R129 Dilemma

[MIKENWATSON]

I recently picked up a 1994 R129 280sl from an old boy who’d owned it 17 years. He used to own a garage so the car was well maintained and used for trips to the golf club and not much else. It was very dirty when i viewed it.

i fell in love with it straight away. I’ve had an R129 before (although it was a 300 in champagne) and I always regretted selling it.

I knew this one had an oil leak so i only paid 1500. A specialist has quoted 2400 for three engine gaskets. It need brake lines the engine loom is looking on its way out.

what should I do? Normally id just ebay it but I love the blue black metallic and the history file is enormous. Any idea what its worth?

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

£1500 .

You must have thought about keeping it initially. ?? I suppose it depends on what you want to do with it now, do it up and sell it, do it up and keep it, even breaking it would no doubt get you your money back and some.
me, if I was in a position to do it up and keep it I probably would if it is that good..

 

[MIKENWATSON]

£1500 .

You must have thought about keeping it initially. ?? I suppose it depends on what you want to do with it now, do it up and sell it, do it up and keep it, even breaking it would no doubt get you your money back and some.
me, if I was in a position to do it up and keep it I probably would if it is that good..

I was actually just going to wash it, drive it for a bit in spring then flip it in June and get a later one, possibly even a 230

 

[91dm]

No worth investing that money in if you intend to sell, someone will probably buy it as a project and do the work themselves?

 

[MIKENWATSON]

No worth investing that money in if you intend to sell, someone will probably buy it as a project and do the work themselves?

Thats what i think. I wish i was good enough to do it myself. Believe or or not, there is a pretty decent youtube video that explains how to do it! Tempting

 

[GP801]

What are the body and underside like? If good and rust free then even paying someone to do all the work you will have a sorted 129 for around £6000. (I have allowed an extra £2000 for loom, brake pipes) That is still reasonable for a sorted 129. You could just as easily end up with the same issues on any 129 unless the previous owner has dealt with them.

 

[MIKENWATSON]

What are the body and underside like? If good and rust free then even paying someone to do all the work you will have a sorted 129 for around £6000. (I have allowed an extra £2000 for loom, brake pipes) That is still reasonable for a sorted 129. You could just as easily end up with the same issues on any 129 unless the previous owner has dealt with them.

Everything is old! Surface rust only though : springs rear subframe, control arms and exhaust.

 

[GP801]

Which gaskets are needed? Unless it includes the head gasket that’s a lot of money. The expensive ones are head gasket and the seal under the oil cooler/filter housing.

 

[poormansporsche]

The 280 is the m104 and is actually more powerful than the old 300 m103. In the real world there is not a lot of difference between the 280 and 320 so if it's a goodie I'd stick with it (or if not go down the V8 route ) If the 280 has leaks and loom problems it's just easier to have the engine taken out and have all the gaskets changed on the bench.

 

[MIKENWATSON]

Which gaskets are needed? Unless it includes the head gasket that’s a lot of money. The expensive ones are head gasket and the seal under the oil cooler/filter housing.

Head gasket, the ‘u shaped one’ and i think it was inlet manifold

 

[BTB 500]

In the real world there is not a lot of difference between the 280 and 320 so if it's a goodie I'd stick with it (or if not go down the V8 route )

Yep the R129 is a heavy car ... IIRC the 320 only had about 40 bhp more.

 

[MD5]

Mike, looking @GP801's figures, you don't state the mileage? What would it have to be to achieve £6k for a 94 280? If it's useable and you want a 129 for the summer, at £1500 I'd do that and cut my losses, get my money back or even break it. Most people would buy a 280 for its condition, not its performance so you might be spending good money after bad.

 

[horatio]

It’s inevitable that a 4 or 6 pot petrol Merc of this era will start leaking oil from the HG at some point. This car is a known known rather than a known unknown!

This way you a) get the car cheaply and b) get to choose a garage you trust to fix it properly and forget. Will be easy to sell on with a receipt for the job too.

 

[MIKENWATSON]

Mike, looking @GP801's figures, you don't state the mileage? What would it have to be to achieve £6k for a 94 280? If it's useable and you want a 129 for the summer, at £1500 I'd do that and cut my losses, get my money back or even break it. Most people would buy a 280 for its condition, not its performance so you might be spending good money after bad.

mileage is 150k

 

[MD5]

mileage is 150k

I'd have look and see what £5k buys you, assuming conservative repair costs of £3.5k on yours. It may be a tough sell to get your money back at that mileage.

 

[horatio]

Devils advocate - you could easily spend £3500 fixing a £5000 ‘good one’ and a recent head gasket will outweigh it not being a low miler in many buyers minds (not that 150k is high).

 

[MD5]

I've just had a look on Autotrader and I'm surprised at the asking prices, to be honest. They are only asking prices after all, but they would suggest there's room to spend on your car and still have a margin left over. You certainly have a good starting point at the purchase price. Does it have good service history and the foundations of a nice car is the next question?

 

[MIKENWATSON]

I've just had a look on Autotrader and I'm surprised at the asking prices, to be honest. They are only asking prices after all, but they would suggest there's room to spend on your car and still have a margin left over. You certainly have a good starting point at the purchase price. Does it have good service history and the foundations of a nice car is the next question?

Every MOT and tax disc since new-even brochure. All the keys, tools, wind deflector etc. The wood is not cracked and the sunvisor clips are in tact and present. All the air vents in excellent condition

 

[BTB 500]

I've just had a look on Autotrader and I'm surprised at the asking prices, to be honest.

Me too ... mind you there's usually decent demand for convertibles just before summer. This does sound like a nice car though ... the only obvious things going against it are:

• pre-facelift
• high-ish mileage (for a 129)
• 'only' a 280

used for trips to the golf club and not much else.

mileage is 150k

He must have played a hell of a lot of golf?!

 

[MIKENWATSON]

Me too ... mind you there's usually decent demand for convertibles just before summer. This does sound like a nice car though ... the only obvious things going against it are:

• pre-facelift
• high-ish mileage (for a 129)
• 'only' a 280

He must have played a hell of a lot of golf?!

Haha well he used it to commute to enfield and back before retirement