Oil change advice
 

I have a '86 Sl that i bought in 2002 at a 140,000 clicks. It now has 143,ooo clicks on it and it took 4 years to put the 3 thousand clicks on it. It sits on a white rug in my garage and i don't drive it and when i do i make sure it gets a fairly good run. I use syntetic oil, but should i still change the oil once a year even though it doesn't get used much is my question . I'm not going to lie to you guys but i've always wanted one of these cars and now that i'm debt free, kids gone and successfull i bought one and man she's a real beauty. But honestly if i would of been hanging around here reading the forums before i bought it i really don't think i would of bought it. Why, cause reading what all you experience guys write on these forums i 've come to conclude that a guy has to have more money then brains to own of of these. For example reading what you guys are saying it looks like it's time to put a timing chain on, well there goes another 2-3 grand and reading here it looks like the AC can be a problem then reading here again well the cruise controls are a hassel, man oh man are we talking money pit here? I'll never sell it and it's in my will that my grandaughter get's it but holy lord mabye i should tell her the real facts of owning one of these when i'm on my death bed :scream: Thanks guys always interesting readng this forum----Louis

Louie, did you want to discuss oil or philosophy?

I think most of us already know and understand the effort and related expense when trying to keep these cars alive.

Louis,

You have to read forum posts in context, on average people are doing thousands of trouble free miles. They generally post here when something goes wrong.
If you buy a basket case or dont maintain an old car properly its going to cost big money to put right and usually more than the car is worth.
Putting low mileage on these cars has as much impact as regular oil changes, if its got 143k on it already you might as well add a load more and enjoy the car on the road.....in my opinion ;-)

I drive my car only in the summer months and put on about 2500 miles per year. I use synthetic oil and change oil / filter every 2nd spring. When the car does get used, it gets fully warmed up. No oil related problems. I wouldn't hesitate to drive the car more, but I also love to motorcycle and choose to ride whenever the weather permits.

Ok good, sounds like every 2nd season is good and that's the answer i was hopng to get cause i was changing it every summer. Thanks Louis

EXPENSIVE yes! FUN YESSS! I do have to agree a bit after the 7k i just threw @ my 95 sl500 its A money pit. And there are still things that need to be addresses. My wife wanted a 560 i inststed on the 500 its still a beauty buts likes to feel loved with an open pocketbook! Get out and enjoy her! If shes too much to handle get another with lower miles :)

Ha at least some ones having fun with me on this ha . Bad part about it is i don't like playing around with some thing i don't much about and here where i am in Alberta i'm having a hard time finding some one to work on it that a guy can trust and has respect for our toy. Like right now i'm having light problems and i can't drive it cause it has no signals and no brake lights. Some one took out the 4 headlights and put in the Euro style head lights but didn't do a good job and be darned if i'm gonna stick my mit's in there with no wiring diagram and really screw it up, so i might of mabye found some one in Edmonton through the Benz club here in Alberta. Thanks for the support -Louis

Thats easy, spend the $25 bucks and by the MB repair CD. The repair is probably easy and cheap if you do little and research on your own.

Well actually
I find these cars to be very robust. However they are 20 years old and that has to be considered when purchased.

In general once you complete the restorative tasks like most rubber, Timing chain and rails etc. The car will run for another 20 years fairly trouble free. The AC system is the only real week part.

I purchased my 1988 560SL at 100K miles and have put 40K more on it in the last 3 years. In the first 3 months I did about $2000. in parts but havent had any significant trouble since. I do my own work so that helps alot but I do find the car reliable.

John Roncallo

The repair CD will make one invent curse words that don't exist. Nothing like looking for info about rear springs on a 450SL, and find all you ever wanted to know about the 450SEL 6.9 hydropnuematic suspension.

Not mention the print quality looks like something a five year old would do.

I was at Mercedes in Calgary yesterday to get some anti freeze cause i just put in a brand new rad and priced out a cd that they had in stock and was 150 bucks but i kind of want the book instead. Ya Roncallo,when i was looking to buy my Benz i phoned Pheonix Az and some girl there answered the phone and we had a good conversation and she told me the same as you that they are 20 years old and every one that leaves the shop there had a nice bill attached to it, but she's a keeper for me ----louis

Testing to see if pictures make it here.She was all in pieces - paint alone was 2500 bucks - has 5 coats of clear . The body man said she's a real good car had no rust at all, rocker panels ect. put a brand new rad and not 3rd party it was a grand and had to come from Toronto and also put in a brand new inside door panel which was a gr and had to come right from Frankfurt. So at the same time i told him to lub the power windows while he had it apart and re sealed it all inside. Cost was 26 gr.

Great looking car! Nice wheels........now change the oil.....

The info. is there (most of the time), you just have to be diligent to find it.

And yes I agree, the print quality is piss, piss poor. Sometimes incomplete, sometimes wrong, sometimes incoherent. If you can get past all that, it's indispensable.

You can order CD from MB for about $20+ bucks. Also available on Ebay for about the same +/-.

The books can be bought for on Ebay also, usually in the $100+/- range. Might take a few weeks to pop up for sale, but they show up all the time.