But there's a lot of great cars out there. Nothing wrong with searching for the one that best suites your needs and driving style. The 99 V8, a 113 motor, isn't really modified, it's completely redone. Performance numbers are similar to the prior 119 motor but they are very different motors. The 113 motor is significantly improved and significantly cheapened. It gets better fuel economy and has lower maintenance. It also doesn't sound as good and probably won't last as long. It has been criticized for not being built to be rebuilt. You just need to drive them both and see if you have a preference. Same is true for the six - there is a performance tradeoff and you just need to drive it. 1997 was the last year of the SL320, with a straight six, never came with a V6 in the U.S. If it was me in the range you have specified I would go for a 96 SL320 - the only way in to avoid a 722.6 transmission in the range you specified.