Oppo confessions - I want a 90s SL

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
09/12/2014 at 22:08 • Filed to: None

I know they're very far from a driver's car, but I can't help but love the idea of a nice 2-seater coupe that put luxury and solidarity before cornering grip and power. Plenty of very nice examples can be had for about 10k which is a fair amount more than 5 or so years ago when I almost bought a very clean SL300 for 2k because it had an ignition problem which my dad said was likely due to a worn out distributor or something simple like that. And then I go and see this beautiful !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and I don't care that it's high quality miata money for a 15 year old Merc. I just want to buy it and go on a big old fashioned grand tour somewhere.

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How about everyone else? Any other car confessions to report tonight?

DISCUSSION (14)

Sweet Trav > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 22:10

I once had the opportunity to take a quick drive in an SL600 V12. At 16 it changed my opinion of European cars entirely.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 22:10

Other than I also like that SL? Let me think about it.

Frank Grimes > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 22:10

I want a white and gray two tone one. maybe some bbs super rs.

nrj > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 22:15

I have a soft spot for these cars as well. I'd actually prefer one of the earlier models, with the silver/gray lower body cladding. That look just screams old MB cruiser.

LeadfootYT > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 22:21

I love them, but it's all the hassle of owning a W124 wagon (yes, Mercedes, a biodegradable wiring harness is a wonderful idea! And the fact that you introduced them mid-year, for that extra surprise when trying to buy one, is even better !) with none of the practicality. I've owned 124 wagon, and I can attest to the fact that they are the best cars ever made (and, if you have a fleet of them, the only car you'll ever technically need). But god damn are they a pain.

The R129 SLs seem like wonderful cars. But I could only let myself own one if I owned a W124 wagon as well. Which I would only do if I had a modern BMW (to drive when the 124 inevitably started to crank forever and need a sensor of some kind replaced) and my E24 to keep me sane when chasing strange issues on the modern car. So the SL would have to be a fourth car. And that kind of hikes the price and hassle up a tad.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > nrj
09/12/2014 at 22:32

I know which ones you're talking about. They are excellent cruisers.

chuck07 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 23:10

I almost bought a 97 SL320. I like to stay with the 6 cylinder m103/m104. Some of the earlier sl300s can be had for 5-7k in very nice condition. The biggest thing is finding one that has been taken care of. Then you have to take care of it. Most of the stuff is easy enough to do on the 6 cylinder models.

Saw someone drop a turbo diesel in a r129. Fun project and that will last forever.

I wouldn't personally go for a higher end r129, but I would DD mine.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/12/2014 at 23:36

Looks like it's in great condition. These are still surprisingly popular. This one being one of the last years should run pretty much forever. No wiring harness issues, excellent engine, great transmission as long as it is serviced, not a ton of tech to fail.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > LeadfootYT
09/12/2014 at 23:43

The harnesses weren't biodegradable on purpose AFAIK (I was pretty young at the time), it was a manufacturing/materials issue, and it only lasted a few years. This one is out of that range, I believe it was fixed in production of '96 model year. I wouldlike to see your modern BMW last as long as that 124 that only needs a sensor or some rubber part every once in a while. This is a very late 129, pretty well sorted.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > chuck07
09/12/2014 at 23:46

M104>M103. The V8's are excellent, especially M113, no pesky head gasket issues like the I6's. And easier to work on if you ask me.

LeadfootYT > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
09/13/2014 at 00:15

Haha, no, of course not. It was a product of some kind of recyclability or construction standard, as I recall, and it was mainly the '93-'95 model years (although depending on who you ask, it may have gone earlier). And no, modern BMWs (or indeed, any German car) won't last nearly as long, all things considered, but I should hope it would at least start consistently. My ideal garage for Vermont is still a W124 wagon (perhaps a 4matic, for ultimate practicality) and an E24, although I myself am doing a bit too much traveling to make that feasible currently. And yes, this does appear to be a very clean car, and with the V8 it would certainly be a cool feel, but at nearly $12,000, you do get what you pay for. It all depends what it's worth to anyone interested.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > LeadfootYT
09/13/2014 at 01:03

This is true. I would avoid 4matic 124's as the repair costs of that system can be insane and it isn't terribly reliable. 210's on the other hand, those I will take all day long!

chuck07 > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
09/13/2014 at 07:00

Yeah those head gasket issues... My S320 already had that leak supposedly the newer gaskets are better.

I haven't had a v8 personally. Just a m104 and an om603. With the amount of SL500s out there I might have to give them another look. I just figured they were broken a little more because the problems show up on forums more. BT that could be because there are more 500s than 320s.

Edit: Mercedes V8

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > chuck07
09/13/2014 at 11:21

Yeah I probably see 1 I6 for every 20 V8 in SL's.