SL Mercs? Any Good?

[ashmicro]

Hi Shiters

 

I'm feeling the luurve for SLs at the minute, specifically this one

 

 

It's the povo 2.8 V6. Is there anything to look out for, like the arse falling out of it or summat? A mate tells me that this one is "one of the last ones that was made properly", and it seems to have been made prior to the fateful "1st November 1998 Mercedes/Chrysler agreement"

 

 

The seller is a man I know, and is well respected as an honest chap.

 

Over to you, fellow Shiters!

[Pete-M]

I'll be a 2.8 straight six if its a 280.

 

They're pretty good, over engineered rather spectacularly, but they do still rot so check carefully around the floor, bulkhead, sills, windscreen etc.

 

2.8 won't be even slightly quick, but a nice enough thing to waft about in and the engine should be smooth even though its not that powerful. Check for any signs of a rattly water pump or coolant loss. Gearbox should be uber-smooth, brakes should be very effective and there shouldn't be any creaks or rattles. There may be a tiny bit of scuttle shake, but not much.

 

Check all the gubbins work, because not too many of these get broken so parts for weird electrogubbins are pretty much Merc only, and even though Mercedes are one of the better manufacturers for looking after their older cars they can still be bloody expensive on occasion. A nice touch is that all the internal cubby boxes should lock with the central locking.

 

Does it have the hard top? They make a big difference to price.

[dollywobbler]

IIRC, the SL280 was available with a straight-six, then a V6. Can't imagine they're that rapid, but then like the previous, it's more about touring than a sports car experience. Certainly well nailed together.

[ashmicro]

Thanks for the advice folks, I shall bear it all in mind for the future - the SL in question is now sold! Sadly, not to me.

 

EDIT to add: YES, this one came with the hard top - I'm told they were about £2000! FARK!