R129 SL

[television]

Well look at it this way, its only a 275 mile trip down to Richard

 

[dbanbery]

BE REET.

i may go and have a look at the silver one tomorrow if the seller is available.

Its getting closer to buying time..... but not this week. The black one thats in Taunton might be worth a look, but the 1995 vintage with possibility of the later ADS is putting me off, its a long way to go to see something that i really don't want!

Richard, what have you done to your SL regarding the ADS?

 

[Richard Moakes]

Where do I start?

When I bought the car.....

The car was way down at the front and had no suspension travel

So, after a lot of reading, I replaced the front accumulators and bled the system, that got the system working again.

When I came to replace the front lower control arms a year or so later, I didn't notice the accelerometer attached to the arm, which I subsequently destroyed when 'persuading' some bolts to come loose, apparently these accelerometers can't handle the shocks from hammer blows to the metal that they are attached to. That little mistake cost me over £300

Another year or so later, I was coming home from a trip out at the end of the season when the dash suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree with all manner of lights and I noticed the car was sinking and we were leaving a trail of hydraulic fluid behind us Fortunately I was close to home so managed to crawl home and put the car in the garage with a great feeling of doom and gloom.

It turned out one of the main pressure lines had burst, unfortunately this was above the rear subframe which then meant I had to remove the lot and whilst you are there, you end up doing loads of other work as well

Take a look at this thread....http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?p=209827#post209827

You will see my adventures in R129 ownership

Essential checks for any ADS1 equipped car

• Check the ADS warning lamp comes on when you turn the key (Yellow bracketed shock absorber symbol)
• Check it goes out when the engine has started
• Ensure the car raises and lowers with the switch by the headlamp switch, this is a slow process and best done with engine at 2500 rpm
• Ensure the soft/hard suspension switch works (led light on switch)
• Look for evidence of fluid leaks
• Ensure there is suspension travel at each corner of the car, if it is rock hard, the accumulator has failed

 

[television]

I enjoyed reading that thread again Richard we do not get many like it, if any infact

 

[dbanbery]

cheers for that, i'm just having a read, and read the first post which says "transmission fluid leak not a lot to worry about" and like those people on the other side of the motorway moving normally prior to a 30 mile tailback i thought "he doesnt know yet!!"

ill have a read, this will most definately give me something to check out. on the flip side, the black one in taunton seems to have all the other optional extra except the ADS

 

[dbanbery]

The one i test drove didnt have the ADS, and i'm confident i know what to look for now. I thought the handling was good too.

I have my manifold back from the welders, that will go on the XR3i later on this week/weekend and hopefully i'll be able to think about getting it moved on. there are increasingly less XR3is for sale on ebay there used to be loads a few years back.

Is there a place under the bonnet of an R129 that could be the "acid test" for whether its got wiring loom issues or not? i'm thinking of some cable tidy or bunch of wires to inspect... i assume that the wires the most exposed have the most problems with the degradation of the insulation...?

 

[dbanbery]

also,

is this a standard colour? it looks purple but its been listed as blue on autotrader before.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-SL-500-/220535940771?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3358f766a3

 

[television]

also,

is this a standard colour? it looks purple but its been listed as blue on autotrader before.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-SL-500-/220535940771?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3358f766a3

Yes it is

 

[deejaybee]

I think you will find that colour is Azurite Blue - it has that purplish tinge in direct sunlight. It is a nice colour and quite common on SLs.

 

[dbanbery]

I think you will find that colour is Azurite Blue - it has that purplish tinge in direct sunlight. It is a nice colour and quite common on SLs.

yeah, seen a few in azurite blue, it is a lovely colour. looks different to the others ive seen though.

might go and have a look when i get chance....

 

[ShinyF1]

what about this azurite one (London I think)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...radius/1500/page/1/postcode/sw177ps?logcode=p

 

[dbanbery]

what about this azurite one (London I think)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...radius/1500/page/1/postcode/sw177ps?logcode=p

its had all the right things done to it, but its about 3k too much for me! Budget constraints are a big thing, but i think i can still get something good for what ive got to spend.

I'm mainly flexible with colour tbh

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...46ah/page/1/keywords/sl/radius/1500?logcode=p

i like this one, however its a long way to go and have a look... also i cant see whether its has ADS or not..... i suspect it doesnt as i cant see the buttons... unless they are out of shot.

 

[labdulkadir]

High feul consumption

I have just baught mercedes e class 320 cdi estate
The car has covered 147000 miles, I drive mostly in town. It has has just been serviced, I have replaced electric water pump and termostat. All of a sudden, I noticed high fuel consumption in town 20mpg to the galon. Mot is fine and there is no smoke but the car is not as powerfull as it was before.


Any suggestion will be appreciated.

 

[dbanbery]

I have just baught mercedes e class 320 cdi estate
The car has covered 147000 miles, I drive mostly in town. It has has just been serviced, I have replaced electric water pump and termostat. All of a sudden, I noticed high fuel consumption in town 20mpg to the galon. Mot is fine and there is no smoke but the car is not as powerfull as it was before.


Any suggestion will be appreciated.

injectors or a leaking boost hose on the intercooler? take the plastic cover off the engine and if there is black gunk all around one or more of the injectors its that.

 

[toby1]

I have just baught mercedes e class 320 cdi estate
The car has covered 147000 miles, I drive mostly in town. It has has just been serviced, I have replaced electric water pump and termostat. All of a sudden, I noticed high fuel consumption in town 20mpg to the galon. Mot is fine and there is no smoke but the car is not as powerfull as it was before.


Any suggestion will be appreciated.

Could a mod move this to the correct area please? It's miles out of place!

 

[ShinyF1]

Could a mod move this to the correct area please? It's miles out of place!

I thought so too - although I have similar MPG in London in mine

 

[dbanbery]

"WTF!"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-...0600689?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f1f7377f1

 

[toby1]

"WTF!"

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-...0600689?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f1f7377f1

Ha ha!

They should've mentioned you need to be a maximum height!

 

[dbanbery]

Ha ha!

They should've mentioned you need to be a maximum height!

is this "SL Tax"?

[like RS tax on fords, anything that comes on an RS doubles in value on ebay even if its on other "lesser vehicles"]

 

[jonthetourist]

Well that good to know Fleetwood, i will bear that in mind when i go look at some others.

a few questions, did they ALL come with air con? i assume the earlier SLs had the EC button to turn the aircon off [like my parents W124] is this true?

also, i take it cruise was not standard equipment as i have seen a few with or without. does anybody know the Uk standard spec list and what to look out for optional extras?

This suspension thing too, is there a button with a tyre on which means sport/comfort mode? can someone give me some detail on this?

do all the storage bins automatically lock with central locking on Uk models? there also doesnt seem to have the adjustable steerwing column, was this a US only option?

the Ken Rockwell site seems to focus on the US models.

My 91 model has aircon, with blue/red indicator on the dash vents, cruise, adjustable steering wheel, no airbag, 5-speed box, and all the cubbies lock with the central locking. Two-phase heated seats are ace

Hope this helps

Jon