Cheap SL320

[Sp!ke]

Looks like very good value to me - Not much detail in the advert but possibly worth taking a look at for someone.

Mercedes : Mercedes SL320 1998 Full Spec car

 

[Will]

Look nice - I think that's what I'd like, facelift R129 in Obsidian black

I'm still kicking myself, I looked at that facelift SL500 a few months back (Obsidian, grey leather, pano roof, factory AMG split rims etc).

That one looks cheap, not that keen on the wheels/exhaust/after market stereo - but certainly sounds like a good price Shame it's not a 500 for me.

Local to me too...

Will

 

[EDZ649]

Looks like a bargain! Agree with Will on the exhaust

 

[aka$h]

Thanks for the link Spike.

I sold the other halfs SLK last week and am now looking for a CLK 208/early 209 or an SL. Fingers crossed this is still for sale.

 

[Sp!ke]

Fingers crossed this is still for sale.

Its only just been put on pistonheads... I get email alerts when each new SL comes up.

 

[stats007]

The instrument cluster may have been replaced - so worth double-checking the mileage.

 

[aka$h]

Going to see it this morning. Well spotted RE the cluster, not chrome which was standard post facelift?

 

[stats007]

My thoughts - though it may just be the photo.

 

[nickg]

very good value if it looks as good in the flesh - factor in spending a few quid on it.
and, of course, check the soft and hard tops condition and operation.
I've recently bought an '00 SL500 and found virtually all the cars I looked at needed the soft top windows replacing.

 

[Will]

Photos must be old.

I rang the seller yesterday morning and left a message, he just called me back.

Apparantly the stereo was nicked and the wood trim is damaged around it. Car has been scratched all over and needs a repaint. Slight blistering on the pano roof also (aluminium).

He reckons the mileage is genuine, has all the paperwork to verify etc (seats look okay in the photos, so might be).

Still quite cheap considering it's a facelift model, the colour and pano roof etc. Tempting as I really like the colour - wish it was a 500 though!

Will

 

[aka$h]

DOG!

Just been to see the car, its was 2.1 miles away.

The back end has had very cheap paintwork in the past, someone has tried to flat it down, but still looks naff.

Scratched all over.

Brand new MB bonnet fitted with the part number sticker still on it, and no insulation fitted.

Steering wheel looks like its seen 150k

Brabus alu gear selector looks like its seen a world war

Wheels all kerbed

Very suspecious service history:
MB stamps in 99 and 01
Indy (cant remember name, but in Birmingham) in 03
2 P&S motors stamps (cant verify as they have ceased trading)
Current owner had a service in march 09 at "servicing stop"

The past few MOTs show 2000 miles of use over the last 2 years, but the condition tells another story.

Had an issue with kickdown too, air mass symptoms.

IMO avoid.

 

[Will]

Normally - as the old saying goes 'If it sounds too good to be true....'

Didn't add up IMHO.

Shame that people don't look after nice cars properly

I take it you didn't make an offer on it?

Will

 

[aka$h]

I take it you didn't make an offer on it?

Even at £5k I wouldnt have bought it, I just walked away from it.

 

[Will]

Doesn't sound good then

Will

 

[neilrr]

Woof!

 

[Sp!ke]

I find it really amazing that the vast majority of R129's I have gone to see are dogs.

It seems the owners of the majority of them dont look after them very well. Before I started my search for one I assumed they'd all be cherished cars with low mileages that had sat in heated garages all their lives. How wrong was I?

Nearly all of them I've seen have had paint - often badly. Most are covered in scratches or dings from poor parking and many have deep scratches caused by failing to line up the hard top properly on fitting. (I can understand this more so on the panoramic as its so heavy). Two thirds of them have no working aircon. At least a third have rust appearing on the wheel arches and an equal number have overly worn drivers seat bolsters that don't match the mileage.

I must say I was surprised to find expensive cars like these being neglected - but most are.

 

[stats007]

Your budget doesn't really stretch to those garage queens though does it?

As I've always said - cheap R129s are cheap for a reason.

Mint R129s are still £12k+.

 

[aka$h]

Its sad but true, most of them are poorly maintained. And for this reason, I think in years to come the last of the r129's in mint condition will increase in value like the r107's did.

 

[Will]

With Stats on this one.

That car was far too cheap to be true - it's not far off half of it's realistic value, hence it was a P.O.S.

I naively looked at a facelifted SL500 in the same colour combo as the SL320 on this thread. Looked great and sounded ok over the phone.

Was a cheap car @ £8995, looked nice etc. Seller was a wealthy guy living in a huge gated residence with several acres of grounds.

He'd basically bought it three years prior off the second owner for £20k ish and just ran it into the ground.

Body had marks on every panel including the boot and bonnet - dents, scratches etc, mainly due to careless garaging etc (knocking stuff into it, scuff on bumper etc). Wanted almost a full repaint to make it mint. Faulty air con, rattly cats, rear windows starting to split, discs lipped all round, broken foglight lense, well underserviced (very little history since he'd owned it and for a year or two before - no plug changes, brake fluid/coolant etc etc)

I walked away from it on the basis that it'd cost £2-3k+ easily to bring it upto scratch, probably more realistically.

He sold it the following day though, and I guess someone will make a nice car out of it when it's done.

Head said walk away, heart says it was perfect spec/colour combo and I missed out!

There are enough nice ones out there, but they're certainly not £5-10k cars.

You either end up with an old one, a tatty one or both at this price point.

Same goes for most other cars/models I guess - the gap widens as they get older though.

Will

 

[Roger Jones]

Very interesting and useful commentary on the "dogs". How long ago was it, Will?

I've found a dozen R129s between £6k and £12k, all appearing to be worth a closer look. The prices have certainly been dipping over the past year, and I'm reckoning on a further softening as the summer ends.