raunaq23

Because the no of SL55s is around 15 - 20 max, with only 1 red example.

Moreover, due o the import regulations, this number will mostly never change since the 55 production has been stopped.


Thats my point. No SL55 can enter our country unless it is brand new first owner 0 kms.

Yes my friend has an Alpine white E92 in Gurgaon. I live In New Delhi.

Sir , i dont mean to sound rude but that comment is so ignorant.

India isnt all "Slumdog Millionare"

sound 8

Sir, if you read my post I was merely pointing out that to become a classic it
doesn't matter what country it comes from.
Every country has there own import laws, it might make it rare to see, but again it doesn't alter it's collectible status.
Please if you wish to call people ignorant read thoroughly first.

raunaq23

You are one confused person. Classic and collectible are two very different terms.

Classic is defined with respect to age of the car. (Generally a car more than 25 years approx.) Cars more than 50 years old are refferred to as vintage.

A collectible item is defined with respect to rarity of the item.

The car i speak of is the only of its kind in the country. It is a very rare item and will always remain rare. Hence it is collectible in my country.

In my first post i never mentioned the word classic. I used the word collectible.

even in your first reply to my comment you used the word collectible.

By now its obvious who needs to read more thoroughly and which of us is the ignorant one.

RRod

All right boys .... calm down now

sound 8

No not slumdog millionaire, you are just a thick egotistical jerk that thinks because he owns a red SL55, apparently the only one in India, his car will become collectible, oh sorry classic! Try not to show your arrogance so easily.

RRod

I think we may need a MODERATOR sponsered cooling-off time-out here

raunaq23

hahaha... Cool those horses... You're making it obvious as to whos the egoistical jerk here...

Dont get mad at me for correcting you.

Sunir

cars like the SL are very rare in India...I was born in India and raised in the US...but I travel farily frequently and can tell you that car in India will go up in value, by how much I don't know...even if it does not anywhere else in the world...ultimately it all comes down to how much someone is willing to pay though...

As for the sewage smell...India is changing and becoming more westernized...there are programs in place to improve infrastructure and since the H1B immigration died down many very bright folks are staying in India and helping improve her economy, infrasturcture, and introducing a good amount of modern change...

RRod

I still can not find any mention of India in my original reference to sewage odors in developing nations? The car with the sewage odor that I bought was not even close to India.

So why is everyone assuming it was India?

Sunir

I think because of the whole thing with the red sl55 in India...that was fused together is one of the underlying themes of the thread ...you're right you didn't mention it...

sound 8

I realize now that the SL55 doesn't come into it.
It's you.
Look at me in MY red SL55, I am the only one able to bring one into the country, therefore it's the only one in the country ! I'm so rich and clever
and important, and my SL55 will become collectible, but apparently only in India.

bzliteyear

This is a great chain...I really enjoyed everyone's input, especially people how have the historical knowledge and perspective. As much as i enjoy driving the newer MBs, there's something special about my 1995 (last year of the E320 cabriolet), especially when the sunny CA temperature is between 70 and 85 degrees. Although it's not "quick" - it goes fast when i want it to. Importantly, I'm usually NOT in a hurry when I'm driving that car and I'm just trying to enjoy the surrounding/sound/smell/life, etc.... Thanks for sharing everyone.
PL

JustaEngineer

Man, after reading this thread I think I made a mistake buying the SL55 (thanks for the bucket of cold water) I personally didn't buy it for a investment or to show off. I bought it because it is pleasing to the eye and a zen moment to drive but if I can't drive it due to lack of parts that cost more than their weight in gold, what's the use?
Maybe auto trader India comes to mind?

jmf003

Nah, don't sweat it. Just take your car for a drive, top down, on a good road, on a good day and you'll remember why you bought it in the first place.

blueSL

Interesting comment here. I don't think the SL55 will be a collectible car but the genre - the big muscled V8s and V12s - will inevitably fade as the need to improve corporate wide mileage will dictate a trend to smaller turbo-charged engines. It seems clear, for example, that the V12's days in Mercedes are numbered. Sure, the likes of Ferrari will continue with it but their numbers are tiny.

All that says a muscular V8 is to be enjoyed while we still can. As for the SL55, I share the concerns about maintenance and the dealers' abilities to diagnose and fix age-related problems. These will be more hydraulic and electronic than mechanical but there's a real risk of mechanically perfect cars being scrapped because of unobtainable electronics to start their engines.

GermanCars

Some of the most coveted collector cars were made just before insurance and emission regulations killed all the fun cars. Think big V8 sports cars and pony cars. Top of the heap, big block Corvettes! Here we are some 40 years later and it's deja vue all over again. Another perfect storm. Except it's going to be corporate CAFE fuel economy regulations as well as "the economy" making fewer ZL1 Corvettes, SL65's, GTR's available later for collecting.
There is plenty of time, look up Sam Posey's Road & Track article on his Gullwing SL. Nobody wanted it just a few year after it was built,yet it remains VERY desirable today. Better to sell now the SL and buy it back in 5 to 10 years

allenjdmb

I should stay out of this. Here's the one thing that would be good to consider:
No matter how much we love them, late model Mercedes are mass produced cars. (Don't think so? Ever been to the factory? Or even the port?) They are great to drive, pleasing to look at, and I have loved (most) all of them. But there are just too many pieces of product on the ground for any R230 SL to be something of great collectible value. Certainly, there will be exceptions. But you can thank the bean counters for the desire to keep pushing more and more units all over the world. That's all that matters to them now. YMMV, etc.

DCMETRO22Z

Mark, Graphite is probably my favorite color on an SL . I serched the threads you started, but I can't see the pics when I click on the one dedicated to your SL. Can repost some ? Thanks !

mark anderson

Sure. It's no longer mine and I really miss it. Looking for another now.

DCMETRO22Z

Beautiful !