is the mercedes sl only for rich people or what?

How rare is it to find a SL convertible 1972-1989 in good driving shape for $9000?

I went to cars-on-line.com and they had almost 100 sl's in this price. If I bought one of these, what am I looking at most likely as far as maintence and repair costs and such?

8-10k is all the money I have to spend on a car, and I only make 9 dollars a hour at work. I was thinking about getting a 70's model Corvette but when I seen these convertible SL's at these prices it made me curious. I would prefer the SL over the vette, I'm just wondering if it's something I can actually afford. I mean I'd hate to buy a 10,000 SL and get it home and have it break down 6 months later and then have to put 5k into getting it runing again. I'm just trying to be realistic and make the best choice between a old vette or a old benz.

So do you guys think the SL's are out of my league?

[sdent]

The 107 Body Style can definitely be had for a good deal. I picked up a 1987 560 SL in great condition, although the engine had 234,000 miles. The engine checked out well at time of purchase, but since then (only one year ago) I have spent about $6500. The oiler tubes became blocked on one bank of cylinders and during the repair, my mechanic noticed that I had a bent rod. Anything in the lower unit is extremely pricey and at that point, you may as well look for a replacement engine, which I did. Found one with 77K for $3200 vs a rebuilt at $6500 - $7500. Typically the engine is bullet proof and I've had three mercedes mechanics note that my engine was the first they'd seen with a damaged lower unit.

Check the other threads, YOU WILL DEFINITELY SPEND MONEY, to keep a vehicle this age in good working condition. I think my expenses are on the extreme end, but I now have a great looking, strong running vehicle. I often think that if I had spent $15,000 up front for a good vehicle with around 100k, Id be further ahead. It's a gamble.

[kpr]

count on at least 3 to 5 k depending on model an mileage.

for example - if you buy a 380sl with single timing chain and do a conversion to a dual row - that is 2300 to 3000 right there.

labor rates for mercedes including independent shops are between 50 and 70 per hour.

parts are more expensive than us cars.

special tools are often required to deal with complex systems.

if you are spending 9k on the car...count on spending at least half as much over the next 24 months - not always the case, but that is how much you should budget.

[sdent]

Oh yeah, I paid $8,100 for the car a year ago.

[ericdee]

Plan on spending at lease 3k right out of the door, on getting the car set-up the way you want it.

[Robert Mowbray]

Good deals can be found. Before I bought my '80 450sl 16 months ago, I was prepared to spend many months looking for the right car. I had $12K to spend, but knew that any 20 year old car was going to need some work, so I limited myself to $10K for the car (actually paid $9750) and wanted to keep the rest for a good check up and minor repairs. I found mine on the internet by doing a Google search. Unfortunately, the prices and conditions are all over the board. I've seen them for as much as $35K for an early '80's sl to as little as $3K. Just be careful!! If you are willing to drive a couple hours and don't have to have one right NOW, be patient, and the right one will come along. Keep in mind also that these things are gas hogs (12-15mph) using premium gas or octane booster and if you plan on driving it every day, it can be expensive just to run back and forth to work. Best of luck, and keep us up to date!! BOB

If you're choosing between a Corvette and a 450SL/380SL, do some heavy thinking about how important acceleration is to the way you drive.

One of the most recurring threads on all the SL forum and lists is "How can I increase the performance of my SL?" There is no cheap way to do it.

SL's have great high speed cruising characteristics and snob appeal, but lack in transitional handling and 0-60 runs. If that's consistent with your values, look for '73-74 or '77-79 450SLs (I'd avoid '75-76 due to the cat converter being in the engine compartment and '80 or newer because they have the "economy" rear end ratio) and set aside $3000 of your budget in a savings account for "contingencies." Exclude any with:
- rust bubbles under the paint or rust holes in the trunk floor
- excessive oil burning upon acceleration after a long decelleration
- uneven or low cylinder compression
- weird engine noises (there's no such thing as a good noise).

[The Black Guy]

Is it just me? I paid under 12K for my '83 380SL in 1999. It had less than 115,000 miles. Maintenance has averaged about $200 per year. The only large item that I had to replace was the CAT. (That cost me $300.) sdent is corect in that the engine is bulletproof, if maintained properly.

Now with 135,000 miles, the car still has no problems.

[kip Foss]

Try looking at www.collectorcartraderonline.com. There are 100's of sls and at least 100 slcs. Have a close look at the slc. They are basically the same car but more stylish (the lines are smoother) than the sl and they are half the price. I bought a 1977 slc in great condition for $4,000. I put another $700 in repairs and about $1,000 for new seat covers. The car looks mint now.

What Doc says about the difference in acceleration between the 'Vet and the sl is correct. The MBs are designed for sustained high speed Autobahn type driving as is common in Europe. Only the Americans can affort the jack rabbit starts that makes a 'Vet shine. Still, the 450 engine will pull you fron 0 to 140 faster than you can pay the speeding ticket. I had my 280slc up to near 140mph and it felt like it still had more left in it.

The MBs are pricey to repair I will give you that, but under normal conditions they should give you well over 250k miles before there anything major comes up. The trouble is that some of the minor stuff can give you heart failure. A fan clutch (just the part, not including the labor) costs about $260 while the same for a Chevy is probably less than $60. If my engine ever fails, as in throws a rod or the like, I definately will convert it to a 5 liter Ford.

I'm not at all interested in things such as acceleration or speed, i don't plan to do any racing, only follow the speed limits. I guess the thing that attracts me most to cars is the outside beauty of the lines and curves.

I'm suprised you mentioned putting a Ford motor in your MB. Alot of people on here seem to really frown on that. At what point does a Mercedes stop being a Mercedes in your opinion? I mean I love the car for what it is, but I also love the heritage and prestige that the name carrys with it.

Which would you think would last the longest, a brand new Ford crate motor, or a rebuilt MB motor? I seen rebuilt ones being sold on sites on the web for 6k and have seen brand new Ford crate motors being sold for 3k. So my question is, would the MB rebuilt motor last twice as long as a brand new crate since it costs twice as much?

Also I seen a MB that was owned by Chubby Checker for sale on the net, and it has fiberglass body panels. Have any of you heard of that idea before? It seems like it'd be great not to have to worry about rust anymore.

[elau]

larrygold,
Fiber glass panel? That will go back to the question that you asked earlier. When is a MB not a MB any more when you start replacing OEM parts? Bear in mind too, a '80 vintage SL is approaching historic car satus. Anything less than original just does not feel the same to me.
You gotta buy what appeals to you. You are the one live with it. Whether it is a Vette of a SL. I personally will pick the SL over the "Chevy".

[cbdo]

A Vette is standard Detroit technology, adapted to a specific purpose as a sports car. A Mercedes is designed and built quite differently, and while it can last amazingly with the right maintenance is both less forgiving of maintenance deficits and more expensive to fix when it breaks.
Having said that, if you're into doing some of your own work, the Mercedes is by no means impossible for an owner to work on--especially the 450, which is overall a remarkably bulletproof engine. I'd aim for a 76, 77 or 78, and check a few specific equipment points on any candidate car; there's some advantage in avoiding the engine-compartment catalytic converter, and definite advantage in avoiding the automatic climate control systems. The 76 and later 450 has Bosch K-Jetronic CIS fuel injection that's easier to work on than the earlier D-Jetronic.
Ultimately, a lot of it comes down to issues that can be dealt with if you decide the car's worth the effort, so the big factor should be which one gives you a real charge to drive.

[Mark Herzig]

the '79 450SL is the best of the lot.

[tecqboy]

In my experience, everything about these vehicles costs about 4 times more than a domestic vehicle. Relying on the local Mercedes dealership for service could bankrupt an Indian chief. If you are knowledgable about cars and can do the maintenance work yourself, you can save substantially, but even simple rountine maintenance parts like air filters, oil filters, brake parts, etc. are still expensive and not available at Wal-Mart. Last fall, some *** backed into my grille while I was at work and dented it badly. A new grille for my SL costs $600. A new grille for a Mustang is about $200. Enough said. Tod

[kip Foss]

Like you I enjoy the slc for its lines. I had a BMW 3.0 csi that I brought back from the Middle East along with a MB 280 slc. I bought both of these simply because of the was they looked, not for the preformance.

If my 450 engine failed to the point of having to replace it I would try the engine swap because it would be an interesting project. To me the MB is a lovely car, relatively comfortable to drive, and a good preformer. But, by the same token, it is not a god. I don't feel any reverence for its history or awe in its lineage. With the hood closed, I still have a MB slc that will run with the best of them and cost a fraction to repair. With the hood open I have a very interesting car that purests might scoff at, but one that auto enthusiasts would be impressed with.

To see their value to the automotive public, and even MB fans, check out their sale prices on the net. Even though slcs are, to me, rarer, better looking and certainly more practical than sls, they are half the price of the convertables. This tells me that appearance is more costly than function. And after all, in our society, appearance is what sells. Just look at the politicians and media stars.

I would say that the important thing about an engine is not which one would last longer but what it costs you drive 250k miles. If you are looking at $260 for a MB fan clutch vs. $60 for a Ford, or $1,500 for a fuel distribution unit vs. a third of that to repair a Ford fuel injections system I would have to go with the Ford.

On top of this, if one is interested in slightly better preformance (dare I say that word?) Ford, and any other US v-8 has it all over MB. From what I have seen there is virtually no speed equip. available for MB engines-certainly compared to a US v-8. Hell, even Honda has more that MB.

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