New member looking for a R129

[JusNoGood]

Hi All,

I'm in my 50's leading up to retirement. Always been into classic cars and have done many long road trips around the US and Europe. I'm now looking for comfy R129 to tour Europe in my retirement

I'm tempted by some of the 20,000 mile £20k cars. My Elan only had 34k miles (28 yo) when I bought that with poor service history. After a full service, a few months of pressing buttons and tweaking the car worked perfectly and drove from UK to and around Italy for 6 weeks without issue. Are there any specific concerns you'd have with buying a R129 with only 20k miles? Does anyone have any experiences? I'll obviously go through it and thoroughly test it before buying.

Regards

Justin.

 

[Sweetooth]

Hi and welcome

 

[BTB 500]

Hi & welcome.

I would check the MOT history to see if the car has been off road / stored for any length of time. R129s don't rust nearly as badly as most other MBs of that era, but check the underside just to be sure. Obviously you can see any MOT advisories online. Check the age and condition of the tyres - things like hoses and suspension bushes can also suffer when a car is standing.

Make sure all electrics work including things like seat and steering column adjustment. These aren't particularly problematic but any issues may be tricky and/or expensive to fix. Check the operation of the hood very carefully - this is complex and has many hydraulic components plus sensors & microswitches. Make sure the roll bar goes up & down on the switch. Problems with this (or the electric windows) will stop the hood from operating. Check the hood rear window for cracking ... this normally starts as a tiny mark each side on the fold line. The hood is under a fair bit of tension when it's up and plastic window failures are reasonably common. If the hood itself is in good condition the windows can be replaced so this isn't a huge deal.

If the car has adaptive damping (ADS) check that it raises & lowers on the height adjustment switch when the engine is running. This is a pretty reliable system compared to the ABC suspension on the later R230, but the hydraulic accumulators ('spheres') have a limited lifespan and can need replacement. If this is the case the suspension will be very hard and the car will 'bounce' on uneven road surfaces. ADS was standard on the V12 SL600 and optional on other R129s (including the rare SL60 AMG). Which engine are you considering? The V8s are pretty bombproof and give a good reserve of power & torque (remember this is basically a 2 tonne car). The straight 6s can suffer from head gasket failures, the later V6s are OK I think. The V12 is big/heavy/complex but again generally OK AFAIK. I would personally steer clear of the 280 as being a bit underpowered, but it's probably fine for gentle cruising. Earlier R129s suffered from the insulation on the wiring looms breaking down, but they should all have had that fixed (new loom) by now.

All cars had a hard top and a wind blocker as standard. The latter quite often got sold off and I've seen the odd car offered for sale without the hard top too! The optional panoramic hard top is quite sought after although I personally prefer the lighter and more angular standard one (which is mostly aluminium).

The main R129 facelifts were in 1996 (5 speed gearbox became standard - visually, 2 vents behind the front wheels rather than 3) and 1999 (different V8 engine - visually, oval door mirrors instead of rectangular). Pre '96 cars often have indicators swapped out for clear ones to make them look younger. Replica AMG wheels are something to watch out for as genuine ones are worth big money. If you have a particular car in mind people would be happy to comment on it, assuming it's advertised online!

FWIW I've owned a 2 previous owner R129 SL500 (1997/P) for 20 years. Currently on 57k miles - it's been reliable and pretty trouble free.

Hope that helps.

 

[jasonhickman]

Need drivers rear light w215 cl500uk

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

Good evening and welcome.

BTB500 ^^^ has summed it up really. I have owned a 1998, SL500 with the newer M113 engine for 14 years. It was a fairly high milage car when I bought it but had a good history.
It is now above 130k miles and is still very reliable and nice to cruise around in.. regular maintenance and use seem to keep them happy and trouble free…

There are few R129’s on the market at the moment, sadly many are not ulez compliant.
Your next dilemma may be a 320 or 500.. drive both and see..

Lots of good advice on here too..

 

[Gollom]

Need drivers rear light w215 cl500uk

You'll find a little detail and some politeness may well get you a response? Just sayin'!

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

Need drivers rear light w215 cl500uk

You would be better to start a new thread…

 

[Gollom]

You would be better to start a new thread…

Would be better with some manners!

 

[JusNoGood]

Hi & welcome.

I would check the MOT history to see if the car has been off road / stored for any length of time. R129s don't rust nearly as badly as most other MBs of that era, but check the underside just to be sure. Obviously you can see any MOT advisories online. Check the age and condition of the tyres - things like hoses and suspension bushes can also suffer when a car is standing.

Make sure all electrics work including things like seat and steering column adjustment. These aren't particularly problematic but any issues may be tricky and/or expensive to fix. Check the operation of the hood very carefully - this is complex and has many hydraulic components plus sensors & microswitches. Make sure the roll bar goes up & down on the switch. Problems with this (or the electric windows) will stop the hood from operating. Check the hood rear window for cracking ... this normally starts as a tiny mark each side on the fold line. The hood is under a fair bit of tension when it's up and plastic window failures are reasonably common. If the hood itself is in good condition the windows can be replaced so this isn't a huge deal.

If the car has adaptive damping (ADS) check that it raises & lowers on the height adjustment switch when the engine is running. This is a pretty reliable system compared to the ABC suspension on the later R230, but the hydraulic accumulators ('spheres') have a limited lifespan and can need replacement. If this is the case the suspension will be very hard and the car will 'bounce' on uneven road surfaces. ADS was standard on the V12 SL600 and optional on other R129s (including the rare SL60 AMG). Which engine are you considering? The V8s are pretty bombproof and give a good reserve of power & torque (remember this is basically a 2 tonne car). The straight 6s can suffer from head gasket failures, the later V6s are OK I think. The V12 is big/heavy/complex but again generally OK AFAIK. I would personally steer clear of the 280 as being a bit underpowered, but it's probably fine for gentle cruising. Earlier R129s suffered from the insulation on the wiring looms breaking down, but they should all have had that fixed (new loom) by now.

All cars had a hard top and a wind blocker as standard. The latter quite often got sold off and I've seen the odd car offered for sale without the hard top too! The optional panoramic hard top is quite sought after although I personally prefer the lighter and more angular standard one (which is mostly aluminium).

The main R129 facelifts were in 1996 (5 speed gearbox became standard - visually, 2 vents behind the front wheels rather than 3) and 1999 (different V8 engine - visually, oval door mirrors instead of rectangular). Pre '96 cars often have indicators swapped out for clear ones to make them look younger. Replica AMG wheels are something to watch out for as genuine ones are worth big money. If you have a particular car in mind people would be happy to comment on it, assuming it's advertised online!

FWIW I've owned a 2 previous owner R129 SL500 (1997/P) for 20 years. Currently on 57k miles - it's been reliable and pretty trouble free.

Hope that helps.

Wow thank you very much for the comprehensive reply. I've been avidly watching as many YouTube reviews and buyers guides as I can too. Along with your hints and tips I think I've got a pretty good idea what to look out for now. Thanks again.

I've got my eye on a later 98 (I think it is) 320 low mileage car with pano roof, but I take your point about lightness so I'll reduce that from a must have. A lot of the reviews/buyers guides say to avoid the fancy citroen like suspension so thats what I plan to do

I'm not too bothered about Ulez compliance. I now live in Somerset and very rarely venture into cities and when I do I can take my ULEZ compliant Lotus Elan or Historic registered Esprit.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

BTB500 hit all the key points.

The only thing that I'd chuck into the mix is that "in principle" I always recommend a late (Facelift) cars over the earlier ones. Might seem an insignificant difference: "what's 25 years compared to 35?" But the older you get the more open you are to risks like wiring loom degradation, and facelifts always rectify issues with the original design

You've probably had a good snoop around Sam Bailey's "The SL Shop" up near Stratford, but if you haven't it's worth doing some surfing and a visit. An easy journey from Somerset. For the long term, a more local Mercedes independent will be useful

Myself, I'd always go for provenance and dealer history over outrageously low mileage, but each to their own. I like the idea of a car that's been lightly used regularly rather than left to settle while the owner's been away, or just driving other cars.

Good luck.

 

[BTB 500]

Wow thank you very much for the comprehensive reply. I've been avidly watching as many YouTube reviews and buyers guides as I can too. Along with your hints and tips I think I've got a pretty good idea what to look out for now. Thanks again.

I've got my eye on a later 98 (I think it is) 320 low mileage car with pano roof, but I take your point about lightness so I'll reduce that from a must have. A lot of the reviews/buyers guides say to avoid the fancy citroen like suspension so thats what I plan to do

You're welcome. The pano roof is nice to sit inside, but it is significantly heavier to handle. The other thing is how much would you actually drive it with the hard top on. That's been 'never' for me for a good few years - I only really take it out in nice weather when I can have the roof down.

ADS does add some complexity but having owned a car with it for 20 years I wouldn't rule it out! You get a nice compliant ride on bumpy surfaces without excessive roll or pitch, and that's just in the 'normal' setting - you can stiffen it up if you want by switching to 'sport'. In either mode the car automatically drops by 15mm at 120 kph/75 mph to further improve stability. You can also raise the car for rough tracks etc. ... what I call 'monster truck mode' So long as everything works properly I wouldn't personally avoid an ADS car - as mentioned it's generally pretty reliable, unlike the ABC system that the later R230 SL (and other Mercedes of that era) had.

 

[BTB 500]

The only thing that I'd chuck into the mix is that "in principle" I always recommend a late (Facelift) cars over the earlier ones. Might seem an insignificant difference: "what's 25 years compared to 35?" But the older you get the more open you are to risks like wiring loom degradation, and facelifts always rectify issues with the original design

The wiring loom was a specific issue with 'eco friendly' cable insulation used between approx. '92 and '96, which quickly turned out to be rather too biodegradeable! TBH by now any affected cars would very likely have had the loom replaced or would be displaying some fairly obvious electrical gremlins. The '96 model year facelift or later is good for other reasons though e.g. the standard 5 speed gearbox, side airbags, body-coloured bumpers and side mouldings, etc.

Myself, I'd always go for provenance and dealer history over outrageously low mileage, but each to their own. I like the idea of a car that's been lightly used regularly rather than left to settle while the owner's been away, or just driving other cars.

Yes a car that's been used steadily over the years (rather than being parked up for long periods) is a good idea. The mechanical bits will handle genuinely high mileages but you may find wear and tear with trim parts, switchgear etc. starting to become an issue, and these are the sort of things that can potentially be hard to source for a 25+ year old car.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

+1 on the benefits of the ADS

If you’re a man of a certain age like …..Steve Cropley (cough) you’ll enjoy a compliant ride rather than a Jilly Cooper Rutshire workout

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The wiring loom was a specific issue with 'eco friendly' cable insulation used between approx. '92 and '96, which quickly turned out to be rather too biodegradeable! TBH by now any affected cars would very likely have had the loom replaced or would be displaying some fairly obvious electrical gremlins. The '96 model year facelift or later is good for other reasons though e.g. the standard 5 speed gearbox, side airbags, body-coloured bumpers and side mouldings, etc.



Yes a car that's been used steadily over the years (rather than being parked up for long periods) is a good idea. The mechanical bits will handle genuinely high mileages but you may find wear and tear with trim parts, switchgear etc. starting to become an issue, and these are the sort of things that can potentially be hard to source for a 25+ year old car.

I’m pointing towards the attractions of 60-80k miles, rather than 100+k. Like Goldilocks, I’m wary of too little as well as too much.

 

[Will]

I think the summary is to buy the car that ticks the boxes you like, and to hug the best example that you can afford.

Even at £20k for a 20k miler, an R129 is great value for money IMHO. You can spend a quarter of that or half or whatever and find one with many more miles and corresponding levels of wear and tear, which is also fine but if you want the very best and can afford it then it’s a no brainer.

Restoration and repair costs will almost always cost more than buying a better example to

 

[JusNoGood]

Thanks Will. Reassuring words

 

[alabbasi]

I bought my 98 SL500 (M119) with about 56000 miles 10 years ago. It now has close to 80,000 miles. Mechanically they are very robust no matter which you buy, but you should consider the later models with the 722.6 transmission. The big mtc items are going to be suspension and top hydraulics as rubber dry rots with age. Make sure the A/C works.