No rattles if I have the sunroof tilted up; or when it rattles, I'd tilt the roof up & close it down and it would stop it.
Some creaking sound from rear right door as the weather changes.
Don't know how to remove the head liner so I guess I'm stuck with this rattling roof.

Frank.

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'86 560SEL | Silver Ext. / Blue Int. | 201K miles (Apr. 05) | 204K miles (Feb. 06)

Since this post/thread is old, I have a lot of updates and I am sure others do as well.

Well, finally now that I have a Mercedes, *I* can report about my car. My 85' 380SE is 100% squeak and rattle free, but it does have some creaking from the trim on some of the door panels, when the interior is cold, which seems to be extremely common on the W126 models, so nothing out of the ordinary. Not sure if it the actual plastic parts that hold the panels on that is causing the noises or not. Also, the dash cover that the PO had installed will creak from time to time. Not bad at all for a 20 year old car, with 264K.

My Lexus LS400, and Buick Park Avenue that I posted before are all gone. I sold them all a while back.

Unfortunately, the Lexus had developed a lot of interior "pops", from the door panels and dash board panels, but I think it was my fault. Upon someones recommendations, I used "Lexol" leather conditioner on my dash and door panels. I was told it was good for them. Was I fooled. Only a few days later, the "ticking" and "popping" began. The Lexol had hardened the panels severely, hence the popping and ticking when I would hit bumps. I sold the car and the girl that bought it, crashed it a month later. She had it repaired, then blew the engine a few weeks later- as she told me last time she saw me.

I have added two cars to my fleet since then, as well as the Mercedes, which I have commented on.

I like old cars and last year I bought two old cars- a 1973 Pontiac Grand Ville Custom 4dr and a 1969 Chevrolet Caprice 4dr, both of which I will comment on.

The 1969 Caprice is totally amazing. Even over big bumps, it is still 100%+ squeak and rattle free - inside and out. It has 119K. Pretty amazing for an old American car to be this solid.

The 1973 Grand Ville is also pretty solid, but it has a squeak or two from one window and a rattle when the interior is cold.

Anyone else have any updates? Another Mercedes purchase or any other interior rattles/squeaks developed?

after raving about my Lexus being 100% squeak and rattle free, a few months before I sold it, it had developed several interior "pops", especially from the dash. I think it was my fault though, because I used "Lexol" on the dash and interior panels, as recommended to me by another LS400 owner. It made my dash pad and door panels very unpliable. It had developed NUMEROUS dash and door panel "ticks" and "pops", as I mentioned above- I do not know why I mentioned this again.

86560SEL try putting a couple of rags or something like that on the plastic door sills and see if that quites them down. I keep mine clean with 303 and that eliminates a lot or the squeaking.

The SDL has one squeak that is very annoying, on very hot days the passangers side piller must come in contact with the dash and makes a little noise. if I shoot some 303 at it it stops for awhile. Other then that not bad for a 19 year old car.

My moms 96 Olds sounds like it is coming apart on rough roads. What panal doesn't make noise in that pos.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Thanks I will try that "303" as soon as I can find some. I have looked EVERYWHERE locally, but cannot find any at all. I was looking for some for my older cars, as it was recommended to me by some folks on the BCA forums (Buick Club of America - from when I had my old Electra). I had one auto parts store clerk (O'Reilly) say that he had never heard of the "303".

Ditto on the Oldsmobile. Ironically, my mom has a 97' Oldsmobile as well. It has 145K and has a LOT of interior rattles. Not so bad about 4 years ago when she first got it, but I remember driving my grandpa and uncle in it shortly after she got it on a long and rough country road. My uncle was going to look at a truck for his business. Seems like after that is when the car had the excessive rattles. We have gotten used to them. Whats ironic is that the interior still looks like new.

Where can this stuff be bought?

I put strips of surgical tape along the bottom edges of the doors where they hit the sill. It holds well and the squeaks stopped.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Any marine store will have it, try West Marine.

My moms Olds was bought in 99 with only 10k 98 year old grandma miles on it. It was a rattle trap since day one. They difference was shocking when I had my Camry. The Camry was 3 years older with 100k more miles and twice the car. Better brakes, better suspension, smoother car all around, and ergonomics that put the Olds to shame. No wonder GM is in trouble, the Toyota sold for $500 less new then the Olds did as well.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

"303 Protectant" can also be ordered from "www.************************" or purchased at most RV dealers. You could also order it from "Camping World".

88 560SL 118K,1 skweak from the fake plastic dash cover (9)
93 Ford Taurus 220K, 1 from the rear end when going over a bump (9)
92 Ford F150 160K, none (10)

John Roncallo

Excellent! Would be nice to find some locally though. May have to order it though. I wonder if Car Quest would carry it? Probably not, but I will have to check them out tomorrow.

'85 560SL, 92K. I'd give it an 8, especially considering it's age and considering that it's a convertible. My ex's LeBaron convertible had cowl shake that you could see, it looked like the cabin of an airplane in turbulence, twisting back and forth.

Most squeaks come from the seats, unless they are in certain positions.

I should mention that I have very newish bilstein comfort shox, F+R subframe mounts, exhaust hangers, etc.

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86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

I should mention that my 97 135K mile Taurus is surprisingly good, although the suspension feels worn (haven't really maintained it). The strangest squeak comes from the steering wheel when turning, which has gotten much worse recently. Still, for what I paid for it and how well it has held up under "deferred maintenance", I can't complain. I'd give it a 6.

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86 560SL
With homebrew first gear start!
85 380SL
Daily Driver Project

http://juliepalooza.8m.com/sl/mercedes.htm

'90 300E sold at 175K , no rattles.
'92 300E Sportline 231K , no rattles.
'93 300E Sportline 254K , no rattles.

Steve

99 SL 500 only rattles and squeaks after switching tops, takes a few miles for the tops to settle on the seals, my guess.Then is all good and quiet.Taking in consideration that this is a sport car with a very stiff suspension and is design to hug the road and all the imperfections on it I still rate it a 10, there is not any loose parts moving around in the cabin making any noise. But you can feel the road as if you were touching it.

Sounds like you have some good ones.

BTW - small world.... I see that you live in Johnson City - I am in Bristol.

1986 420 sEl, 148,000 miles.
squeaks in the area of the front doors , especially when cold. Same as others report. I look forward to trying some of the remidies suggested. Otherwise, car is rattle-free. It's structurally stiff for it's era, but newer cars have it beat all over in this regard. I can feel it reacting to bumps at times, etc.