I love my 1971 280SL, the last year of production. Light beige with tobacco brown tops and interior, 4 speed manual. I've owned it since 1998 and still have no desire to part with it. It's driven weekly, because the worst thing you can do to these cars is leave them sit for long periods of time like a "garage queen." Cheers from suburban Philadelphia!
Simply the perfect car to cruise around by the coast anywhere from Torquay to St Tropez. So pleased you liked it James ! Was worried it might get a thumbs down from you !
11:51 Drum brakes all round in a 280? No, that can't be. With the introduction of the 250 there were discs all round (even the 230 had discs at the front). Anyway, one of the best sounding Mercedes of all time. And my personal favourite Mercedes at all.
By far the prettiest benz ever. A friend of my fathers had a 250 in the late 60s and I have sat in the jump seat at for the time insane speeds for the time. He sold his Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina to my mother to buy it, so 2 very cool cars in my early childhood
I has a 911S, I would have swapped it for a 230/50/80 SL in the blink of an eye. They are now getting very expensive. I know a garage that did a bare chassis nut and bolt restoration for under £100k, but that's Bosnian prices.
I owned a 280sl pagoda automatic for approximately 2 years and coming from air-cooled 911s and etypes I couldn't adjust to the automatic Merc...agree the styling is amazing especially with the headrests fitted...I would love to try a manual 280 to compare..and possibly with the upgraded rear axle often fitted.
My Aunt owned a 230SL for years. To date it is STILL her favourite car of all time. Another wonderful review, James. The pleasure you enjoyed while reviewing this car was more than evident.
Glorious, you have hit on one of my all time favorites. Saw my first one in about 1982, in AZ. USA. Didn't know what It was, but figured it out, and have been in love with the looks ever sense.
The W113 230SL won the Sophia Liege Rally in the early 1960’s. So it did still have some motor sport credentials. It was very expensive and was around double the cost of a contemporary E Type and similar sum to an Aston Martin DB.
I have never really been a fan of Mercedes at all - apart from the Pagoda and the follow up 280SL 107 and 113s. Nothing else has excited me since either. Great review and a joy to watch.
what a marvelous thing. Turns out I was in one. Must have been 7, so 1978 and in Athens. A friend was running us somewhere and this was his chariot. I distinctly remember he put his foot down to give me a thrill, and we got to about 100 (kmh!). It felt like I was in a rocket, the feeling of the wind was awesome. it was my first shot in an open top
@@apurugganan don't think so. It was my age, when things like that were very new to me so felt amazing. On the back of my mates Gpz1000, when he went from 0-100 and rammed on the brakes back to 30 sticks in my mind. That was more terrifying than thrilling though 😂. That was mid 90s, by most accounts, that bike is now slow for a 1litre 4pot!!
Compared to the literal soap bars that mercedes benz sells today, this thing, even though its like 50 years old now, is still pure class, as well as a money flex (not in a bad way though, this thing is iconic)
I believe my aunt had one, because she was looking to purchase that garage accessory that would lift the roof off without requiring her husband or an extra set of hands. She eventually leaned towards newer Mercs, and one thing she misses was the heavy *thunk* of old Mercedes doors.
I bought one of these in 2003 when i was 28. It was my only car at the time, so I used to pop down to Tesco's in it. Maintenance costs weren't bad back then, and parts were relatively easy to get. I eventually sold it after about 8 years of ownership, as i had my first child on the way and i was facing some large ish projects on it, and therefore large ish costs. I miss it lots, and will now never be able to afford to buy one. One of, if not the, prettiest cars ever made. Gorgeous with or without the hard top on, although i actually preferred the looks with it on. Stunning, and a better ride than you might expect.
Back then, all the ladies wanted this car. They saw themselves cruising along the south of France in it, headscarf and sunglasses on. My mum certainly liked them. Dad bought her a lada....
My mum was more fortunate as back in the mid sixties my dad bought her a couple of years old 1964 230SL ; alas I was too young then and never got to drive that one , but did later get to drive all three variants ; the 230 is the only one that doesn't handle like a barge as it was actually engineered as a sports car and they were actually rallied very successfully in the early sixties . About 10 years later the pagoda was sold and my mum got a R107 350SL ; I did eventually get to drive that one , although my dad gave me his 220/8 to start off with after I passed my test , and it was an excuse for him to get his W123 250 which had just been introduced . After a few years with the R107 , my mum was grumbling about the fuel consumption , so it was changed for an Audi 100 , which actually she loved and that car stayed in the family for almost 20 years . Those early R107s were indeed thirsty beasts and you'd be lucky to ever see 15mpg ; the second generation ones are much more frugal , but go either for a 300 , which goes reasonably well and handles well , or just jump to the 500 if you want more performance , but doesn't handle just so well because of the big lump up front . After a non fault crash in the 220 ( a drunk driver came around a bend on my side of the road ) I got a 5 speed manual 280E (W114) which was a great car and I put over 200,000 miles on it . Also got my Ponton while I had that car and kept it for 38 years , and alongside it a W111 220S . Latterly have had lots of W201 / 123 / 124 / 126 and recently a W140 and a R129 300SL-24 , which has been one of the best cars I've owned and had decent performance with the 5 speed box , sounded wonderful and still had the slightly better handling which came from having the six cylinder rather than a quad cam V-8 up front . Had to sell it recently due to a change in circumstances and currently running an S124 , which is a great choice when limited to just one car as it's so versatile , but plan to get another R129 when I retire , to keep alongside the 124 . I still feel the R129 is a great choice : it links back to earlier SLs being solidly built ( and hand built ) , has enough mod cons but not too afflicted with modern electronics , so still reasonably DIY friendly ( it is still a W124 underneath ) , and not as electronically fragile as R230 and other later models . Best of all , it still has a removable hard top and a soft top for showers , which can be raised at the touch of a button . In my seven years of ownership I only had the hard top on twice ( once when moving house and once when selling the car ) , the soft top is fine all year round and as long as you don't try to lower it when temperature is too low , all is good , but i still got mine down whenever i could .
I've lived to see designs i once thought of as evergreens suddenly look old to me. The Ferrari Daytona as one example that'll likely get me a few hate comments or five. ..but the Pagoda.. Still absolutely beautiful to my eyes. I occasionally see one when i'm out for my daily walk, and boy do i wish i was behind the wheel of that. Back then, and many years after this, Mercedes were objects of desire. My personal favourite would still be a C126, 500/560SEC. Absolute icon if you ask me. ..but a 280SL Pagoda is pretty high on the list too. Lovely car.
I had a 500SEC and was disappointed by it. It was too long and too wide and really only good for doing 60 to 120 mph accelerations on the German autobahns. It was so disappointing that I went back to manual 3 series BMWs and now due to BMW quality and reliability issues and service costs have moved to Lexus.
@@johntheaccountant5594 Well, to be fair, you were driving manual BMW 3 Series, which are awesome sedans and feel absolutely engaging and easy to toss around but belong to another segment of cars, whereas the 500SEC was mostly built as big continental GT cruiser prioritizing comfort. Essentially it's a coupe variant W126, which in turn, is a flagship sedan and not a compact like that of a 3 series. Secondly, what chassis of the 3 series did you own to make you go to Lexus? I know that when it comes to E46s, it takes some time to find one that's been meticulously maintained and sorted out, but E36s have been relatively well built and solid. Or is it an E90?
Absolute beauty! Classy, stylish and well built classic. Truly a worthy dream car. That being said, it's quite unusual to hear that this particular one has drum brakes all around. Even the 230 had front discs and by the 250 I think they fitted all round disc brakes on most of the cars.
In an increasingly anodyne world,its good to be reminded how we used to do things.Character is an underrated and unique quality in today's age......This is rolling history and style.
Very sweet car, works well in Red, I like the matching wheels of various Mercedes of the time, and I didn't know why they were called Pagoda. Thought I'd make a suggestion I've been seeing other TH-camrs do which is not letting the video continue on much past the end, I think it helps with watch time percentage, if you're interested (or you may be aware and it doesn't really matter).
My 280 was absolutely identical to that. I’ve got mine with 18 years old. I should never of got rid of that major major mistake. Same colour everything are used to only drive it in the summer I had a brand-new engine engine put in that back in a 1990s cost me £5000 at the time probably double that now. People used to drive me crazy over that car I know Pagoda inside out I could drive them blind lol. The exhaust sounds the nuts on them specially going through the gears unbelievable just resonates. I’ll remember going up to Bournemouth one hot summer on the M3 doing 115 mph and it was doing it okay loads of good in the old girl I remember when I got into Bournemouth and driving around the town centre, it was unbelievable it was like the engine needed a good clear out because they are not electronic injection. They are mechanical and I know when they’re driving around London especially in traffic they run RICH in petrol. So I quite understood why it drove so lovely when I got up in Bournemouth never ever broke down on me not once. Thank you for bringing back the memories
College summer of 1981 I worked at a Toyota/Benz dealership. I sold new Toyota's and served as the unofficial 3rd Mercedes guy when they needed one. I remember two things: 1) getting to drive the Gullwing we had in the showroom as a draw to blow it out, fitted luggage and all, and 2) how much I hated the new 380 and 450SL. What an overweight, under-steering, body-rolling, numb-handling, pimp barge that thing was. The Shocker: People actually trading Pagodas in on them. In my brief time, 2 came in with sticks. Had to drive those (heel and toe doable, but not great). An honest and rather happy car. Not a sports car, but a willing GT if you asked nice (the tire choices were unfortunate. The only change it needed). I had always wondered if Mercedes buyers were car guys or show-offs. Anyone who gave up a Pagoda for 81 SL was no car guy. I am getting mad all over again and I don't even know why. I can only console myself with the knowledge that the Pagodas they traded in are now worth 3-4 times the garish stupid-mobiles they bought. Nah, I am still annoyed.
@@albanana683 At least you owing an Alfa Spider, the wife doesn't have to worry about you having an affair as you will be spending most of your spare time fighting the rust.
What a beautiful car, always had a soft spot for the gullwing. This reminds me of my e30 325i convertible as it has similar intentions, while the e30 is a few generations younger it feels comparable to an SL. Old droptop classics provide a great way to enjoy summer driving while we can still enjoy combustion engines and open top cars.
Don’t forget that beautiful exhaust noise omg they sound the bollocks threw the gears especially roof down people watch ya from left to right they are real deal
It's for reviews like this that I'm happily subscribed to your channel ... The pagoda-SL to me is Mercedes' greatest masterpiece of all time. No other car of them has that balance of style, refinement and sportiness in its understated lines. If I were to drive one like this, with that beautiful shade of red, I can easily imagine never wanting to part with it again. Ever. I'd like to add that the 230 SL really was much more the successor to the 190 SL than that of the 300 SL; initially, in the 1950s, it was going to be a 220 SL as a quicker version of the somewhat underperforming 190. But as the new fintail saloon was already in development back then, it made more sense economically to create a new SL based on that as a successor to both 190 and 300. Ending up a little heavier as such (and thus not as "leicht" as the SL abbreviation suggested) Mercedes decided to upgrade the 220-engine and so it became the 230 SL.
Repair the speedo give it a good clean, detail & polish and that will make it even more gorgeous. Lovely car. Re the heater controls, I’m sure there will be a 3D printer cad file out there somewhere. Would be a lot cheaper I’m sure.
Its one of the most elegant and stylish cars ever made. The design is forever beautiful. The dashboard is perfect. Mercedes should bring out a new version.
My father bought a 280 SL in period, in silver, and I don't care what anyone says, it only looks really good in silver. I can remember him driving me to school in it, and during the summer he would take the roof off (I can recall it now hanging in the roof of our garage), and this was the only time I've experienced open-top motoring. To me it was beautiful from every angle, especially the minimalist interior. Unfortunately, my father had his only bad accidents in the Mercedes, both caused in slippery conditions when the rear brake drums locked causing him to slide into, and virtually under, the rear of lorries; I could never understand why Mercedes didn't fix discs all round. So it had to go, and my father replaced it with a rather boring, but safe, 280 SE saloon.
My mother owned a silver 280SL Pagoda...I appreciate these more now (I am an MB owner now) , but in honesty. In early 90s I preferred the E30 325i M Sport convertible she had afterwards ....even with harsh suspension.
Im lucky enough to own a 1970 and it’s a dream. Just for the record , the 3 seater was a california coupe and the original-one did not have a soft top , just the Pagoda top. The one you are driving is kind of an aftermarket non original 3 seater. Nevertheless, an amazing car that should make us smile once the all electric era , sadly, will inevitably start.
The car is perfectly original. I own a similar 3 seater with a soft top. It has been registered as a 3 seater since its birth and is an European car. The roadster models lacking the soft top were 2 + 2 cars as far as I know.
I've driven them all , my mother had a 230SL , it was pick of the bunch with 4 speed automatic ( which worked back to front ) and proper suspension with grease nipples ( 3000 mile job ) and handled far better , as it was engineered as a sports car , unlike the bloated jellymoulds that came after . Moreover , Setright agreed with me . Once you've cut your teeth on swing axle cars you will learn to chuck them around ; later cars with semi trailing arms were much more forgiving to the uninitiated , but I cut my teeth on Pontons and Fintails so was well prepared when it came to Pagodas , which were just an extension of the W110/111/112/113 series and derived from the saloons .
You need to get a 190 in, as its like this car just of a much higher quality, the leather, the quality, the fit and finish are all top notch handmade quality with a true bespoked feel to it, and it has the 300SL motor in it more or less, like I had the luck of having a family barbecue in germany with my relatives and one of the people there was caretaking a 190SL for someone and I got to ride in it and I swear that is the nicest car I have ever been in to date, like dont discount the 190 as being some detuned and then sold to the public special, its a proper SL and the 2 series is just a cheaper version of it, and they didnt get back up to the same level till the mid 70's with'em and appropriately the market has recogonized this, as their now 80 or 90 grand, which unlike most inflationary prices from time and the internet, is still a fair price for one
A fully restored one would be a joy to own but there are plenty of bodged up horrors so buying one needs a great deal of care and investigation. This car looks to be honest but tired cosmetically…it wears its age and use but maybe a full refresh would improve it a lot….the “Pagoda” remains firmly in my Lottery win list!!😀😀😀
Remember seeing SL models in various Continental films of the 1960s , often shown on 1970s Tv slots, always giving a fantastic envious air of grandeur , one of my favourites is the film Arabesque starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren . Sophia Loren in a Mercedes’ SL ……DOES IT GET ANY BETTER ?
Elegance is timeless. The Pagoda was, and still is a beautiful car. I think they were twice the price of an E Type when new. I'm not a fan of the Pagoda in red as I feel red is a bit too tarty for such an elegant car, I suspect Silver or gunmetal grey are probably the best and most sought after colours. I think the heater controls in that car have already been replaced as the original Mercedes sliders were made of transparent blue perspex for the cool settings, and transparent red perspex for the hot settings, not simply chunks of black plastic as in that car. How do I know this? I've got a very original 250 SL which I've owned for over 30 years, and I'm the type of bloke that's bored with most cars after 3 years.
Auto gearbox but the soundtrack of the shifts sound like a manual. Wondering how this gearbox may differ from a regular auto? Would also love to see you do a review of the successor sl. Great vid again
Mercedes was one of the few European automotive manufacturers that designed and built their own automatic transmissions. This was a 4 speed unit with a torque converter. It was programmed to start out in second gear unless the driver floored the accelerator pedal, thus actuating an electric kickdown switch. First gear was quite low and rarely needed. Shift quality was excellent, and the driver could not detect slippage as with other units. These transmissions were very well made and typical lifespan was 150,000 miles in normal service. Contemporary American auto boxes were 2 or 3 speed units. Some like the Chrysler Torqueflights and GM TH 350’s and 400’s were equally durable, but many other models would fail before 100,000 miles. Similarly the engines were well proven and built of top quality materials. I saw over 150,000 miles out of several different MB 6 and 8 cylinder engines without any unusual repairs.
I think I like your uploads!!!!!!!!!!! I do believe you speak a little too quickly for me, but hey ho we do have a button called rewind 😀😀 so guess what, I occasionally use that button mate 😁😁
Funny you mention the 4 speed manual is more difficult to find, in the States, I've seen maybe 10 280sl Pagoda's, and all have been manual. I didn't even know until I saw this example that they offered an automatic!
Jeremy Clarkson once wrote that ugly people shouldn't be allowed to drive these cars. He also wrote that he once saw Kate Moss driving one, and spaffed himself (paraphrasing).
The Pagoda is cooler than ice cold, it screams of old money, refreshing and so classy when compared to its modern day Mercedes.
At least new Mercedes cars are better looking than Audis and especially BMW's that look horrible.
@@detonator2112 anything looks better than a post 21’ BMW
@@isaacsrandomvideos667 BMW 8 Series 👀
@@Freimopp777 that looks alright but the grille is getting a bit too hefty and the rear lights really weird
And when you see them together , smaller than an SLK !
Just sold my 230sl. It was heart-breaking but needs must. When the sun is shining there is nothing classier to pootle about in!
This was an era when Mercedes was MERCEDES.....Top Class and build quality
I love my 1971 280SL, the last year of production. Light beige with tobacco brown tops and interior, 4 speed manual. I've owned it since 1998 and still have no desire to part with it. It's driven weekly, because the worst thing you can do to these cars is leave them sit for long periods of time like a "garage queen."
Cheers from suburban Philadelphia!
Simply the perfect car to cruise around by the coast anywhere from Torquay to St Tropez. So pleased you liked it James ! Was worried it might get a thumbs down from you !
I'm excited for this one. This is my dream car.
I'm a little younger so I'd rather have your SL!
11:51 Drum brakes all round in a 280? No, that can't be. With the introduction of the 250 there were discs all round (even the 230 had discs at the front). Anyway, one of the best sounding Mercedes of all time. And my personal favourite Mercedes at all.
Those rolled exhaust tips are nice and the gauge cluster is a work of design art.
By far the prettiest benz ever. A friend of my fathers had a 250 in the late 60s and I have sat in the jump seat at for the time insane speeds for the time. He sold his Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina to my mother to buy it, so 2 very cool cars in my early childhood
That is one of the most beautiful and iconic cars ever made. Right up there with Jag E-Type and air cooled 911.
I has a 911S, I would have swapped it for a 230/50/80 SL in the blink of an eye. They are now getting very expensive. I know a garage that did a bare chassis nut and bolt restoration for under £100k, but that's Bosnian prices.
I owned a 280sl pagoda automatic for approximately 2 years and coming from air-cooled 911s and etypes I couldn't adjust to the automatic Merc...agree the styling is amazing especially with the headrests fitted...I would love to try a manual 280 to compare..and possibly with the upgraded rear axle often fitted.
I worked on these when they were new, at Mercedes Benz in London. Glorious then and even more so now. Great video, thanks for the memories.
The very best classic car 🚗 a few years ago a British classic magazine told us that ❤️
I LIVE IN THE USA AND THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS MY MOST FAVORITE MERCEDES SINCE I WAS A KID 60 YEARS AGO!!!
My Aunt owned a 230SL for years. To date it is STILL her favourite car of all time. Another wonderful review, James. The pleasure you enjoyed while reviewing this car was more than evident.
Glorious, you have hit on one of my all time favorites. Saw my first one in about 1982, in AZ. USA. Didn't know what It was, but figured it out, and have been in love with the looks ever sense.
The W113 230SL won the Sophia Liege Rally in the early 1960’s. So it did still have some motor sport credentials. It was very expensive and was around double the cost of a contemporary E Type and similar sum to an Aston Martin DB.
Amazing car. You just have got to love old Mercedes…
I have never really been a fan of Mercedes at all - apart from the Pagoda and the follow up 280SL 107 and 113s. Nothing else has excited me since either. Great review and a joy to watch.
what a marvelous thing. Turns out I was in one. Must have been 7, so 1978 and in Athens. A friend was running us somewhere and this was his chariot. I distinctly remember he put his foot down to give me a thrill, and we got to about 100 (kmh!). It felt like I was in a rocket, the feeling of the wind was awesome. it was my first shot in an open top
Have you come across anything that approached (or approximated) that feeling
@@apurugganan don't think so. It was my age, when things like that were very new to me so felt amazing. On the back of my mates Gpz1000, when he went from 0-100 and rammed on the brakes back to 30 sticks in my mind. That was more terrifying than thrilling though 😂. That was mid 90s, by most accounts, that bike is now slow for a 1litre 4pot!!
@@apurugganan yes : taking off in a VC-10 !
Merc on its absolute pinnacle! Gorgeous machine!
Thanks for doing a video on one of my favourite Mercedes James. Keep up the great work!
Love the look of these, sheer class, but sadly couldn’t afford one, so went for the next best thing, an R107..a V8 of course…
Compared to the literal soap bars that mercedes benz sells today, this thing, even though its like 50 years old now, is still pure class, as well as a money flex (not in a bad way though, this thing is iconic)
This has and always will be my favourite car , in red aswell !
Mercedes should look at their past and start making beautiful cars again, a thing of great beauty!
Awesome car. Looks like a proper wafter. Love that red colour. Nice video. Keep up the good work.
It's been a very long time since I've seen a pagoda, but I'm pretty sure I've NEVER heard one! This sounds great!
I believe my aunt had one, because she was looking to purchase that garage accessory that would lift the roof off without requiring her husband or an extra set of hands. She eventually leaned towards newer Mercs, and one thing she misses was the heavy *thunk* of old Mercedes doors.
Classic Mercedes-Benz-The thinking man's car.
I'm a girl, bought my own 280 horizon blue pagode, with my own money.
Thinking girl's car, also have a classic 63 Aston too... 😉
I bought one of these in 2003 when i was 28. It was my only car at the time, so I used to pop down to Tesco's in it.
Maintenance costs weren't bad back then, and parts were relatively easy to get. I eventually sold it after about 8 years of ownership, as i had my first child on the way and i was facing some large ish projects on it, and therefore large ish costs.
I miss it lots, and will now never be able to afford to buy one.
One of, if not the, prettiest cars ever made. Gorgeous with or without the hard top on, although i actually preferred the looks with it on. Stunning, and a better ride than you might expect.
Back then, all the ladies wanted this car. They saw themselves cruising along the south of France in it, headscarf and sunglasses on. My mum certainly liked them. Dad bought her a lada....
Hahaha poor mum!
I think the ladies wanted to be Princes Grace of Monaco
@@johnnyboy1586 definitely....every lady, ever.
My mum was more fortunate as back in the mid sixties my dad bought her a couple of years old 1964 230SL ; alas I was too young then and never got to drive that one , but did later get to drive all three variants ; the 230 is the only one that doesn't handle like a barge as it was actually engineered as a sports car and they were actually rallied very successfully in the early sixties .
About 10 years later the pagoda was sold and my mum got a R107 350SL ; I did eventually get to drive that one , although my dad gave me his 220/8 to start off with after I passed my test , and it was an excuse for him to get his W123 250 which had just been introduced .
After a few years with the R107 , my mum was grumbling about the fuel consumption , so it was changed for an Audi 100 , which actually she loved and that car stayed in the family for almost 20 years . Those early R107s were indeed thirsty beasts and you'd be lucky to ever see 15mpg ; the second generation ones are much more frugal , but go either for a 300 , which goes reasonably well and handles well , or just jump to the 500 if you want more performance , but doesn't handle just so well because of the big lump up front .
After a non fault crash in the 220 ( a drunk driver came around a bend on my side of the road ) I got a 5 speed manual 280E (W114) which was a great car and I put over 200,000 miles on it . Also got my Ponton while I had that car and kept it for 38 years , and alongside it a W111 220S .
Latterly have had lots of W201 / 123 / 124 / 126 and recently a W140 and a R129 300SL-24 , which has been one of the best cars I've owned and had decent performance with the 5 speed box , sounded wonderful and still had the slightly better handling which came from having the six cylinder rather than a quad cam V-8 up front . Had to sell it recently due to a change in circumstances and currently running an S124 , which is a great choice when limited to just one car as it's so versatile , but plan to get another R129 when I retire , to keep alongside the 124 . I still feel the R129 is a great choice : it links back to earlier SLs being solidly built ( and hand built ) , has enough mod cons but not too afflicted with modern electronics , so still reasonably DIY friendly ( it is still a W124 underneath ) , and not as electronically fragile as R230 and other later models . Best of all , it still has a removable hard top and a soft top for showers , which can be raised at the touch of a button . In my seven years of ownership I only had the hard top on twice ( once when moving house and once when selling the car ) , the soft top is fine all year round and as long as you don't try to lower it when temperature is too low , all is good , but i still got mine down whenever i could .
That was great. Really enjoyed the whole thing. A beautiful classic car. I love these videos, would be great to see more.
I've lived to see designs i once thought of as evergreens suddenly look old to me. The Ferrari Daytona as one example that'll likely get me a few hate comments or five. ..but the Pagoda.. Still absolutely beautiful to my eyes. I occasionally see one when i'm out for my daily walk, and boy do i wish i was behind the wheel of that. Back then, and many years after this, Mercedes were objects of desire. My personal favourite would still be a C126, 500/560SEC. Absolute icon if you ask me. ..but a 280SL Pagoda is pretty high on the list too. Lovely car.
I had a 500SEC and was disappointed by it. It was too long and too wide and really only good for doing 60 to 120 mph accelerations on the German autobahns. It was so disappointing that I went back to manual 3 series BMWs and now due to BMW quality and reliability issues and service costs have moved to Lexus.
@@johntheaccountant5594 Well, to be fair, you were driving manual BMW 3 Series, which are awesome sedans and feel absolutely engaging and easy to toss around but belong to another segment of cars, whereas the 500SEC was mostly built as big continental GT cruiser prioritizing comfort. Essentially it's a coupe variant W126, which in turn, is a flagship sedan and not a compact like that of a 3 series. Secondly, what chassis of the 3 series did you own to make you go to Lexus? I know that when it comes to E46s, it takes some time to find one that's been meticulously maintained and sorted out, but E36s have been relatively well built and solid. Or is it an E90?
@@rahulmandala4930 Last was an E46 that was still nice looking and mechanically OK but the best were the E30s with the straight 6.
@@johntheaccountant5594 I agree with the E30s! Such awesome little beasts...
Absolute beauty! Classy, stylish and well built classic. Truly a worthy dream car.
That being said, it's quite unusual to hear that this particular one has drum brakes all around. Even the 230 had front discs and by the 250 I think they fitted all round disc brakes on most of the cars.
My mum had a 64 230sl when I was a kid it had discs up front. I can’t see a later 280 having drums up front.
@@davidsharrock5704 280 and 250 SL have 4 disks, with no exception as far as I know.
In an increasingly anodyne world,its good to be reminded how we used to do things.Character is an underrated and unique quality in today's age......This is rolling history and style.
Very sweet car, works well in Red, I like the matching wheels of various Mercedes of the time, and I didn't know why they were called Pagoda. Thought I'd make a suggestion I've been seeing other TH-camrs do which is not letting the video continue on much past the end, I think it helps with watch time percentage, if you're interested (or you may be aware and it doesn't really matter).
My 280 was absolutely identical to that. I’ve got mine with 18 years old. I should never of got rid of that major major mistake. Same colour everything are used to only drive it in the summer I had a brand-new engine engine put in that back in a 1990s cost me £5000 at the time probably double that now. People used to drive me crazy over that car I know Pagoda inside out I could drive them blind lol.
The exhaust sounds the nuts on them specially going through the gears unbelievable just resonates. I’ll remember going up to Bournemouth one hot summer on the M3 doing 115 mph and it was doing it okay loads of good in the old girl I remember when I got into Bournemouth and driving around the town centre, it was unbelievable it was like the engine needed a good clear out because they are not electronic injection. They are mechanical and I know when they’re driving around London especially in traffic they run RICH in petrol.
So I quite understood why it drove so lovely when I got up in Bournemouth never ever broke down on me not once. Thank you for bringing back the memories
College summer of 1981 I worked at a Toyota/Benz dealership. I sold new Toyota's and served as the unofficial 3rd Mercedes guy when they needed one. I remember two things: 1) getting to drive the Gullwing we had in the showroom as a draw to blow it out, fitted luggage and all, and 2) how much I hated the new 380 and 450SL. What an overweight, under-steering, body-rolling, numb-handling, pimp barge that thing was. The Shocker: People actually trading Pagodas in on them. In my brief time, 2 came in with sticks. Had to drive those (heel and toe doable, but not great). An honest and rather happy car. Not a sports car, but a willing GT if you asked nice (the tire choices were unfortunate. The only change it needed). I had always wondered if Mercedes buyers were car guys or show-offs. Anyone who gave up a Pagoda for 81 SL was no car guy. I am getting mad all over again and I don't even know why. I can only console myself with the knowledge that the Pagodas they traded in are now worth 3-4 times the garish stupid-mobiles they bought. Nah, I am still annoyed.
I nearly bought one of these back in the 90's, it was immaculate. (Ex) Wife talked me out of it Every time I see one now, I die a little inside...
Wives or 280SL’s?
@@JP-cu2gm nah... seeing Ex's is never sad. Schadenfreude...
I had the reverse. My wife wanted one, but other priorities meant a purchase slipped out of view. Have to make do with an Alfa Spider instead.
@@albanana683 At least you owing an Alfa Spider, the wife doesn't have to worry about you having an affair as you will be spending most of your spare time fighting the rust.
What a beautiful car, always had a soft spot for the gullwing. This reminds me of my e30 325i convertible as it has similar intentions, while the e30 is a few generations younger it feels comparable to an SL. Old droptop classics provide a great way to enjoy summer driving while we can still enjoy combustion engines and open top cars.
The Pagoda is the most beautiful Mercedes ever imo, surpassing their more exotic models in form and elegance.
the W111 coupes and cabriolets , which were contemporary to it actually gave it a run for its money in the looks department .
At 0:00 I thought for a second there had been some radical change of look
Beautiful! Simply beautiful!
i had a 68 one very special car, i should never of sold it! A classic car that you can drive every day. I did!
What a magnificent car the Pagoda. My fav spec though : no red, manual and with original hard top
Don’t forget that beautiful exhaust noise omg they sound the bollocks threw the gears especially roof down people watch ya from left to right they are real deal
My favourite car ever! And I’m a 911 fanboy
My brother had a 190 SL he bought it for £80 and a set of air horns. I also restored a 230 SL. Great cars.
It's for reviews like this that I'm happily subscribed to your channel ... The pagoda-SL to me is Mercedes' greatest masterpiece of all time. No other car of them has that balance of style, refinement and sportiness in its understated lines. If I were to drive one like this, with that beautiful shade of red, I can easily imagine never wanting to part with it again. Ever.
I'd like to add that the 230 SL really was much more the successor to the 190 SL than that of the 300 SL; initially, in the 1950s, it was going to be a 220 SL as a quicker version of the somewhat underperforming 190. But as the new fintail saloon was already in development back then, it made more sense economically to create a new SL based on that as a successor to both 190 and 300. Ending up a little heavier as such (and thus not as "leicht" as the SL abbreviation suggested) Mercedes decided to upgrade the 220-engine and so it became the 230 SL.
I'm one of the few (I believe) that as a fan of the '80s much prefers the 107 over the 113
Not one of the few - you are the only one. 🙂
Just kidding.
Yup. I prefer the 107.
Repair the speedo give it a good clean, detail & polish and that will make it even more gorgeous. Lovely car.
Re the heater controls, I’m sure there will be a 3D printer cad file out there somewhere. Would be a lot cheaper I’m sure.
Not really into "exotic" stuff, but I will make an exception on this one, great vid.👍👍
Thanks!
Wow, thankyou!
Stunning looking car!
Its one of the most elegant and stylish cars ever made. The design is forever beautiful. The dashboard is perfect. Mercedes should bring out a new version.
A beautiful classic.
My father bought a 280 SL in period, in silver, and I don't care what anyone says, it only looks really good in silver.
I can remember him driving me to school in it, and during the summer he would take the roof off (I can recall it now hanging in the roof of our garage), and this was the only time I've experienced open-top motoring.
To me it was beautiful from every angle, especially the minimalist interior. Unfortunately, my father had his only bad accidents in the Mercedes, both caused in slippery conditions when the rear brake drums locked causing him to slide into, and virtually under, the rear of lorries; I could never understand why Mercedes didn't fix discs all round.
So it had to go, and my father replaced it with a rather boring, but safe, 280 SE saloon.
My mother owned a silver 280SL Pagoda...I appreciate these more now (I am an MB owner now) , but in honesty. In early 90s I preferred the E30 325i M Sport convertible she had afterwards ....even with harsh suspension.
James, this was a terrifc video....Love it !!!!
I'm so in love with that car
Im lucky enough to own a 1970 and it’s a dream. Just for the record , the 3 seater was a california coupe and the original-one did not have a soft top , just the Pagoda top. The one you are driving is kind of an aftermarket non original 3 seater. Nevertheless, an amazing car that should make us smile once the all electric era , sadly, will inevitably start.
The car is perfectly original. I own a similar 3 seater with a soft top. It has been registered as a 3 seater since its birth and is an European car. The roadster models lacking the soft top were 2 + 2 cars as far as I know.
Thank you! Lovely MB👍
I've driven them all , my mother had a 230SL , it was pick of the bunch with 4 speed automatic ( which worked back to front ) and proper suspension with grease nipples ( 3000 mile job ) and handled far better , as it was engineered as a sports car , unlike the bloated jellymoulds that came after . Moreover , Setright agreed with me .
Once you've cut your teeth on swing axle cars you will learn to chuck them around ; later cars with semi trailing arms were much more forgiving to the uninitiated , but I cut my teeth on Pontons and Fintails so was well prepared when it came to Pagodas , which were just an extension of the W110/111/112/113 series and derived from the saloons .
There were an innumerable number of "best" Benz's. One better than the other.
You need to get a 190 in, as its like this car just of a much higher quality, the leather, the quality, the fit and finish are all top notch handmade quality with a true bespoked feel to it, and it has the 300SL motor in it more or less, like I had the luck of having a family barbecue in germany with my relatives and one of the people there was caretaking a 190SL for someone and I got to ride in it
and I swear that is the nicest car I have ever been in to date, like dont discount the 190 as being some detuned and then sold to the public special, its a proper SL and the 2 series is just a cheaper version of it, and they didnt get back up to the same level till the mid 70's with'em
and appropriately the market has recogonized this, as their now 80 or 90 grand, which unlike most inflationary prices from time and the internet, is still a fair price for one
A fully restored one would be a joy to own but there are plenty of bodged up horrors so buying one needs a great deal of care and investigation. This car looks to be honest but tired cosmetically…it wears its age and use but maybe a full refresh would improve it a lot….the “Pagoda” remains firmly in my Lottery win list!!😀😀😀
I’ve driven the next ten to this and it’s was amazing
I cannot wait to watch this, but wait I must 😭
Excellent car and review. If only current Mercs were as good
Thanks J, fine looking & sounding car! 🙏
Sweet ride.
Sorry, but i do have to correct you. It has discs in the front, not drums allround
My mistake, I was pretty sure I had asked the owner but in any case the brakes are decent!
A 230 SL has drums in the rear, but 250 and 280 SL have 4 disks. There is no noticeable difference in the driving experience.
Inventory always wanted one
I have 280sl Manuel I enjoy it very much its one of the most sexy car mercedes made
Sat in the back of the 230Sl..Earl's Court ...kudos to Alex
Remember seeing SL models in various Continental films of the 1960s , often shown on 1970s Tv slots, always giving a fantastic envious air of grandeur , one of my favourites is the film Arabesque starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren . Sophia Loren in a Mercedes’ SL ……DOES IT GET ANY BETTER ?
I think all automatic boxes should have the lever this way round. What is sensible about moving the lever backwards in order to go forwards?
That is in the perfect condition to enjoy a car like that, plus that third seat has my dogs name written all over it.
It took nearly twenty years for other makers to build 4 speed autos, even a decade into fuel crises.
Love that car
Elegance is timeless. The Pagoda was, and still is a beautiful car. I think they were twice the price of an E Type when new.
I'm not a fan of the Pagoda in red as I feel red is a bit too tarty for such an elegant car, I suspect Silver or gunmetal grey are probably the best and most sought after colours.
I think the heater controls in that car have already been replaced as the original Mercedes sliders were made of transparent blue perspex for the cool settings, and transparent red perspex for the hot settings, not simply chunks of black plastic as in that car. How do I know this? I've got a very original 250 SL which I've owned for over 30 years, and I'm the type of bloke that's bored with most cars after 3 years.
That's the thing with Mercedes: they exchanged the name they had created for nearly a century for selling overpriced regular cars.
5:47 is it me or does it sound like it's got a misfire up high?
Marvelous!!!
Fell in love for the M B 280 1965
s girl at the USO in Ludwigsburg
and gal at 6th mi Flak Ker Ludwigsburg
also had one Both Red convertible s
And now Mercedes have handed the SL to AMG. They need to look at this to remember what the SL should be.
Fabulous car
Pagoda is also Russian for 'Weather!' That stunning Mercedes is the best looking car of all.
That exhaust note....
Fabulous motor, love everything about it. only the 600 Grosser is cooler.
I seem to recall reading that SL stands for Sport Leicht... Well, it's been a long time since at least it's nowhere near L anymore :p
Auto gearbox but the soundtrack of the shifts sound like a manual. Wondering how this gearbox may differ from a regular auto? Would also love to see you do a review of the successor sl. Great vid again
Mercedes was one of the few European automotive manufacturers that designed and built their own automatic transmissions. This was a 4 speed unit with a torque converter. It was programmed to start out in second gear unless the driver floored the accelerator pedal, thus actuating an electric kickdown switch. First gear was quite low and rarely needed. Shift quality was excellent, and the driver could not detect slippage as with other units. These transmissions were very well made and typical lifespan was 150,000 miles in normal service. Contemporary American auto boxes were 2 or 3 speed units. Some like the Chrysler Torqueflights and GM TH 350’s and 400’s were equally durable, but many other models would fail before 100,000 miles. Similarly the engines were well proven and built of top quality materials. I saw over 150,000 miles out of several different MB 6 and 8 cylinder engines without any unusual repairs.
Classy, great noise and very satisfying to drive. What more do you want?
I think I like your uploads!!!!!!!!!!! I do believe you speak a little too quickly for me, but hey ho we do have a button called rewind 😀😀 so guess what, I occasionally use that button mate 😁😁
That third seat brings to mind Clarkson's comment about only one person ever looking good in the back seat of a convertible.
Funny you mention the 4 speed manual is more difficult to find, in the States, I've seen maybe 10 280sl Pagoda's, and all have been manual. I didn't even know until I saw this example that they offered an automatic!
He said the 5 speed manual was hard to find, which is true, but he forgot to mention the 4 speed manuals which are common.
If I closed me eyes and listened, I would swear that was an E Type. Lovely noise.
Before Mercedes lost it's way in about 1989, lovely.
Jeremy Clarkson once wrote that ugly people shouldn't be allowed to drive these cars. He also wrote that he once saw Kate Moss driving one, and spaffed himself (paraphrasing).