From jennianenterprises at verizon.net Mon Jan 5 10:57:02 2009 From: jennianenterprises at verizon.net (william hughes) Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:57:02 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] battery issues Message-ID: <49622DCE.4060100@verizon.net> 1995 sl500 replaced the battery and it goes totally dead if the car is not started for about 4 or 5 days any ideas on what could be drawing power and killing the battery - thanks bill From markusfmeyer at hotmail.com Mon Jan 5 11:09:52 2009 From: markusfmeyer at hotmail.com (Markus Meyer) Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 11:09:52 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] battery issues In-Reply-To: <49622DCE.4060100@verizon.net> References: <49622DCE.4060100@verizon.net> Message-ID: There are a few ways to check it out. One is to pull a fuse each night and see if the drain stops, then you have located the circuit its on. Another way involves needing a test light, and disconnecting one of the battery cables (I forget which one right now). You connect the test light between the cable you disconnected and that battery terminal, then pull fuse by fuse (individually) until the light goes out, then you found the source of your drain. Of course if that fuse has several items on it, you still need to investigate further, but at least you've narrowed it down. Markus ---------------------------------------- > Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 10:57:02 -0500 > From: jennianenterprises at verizon.net > To: r129list at mbcoupes.com > Subject: [R129 SL] battery issues > > 1995 sl500 > replaced the battery and it goes totally dead > if the car is not started for about 4 or 5 days > any ideas on what could be drawing power > and killing the battery - thanks > bill > The MB Coupes Website! > R129 SL Mailing List _________________________________________________________________ Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills. http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_speed_122008 From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Tue Jan 6 15:50:40 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2009 09:50:40 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] battery issues References: <49622DCE.4060100@verizon.net> Message-ID: <009d01c97040$6f8e62b0$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi Markus and William, The first thing I do (and have just done this to may 129) is to check the battery. My old battery used to go 'flat' quite quickly (was 6 years old), so I purchased a new one. The new battery was supposably tested and charged and I dropped the battery into the car....but... went flat in 4 days. I checked the battery and whoa.... 0.4 volts across the battery terminals. Technically the battery should be 'stuffed' at this voltage. As the new maintenance free batteries are mostly Calcium Silver Lead Acid types, the old style charger will not charge these batteries. I have a 3 stage ramp charger for Calcium batts, but did not move from 0.4 volts, so the battery supplier used a 17 amp charger - still would not move. So we used an 80 amp (8 stage ramp charger)charger, and that moved it reasonably quickly. Remember the battery at this stage was less than a week old (it also has a 36 month guarantee). The battery supplier indicated I have a problem in the car so check out the car. I indicated that I start the process at the beginning, and after putting a supplementary battery in, the drain was only about 0.2 amps from the clock etc, so it was unlikely to be the car. I was concerned the new battery could be faulty (or fail early) but after 2 months, all is still going well. So in this case, the battery was at fault. To check currents, I use a DC clip on ammeter (Fluke 41B). I have a low current probe so it is easy to check 'standing' load currents without removing battery leads etc, and as Markus has indicated, if the current flow is too high, start pulling the fuses so you can track the cause. Good Luck with finding the fault. Here in Palmerston North, New Zealand, it is 10 am, light breeze, 23 degrees C, sunny and I am just about to do my day's work in the SL. I usually travel with the top down, so time to enjoy this nice weather. Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Markus Meyer" To: Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 5:09 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] battery issues > > There are a few ways to check it out. One is to pull a fuse each night > and see if the drain stops, then you have located the circuit its on. > Another way involves needing a test light, and disconnecting one of the > battery cables (I forget which one right now). You connect the test light > between the cable you disconnected and that battery terminal, then pull > fuse by fuse (individually) until the light goes out, then you found the > source of your drain. Of course if that fuse has several items on it, you > still need to investigate further, but at least you've narrowed it down. > > Markus > > ---------------------------------------- >> Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2009 10:57:02 -0500 >> From: jennianenterprises at verizon.net >> To: r129list at mbcoupes.com >> Subject: [R129 SL] battery issues >> >> 1995 sl500 >> replaced the battery and it goes totally dead >> if the car is not started for about 4 or 5 days >> any ideas on what could be drawing power >> and killing the battery - thanks >> bill >> The MB Coupes Website! >> R129 SL Mailing List > _________________________________________________________________ > Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills. > http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_speed_122008 > The MB Coupes Website! > R129 SL Mailing List From MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net Thu Jan 8 21:39:27 2009 From: MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net (MBKindOfGuy) Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 21:39:27 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] 1993 300E For Sale References: <008c01c95e26$8db04f00$a910ed00$@net> Message-ID: Selling our 1993 Mercedes 300E. Here are the details: White with blue leather interior 3.2L M104 Engine (nice improvements in performance over the M103, great acceleration) 150,400 Miles Service just completed (plugs, filters, fluids including tranny, coolant, belt) Dual front airbags 4-Wheel ABS New ETA (Electronic Throttle Actuator) New tie rods Recent new front brake pads Recent 4-wheel alignment Toyo tires with about 60-70% tread left Original alloy wheels in good shape Electric sunroof ASR Aftermarket AM/FM/CD stereo w/subwoofer in trunk Evaporator replaced 2 years ago Wiring harness replaced with updated harness by MB dealer Head gasket replaced with updated gasket by MB dealer No rust! This car runs very well, and drives smoothly. I use it on my daily ~80 mile roundtrip commute. Everything that MB intended to work on this car works! On a scale of 1-10, it is conservatively an 8. Paint is in excellent condition. Gas mileage is 28MPG highway, 23-25MPG combined city/highway. We've been meticulous about maintenance and have owned this car for 8 years and hput the last 102,000 miles on it. We are the third owner of the car. Have all of our service records, and most of the records from the prior owners. Asking $4,250. Car is in the Atlanta, GA area. Will include W124 service manual on CD's (MB Original). Reason for selling - Been driving the 124 chassis cars for 23 years, and want something different! Best to call me at +1 678-570-8276 after 5pm eastern time. Regards, Howard M. Ginsberg 1998 SL500, 75KMiles 1993 300E, 150KMiles 2008 Chevy Silverado, 2,100Miles 1988 300E, Sold at 165KMiles 1986 300E, Sold at 180KMiles -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mid-co at ix.netcom.com Fri Jan 9 11:07:31 2009 From: mid-co at ix.netcom.com (mid-co at ix.netcom.com) Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 10:07:31 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue In-Reply-To: References: <008c01c95e26$8db04f00$a910ed00$@net> Message-ID: My 1995 SL 500 Has a transimission issue. When backing up under load I hear a clicking / ticking sound . "rolling" backwards in reverse , ( but not under load )produces no noise at all. This clicking / ticking started several months ago , and has gotten progressivaly louder. Other than this issue , the tranmission is fine. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Bruce in Nashville. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gjenner at nc.rr.com Fri Jan 9 20:38:07 2009 From: gjenner at nc.rr.com (George Jenner) Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 20:38:07 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue In-Reply-To: References: <008c01c95e26$8db04f00$a910ed00$@net> Message-ID: <403D8143E6CF48BCA3901913A40784F1@georgemypc> You might try some simple inspections first before you start looking at that transmission. Try to locate the source of the clicking by using a section of hose where one end is held to your ear and the other is used for probing around each wheel while someone runs the vehicle backwards in reverse for you. By using this method you can sometimes isolate the source of the clicking easier than by sitting inside the vehicle. I had a friend who found that a lug bolt was too long and was protruding out the inside of the wheel and just touching the brake caliper shield making a similar sound as you describe. Hope it is an easy fix. George E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.11500 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rtorchia at aol.com Sat Jan 10 11:51:32 2009 From: rtorchia at aol.com (rtorchia at aol.com) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:51:32 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Submission Message-ID: <8CB415AD3A26B6A-EC-2780@WEBMAIL-MY10.sysops.aol.com> Hello--is it possible to post this on your mailings? I have a brand new never even installed rear view mirror that was made for the Mercedes 1997 sl500. It remains in its original box and packing. The color is black. Those of you who are familiar with the older mirrors will be aware that they often need replacement, especially if the car was left out in the sun for prolonged periods with the top down. So this is a desirable replacement. MB charges over $900 for this mirror, I am asking a firm $500, shipping included. I can be reached at rtorchia at aol.com. Thanks, Robert From EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com Sat Jan 10 12:23:51 2009 From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com (EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:23:51 EST Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue Message-ID: there is a locking bolt when you select reverse which should free as soon you go in reverse.It seems its stuck slightl;y and it will get not better.Drop the Oilpan and ckeck it regards ed -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mid-co at ix.netcom.com Sat Jan 10 12:48:28 2009 From: mid-co at ix.netcom.com (mid-co at ix.netcom.com) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:48:28 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Ed , thanks for your help. Will the locking bolt be obvious upon removal of the oil pan ? Should I replace it , or just "un stick" it ? Thanks....Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 11:23 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue there is a locking bolt when you select reverse which should free as soon you go in reverse.It seems its stuck slightl;y and it will get not better.Drop the Oilpan and ckeck it regards ed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com Sat Jan 10 12:52:29 2009 From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com (EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:52:29 EST Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue Message-ID: Hi I would first inspect the Bolt for Corrosion and my some Dirt got into the Sleeve.Try to move it manual if it sticks until you are satisfied it moves freely regards ed -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mid-co at ix.netcom.com Sat Jan 10 12:52:17 2009 From: mid-co at ix.netcom.com (mid-co at ix.netcom.com) Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2009 11:52:17 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <277E977087D94480887BFCC105569CF6@BrucePC> Got It , Thanks for the good info. Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 11:52 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] SL 500 Tranny inssue Hi I would first inspect the Bolt for Corrosion and my some Dirt got into the Sleeve.Try to move it manual if it sticks until you are satisfied it moves freely regards ed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From buyer at myndex.com Tue Jan 13 17:11:12 2009 From: buyer at myndex.com (Andrew Somers) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy From pauls at sbcglobal.net Tue Jan 13 17:31:15 2009 From: pauls at sbcglobal.net (Paul Samarin) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Message-ID: There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bandbricketts at ns.sympatico.ca Tue Jan 13 19:35:34 2009 From: bandbricketts at ns.sympatico.ca (William Ricketts) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51@Ricketts> This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From leonardrich at sbcglobal.net Tue Jan 13 19:39:59 2009 From: leonardrich at sbcglobal.net (Leonard Rich III) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Tue Jan 13 20:24:39 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gregorio at weststargroup.net Tue Jan 13 20:27:18 2009 From: gregorio at weststargroup.net (gregorio at weststargroup.net) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51@Ricketts> Message-ID: My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From buyer at myndex.com Tue Jan 13 21:03:52 2009 From: buyer at myndex.com (Andrew Somers) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:03:52 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] RE RE buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <40BF6538-7E18-44E7-BE62-8E0091C416E0@myndex.com> Thanks for all the replies - I see a 95 SL500 for $8000 at a dealer, with 109,000 on it - looks clean and seems like a good deal, though I'd prefer a blur one (it seems that blue ones are rare?!).... Though I'm in no hurry to buy, I want to take my time as I only get a car every 10 years or so ad have to live with it for awhile... :) A From MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net Tue Jan 13 21:23:46 2009 From: MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net (MBKindOfGuy) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:23:46 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Message-ID: <3B1214C461BF42C9AD04AB6FB82DEFA8@ABCD1PORT> It took us exactly one year to find our '98 SL500 here in the US. We started searching in December, 2004, and finally found one we wanted to purchase in 2005. We looked at about a dozen SL500's. As is typical, the various definitions of mint condition and excellent condition have many interpretations. We did get exactly what we wanted, a 1998 SL500, white with grey interior, less than 50,000 miles, exceptional condition with service records, and within our budget And the bonus was that it came with the panoramic hard top. It's been a great car, with just a few minor problems, easily fixed by myself with some of them being typical problems well documented on various Mercedes forums in the Internet. And the maintenance service on the SL500 is easier than on our 300E's! So far, so good. Really great car. Regards, Howard M. Ginsberg 1998 SL500, 75KMiles 1993 300E, 151KMiles 2008 Chevy Silverado, 2,100Miles 1988 300E, Sold at 165KMiles 1986 300E, Sold at 180KMiles ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter S To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 8:24 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bobterry99 at hotmail.com Tue Jan 13 23:32:08 2009 From: bobterry99 at hotmail.com (Robert Terry) Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:32:08 -0700 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The tranny in the '90-'95 is excellent. The tranny in the '96-'02 is comparatively more refined. The '96 tranny can be troublesome, '99 and later have revisions that make them more durable than '96-'98. The '99-'02 engine is gives slightly better 0-60 acceleration and is my favorite. Hydaulic cylinders are very inexpensive to fix if you have them repaired by Dennis Ficken. If you do a search at www.benzworld.org you will learn about him. _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live?: Keep your life in sync. http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_allup_explore_012009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gjenner at nc.rr.com Wed Jan 14 09:50:06 2009 From: gjenner at nc.rr.com (George Jenner) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:50:06 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> Message-ID: <37887B9D9F7A434B84322104E7185AA1@georgemypc> Andrew, Ken Rockwell has a very comprehensive SL500 website for comparison purposes. Go to http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/ According to everything I have read and researched the best years for the R129 vehicle are 1996, 1997 and 1998. I have had my 1996 SL500 for going on 4 years now and bought it from a dealer in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on ebay. Aside from smaller fixes which I was able to do myself I have not had anything major occur. The car is beautiful and I truly love driving it. I changed the stock wheels to AMG 18" and have the low profile tires etc. I also had the transmission fluid changed at a Mercedes shop because the car was at 80K and the fluid had never been changed in the transmission. That is one item you should be aware of in many R129 models. The transmission has no dip stick for transmission fluid checking and MB initially claimed that the fluid was not ever going to need changing but that was never a good idea and I am happy I had that done. I recommend you look seriously at the 1997 model year SL500 with the AMG optional package installed. Good Hunting, George E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.11540 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From RTorchia at aol.com Wed Jan 14 10:30:34 2009 From: RTorchia at aol.com (RTorchia at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:30:34 EST Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 Message-ID: Andy: I was in a similar situation having had a 1978 450sl and moving on to a 1997 sl500. For me the sl500 is a huge improvement and certainly handles better and is more subtle than the rather primitive 450. If you look around you will see that the 1997 and 1998 R129s are considered superior because of the transmission and certain engine differences. Be extremely careful because there are a lot of lemons out there and cars that have been in accidents or just plain ill maintained. I bought by 1997 with 37,800 miles on it and it has performed perfectly so I have no complaints about a low mileage car. I drive it 3,000 to 3,500 miles a year and keep it in during the winter up here in Philadelphia, using it only on days with above freezing temperatures. I have had no trouble with raising and lowering the soft top, which I do from late April through early November, keeping the hard top on all winter. If you are careful and take your time you are certain to get a wonderful R129 that will be a joy to drive. There are plenty of cheap ones out there but if you pay a little more from a reputable dealer who specializes in the breed it is well worth it. RT Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D. 710 Edge Hill Road Glenside, PA 19038 Mobile: 215-528-7519 In a message dated 1/13/2009 8:27:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) 2. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Paul Samarin) 3. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (William Ricketts) 4. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Leonard Rich III) 5. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Peter S) 6. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (gregorio at weststargroup.net) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 From: Andrew Somers Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694 at myndex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 From: Paul Samarin Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 From: "William Ricketts" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51 at Ricketts> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 From: "Leonard Rich III" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "'SL Mailing List'" Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 From: "Peter S" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 From: Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 *************************************** **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=De cemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From RTorchia at aol.com Wed Jan 14 10:34:47 2009 From: RTorchia at aol.com (RTorchia at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:34:47 EST Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 Message-ID: Could you post this? Thanks Greetings. I have a 1997 sl500. Recently I noticed that the license plate was hanging on by two screws. When I took it off I noted that two of the screws were stripped. When I tried to unscrew them the collar into which they are fitted rotated along with the screw and they were impossible to remove. Does anyone know how to best replace this assembly? The replacement collars are easy to get from MB but they want $125 to replace the two assemblies, claiming that a "special tool" is required. I would like to fasten the plate down securely but this price strikes me as excessive. Thanks for any advice. RT Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D. 710 Edge Hill Road Glenside, PA 19038 Mobile: 215-528-7519 In a message dated 1/13/2009 8:27:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) 2. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Paul Samarin) 3. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (William Ricketts) 4. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Leonard Rich III) 5. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Peter S) 6. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (gregorio at weststargroup.net) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 From: Andrew Somers Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694 at myndex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 From: Paul Samarin Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 From: "William Ricketts" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51 at Ricketts> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 From: "Leonard Rich III" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "'SL Mailing List'" Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 From: "Peter S" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 From: Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 *************************************** **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=De cemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gperla at verizon.net Wed Jan 14 10:39:58 2009 From: gperla at verizon.net (GLENN PERLAKOWSKI) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:39:58 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 References: Message-ID: <001601c9765e$5bc106b0$6401a8c0@Perl> agree with Robert (below). I have a 92 500sl with 88k, use it mostly in summer in NJ and try to use the softtop frequently during the summer because the first time you take the hardtop off in Spring is a bear..( vaseline on the mating surfaces helps). I lost AC this past summer and have been told that repairing leaks generally requires removal of the dashboard- a very labor intensive/costly excercise-- anyone have a similiar experience ? ----- Original Message ----- From: RTorchia at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:30 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 Andy: I was in a similar situation having had a 1978 450sl and moving on to a 1997 sl500. For me the sl500 is a huge improvement and certainly handles better and is more subtle than the rather primitive 450. If you look around you will see that the 1997 and 1998 R129s are considered superior because of the transmission and certain engine differences. Be extremely careful because there are a lot of lemons out there and cars that have been in accidents or just plain ill maintained. I bought by 1997 with 37,800 miles on it and it has performed perfectly so I have no complaints about a low mileage car. I drive it 3,000 to 3,500 miles a year and keep it in during the winter up here in Philadelphia, using it only on days with above freezing temperatures. I have had no trouble with raising and lowering the soft top, which I do from late April through early November, keeping the hard top on all winter. If you are careful and take your time you are certain to get a wonderful R129 that will be a joy to drive. There are plenty of cheap ones out there but if you pay a little more from a reputable dealer who specializes in the breed it is well worth it. RT Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D. 710 Edge Hill Road Glenside, PA 19038 Mobile: 215-528-7519 In a message dated 1/13/2009 8:27:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) 2. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Paul Samarin) 3. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (William Ricketts) 4. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Leonard Rich III) 5. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Peter S) 6. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (gregorio at weststargroup.net) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 From: Andrew Somers Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694 at myndex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 From: Paul Samarin Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 From: "William Ricketts" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51 at Ricketts> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 From: "Leonard Rich III" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "'SL Mailing List'" Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 From: "Peter S" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 From: Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 *************************************** ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mid-co at ix.netcom.com Wed Jan 14 10:54:59 2009 From: mid-co at ix.netcom.com (mid-co at ix.netcom.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:54:59 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 In-Reply-To: <001601c9765e$5bc106b0$6401a8c0@Perl> References: <001601c9765e$5bc106b0$6401a8c0@Perl> Message-ID: <7D617F226C774C9BB7CA6874B73715CD@BrucePC> Yup ......the dash comes out , and so does about 2.5 K from your wallet. Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: GLENN PERLAKOWSKI To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 9:39 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 agree with Robert (below). I have a 92 500sl with 88k, use it mostly in summer in NJ and try to use the softtop frequently during the summer because the first time you take the hardtop off in Spring is a bear..( vaseline on the mating surfaces helps). I lost AC this past summer and have been told that repairing leaks generally requires removal of the dashboard- a very labor intensive/costly excercise-- anyone have a similiar experience ? ----- Original Message ----- From: RTorchia at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:30 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 Andy: I was in a similar situation having had a 1978 450sl and moving on to a 1997 sl500. For me the sl500 is a huge improvement and certainly handles better and is more subtle than the rather primitive 450. If you look around you will see that the 1997 and 1998 R129s are considered superior because of the transmission and certain engine differences. Be extremely careful because there are a lot of lemons out there and cars that have been in accidents or just plain ill maintained. I bought by 1997 with 37,800 miles on it and it has performed perfectly so I have no complaints about a low mileage car. I drive it 3,000 to 3,500 miles a year and keep it in during the winter up here in Philadelphia, using it only on days with above freezing temperatures. I have had no trouble with raising and lowering the soft top, which I do from late April through early November, keeping the hard top on all winter. If you are careful and take your time you are certain to get a wonderful R129 that will be a joy to drive. There are plenty of cheap ones out there but if you pay a little more from a reputable dealer who specializes in the breed it is well worth it. RT Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D. 710 Edge Hill Road Glenside, PA 19038 Mobile: 215-528-7519 In a message dated 1/13/2009 8:27:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) 2. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Paul Samarin) 3. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (William Ricketts) 4. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Leonard Rich III) 5. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Peter S) 6. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (gregorio at weststargroup.net) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 From: Andrew Somers Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694 at myndex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 From: Paul Samarin Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 From: "William Ricketts" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51 at Ricketts> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 From: "Leonard Rich III" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "'SL Mailing List'" Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 From: "Peter S" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 From: Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 *************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From deneals at sbcglobal.net Wed Jan 14 11:30:30 2009 From: deneals at sbcglobal.net (Deneal Schilmeister (MacbookPro) SBC) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:30:30 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <7D617F226C774C9BB7CA6874B73715CD@BrucePC> Message-ID: On 1/14/09 9:54 AM, "mid-co at ix.netcom.com" wrote: > Yup ......the dash comes out , and so does about 2.5 K from > your wallet. > > Bruce in Nashville. $4000 from mine in my 1987 300TD: -- Deneal Schilmeister 1997 SL500 137k http://homepage.mac.com/deneals/SL500.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Flodur2 at aol.com Wed Jan 14 12:07:34 2009 From: Flodur2 at aol.com (Flodur2 at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:07:34 EST Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Message-ID: One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=De cemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mid-co at ix.netcom.com Wed Jan 14 12:16:01 2009 From: mid-co at ix.netcom.com (mid-co at ix.netcom.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:16:01 -0600 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> I agree.....not much difference in reliability , they are both durable engines , if they are well maintained. However , when pushed , the 4 cammer ( 90-95 ) sounds like a Ferrari at full wail ......just beautiful to listen to........where the 3 valver (96 on) sounds well.......kind of American ( thrashy). Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: Flodur2 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:07 AM Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From buyer at myndex.com Wed Jan 14 12:32:35 2009 From: buyer at myndex.com (Andrew Somers) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:32:35 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> References: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> Message-ID: <4F880CA9-62C3-4A5D-B39B-919FF751072C@myndex.com> My understanding is the 3 valve is 99 on, the 4 valve was 90-98 A On Jan 14, 2009, at 9:16 AM, wrote: > I agree.....not much difference in reliability , they are > both durable engines , if they are well maintained. > > However , when pushed , the 4 cammer ( 90-95 ) sounds like a > Ferrari at > full wail ......just beautiful to listen to........where the 3 > valver (96 on) sounds > well.......kind of American ( thrashy). > > > Bruce in Nashville. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Flodur2 at aol.com > To: r129list at mbcoupes.com > Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:07 AM > Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 > > One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: > > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle > years of production claims that because his engine has four valves > per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models > with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a > debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road > speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. > Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per > cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and > reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should > influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. > > Rudy > 2002 SL500 > 1998 S320 > 1996 S600 > > > > A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! > > > The MB Coupes Website! > R129 SL Mailing List > The MB Coupes Website! > R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gperla at verizon.net Wed Jan 14 13:51:31 2009 From: gperla at verizon.net (GLENN PERLAKOWSKI) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:51:31 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> <4F880CA9-62C3-4A5D-B39B-919FF751072C@myndex.com> Message-ID: <001b01c97679$1e036870$6401a8c0@Perl> 4 valve has more balls ! ----- Original Message ----- From: Andrew Somers To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 12:32 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 My understanding is the 3 valve is 99 on, the 4 valve was 90-98 A On Jan 14, 2009, at 9:16 AM, wrote: I agree.....not much difference in reliability , they are both durable engines , if they are well maintained. However , when pushed , the 4 cammer ( 90-95 ) sounds like a Ferrari at full wail ......just beautiful to listen to........where the 3 valver (96 on) sounds well.......kind of American ( thrashy). Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: Flodur2 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:07 AM Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blueridgemb at gmail.com Wed Jan 14 13:58:06 2009 From: blueridgemb at gmail.com (Jonathan Hodgman) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:58:06 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 In-Reply-To: <001b01c97679$1e036870$6401a8c0@Perl> References: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> <4F880CA9-62C3-4A5D-B39B-919FF751072C@myndex.com> <001b01c97679$1e036870$6401a8c0@Perl> Message-ID: <496E35BE.3010802@gmail.com> I too am a Big fan of the M119...M113..not so much. Jonathan -- Blue Ridge Mercedes/AMG East www.blueridgemb.com Offering Enthusiast Service, Restoration and Tuning. 96 S600 Euro 91 560SEC ECE (for sale) 91 560 SEC Undergoing TT/GT28 conversion 88 300E AMG 89 190E 2.6 5sp (Mosselman TT waiting..) 89 300TE 88 560SEC AMG Euro ECE (parts) 89 560SEC AMG solid lifter 7K RPM Conv. 87 Hammer 6.0L 32V 86 560SEL AMG 6.0L 32V From rtorchia at aol.com Wed Jan 14 16:55:34 2009 From: rtorchia at aol.com (rtorchia at aol.com) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:55:34 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 11 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CB44A9F657B7F4-70C-803@mblk-d37.sysops.aol.com> One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 Rudy has a very good point here. My mechanic, who is really excellent, encouraged me to buy a 2000 sl500 for this very reason. I just happened to luck into a 1997 and was happy to see that the engine of that period was recommended. The transmission on the 1997 is really incredibly smooth (especially after driving a c230 Kompressor for eight years) and that is mainly what sold me. Probably any of these R129s are awfully fine cars as long as they have been kept properly. Also, getting back to the original question, I really miss my 1978 450sl when on the highway at high speeds when it really came into its own. It was a great deal of fun but hard to drive in regular city traffic, a little on the unwieldy side. The sl500 has pinpoint steering and is much more comfortable to drive with a luxurious feel, requiring less physical effort. Many say the 560 was the best of this body type but I had trouble finding one without issues at a reasonable price. Oddly enough, I miss the manual soft top routine with the wrench; it was inconvenient but simple to operate and without the problems those experience with the automatic type. In any case you will enjoy your R129 when you get it. -----Original Message----- From: r129list-request at mbcoupes.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:15 pm Subject: R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 11 Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Deneal Schilmeister (MacbookPro) SBC) 2. Planning on buying an SL500 (Flodur2 at aol.com) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:30:30 -0600 From: "Deneal Schilmeister (MacbookPro) SBC" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" On 1/14/09 9:54 AM, "mid-co at ix.netcom.com" wrote: > Yup ......the dash comes out , and so does about 2.5 K from > your wallet. > > Bruce in Nashville. $4000 from mine in my 1987 300TD: -- Deneal Schilmeister 1997 SL500 137k http://homepage.mac.com/deneals/SL500.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:07:34 EST From: Flodur2 at aol.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir= http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=De cemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 11 **************************************** From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Wed Jan 14 17:31:15 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:31:15 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694@myndex.com> <37887B9D9F7A434B84322104E7185AA1@georgemypc> Message-ID: <004901c97697$cfd4f870$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi George, I am sure we have been through this before re the transmission fluid. Originally MB stated that the transmission fluid would never require changing in the R129 SL transmission. This was altered in about 1996 when MB issued a notice to service agents indicating that oil should be changed every 60,000 (not sure whether it was km or miles!). So you should change the transmission fluid at regular intervals (60,000) if you want the trans to last. I have just changed mine at 60,000km to be on the safe side (expensive oil !!!). The notice by MB was issued after a few transmissions failed through water in the oil, and resulting corrosion in the transmission - the oil was found to be slightly hygroscopic. I have seen 2 x transmissions ex Japan and the trans oil was slightly milky and a slight brown colour. Both trans units required overhauling after the discovery. Regards, Peter S, New Zealand. ----- Original Message ----- From: George Jenner To: 'SL Mailing List' Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 3:50 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Andrew, Ken Rockwell has a very comprehensive SL500 website for comparison purposes. Go to http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/ According to everything I have read and researched the best years for the R129 vehicle are 1996, 1997 and 1998. I have had my 1996 SL500 for going on 4 years now and bought it from a dealer in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on ebay. Aside from smaller fixes which I was able to do myself I have not had anything major occur. The car is beautiful and I truly love driving it. I changed the stock wheels to AMG 18" and have the low profile tires etc. I also had the transmission fluid changed at a Mercedes shop because the car was at 80K and the fluid had never been changed in the transmission. That is one item you should be aware of in many R129 models. The transmission has no dip stick for transmission fluid checking and MB initially claimed that the fluid was not ever going to need changing but that was never a good idea and I am happy I had that done. I recommend you look seriously at the 1997 model year SL500 with the AMG optional package installed. Good Hunting, George E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.11540 http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Wed Jan 14 18:47:12 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:47:12 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> <4F880CA9-62C3-4A5D-B39B-919FF751072C@myndex.com> Message-ID: <00c601c976a2$6be74d30$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi Andy, There is a lot of stuff going around about engines and valves. I understand there are three engine types, but the first engine in the 500SL was in the 1988 to 1992 models - this was the M119 V8 engine. There were only 38,598 cars built in this series, being 31 in 1988, 3,413 in 1989, 10,649 in 1990, 15,053 in 1991 and 9,483 in 1992. I have the 1992 version of this series. Yes, the engine does sound nice, especially when you put your foot down - mine does 0 - 60 mph in about 6.2 seconds. This 4,973 cc engine has 4 valves per cylinder, and has 4 cam shafts. It was also fuel supplied by the CIS-E5 mechanical/ electronic K5 injection system that has been reasonably reliable. This engine is known to be near 'bullet proof' provided the (fresh) oil is kept on the cam shafts and valves (use the car!), and the engine is maintained. I have not seen one of these engines apart nor have I heard of one being re-conditioned, although ones can be bought via car dismantlers for about NZ$2,000. The only issue that I know of with this engine is the ignition coils (one per cylinder) fail. This is caused by poor maintenance on the spark plugs, in that the gap increases, the voltage required to jump the gap on firing requires more voltage and the ignition coils fail. This also occurs on the larger Nissan cars etc although Nissan's have platinum spark plugs for longer life! For your thoughts etc, but any engine correctly maintained and used in the larger MB's is pretty good. Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Andrew Somers To: SL Mailing List Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 6:32 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 My understanding is the 3 valve is 99 on, the 4 valve was 90-98 A On Jan 14, 2009, at 9:16 AM, wrote: I agree.....not much difference in reliability , they are both durable engines , if they are well maintained. However , when pushed , the 4 cammer ( 90-95 ) sounds like a Ferrari at full wail ......just beautiful to listen to........where the 3 valver (96 on) sounds well.......kind of American ( thrashy). Bruce in Nashville. ----- Original Message ----- From: Flodur2 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:07 AM Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 One of the questions in the message of the subject topic was: 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. A web site of an individual who owns an R129 series from the middle years of production claims that because his engine has four valves per cylinder and produces slightly greater horsepower that models with that engine are more desirable than the newer versions. It is a debatable point. The difference in HP is minor and at the road speeds to which one is limited in the U.S. is hardly noticeable. Further, since the mechanical complexity of three (3) valves per cylinder is less, one may say that it is more serviceable and reliable. As I say, a debatable point and not one which should influence your buying decision. The 99-02 engines are not undesirable. Rudy 2002 SL500 1998 S320 1996 S600 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net Wed Jan 14 20:28:08 2009 From: MBKindOfGuy at comcast.net (MBKindOfGuy) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:28:08 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 References: <71B8030FCF8A4BAC85C673D2D1D84D07@BrucePC> <4F880CA9-62C3-4A5D-B39B-919FF751072C@myndex.com><001b01c97679$1e036870$6401a8c0@Perl> <496E35BE.3010802@gmail.com> Message-ID: <3D532D73B04E40F19A21C2203A091F07@ABCD1PORT> So am I Jonathan :) Regards, Howard M. Ginsberg 1998 SL500, 75KMiles 1993 300E, 150KMiles 2008 Chevy Silverado, 2,100Miles 1988 300E, Sold at 165KMiles 1986 300E, Sold at 180KMiles ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jonathan Hodgman" To: "SL Mailing List" Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 1:58 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 >I too am a Big fan of the M119...M113..not so much. > > Jonathan > > -- > Blue Ridge Mercedes/AMG East > www.blueridgemb.com > Offering Enthusiast Service, Restoration and Tuning. > 96 S600 Euro > 91 560SEC ECE (for sale) > 91 560 SEC Undergoing TT/GT28 conversion > 88 300E AMG > 89 190E 2.6 5sp (Mosselman TT waiting..) > 89 300TE > 88 560SEC AMG Euro ECE (parts) > 89 560SEC AMG solid lifter 7K RPM Conv. > 87 Hammer 6.0L 32V > 86 560SEL AMG 6.0L 32V > > The MB Coupes Website! > R129 SL Mailing List From rob at robvonder.com Thu Jan 15 01:06:37 2009 From: rob at robvonder.com (Rob Vonderhaar) Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:06:37 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 In-Reply-To: <001601c9765e$5bc106b0$6401a8c0@Perl> References: , <001601c9765e$5bc106b0$6401a8c0@Perl> Message-ID: <2DE8297FCF695442ADD3AC01CFE611581CDAEE09FD@VMBX103.ihostexchange.net> The dash does have to be pulled if the evaporator fails, and it is indeed a very expensive job. Fortunately, A/C failure isn't always caused by the evap. The A/C went out on my '95 R129, and it turned out to be a big hole in the rubber high=pressure hose. When we got the old assembly out, you could see that the design allowed the hose to rub against a bracket on the engine for 13 years - so between the abrasion and heat, it eventually blew at that spot. FWIW, I bought mine with 7k miles back in 1995 and have driven it ever since. It currently has 95k miles (so about 7k/year), and I think that's a pretty good compromise: Too few annual miles brings on the "not driven enough" problems like leaking transmission seals; too many and you start seeing the problems of any higher-mileage car. I maintain the car pretty religiously, especially oil/filter changes, and it's really been very reliable since the expiration of the original warranty. I had to replace the trans seals (even with steady mileage), water pump, and a few other repairs like the A/C and power window, but spread across all those years the costs have been very reasonable. I've had no trouble at all with the power top. However, note that MB considers soft-tops to be a 'consumable' -- I can't argue, since I've been through two already and could probably use a third. It's a design problem where the canvas material of the "cording" at the seams wears right through because they rub against the body when the top goes up or down. The plastic windows (and interior wood) also tend to crack if the car sees a lot of time parked in hot sun with the top up, although . With regard to the engine and trans, I have absolutely no complaints about the '95 drivetrain. I recently added a 2005 SL500 (only 3500 miles, as new and with every option, so I just couldn't pass it up!), but I still prefer the engine in the '95. It's smoother, noticeably stronger (probably why MB went to the 5.5L in the last few years), and has a nicer wail when you put your foot into it. The '95 had the 4-speed trans (the 5-speed came in '96), but I never missed an extra gear given the utterly smooth, quiet power this car delivers. In fact, comparing the R129 to my 'new' R230, there's sadly no comparison in materials and build quality. The R129 has lots more and better-quality leather. There's padded leather on the doors and even on the soft-top cover and roll bar behind the rear compartment -- you get unpadded vinyl and plastic in the R230. The R129 has vinyl-covered A-pillars and a padded, velour-like hardtop lining, vs. plain hard plastic in the R230 (amazingly cheap). Overall, the R129 just looks, feels, and drives like a more substantial, higher-quality, and better screwed-together automobile -- the last of the "bank-vault" SLs, and more deserving of the MB label. Don't get me wrong -- I love the R230, but for different reasons. It's technologically far more advanced and has way more convenience features (Distronic cruise is awesome!). With more precise steering, better brakes, and active suspension (ABC), it's sportier and easier to drive hard and fast. But I must admit, I'll miss the R129 when it's gone! Rob Vonderhaar 1995 SL500, 040 Black w/ Parchment (great shape; for sale) 2005 SL500, 040 Black w/ Stone 2004 Cadillac SRX, AWD Northstar V8 ________________________________ From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of GLENN PERLAKOWSKI [gperla at verizon.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:39 AM To: SL Mailing List Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 agree with Robert (below). I have a 92 500sl with 88k, use it mostly in summer in NJ and try to use the softtop frequently during the summer because the first time you take the hardtop off in Spring is a bear..( vaseline on the mating surfaces helps). I lost AC this past summer and have been told that repairing leaks generally requires removal of the dashboard- a very labor intensive/costly excercise-- anyone have a similiar experience ? ----- Original Message ----- From: RTorchia at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 10:30 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 Andy: I was in a similar situation having had a 1978 450sl and moving on to a 1997 sl500. For me the sl500 is a huge improvement and certainly handles better and is more subtle than the rather primitive 450. If you look around you will see that the 1997 and 1998 R129s are considered superior because of the transmission and certain engine differences. Be extremely careful because there are a lot of lemons out there and cars that have been in accidents or just plain ill maintained. I bought by 1997 with 37,800 miles on it and it has performed perfectly so I have no complaints about a low mileage car. I drive it 3,000 to 3,500 miles a year and keep it in during the winter up here in Philadelphia, using it only on days with above freezing temperatures. I have had no trouble with raising and lowering the soft top, which I do from late April through early November, keeping the hard top on all winter. If you are careful and take your time you are certain to get a wonderful R129 that will be a joy to drive. There are plenty of cheap ones out there but if you pay a little more from a reputable dealer who specializes in the breed it is well worth it. RT Robert W. Torchia, Ph.D. 710 Edge Hill Road Glenside, PA 19038 Mobile: 215-528-7519 In a message dated 1/13/2009 8:27:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Planning on buying an SL500 (Andrew Somers) 2. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Paul Samarin) 3. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (William Ricketts) 4. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Leonard Rich III) 5. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (Peter S) 6. Re: Planning on buying an SL500 (gregorio at weststargroup.net) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:11:12 -0800 From: Andrew Somers Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: <51BD30FD-C2C1-49BA-A2C9-8580DAAFE694 at myndex.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:31:15 -0800 From: Paul Samarin Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; Format="flowed"; DelSp="yes" There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/ c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: > Hello, > > I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http:// > www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs > fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and > trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I > should look for etc. For instance, I hear: > > 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 > are better. > > 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. > > 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix > (Is this true for all years?) > > Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and > potential issues? > > > Thanks! > > > Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:35:34 -0400 From: "William Ricketts" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <8C2D196DC17B44699F5666A56684CB51 at Ricketts> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:39:59 -0800 From: "Leonard Rich III" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "'SL Mailing List'" Message-ID: <000b01c975e0$a1ae5250$e50af6f0$@net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Andrew, I have had many of both including the 129 SL600, The finest car I have ever owned. However for many reasons I would suggest a low mileage 560SL, ABS Air bag Power, simpler car. My 10 cents. LR3 -----Original Message----- From: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Andrew Somers Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 2:11 PM To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Subject: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) QUESTIONS: My 450SL has about 165K on it, and runs great save for an oil leak in the main seal. The 450SL is know to go for 750,000 miles - how robust are the engines in the SL500? How many miles before they are performing badly? Since it's an aluminum block engine, I'd think it was likely to be somewhat less than a big iron block like a 450. For instance, there's a 1995 SL500 with 109,000 miles on it. The car seems pretty clean, but what kind of work can I expect to have to put into one with such mileage? Any endemic/systemic problems that these cars are known for? Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.6/1888 - Release Date: 1/13/2009 8:17 AM ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:24:39 +1300 From: "Peter S" Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: <003e01c975e6$dee46e10$0501010a at newbeb1e9bcff6> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hi Paul, Totally agree about the phrase regarding lack of use! I have a 1992 Fire Red colour R129, with Brabus 17 inch wheels and Brabus suspension. It was ex Japan (we get a lot of cars ex Japan in New Zealand - very good prices as well). I saw my car enter the country in 2002 - here in Palmerston North. It was 10 years old, had 38,000 km on the clock (23,750 miles), cream leather etc and appeared fantastic condition. It sold for about $80,000 in 2002. The car was local, and the purchaser basically left it at the dealers in storage and had a few long trips from time to time. 4 years later, the purchaser wanted the car sold so I was (of course - very interested). So the dealer/owner had to replace the water pump, all the engine/ main gearbox seals, lock mechanisms, main roof rams, smaller roof lock rams, windscreen wiper controller, spark plugs, and so on. They spent $Mega on the car so I paid a premium of NZ$35,000 (US$18,000 on today's rates) to get the car - it had genuine 46,000 km (28,750 miles) on the clock. I also had the transmission checked as the plates/turbines shed materials when not used. My transmission had shed a very small amount of material but was OK. Since I have had the car, I have changed all the oils - and that is it. I have driven about 14,000 km in 2 years and am off on the Mercedes Benz Rally this Friday - we have a three day weekend this weekend. The car is immaculate, but any older MB has to be driven. There are so many sensors and seals on the 129, that they are sensitive to being left undriven as sensors etc can 'stick', and seals dry out. I also have an immaculate W123, 280E that I drive daily. It uses a bit of oil, runs fantastically well, accelerates well, and is quite quick for a 1983 car. While the 1997/98/early 99 models are different, I still prefer the earlier models. I had an R107 for 4 years - loved it, but prefer the earlier R129 as it has some characteristics of the R107 with less of the repairs ( I tend to do most of my own repairs). Andy, my advice is to find a good R129 that you like the colour of, try to ensure it is already in good condition (get someone to appraise the vehicle) make sure you have a few $$ put aside for repairs, and drive it!. For information, and as above, the rams, windscreen wiper controller, electric seat motors, fuses, battery, tyres etc. ragtop, all fail in the 129's -especially if they are not used frequently. Note that my car is 17 years old, so parts will fail from time to time. This also happens to out Toyota Estima Van, and our Nissan Maxima. If you do not use any mechanical/ electrical device frequently, it can fail. Happy driving! My hard top is in the shed (held below the roof with a couple of $3 straps) and with the rear part resting onto a shelf. I mostly use our 129 with the top down unless it is raining hard/ snowing/ hailing. Still 24 degrees C here in NZ, light easterly, a bit of high cloud, and I am off home soon to do some business with the 129 as the transportation. Have a great day/ night. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:31 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:27:18 -0800 From: Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 To: "SL Mailing List" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My 2 cents. I've owned my '91 500SL with very low mileage (56K miles) for about 3 years and, although it has not been flawless, I have had very few problems with it. Not sure what the issue is with the transmissions they all talk about, but my car runs smooth and tight and is always fun to drive. Greg Conte West Hills, CA ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:35 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 This might be the site talked about that suggests a 97 or 98. I bought a 98 three years ago with 42k miles on it and use it as a daily driver up here in Canada. Love it, and no significant problems with it so far. Good luck with your shopping! http://www.kenrockwell.com/sl/index.htm Bill Halifax, Nova Scotia ----- Original Message ----- From: Paul Samarin To: SL Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 6:31 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Planning on buying an SL500 There is a site, but I can't remember a darn thing about it! Sorry. It claimed that 97 and 98 are the best years, with 98 being the best. Before finding that site, I bought a 90 about two years ago with about 90K on her, but looking pristine. Paid $12,700, but the soft top wouldn't deploy, so I took a little gamble. Turned out to be no problem other than it hadn't been run for years b/c p/o didn't use it as a convertible. After buying that car, a very good friend wanted one so we began shopping. Then I was aware of the above website, so my friend found and purchased a pristine 98 (also about 2 years ago) with about 68K on her for $23,000. There is a noticeable difference between the two cars. My 90 is very reminiscent of the 80's S-class cars; my previous car was an 86 SEC and the instrument panel is nearly identical. A big improvement (i.e., much more modern looking interior) over the R107, but the 98 is another step up from that. So, my guess is that these days there wouldn't be *much* price difference between the early ones and the later ones, but I'd hold-out for a 97 or 98 if I were shopping today. One other note: My friend and I use the same indy MB shop in Whittier, an honest and knowledgeable husband and wife team. He noted that my friend's 98 will soon need about $3K in some sort of engine work caused by the *lack* of mileage. IOW, if the car doesn't get used regularly, stuff sorta clogs up. Others here may know more about that, but just some food for thought. I'd bet that condition means much more than mileage. I've got about 110K now and basically maintenance-free, though the a/c--heater blower is not working right now. Haven't had time to take her in. Paul On Jan 13, 2009, at 2:11 PM, Andrew Somers wrote: Hello, I am a current R107 owner (Her name is Freya http://www.my450sl.com ) which I've had for about 10 years - she runs fine, but I am thinking that I want to upgrade now to an R129, and trying to get an idea of best years, and what kind of problems I should look for etc. For instance, I hear: 1) The transmission in the 90 thru 95 aren't great, and the 96-98 are better. 2) The engine in the 99-02 is not desirable. 3) The hydraulics for the roof fail often and are expensive to fix (Is this true for all years?) Any website I should look at that discusses the R129 series and potential issues? Thanks! Andy Paul W. Samarin Attorney at Law 110 Pine Street, Suite 630 Long Beach, CA 90802 (562)491-3538 pauls at sbcglobal.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 7 *************************************** ________________________________ A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! ________________________________ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mainwari8 at aol.com Thu Jan 15 10:11:35 2009 From: Mainwari8 at aol.com (Mainwari8 at aol.com) Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:11:35 EST Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 Message-ID: In a message dated 1/14/09 6:47:51 PM, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: > From: "Peter S" > HI Peter, Read your e mail on the R129 site with interest. I'm interested in getting production figures for all the R129 years (1990-2002) and sales figures for the USA foR those years. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have on sources for this info. Thanks Henry 1998 SL500 ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=6 2%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Thu Jan 15 15:43:49 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:43:49 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 References: Message-ID: <004201c97751$f84a1230$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi Henry, It takes ages, but I have gleaned a lot of production figures etc for Merc Benz Cars off the net, and some of the data sits in files that I have on 3 PC's. Luckily I have a SATA drive backup of all our home and office PC's in case something crashes! However, the figures I grabbed for yesterdays email came from a book by Robert Nitske. He wrote a number of books on Mercedes Benz cars and is the owner of a Wankel C111 (Only about 5 were made) - never went into production. The book I have covers production cars from 1946 to 1995 and has some interesting information - I believe this book is a must for Mercedes Benz enthusiasts. I do have about 50 books on Mercedes Benz Cars though! The book only has production model numbers up to 1992 and there may be a later edition out now as the book keeps getting updated. Wikipedia on the net is also a very interesting source of information, and some of the information is misplaced. For instance, production years for MB cars for 1980 to the present day seems to sit under Mercedes Benz C111 (just google Mercedes Benz C111 - Wiki and you should have the site available to log onto.) There are also sites (reference is in my high speed home PC) that display an array of the fuel use, acceleration details etc of every model from about 1940 to today. You can not download or even print from this site, but, you can view and write out details if required. If interested, I will get the website details for this information. Hope this information helps. Our "Tour de Tararua", Mercedes Benz Rally starts at 5 pm tonight (4 day Rally around the mid lower central North Island of New Zealand), so have just got a Warrant of Fitness (MOT in the UK), and have washed the 123 and the 129 so am all ready and gassed up! Temperature is 24 degrees C at the moment so the rest of the day could be 'warm'. Have a few reports and specifications to write before I can begin the long weekend. Kind Regards, and have a great weekend, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Mainwari8 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 4:11 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 In a message dated 1/14/09 6:47:51 PM, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: From: "Peter S" HI Peter, Read your e mail on the R129 site with interest. I'm interested in getting production figures for all the R129 years (1990-2002) and sales figures for the USA foR those years. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have on sources for this info. Thanks Henry 1998 SL500 ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bandbricketts at ns.sympatico.ca Thu Jan 15 16:45:57 2009 From: bandbricketts at ns.sympatico.ca (William Ricketts) Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:45:57 -0400 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 References: <004201c97751$f84a1230$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Message-ID: Hi Peter et al; We'll be around 24 degrees C tonight ourselves, minus 24 that is! Bit of a cold snap, but Wilson (98 SL500) is doing very well in the cold...excellent heating system that I will continue to test for cold weather performance. But I do envy your temperature and rally weather, enjoy! Bill Halifax, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter S To: SL Mailing List Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:43 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 Hi Henry, It takes ages, but I have gleaned a lot of production figures etc for Merc Benz Cars off the net, and some of the data sits in files that I have on 3 PC's. Luckily I have a SATA drive backup of all our home and office PC's in case something crashes! However, the figures I grabbed for yesterdays email came from a book by Robert Nitske. He wrote a number of books on Mercedes Benz cars and is the owner of a Wankel C111 (Only about 5 were made) - never went into production. The book I have covers production cars from 1946 to 1995 and has some interesting information - I believe this book is a must for Mercedes Benz enthusiasts. I do have about 50 books on Mercedes Benz Cars though! The book only has production model numbers up to 1992 and there may be a later edition out now as the book keeps getting updated. Wikipedia on the net is also a very interesting source of information, and some of the information is misplaced. For instance, production years for MB cars for 1980 to the present day seems to sit under Mercedes Benz C111 (just google Mercedes Benz C111 - Wiki and you should have the site available to log onto.) There are also sites (reference is in my high speed home PC) that display an array of the fuel use, acceleration details etc of every model from about 1940 to today. You can not download or even print from this site, but, you can view and write out details if required. If interested, I will get the website details for this information. Hope this information helps. Our "Tour de Tararua", Mercedes Benz Rally starts at 5 pm tonight (4 day Rally around the mid lower central North Island of New Zealand), so have just got a Warrant of Fitness (MOT in the UK), and have washed the 123 and the 129 so am all ready and gassed up! Temperature is 24 degrees C at the moment so the rest of the day could be 'warm'. Have a few reports and specifications to write before I can begin the long weekend. Kind Regards, and have a great weekend, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Mainwari8 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 4:11 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 In a message dated 1/14/09 6:47:51 PM, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: From: "Peter S" HI Peter, Read your e mail on the R129 site with interest. I'm interested in getting production figures for all the R129 years (1990-2002) and sales figures for the USA foR those years. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have on sources for this info. Thanks Henry 1998 SL500 ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rtorchia at aol.com Sat Jan 17 16:02:37 2009 From: rtorchia at aol.com (rtorchia at aol.com) Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:02:37 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Quick question Message-ID: <8CB46FE0FB49156-12DC-B7D@WEBMAIL-DY26.sysops.aol.com> Can post? Thanks. Years ago someone tried to broke into the center console box of my 1997 sl500 and I had to replace the lid which had been pried up rather violently. MB wanted $650 for the black leather lid assembly but I found one on Ebay for $39 and installed it. The problem is that there is a little square fake black leather piece that is visible only when the arm rest in in the forward position. It is broken where it attaches to the lid and rattles to the point that it is annoying. MB refuses to sell the piece separately! Does anyone have any ideas how I can get one of these? I would be extremely grateful for suggestions. It is a little thing but needs fixing. Thanks, RT From Mainwari8 at aol.com Sun Jan 18 11:15:50 2009 From: Mainwari8 at aol.com (Mainwari8 at aol.com) Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:15:50 EST Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 15 Message-ID: Hi Peter, Thanks for the info on sources for production figures for the R129. I've located copies of the Nitske book at Amazon, and a copy is on order. It does appear that 1995 is the last year covered in the last edition of the book. I wonder how Nitske managed to pry a C111 from MB? They appear to be as careful about letting non production stuff getting into public hands as they are with their production figures. In complete contrast, I have an older Cadillac (1963 Fleetwood) and their production figures are very accessible. Incidentally, the ultimate Cadillac guru, Maurice Hendry, is a New Zealander, and he has all the production figures one could wish for in his book. Here are a couple of sources of info about MB which you have probably seen, but I'll include them in case you have not. kenrockwell.com/sl/r129tables.htm Some R129 data home.hiway.net/~gbf/mbmodels MB models post WW11 Hope the tour of the north Island was a success. Cheers Henry ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26b cd=DecemailfooterNO62) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz Mon Jan 19 15:40:10 2009 From: joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz (Peter S) Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:40:10 +1300 Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 References: <004201c97751$f84a1230$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Message-ID: <007001c97a76$1f850270$0501010a@newbeb1e9bcff6> Hi Bill, Just a short not to say we had an excellent Rally, ate lots, and drove about 1,000 km. Went on private back roads on the East Coast of our north island (gravel, shingle, rocks etc) so scraped the 129 a few times. Saw waterfalls I never knew existed, and visited some very stately homes (for lunches, teas etc). The private road was basically a ledge on the side of a 2,000 foot hill, then across the flattish ridge tops. Could see about 50 miles in each direction and along the East Coast! Did not even realise that a 'retired farmer', just 8 km from where I live, actually makes engines for vintage cars (1898 - 1920) - most of the car engines are one off's , like the cars they go into. Mostly made for customers from Canada/ USA. They make all the patterns etc out of timber and are 'perfect' - have a few photo's but was so impressed, like other members of our clubs. They are also making 12 x simplex engines - one apparently for an early Mercedes Benz. The engine blocks, heads, crankshafts, pistons etc take a long time to make as they have to be perfect. They also cast manifolds etc. We saw some unique cars in his garage ( I have never heard of half of them!). He is really into the early Chevrolets (up to 1930), but has a 7 litre Dodge for his day car (big as a truck). Also has a one off Chevrolet (circa 1930) that is absolute pure luxury - hope to have a ride in it one day. Thanks for the good wishes and for your efforts in helping with such great weather. I went through a small town called Otane on Saturday - temperature was 38 degrees and tar was melting on the road. R129 now appears as a brown dust heap so will have to wash all the car and engine to remove the dust. Have a great week and happy motoring if you can manage to scrape the snow off the roads. Kind Regards, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: William Ricketts To: Peter S ; SL Mailing List Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 10:45 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 Hi Peter et al; We'll be around 24 degrees C tonight ourselves, minus 24 that is! Bit of a cold snap, but Wilson (98 SL500) is doing very well in the cold...excellent heating system that I will continue to test for cold weather performance. But I do envy your temperature and rally weather, enjoy! Bill Halifax, Canada ----- Original Message ----- From: Peter S To: SL Mailing List Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:43 PM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 Hi Henry, It takes ages, but I have gleaned a lot of production figures etc for Merc Benz Cars off the net, and some of the data sits in files that I have on 3 PC's. Luckily I have a SATA drive backup of all our home and office PC's in case something crashes! However, the figures I grabbed for yesterdays email came from a book by Robert Nitske. He wrote a number of books on Mercedes Benz cars and is the owner of a Wankel C111 (Only about 5 were made) - never went into production. The book I have covers production cars from 1946 to 1995 and has some interesting information - I believe this book is a must for Mercedes Benz enthusiasts. I do have about 50 books on Mercedes Benz Cars though! The book only has production model numbers up to 1992 and there may be a later edition out now as the book keeps getting updated. Wikipedia on the net is also a very interesting source of information, and some of the information is misplaced. For instance, production years for MB cars for 1980 to the present day seems to sit under Mercedes Benz C111 (just google Mercedes Benz C111 - Wiki and you should have the site available to log onto.) There are also sites (reference is in my high speed home PC) that display an array of the fuel use, acceleration details etc of every model from about 1940 to today. You can not download or even print from this site, but, you can view and write out details if required. If interested, I will get the website details for this information. Hope this information helps. Our "Tour de Tararua", Mercedes Benz Rally starts at 5 pm tonight (4 day Rally around the mid lower central North Island of New Zealand), so have just got a Warrant of Fitness (MOT in the UK), and have washed the 123 and the 129 so am all ready and gassed up! Temperature is 24 degrees C at the moment so the rest of the day could be 'warm'. Have a few reports and specifications to write before I can begin the long weekend. Kind Regards, and have a great weekend, Peter S. ----- Original Message ----- From: Mainwari8 at aol.com To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 4:11 AM Subject: Re: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 12 In a message dated 1/14/09 6:47:51 PM, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: From: "Peter S" HI Peter, Read your e mail on the R129 site with interest. I'm interested in getting production figures for all the R129 years (1990-2002) and sales figures for the USA foR those years. I'd appreciate any suggestions you have on sources for this info. Thanks Henry 1998 SL500 ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=DecemailfooterNO62) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The MB Coupes Website! R129 SL Mailing List -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From starfishsailor at mail.com Fri Jan 30 07:09:11 2009 From: starfishsailor at mail.com (Jody Techlin) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:09:11 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] 1996 SL320 Transmission Question Message-ID: <20090130120911.3C719326778@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> Good Morning Group, My new to me 1996 SL320 with approx. 28,500 miles transmission is making / has a gravelly sound most noticeable when idling in gear in the garage. The instant I put the car in Park the sound goes away. The sound is hard to describe but the term gravelly or rattly best describes it. As I understand it 1996 was the first year with this 5 speed electronic transmission. Any ideas about what can be causing this noise? Any idea of the repair or cost of repairs? Prior to purchase I had the car inspected at the MB dealer in Sarasota Florida, the only item they found was seepage at the rear differential cover - transmission fluid noted as OK as was the differential fluid level. I believe the car was making this sound at that time, but cannot recall exactly. I really like the car and am thrilled to own it, as I understand it sometimes cars with very low use over the years can have their own problems, I hope this isn't one of them... But if the noise isn't normal I know I need to take care of it. My much older 190E 2.6 has no trans. sound which is what raised my concern. Best regards, Jody '96 SL320 28.5k '89 190E 2.6 118k -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com From EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com Fri Jan 30 08:28:22 2009 From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com (EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:28:22 EST Subject: [R129 SL] 1996 SL320 Transmission Question Message-ID: Hi Do check if there is any Movement when you select Drive.It could be that on of the Engine or transmissin mounting need replacing.Any slack in the fitting can result that the engine or Gearbox touches the Body or other fitted Parts. regards eddie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gjenner at nc.rr.com Fri Jan 30 09:16:59 2009 From: gjenner at nc.rr.com (George Jenner) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:16:59 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] 1996 SL320 Transmission Question In-Reply-To: <20090130120911.3C719326778@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090130120911.3C719326778@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: Jody, do you know when, or if, the transmission fluid has been changed? I also drive a 1996 SL and because MB did not install any way for a driver to check the fluid in those 1996 transmissions many times a problem which might be seen by checking the color of the fluid will go undetected. My transmission shifts very smoothly and yours should as well. Sometimes a shop can isolate a suspicious sound by listening with a tube similar to how a doctor uses a stethoscope. I think the 1996 model year is a great choice - of course I am a bit biased. Happy Motoring, George From tholind at telus.net Fri Jan 30 10:04:44 2009 From: tholind at telus.net (Tom Lindsay) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:04:44 -0800 Subject: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor Message-ID: <508E1F20693A48EDBD55764C3D757F56@GatewayLaptop> I own a 1991 low miles 500SL and have a need for a passenger sunvisor. The mirror cover is broken on the inside hinge point and MB has advised I must purchase the whole visor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Tom Lindsay tholind at telus.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From denisgautier.46 at gmail.com Fri Jan 30 10:55:55 2009 From: denisgautier.46 at gmail.com (denis gautier) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:55:55 +0100 Subject: [R129 SL] R129 Motor hood Message-ID: <63ea357b0901300755q79db2475rc2eaf83976d039f3@mail.gmail.com> Dear R129 drivers I met a wild pig and damaged the front part including motor hood If somebody living close to Toulouse (France) and owner of a motor hood fills these two conditions, I would be happy to be in touch with! Best regards Denis Gautier -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From BJonesNY at aol.com Fri Jan 30 13:01:12 2009 From: BJonesNY at aol.com (BJonesNY at aol.com) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:01:12 EST Subject: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor Message-ID: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:04:44 -0800 From: "Tom Lindsay" Subject: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor To: Message-ID: <508E1F20693A48EDBD55764C3D757F56 at GatewayLaptop> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I own a 1991 low miles 500SL and have a need for a passenger sunvisor. The mirror cover is broken on the inside hinge point and MB has advised I must purchase the whole visor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Tom Lindsay tholind at telus.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: _http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/r129list/attachments/20090130/34a0325a/attachment.html_ (http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/r129list/attachments/20090130/34a0325a/attachment.html) ------------------------------ Tom, The sunvisor cover and mirror are available in the US for our cars. Left or right Part # 129 810 23 17 (+ 4digit color #) These are available from _www.parts.com_ (http://www.parts.com) and _www.buymbparts.com_ (http://www.buymbparts.com) among others. Cost is around $80 + shipping. Bob Jones Bradenton, FL **************From Wall Street to Main Street and everywhere in between, stay up-to-date with the latest news. (http://aol.com?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000023) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From blueridgemb at gmail.com Fri Jan 30 13:08:50 2009 From: blueridgemb at gmail.com (Jonathan Hodgman) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:08:50 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <49834232.1070602@gmail.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From starfishsailor at mail.com Fri Jan 30 17:04:45 2009 From: starfishsailor at mail.com (Jody Techlin) Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:04:45 -0500 Subject: [R129 SL] SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks Message-ID: <20090130220445.48056BE407B@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> Hello All, I want to thank all of you who responded to my question this morning regarding the gravelly / rattle sound of my SL320 transmisison. I will have to check tohe possiblility of motor, transmission mount problems as well as the possible bussings in teh shifter linkage. The car does run through the gears fine - no problems there. Also, I did not mention that the previous owner did leave some records with the car, one showing a transmission fluid and filter change in May of 2006 with 20,847 miles - the car now has approx. 28,500 miles so it does not have that many miles on the fluid. One person (Fred) mentioned having a similar problem on his ML that resulted in a need to replace the transmission, I hope that is not the case but still need to find out what the problem is... Again, thank you all for your input. When I find out what is causing the problem I will report back to you. Any further ideas you may have will be appreciated. The sound is not deep, just gravelly / rattley. Regards, Jody -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com From EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com Sat Jan 31 03:09:05 2009 From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com (EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com) Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:09:05 EST Subject: [R129 SL] SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks Message-ID: Do also check the Catalyc Converter which may cause the Rattling noise when car is under Load,They can make such Noise eddie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From RLinsdell at aol.com Sat Jan 31 18:07:02 2009 From: RLinsdell at aol.com (RLinsdell at aol.com) Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:07:02 EST Subject: [R129 SL] R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 19 Message-ID: Hello all, Tom Lindsay who is asking for information on the sunvisor availability and the answer supplied by Bob Jones who supplied the part number leads me to a further question. I recently needed to buy the rubber gator that sits at the bottom of the radio antenna and a follower for the external offside mirror to allow the electric motor to adjust the mirror and my attempts to source part numbers and descriptions was very hard until I found the friendly Chris Righton of MB Spares in Canberra. With that hurdle safely overcome, he also told me MB used to sell a CD for Spare parts but it is not available at present - if anyone has a copy and can send me it - or tell me where I can find a copy for a 1990 500SL I would appreciate it. Some of the interior parts on my car are looking tired and I would like to replace them (including the sun visor mirror coincidentally :-)). Robert of Sydney Australia. In a message dated 1/02/2009 4:16:25 A.M. AUS Eastern Daylight Time, r129list-request at mbcoupes.com writes: Send R129LIST mailing list submissions to r129list at mbcoupes.com To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/r129list or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to r129list-request at mbcoupes.com You can reach the person managing the list at r129list-owner at mbcoupes.com When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of R129LIST digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: Passenger side sunvisor (BJonesNY at aol.com) 2. Re: Passenger side sunvisor (Jonathan Hodgman) 3. SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks (Jody Techlin) 4. Re: SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks (EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:01:12 EST From: BJonesNY at aol.com Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 07:04:44 -0800 From: "Tom Lindsay" Subject: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor To: Message-ID: <508E1F20693A48EDBD55764C3D757F56 at GatewayLaptop> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I own a 1991 low miles 500SL and have a need for a passenger sunvisor. The mirror cover is broken on the inside hinge point and MB has advised I must purchase the whole visor. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Tom Lindsay tholind at telus.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: _http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/r129list/attachments/20090130/34a0325a/atta chment.html_ (http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/r129list/attachments/20090130/34a0325a/atta chment.html) ------------------------------ Tom, The sunvisor cover and mirror are available in the US for our cars. Left or right Part # 129 810 23 17 (+ 4digit color #) These are available from _www.parts.com_ (http://www.parts.com) and _www.buymbparts.com_ (http://www.buymbparts.com) among others. Cost is around $80 + shipping. Bob Jones Bradenton, FL **************From Wall Street to Main Street and everywhere in between, stay up-to-date with the latest news. (http://aol.com?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000023) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:08:50 -0500 From: Jonathan Hodgman Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Passenger side sunvisor To: SL Mailing List Message-ID: <49834232.1070602 at gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:04:45 -0500 From: "Jody Techlin" Subject: [R129 SL] SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks To: mercedes at mercedesmailinglist.com, "SL LIST" Message-ID: <20090130220445.48056BE407B at ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello All, I want to thank all of you who responded to my question this morning regarding the gravelly / rattle sound of my SL320 transmisison. I will have to check tohe possiblility of motor, transmission mount problems as well as the possible bussings in teh shifter linkage. The car does run through the gears fine - no problems there. Also, I did not mention that the previous owner did leave some records with the car, one showing a transmission fluid and filter change in May of 2006 with 20,847 miles - the car now has approx. 28,500 miles so it does not have that many miles on the fluid. One person (Fred) mentioned having a similar problem on his ML that resulted in a need to replace the transmission, I hope that is not the case but still need to find out what the problem is... Again, thank you all for your input. When I find out what is causing the problem I will report back to you. Any further ideas you may have will be appreciated. The sound is not deep, just gravelly / rattl ey. Regards, Jody -- Be Yourself @ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:09:05 EST From: EDDIEFISCHER at aol.com Subject: Re: [R129 SL] SL320 Transmission Question - Thanks To: r129list at mbcoupes.com Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Do also check the Catalyc Converter which may cause the Rattling noise when car is under Load,They can make such Noise eddie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: End of R129LIST Digest, Vol 49, Issue 19 **************************************** **************From Wall Street to Main Street and everywhere in between, stay up-to-date with the latest news. (http://aol.com?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000023) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: