it will be available. Calls later and says the part is no longer available but it might be if I buy the headlight too. How much, I say, another $1,200 bucks he says. I go to Ebay and find that most of the boys on there are aware that it's no longer available and used ones are going for around $600 - $800. I keep looking and finally find a lense for $250. When the lense comes I find out why the original came off the car. It is held on by a spring clip, and if anything moves inside the fender, like wires or such, it can easily release the spring and it will actually shoot the lense off the front of the car. With the aid of a couple of zip ties, I have now ensured that the lense will NOT leave the car if the spring is released. I highly suggest that anyone with this model do the same. 
Last edited by Dons SL600; Sep 23, 2016 at 05:19 PM.
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
So, the plastic triangle that clips into the head light frame is no longer made?
I have not replaced one for several years but used AutoHaus for the two, because I wanted to place flexible LED lights within the bulb holder to wire as a Day light running light system. The cost of both was not over $300.
The clip in attachment system did get brittle with age but the new replacement turn signal housing fit and has kept tight.
Did the slide and clip retainer on the headlight break? Our your headlamps the HID system? My guess is that can be a steep price to cover!
I have not replaced one for several years but used AutoHaus for the two, because I wanted to place flexible LED lights within the bulb holder to wire as a Day light running light system. The cost of both was not over $300.
The clip in attachment system did get brittle with age but the new replacement turn signal housing fit and has kept tight.
Did the slide and clip retainer on the headlight break? Our your headlamps the HID system? My guess is that can be a steep price to cover!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Outside Montreal
1998 Sl 600 Sport
Yes, the headlights are HID, and they said the one side would be $1200. Everything on the headlight was fine, all places where the turn signal light clipped in were fine. I don't know why the corner light came "unclipped" but it did, and the design of the clip ensures that the light is ejected from car. As mentioned, I have now put in a couple of zip ties to ensure that doesn't happen again.
This is not the first time I had something fall off the car. A while back my wife ran over a piece of tire tread on the highway and the tow hook cover on the lower grille fell off. The parts dept. at the local dealer wanted $400 for the cover and $80 for the small piece of grille that screws onto the cover. The tow hook cover just snaps into place so a bit of a hit in that area will just knock it off. Both left and right tow hook covers are now zip tied in place. I figure that the $1.00 I spent on zip ties has the possibility of saving me a couple of thousand dollars, a pretty good investment if I do say so.
And YES, the parts dept. of MB Canada said they looked all over North America for a corner lense. When they couldn't find one they sent a message to Germany and that is when they said they no longer make that part. Not the service I expected when I bought this car.
This is not the first time I had something fall off the car. A while back my wife ran over a piece of tire tread on the highway and the tow hook cover on the lower grille fell off. The parts dept. at the local dealer wanted $400 for the cover and $80 for the small piece of grille that screws onto the cover. The tow hook cover just snaps into place so a bit of a hit in that area will just knock it off. Both left and right tow hook covers are now zip tied in place. I figure that the $1.00 I spent on zip ties has the possibility of saving me a couple of thousand dollars, a pretty good investment if I do say so.
And YES, the parts dept. of MB Canada said they looked all over North America for a corner lense. When they couldn't find one they sent a message to Germany and that is when they said they no longer make that part. Not the service I expected when I bought this car.
Last edited by Dons SL600; Sep 27, 2016 at 11:23 PM.
