Good-bye to my R129

[Sasha94]

They aren’t a bad looking motor though. Certainly not shabby and the colour really suits it!

 

[ajlsl600]

nice looking motor, but i think you will agree, the sl,s do seem timeless in style. if not on yr wallet!

 

[gramey]

nice looking motor, but i think you will agree, the sl,s do seem timeless in style. if not on yr wallet!

I loved the look of the SL but I just had to have something a little more involving to drive, I even half considered trying to fit a 6 speed manual box from a Chrysler Crossfire, which I believe had the same engine so the bell housing should have fitted. But I would then have the problem of trying to fit three pedals and a few other bits and pieces whilst all the time for many out there just ruining a perfectly good R129.

 

[antijam]

I am really impressed with the M112 engine as fitted to my SLK320. It endows the car with more than adequate performance. I pulls strongly all the way up the rev range with the power delivered with turbine smoothness. When I decided I needed more room in a car my first thought was the post '98 SL with the same engine; however the character of the car is quite different. The extra 420 Kg being lugged around by the SL really takes the edge off the urge. Certainly the SL performance is entirely adequate for a boulevard cruiser but I have to say it left me a bit underwhelmed after the SLK. I have no doubt your S4 more than makes up for this deficiency, perhaps though at the cost of the Audi ride quality?

I've no doubt the SL500 would have satisfied my performance criteria but I discovered the extra space I was after was less than adequate in the SL body so my solution to the problem was this....



The ride I'm sure is as firm (to put it politely) as your Audi, but the urge is impressive

 

[JonnyCJ]

So if I wait for the weather to improve I'll be waiting a long time so here it is, I still miss the gorgeous looks of the SL and I'm sure give it a while longer the prices will go up as they've been forecasting for the past few years. But for now I have to accept the S4 is comparatively aesthetically challenged but enjoy the drive. View attachment 41416

Typical Audi driver - can't you see the no parking sign !

 

[sl500amgsport]

The R232 SL has more cabin space and the SL500 version now has 516lb of torque hitting 60 in under 4.6 secs if you consider coming back into the fold ;-).

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[gramey]

Typical Audi driver - can't you see the no parking sign !

I certainly can, I put it there as it's my garage and I got fed up of idiots parking in front of it stopping me from getting out. I can even read as well as put screws into walls or do you just have a stutter that you posted the same thing three times?

 

[gramey]

I am really impressed with the M112 engine as fitted to my SLK320. It endows the car with more than adequate performance. I pulls strongly all the way up the rev range with the power delivered with turbine smoothness. When I decided I needed more room in a car my first thought was the post '98 SL with the same engine; however the character of the car is quite different. The extra 420 Kg being lugged around by the SL really takes the edge off the urge. Certainly the SL performance is entirely adequate for a boulevard cruiser but I have to say it left me a bit underwhelmed after the SLK. I have no doubt your S4 more than makes up for this deficiency, perhaps though at the cost of the Audi ride quality?

I've no doubt the SL500 would have satisfied my performance criteria but I discovered the extra space I was after was less than adequate in the SL body so my solution to the problem was this....



The ride I'm sure is as firm (to put it politely) as your Audi, but the urge is impressive

I love the Mustang convertible despite the possibly still questionable build quality of American cars compared to Germans but sadly my budget won't stretch to one for a few years but is that manual or automatic?

 

[LostKiwi]

Interestingly the 129 has more interior space than the 230....

 

[gramey]

The R232 SL has more cabin space and the SL500 version now has 516lb of torque hitting 60 in under 4.6 secs if you consider coming back into the fold ;-).

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

To be honest I don't need a huge amount of cabin space, I don't currently have a lady friend to think about, I could even accept the performance restrictions of my old SL320. But I do love having a gear stick to play with again, so much more fun to drive on country roads. It's sad but true even a modern paddle shift wouldn't be the same I just like the whole three pedal thing and actually having to do it for yourself.

 

[JonnyCJ]

I certainly can, I put it there as it's my garage and I got fed up of idiots parking in front of it stopping me from getting out. I can even read as well as put screws into walls or do you just have a stutter that you posted the same thing three times?

Indeedy - typical isn’t it ? You try and post a smart Alec comment and get computer issues !

Couldn’t even put a smiley on it, so there goes my trying to be clever turning round and biting me on the backside...

 

[LostKiwi]

I used to swear by three pedals but these days much prefer 2. Not for the automatic lazy drive but more in the smart for its flappy paddles. Now they are a LOT of fun once you get used to them.

 

[gramey]

Indeedy - typical isn’t it ? You try and post a smart Alec comment and get computer issues !

Couldn’t even put a smiley on it, so there goes my trying to be clever turning round and biting me on the backside...

 

[gramey]

I used to swear by three pedals but these days much prefer 2. Not for the automatic lazy drive but more in the smart for its flappy paddles. Now they are a LOT of fun once you get used to them.

As fun as the Audi is you don't get the same feeling of being in something special like you do with an SL and in the not too distant future I'l watch the price of R129's soar and I'll cry. If the cam chain tensioners haven't failed the S4 will be worth two gold fish and a toffee apple if I'm lucky but it's too late now.

 

[antijam]

I love the Mustang convertible despite the possibly still questionable build quality of American cars compared to Germans but sadly my budget won't stretch to one for a few years but is that manual or automatic?

The Mustang's an auto, which suits the soft-top very well. Exploiting the handling and performance envelope of the 'Stang is best done in the coupé with a manual box. Chopping the top off has left the convertible very floppy with significant scuttle shake on anything but billiard table surfaces The auto has 'paddle' override but the changes are relatively slow and it's more of 'bahnstormer' than a 'B' road blaster. I do find it a very relaxed drive on long trips with plenty of urge in reserve when needed.

As you say, the build quality is typically american and not a patch on even the old SLK (which dates from the 'quantity not quality' era of Mercedes production) but it's very well equipped as standard and the cabin's a pleasant place to be (and I can get the wife, three dogs and a holiday's worth of luggage in - hood up or hood down!)

 

[gramey]

The Audi doesn't seem to suffer from too much scuttle shake, it's actually a pretty stiff chassis, Audi having been stung by the criticism of the previous cabriolet being too flexible. It's not prefect as it's still a saloon that's had the roof chopped off but it's still fun on a nice B road.

 

[turbopete]

I am really impressed with the M112 engine as fitted to my SLK320. It endows the car with more than adequate performance. I pulls strongly all the way up the rev range with the power delivered with turbine smoothness. When I decided I needed more room in a car my first thought was the post '98 SL with the same engine; however the character of the car is quite different. The extra 420 Kg being lugged around by the SL really takes the edge off the urge. Certainly the SL performance is entirely adequate for a boulevard cruiser but I have to say it left me a bit underwhelmed after the SLK. I have no doubt your S4 more than makes up for this deficiency, perhaps though at the cost of the Audi ride quality?

I've no doubt the SL500 would have satisfied my performance criteria but I discovered the extra space I was after was less than adequate in the SL body so my solution to the problem was this....



The ride I'm sure is as firm (to put it politely) as your Audi, but the urge is impressive

now that I DO like. a LOT. and as good looking as the convertible is, I still think however, that the coupe is better looking. certainly with the roof up on the convertible, but that seems to be the case (IMO at least) with MOST convertibles. even the SLs and CLKs etc ALL looked better with the roof down than up!

id LOVE to own a coupe, manual V8 but prices are remaining strong at the moment and look unlikely to drop by huge amounts in the near future so its unlikely I will own one in the near future (barring a lottery win!)

just out of curiosity (assuming you ever check) hows the fuel consumption on the Mustang?

 

[antijam]

just out of curiosity (assuming you ever check) hows the fuel consumption on the Mustang?

On everyday driving in my rural neck of the woods the trip computer is quoting 23.6 mpg. I see 26 on a long trip. I'm no track-day cowboy but I think if you really exploit that V8 it's very easy to see the low teens. The 2.3 Ecoboost engine will improve on those figures by about 5 mpg - but then you don't get the sound track...

 

[turbopete]

I wouldn't want the Ecoboost for that very reason. and consumption is about what id expect. at the end of the day, when I had the 210 and lived in Carlisle I seldom saw much over 20mpg around town and that particular car on a run at legal motorway speeds (cruise control) still couldn't get above 39.6mpg despite being diesel! my mileage has dropped significantly recently so a petrol engine wouldn't hurt so much now. now my monthly mileage is about what my WEEKLY mileage was previously. just a shame that the Ecoboost seems to be getting closer to my budget range faster than the V8.

 

[John Laidlaw]

I am really impressed with the M112 engine as fitted to my SLK320. It endows the car with more than adequate performance. I pulls strongly all the way up the rev range with the power delivered with turbine smoothness. When I decided I needed more room in a car my first thought was the post '98 SL with the same engine; however the character of the car is quite different. The extra 420 Kg being lugged around by the SL really takes the edge off the urge. Certainly the SL performance is entirely adequate for a boulevard cruiser but I have to say it left me a bit underwhelmed after the SLK. I have no doubt your S4 more than makes up for this deficiency, perhaps though at the cost of the Audi ride quality?

I've no doubt the SL500 would have satisfied my performance criteria but I discovered the extra space I was after was less than adequate in the SL body so my solution to the problem was this....



The ride I'm sure is as firm (to put it politely) as your Audi, but the urge is impressive

Lovely colour that and having rented the coupe version in Houston last year( and will be again the end of this month), I must say they are well sorted and bolted together