looking at owning an SL and need your experience..

[chrisobo]

Hi all.
Before I start I'll just mention that I don't know too much at all about cars and i've not got loads of money lying around. What I do have however, is a couple of questions about buying and owning an earlyish SL (probably a 280, 300 or 350...) I really like them and would like to have one as my main car.

what should I look out for on the car?
what should I look for in the car?
whats the cost of insurance like?
is the mpg any good for a steady(ish) driver?
are they really that practicle (number of seats not withstanding) and economic enough for use as a main car?
are repairs frequent and costly?
why is it they make even the ugliest mingers look cool when driving them? :grin:
any other info you think I should know about them...?
Many thanks in advance

 

[classicsl]

i take it you are referring to the r107 chasis Sl (1971-1989). My 88 300SL is my everyday car, fairly practical if you dont have kids to ferry about, back seats arent any use for kids over about 5 or 6 years old. I get about 25mpg combined including commuting, you can get these under a classic car policy so you can potentially have a nice thirsty V8 500SL for about £300 per year.

i would recommend getting the later model, more fuel efficient, has ABS, electric windows, PAS, etc. Thing to look for on outside of car RUST!! later ones have better protection but check wheel arches, inside boot. Inside car check for signs of leaks, can be in footwell at front, in rear or in boot, or all three if not been cared for. go for one with the best and most documented history. for about 10k you can get a decent runner, but the more you can spend above this (private sale) the better car you will get. dont worry too much about higher mileage as these cars tend to be rock solid. in terms of maintenance and servicing best to call a few specialist independents locally. i spend about £250 on a service at my local specialist.

all in all great cars if you find a good one, not the sportiest of performance but good for cruising about in. hope you find what you are looking for.