Starting another expensive hobby: '95 Merc SL500

[GavLew79]

So...I'm about to buy another money sink. A 1995 SL500!

Anyone got one?

Living in a country where a 'large powerful family saloon' contains a 2.0L 4-cylinder petrol or maybe a 3.0L diesel, this convertible 5.0L V8 is an alien! Sounds beautiful though, but my wallet is already groaning about the fuel and repair bills....

[SigmundChurchill]

I don't own one, but nice choice!  I have been in love with the SL line ever since watching Beverly Hills Cop as a kid.  I have often thought of getting one myself.  The only question for me is new vs classic.

[Corylax18]

My dad has an 86 SL 540. Champagne with a tan interior and black rag top. Shes a beaut! That 5.4 liter engine is more then enough for that little car, its a blast to drive. The repair bills are steep, but fortunately not too frequent. His daily driver is an RR sport though, so his tolerance for the relair shop is high. 

[LGC]

Like any European car with years on it, just be prepared to pay excess for repairs(small and large) if you don’t know how to do your own work... and want everything perfect

[cfc1016]

Time to go autodidactic and learn to be a merc mechanic. Parts are expensive and so is labor. ‘Porsche rule’ applies - every oil change costs $1,000...

[GavLew79]

8 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

I don't own one, but nice choice!  I have been in love with the SL line ever since watching Beverly Hills Cop as a kid.  I have often thought of getting one myself.  The only question for me is new vs classic.

Ah that's probably an R107. They're 4x the price of the R129. But they say the R129 (1989-2002) was the last Mercedes to be built to a specification rather than a price, and it should appreciate if looked after. The R230 that followed was a bit of a rotter by all accounts. 

[ayepatz]

13 hours ago, GavLew79 said:

Ah that's probably an R107. They're 4x the price of the R129. But they say the R129 (1989-2002) was the last Mercedes to be built to a specification rather than a price, and it should appreciate if looked after. The R230 that followed was a bit of a rotter by all accounts. 

Yup, last of the bulletproofs. The succeeding series severely dented Merc’s reputation for superior build quality.

Good choice. Are you buying privately, or from a dealer?

[GavLew79]

Private. 

[El Presidente]

14 minutes ago, GavLew79 said:

Private. 

Post a pic when you get the deal done 

[GavLew79]

40 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Post a pic when you get the deal done 

Will do Rob. Cheers. 

[BrightonCorgi]

A good buddy has similar model year with 600 SL.  He's put about 12K USD into it above the low purchase price (bought it like 1.5 years ago).  He's really loving it though.  Those years were some of Mercedes best products and styling in the last 30 years IMO.  They really turned out a high quality product in that era.

[Fugu]

No pics in this thread?!!

[BrightonCorgi]

If you can score a panoramic hard top; it's worth it big time.  You'll never lose a dime on that option.

[scap99]

Got to love international discourse communities!!!

 

As an American, I read Merc as Mercury....lol

[SinfullyPatient]

88' 560SL. Never a bad day when I get to take her out.

 

[GavLew79]

Welcome to the family, Blue Jean. She's a thirsty old bird. A heavy drinker, but I like her...