Ignorant Buyer - Ignorant Buyer looking at SL's

[pmayhead]

Hi,

I'm seriously considering buying a used Mercedes SL. I've a budget of £15k and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what model I should buy (ie old "Dallas" style or newer shape, what engine size?). The car will be for weekend use only so fuel consumption etc isn't going to be a problem but massive maintenance bills probably would. I look forward to hearing any learned advice you may have.

 

[MarkSL]

Ignorant Buyer

Peter

I have been through this a couple of months ago

I have wanted a SL for many years and  I finally decided that if I did without a few luxuries I could actually afford to but one worth having!
Though the choices are hard - I wanted the the newer R129 shape.  The classic 107 shape still appeals to me immensely and I hope to get an older 107 as a project car in the next couple of years.
The build quality of the 129 is however outstanding, and it never fails to put a smile on my face when I drive it - or even look at it. The softop operation is a work of pure genius - though I hope it never goes wrong!

I looked at some 30 cars before buying mine and 2 things seem to stand out - mileage and history. You do not need to be afraid of high mileage if the car has been well maintained - but if you look hard enough at this time of year you will find a well maintained low mileage car for a couple of grand less than you would have paid in the summer when I bought mine!

300 or 500 ? - well its your choice, I have been told there isnt much difference between them in fuel consumption, and its easy to believe that the extra torque of the 500 means it doesnt need to pull as hard. When I bought mine I was looking for the right car - not a particular engine size - so I looked at loads of 300's and 500's.  Some will say the 300 is a little underpowered for what it is - but mines ok by me. 300-24v always seemed to be the ideal "mid point" but as I looked at more and more of them they all had something in common - a recent large bill for a headgasket renewal ! - It seems there mey be a problem here so I decide to limit myself to the 300 12v or 500

If you buy a 300 - check it has aircon as many cars were specced without it although these tend to be the cheaper ones - also, ask if it has rear seats if these are important to you - as these were also optional.
Obviously look for a hardtop - these are not always with the car S/H - and they go around £1000+ if you want one afterwards!

I found the following checklist useful for me - you can also edit it to suit your own needs

mileage
history
aircon
leather - optional !
Condition of softop - very expensive to renew
rear seats
adjustable column
memory seats
cruise
which alloys? - std look ugly and are a git to clean
Cat1 alarm - reqd by SOME insurers - ie mine!
when is the next service due - and which one is it! - Some main dealer services are £750+Vat!

My 12/92 300 SL can be seen here -
http://www.216turbo.com/SL.htm

Although it cost me a little more than your £15k budget - you should find an equivalent (or maybe even better) car at this time of year

Hope this helps somewhat - feel free to mail me if you have any further questions


Mark