SL prices.

[Darrell]

I’ve been keeping a watchfull eye on SL prices since the beginning of the year.

I’m looking for a R129 500 in a dark blue, red or maybe black with a very light colour interior and back seats and will most likely go for it in Feb or March of 2018.

However I’ve noticed the prices of R230’s are really coming down, they can now be had for 7 or 8 grand!!

Are they that bad a car?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

R230's are coming down in price as they reach the 15 year point. Same as most "future classics" really.

Focussing on just your point about your interest in the R129, I would argue that for genuine convertible users, that folding roof is the clincher over the R129. Before the R230, the hard roof was a two man (sic) Autumn / Spring ritual, with the hard roof being carefully stored "in one's garage," for four months of the year, the R230 changed all that, enabling you to be warm and secure all year round, and open top at the click of a button.

Like R129's, you buy on condition, servicing, and provenance, knowing that the cheapest ones will be the most expensive.

As for pricing, they're actually a bit expensive at £8k. Look at comparable (non-AMG) Mercedes of the same era and original price, and you'll see that the R230 is still actually more expensive, like for like, than equivalent S500's, CL's etc.

 

[BTB 500]

I would argue that for genuine convertible users, that folding roof is the clincher over the R129. Before the R230, the hard roof was a two man (sic) Autumn / Spring ritual, with the hard roof being carefully stored "in one's garage," for four months of the year, the R230 changed all that, enabling you to be warm and secure all year round, and open top at the click of a button.

If the car is a daily driver used all year round then a folding hard top does make a lot of sense. But as cars approach 'classic' age they tend to become 2nd/3rd cars that are used on a more occasional basis, often only in nice weather. I haven't used the hard top on my R129 for 8 or 9 years now. With a soft top you also get a very good sized boot - I often use the R129 when I teach at seminars and can fit all my cases etc. plus a projector screen, projector table, etc. in there with no problem! And you still have rear seats to pile stuff on if you get desperate!

As an aside, up to 10 or 12 years ago M-B would fit/remove your hard top for you, and store it at the dealership (all free of charge). The trolley I have for mine was given to me (free) by M-B Eastbourne, when this service ended.

 

[Alex225]

We just let my other half's SL350 go as a part-ex for a fair bit less than we paid for it last year. Real shame as you'd imagine that an 11 year old car wouldn't lose what you'd expect on something far newer but it did.

That said, we were glad to get shot of it. She used it as a daily car and yet for something that that quick, it was very expensive to run and you always got the sense of impending bills from it. If you have a garage and it's your second car, then great just expect it to be costly.

All I will say is that she opted for a CLS350 CDI instead, although newer it only had 15k on the clock less and feels an awful lot better to drive. Not for the fact that it's more solid but the controls and seats etc. all feel better.

I always loved the idea of an R230 SL at some point if I had the cash/space for one but I don't think I would not sadly. Still one of the best looking Mercs though.

 

[Vintage Racer]

Stick with your initial plan and go for a R129...........the R230 will be half the price, but twice the problems!

It will also be a long time before the R230 is considered a 'classic', so if you are looking at an 'investment', it's a no brainer.

Condition and good history is EVERYTHING.

.

 

[Darrell]

The 129 is where I’m going and it will be a second car but it will get driven. It will be garaged along with our 911 which has done a grand total of 397 miles this year!!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

The 129 is where I’m going and it will be a second car but it will get driven.

Low mileage and garaged, then R129 is the right decision. Looked after you're probably looking at negative depreciation (sic).

R230's more modern, for sure, but R129 is next in line for classic status.

If you fancy a left hooker, here's a few to start the heart racing:

Vehicles - Mercedes-Benz Classic

 

[Darrell]

Low mileage and garaged, then R129 is the right decision. Looked after you're probably looking at negative depreciation (sic).

R230's more modern, for sure, but R129 is next in line for classic status.

If you fancy a left hooker, here's a few to start the heart racing:

Vehicles - Mercedes-Benz Classic

Thanks but no lefties for me.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It was a tease because of the outrageous condition of those MB Concours cars....

 

[John]

If you fancy a left hooker, here's a few to start the heart racing:

We're back to the "cruising" thread again aren't we...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I only pimp for Authorised Mercedes Old-timer Dealers.

Vehicles - Mercedes-Benz Classic

 

[alabbasi]

The only time I removed the hard top on my 1998 SL500 (R129) was to get the headliner replaced.

 

[BTB 500]

The R129 looks better with the hard top fitted than with the hood up - I'm one of the few who think the angular standard top suits it more than the slightly rounded panoramic one. It's lighter inside with the hard top on, there's better visibility, and of course you have a heated rear screen (albeit rather a weak one!). But fundamentally the car is a roadster and I very rarely take mine out nowadays unless I expect to have the roof down.

 

[flowrider]

My R230 cost £10k a year ago and i have spent at least £2k on it so it owes me £12k but if i can sell it now for £8k

I’ve been keeping a watchfull eye on SL prices since the beginning of the year.

I’m looking for a R129 500 in a dark blue, red or maybe black with a very light colour interior and back seats and will most likely go for it in Feb or March of 2018.

However I’ve noticed the prices of R230’s are really coming down, they can now be had for 7 or 8 grand!!

Are they that bad a car?

Dont know where you are seeing prices falling on R230's, i have just done a quick search on Autotrader and compared to a year ago when i bought mine the prices have increased by on average 15% for a comparable SL500.

 

[Darrell]

The only time I removed the hard top on my 1998 SL500 (R129) was to get the headliner replaced.

My wife uses the Jag for work and I cycle or use the train so the plan is to garage it in the winter with the Porsche at my sisters in Warlingham and then have it at home in the summe. Once the hardtop is off I don’t see any reason to re-fit it.

 

[Darrell]

My R230 cost £10k a year ago and i have spent at least £2k on it so it owes me £12k but if i can sell it now for £8k

Dont know where you are seeing prices falling on R230's, i have just done a quick search on Autotrader and compared to a year ago when i bought mine the prices have increased by on average 15% for a comparable SL500.

I’m not one to monitor the prices on a daily basis but they just seamed to be the same price or sometimes cheaper than the 129’s. There’s obviously a reason for this.

 

[flowrider]

I’m not one to monitor the prices on a daily basis but they just seamed to be the same price or sometimes cheaper than the 129’s. There’s obviously a reason for this.

I'm the same, i don't monitor prices either. I just did a search and was pleased to see prices do not appear to have fallen, of course in real terms I wouldn't be able to sell my SL and be in profit as I have spent a fair bit on it this year. Possibly any falls you have seen are on high mileage examples?

 

[MicB]

I, too, am not convinced that the market price of R230s has not "bottomed out".
There will always be those that prefer the R129 and those that prefer the R230.
The R230 has gained a bad press on Forum because of the few that have had expensive problems. Bad press gets repeated by the uninformed and repeated again by the uninformed and again and again.
I am not in a position to offer comprehensive surveys nor cost comparisons but what I can say is that I would not swap my beloved R230 for an R129 (or anything else for that matter).
I have had my car from new, 18 September 2003. It has covered almost 146k miles; is used as a daily driver throughout the seasons. I have an agreed value with insurers of £15k.
Condition and providence are everything but I would steer clear of the idea of purchasing an R230 offered for less than £10k.
My biggest single expense was just over £1500 for a replacement fuel tank but over the distance the cost to me in today's buying power my car has cost me a very reasonable £0.50ppm excluding depreciation (much the same as running most cars).
If anyone wants an insight into the cost of owning and running an R230 let me have your email address and I can send copies of my comprehensive records spanning more than 14 years to date.

Mic

 

[alabbasi]

I, too, am not convinced that the market price of R230s has not "bottomed out".

You'll know when prices have bottomed out when you start seeing people talking about spring conversion kits on the forum or when you start seeing 'wrapped' cars on the road, or ones that look like they've been sprayed with super glue and driven through the halfords accessory section.

As those cars get scrapped, the nicer cars will start going up in value.

 

[Darrell]

I really do like the look of the 230’s but they aren’t ‘classic’ enough for me and so that’s the reasoning for the 129.

We don’t need a new car at the moment, my wife is back at work but it’s only a 3 mile each way drive and the Jag is more than capable of handling that. It passed its MOT last month with no advisories. Not bad for a 15 year old car.

The Porsche is 13 years old and runs like a dream.