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Mercedes 380--450--560 SLs

437 messages,  Last post on Aug 26, 2009 at 7:45 AM

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What is this discussion about? Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, Convertible

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#67 of 437 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Dec 12, 2000 (6:46 pm)
Rust is unavoidable with these cars, and really, being so old, one would expect it to burn oil. The question for you, I think is: How much oil? How much rust? You might pull up the spare tire and see how bad it is (I'm sure you'll find rust there or the sign of former rust). If the rust has been bondo-ed, it will return, absolutely...the only way to properly repair rust is to cut it out, and even then it comes back sooner or later. You can test for bondo with a simple refrigerator magnet...if the magnet falls off, you have a lot of bondo in there... Bondo was never meant to be use thickly...it is supposed to be a thin sheet of covering for file marks and small imperfections. If the bondo is any more than say 1/16 of an inch, it will crack and fall out soon enough. So I think you need to dig a little deeper here and also figure out how much oil this car consumes. Oil burning isn't bad, per se, if it's not excessive...but if it's eating a quart every few hundred miles, the end is probably near.
#68 of 437 1984 500SL by brislance1 Mar 24, 2001 (6:23 pm)
I looked at the above car today. It was brought in by an American surgeon new in 1984 and converted to American spews when it arrived in port. The second owner has had it for 5 years and it is in immaculate condition. Cared for by the same mechanic for the last five years. He says the car needs nothing and is in outstanding condition. The owner has all manuals and all repair tickets. It has 68 thousand miles documented by repair tickets. Is it worth $19,000 or does a car converted to American spews lose value? Give me a quick answer if possible. Thanks in advance. What are the pitfalls of buying a car like this?
#69 of 437 1984 500SL by brislance1 Mar 24, 2001 (6:25 pm)
In the above message spews should read specs. Sorry about that.
#70 of 437 Convertible top care by sddlw Apr 26, 2001 (7:33 am)
I'm looking for some guidance on care of the soft-top on our SL. The current top is a 1-year-old canvass, European style with no vinyl in it. It has been washed periodically with water, but no detergent. I’d like to clean it up and treat it with a preservative if this is appropriate, but do not have any information on the subject. Also, the windows are made of a very soft and easily scratched vinyl. I’m using flannel and/or cotton towels to clean them with, to avoid scratching as much as possible, but am interested in hearing about other’s solutions to this problem.
#72 of 437 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Apr 26, 2001 (8:13 am)
There are lots of good products on the market for washing convertible tops. You could check with the MB dealer or stroll through the aisles of a good auto parts store for that. I believe BMW also makes a good product, as their tops are similar to MB.   I think what kills convertible tops, aside from the obvious (cats and automatic car washes) is in the top storage. It can't be stored wet and it can't be stored dirty. As for the plastic window, my rule of thumb is that you get two plastic windows for each top, that is, one top willlast the life of two windows. They are fregile and there is only so much you can do. Some folks put a very light cloth on the window before they hit the down button, and this keeps the window from "kinking". But scratches, well, you're going to get them sooner or later.   Another enemy of plastic windows in the sun, but fortunately for your car when your top is down it is automatically stowed under a cover. But if you leave a plastic window exosed to hot summer sun day after day, you'll fry it.   What kills convertible tops in a car wash is not the detergent or brushes but the force of the blowers that dry the car. It causes the top to flap and vibrate and loosens the stitching.
#73 of 437 Need advice on what car to start looking for by dubo1 May 23, 2001 (6:42 am)
Hi there, Unfortunately, I have to start out with a very stupid question....What is the difference between an SL and an SEL? (yah -- I'm a chick) I have just started looking at Mercedes. I know I like the look of the 420SEL (81 to 87), but when reading some of these posts I am getting the impression that it might not be too good of an idea with gas prices and the cost of repairs. (any ideas on which model minimizes both?)   My question is, what would be the best bet between the 300 and 560 series, both SL and SEL. I don't necessarily need a V8 if a V6 is still going to provide reasonable speed and handling. I'm looking more for comfortable cruising rather than quick off the line. I would like to spend no more than 10k and would like to find one with 115k miles or below. Am I being reasonable?   I know enough to make certain that the seller has the maintenance book, or at least a reasonable amount of the service records, as the key to the future health of the mercedes is its past maintenance....right?   Oh yah, I should mention that my reason for getting this car is to eliminate a car payment and to have something bigger/safer the the VW Jetta I have now, as I will eventually be transporting a baby around.   Thanks so much in advance! I appreciate your help.
#74 of 437 by Mr_Shiftright HOST May 23, 2001 (6:55 am)
Okay!   An SEL is a sedan, a stretched version of a regular 4-door. So if you want a BIG 4-door, that's any of the SELs.   SLs are 2-door convertibles, usually with both soft and hard tops.   The best SLs are undoubtedly the 560SLs. Earlier SLs, such as the 350, 380 and 450, are decent cars, and often quite cheap to buy, but they can be slow, gas-hungry and not so reliable as they age.   All Mercedes cost a bundle to repair, there is no way around this except buying the most impeccable, clean, well-maintained car you can.   There is no shortage of Mercedes SLs on the market. You can take your time shopping. Any car with a "story", or any owner who cannot present a complete or reasonably complete record of service should not be considered.   Also, despite the reputation for durability, Mercedes wear out just like any other machine, so excessive high mileages should be avoided. If you see an exceptional high mileage car, you should only buy it if it is heavily discounted. I would say mileages exceeding 150K are excessive, and mileages over 125K are borderline. You have to remember that a rebuilt engine for a Mercedes SL will often exceed the value of the entire car! ($!2,000-16,000 for a complete rebuild).   Last of all, I don't see this as a move toward economy for you, if you are moving out of Jetta payments. With maintenance and the occasional repair, the difference per month between a new car under warranty with payments and a used SL with repairs and maintenance is not going to be very much IMO....if you are lucky, you might save $100 a month, but then again, you might not. All used cars are gambles.   Really last of all (phew!), I could not say with any confidence that an older Mercedes SL, say without air bags, would be substantially safer than your Jetta. Accidents are dynamic and unpredictable in outcome....you really can't 'buy" safety, it's often a matter of luck.   Anyway, if having a convertible isn't such a big deal for you, and you're content with a coupe or sedan, you might think about a newer and smaller Mercedes sedan, like a 300 series, or a luxury Japanese coupe such as a Lexus. An SL is not a cheap car to own.
#75 of 437 Dubo1 by merckx May 23, 2001 (7:23 am)
It appears that you only have a casual knowledge of Mercedes,so,not appearing to have the borderline obsession Mercedes can inspire,how about an early 90s Infiniti Q45?I think they are a little undervalued on the used car market.Like a Benz SEL,it is a large,roomy car that is a lot of fun to drive.Being a bit of a poor seller,it's a little exotic to the casual observer,but still very reliable.
#76 of 437 by Mr_Shiftright HOST May 23, 2001 (9:38 am)
Also a car I like, the Q45, but also tricky to buy and a complex car that isn't easy to work on. A lexus of that era is about bullet-proof, and I suspect that is really what she wants...no headaches.

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