Mine too! I could have bought one of these from the original owner a few years ago, and of course I didn't. (And I kick myself.) A true classic and stunning with the hard top.
Bill was such a suave car salesman back then, now he's your favorite encyclopedic grumpy rockstar. All good. Awesome car for sure. Thanks for the inspiration and keep on trucking!
What a really excellent review of this beautiful car, am getting this car tomorrow have for many years wanted this car, thank you and many thanks. I'm 80 years old
So I have the opportunity to buy one of these. Needs a bit of work, I’m getting it looked at by a professional before I make a decision. Are you enjoying the car?
This SL is my fav So Nostalgic to me I have a shrine of diecast cars of this model in all colors now Ive got to get the real thing. And I especially love the Black and tan Color Combo.
Dude I love your videos. Amazing car amazing review. Engineering is top tier, way ahead of its time, like most Mercedes. I want to be a Saudi driving to my harem through the desert hahah.
This has aged very well. Very well. Saw one in bad condition and it still looked damned good. The design is smack on gorgeous elegant.. Bruno Sacco did a good job on the design.
Bill I have the same car and there is a quick fix for the sticky dash compartment that should just flip open when you press the button - yours doesn't I noticed. Mine was delivered with the same fault and I fixed it by loosening off the screws in the back of the compartment. Sounds nuts, but doing that realingnes the box and the door will release perfectly. I got a 1999 V6 320 in as good a shape as yours and it is simply the best car I have ever driven!
Beautiful car, a futur classic. Can you tell me the name of the music you are using in intro please ? I really like it, I searched in the TH-cam library and I didn't find (
@@stephenauty2402 In the US, the 320SL and SL320 had a 24 valve inline 6. 97 was the last 6 that was offered in the US market. ROW circa 98 got the V6 that was also found in the E320 / SLK320 and some other cars.
@@stephenauty2402 At least in the US, the face lift occurred in 97. One thing to be careful with MB, the model year does not always coincide with changes, MB tends to make improvements as they become available. Also know that in 97 there was an AMG styling package option that consisted of different bumpers / side skirts / 18 wheels.
I know this was a year ago, but I’ve always wanted one of this vintage. This just made me kick myself for not buying one after my 2nd marriage, and buying an E500 for the wife, instead. But you know what they say, happy wife, happy life. I still drive her E more than she does. Heh-heh.
The 1990-1991 & 1992 are the ones people are collecting and were hand built. The engineer could no longer be heard over the hysteria of cost cutting, increased profit and productivity. The fate was sealed for this wonderful Le Man bread engine. The ensuing cost cutting inevitably lead to the demise of the quality of the items attached to the engine, although the core is very much still there. The later cars were massed produced with robots using torx fasteners. The early cars have the purity of the original engineering design before the cars were cheapened by the bean counters. You are still able to work on them. The '90-92 models do have the standard strut and shock suspensions. The '93 and later SL's brought electronic controlled suspensions, the electronic dashboard gauges. I do not want to deal with 30 year computers to keep the car running. The '93-95 engine wiring loom insulation was changed and deteriorates from heat and can short out everything including your drive by wire throttle aka electronic throttle actuator. The 90-92 have aluminum oil supply tubes to lubricate the cams. The '93 and later cars have plastic oil feed tubes that break or crack from heat over time causing loss of the oil supply to the overhead cams, oops!
Thank you for the intel on these models. It is still my dream to one day locate a pristine specimen as is possible, without breaking the bank. I feel like those days are quickly passing by. When I lived on Long Island, there seemed to be an abundance of these cars there. Condition did vary, from car to car, but overall, they were maintained well, by some very talented mechanics. I was privileged to be able to travel all over the island and see auto repair shops that specialized in all the super car brands, some in individual brands, others that covered all the brands under one roof. The most important thing I took away from there was that there was a lot of money in the tri-state area, and that the owners of those supercars were dead serious about maintaining them. I’ve since moved back to Texas, and while the economy here is as strong as ever, the change in leasing options has made those supercars seem almost disposable. People seem to have the mindset that since they’re most likely to never fully own these cars, they feel free to beat on them like a rented mule, ignore the maintenance schedules, then turn the cars back in, where the dealers send those lease models to auction, only to end up on the local used car lot, where you’d be lucky if they performed an oil change before putting them on the front line of the lot. Those that are well maintained, usually stay with the original leasing dealer, but at prices that are just over-inflated. The used car market is hotter than ever, and dealers here report that the used car segment is actually more profitable than the new car segment. Who’d have ever thought that possible? I personally am just biding my time, waiting for that perfect specimen of black/tan with both tops, low mileage, well maintained, with a recorded history from the original date of sale. Until then, I keep my wife’s E500 in well maintained condition. While it’s not the SL Class, it’s no slouch, either, and it still manages to get a front row spot at the local valet parking of our favorite restaurant.
@@cubbysrig I would like to find a nice '92 500E. I have been looking for one for over a year. I do have a very nice '92 300E along with my '92 500SL. !992 is my cut off date for a Mercedes-Benz. The bean counters started their cost cutting on the companies products. The 1990-92 326bhp hand built M119 V8s are, in my mind, without question, the pinnacle of that folklore period in Mercedes' history when engineering and integrity preceded everything else. The era before mass production became the ultimate aim of the new breed of men at the top. Oil starvation to the camshaft lifters is a common problem after 1992, caused by failure of the later plastic oil feed tubes under the cam covers, which replaced the well-engineered alloy oil tubes as part of the early cost cutting. This causes sticking lifters and premature wear of the camshaft lobes. The early original alloy oil tubes are interchangeable, but unfortunately are no longer available from MB. However aftermarket ones are available, at a cost.The time before engineering became a byword for compromise. The 1990-92 500SL’s were the prelude to the subtle power machinations of the rising bean counters that stifled the pioneering voice of the engineer. The engineer could no longer be heard over the hysteria of cost cutting, increased profit and productivity. The fate was sealed for this wonderful Le Man bread engine. IMHO the ensuing cost cutting inevitably lead to the demise of the quality of the items attached to the engine, although the core is very much still there. COST CUTTING The production costs due to the increasing electronic complexity of later models were offset to an extent by changes to various sculptural / intricate parts of the early 500SLs. These were easy targets that befell the bean counter's axe, and were re-engineered on later engines (M119 and M113), or should I say 'devalue-engineered' and replaced by cheaper, mass produced plastic molded parts. Unfortunately, although the changes were subtle, and did not catch the attention of the new buyers of the time, they stand out like carbuncles to enthusiasts. Examples are: - plastic cap and reservoir of later power steering pump, - plastic oil filter housing cap, - plastic replaces alloy ignition switch housing, - loss of decorative chrome ring on ignition key bezel, - loss of a chrome heat shield to protect piston seals on replacement brake calipers (although the pistons are still machined to accept these) - plastic housing to ABS/ASR sensors instead of stainless steel, - increasing number of plastic parts on surround to radiator, - increasingly inferior quality of soft top and hard top latches, - increasingly inferior quality of chromed soft top frame (early ones are better), - front grille made with fewer titanium slats on later 'face lift' models, - rear axle camber strut less robust (now double pressed steel channels instead of welded box), - rear axle link bolts, smaller diameters with sherardized sintered steel spacer rings, - rear axle rubber boot clips now only have one clamping nipple (old ones had two), - mass produced window motors common with other models, - cam oiler tubes (as mentioned above), All said I will never drive a fake Mercedes aka Lexus.
These older benz models are true Gems, I would love to own one like this in excellent condition. My Fav SL as well.
Mine too! I could have bought one of these from the original owner a few years ago, and of course I didn't. (And I kick myself.) A true classic and stunning with the hard top.
Bill was such a suave car salesman back then, now he's your favorite encyclopedic grumpy rockstar. All good.
Awesome car for sure.
Thanks for the inspiration and keep on trucking!
What a really excellent review of this beautiful car, am getting this car tomorrow have for many years wanted this car, thank you and many thanks. I'm 80 years old
So I have the opportunity to buy one of these. Needs a bit of work, I’m getting it looked at by a professional before I make a decision. Are you enjoying the car?
This was the car my grandparents gave me today for my birthday :)
Lucky. Im 27 and that car is a BEAUT.
I have an Azurite blue metallic ‘97 SL320 with only 56k miles and I love driving it. Can’t wait for the summer.
The video was informative. Your personality and comments made me laugh. Thank you
I love how the interior looks
Beautiful Benz!
This SL is my fav So Nostalgic to me I have a shrine of diecast cars of this model in all colors now Ive got to get the real thing. And I especially love the Black and tan Color Combo.
Dude I love your videos. Amazing car amazing review. Engineering is top tier, way ahead of its time, like most Mercedes. I want to be a Saudi driving to my harem through the desert hahah.
Bill, you are simply the best.
This has aged very well. Very well. Saw one in bad condition and it still looked damned good. The design is smack on gorgeous elegant.. Bruno Sacco did a good job on the design.
Bill I have the same car and there is a quick fix for the sticky dash compartment that should just flip open when you press the button - yours doesn't I noticed. Mine was delivered with the same fault and I fixed it by loosening off the screws in the back of the compartment. Sounds nuts, but doing that realingnes the box and the door will release perfectly. I got a 1999 V6 320 in as good a shape as yours and it is simply the best car I have ever driven!
Jonathan Hollick what is it like to have a car like this?
Great to know,as I am an oil Sheikh who frequents desert harems....
most handsome car ever build
I love my '91 SL500. Still does 155 mph!
2Pac’s car in California love Remix! 😁
Tupac had a 500
I like this one,a dream car
25 Automatic... lol He's the best!
Beautiful car, a futur classic.
Can you tell me the name of the music you are using in intro please ? I really like it, I searched in the TH-cam library and I didn't find (
Bill is the best
Nice video mate
5:09 nice engine
i'm sure the UK (Euro) 320 had a V6 not a straight 6 like in this car..is that right?
@Echte Brabander Actually it did but in 1998, this car is a 97
@@stephenauty2402 In the US, the 320SL and SL320 had a 24 valve inline 6. 97 was the last 6 that was offered in the US market. ROW circa 98 got the V6 that was also found in the E320 / SLK320 and some other cars.
@@bobroberts2371 Yeah that makes sense, I was always looking for a facelift (98+) so they all had V6's ..nothing wrong with the straight six though.
@@stephenauty2402 At least in the US, the face lift occurred in 97. One thing to be careful with MB, the model year does not always coincide with changes, MB tends to make improvements as they become available. Also know that in 97 there was an AMG styling package option that consisted of different bumpers / side skirts / 18 wheels.
Fantastic 320. Wonder how much he got for it.
Where do you get the vent knobs??
Luxurious 2 seats cabriole, soft top, lil' engine - the perfect car fo my wife !
What's the price ?
How it cost?
How do I change the time on my clock?
Push the button down and hold it.
About what price is this going for?
I know this was a year ago, but I’ve always wanted one of this vintage. This just made me kick myself for not buying one after my 2nd marriage, and buying an E500 for the wife, instead. But you know what they say, happy wife, happy life. I still drive her E more than she does. Heh-heh.
The 1990-1991 & 1992 are the ones people are collecting and were hand built. The engineer could no longer be heard over the hysteria of cost cutting, increased profit and productivity. The fate was sealed for this wonderful Le Man bread engine. The ensuing cost cutting inevitably lead to the demise of the quality of the items attached to the engine, although the core is very much still there. The later cars were massed produced with robots using torx fasteners. The early cars have the purity of the original engineering design before the cars were cheapened by the bean counters. You are still able to work on them. The '90-92 models do have the standard strut and shock suspensions. The '93 and later SL's brought electronic controlled suspensions, the electronic dashboard gauges. I do not want to deal with 30 year computers to keep the car running. The '93-95 engine wiring loom insulation was changed and deteriorates from heat and can short out everything including your drive by wire throttle aka electronic throttle actuator. The 90-92 have aluminum oil supply tubes to lubricate the cams. The '93 and later cars have plastic oil feed tubes that break or crack from heat over time causing loss of the oil supply to the overhead cams, oops!
Thank you for the intel on these models. It is still my dream to one day locate a pristine specimen as is possible, without breaking the bank. I feel like those days are quickly passing by. When I lived on Long Island, there seemed to be an abundance of these cars there. Condition did vary, from car to car, but overall, they were maintained well, by some very talented mechanics. I was privileged to be able to travel all over the island and see auto repair shops that specialized in all the super car brands, some in individual brands, others that covered all the brands under one roof. The most important thing I took away from there was that there was a lot of money in the tri-state area, and that the owners of those supercars were dead serious about maintaining them.
I’ve since moved back to Texas, and while the economy here is as strong as ever, the change in leasing options has made those supercars seem almost disposable. People seem to have the mindset that since they’re most likely to never fully own these cars, they feel free to beat on them like a rented mule, ignore the maintenance schedules, then turn the cars back in, where the dealers send those lease models to auction, only to end up on the local used car lot, where you’d be lucky if they performed an oil change before putting them on the front line of the lot. Those that are well maintained, usually stay with the original leasing dealer, but at prices that are just over-inflated. The used car market is hotter than ever, and dealers here report that the used car segment is actually more profitable than the new car segment. Who’d have ever thought that possible?
I personally am just biding my time, waiting for that perfect specimen of black/tan with both tops, low mileage, well maintained, with a recorded history from the original date of sale. Until then, I keep my wife’s E500 in well maintained condition. While it’s not the SL Class, it’s no slouch, either, and it still manages to get a front row spot at the local valet parking of our favorite restaurant.
@@williamriley4977 very interesting, thanks for that.
@@cubbysrig I would like to find a nice '92 500E. I have been looking for one for over a year. I do have a very nice '92 300E along with my '92 500SL. !992 is my cut off date for a Mercedes-Benz. The bean counters started their cost cutting on the companies products. The 1990-92 326bhp hand built M119 V8s are, in my mind, without question, the pinnacle of that folklore period in Mercedes' history when engineering and integrity preceded everything else. The era before mass production became the ultimate aim of the new breed of men at the top. Oil starvation to the camshaft lifters is a common problem after 1992, caused by failure of the later plastic oil feed tubes under the cam covers, which replaced the well-engineered alloy oil tubes as part of the early cost cutting. This causes sticking lifters and premature wear of the camshaft lobes. The early original alloy oil tubes are interchangeable, but unfortunately are no longer available from MB. However aftermarket ones are available, at a cost.The time before engineering became a byword for compromise. The 1990-92 500SL’s were the prelude to the subtle power machinations of the rising bean counters that stifled the pioneering voice of the engineer. The engineer could no longer be heard over the hysteria of cost cutting, increased profit and productivity. The fate was sealed for this wonderful Le Man bread engine. IMHO the ensuing cost cutting inevitably lead to the demise of the quality of the items attached to the engine, although the core is very much still there.
COST CUTTING
The production costs due to the increasing electronic complexity of later models were offset to an extent by changes to various sculptural / intricate parts of the early 500SLs. These were easy targets that befell the bean counter's axe, and were re-engineered on later engines (M119 and M113), or should I say 'devalue-engineered' and replaced by cheaper, mass produced plastic molded parts. Unfortunately, although the changes were subtle, and did not catch the attention of the new buyers of the time, they stand out like carbuncles to enthusiasts. Examples are:
- plastic cap and reservoir of later power steering pump,
- plastic oil filter housing cap,
- plastic replaces alloy ignition switch housing,
- loss of decorative chrome ring on ignition key bezel,
- loss of a chrome heat shield to protect piston seals on replacement brake calipers (although the pistons are still machined to accept these)
- plastic housing to ABS/ASR sensors instead of stainless steel,
- increasing number of plastic parts on surround to radiator,
- increasingly inferior quality of soft top and hard top latches,
- increasingly inferior quality of chromed soft top frame (early ones are better),
- front grille made with fewer titanium slats on later 'face lift' models,
- rear axle camber strut less robust (now double pressed steel channels instead of welded box),
- rear axle link bolts, smaller diameters with sherardized sintered steel spacer rings,
- rear axle rubber boot clips now only have one clamping nipple (old ones had two),
- mass produced window motors common with other models,
- cam oiler tubes (as mentioned above),
All said I will never drive a fake Mercedes aka Lexus.
@@williamriley4977 I’m gonna be buying 96 sl320 after taking to Mercedes for inspection would you recommend ?
I have a 96 in smoke silver
Liked
Hi my friend
Beautiful!!!
How much
Thank you
Just guess
A fair price
SL = Super Lumpen
treasure
Too bad it's not a manual transmission.
Early 320SL could have been gotten with a manual, it was not that great.
전쟁도안했는데 집을뺐기고 노숙자신세가되는세상 광명뉴타운에는 국가유가족에게 입주권도안주고 강제로내쫒아버리는것은 국민차별 노숙자양성 양극화시대 보이지않는 전쟁...모든뉴타운에서 집을뺐겨버린원주민들에게 입주권이라도 찾아주어야 진짜민주주의정부
Sheikh driving to his harem😅😅😅