Why I shouldn't buy this 500SL?
 

There's a '98 500SL for sale locally, 110,000 miles, salvage title, cracked windshield, ticking lifter, hardtop cannot be removed at present, trunk lid not original, needs paint job on one side, $8500. Story is the car is that it was getting some light bodywork repairs done and was left outside with the top off during a rainstorm. Owner claimed for water damage, insurance company wrote off the car.

In spite of all that needs doing, I sat in that car tonight and...damn it felt good. It was my first time.

Anyway, spoke to a local Merecedes repair shop (not a dealership) and mechanic told me the lifters are hydraulic and can bleed down if car sits for a while...lifter ticking noise may go away after driving for 20 minutes. Hardtop issue may be the hydraulics...mechanic said i need deep pockets if thats the case. He recommended a late 80's 560SL over the 90's cars.

Someone talk some sense into me please...I am so tempted to buy that 500SL. Going to look at a '73 450 SL in the morning, 145k miles, far from perfect but is a daily driver...$2900 including hardtop. Perhaps this car will be more sensible...

By the way...has anyone been watching what people are bidding for SL's on eBay lately? Aside from the horendous prices for the pre-70's models, the 70's and 80's models are going up in value and the 90's cars just don't seem to be getting anywhere near their reserve prices.

Here's why...
 

The car with the salvage title is priced $7500 too high!

The $2900 car is priced more realistically depending on the actual relaibility.


Good luck!

You shouldn't buy it because it has a "salvage title". Cripes, why anyone buys those cars is a mystery to me. The backstory behind those cars is usually BS, your insurance company won't like you driving it, and if you ever decide to sell it, you won't be able to. It's a disasterous situation.

Thanks guys...I will come to my senses now. I looked at the '73 450SL early this morning...it is riddled with rust and problems...I think its too far gone so that's not going to happen either. The owner may keep it if he doesn't get any good offers so I gave him the link to this site and told him what an incredible wealth of knowledge you guys have.

There's a '79 450SLC for sale locally...208,000 miles with some (supposedly) minor issues for $1900 and I saw an incredibly clean looking '88 SEC on a lot yesterday but I'm going to keep looking for a convertible...

The market at this point appears to value the late R107 more than an early R129.

I suspect it's the viewpoint that the R107 is a simpler car.

The hydraulics on a R129 can cost up to $6k to refurbish. You can do it yourself for around $2k for the parts. Do a search, there are also rebuilders that sell a set of rams for much less. The manual R107 top is a welcome setup by comparision.

There's lots more support for the R107 for the hobbyist, due it's sheer numbers and long life.

I own a R107, and have wheel time in a R129, as a good friend has one.

If it were a cost no object equation, the R129 is a real kick! However, since I have neither deep pockets, nor a personal mechanic, I'm much happier with my R107!

Both are great cars, and offer much the same experience.

Two points, for the R129, get the V-8!, and the older R107s are all up for some serious maintance work, like front end joints and rubber replacement, which needs to be factored into the price.

Jim

Get a R107
 

They are still "giving" those away here in San Diego,
They litter the streets, park them outside, allow them to rot. Others are in garages.
Ex. 450SL US version (4,500), 350SL Euro 4spd 102K (4,000) 560SL Pristine 1 owner 92K (12,000) (original price out the door in 1988 was 45K) She wanted... not needed...... a "new car". Actual purchases 12-6 months ago.

There are crazy people here in California, everybody knows that. They change cars with the seasons.
be quiet and come and get them.
The more you pay the more valuable mine are.
Do I need to mention NO rust?

The 113's have been scooped up by the Europeans with suitcases full of hundreds. I witnessed a 24K stack on a 113 I maintained for 12 years.
This makes ownership worth it.

A "cheap" SL is a lie.

IF they are cheap at purchase price, then they need lots of work.

Buy one with a good history and pay fair market - otherwise you are going to be your mechanics best friend.

UNLESS you are buying for restoration project......then, go with the 107.

Buying an SL
 

Please read my post of about two years ago as it lists what you will need to do when you buy an SL. Any SL but particularly the 560.

They are fantastic cars but figure on spending a minimum of $3000 over the purchase price to get it into shape. Thats if you buy a good one at the fair market price!

The tick is probably a blown-out oil "bridge." The top could be anything from a fuse to a micro switch to a control unit. You could get someone to pull the codes and find out. It's true there are parts that can eat you alive, but they are great cars.

If it drives OK and the CEL isn't on, try a 5K offer. 8.5K is too much.

Don't buy it!

Cut the price in half and it may be worth considering.

If that's the one on CL, I'd pass. That car has been offered up for months, and nobody is biting.

SLCs are not going to be valuable in my lifetime 9and possibly yours), get the SL, and at least have the convertible factor.

Jim

SLC prices
 

http://http://www.bhmotorcars.com/inventory.php?make=30

There is a 6.9 there that I have been eyeing for a year and the price is dropping on it

This place just sold a 250SEc for my friend

Just to add to the salvage title discussion, I have two friends who bought salvage title vehicles within the last year. One was a 911 that came with a story like the 500sl's story, minor problems that got out of hand, another was a newer Pontiac that was clearly disclosed that it was in a flood. Both have run into way too many problems to justify the $$$ saved. Both cars, especially the Pontiac have had numerous gremlins that have kept them off of the road about 90% of the time. Even when things seem right, you wouldn't want to go far from home without a backup plan! The only way I could see buying a salvage title car is if it was something like a $1500 car you were getting for $400! (That's assuming that it runs!)

Oil bridge?
 

I'm going to heed all this good advice but i am curious - someone suggested the ticking in the engine was 'a blown out oil bridge'. What is that and how do you fix it?

X2. Hey LUVMBD- I might have to bring the SEL on Saturday....