Silver_Lana

I found this searching the MB Preowned inventory last night...

http://www.elite.mercedescenter.com/...um=2&sortVal=3

Anyone local care to check if its for real?
I wonder whats wrong with it to make it for sale at such a low price.
Thanks!

moa4r

almost definately a typo why don't you give them a call and find out for sure?!

Silver_Lana

I just might!

Silver_Lana

Well... you know the saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is".:p

Got confirmation that it was an error on behalf of the dealer today.

Oh well... there go my dreams of a super cheap SL.
I guess back to plodding with the SLKs again!

stonechip

The R129 has dropped in price like a ton of bricks. Just browse over the various newspapers, inventories from web dealership, and sales in EBay and you will see these babies are going down fast in price. My local MB Dealer has a used silver edition with all the options on the sale lot; asking price $ 65,000 – for a car that listed over 100,000 less that three years ago.

Look at the new SLK 2005 model year, it runs circles around the R129. The 0-60, the retractable hardtop, and dozens of new techno goodies, even the AMG SLK at only $ 65,000 will sprint you from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and then there are some many new sports car coming out that the R129 looks like it’s standing still compared to the performance of cars costing a fraction.

My brother in law was going to purchase the new SL and after going to the auto show decided on the Lotus Elise, in November he was number 6 on the waiting list, now the dealer has a two years waiting list. The car looks awesome, reliable, 0-60 under 4; with the sports package less that $ 45,000.

I purchased mine R129 five years ago, and I would be lucky id I can sell for 40% of what I paid for.

ChrisB

1999 SL500R Convertible

- $44,500

About $ 62,000 Canadian. That sounds about right.

Unfortunately the R129 SL 500 is being eclipsed all over the place by better performance and modern styling. What a difference 2 years can make!

I bought 1 1/2 years ago ... coincidentally just when the R230 had just hit the scene. I missed out on the instantaneous $15,000 to $ 20,000 deprectiation that happened.

Good for me and any recent buyers ... bad for any one holding the R129.

Yes 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds on a good run seems pale compaired to sub 5 second runs by the more powerfull and lighter cars.

But I could not give up the extra space in the SL or the 300% increase in cost to get that extra performance and the satisfaction of owning the latest and greatest.

I am intrigued very much. The next $ 120,000 or more that I save could be buying a SL55 or SL600 with mods.:p

In all reality, the R129 is a luxurious super car at what seems to be almost affordable prices.

I thought the market would catch on to this by now and bolster the used R129 prices. Maybe that is still set to happen as the average owner age drops into the late 30s or early 40s.

Within the first year, I was convinced I will never be without the best SL I can afford, for the rest of my life . I love the R129.

ChrisB

Another thing I should point out in defence of the R129. The SL500 R230 has exactly the same motor and transmission as the 1999 and later R129.

The R230 comes with retractable hard top, new sheet metal, ABC suspension and Brake By Wire.

Worth the 100% + increase in cost? If you have the bucks ... sure!

Again the R129 is an affordable luxury super car.

By the way 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds is a lot of fun. 342 ft-lbs of torque at 2,400 rpm and 302 Hp is a constant source of amusement.

Greg Elmassian

Where do you get 100% increase? New sl is twice the price of new r120? nope.

Finding a new car costs twice as much as used car? Surprised? This is true everywhere.

I bought a used sl, saved a few bucks. Yes, the old style is losing some cachet due to the new model... many people buy these things for prestige, so old ones worth less.

Greg

stonechip

If you factor in adjusted dollars, the R129 was far more expensive to purchase that the new R230. The 1990 500SL model sticker price was approximately $ 86,000 it quickly went up, due to demand, to a whopping $ 97,500; there was a three years waiting list, then sales dropped, and the car was lowered by $ 10,000.

The R320 sticker price in 2003 was approximately $91,000, demand is steady, no waiting list, and in fact used R320 already are selling from 10-15K below sticker price, in only a couple of year since it’s introduction. Adjusted for inflation, a 500SL purchased new in 1993 at $ 97,500 would probably buy you an SL600 2005 with all the options offered.

Honestly for the cost of a SL600 with options at $ 140,000, I would rather put a deposit on the three tears waiting list for the Lamborghini Gallardo. It will probably retain more that 70% of its value five years down the road, and it's an incredible machine, now and ten years from now.

ChrisB

I did not intend to draw compairisons between new R129s back then and new R230s now.

Those are interesting facts though about the price levels that the R129 commanded duuring it's production run.

My intent was to confirm that in my opinion the R129 series at the depreciated current prices now represents relaltively good value.

I1 ULOOZ

umm....

ChrisB

What do you mean by posting this?

blueSL

The R129 was a great car but well overdue for replacement by the time the R230 came out and people who bought one at the end of the production run are hurting. For people buying secondhand, they represent excellent value now.