Was the Mercedes Benz R129 SL a success or failure HD 1080p
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- Опубликовано: 1 сен 2023
- Was the Mercedes Benz R129 SL a success or failure
There are a variety of classic Mercedes Benz cars still on the road today, ranging from the iconic 300 SL Gullwing Coupe to the luxurious W126 S-Class. Many of these cars are lovingly maintained by their owners, and they can be seen driving around town or at car shows. These vehicles are a testament to Mercedes Benz's dedication to producing timeless and reliable automobiles.
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I love the R129 even more after watching this. If I ever buy an SL, it’ll be an R129.
Man I bought my 1995 R129 SL500 in 2009. I bought the best I could afford. Initially the throttle body was faulty and had to be replaced $$$ Since then and 60,000 miles no issues. The car has had no expense spared maintenance (I used to work at MB Brooklands UK) so what ever needed doing was done promptly what ever the cost. The car has been 100% reliable and drives today with 120,000 miles as good as when came out the factory. The roof has never failed. R129's were built better than any other car ever. They are so good that owners can fall into the trap they're virtually maintenance free. A R129 with M119 will probably go 50,000 miles without being serviced before it flags problems so owners can forgo regular maintenance to save money. this is folly. An r129 is art on wheels and should be treated with TLC. An R129 likes to be driven hard, fast and often, if driven this way and serviced by MB every 9000 miles, she'll go on for ever. There was a dude is the US who used to traverse the US and clocked over 500,000 miles in his SL500 / M119 He took the car to MB for service and as the miles were so high they removed the 4 camshafts, checked them with a micrometer and there was no visible wear. The car was sold for $12,000 in 2009. Moral of the story, look after your R129 and your R120 will look after you
I wonder how many transmissions were replaced during all those miles? How many alternators? How many Starters? How many ac compressors? Radiators? Shocks and bushings? How many fuel injectors? How many top end rebuilds? Etc …
I have two r129’s. One is a 91 sl60 amg, and the other a 90 500sl. Will drive till I die, nothing compares
Joined you by adding an SL500 to my SL65 AMG (R231) because the former seems to be top of Mercedes-Benz - currently the car sporting 100k miles is inspected by my trustworthy repair shop although the former owner provided me with a staple of invoices from his MB service station. My fiend owns same car and the experience couldn‘t be better in terms of reliability. This car will stand at my grave.
Can you PLEASE make more W124 content!
No! R129
As I have both cars and it’s a nice day, I can tell you that I took the R129 for a drive this morning. The R107 is a piece of s**t compared. I do about 3k miles/year in the R129 and less than 100 in the R107. And that’s only because I feel guilty that I don’t drive it enough. Do you need a good mechanic? Sure. Is it expensive? Sure. But once you have found one, you just can’t even begin to compare the driving experience and enjoyment. End of.
Moral of the story buy a 1990-92 model with KEJET..
I do have a 1997 SL500 R129. It's true it's not a cheap car to own, but if you give it your love and you won't be cheap...it's a dream car...
I have a 1995 Sl500 with 51k miles and a great vintage mercedes master mechanic. I never ask how much. The car is pristine and I keep it that way. Yes at times it can be a money pit but I love the car
He’s right!
I had a ‘02 SL500, sold it with some sellers remorse
But my Euro ‘85 380SL I’ll spend any amount to maintain and I transferred the title to my daughters name so that I’ll never be able to sell it
I have a gorgeous r129. True it has some quirks initially but now just great. I love the car and would never part with it.
I love the design of R129 but only with hardtop on. Is it just me😂?
Agree
It's much better looking with the hardtop.
The 107 is my favorite SL body style. We really wanted a SLC 20 some years ago, longer wheel base, top does not come off etc...
We ended up with a 85 300D back in 97, and still have it along with 8 other W123`s and one 84 W126.
A few weeks back saw a 83 380SL, bright red, black soft top sitting in a drive way for sale for $6500. 130K miles, good tires. Paint was almost perfect. Only seemed to need driver sear cover replaced and the curved top piece in the rear was in need of replacement. Thought about it and the next week end was there again, called, and it was sold. Looked to be more or less garaged kept/...still kickin my self
I have a 1985 W123 and a 2001 R129. I love switching between the two.
Aren't you really making the argument, "Well, I like the Model T Fords, and they are simple and effortless to work on. Now, those early-to-mid 1960s Lincoln Continentals are far more complex to work on, and you had better be a genius to figure out how to power door locks work, etc." (By the way, the build quality in the early-to-mid 1960s was actually fantastic!) In this way, let's not forget that Daimler-Benz spent over a billion dollars building the then-new W140 and W129 Mercs. It is logical to assume that they also considered their past mistakes in the process...
While my old W126 Merc SEC's were great cars and easy on the eyes, the W140/C S Class coupes are much more "evolved" regarding technology, electronics, etc. I know you hate hearing this, but the W140 is really the better car, and you notice it from the moment you step out of a W126 and step into a W140 sedan/coupe. Were there "teething" problems? Of course! These were groundbreaking models! A mid-1990s S500/S600 Merc sedan/coupe has a CAN bus system and was the first car to have such a system. This meant that all the car's electronics could network and do so using very low voltages. Nothing like this exists on the W126 or R107 models, as far as I can remember, and I have owned an insane number of Mercs over the years, ranging from old Ponton and Fintail models to Unimogs, Omnibuses and many models ranging from the late 1950s to mid-2000s.
Suffice it to say, I remember old-timers saying how much simpler the 1960s Mercs were compared to the W126 chassis/type and that the older cars were much better and in all aspects! Well, they "might" have been better looking, but the W126 was the better and more improved car. The same applies to the W140s and the R129s. They ushered in many technologies, and Mercedes did not have the luxury of hindsight when designing/fielding these improvements. On the other hand, the engines found in W140/R129chassis/type Mercs are certainly better than those found in the 1980s Mercs.
I think "history" will prove you wrong regarding the R129 Mercs, (and W140 sedans and coupes,) and they will appreciate and find the following, just like the models they replaced. I enjoy your videos, by the way, so keep 'em coming! :)
Got a 99 R129 m113 79k miles, 2nd owner and the car is flawless. I do all the work on the car, its one of the easiest cars to work on...so much space in the hood and easy to work on. I get compliments everywhere i go. R129s are the best!!!
I just got a 2001 with 24,500 miles 1 owner. Black on black with some nice AMG wheels. The care is pristine. Passenger seat had never been sat in. I paid $11k for it without even blinking. Car drives so good. I also have a 94 C140 that thing is a tank only 38k miles on it.
Thanks for all the info. I am able to work on the car myself. I have a 1992 SL500 R129 and love it.
I have had my 88 560SL for a month and a half. I appreciate the manual top but would also like a manual tilt/tele wheel to help getting behind the wheel. With 62k miles I am looking to have the chain, guides, tensioner and the oil pipes worked on by a dealer or shop. The lack of potential electrical bugs is attractive.
I think you summed it up pretty well, 30 year old plastics and damp electronics are the main issues with R129's. In damp countries a little body rot between front wheel arch and indicators are as bad as they get unless seriously neglected and abused. With an R107 you best check the structure carefully, very carefully if its from a damp climate. Finally an R129 will be a far more practical car to own and drive regularly, and they all drive so much easier & faster than any equivalent R107..........does that make them better........maybe or maybe they wont feel quite as special on that Sunday morning car run. Solution......buy one of each !!
I drove a '93 SL600 yesterday... 30 seconds in I wished I was in a 107. Any 107. I didn't like how it felt to drive, and REALLY didn't like how I felt driving it. Was so happy to get back into my 114 280.
I think BMW's E32 pushed Mercedes into a "tech" arms race, and then the LS400 came along... all of that really put MB off-kilter.
I love the design of both but as a not rich person, if I could find an example of either that I could afford to buy... I suspect the 129 would be far more trouble for me to keep on the road than the 107.
famous last words
I agree on your observations and summary. 😎
I'll agree with most of this, I'm in the process of restoring a basket case r129 and it has been like a jeep Just empties every pocket. -- but when its done, I'll have a nice car.
The most common fault I've seen on R129s is the hydraulic system for the soft top. I've replaced the cylinders on my '95 SL320 and it seemed outrageously over-engineered. Honestly, I would've been happier with a manual system akin to the R107s. Beyond that, I'm extermely pleased with my cars. Oh...I also replaced the biodegradable engine wiring harnesses but that was an easy fix.
Both are magnificent, and both have a threshold as to what is worth investing money and time into. A project r129 is not advisable. Buy a good car !!! Great video Pierre.
Mercedes were initially sold under banner that these were forever cars, and the initial expense justified that. Once the 90's rolled around. MB was established to the point they did not have to justify the expensive price, and that is where we are today. The R129 was the transition to that ideal. The biodegradable wiring harness was the evidence that they really wanted to get you in and out every 3-5 years, because they will get better and better. Thats where the money is at. MB had embraced designed obsolescence. This era was also the beginning of when a Mercedes at 10 years old was depreciated to the point that you could get them for very cheap. There was a reason why. All this leads back to why restoring the ones seen on this channel makes sense.
That’s the reason I bought a 129 I welcome a challenge
I’d say the R129 is pretty clearly not a forever car.
I disagree, see my earlier comment
Mercedes Benz R129 SL was the most important car in car history. Oh no that's the Porsche 911
I have a 1992 300SL-24 and the car is NOTHING but a headache. The hydraulic top, the electrics (car won’t start if the lights on dash don’t all light up) water entering the trunk. Seats quality. R107 all day. This is what you get with a 100,000 mile car that needed a headgasket.
I had a 1990 SL 500 , a 1996 SL 500 ( 5 speed now ) , a 1998 SL 500 and they gave me good service. Excellent travel cars . I than got a SL 600 2003 , 12 Cyl , twin turbo - A heap of constant problems. Thereafter a 2007 SL 500 which was better than the SL600 , but nowhere near as good and trouble-free as the previous R129 models. Today I do not buy Merc products any longer.
I own a 94 and a 99 and SDS and know how to operate said programs extensively. Both 500s. I also happen to love my 93 124 2.5 turbo... 🤣
I also happen to work on all makes/models of heavy diesel trucks. Perhaps why these 129 moneypits and I happen to get on perfectly.. simply cause it's only a parts bill. If I had to paid labor to repair one, I would highly advise against the 129
These R129s are merely the early generation of what is built into most vehicles of today.
I agree with your opinions completely on this scenario.
560sl 107 is my kind of car.
My Dallas MB Tech Steve Ady is very capable with mechanical and electrical issues. He refuses to work on an R129.
Hey Pierre, here in Cape Town we have a lot of pre- 95 cars available in great condition. As I close in on retirement I always figured I would get a W126, but low and behold at a mere 1.87m tall, the minimal headroom was a crushing disappointment. So my 2nd choice was a W115, 230.6 auto from 1976, literally the overlap model for the W123. That car seems almost bigger inside than outside.With a carburetor fuel system, and a single cam engine, would this be comparable to a W123D in terms of maintenance and reliability?
@feyoudisaacs... Yes, Cape Town🤣🤣🤣
Please tell me, who do you go to to service a Classic Mercedes-Benz now that Golden Rule Motors no longer exists?
Decent servicing on these cars is becoming a nightmare here.
PS: At 6' 2" you should have no problem with a W126... these cars are huge inside and the drivers seat can be lowered substantially. Your only real problem will be finding a decent one.
@@friendlypiranha774 try Ernie @ Central Garage Parow.
Want to turn a W114 into a real "sleeper" car? Pull out the engine, trans, & diff. Drop in the M120 engine, & trans, along with a 3.07:1 ratio diff, along with wiring & electronics, and you'll have one very scary car.
Love the gloves! Scapula? How about R230?
119 with dist caps and plug wires were the worst,
I'm glad to see you wearing gloves
i do have both the r129 and the r107 and i believe they are totally different cars and cannot be compared, and when you park them beside each other's you feel like there is a big gap in design and engineering and that's because of r107 stayed 18 years in production line which makes you feel that Mercedes should built an SL model in between them that is missing. r107 is simple while r129 is very complicated and over engineered for the era which makes them hard to fix or restore. My r129 has 227k miles on it and still strong due to high maintenance was performed on it during its life. R129 was a success in engineering but a failure in time and cost.
How about if you keep your eyes open so we can trust you
Hey Pierre, I met an older bloke through me daily driving my 1980 500SL and after a few conversations he mentioned he owned an SL600 r129. I checked out his car and was pretty impressed until he mentioned that a) it was an investment and b) he only drove it every few months and wondered why he had constant problems. I'll take my R107 every single day of the week over the R129. Good video thanks Pierre.
My Catholic brother
Major problems with the R129 are failures in the hydraulics for the power top, biodegradable wiring harnesses in the early years, and interior plastic that seems to simply crumble over time. I love my 1998 SL600, but my 2000 Toyota 4Runner has vastly better quality interior plastics. A shame really, and hard to believe. List price for a 1998 SL600 was $125,000 in USA.
129=$pit