Strange Dream
 

Last night, I had a dream that I owned a mid-90's Mercedes Benz two-seater with a manual transmission and a V12. Clearly, I was thinking of a previous-generation 600SL.

That would be a fun car.

I've found myself looking at them on eBay. Looks like they could be had for $12k - $20k.

Make sure you locate a good independant mech to go with the purchase. And that he is taking new clients.

There are some amazing deals on big boats right now. But no slips.

I can't afford another car right now.

All of my disposable income is going to getting our house on the market.

I have a feeling that you will need to find a really really good independent for a Merc v12. I dont know but i have that feeling.

I already know of a good shop in town. I've seen my company's CEO's old SL from the 60's there a few times...

Still, I'm not buying one right now.

I don't think it would be sporty enough for me.

You could maybe bench press it when it broke down?

wish, want, need, got.

You'll own one when you 'need' one ;)

I had a dream last night that our kitchen sink drained into a vegetable garden, and we had the most spectacular tomatos you've ever seen.

I'll take the 600sl

I've had a '96 MB SL500 for four years. It now has about 68,000 total miles. I've had no serious problems at all during the time and 8,000 miles I have put on it during the summer months. The V12 SL600's seem to have a few more issues and not that much more performance.

One of the biggest issues that seem to crop up with the R129 platform has to do with the hydraulic top mechanism and the seals for the many cylinders that control the top. One day everything is fine and the next you have a puddle of hydraulic fluid on your seat and floor. It hasn't happened to me yet but it's just a matter of time.....

The dealer cost for repairing/replacing these is outrageous. However, there is a very straight forward DIY fix that involves sending the cylinders out for rebuilding. Check out the BenzWorld forum for lots of information on these cars:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129-sl-class/

Other issues involve electronics and various electronic modules. Dealer pricing can be steep.

Overall I like the car for what it is. It's not a 911 or a 928. As I tell people, the Benz is really enjoyable to drive while the 911 is fun to drive. There is a big difference.