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Comments
Mark
Your early W220 problems are very typical, good to see you haven't had other issues. No suspension bugs? It's funny that nearly 10 years later a comparable new S550 is barely more expensive.
For the most part, I agree with your taste in cars, and wouldn't complain if I had such a stable. Did you buy the SL new? What color is your E cabrio?
I was under the impression those Marauders were ONLY available in black.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The SL is Silver with black leather and a black soft top, the E Cabriolet is white with grey leather and a black soft top. I love the Cab... a sweet driving car with none of those new fancy electronics (a true Mercedes).
Over the years I have put some money in the SL and just recently putting a new soft top on it. I just can't get rid of it as the value has fallen so much and the car looks so good. Eventually, I guess I'll have a real nice looking door stop! LOL!
Yesterday, I stopped by our local Mercedes dealer just to look. A car buddy of mine is visiting from Atlanta. The dealer had 3 S-class cars on the lot and to my surprise, they had an S400 Hybrid... list was $95K. Mileage was 19 city vs. the regular version of 15 city. Not sure if that's worth it or not but considering my Honda CR-V get 19 strickly in the city (when using the air), the Mercedes mileage is not too bad.
Mark
PS. Fin, no, the S500 has had no suspension problems at all, yet.
I agree re your assessment of the E320 (124 series) as the last of the 'real' Mercedes, they're great cars. Your cabrio is probably worth a lot more than your SL, too. The 300CE/E320 cabs are among my dream cars (maybe not your exact color combo, but I'm not so picky, really).
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=271927258&dealer_id=86373&mode- - l=5_SERIESCLASS_SERIES&style_flag=1&start_year=1981&search_type=used&distance=0&- - end_year=1988&default_sort=priceDESC&address=60651&seller_type=b&make=BMW
If I'm not mistaken, the previous "E" cabs where $85K MSRP. Just way off the mark price-wise compared to other 4 seater convertibles (like the Bimmers).
M.
Muth mirrors
They are neat. Lots of leSabre limiteds have them along with Park Avenues.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
And yeah, they aren't worth much today. Even if gorgeous, an early car is going to struggle to get much over 10K. But they are old school and will last forever...so if you like it, keep it.
Those 124 cabrios are elegant and high quality cars, yes, and I believe your memory of the pricing structure is correct. When those hit our shores in 1992-3, they were insanely expensive, over 80K - but I think the market rejected that, so the price had to be adjusted down...and they were still a bit more than a normal 124 coupe or sedan.
Last time I stopped by the local MB dealer here, they had 2 S400 on the lot - a normal one for 95K, and an really loaded one for over 110K. I think that car can do even better on the highway. It might be fun to have simply to be different and maybe rare compared to a normal S550. It's a shame they didn't go ahead with the diesel hybrid, or that we don't get the diesel S here. The diesel 7-series I drove in Germany returned well over 30mpg in mixed driving.
I'm planning on building a carport off the back of the garage...something with a sturdy roof, but no walls. I figure I'll put the 5th Ave and the other NYer back there. Alas, my Park Ave will probably spend its whole life outside. I have faith it'll hold up, though, as cars usually don't leak and deteriorate like they used to. Sometimes I keep forgetting though, that it's already a 10 year old car, so if I hold onto it as long as I did the Intrepid, it'll be 20!
Well, it was ordered at the end of Dec. '89 and arrived in June '90, the first one in town! I did not pay over list but can't remember what the discount was if any (almost 20 yrs ago).
Mark
3-series BMW convertibles didn't compare in quality or exclusivity (or size) to the E-class or even the CLK, but still, they were half the price (or less) at the time the 124 E-class cabrios were introduced.
Our 2003 has them. It's been quite a while ago.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
PLUS, if either or both of you guys buy those cars, I want first dibs when sell-time comes! If these came up in February, I'd probably buy one of them myself.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Behold the non-black Mauader. Looks pretty good.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
You probably noticed your 500SL shares a steering wheel and some switchgear with your old 560SEL. That's not a bad thing.
It's funny that you have the little CR-V among a line of luxury cars. It reminded me of this one doctor at a hospital I once worked at. He had a Ferrari Testarossa and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The license plate frame on his Cherokee read: "My other car is a Ferrari" which I bet most folks mistook it as one of those vanity joke plate frames, but in this case it was the truth.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I have a bit of a crush on this car. Its only a crush, I swear...
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
And what was under the hood, the 8-cylinder engine from the Mustang?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Don't think this one is going to gavel at $7,500 even at this point.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I have a friend that is a federal agent. I think this car would make a nice accessory. :shades:
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
OTOH: The seller has 900 feedbacks, 100% Positive, that's not nothing. And receipts for a lot of maintenance apparently, from a bmw dealer. Having bought & sold some $1-2-3K items on ebay, & also audio sites, I get very good vibes from the guy's listing.
I drove a 323iT, stick, SPP, new in 2000 or 2001. It drove like a go-kart, one of the most fun cars I've ever driven....
I agree with you about the warmn/fuzzy about the seller and his ad. If he is a scammer, he is a very good one!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
Yes, I did noticed that. When I got the '91 560 SEL, I was thinking it would have some improvements like the SL had as it was a '90. The SEL didn't have a tilting steering wheel like the SL, just telescoping. They also had the exact same radio. :surprise:
Mark
Happy Holiday's all!!
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I am not sure about the mid 90s, but Becker now has a location in NJ that refurbishes radios...I had the Europa in my fintail done last year, only cost around $200, which included an aux input attachment that allows it to be used with an ipod.
Yeah I think MBUSA HQ has been in NJ since the 70s. Becker is still in business making modern units too, but I don't know if they are really sold in NA.
The SL also started having a problem with the automatic top. In 1990, the first year of the automatic top, had built-in elastic straps to pull the metal folding cage back so that it would fold nicely in the boot. Surprisingly, it had worked flawlessly for 17 years. Before I had the new soft top put on it was starting to not fold correctly. I had to push the middle bar in with my hand for the top to fold down. A local auto custom upholstery shop installed the new soft top along with new sunvisors (they started to detiorate) and installed insulation under the hood that started to dry rot and break off.
Apparently the elastic straps were getting tired so I ask the private repair facility to fix it. They told me that Mercedes changed the design starting with the '91 models. The 'new' parts, which are now a metal spring-type apparatus that attaches to the cage, would be $900. So, I asked about a used part. They had them and charged me $400 as they removed them off a wrecked '91 SL they had in stock.
I also needed a front passenger fog light assembly as a rock broke the outer lense. No used part available. The new fog light lense assembly was $160 (not the whole part that has the bulb)... that would have been $350. :sick:
The trial and tribulations of having an old Mercedes that you want to be like new.
Mark
The interior color(s) are very odd for that car: black, but with brown seats. I've never seen that on those cars. I thought maybe the seats were replaced, until I noticed the brown inserts in the door panels. I actually have the brochure for that year, nothing about getting diff. color seats with whatever int. color (????)
If it were me, I'd keep looking for something more pampered, even with less options, maybe a 5 series, way more practical......
That's what screws up so many car buying plans: "if it only had"______......(--fill in the blanks)
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I'm guessing that at 19", the cable is long enough to reach to the glove box so the iPod can remain hidden?
My fintail has a Becker Europa, which was very popular in the 60s in some Euro cars. My example is a transistorized unit made probably in 1963-4. The "pinstripe" Becker faceplates look very correct in old MB - they were dealer installed options at the time, as MB didn't start putting radios in the cars from the factory until the 70s, IIRC.
I am shocked a used amp cost so much! Must be some R129 specific unit. Private shops are great for aging models too...the dealer would have robbed you.
not really an issue at this point anyway. Already up to $7,900 with 5 days left, so no chance it is going for a good (to the buyer!) price.
Wonder if the 2000 green one is still around? Might have to go check!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
That's what I think as well.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
LOL! Spoken like a true CCBAer! :-D
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)