I'm losing the battle to resist temptation

[Sp!ke]

and the devil in me is lusting after buying an SL500.

I find myself scouring the Internet late into the night, searching high and low for that elusive face-lift model with a five speed box, cream leather, in blue with a blue rag-top and panoramic hardtop for no more money than I have lurking in my current account and definitely without dipping into any debt (you see I am being partly sensible).

I've decided that either I am going to have to wait a few more months until funds have recovered from christmas or I need to consider slightly higher mileage cars. (bearing in mind it'll be a daily driver anyway)

So what is the jury's verdict, should I be wary of buying an SL500 with 120k on it or should I take more notice of the what mileage is too high thread and save a few grand and to hell with convention?

 

[Will]

I'd have thought that bearing in mind almost all 129 SLs are rock-bottom price wise, it's worth buying the best car you can afford.

A 120k mile example might be cheap to get you into ownership, but I guess the initial purchase price would pale into insignificance over the years against the running/repair costs.

Obviously you could find a higher mileage mint car, just like some of the low mileage examples could be poorly maintained etc. But I'd look to spend maybe a couple of thousand more for a perfect example versus a 'bargain' £6/7k one etc.

Perhaps go and look at a few so you know what to expect for your money/guage an idea of average condition for certain years/mileages, faults etc. Remember, the R129 isn't as cheap as car to repair as good old 124s/201s etc (electric roofs, air conditioning etc)

All IMHO.

Will

 

[A210AMG]

What's your budget?

this meets your spec but ££££

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/855578.htm


Especially next to this...


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/904917.htm

 

[Sp!ke]

Thats beautiful but way more than my current budget and since I'll be putting 12K a year on it anyway and keeping it for 5+ years, it seems a little pointless to get such a low mileage car (if reliability is good) when one can be had for less than that one will depreciate over the same time period.

I wonder what this one will go for.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=330308885581

 

[Ade B]

I've found economics of old car ownership don't stack up if like me

a. you drive the car a lot
b. you like to keep things in reasonable condition
c. you have no time to fix things / are crap with spanners

So I'd buy the cleanest one I could find with a view to getting the mechanical bits fettled over time. I'm not convinced the most recent/lowest mileage/most expensive car is necessarily the best..

But if it looks good every time you clap eyes on it, it softens the pain of keeping it looking good..


Ade

 

[A210AMG]

How about this E320 sportline W124?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/804194.htm


I know its not a V8 but these things do seem to hold their price.

 

[Sp!ke]

I fancy a change after nearly 8 years with my current W124, so the last thing I want is another, despite how good they are. That is very nice though I must admit.

 

[Smiley]

I had a r129 sl500 for about a year. It was a 97 model and I bought it with 50k miles genuine in 2004. It seemed a bargain at the time at £16500 considering it was £83,000 new. More than a £ per mile in depreciation alone.

It was a great car; only let down by the rear seats - even small children can not get in comfortably - it is not just the size of the seat it is the space (or lack of any space) underneath the front seat - in other words no room for their feet to go.

Its a 2 seater really - if thats Ok then go for it - they are very cheap now - and the 500s are bullet proof if well maintained.

 

[Sp!ke]

Not so worried about that tbh as this will be a second car with only occasional short trips with my youngest in the back who is 9 and will likely be blown away with the whole concept of not having a roof.

Daughter now driving herself and at the stage where she is far too cool to be seen by anyone in the company of her parents, so unlikely to step foot in the car unless she steals the keys.

 

[DSLiverpool]

When I was lloking I was hung up on the pan roof - unhealthily so - I wouldnt look at one without it.

Now our SL is the 3rd car in the family and once the roof was off its not been on since I got it - hence the obsession was not justified (today is the first day Im taking it out to the Lakes since September)

Far more important is to make sure everything works especially the drop windows (on door open) as this will rkill the hood quickly.

The air con condenser is a ££ also check that

I really like my SL320 its a nice sedate alternative to the CLS and once I finally get a set of AMG 18" on it it will look the part

Go for it

 

[imadoofus]

We really need to know the budget, Sp!ke...

Does this do it?

 

[dchester]

It was a great car; only let down by the rear seats - even small children can not get in comfortably - it is not just the size of the seat it is the space (or lack of any space) underneath the front seat - in other words no room for their feet to go.

I can agree with that, being ~6'3" and, heaven knows how, squeezed myself into the back of my ex-boss's son's 129 after the office bash.

D.

 

[Sp!ke]

We really need to know the budget, Sp!ke...

Does this do it?

Well here's the dilemma.

Should I take the plunge now and get something under 8k or wait a few months and stretch the budget to 12 and get something a little newer with less miles?

I've seen some reasonably nice examples for around 6K and since I will be putting miles on it anyway and using it as a daily driver, I'm not sure if its worth taking the bigger hit financially if the cars are able to do the mileage without problems.

I guess it helps to see where I am coming from with my current W124CE. I bought this in 2002 for only £2k with 108k miles on it and now its up to 186k miles. It would be nice to repeat this exxperience with an SL if the car is capable of this sort of mileage without major maintenance.

 

[jaymanek]

buy it cheap and use the car to its full... you will only find yourself restraining use if you spend a lot on the car...

I use my yellow car daily as its not worth anything.. its my runabout..

The others I would never put into daily use as they will lose all of their value..

 

[imadoofus]

I've seen some reasonably nice examples for around 6K

What, facelifts?

Blimey!

 

[Sp!ke]

What, facelifts?

Blimey!

This one for instance...

 

[Sp!ke]

This one for instance...

Under 5k

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330308885581&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:GB:1123

 

[Will]

That's a good buy for someone there.

A lot of car for the money

Will

 

[A210AMG]

That looked a great buy for someone.....tempted myself at those prices !

 

[WLeg]

Very interested in these tread.....but have a SL question.....can you fit children in the back, or do you need to cut their legs off (it looks rather tight) ?