hotel_calif

The panoramic top looks very nice on the R129. Is the glass fixed in place or is there a way to open up and get some fresh air (much like an existing sunroof on other MB models). I realize one could just take the entire top off but that looks like a big job - especially if you're just trying to take advantage of a rare "top down" day during winter.

blueSL

If you fit a hard top hoist to your garage, taking the hard top off is a 1 person job and takes less time than your MSO to get ready to go out...

Black129

Nope.

RUCKDR

I agree with blueSL,
I bought the manual/crank hoist from:
http://www.thebenzbin.com/mercedes-sl-hardtop.html
It works exactly as pictured (except manual crank), and is indeed a one person (me) top removal. I cover the top with a flannel sheet, before placing the hooks and lifting the top off. Excellent product - 2" wide straps
Call Bill at 1-888-628-3247
Later,

Black129

I was stating nope to the pano top not acting like a sun roof and not the ease of the top hoist... sorry for the confusion.

RUCKDR

Black129,
I figured that out - no problem.

All,
The hoist I described above and the site that sells it is the same hoist sold on other sites for considerably more. (forgot to state this earlier).
Later,

hotel_calif

Thanks for the info and suggestions on hardtop hoists. The SL500 I'm looking at doesn't come with a panorama hardtop. I was hoping to add a pano later, but I found a note that this may not be possible:
If I can't put a standard hardtop on a pano car, I'll bet I can't put a pano hardtop on a standard SL500. True?

ChrisB

In this thread:

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...highlight=mods

KLP 92 explains how he has put a panorama roof on his 1991 SL500.

The panorama roof was not made available till 1997. When the new "panorama" hardtop became available as an optional alternative to the standard lift-off aluminum roof.

Maybe email him for more details.

hotel_calif

I found an SL500 with a pano hardtop that has almost everything I am looking for. Will this hoist work with the heavier pano roof?

Thanks, Will

ChrisB

what year are you looking at? What mileage & price? What color?

RUCKDR

hotel,
As I said earlier, Call Bill at toll free to order 1-888-628-3247.
He can give you the details. However, if this top can be lifted off by 2 people, then this hoist will more than do the job. I would say from the cable size, etc. 400-500 pounds easy.
Later,

hotel_calif

Hi Chris:

The one that caught my eye is a silver/ash 2002 SL500 with 37K miles asking $55,900. It has SL1 Sport and SL2 packages and the pano hardtop. I would prefer a charcoal interior, but you can't have everything I suppose. It's more than I was hoping to spend also. I'll go take a look at the car in the near future and decide. Description at this link.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Will

RUCKDR

Will,
Man, a 2002, you are so close to a 2003 (well maybe $15-20K more), and you then have the best of both worlds - a foldable hard top - NO removal of hardtop or hoist ....... required. GO WITH THE "Hard and Soft" top ALL the time.
Just a thought
Don

hotel_calif

Hi Don:

Yes, I would much rather have the foldable hard top, but another $15K-$20K is definitely more than I want to spend. Plus, I'm a little leary of the 2003's since they are the first model year and that always seems to imply problems. I may still decide to wait a few more years until the price of 2004s comes down to my budget.

Will

RUCKDR

Will,
Happy Thanksgiving.

I HEAR YA; ME TO.

Don

ChrisB

Will

A good looking car. Price seems reasonable comaired to Canadian pricing. The option to get the extended MB warranty is attracive.

The 2004's will depreciate about $10,000 US per year so you can figure out how long you will need to wait.

The 2002 will depriciate over the long run 10 years to $30K US?

You could get into the R129 and enjoy it while the R230 depricates at a faster rate.

Thats basically where I am.

As you may recall, I never owned a convertible before the R129 ... and would never give up the past two years of ownership.

Now that I'm hooked on SL and want the retractable hard top and more power (SL600 or SL55?) I just have to wait 4 or 5 years to save my way into a R230.

I'm in the R129 in the mean time and I'm all teeth

Godd luck in your decision making process.

hotel_calif

Test drove the 2002 SL500 today, and I really liked the pano hard top. The salesman was very nice, and even let me take the car home overnight so I can get a better feel for it and show it to my wife. We drove around both with and without the pano top. A beautiful day here in San Diego to do so.

There are a few negatives. The plastic windows in the soft top were badly discolored. The driver's side door creaks a little when the hard top is off. A few minor scuff marks and discolorations in the ash interior.

It sure looks nice sitting in the garage. I am very tempted.

ChrisB

Re "The plastic windows in the soft top were badly discolored"

Of cource there have been posts on how to clean & polish the plastic.

Mequiars Cleaner and Meguiars Polish.

Just make sure the products do not get on or at least are well cleaned off the edges where the stiching of the canvas to the plastic is.

Mine cleaned up amazingly well. The platic's edges are breaking down at the fold .

hotel_calif

Thanks for the reminder on cleaning and polishing the plastic. I found your thread with the before and after pics here. The plastic on my car is much darker (discolored) than your "before" pics. Will the cleaner get rid of the discoloration in the plastic?

Your "before" pics don't look discolored; they look like the view was blurred - was the plastic scratched?

ChrisB

The predominant grey color of the garage back ground did nothing in my "before" picture to show how bad the plastic windows really were. Inside and out. I could barely see out of them on a clear day.

Three years of zero maintenance by the original owners had left the windows grimey with some sort of greasy grung. Very yellow and discusting to look at.

Don't bother trying dish washer soap or any thing other than plastic cleaner. n my experience, nothing else will work.

I thought they would never clean. I would have bet I was going to have to buy a new set of windows.

I also thought I had made a big mistake in even trying to clean with that product once I started. The grung does not loosen up very fast at all. It is a very slow process (seemingly impossible for the first 1/2 hour) to loosen it up and then to lift it off.

Lots of persistance ... repeated rub on ... rub off ... several stages over close to an 1 1/2 hours with the cleaner finally had it so clear I did not even use the polish treatment right away. The plastic windows looked brand new.

I drove for several months before I got into detailing and used the polish.

If they look that bad ... the current condition of the windows may be a good negotiating point for you. Maybe the salesman should try to clean then with dish washinf soap or what ever he thinks will easily do it. He will fail!

Then you could claim they would cost say $ 2K and your inconveniece to replace with new windows? Maybe that can be converted into a nice discount. Along with the marred light color interior .

$ 12 worth of Meguiars products and an afternoon of work in reality will fix the window problem for you.

RUCKDR

ChrisB,
While using the 'Polish' on the plastic windows, did you use, by chance, a slow turning buffer, just to reduce the "elbow grease" ? Seems this would work well on the outside anyway.
I like the results shown in your pictures - vast improvement!!

Don

RUCKDR

Just looked up the Meguiars products; should be available in a auto parts store (well maybe).
http://www.meguiars.com/store_meguia...ch_results.cfm
After seeing the results ChrisB had, this is a must for me come spring when I remove the hard top,

Don

ChrisB

hotel_calif

There were minot scratches on mine from where the window foulds up and rubs the housing upon being stored into it's hiding place. A few round scratches from using terry cloths th whipe dust and dampness off the plastic.

Those micro scratches are filled and smoothed over with the Polish.

Don

It is the cleaner that will require the time and effort. I don't think any buffer would help there. Small circular motions with your cloth covered finger is the ticket.

The 'Polish' as such is much easier to apply and get up to a sheen ... once the grunge is off by using the 'Cleaner'. Two different products.

I don't have a slow turning buffer. Had to rely on "elbow grease".

hotel_calif

The dealership offered to clean the plastic windows, although they wouldn't guarantee the panels would look like new. I guess there isn't any harm in letting them try. It's good to know there is an inexpensive Plan B. They also offered to replace the panels at dealer cost - Plan C.

hotel_calif

I have rollup garage doors that will require me to install the hoist far into the garage. The SL500 has such a long front that I will have to back the car into the garage in order to align the car with the hoist. Not sure if I'm that talented.