Running a summer plaything cheap SL for virtually nothing

A car for a fun weekend is one you waft up to go boating in? I guess you also have a bit of a dilemma on which anchor you use when parking each vessel.
 
Tom|Nbk said:
LOL.

Personally I'd rather have something a bit more fun. I have visions of some rapper and his homies cruising in that draped in "bling". I'll appreciate it is a nice car for the cash though.
Click to expand...

You are imagining it in completely the wrong setting, understandable though if your profile location is correct ;)
 
Jez said:
You are imagining it in completely the wrong setting, understandable though if your profile location is correct ;)
Click to expand...

Ah way to be rude, what does my location have to do with anything. How can you hide from the fact the Mercedes is the car of choice for ghetto bred rappers. Or do you chose to ignore that image ;)
 
Last edited:
Because in the wrong setting its an old dodgy Merc. In other settings it is a classic in the making superb piece of engineering and arguably one of the best mainstream cars ever made.

I cant believe i am defending an SL Mercedes, only on ocuk :p Just look at the garbage posted by some people in this thread!
 
Jez said:
Because in the wrong setting its an old dodgy Merc. In other settings it is a classic in the making superb piece of engineering and arguably one of the best mainstream cars ever made.
Click to expand...

Of course it is and I respect it fully in that scenario you describe. Although there is no way you can hide from the fact that type of car has and does attract the wrong types even more so now they're cheaper and that is the image that plays more on my mind than the other. It's sad to say but for me it has been tainted somewhat.

Jez said:
I cant believe i am defending an SL Mercedes, only on ocuk :p Just look at the garbage posted by some people in this thread!
Click to expand...

Go and be a pretentious twit somewhere else then, I'm putting my opinion across and you be rude and involve my location.
 
Tom|Nbk said:
Of course it is and I respect it fully in that scenario you describe. Although there is no way you can hide from the fact that type of car has and does attract the wrong types even more so now they're cheaper and that is the image that plays more on my mind than the other. It's sad to say but for me it has been tainted somewhat.



Go and be a pretentious twit somewhere else then, I'm putting my opinion across and you be rude and involve my location.
Click to expand...

I must say, i have never seen an R129 in the wrong hands, but it totally get your point :) I am saying that around here it simply isnt an issue, you dont get many owners like this. Hence me bringing your location up - the north east, the worst area in the UK for unemployment and general poverty and in my well travelled experience - chavved up bad examples of otherwise decent cars. This is not an insult towards you unless you wish to make it one as this obviously does not apply to everyone by any stretch of imagination :)
 
Jez said:
I must say, i have never seen an R129 in the wrong hands, but it totally get your point :)
Click to expand...

I was not actually referring to anyone I have seen in my particular area with one of these, because I haven't. I'm talking about the image that is plastered on every single music channel, the internet, wherever you go.
 
BigT said:
Interesting idea Jez. While it will be supremely well built and perfect for what you're after, I think they've dated really badly looks wise. Id rather go for something older looking like the SL series before it which should similarly depriciate little. Or how about this Maserati, which can probably be haggled down to a similar fee:

http://www.prestigecarsltd.com/vehicle-details.asp?notMake=28,4,8,43,54&notBodyType=5&ID=780446
Click to expand...

The SL is without a doubt a special car, that Maserati is just a square nail.
 
Tom|Nbk said:
I was not actually referring to anyone I have seen in my particular area with one of these, because I haven't. I'm talking about the image that is plastered on every single music channel, the internet, wherever you go.
Click to expand...

Music videos feature people in early 90's SL's?
 
BigT said:
Interesting idea Jez. While it will be supremely well built and perfect for what you're after, I think they've dated really badly looks wise. Id rather go for something older looking like the SL series before it which should similarly depriciate little. Or how about this Maserati, which can probably be haggled down to a similar fee:

http://www.prestigecarsltd.com/vehicle-details.asp?notMake=28,4,8,43,54&notBodyType=5&ID=780446
Click to expand...

Older SL is a very good suggestion actually, but i am just a bit scared of them being a nightmare in maintenance being so ancient?
 
Isn't that the case of any car which was once expensive? They all have Ferraris and Lambos in as well? You'd not have one of those either?
 
Course I would. The image is tainted but it wouldn't ever put me off. We don't get many ghetto rappers in the country so I could live with it.
 
Jez said:
Older SL is a very good suggestion actually, but i am just a bit scared of them being a nightmare in maintenance being so ancient?
Click to expand...

They were built to be rock solid and they had less electrics in them and are less complicated than 90s+ mercs so even if they went wrong, it wouldn't cost much to fix. I know two people with 80s vintage SLs and they use them a fair bit without issue apart from worn hoods which are dirt cheap to get refurbed or replaced. They're just not very fast, not very good at handling, not particularly economical and the looks are a bit 'square' for some. But they would pass your Summer waftability requirements I suggest.

I guess the only reason I don't like the one you posted is that it would look like you have an old 'modern' car if you know what I mean, whereas the generation before looks like you have a classic in my eyes as it is much more similar in shape to to things like the SL Pagodas which are proper collector's items.
 
You are right BigT, the old SL's are actually very popular round here and (IMO) bloody cool cars.

I guess the test here is the Claire test (my better half). I think she would say that an older one is cool, in a classic way. Wheras the above i believe you have to have an appreciation of Mercedes to really love.

Where we have the catch 22, is that the car above is depreciation proof, will be glorious on a nice road trip all the same, yet despite its age it is not missing any modern luxuries bar nav.
 
Jez said:
Where we have the catch 22, is that the car above is depreciation proof, will be glorious on a nice road trip all the same, yet despite its age it is not missing any modern luxuries bar nav.
Click to expand...

You just got to pray it doesn't break.

Lovely car, though from what I can remember the back seats are tiny. I think part of the fun of having a convertable for me would be having it full of friend (maybe I'm just dreaming because I don't have any friends). How much are W124 cabs going for?


Oh as for the Maserati, square nail is very harsh.
 
Masers from the 80s are trouble, not well built, don't even look good combined with Ferrari running costs without the performance.

An SL of this vintage needn't be expensive to run either, parts availability is good, plenty of indys out there who will work on them. I imagine the hood is a problem but this is the same on all expensive convertibles.

As for it being naff - its all in context. I saw a fella in Lancaster talking to his bouncer friend (he may have been in the door-keeping profession himself), showing off his new car. It was the crappest earliest W208 AMG 55 coupe he could find. He proceeded to light up the rear end right next to the pedestrian area of town so everyone could admire his new purchase. These are the kinds of cars that people with no taste would buy, not an older SL.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom