B7TMW
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2024
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 3
- Your Mercedes
- R129 SL320 3.2 V6 1999
Thanks for having me. I have been around cars all my life, I maintain and look after all our cars. Apart from daily drivers, I have had a 1965 Triumph Herald 12/50 that I restored and had some show success with. Another was a 1989 325i Convertible BMW that I rebuilt extensively with a genuine Aplina C2.7 block. That was sold due to loss of storage when Mum fell ill and due to other reasons, I never replaced it for some time. Until Feb 2022.
I considered many "classics". Triumph Stags always held a place in my heart having looked after 2 in the 90s. Audi Quattro Turbos had risen out of my price range and I love an old Ford (I have joint ownership in a 33k mile Orion Ghia which is a lovely original old thing), but it had to be something both my wife and I could enjoy on a summers day. I started looking seriously in late 2021, at R129's. I looked at loads and none met my standard for the money they were asking. Then a 99 SL320 popped onto the market down in Sussex that looked a good bet. An early V6 (late 98 build) it was brought over from Guernsey in 2017 with very low mileage, it still only showed 20.5k miles. Spec was good with Xenons and heated heats being the two I really wanted. It was bought for slightly less than higher mileage, less original examples I'd seen and on my drive ASAP.
Mechanically, It needed recommissioning really. Brakes were just dead. No feel in the pedal, very little in the way of braking ability (scary in fact) was the first thing to sort. Fluid change, new pads and a good clean up of the calipers saw that sorted. Tyres were nasty with 2006 Michelins on the back and 2016 Contis on the front. 4 new Pilot Sport Michelins have transformed it. Drivers heated seat was non functioning and despite a bill to the last customer for waxoiling, It was found to be non existent.
I put a couple of thousand miles on it before last year, putting it in the workshop and stripping it of lights, bumpers, arch trims etc, before cleaning it all out and wax injecting it using Bilt Hamber Dynax UC. I had various parts powder coated but have been careful not to make the same mistake as other cars and render it unusable in the rain so to speak.
Mileage is now at 23.5k with a long European road trip planned later this month with a few motor bikes, a 1997 993 911 and an MX5 to the Black Forest.
Currently looking for info on the Alarm system which is beating me at the moment but will post a thread in the Electrics section.
Cheers and sorry for boring you.........
I considered many "classics". Triumph Stags always held a place in my heart having looked after 2 in the 90s. Audi Quattro Turbos had risen out of my price range and I love an old Ford (I have joint ownership in a 33k mile Orion Ghia which is a lovely original old thing), but it had to be something both my wife and I could enjoy on a summers day. I started looking seriously in late 2021, at R129's. I looked at loads and none met my standard for the money they were asking. Then a 99 SL320 popped onto the market down in Sussex that looked a good bet. An early V6 (late 98 build) it was brought over from Guernsey in 2017 with very low mileage, it still only showed 20.5k miles. Spec was good with Xenons and heated heats being the two I really wanted. It was bought for slightly less than higher mileage, less original examples I'd seen and on my drive ASAP.
Mechanically, It needed recommissioning really. Brakes were just dead. No feel in the pedal, very little in the way of braking ability (scary in fact) was the first thing to sort. Fluid change, new pads and a good clean up of the calipers saw that sorted. Tyres were nasty with 2006 Michelins on the back and 2016 Contis on the front. 4 new Pilot Sport Michelins have transformed it. Drivers heated seat was non functioning and despite a bill to the last customer for waxoiling, It was found to be non existent.
I put a couple of thousand miles on it before last year, putting it in the workshop and stripping it of lights, bumpers, arch trims etc, before cleaning it all out and wax injecting it using Bilt Hamber Dynax UC. I had various parts powder coated but have been careful not to make the same mistake as other cars and render it unusable in the rain so to speak.
Mileage is now at 23.5k with a long European road trip planned later this month with a few motor bikes, a 1997 993 911 and an MX5 to the Black Forest.
Currently looking for info on the Alarm system which is beating me at the moment but will post a thread in the Electrics section.
Cheers and sorry for boring you.........
