Changing my daily car from a 6 year old diesel to an 18 year old V8

[CrustyClam]

Have you ever tried using Wizzle. I sold my last car using that. Download the App to your smartphone.

You add photos and a description, then car traders bid on your car. A lot of the prices come in fairly close. Better prices than Evan Halshaw.

Car was picked up from my house. Wouldn't use anything else now

 

[JBell]

The thing is an SL that gets used is a much better car than one that doesn't

 

[Conor]

If I had the money for an SL600 I would be awfully tempted! But I’ve ploughed a lot into this SL500 over the last year so it’s finally all up and running!

Care to give us a taste of what needed doing on the SL?

 

[fabes]

Each month you hold onto the C class is another £x in payments I presume (plus tax and insurance.....)

As that could be more than a few hundred quid, if you've made your mind up up (and the A class is there with 4/5 seats), get rid pronto

And you'll keep Cole happy no doubt

 

[RyanSL500]

Care to give us a taste of what needed doing on the SL?

No problem! I’ll give a quick run down on the history of the car so you have an idea of how I got it. It wasn’t a mint example, it had a high number of previous owners and patchy service history. The last owner got the car services each year by a local Indy who although is a perfectly good mechanic, doesn’t know anything about these types of cars. So there was a little naivety on the previous owner and mechanic who looked after the car, so the ABC system for example was ignored until things broke (I can imagine there are a number of examples out there in the same boat!). On a positive note though, if something broke such as a strut, the previous owner would get it fixed as money wasn’t an issue, so I had some comfort that there were so shiny bits on it. Before I picked up the car in April ‘19, the car hadn’t been moved in 6 months, it was covered in dust in a garage with the suspension sagged. Fortunately it was on an old Trickle charger so the car started straight up and with the push of the Suspension button, it popped up and off I went. After a few hours parked up, I noticed that the car would drop in height, so I took the car to a local specialist in Horndean who gave it a once over and changed the oil (although the car had only done a few hundred miles over the previous 12 months and last oil change!). This is when I found out that the car needed a fair amount of work done to it. It was a combination of overdue maintenance work and replacement parts. Off the top of my head, this included the following: replacement of both front lower ball joints, cross arms, track rods, reunion bushes, the crank pully and V belt, rocker cover gaskets and the front valve block for the ABC system. This work also meant the wheels needed alignment. This was a large bill of roughly £4K. The car was on 85k miles and it appeared to have the original suspension components from new so although it was an expensive bill, nothing I could moan at really. Scarily the car has its MOT a few weeks beforehand as none of this was spotted at a local garage near to where I bought the car. Then while getting the work done at the garage, another customer reversed his car into the rear arch of the SL... this was a compete accident and the guy was very apologetic and we went through his insurance and while the damage got fixed (it was a very minor dent/scratch), I asked to pay extra to have the rust on other rear wing cut out and sorted.

A couple of months after that, the roof then decided it wouldn’t go down and the engine fan wouldn’t kick on. There were no indicators as to what it could be.. no codes were appearing and it just wouldn’t play ball. It took the specialist in Horndean a whole day of investigating (including calling for other opinions from other specialists around the country) to identify the issue as the EIS switch was faulty. This was then swapped out and hey presto! Everything worked! i was told though that it appeared that my key was failing - even after having a new battery installed. So I ordered a new key from the dealer.

Then not long after this, the car started to sink after being parked up for about a day. This brings me up to present where it seems to only be the washers that were the cause. I also had the gearbox oil done while it was with Cole a couple of weeks ago. Its booked in to get the ABC fluid and coolant flushed this Friday when it goes in for its check-up!

 

[Conor]

Hmm ok. I see.

Looks like a run of bad luck, sorry you had to experience that. I guess a portion of that is SL related and the other is related to general mechanics and buying something neglected or such.

LMAO - I was going to ask you about the mileage on the machine and expected you to say >100k but you say 85k lol. Mine has 78 so not miles off (eeek and pardon the pun!).

I've a few bits and bobs to get through on mine but nothing urgent and given the little mileage (due to the rust job) it's not time sensitive either, but will do this summer.

Sounds like you have done a lot of what's needed so should have you in good stead for a while.. and if you don't plan on doing a lot of urban driving shouldn't break the bank on fuel.

Got any pics of yours?

 

[RyanSL500]

Hmm ok. I see.

Looks like a run of bad luck, sorry you had to experience that. I guess a portion of that is SL related and the other is related to general mechanics and buying something neglected or such.

LMAO - I was going to ask you about the mileage on the machine and expected you to say >100k but you say 85k lol. Mine has 78 so not miles off (eeek and pardon the pun!).

I've a few bits and bobs to get through on mine but nothing urgent and given the little mileage (due to the rust job) it's not time sensitive either, but will do this summer.

Sounds like you have done a lot of what's needed so should have you in good stead for a while.. and if you don't plan on doing a lot of urban driving shouldn't break the bank on fuel.

Got any pics of yours?

Yeah it wasn’t the ideal. But it’s nice knowing I’ve made the car a nice example again (for me anyway as most people understandably would only buy a low owner, full service history example) and saved the car either being parted out or scrapped. If I could have justified the premium, I would have gone for an SL55, but for my style of driving, it would have been a waste!

I’ve been following your threads about your car. It seems that you’re leaps and bounds more handy with mechanics than I! My ability let’s me change the air and cabin filters over, but that’s it.

I think we should look at creating a meet up at some point this summer, so we can put faces to names.

 

[RyanSL500]

Here are some pictures of the old girl!

 

[Conor]

Great stuff, Ryan - both looking great. Liking the wheels on the SL. I would be up for a set of splits some time, but low priority now. I'm going to have a stab at refurbing my 18" Avior wheels first, for the craic lol.

It would be awesome to get a meet in. I am here in July (maybe not towards the end) but away all of August and back September. I would love to get a meet in. I've still not met anybody face to face :/

 

[Blobcat]

Great stuff, Ryan - both looking great. Liking the wheels on the SL. I would be up for a set of splits some time, but low priority now. I'm going to have a stab at refurbing my 18" Avior wheels first, for the craic lol.

It would be awesome to get a meet in. I am here in July (maybe not towards the end) but away all of August and back September. I would love to get a meet in. I've still not met anybody face to face :/

You've talked about meets... there's been quite a lot in the Portsmouth area and we've had 3 x SL500's turn up so far

 

[RyanSL500]

You've talked about meets... there's been quite a lot in the Portsmouth area and we've had 3 x SL500's turn up so far

I attended a meet last year, but it was just me and a guy called Steve I think? Would be good to meet up with others who are active on this forum! Would also be nice to see some other SL’s!

Update: the C class goes at 5 today. Evans Halshaw have increased their trade in price by £100 and it’s more than I would realistically get selling it privately. Will be a sad moment seeing the C class go, but I can’t justify having it.

 

[LostKiwi]

You've talked about meets... there's been quite a lot in the Portsmouth area and we've had 3 x SL500's turn up so far

I've even been known to turn up!

 

[Blobcat]

I've even been known to turn up!

Yours was one of the SL's

 

[LostKiwi]

Yours was one of the SL's

I was trying to remember if I'd been in Malcolm's as well? I know I've been down with KTEA.

 

[Blobcat]

I was trying to remember if I'd been in Malcolm's as well? I know I've been down with KTEA.

Just the 129 (So far)

 

[LostKiwi]

129 will be back in the UK soon... Must have been almost a year ago then.

 

[Blobcat]

129 will be back in the UK soon... Must have been almost a year ago then.

3rd August 2019

 

[LostKiwi]

3rd August 2019

Not quite that soon...!
So yes - Almost 12 months. Hmmm....

 

[flowrider]

View attachment 59981 View attachment 59983 View attachment 59981 View attachment 59982 Here are some pictures of the old girl!

I've always fancied getting a set of those wheels for my SL. Much deeper dish than I was expecting though. I have 19" AMGIII's on mine at the moment.

 

[RyanSL500]

I've always fancied getting a set of those wheels for my SL. Much deeper dish than I was expecting though. I have 19" AMGIII's on mine at the moment.

Yeah it’s a pretty deep dish! Im going to get them refurbished soon. I’m thinking of going for a light silver around the outer lip and then a light gunmetal grey on the rest of the wheel. They collect quite a lot of brake dust and grime so they may as well be dark!!