I BOUGHT A CHEAP CLASSIC MERCEDES SL!

[@priteshchampaneri5101]

Well, least it’s not a Range Rover for once. 😂

[@bigscrounger]

Btw, you're not the lad from Leicester are you? 🤔

[@paulmcgee1867]

😅

[@priteshchampaneri5101]

@@bigscrounger hahaha, no mate, I’m a proud northerner!

[@bigscrounger]

@@priteshchampaneri5101 lol... Fair enough, guy with the same name lurking in the Midlands 👍🏽🙏🏽

[@wackojacko123]

U cheeky little wanker, Pritesh!

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

That's a steal at £3.5k. Well spotted on the grill and indicators, the reason some people put after market grills on is because original ones are very expensive, even second hand, as is a lot of the interior trim. Another subtle detail is cars of that year should have the lower body mouldings and bumpers in satin finish (some 2 tone) but hardly anyone would notice that. I have a '98 which I run on dry days to help keep my Range Rover (got to get a mention of this brand in) mileage down and its currently at 172k miles and still absolutely sweet, showing high oil pressure and it just wafts along; MB can't afford to make cars as solid as this these days so I consider mine an absolute keeper.

[@davidsawyer1526]

Gloss lower body panels were a factory option. VIN will show two colour options for the body, upper and lower

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

@@davidsawyer1526 I’ll take your word for it, the reason I’m aware of this point is I had my car resprayed and they didn’t do the bottom half correctly, mine is post face lift and therefore is standard gloss finish all over.

[@libran58]

@@malcolmlane-ley2044 In the beginning, you could get single colour all over, but the finish would still look different because the paint had matting agent and elasticiser in it for the plastic Sacco panels. To vary from the original two colour was possible by special customer order, but that could not have been easy at first, cos waiting list.

[@saun59]

It's even got the pre 2001 'EY' reg from Bangor (my hometown) !

[@jamesdonald7485]

I have a 1993 W124 300E in Medellin, Colombia and don't regret it at all. These cars were the pinnacle of Mercedes quality and as an added bonus HAVE NO COMPUTERS!!!

[@skodakatie7341]

That is a beautiful car, even by todays standards, 28 years on, it still looks very classy, albeit in a dated sort of way, I think you’ve made the right choice Matt, it’s retro luxury at its best ❤.

[@paulefc1971]

Fair play to Nissan for letting the most anti Juke youtuber review the new Juke 😂😂

[@tomsurrey2252]

That's what I thought, with a HUGE smile on my face!!!

[@John-Sacrimoni]

Stunning car Matt, the straight six is bombproof and well proven, I'd replaced the radio with a Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM 82 period, correct looks with modern technology

[@Ze_Hans]

Off course its bombproof to you, for Leyland quality controler everything is well made.🤣🤣🤣

[@byronmills5952]

Not quite bombproof - they are very prone to headgasket failure.

[@90sDiesel]

@@Ze_Hans top class that one 🤣

[@raycroal]

they always say that about the straight 6 but the v6 is even more bombproof and is the one i would reccomend

[@John-Sacrimoni]

@ray croal A straight six will always be better than a V6. Not just the car featured in the video.

[@rjm64r]

Forgot to mention that Merc's from that era were handbuilt to last..not churned out on a budget like todays ones.

[@nkahlolengmokwele1236]

1:37 Beauty!! If you look at the ground where it’s parked you can tell it’s got leaking hydraulic cylinders at the bottom of the car from the roof opening/closing mechanism. It’s a very common issue.

[@DrJonathanWitt]

Had one of these (‘94 SL500). They are great cars but they are incredibly complicated and ultimately still have electronics like an 80’s car. The aircon issue often requires the entire dashboard to be torn down. You can get a second key cut but getting the infrared remote/immobilizer circuitry is near impossible even from Mercedes. Ultimately sold mine because of all these headaches to name but a few. I do hope you’ll be luckier with yours.

[@LukeWells-b3o]

Matt you are totally on to something... I have a silver with black leather 1997 SL500 and it is superb. Totally effortless, with the best instrument cluster probably ever designed! My daily drive is a 2011 4.4tdv8 l322 and the SL makes you feel just as special! I've been hoping you'd do an R129 video 👍

[@rossodonnell2654]

Beautiful car and relatively bulletproof too. Incredible build quality . You’re right. That grille and clear indicators are awful. Can’t wait to see it over tidied to your usual standard.

[@gamelias87]

Such a lovely car this is. Has aged well for a 30 years old car. Let's see how new modern cars and EV last in 30 years 😎

[@Sam-gw5pl]

Exactly, sales guys electric BMW at my work blew up the other day.

[@Exxodus74]

@@Sam-gw5plhow long did that burn for?

[@TB1M1]

New cars wont last as long basically the metal gauge is thinner ( more section of thinner metal).. rust out faster.. Also back in 90's factory output of cars was much less than in 2000's so cycle time was longer = better build, that is more manual less automated.

[@trizvanov]

The EVs will outlast the current era petrol/diesel cars. That's mostly due to the fact that over the past 25 years, all the manufacturers had been outsourcing literally everything to the lowest bidder. At the same time, cars had become more complex. With EVs, there are far less things to go wrong.

[@trizvanov]

@@TB1M1 Thickness of the alloy has nothing to do with how quickly it starts getting corroded. If what you're saying was the case, we'd still have cars from the 50s running about, instead of rusting out within the first 10 years of their lives.

[@philemmett6693]

Matt, that's a great R129 SL320. I think it's the best engine for that model. I drove a 1991 R129 500SL from Essex to Chesterfield for a fellow Mercedes-Benz Club member a few years ago and it didn't miss a beat. Build quality in the early to mid '90's was excellent and you won't need to spend a fortune on it to make it as you would like. Yes, you're right about the paint and clear-coat lacquer damage at the rear which is caused by the hard-top and it's in exactly the same place as on my R107 280SL. Great video and enjoy the SL for the summer. Phil.

[@jonford6119]

That straight six 3.2 is a lovely engine. I've driven a car with that engine in many times, and it's silky smooth and has enough power. Lovely old thing.

[@toomasmatt7201]

Superb purchase. I always see a “basic” SL as somewhat of a very old-money purchase, like somebody who would buy their RR from the showroom without window tints. The guy that would buy the AMG-Brabus-Black-whatever-edition would be the same guy who puts four inches too big rims on his RR. And he should have bought a Lambo and an Escalade in the first place. But an unflamboyant SL - cool, very cool.

[@guinnessharvey4476]

Only £3.5k?! What a bargain that is. Timeless car. Just gorgeous

[@zXRICKSTERXz]

A friend of mine’s mum got one brand new on a N Reg in 96. £60000 I think she paid if memory serves. They were fairly wealthy, it was the 500 SL, sounded like a NASCAR at the time!! My friend and I took it (with his mums permission) to the local seafront boy racer patch, we were both 22 at the time. The amount of times we got pulled over and questioned by the police that night for absolutely nothing was hilarious!! And turned out to be a great way for a couple of 22 year olds to get female attention 😂

[@adzy166]

Those alloys are so classy. Love SLs from this era. I’m tempted

[@jamescoe764]

It definitely needs gingercators. Lovely old car from a period when cars were manufactured with good build quality as the goal

[@andyhewitt7588]

Oh yes…. One more thing. Check the under bonnet wiring loom. These can degrade and cause electrical gremlins. Replacements are available and its well worth the spend to insure against costly problems. I won’t spoil your day and into the hydraulics on the soft top 😀

[@jacobbahr9316]

I was amazed to see that VXR8 (aka HSV GTS) growling past. As a fan of Australian muscle cars, that looked cool. That SL looks like a great purchase. Hope it serves you well for many years.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Very rare sight

[@nintendokings]

Not all 90s cars look good but this looks amazing still today. Those seats look so comfortable too

[@nigelbond4056]

Great buy Matt. I had a V6 SL320 about 13 years ago and really regret selling it. Mine was the facelift model and it never missed a beat. It’s amazing how inexpensive they are now. Hope you have lots of fun in the sun 👏

[@philsagar2373]

a lot of enjoyable driving for 3.5k, full service on engine/gearbox and a detailed valet, a few new bits and enjoy.

[@bigscrounger]

Matt, that's one proper solid car with a bulletproof straight 6 engine. Love it. The transmission is smooth as silk. It will last for ages. They don't make them how they used to ... 👍🏽

[@Sailfire1]

Then Sadiq Khan comes along to F up everything for everyone.

[@awesomfog345]

@@Sailfire1 man get over it you don’t need a car in London

[@Sailfire1]

@Arthur Willis. Some people have vans for tools, materials and equipment. I can see why people who do not work might not need a vehicle.

[@davidf6326]

@@awesomfog345 You don't WANT a car in London. Nightmare place to drive.

[@Sailfire1]

@@awesomfog345. Starting a reply with “man” , so last century.

[@Landshark928]

Awesome Merc😍 This era of Mercedes is so solid, like a Tonka toy. Driving this SL for the weekend and a W140 during the week.😎..cheers!

[@dan19752008]

Mercs are so common now, that build quality & reliability has got worse as mass production has taken over. I've lost count of how many broken down German car's I've overtaken in my Hyundai on the motorway, while they are broken down on the hard shoulder. Good luck in the Champion's League final, I'm going to Wembley as my Sky Blues take on Luton in the Championship playoff final.

[@martinjones7631]

What a great car for that money I was thinking about buying one soon as the price is only going up

[@77CJJ]

Lovely, the R129 SL. The colour is called ‘Green Black’.

[@simonmayes7074]

Love the Merc looks like a quality motor and at a very good price. As you say you can't loose at that money very classy and understated. That era of Mercedes was over engineered when cars were built to last. Gets a thumbs up from me 👍

[@nostalgiachannel318]

The video I've been waiting for. Never been so excited to see a car video.

[@robcookson7559]

Matt, although you thought it could have been a V6, but they weren’t produced until about 2000, and are quite rare.I’ve had one for a few years now and wouldn’t part with it. Would have loved a V12 after watching an old Harry’s Garage, but that would be another level of maintenance! Great price, and perfect for Spain.

[@def90cars]

V6 was introduced 1998

[@robcookson7559]

I stand corrected! Which model did you buy?

[@def90cars]

@@robcookson7559 Ahh.. just a level of detail I enjoy. I have a 300 SL 24.

[@nomoretax]

An absolute beauty. All the health in the world to enjoy. Keep her between the hedges.

[@matthewgodwin3050]

The R129 is my favourite SL of all, and the straight six my favourite engine. This is a lovely car, and a great purchase. Enjoy the summer in it Matt, you deserve it 👍

[@brianiswrong]

I would have the steering wheel recovered, royal steering wheels in Aylesbury have done 3 steering wheels for me and either stock or bespoke, they are brilliant at what they do

[@radosawgawlik5517]

Great car, Matt! Let's hope it has been maintained well - if so, you'll have another classy Merc in your collection:)

[@jimmybob3756]

The markings on the paint around the rear are where the soft top rubs, put the roof up and you will see. I worked for Mercedes in the 80s/90s and even at my age can remember, very rarely did the hard top get used.

[@01jvb]

I think these are very good value at the moment -history of the previous models might suggest that they have reached their low price point and that values will start to rise again soon.

[@andystone5487]

That slow gearbox shifting is a deliberate thing. It holds onto a few revs to aid warm up. My E34 540 touring did exactly the same thing for literally a couple of minutes! I miss that car...... 😊

[@jamesmccartermail]

Have ALWAYS wanted one of these! Great video, look forward to seeing what you do with it! A real bargain and may make me pull the trigger on one in the future. A real stone cold modern classic. 👌

[@garyrockall6759]

Fantastic Matt I’ve just recently bought an SLK 200 compressor supercharged needed love and care wheels refurbished four new tires, new numberplates Of course. Everything works full engine and gearbox service done detailed The whole bodywork myself which is in black now looks absolutely pristine paid £900 for it brilliant car . Likewise, the SL 320 at six in arranging his superb. I had that in my 280 sports C class 👍🏼

[@Will_E_Wonty]

I had a W124 E320 with the straight six. It's a great engine.

[@Joe_le-]

I was lucky to go with my mate to pick up his brand new 3.20 in 1989 G reg, the first of them,almondine red & cream interior,we drove to Brighton & it was fkin glorious,I’d snap your hand off for that 👍

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Excellent Matt

[@miamimo70]

Ring Dronfields for a wooden steering wheel, they supplied one for my S320, same era

[@Whackypads]

Nice car Matt always liked them old SL'S Very classy 👍 i was looking forward 2 'i bought a cheap. ! ' but that will do for today 😂

[@adamtarrington6541]

Steering wheel restoration kits, which involve some sandpapering and re sealing spray have surprisingly good results even on scruffy examples. Great car!

[@25111425]

Beautiful! Well done Matt!

[@bonniedrasco8166]

A beautiful bit of kit

[@nickwebb9290]

That’s a good move Matt and sure it would be fine for a long road trip. As we all know, running a prestige car comes with higher running costs but a good local indie Merc garage should help but you’re wise to that anyway. Have fun and enjoy it 😁

[@glencannon2821]

Love it mat an old beautiful classic

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Seems like a genuine and cared for car, don't spend too much on it, old cars will never be perfect.

[@theoh7389]

What a devine peice of kit!. Nice video Matt!

[@sheeshman9713]

Think you made an excellent purchase here Matt. My grandfather just gave me his old '96 E280 and it is lovely to drive. Not the same as your SL of course but i think they are similar in many ways. Anyways I hope you enjoy this car for the many enjoyable miles it still has left to give!

[@raycroal]

e280 would be a little gem too, any merc with a six is a delight, will you be keeping it or selling

[@sheeshman9713]

@@raycroal definitely keeping it as long as possible. It just ticked over 250 000km and the only problem with it is that the rear windows wont go down. Fuel economy is decent, it has a lot of space and still drives incredibly well. I see no reason to sell it in the foreseeable future

[@raycroal]

@@sheeshman9713 nice.what type of spec does it have leather or stuff

[@sheeshman9713]

@@raycroal it's the Elegance model so it has full leather interior. Full electric front seats as well with a CD player in the boot. Don't know if there are any other noteworthy specs to be honest. I live in South Africa so we didn't get stuff like heated seats as it's unnecessary.

[@raycroal]

@@sheeshman9713 is it the w210 model with the round lights? Or the w124 with square lights

[@Thisath100]

Matt, this is a major win. Adore these cars, they've always been stunning! Great find, very happy for you.

[@jovialgent9963]

I adore older Mercs.... when they were built to a standard, not a budget isn't that right Matt!? 😉

[@nintendokings]

Too bad tax, mpg and Merc servicing/parts costs kills the value

[@Eastbarn1]

Good price. The 320 engine is not bomb proof so look out for the head gasket leaking oil at the corners (don’t often blow). All models of 320 have the disintegrating engine wiring harness which could well have been changed, worth asking the seller. When you sell it a potential purchaser will ask. There are of course other faults but a scary one that happened to mine was sticking in 2nd gear. I had to take it to a local garage because SPR were too far away in 2nd gear. After 2 weeks they took it Mercedes in Stoke who couldn’t find the problem either - I came up with idea to change the battery and I drove it straight out of the workshop with no further problem. When the batter power falls it shuts the gearbox down. Finally, I believe that the Infra Red key fob is unobtainium.

[@martinperry1]

Great price on a great car. A few points 1. Spare key is dealer only, very intermittent supply and about £300 plus 2. 96 MAY have a disintegrating engine loom - Absence of misfires means hopefully its one of the later ones that are sorted. Just find a bit of exposed insulation and squeeze - it'll fall to bits! 3. Remove all the trim panels on the lower bodywork - you may find lots of surface rust which you can catch early!

[@winstonmace4865]

An absolute classic and the best display of old money for those who still have theirs from new.

[@alexfirmin-lb9md]

Excellent choice! Much rather have one of those SLs than a Juke, that's for sure! Those old Mercs have aged very well, haven't they?

[@Talldivero]

What a lovely old motor. Would love to see you do more vids on classics. If you did one an Alfa GTV 3.0 V6 I might possibly become your greatest ever fan!

[@kyivwithgeofftanya5546]

Well again Matt you bring a little calmness and normality into my world as I spend most nights, recently, waiting for the air raid alert in Kyiv. Don’t get me wrong, I sit on my balcony and watch missiles going over, occasionally, as I sip coffee. Keep up the great reviews

[@HighPeakAutos]

Take care. All the best.

[@bigalsplanesimplegarage4288]

Car vertical is a great resource when buying or selling a car. I used car vertical on my own SL600 and found out that the DMV made a mistake on my title and i had to request a corrected title.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Oh really

[@bigalsplanesimplegarage4288]

yes, the DMV entered mileage of 597,009 when it has 59,700. I had to send in a copy of my original registration and bill of sale from the dealership to get it corrected..

[@RMILLSMMA]

Old money all day...love it. 😊 Anyone else watch Matt’s videos and soon as it’s finished… TO AUTOTRADER!!! 😂

[@steve_o379]

Love the R129 SL’s it’s was the era of over engineered mercs built to last and really reliable

[@andrewdavis9223]

I'd take that over lots of modern stuff 😊

[@rogerb68]

I think you've got a winner there Matt, definitely need to replace that hideous grille and as for the steering wheel maybe have it retrimmed if you can't get a replacement..

[@azzy274]

I love cars like this! Built to last and with love and care! It's a shame you don't get this kind of build quality nowadays 😢

[@azzy274]

@@8rick1ane that is true! I forgot about Lexus, I had one some years ago, cracking car and it never put a foot wrong 👍

[@markotango54]

What a timeless car Matt, you could still turn up anywhere in that Benz and not look out of place, l owned 4 Old School Mercs 2 W201s (190's) and 2 W124's (E Classes) the built quality was battleship

[@chitown1098]

Love this SL body style. I totally agree with you on the front end changes. True beauty and classic. A true testament to the quality of a Mercedes Benz.

[@jakubotlewski1283]

Im working in Mercedes-Benz dealer and currently working on sl60 Japanese import with 44k miles-computer only for codes and codes to look at in the books. Just love the shape and how the car is build👍

[@andrejusgerasimovas1586]

Best SL in my opinion

[@smarte.r.1450]

I love these. I picked up a brand new 320 for my boss as he was in Canne with his 911… I dearly love them

[@Ridley2907]

Cracking car Matt. Whats not to love about that! German engineering at its best. Styling wise....timeless. worth every penny!

[@carsandstuff365]

Iv had a few r129’s a 1990 sl500 and 1993 SL600 amg (with factory kit and wheels) and currently have a 2000 W reg sl500 with 32,000 miles.. my pal has a SL60 amg ! I want it so bad .. and my other friend who deals in cars has the SL73amg !!!! Super rare RHD

[@HighPeakAutos]

Oh wow. Very rare!

[@carsandstuff365]

@@HighPeakAutos exceptionally .. even the SL60 they made like 24 ish I think RHD .. I’m happy with the 500.. great cars . I do like the amg kit ones though with the split rims and boot duck tail spoiler .. proper look. The Sl73 amg is super rare .. it sure how many made in RHD.. I’m guessing not alot

[@carsandstuff365]

Holy crap I just googled RHD sl73 it’s one of 2 made out the 53 in total !!!!!!! No wonder he won’t sell it to me !

[@malcolmturton9779]

Great car Matt, seems cheap to me at 3.5k. You could always put one of those smart steering wheel covers on !!!😉

[@Jinny-Wa]

Yea Matt loves those steering wheel covers :D

[@pk-dn5sj]

4 years ago, SL500 left hand drive was up for sale in Cambridgeshire...I've almost bought it. I'm from Czech, and this would be the absolute pimp wagon for Summer😅👌 Was just 6k. Just the wheels, which were aftermarket deep dish amazing looking set, were apparently 2k. I've missed out big time... Enjoy it, Matt✌️

[@visionsinblue7093]

I don't like this version - the one before and the one after are both better looking. This looks too plasticky to me - it doesn't look premium. But it's cheap enough, if not as desirable as others. Be thankful it's not the SL280 haha

[@raymondhunt6109]

Great choice Matt, have you seen Vicky Parrarts video on Car Gurus of her SL300 -24 she bought ?

[@HighPeakAutos]

Yes I did

[@julesdowner5585]

There is a very similar looking car coming up at Anglia Car Auction i see for their next classic auction

[@rightwinggo9694]

Looking at the Green Holden rebadged Vauxhall VXR8 GTS, it's not a Monaro. The Monaro was terminated years ago, it's around a 2016 model and the Monaro wasn't produced then. I wouldn't have thought the Commodore V8 was suited to narrow English roads and crowded cities especially with the price of fuel.

[@martinboulden4388]

I drove 15k miles around Europe in a 2001 SL320 SL Edition and she didn’t miss a heartbeat and oozed class wherever I went !

[@mancavehobbies6213]

She's a stunner Matt. You're right about that grill CHANGE IT ASAP lol

[@mattsmith429]

It’s a classy bit of kit, remember seeing a guy go past me last year with the roof down smoking a huge cigar and he did look really cool

[@carsandcustard]

These are good news in my opinion. At 3.5k too, what a great buy. I sold an Ex Hong Kong, Genuine AMG Kitted example with the AMG Aero 3 piece wheels a few years ago. It needed light recommissioning and I sold it for a little more than what you paid for yours. It was sold on for high teens a few months after I sold it. Should’ve kept…

[@xdanano]

M104 is bulletproof, stock block is good for 800hp so in stock form it will last forever

[@robc5955]

I was 25 in 95, lusted after them then and still do. It seems the trick to owning one is……don’t have kids! The straight six merc engines are legendary glad your sorting the grill be perfect for Spain. Pleased for you, but quietly jealous.

[@simondrive4616]

Hi Matt I had exactly the same car for about 3 years just in blue the engine is bullet proof as long as the service history is good the auto box can stick in first if does its often just a relay and works fine after the transmission oil has warmed up your right about that grill and front indicators ,and a word to the wise if the battery goes flat DO NOT put jump leads on it you could fry the ecu located in the rear wing it better to use a trickle charger, I used to be in the car job and that merc is the only car I regret selling enjoy it ! Simon

[@raycroal]

the delayed gear change when cold is deliberate, it is to help heat the catalytic convertor up. lots of people think it is a sign of the gearbox being old

[@grahamworthy100]

Nice to see you bought an 320 SL I have one and believe that it’s a great car to enjoy with out the expensive and over protected collection that are just garaged in the hope of them being a great investment. a lot of people commenting on how nice they look

[@marcp108]

A really nice ride - I'm loving my recent acquired 2008 C280!

[@craigfraser9102]

I’m with you, this era of Mercedes is the best, very nice car and at that price you can’t go wrong

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

My R129 lived in Southern France for the first 8 years of its life. I bought it with 31k miles on it. I have owned it for 15 years and loved every minute. The straight 6 is a great engine . Head gasket oil leaks at around 100k are common

[@jameshodges1496]

Amazing purchase! You're living the dream, enjoy the drive.

[@davidminns9799]

Mercedes of this era were built beautifully. Again so glad it's fallen in to your hands Matt as you care👍

[@white183a]

Enjoy it Matt, a true Classic, great buy for 3K.

[@arnoutbolman5070]

Great choise ! For that price !?? Looks brandnew after 29 years !! Some people are really bonkers.. 6 cyl is best choise, drives comfortable, easy to repair. For there is a lot of space left. DO BRING IT TO SPAIN !! I did one time, 1.000 miles in one day, top down. That is a real joy !!! You will love this thing on the motorway. Best companion.. That grill ? Straight on the grill...

[@seanscott685]

Congratulations Matt! A great usable example, still cool 28 years on. I love cars from this era too.Enjoy.

[@nolanstaveley-haynes2129]

Cool video Matt. My Auntie bought a Brand New one of these back in 1994 in white for a price of £120k which was more than our house cost. I can still remember the reg. Every now and again she would pick me up from school. Brilliant memories

[@HighPeakAutos]

Oh wow. She must have been doing well

[@nolanstaveley-haynes2129]

@@HighPeakAutos Yes her and my uncle Built up a successful company from nothing in the 80's

[@HighPeakAutos]

@@nolanstaveley-haynes2129 ah very good. Love to hear stories like that