Mercedes 300 SL R107 - 1988

whippet · 27-09-2017 4:34pm #1

I have been dithering over getting a classic as a weekend car; I do big mileage day to day and have a workhorse of a daily driver and the 'something fun for the weekend' has been playing on my mind for a while.

I decided that I would get something next year from my bonus cheque due .. but one of these has come across my plate at a very very very decent price ... it needs a bit of work but should have it done before I could get my hands on it.

It is the convertible with a detachable hard top in white.

Has anyone any experience of these .. will it become a money pit; are the actually any fun to own?

w124man · 27-09-2017 5:22pm

Lovely cars but are prone to rust like any other, actually in fact they rust everywhere, the inner arches, inner and outer sills and bulkheads. Parts are getting expensive but there are specialists about. Give it a good looking over before you buy and remember there is no such thing as a cheap R107 and buckets are fetching €10,000 and top notch examples are hitting €80k

Dades · 27-09-2017 5:50pm

Had one and loved it. Definitely more of a GT than a roadster, so expect to waft down motorways and A roads rather than attack the Sally Gap.

I only got rid of mine as I had no garage and too many kids, and didn't want to see it rust and die from underuse.

But yeah, best ensure rust won't be an issue as you'll be NCT'ing that every year.

unkel · 27-09-2017 6:48pm

whippet wrote: »

of these has come across my plate at a very very very decent price

On Irish plates? Not rotten? You could do it up and wait until the vintage tax kicks in next year before putting it on the road. If you can do most of the work yourself or have a man for it, you are unlikely to lose any money on it, even with a few setbacks / expensive parts needed. The price of these cars has been going up very rapidly over the last few years.

daithi7 · 27-09-2017 7:21pm

whippet wrote: »

I have been dithering over getting a classic as a weekend car; I do big mileage day to day and have a workhorse of a daily driver and the 'something fun for the weekend' has been playing on my mind for a while.

I decided that I would get something next year from my bonus cheque due .. but one of these has come across my plate at a very very very decent price ... it needs a bit of work but should have it done before I could get my hands on it.

It is the convertible with a detachable hard top in white.

Has anyone any experience of these .. will it become a money pit; are the actually any fun to own?

Me too, I am this soldier, I too have been dithering over purchasing one of these for far too long now..... exact same thing.

I used to be a car fanatic when I was (a lot) younger and cycle around motor dealerships collecting all the brochures and motoring paraphernalia that I could carry. I remember one particularly scary(for my mum) time when as a 10 year old I didn't arrive home until after dusk on an autumn school night cos i thought it a good idea to cycle down to Ford (I'm from Cork) after school cos the latest Sierra or Escort was being released iirc. I know I'm that old

Anyway, we had a wealthy neighbour in our park who used to drive a metallic sky blue SL 450 I think, as he had quite a few of them over the years actually. It was an absolute beaut of a car, cream leather, hard& soft top, mahogany steering wheel (iirc) and he used to wear lovely leather driving gloves when driving it. If I spotted him heading to work in it on my way to school, I'd follow him on my bicycle despite this meaning he took the very hilly route to town. Happy days...., an absolutely beautiful car, lovely memories and I've wanted an SL like it ever since.

So on a total emotional basis, I'd acquire the car asap, but if you don't, please pm me and I will, as I've been putting it off far too long already

& I'm not kidding.

Btw, if anyone owns a metallic sky blue, or silver, or any colour, R107 in relatively good condition, preferably all restored, msg me as I've just realised I'm very much in the market!!!

P.s. I've used the excuse that I haven't got a dedicated garage or shed for one, but actually if I just reorganised my existing garage I could squeeze one in no issue.

goochy · 27-09-2017 8:15pm

Aren't the 1986 on version galvanised ??

w124man · 27-09-2017 8:53pm

goochy wrote: »

Aren't the 1986 on version galvanised ??

I believe so. They still rot like f***

irshmerc · 30-09-2017 12:05am

Two quotes come to mind, no such thing as a cheap mercedes, and, on a quiet night you can hear them rust, especially if it has spent it's life here or in England, and the shaggers rust from the inside out.
Apart from that, nice car, is the 300 the most economical of the engine ranges.

Good luck

lomb · 03-01-2018 10:31pm

Forget about what these go for. The market isnt exactly sane.Get the next model SL which is a stunner too. The Bobby Ewing SL although stunning was likely the worst car I've ever driven. My 500 sec from the same era is a far superior machine in every way. Look at it this way the SL was designed in the seventies and feels like it too.

goochy · 05-01-2018 1:21pm

I prefer the R129 SL , but no cheap road tax for a very years and a lot more complicated a car !

Dades · 05-01-2018 1:52pm

Both Mercs, both SLs, but both very different cars for very different buyers, I'd have thought.

The 107 is most certainly a classic and a headturner, and drives like a couch on wheels (eats up motorways).

The 129 is a youngtimer and more of a sports car than a statement.

lomb · 05-01-2018 5:50pm

goochy wrote: »

I prefer the R129 SL , but no cheap road tax for a very years and a lot more complicated a car !

Possibly, but having driven a mid eighties 500sl I thought it a bit of a joke.
Ive come to the conclusion that modern cars are just better than classics-safety, comfort, handling but lack the looks of the classics. I lit up the rear tyres on the 500sec at 75 mph on a wet road and the back stepped out and this in a straight line. The Audi TT Mk1 I think marked the transition of the end of the classics and beginning of the moderns.

My plan is to assemble a collection of classics over the next 5 years like Miagi out of the Karate Kid in mint body condition(mech not too important)
Current Audi TT Mk1
83 500 Sec
8 Series Bmw Ideally a v12 but likely the v8
R107 Sl
R129 Sl
560 SEL
Rolls Royce Silver Spur
Bentley Turbo R
Daimler Double Six
W140 S600
Maybe a Silver Cloud if funds allow at some point

and drive /tax /nct

.....none of them

MercMad · 08-01-2018 12:48pm

The best advice I can give on these cars, being extremely familiar having restored several, is tonget someone who knows them inside out to check them for rust

They all rust unless they have been cosseted indoors.

They rust from the inside out and yes even the galvanised ones do. I restored an '89 last year that had rust in the arches and wheel wells and one other car Inwork on is an '88 and the bulkhead is gone. You need to check this area with a scope, it's the only way and some disassembly is required.

Bulkhead, silks, floors, arches.

Mechanically they are robust if not bulletproof but this can mean that folk drive them and don't maintain them and they still drive but don't feel like a Benz should. A bad one is awful to drive.

The early V8's are thirsty but the alter ones are too bad and sound very nice.

Personally a late 300SL is the one to have, smooth engine, enough power and lighter handling.

Certain trim parts are very expensive lately but mechanical items are decent value.

An R129 is a far more sporty and modern car to drive and for me they represent terrric value. Buy an early one and you only have a few years to wait. For me the early R129 looks better anyway, that's why there is one in my garage ðŸ˜Ž

Mercedes 300 SL R107 - 1988

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