R129 & R230 SL500 experience

[MD5]

Thanks Allabasi, there is a '96 one tempting me at the moment. MPG doesn't matter but I hate rust.

I've had my 96 SL500 for 17 years now, and overlapped it with a 98 SL500 for three years. The 96 is the better made car. comparing materials such as plastics, leather and panels, which is why I kept the 96 model in favour of the 98 when I bought an 08 R230 SL500 three years ago. It's often been suggested that the 97 is the sweet spot for a 129. Whilst the earlier, pre facelift 129s are well built cars, the early M119 500 engines had distributor caps with associated damp problems and usually 4 speed boxes.

I do miss my R129 SL500, I even kept my S1 SDO plate from it, as I always hoped that I would buy another one day,

Tan, was this as a memento of the car itself, or is it in some way model related?

It took me a long time to like the R230 enough to want to buy one, although I was on the verge when the 2nd 129 came along, which was a limited model. You can't really compare the two generations as they are completely different, each with their own superb qualities, and if you're lucky enough to have both, you have the best of everything. However, if it looked like wet weather at some point on a long journey, the 129 is much more forgiving once the skies open if you are caught with the roof down! I must admit though, I've hardly used my 129 since I bought the R230, but I haven't used that a huge amount either.

 

[swithin]

For anyone looking at either of these fantastic marques a simple summary so far would be that if you have a partner and at least one child, maximum 2 children, then the R129 is for you if you want to enjoy open-top driving together. With my wife, 8 year old daughter and German Shepherd, we regularly head to the coast in the R129. Its not a car you want to push hard being more a cruiser or long distance mile muncher. The 5 speed-gearbox lends itself to this type of driving though will equally help you lose your licence very quickly should your right foot turn to lead. Reach a roundabout too quickly and you'll think twice about doing it again, its not wallowy like a 4x4 but compared to modern cars, you definitely feel the weight of the car when halfway round. Right or wrong, the looks we get in the old girl are addictive, i'm very very proud to be the owner of my R129. I had 3 point seat belts fitted to the rear of mine for added security and my daughter loves the fact that she doesn't need a booster, it makes her feel more grown up. I've been lucky enough to have the SL320 and SL500 and the biggest difference I found, apart from purchase price, was the drive. I don't mean 0-60, the SL320 felt better planted on the road, i've read this is because of the heavier 5 litre and believe that. MPG difference i didn't notice......they both love a drink. Servicing and parts costs were virtually the same for me.

Work done on the R129 in my 10 years of ownership, apart from servicing: New stainless steel exhaust as it was the same cost as the Mercedes one, has a lifetime guarantee and sounds way better, 3 new aerials (they are a bugger but cheap to replace and fit yourself), bit of rust near just below the aerial and inner lips of front wings, a steering shock??, a pulley thing at the front of the engine which sheered off during a blast from a service station, new roof ecu after having to jump start it at the train station and replacement bought from eBay for £350 after original couldn't be repaired, rear 3-point seat belts (£200) and one set of rear windows on the soft-top last month. Oh and Bluetooth radio, i've still got the working original.

If there's only 2 of you or you're lucky enough to have an understanding partner (my wife hasn't had the chance to come out for a drive yet) then the R230 is awsome. Modern handling coupled with a very quick, though relatively frugal engine has me looking for any excuse to get out in it at any opportunity, especially now I have a bit of time on my hands and I can see it from my home office. We now have enough cleaning products and tinned food to last the next pandemic! I have a 2007 SL500 which has the 5.5L engine. To put the handling into perspective, my wife's Cooper S handles like its on rails as everyone would expect, the R230 handles corners better!!. I can't believe i'm even typing this but it's true, I have a lot more fun on the twisty's in the R230. On my 260 mile journey home from picking it up, I was astounded at the fact that it was returning 28mpg at around 70mph on the motorway with the roof down. With the roof up it returned just over 30mpg. My wife's Mini Cooper S returns just over 34 mpg at similar speeds.

Its last MOT had an advisory about suspension covers on the front being split. I have the ABC suspension so was initially a bit concerned about this but on proper inspection there were no leaks. I've also ordered 6 suspension covers from the online auction site for £69.99 each with free postage, 2 for me and 4 for my Merc specialist. They're coming from China so 2 month delivery time at the moment. They arrive in June so will update on suitability. The R230 also has some slight surface rust on the inner lips of the rear wheel arches, so its off to my paintwork contact next week to have them rust proofed and re-sprayed. This car has done just over 37,000 miles, i'm the fifth owner and yet it drives and looks like a one year old car, apart from the rear inner wings. The fact that it only cost me £13,000 still shocks me on the good side. I know you can get cheaper, but they're cheaper for a reason. I took great pleasure in showing my paint mate the engine bay which shows absolutely no signs of age and looks in showroom condition. All the black bits look like new. He was astonished at how good the "original" paintwork was and even pointed out that all the bolts in the engine bay were all original and had never been touched.

With the R129 i'm a very very proud owner of this fantastic marque enjoying mostly sedate driving in style with my loved ones. With the R230 i'm a very very happy owner of a fantastic machine that has everything you need for your mid-life crisis and because its only got 2 seats i'm mostly on my own in it so can have childish fun in it without safety instructions constantly in my left ear.

Hope this longer than I expected "Summary" helps anyone looking at adopting either of these cars.

 

[swithin]

I've had my 96 SL500 for 17 years now, and overlapped it with a 98 SL500 for three years. The 96 is the better made car. comparing materials such as plastics, leather and panels, which is why I kept the 96 model in favour of the 98 when I bought an 08 R230 SL500 three years ago. It's often been suggested that the 97 is the sweet spot for a 129. Whilst the earlier, pre facelift 129s are well built cars, the early M119 500 engines had distributor caps with associated damp problems and usually 4 speed boxes.



Tan, was this as a memento of the car itself, or is it in some way model related?

It took me a long time to like the R230 enough to want to buy one, although I was on the verge when the 2nd 129 came along, which was a limited model. You can't really compare the two generations as they are completely different, each with their own superb qualities, and if you're lucky enough to have both, you have the best of everything. However, if it looked like wet weather at some point on a long journey, the 129 is much more forgiving once the skies open if you are caught with the roof down! I must admit though, I've hardly used my 129 since I bought the R230, but I haven't used that a huge amount either.

You got in just before I sent my musings. I feel exactly the same as you though have to ask, do you feel guilty enjoying the R230 more? I do, but its a nice guilt. I only got my R230 as had a 2015 low mileage VW Passat estate I couldn't sell, so started looking around for a way of part exchanging it. I assumed that a trader would be eager to shift an older, "expensive" to run motor in favour for a much newer and cost efficient family load lugger and eventually after more effort than I thought I needed, considering the potential economic pain we may be about to experience, I succeeded.

 

[MD5]

do you feel guilty enjoying the R230 more?

The only guilt I feel is when I lie to them both by telling them that they are my favourite! Seriously though, the 129 has an antiquated feel in comparison, and the novelty of a new car always dominates. I used my 129 much more than I'd intended in the early days, and at 158k miles now needs a few bits and bobs, but still drives beautifully.

If anything, I was a little disappointed with the R230, as I'd never driven one before. It was for sale at a dealership in Belfast in designo mystic blue with 28k miles, fsh and a £4k reduction, so it had to be bought! I've had an S211 E500 for eight years, with the M113/7G Tronic combo, and I expected so much more from the M273 5.5 engine in the SL, but I feel the 7G tronic+ gearing is wrong. From a standing start, great, but at around 50-70 mph, it's difficult to find the right gear when you kick down. The E500 always finds the right gear and smoothly, whereas the SL is either too high or too low. Kicking down at 70 in the 129 is different again, and great fun.

 

[BTB 500]

With my wife, 8 year old daughter and German Shepherd, we regularly head to the coast in the R129. Its not a car you want to push hard being more a cruiser or long distance mile muncher. The 5 speed-gearbox lends itself to this type of driving though will equally help you lose your licence very quickly should your right foot turn to lead. Reach a roundabout too quickly and you'll think twice about doing it again, its not wallowy like a 4x4 but compared to modern cars, you definitely feel the weight of the car when halfway round.

If we're ever at a GTG together it would be interesting to compare with my ADS equipped R129. That's very surefooted in the bends with minimal roll, and will take roundabouts at quite silly speeds if you are in the mood!

 

[swithin]

If we're ever at a GTG together it would be interesting to compare with my ADS equipped R129. That's very surefooted in the bends with minimal roll, and will take roundabouts at quite silly speeds if you are in the mood!

I thought my R129 was sure footed as well until I got the R230, like i said i thought my wife's Cooper S was fantastic but not as much now. The ABC gives so much more confidence. It may also be the age and mileage difference between the two as the steering on the R230 is far superior to the R129 I now can see. My R129 doesn't seem to lean on roundabouts and tight corners but it definitely gives less confidence than the R230. Its by no means a critisism of the car, but the technology has come on in leaps and bounds between 1999 and 2007 and I definitely notice the improvement. My R129 is the 2nd one i've owned and the 3rd i've driven, the first being a brand new one in 1997, a mates which I used to borrow. The one thing I remember about the 1997 SL320, while spirited driving against a 911, was surprise at just how heavy the SL felt when we arrived at an empty roundabout a bit quickly, that feeling is still there in my 1999 one though with the heavier engine is more obvious.

 

[E55BOF]

A cautionary tale for owners of high-mileage M119 R129s: on 142K miles, the camchain tensioner on my '94 let go and totalled the top end. There were no nasty rattles, and no warning at all. I don't think it would have happened with an M113.

 

[BTB 500]

I thought my R129 was sure footed as well until I got the R230, like i said i thought my wife's Cooper S was fantastic but not as much now. The ABC gives so much more confidence.

So does ADS on a 129

Out of interest, have you driven a coil-sprung R230? And if so how did that compare with an equivalent R129?

 

[swithin]

So does ADS on a 129

Out of interest, have you driven a coil-sprung R230? And if so how did that compare with an equivalent R129?

My R129 doesn't have ADS hence the feeling of corners, and this is the only R230 i've ever driven so can't comment on the springs version.

 

[swithin]

So does ADS on a 129

Out of interest, have you driven a coil-sprung R230? And if so how did that compare with an equivalent R129?

They also say that the ADS system is less expensive to fix than the ABC but i've found a company in Germany where you send your knackered ABC strut and they will repair with a warranty for £460 delivered. Big difference to £1,000 + for new.

 

[BTB 500]

They also say that the ADS system is less expensive to fix than the ABC but i've found a company in Germany where you send your knackered ABC strut and they will repair with a warranty for £460 delivered. Big difference to £1,000 + for new.

I've never actually heard of an ADS strut failing (which is interesting given that it's been around for 30+ years now), but out of interest I asked a main dealer to quote for replacing one and was given an all-in price of £700. So I guess there would be cheaper options if you shopped around in Germany etc. The only common issue really is the rubber diaphragm in the accumulators (spheres) which has a finite lifespan, but that's a relatively cheap/easy job. Mine started failing at about 16 years old ... I had all four replaced for around £900 including all the diagnostics etc., a full system flush, and new oil.

 

[swithin]

Still loving the R230 and so glad fuel is 99p a litre at the mo. On my last journey I had reason to stop and put the roof up and to my dismay got the dreaded flashing aircon light when turning the climate control back on. In tomorrow for a new condenser which is leaking badly. Really didn't need that expense on top of the premium car cover arriving on Thursday, same day as it will be peeing down with rain in my area.

Car cover bought as a precaution as recent heavy wash caused some slight drips of water in the top of the boot. Got quoted for a proper garage, after recovering from that shock, looked at putting a lightweight roof over my drive but there are problems, looked at a temporary garage but £600 for something that may last 3 years not attractive and it gets very windy on my drive. Also looked at a 40ft double entrance storage container but possible problems with getting it into the exact area I need, unless I spend the cost of a large crane.

Been spreading the last few weeks 80/20 in favour of the R230 against the R129 and one thing I have noticed is the build quality of the R129 is better than the R230. While I love the drivers door compartment on the newer model, as I can get my hand in it easily to retrieve that one tiny thing at the bottom, leaning an arm on it causes annoying creaks constantly. I do not get any creaks whatsoever in the 21 year old SL.

 

[flowrider]

Make sure the dryer is replaced as well with the condenser.

My SL goes in next week for a new condenser and dryer, a new parking brake pedal and the remote locking fixed. I'm looking at a bill the wrong side of £1k.

 

[swithin]

Make sure the dryer is replaced as well with the condenser.

My SL goes in next week for a new condenser and dryer, a new parking brake pedal and the remote locking fixed. I'm looking at a bill the wrong side of £1k.

My Merc specialist is doing it and checking the boot softclose as well. My bill is slightly lower but only because I bring business his way.

 

[SBS46]

Aye, but we've had that conversation before about other models.

Look at the URL's of Autotrader ads and you'll see plenty of facelift 5.5 litre SL's that have been up for more than a year. This is no mere Covid19 thing.

And with "even more cheap money" being flooded into the market by the Government, this could get worse, not better.



From November 2018 (sic)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201811152456413?radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=SL%20CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.5&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&sort=year-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-badge-engine-size=5.5&year-from=2006&postcode=w1a1aa&year-to=2007&page=1

From November 2018

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201801122697332?radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=SL%20CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.5&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&sort=year-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-badge-engine-size=5.5&year-from=2006&postcode=w1a1aa&year-to=2007&page=1

From June 2019

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201906128942711?radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=SL%20CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.5&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&sort=year-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-badge-engine-size=5.5&year-from=2006&postcode=w1a1aa&year-to=2007&page=1

From July 2019:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201907129999535?radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&model=SL%20CLASS&minimum-badge-engine-size=5.5&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&sort=year-desc&advertising-location=at_cars&maximum-badge-engine-size=5.5&year-from=2006&postcode=w1a1aa&year-to=2007&page=1

These are the ones that I know. Then there are facelift V6 SL350's on there that have been advertised for three years (since 2017)

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Was just trawling through some chats and came across this. I think the twin front llghts of the 2006 facelifted was probably the than the post 2008 "J2 shaped lights" model - was very wary of touching them because of the potential balancer shaft problem - affecting 2006-2007 models. It is well documented. I went for a 2008 model - not regetted iy 315 bhp engine is sublime.