New SL320 (Well new for me)

[jskibo]

I broke down and finally bought one!! I got a '95 SL320 with 86K on it at a decent price. Midnight Blue and tan.

So besides the wheels (those 8 spokes will have to go soon), what else should I be doing? Anything good to change at this mileage? How's the 320 for mileage (damn gas prices....I'm used to my cheap deisel)?

This will be an occaisional driver. I go 36 miles each way to work so that is what the 190D is for most days.

I can't wait to pick this thing up a week from Saturday!!

[jjrodger]

Congratulations: beautiful car in a great colour combination.

I use my SL as a daily driver. The car was built for such use and will thrive on it. Personally I would keep the 8-hole wheels; I think they are the finest wheel MB has ever designed and look great on the 129 chassis. I recently had all of the fluids and filters (engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid) changed on my car, along with discs and pads. This was an expensive job but in my view worth it. At 77k miles I have been assured the springs, shocks and suspension rubbers are a long way from replacement.

You may want to keep an eye on the head gasket on your car as I understand they are prone to leaks on the 24valve straight six at about 100k miles.

Good luck. Post some pics!

[Bruce Hat]

Congrats. Good luck and enjoy your SL. Great time of the year for top down riding around, enjoy.

[elau]

Congrat!!

I have the same car, mine is white with light grey hide. Absolutely love mine. I only drive mine on sunny days, guess I babied mine too much

[jskibo]

Thanks!!

On the gasket issue, is it worth retorquing the head bolts at some interval (say 30K) to try and keep this from happening?

I'll try to get some pictures up when I get it home. 9 hour drive...Just wish I didn't have to have the hardtop on the whole time

The 8-holes might grow on me...We'll see.

White was my first choice (My daughter wanted red), but the blue looked good

[jskibo]

A picture

[cbdo]

Sweeeeeet! That's one great-looking Benz.

[LeaUK]

Welcome to the club jskibo - very nice. I'm sure you just can't wait to get in and drive her every day.

Question is, are you going to update the front and rear lenses to post '98 ?? Very easy to do and not particularly expensive. Just wondered?


Lea

[jskibo]

Learoy, those look great. I was going to swap the headlights for the E-codes, but now it looks like I will have a bit more to swap at the same time. BTW, nice color on yours!

[jskibo]

Well I'm off to Houston Saturday morning to pick it up and drive it home. Wave if you see me running up 45 then 35 back to Kansas Only wish I could have the top of for the drive. It looks like good weather. Oh Well, plenty of days to come!

[G-Benz]

Originally posted by jskibo
On the gasket issue, is it worth retorquing the head bolts at some interval (say 30K) to try and keep this from happening?

Nope. The head bolts are designed to stretch once torque specs are reached. You will only further stretch the bolts, not seal the engine halves any better.

Your service intervals on the 6-cyl may be easier on the pocket than the V-8 configuration, due to shared components with the other straight-6 models using that configuration, and the easier access when performing services...the V-8 (and V-12) are in especially tight confines.

I too like the 8-hole wheels...the only wheel style better suited for the R129 would be the AMGs...

[jskibo]

I brought the car home from Houston last night. 9 Hours Houston to Wichita with a few stretches at 110mph in there.

Overall the car is in great shape. The Texas sun has done a number on the plastic windows, so I will replace the top this summer sometime. The winshield bow actuators (for the top locks) leak, but they have ordered 2 new ones and will send them to me (I didn't want to wait to have the labor there, so I will do it myself) also, the washer pump is out. I had waited while they put a new top ECU and A/C relay in it.

Interior is clean, no cuts, rips or marks.

Paint is in good shape, one dime sized ding on the drivers door.

Engine an tranny are strong. I think I've been driving a diesel too long as the 3.2 6cylinder was plenty fast for me. Revs hard and gets to 110 plenty quick for me. Passing is a breeze. For its weight, the car feels very agile. Its running on some Bridgestone Eagers right now which are noisy. I didn't notice today until I had the top down, so I will find something a little better to skin it with.

I see why you love these cars now

I had it out on around town today and now I'm sunburned Worth it though!!!! The car gets a lot of looks. THen again, I do live in Wichita :p

So where's a good place to order the top from??

[DavidSoine]

Originally posted by jskibo
Engine an tranny are strong. I think I've been driving a diesel too long as the 3.2 6cylinder was plenty fast for me. Revs hard and gets to 110 plenty quick for me. Passing is a breeze.

LOL! I remember our 85 300D (turbo) seemed like a rocket compared to our 79 300D (naturally asp.)...

Did you check fuel economy on the trip up to Kansas?


Dave
87 560sl

[jskibo]

I was getting 24mpg with my foot in it Mostly 85 - 90mph all the way.

[KenSilver]

Congratulations! A nice-looking car - but aren't they all!

You got 24mpg on a trip? I should be so lucky... about 16 town and 20 trip is my limit, and that's at our legal speed of 60mph.

One thing I noticed driving mine after coming back today from overseas and using a rental, was how quiet the SL is. Even with the softop on, I can barely hear the engine and road noise is minimal.

Now maybe I'm suffering a bit from jet lag, but I don't know... this model keeps on surprising me at every turn.

Hope you have a long and enjoyable time with yours, and if you don't it'll be because you upgraded to another!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons: http://www.kensilver.com/SL
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate (my wife's)
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver
~1991 Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather, best in country!
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.