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Originally Posted by frosty
Now that I've been bitten by the SL bug, I've been entertaining the idea of owning one--not anytime soon though, but at least the dream is actually realistic from a purchasing standpoint.
I've always liked the R129, and if I were to get one I'll gor for the 300SL or SL320 rather than the 8-cylinder models. My budget would probably limit my model year to 1994, '95 or later if I I'm lucky. I prefer at least a '94, as I understand there were some minor cosmetic changes, and I believe that's when M-B redid their nomenclature, so that would be the first year of the SL320. What were some of these changes? I know the last years of the R129 the changes were slightly noticeable; for one, the lower wide-body side moldings look a lot sleeker and more blended in with the body of the car.
From an ownership standpoint, is the R129 affordable to own? Or is this a silly question because the answer is obviously a NO? If I can do my own oil changes, that would be a plus to justify my purchasing decision. Eh, I'm talking as if I can buy one now. If I'm really irresponsible and foolish, I can dump some money and buy an early model one (seems the avg price for early 90s is in the 10k range). Funny, I see a lot of 500 models, and they seem quite affordable, relatively speaking. Must be the gas crunch. That's the thing, I don't want a 500SL even though they are top of the line and probably worth more. Ah, I'll wait, do my research, access my finances, have a reality check before I commit. This waiting is a plus since prices might or will drop. Any pointers on what to buy and what to look for is WELCOMED!
Btw, I've noticed that the R107 (?) seems to hold their value here in California. They still command a pretty good price considering their years.
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Many say the the 96-97s are the best years. I like the 96, as its got the old world build quality, with the styling updates. They also had a some interior updates on the 129 in like 96. They changed the door panels, and they also redid the seat design a bit. The perforated leather is standard in the later models.
The R129 is bulletproof. Its a Shortened W124 chassis, and the M104 has proven itself to be a good motor in other cars. We have a 1996 SL600, and its been fairly good to us since getting the problems with the hydropneumatic suspension worked out. You dont have to worry about that on the 500s or the 300s.
If you can do a fair amount of maintenance on it, it shouldn't cost more than say an E320.
When shopping for the 129s, make sure that the top is in good shape, and that it functions smooth. Look for fluid in the brow at the top of the windscreen, as at this age, the small lock cylinders tend to go bad. Its a super easy fix, and takes like an hour per side. (Including drinking beer.
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Also, if you are looking at the earlier models, pre 95, look for rust on the bottoms of the doors. The early ones didnt have drains, and water likes to get caught in the doors, leading to some rust.
Listen to the stereo as well... The water in the doors likes to waterlog the speakers, and eventually blow them out.... If this happens, you can get them reconed inexpensively ($40 for the pair last time I had it done), but avoid the dealer... They want like $300 a side for speakers.
There is a few more things, but they are more things to look out for on the 600s.