To all the haters, talking about the poor fuel economy, remember the bottom line. This car will likely be worth exactly what he paid for it, in a few years. If he bought a new econobox, it would be worth 40% less. He saves more in the bottom line. Plus he gets to drive a car he truly wants. And life is to short not to do that.
Agreed. It's funny people talk about how much these Benzes depreciate without realizing that it means that your car isn't going to lose much value. Meanwhile a $16K late model car, even if it's a Camry or an Accord, is going to lose half its value in several years. I did the same math as Mat last year. Paid about the same for an low mileage SL600 R129. I'm putting 2500 miles on it a year. When I eventually sell it I can fetch more than I bought it for. Can't say that for a Ford Focus or any Toyota. Can't say that for many moseld, in fact, unless you upgrade to a vintage Porsche.
@NoNoNoNii exactly why I bought a 98 Lexus LS400. only 158k miles, $2800, this car will be worth exactly the same for as long as its on the road and looking and working nice. the impeccable ride comfort and quietness, and great sound system far outweigh the V8 fuel economy daily driving in the city of LA. and when I do get on a stretch of empty freeway in the middle of the night, she pulls hard and I can squeeze out 26-28mpg. but now I'll be looking for (another) R129.
madtonesbr even modern mid 2000 porsches have already depreciated 90% of what they will depreciate fully, i bought a 2006 cayman for 15k which isn’t gonna depreciate much more before it goes back up in price, people forget the depreciation curve of these types of cars
Hunter M you’re gonna pay twice what its worth for maintenance in less than 2 years lol you literally total these types of cars with maintenance alone lol
Would rather have something easier and cheaper to work on especially if its a daily. And more reliable. Thats the whole point of a daily. Reliability. Guess that makes me a fake car person
I know the feeling, I am driving my grandma's car this week because it just sits in the driveway. It is so nice to go from a coilovered, manual, loud turbo car to a 2010 Ford Fusion with an automatic, squishy tires, and a ton of sound deadening.
1969 Cadillac Eldorado it has a 8.2L that makes 450hp/550tq red lines a 3,000rpm and came stock with air ride suspension. It makes M benz feel like a go kart.
??? the 472ci had 375hp and the 500ci had 425hp and some sources say 450hp, there was a 425ci that made 350hp, even if they only made 350hp they had crazy torque from a crazy big engine 8.2L is massive. whats odd is the 8.2L only weighed what a 5.7L chevy small block weighed. Theres a land speed record with a 472ci/7.8L caddy engine it went 400mph.
nothing worng with that model merc. its even still popular in europe for cruising, and long distances. just a great reliable car, wich will never break when you take care of it. good choice right there :)
Единый Создатель миров сжалился над людьми и подарил им *Мercedes.* Всем владельцам MERCEDES здравия и благополучия ! Были W201, W140, четыре года на W124, 1985г.(2.0, 4 - ст.ручка, pierburg, самоблок). Я заглянул в Вечность. Сейчас вновь на синем W140 S320. .
1st gear, second gear stop, 1st gear, second gear stop. Yup, thats the labor of love stick shift city driving or heavy highway traffic. I"ll admit, it gets tiring.
Manual to me is just driving. I'm so used to it and it keeps me engaged while driving. It would be like complaining about having to use your foot to brake constantly in traffic or using your hands to change lands. Not tiring or annoying just part of driving. But I guess it is not for some people and whatever makes you comfortable driving.
In LA if you leave any gap 14 cars will cut you off... driving in LA is every man for himself. Nobody uses indicators because if they did the people in the other lane will do anything they can to not let you in. So the people who actually need to change lanes can't and those who don't need to will anyways just to move up 2 cars in the line.
BazzukaJoe101 so true haha if you signal, the car in the next lane will speed up and try and block lol I have short gear ratios in my car, so I can always beat them and they get angry lol
But the 430 is an interference engine with a belt... this engine has a timing chain so in theory your engine would never be susceptible to blowing up lol
I've been pining over one of these lately which brought me back to this video. My dad passed away just a few months ago. He inspired my love for cars and he always loved old MBs the most. Some of my earliest memories are riding around with him in the W124 and W126 he had when I was a kid. When I first got my license I was all about sports cars, the first car I ever bought with my own money was an NA Miata and I longed for cars like the FD RX-7 and Lotus Elise. He'd always point out these R129s to me when he saw one for sale and I thought they were cool but being a boy-racer I wanted something with a manual transmission, screaming engine and rock-hard suspension. Now that I'm a little older I can appreciate something that's still fun but a little more civilized, well-built and comfortable. I think I am definitely going to buy one of these as soon as I have the opportunity, I really can't think of a better way to honor Dad's memory.
Wow, I really regret selling my red 2000 SL500 with 52k miles now. I loved that car, bough it from the original owner and it literally felt like a brand new car when I got it about 3 years ago. I sold it when I went overseas for work for one year, wish I would have kept it in storage while I was gone. Sold it for only $10.5k as well. Probably worth about $15k in that condition and mileage today.
Or anywhere. A V8 is just to expensive to run in Europe now. In the UK it would cost me about £80 a week to fill up. Even my gt86 (which I daily) costs £40 and it's only a 2.0.
I bought a 1999 SL500 about 10 months after first watching this video. The car was a solid B- car that needed some work to bring it up to an A car. It had 169,000 miles when I bought it and almost 2 years later it now has 185,000. The car is a daily driver for my wife 5 days a week and on her 2 days off I drive it to work, so the car runs about 30 miles a day 7 days a week. It has run flawlessly not a single issue! Now we did do some work to it over the last two years but it’s all been normal maintenance, filters, plugs, oil changes, transmission service, and motor mounts. Everything on the car works great including the top, I highly recommend getting a R129 the car is amazing! Just make sure you do your homework and find one that’s been taken care of. Also don’t be afraid of high mileage ones, you can get a really good deal. For anyone that wants to know I paid 5,800 for my car and I love it more then any car I’ve ever owned.
I have a serious soft spot for this generation of mercedes. I just picked up my first mercedes, a 2000 ML55 and i love it. One of these is on my list, but damn they are worth a pretty penny!
My dad used to have a 2000 ML55, sold it maybe a year ago. I really liked that car, wish I could have bought it from him but it needed some work which would have cost several thousands. AMGs aren't cheap lmao. Definitely love the 90-2000s benz aswell. My mom had this same SL500 but in black, which my dad bought from her. I won't allow them to sell that SL, I'd buy it from them before that ever happens.
Hey Matt- I really wanted to thank you for the way you advertise in your videos. I wish ALL TH-camrs did product placement the way you do. I love that we don't have ads and in addition, that you're upfront and don't pander to the lowest denominator. We get it- you get products and often money if you endorse them. You're honest about what you get, and thankful too. I hate when channels act like whatever product they are endorsing is like the best thing ever and there's no other options. You lay it out, and tell us if you like it or not. Tell your sponsors that I visit more of your endorsed products more than any other person on TH-cam. You're doing it right man .
@@TarekMidani Z, I just bought the Sundara's after your recommendation they are great. Now I see your comment here, I am looking at buying a 2001 SL 500. You are a man of exquisite taste.
Hey Matt my grandfather had the same vehicle. One thing he did that I really liked and think you would as well is he installed a second exhaust exit with an OEM look. Really makes the car more symmetrical and is very doable with only a slight modification to the bumper.
I picked up a 1997 sl500, fixed the roof hydraulics, and its been a great summer cruiser. Definitely a boat, but fun. Glad you mentioned the brakes, I thought mine were messed up haha.
I bought a ‘00 SL500 last spring with 46k miles in absolutely perfectly maintained condition, and paid $15,750 for it. What an amazing car. After five years driving Porsche 996s I was a little worried I wouldn’t love this car. It feels so much more substantial, so much more planted, so much safer, and it doesn’t have any potential grenades like the 996. The one thing I’ll caution anyone about with these cars though; if you’re over 5’10” you may discover a little too late that the seats do not go back far enough. I’m 6’ tall and just could not get comfortable enough to ever really and truly feel at home in it. It was a costly miscalculation on my part and I decided to sell it at a slight loss after all was said and done. I wanted to love it. I wanted to fit in it. It was impossible. Anyway, if you’re thinking about getting one of these this is a good time. Just make sure you get one that was well maintained, get it inspected, exchange all the fluids, and just fricken drive it like it’s your last day on earth. ❤
can you get the service history of a car from Mercedes directly? unfortunately mine didn't come with a booklet or any paperwork other than the title and only has 32k on the clock...2000 SL500 as well!
@@p__jay probably not. Not unless the previous owners did all their service at Mercedes dealerships. Invest in an inspection from a reputable independent Mercedes mechanic, and have all the fluids replaced. It may run you as much at $2,000 but that’s a small price to pay to protect your investment for many years to come.
@@skeezix64 thank you for your answer. i'm not worried about the service costs, i can do everything myself since i'm a mechanic...i would like to have proof of the milage being original. im located in Germany and here cars are usually sold with a service history booklet! the car is from the USA though! since i bought if from insurance and they are listed as the previous owner on the US title...are they required to give me the name and address of the actual previous owner? pretty sure he could give me more information...(in Germany all previous owners are listed on the title)
@@p__jay I don’t think you can get the name of the previous owner due to privacy laws. If there was a mileage discrepancy somewhere along the way it might be documented on the Carfax report. But if someone replaced the odometer / computer privately, that would be a different story. That’s great you’re a mechanic and can do the worn yourself! Good luck, and drive it in good health!
How people like living in big cities like LA astounds me. I live in a small city in the south and can get in my truck in the middle of winter at 12:40 pm and let it warm up properly, drive 3 miles to work then walk across a football field of parking lot. All the while listening to your podcast of other, finish the cigarette that I lit after parking and clock in at 12:51pm.
Hello Matt I just bought a 98 sl 500 and it's gray on gray as your car.i just had an eppiphany on how and what you have done to it I am in the process of doing the same things you have done.now it's gonna cost me some dollars but I am doing g my own work.now I have to get all of the things GS you've done to your upgrades.i do intend to do all the things GS you have done.man I'm not a rich guy I bought my car one owner who passed away it has a few miles but it's a great cared for sports car.i also have a 79 107 it was my day driver now I'm going to do the same deal your doing i enjoy the smoking g tire and your car reviews.im a very big fan and admire your work.
Interesting. I was just looking at an SL500 for a daily driver. Hard to find a well maintained one out here. Good luck driving that in LA traffic though. Dope video as always Matt.
SL = super leicht (not super Licht. Licht a as translation for lamp or "sun light" = "Licht". the German opposite of heavy is "leicht"). Glad to tell you something know after all this year learning about cars from you 😂
13:15 Glad you said it; couldn't agree more. I went a similar route a few years ago and grabbed an e36 M3 convertible (stick) w/hardtop. Gets prettier every day and is a pleasure to drive for the daily grind as well on backroads.
I love this SL generation. I remember watching alot of "Columbo" series from the mid 90s, where nearly every woman drove a nice SL in the LA based crime series. And btw, it's nice to see you driving in L.A. for someone who comes from germany :)
Matt, did Clarion (or whoever they had do the install) have to gut all the fiber-optic cabling? My folks have a '99 E320 and we can't replace the period tape deck without yanking out the entire sound system because it's the fiber-optic system.
Sadly 😢 I own a 1992 sl500 Charcoal with 17x10 oz Operas.. with a blown motor.. due to the locking/malfunctioning traction control... Currently burning in the Florida Sun. Nice car Matt.
I freaking love that car. After you hit a certain age, "sporty" but luxurious becomes an awful lot more livable in traffic than a serious sports car. Nice to know another guy who also loves sports cars has a similar taste to my own when it comes to daily drivers.
I love this car! People say it's the last Mercedes that was built to last forever. But here in Germany nobody would ever think of such a gas guzzler as a daily for short distances. Gas is way too expensive over here. With a cold engine the gas consumption must be crazy.
The m113 is a bullit proof engine. Just look out for oil leaks from the valve covers. Not much goes wrong with them because they are simple. No need for variable cam timing with the newer v8s!
I have a 1999 SL320 in the same colours and specification, but with a panoramic hard top. I bought it in London for the price of the pano roof option when the car was new (£7k) after one lady owner had put 80,000 miles on it. I had some problems with the ECU that controls the roof, but I expected that. The car is mint and without doubt the best car I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of Mercs (new and old) over the last 20 years. The vehicle oozes class and still turns heads where ever it goes and the fully automatic convertible roof still pulls an audience! I lusted after a 500, but my car stood out in terms of service record, ownership, general condition and options so I was happy to compramise with the 320 - to be quite honest the 320 is all you need in today's traffic. Everybody deserves to run one of these in their life time, the previous model is sky rocketing in value and this (better car) will follow, but still remains affordable (for now)!
That's perfect, Matt. Ton of a car for little money and it's just a perfect spec - AMG wheels, silver color, 500 V8 engine and a hardtop. And just like you said it won't be cheaper again, so you won't loose money on it even with money spent on maintenance.
Yeah, '01 was a good year for Euro cars, provided you have an independent (non dealer) shop for service. My 01 Jag XJR runs like a train. But watch out for that ZF 5-speed (which I also have). It's "sealed for life" but after 80k miles or so it will get clogged by metal dust and eventually fail. A replacement rebuilt unit is $5k before installation. To void this get an independent transmission shop to thoroughly drain the fluid, clean out the gunk, clean the magnets and replace the filters. I did this at 90k and now at 150k still have no problems.
Hey Matt, I'm sure you already know if its had one but you need to consider getting a trans service, which are due about every 50k miles. The 722.6 trans are bullet proof but the electrics are not. They have an electrical connector and conductor plate inside that go bad and cause trans fluid to wick up the harness and into the trans control module and cause a thousand or more in damage! Looks great! A soon to be sought-after Mercedes 😊
Had one for 16 years and did over 120,000 miles in it and while you have to keep it well serviced, it can be lots of fun. Soft top needs to be used monthly and doing that the top never failed to open and close. A rolled towel inside the Perspex will insure their is no cracking. Take it on a winding canyon road (with tyres at the right pressure) and make your own gear changes having set the suspension to the harder suspension and you will find it exceeds your expectations. Enjoy 😊
The most reliable gas engine and transmission from Mercedes! Transmission is slow but , but, it's bullet proof , same as the engine itself. Car dealer here , had over 70 cars with this engine and transmission , never had problems . Still have 2 , sl's 500 like yours 163k and the other 120k on the miles. I love them , especially for the price that you can get them these days. All the best and I'm pretty sure that you can do pretty easily 250000 miles with no major intervention on the engine or transmission
I have to admit, I'd never pick that as a daily driver, for reliability reasons alone. Sensors, computers, anything electrical in a German luxury car is hell. I DO have to admit I LOVE the look of those coupes.
The gas mileage is really bad for a 5.0L too, my dads vortec 5.0L van got 22mpg and it weighed 5,600lbs, if he gets 20mpg out of this he need to check and make all the cylinders are working because these things are 1960's bad on gas.
as a note, i've taken an '01 E320 to 200k (sold) with very little trouble, a 2000 e320 to 180k (wrecked) , a 2003 clk320 to 135k (ran like the wind; sold cause i needed another sedan), and i'm now in a 2008 e320 Bluetec. All have been used and i drive the hell out of them. My experience has been absolutely delightful. I've done little maintenance and the joy and satisfaction of driving a german car is incomparable to a Civic or equivilent. I get the reliability and sensibleness of a jap car, but my german MBs have been teriffic and light on maintenance. (I've also communted in a camry, civic, f150, 300z, Jeep Grand Cherokee. I drive 35k a year or so. I always come back to an MB.) I'll admit though, that i've shyed away from the upper level MBs with air ride and reputations for being more maintenance demanding. Base model E classes are pretty simple to maintance, relatively speaking :)
EM613 this one came from the time that MB's were absolutely bulletproof. Cars developed in the 90's were shit because MB realized no one of their customers needed to buy a new car if it kept on going until the owner died..
The SL R129 is super nice but for a city cruiser I'd rather buy a CL500 because it's bigger and more comfortable. The engine, transmission and the other mechanical stuffs are the same, its only downside is that you're unable to fold down the roof
I like old school 5 speed gearboxes. Maybe not on twisty roads, but freeway cruising and city driving, they're perfectly predictable and smooth. I drive about 220 miles a day in and around Los Angeles. My 6 speed manual in my GTI gets old sometimes.
I just gave my 97 SL 500 to my son for Christmas and senior year of high school, but only after spending $6K on the roof cylinders and $2500 on the new Harttz soft top and the coil on the #6 cylinder and he LOVES IT. I’m now in the market for an R107 84-85 380 for an AMG retro redress.
16k? if you just wanted a daily driver you could of gotten like a 2016 sonata or something similar. Now if he was looking for this car thats one thing but in my opinion a terrible choice but to each his own.
it was an example and i suppose buying a car just for a daily driver and you spend 16k on a 2001 mercedes then have to spend alot more. Thats just plain stupid if im assuming altogether he spent at least 20k he could of gotten a 2016 accord coupe or any other cars that you wouldnt have to spend a arm and a leg for up keep.
Your camera makes West LA/Culver City look a lot nicer than it does in person lol. But I completely feel you on the getting an auto. I've been driving a stick car in LA for the past 10 and it just got too annoying. I picked up a W221 S550 last December and it's an amazing difference. I've got an indy too so if anything goes wrong it'll be a simple service. People just need to stop worrying about these, "expensive" cars so much
I have a 2004 SL55 AMG which I bought with 75k miles on it and in great working order. I added a bunch of FabTech and other parts to it...very inexpensive. Haven't dyno'd it but probably around 450 hp at at the wheels with somewhere over that in torque...mid 12 sec quarter mile time slips on street tires...been over 170 mph twice. $20k for the car...$10k for mods and work. I've had probably 100+ cars in my life and this is certainly one of the funnest I've ever owned. You just can't get this kind of comfort, prestige, drive-ability, and performance for this kind of money. ECU and TCU tune, bigger IC and IC pump, smaller clutched SC pulley (15 lbs), bigger looped fuel rail, bigger injectors, and for now just some KN filters. Thinking about headers, exhaust, and bigger throttle body but as you might have picked up with the 100+ cars...I get bored pretty quick with them. Still...very underestimated/appreciated cars.
What is the watch that Matt is wearing in this video? The M113 engine is the most reliable V8 that Mercedes has ever made. It's lighter than the M119, simpler, more fuel efficient, has better emissions and a broader torque curve which makes it perfect for cruising.
I recently bought a dark blue 98 sl500 super cheap off of an older couple a few miles away. It's my second car and I drive it every day to work and school. Fast too, my friend has an 02 wrx and I was able to beat him multiple times (in mexico). 112k miles on it and I'm hoping it'll be good to me! 👍
ok, so I got this offer for a 06/2002 SL 500 with a mere 35000 km. Dealership wants 25k (about 20k $). Wanna use it for shortdistance commute and longdistance travel. So...good deal or not? I´ve never owned a mercedes, any advice about what to look out for would be apreciated. (FYI, swiss car, so tech-wise it´s most likely in very good shape)
To all the haters, talking about the poor fuel economy, remember the bottom line. This car will likely be worth exactly what he paid for it, in a few years. If he bought a new econobox, it would be worth 40% less. He saves more in the bottom line. Plus he gets to drive a car he truly wants. And life is to short not to do that.
Agreed. It's funny people talk about how much these Benzes depreciate without realizing that it means that your car isn't going to lose much value. Meanwhile a $16K late model car, even if it's a Camry or an Accord, is going to lose half its value in several years.
I did the same math as Mat last year. Paid about the same for an low mileage SL600 R129. I'm putting 2500 miles on it a year. When I eventually sell it I can fetch more than I bought it for. Can't say that for a Ford Focus or any Toyota. Can't say that for many moseld, in fact, unless you upgrade to a vintage Porsche.
04dram04 Per Hagerty’s this car’s value has gone up 6% in the last 8 months with a 12% increase in new insurance coverage.
@NoNoNoNii exactly why I bought a 98 Lexus LS400. only 158k miles, $2800, this car will be worth exactly the same for as long as its on the road and looking and working nice. the impeccable ride comfort and quietness, and great sound system far outweigh the V8 fuel economy daily driving in the city of LA. and when I do get on a stretch of empty freeway in the middle of the night, she pulls hard and I can squeeze out 26-28mpg. but now I'll be looking for (another) R129.
madtonesbr even modern mid 2000 porsches have already depreciated 90% of what they will depreciate fully, i bought a 2006 cayman for 15k which isn’t gonna depreciate much more before it goes back up in price, people forget the depreciation curve of these types of cars
Hunter M you’re gonna pay twice what its worth for maintenance in less than 2 years lol you literally total these types of cars with maintenance alone lol
That SL is so baller. Also my favorite body style for an SL.
Yona than the SL600 is so baller, an SL500, not so much.
JeepCherokeeful ok grand cherokee
@@JeepCherokeeful Bro what lmao??? It's the exact same car with a different engine, no one except you thinks that a 5.0L V8 is "settling".
@@30yearoldmanthatgetsbullie44 the nerve while having that name lmao
@@sethboooooi23245 what name?
Everyone saying "16k for this? Why not just get a (bland new car) instead?" You aren't real car people
Would rather have something easier and cheaper to work on especially if its a daily. And more reliable. Thats the whole point of a daily. Reliability. Guess that makes me a fake car person
Frogman 4 why would a 1990s Mercedes not be reliable? Can you name something wrong with the design? Why would it be hard to work on? Confusing comment
777jones right? This frogman dudes talking out of his ass
Fuck I love this car!
777jones I think he means more so that it’s almost 20 years old that makes it unreliable, I don’t necessarily agree but age does take its toll on cars
I know the feeling, I am driving my grandma's car this week because it just sits in the driveway. It is so nice to go from a coilovered, manual, loud turbo car to a 2010 Ford Fusion with an automatic, squishy tires, and a ton of sound deadening.
a 2012 3 series BMW with the ZF8 speed :D
the you go back to a 325i e30 xD
Then go from the Ford Fusion to a Body on frame full size sedan of the 70s-80s that rides on a cloud
MichaelT
Minivans are where its at
1969 Cadillac Eldorado it has a 8.2L that makes 450hp/550tq red lines a 3,000rpm and came stock with air ride suspension. It makes M benz feel like a go kart.
??? the 472ci had 375hp and the 500ci had 425hp and some sources say 450hp, there was a 425ci that made 350hp, even if they only made 350hp they had crazy torque from a crazy big engine 8.2L is massive. whats odd is the 8.2L only weighed what a 5.7L chevy small block weighed. Theres a land speed record with a 472ci/7.8L caddy engine it went 400mph.
Reminds me of Harry Metcalfe's video of his 1993 SL600 that he uses specifically for tooling around Monaco at 800rpm.
That sounds gayer then I think you realize
Thou that's a V12 😩
One of the best designed cars in the last 30yrs and still looks great today.
Don't let this distract you from the fact someone actually bought a Murano convertible at 11:12
there's something wrong with those people.
10:30 first appears lol
Oh wow, I didn't think those could get any uglier
Omg, watching this four years later and I JUST commented on this same thing. Lol
@@maikeru01 murano, solara, and seabring people will rise up some day. they may invite crossfire and xlr folks
nothing worng with that model merc. its even still popular in europe for cruising, and long distances. just a great reliable car, wich will never break when you take care of it. good choice right there :)
Единый Создатель миров сжалился над людьми и подарил им *Мercedes.*
Всем владельцам MERCEDES здравия и благополучия ! Были W201, W140, четыре года на W124, 1985г.(2.0, 4 - ст.ручка, pierburg, самоблок).
Я заглянул в Вечность. Сейчас вновь на синем W140 S320. .
1st gear, second gear stop, 1st gear, second gear stop. Yup, thats the labor of love stick shift city driving or heavy highway traffic. I"ll admit, it gets tiring.
OldmanMaestro I don't even think about my shifting so there's no way to get mad about it.
Manual to me is just driving. I'm so used to it and it keeps me engaged while driving. It would be like complaining about having to use your foot to brake constantly in traffic or using your hands to change lands. Not tiring or annoying just part of driving. But I guess it is not for some people and whatever makes you comfortable driving.
I don't mind highway queuing in a manual. Just give it a bit of a gap, look far ahead and I barely have to shift.
In LA if you leave any gap 14 cars will cut you off... driving in LA is every man for himself. Nobody uses indicators because if they did the people in the other lane will do anything they can to not let you in. So the people who actually need to change lanes can't and those who don't need to will anyways just to move up 2 cars in the line.
BazzukaJoe101 so true haha if you signal, the car in the next lane will speed up and try and block lol I have short gear ratios in my car, so I can always beat them and they get angry lol
Every real car guy needs that chill car that's automatic and quiet but quick🤷🏽♂️
Answer: Lexus LS 430
Exactly
But the 430 is an interference engine with a belt... this engine has a timing chain so in theory your engine would never be susceptible to blowing up lol
C300
I've been pining over one of these lately which brought me back to this video. My dad passed away just a few months ago. He inspired my love for cars and he always loved old MBs the most. Some of my earliest memories are riding around with him in the W124 and W126 he had when I was a kid. When I first got my license I was all about sports cars, the first car I ever bought with my own money was an NA Miata and I longed for cars like the FD RX-7 and Lotus Elise. He'd always point out these R129s to me when he saw one for sale and I thought they were cool but being a boy-racer I wanted something with a manual transmission, screaming engine and rock-hard suspension. Now that I'm a little older I can appreciate something that's still fun but a little more civilized, well-built and comfortable. I think I am definitely going to buy one of these as soon as I have the opportunity, I really can't think of a better way to honor Dad's memory.
they don't build em like these no more. Nice tank my friend
I drive a 2000 sl500 in black, also as a daily driver, and I love it. Good look, Matt
How is the daily drive consupcion? More or less than 15litres?
Wow, I really regret selling my red 2000 SL500 with 52k miles now. I loved that car, bough it from the original owner and it literally felt like a brand new car when I got it about 3 years ago. I sold it when I went overseas for work for one year, wish I would have kept it in storage while I was gone. Sold it for only $10.5k as well. Probably worth about $15k in that condition and mileage today.
I just bought a 1998 SL500 with 44K miles on it.
@@TheOnlyMrDinoHenry Congrats, hope you enjoy it for years to come.
Doesn't seem like a massively popular video but I love this. Probably because I properly love these cars.
Buying a 5 liter V8 as a daily driver for city traffic - only in America. :-D
It's a pity we Europeans are taxed to death. Would be nice to drive a big body Benz around the city.
Or anywhere. A V8 is just to expensive to run in Europe now. In the UK it would cost me about £80 a week to fill up. Even my gt86 (which I daily) costs £40 and it's only a 2.0.
I drive a Lexus LS460 as a daily, 4.6L V8. It’s the best daily I could ever ask for.
Exactly what was thinking about 😁😁😁 Non the less great car.
Mister Nobody thats about how much my 2.3k mercedes costs a week on gas in the US aswell so not that much more expensive
I bought a 1999 SL500 about 10 months after first watching this video. The car was a solid B- car that needed some work to bring it up to an A car. It had 169,000 miles when I bought it and almost 2 years later it now has 185,000. The car is a daily driver for my wife 5 days a week and on her 2 days off I drive it to work, so the car runs about 30 miles a day 7 days a week. It has run flawlessly not a single issue! Now we did do some work to it over the last two years but it’s all been normal maintenance, filters, plugs, oil changes, transmission service, and motor mounts. Everything on the car works great including the top, I highly recommend getting a R129 the car is amazing! Just make sure you do your homework and find one that’s been taken care of. Also don’t be afraid of high mileage ones, you can get a really good deal. For anyone that wants to know I paid 5,800 for my car and I love it more then any car I’ve ever owned.
I have a serious soft spot for this generation of mercedes. I just picked up my first mercedes, a 2000 ML55 and i love it. One of these is on my list, but damn they are worth a pretty penny!
Dorian W. Damn those ML55s are rare, how is it?
worth a pretty penny? nah these things aint worth shit lmfao 90% depreciation..
Yes me too!
I love the 90's - early 2000's Mercedes models!
There's something special about them…
Stream Tube I think he means maintaining them, same for BMW M series. You can buy them but keeping them on the road is ridiculous.
My dad used to have a 2000 ML55, sold it maybe a year ago. I really liked that car, wish I could have bought it from him but it needed some work which would have cost several thousands. AMGs aren't cheap lmao. Definitely love the 90-2000s benz aswell. My mom had this same SL500 but in black, which my dad bought from her. I won't allow them to sell that SL, I'd buy it from them before that ever happens.
Hey Matt-
I really wanted to thank you for the way you advertise in your videos. I wish ALL TH-camrs did product placement the way you do. I love that we don't have ads and in addition, that you're upfront and don't pander to the lowest denominator. We get it- you get products and often money if you endorse them. You're honest about what you get, and thankful too. I hate when channels act like whatever product they are endorsing is like the best thing ever and there's no other options. You lay it out, and tell us if you like it or not. Tell your sponsors that I visit more of your endorsed products more than any other person on TH-cam. You're doing it right man .
If I didn't buy my 2012 PPV last year THAT CAR would be the one I invested in. Looks boss and does exactly what you are doing with it.
Oooo we're into the same car
@@TarekMidani Z, I just bought the Sundara's after your recommendation they are great. Now I see your comment here, I am looking at buying a 2001 SL 500. You are a man of exquisite taste.
Hey Matt my grandfather had the same vehicle. One thing he did that I really liked and think you would as well is he installed a second exhaust exit with an OEM look. Really makes the car more symmetrical and is very doable with only a slight modification to the bumper.
This is my favorite body SL. I appreciate it for what it is: a boulevard cruiser. I'd love to have one, especially as a daily!
I picked up a 1997 sl500, fixed the roof hydraulics, and its been a great summer cruiser. Definitely a boat, but fun. Glad you mentioned the brakes, I thought mine were messed up haha.
I bought a ‘00 SL500 last spring with 46k miles in absolutely perfectly maintained condition, and paid $15,750 for it. What an amazing car. After five years driving Porsche 996s I was a little worried I wouldn’t love this car. It feels so much more substantial, so much more planted, so much safer, and it doesn’t have any potential grenades like the 996. The one thing I’ll caution anyone about with these cars though; if you’re over 5’10” you may discover a little too late that the seats do not go back far enough. I’m 6’ tall and just could not get comfortable enough to ever really and truly feel at home in it. It was a costly miscalculation on my part and I decided to sell it at a slight loss after all was said and done. I wanted to love it. I wanted to fit in it. It was impossible.
Anyway, if you’re thinking about getting one of these this is a good time. Just make sure you get one that was well maintained, get it inspected, exchange all the fluids, and just fricken drive it like it’s your last day on earth. ❤
can you get the service history of a car from Mercedes directly? unfortunately mine didn't come with a booklet or any paperwork other than the title and only has 32k on the clock...2000 SL500 as well!
@@p__jay probably not. Not unless the previous owners did all their service at Mercedes dealerships. Invest in an inspection from a reputable independent Mercedes mechanic, and have all the fluids replaced. It may run you as much at $2,000 but that’s a small price to pay to protect your investment for many years to come.
@@skeezix64 thank you for your answer. i'm not worried about the service costs, i can do everything myself since i'm a mechanic...i would like to have proof of the milage being original. im located in Germany and here cars are usually sold with a service history booklet! the car is from the USA though! since i bought if from insurance and they are listed as the previous owner on the US title...are they required to give me the name and address of the actual previous owner? pretty sure he could give me more information...(in Germany all previous owners are listed on the title)
@@p__jay I don’t think you can get the name of the previous owner due to privacy laws. If there was a mileage discrepancy somewhere along the way it might be documented on the Carfax report. But if someone replaced the odometer / computer privately, that would be a different story.
That’s great you’re a mechanic and can do the worn yourself! Good luck, and drive it in good health!
Nice car, Matt. Looks really clean. Also, that third gen Camry driver is so typical of LA driving style in traffic lol
I've had 2 non-AMG Sl class. I love them! They are fun, comfortable, powerful, and make great cruisers.
10:33 spotted a Nissan Murano convertible in the wild. That’s so L.A.
I bet it drives amazing with Michelin Pilot Super Sport...
Meh. I had pilot sports on my old SL and the thing has so much torque even with traction control there wasn't enough grip.
Really? So which tire would you say works best with it then??
Who cares what kind of tyres you use when driving in city..
The Super sports actually have really good ride quality, nice compliant rubber, good for city driving. Also handy if you need to emergency brake.
Randomeris1 people who want to brake and corner.
What a great daily driver, and what a find with low miles and just one owner. These are also probably the safest collision cars of their era.
How people like living in big cities like LA astounds me. I live in a small city in the south and can get in my truck in the middle of winter at 12:40 pm and let it warm up properly, drive 3 miles to work then walk across a football field of parking lot. All the while listening to your podcast of other, finish the cigarette that I lit after parking and clock in at 12:51pm.
Culture, restaurants, events, diversity in the people you meet...etc.
Hello Matt I just bought a 98 sl 500 and it's gray on gray as your car.i just had an eppiphany on how and what you have done to it I am in the process of doing the same things you have done.now it's gonna cost me some dollars but I am doing g my own work.now I have to get all of the things GS you've done to your upgrades.i do intend to do all the things GS you have done.man I'm not a rich guy I bought my car one owner who passed away it has a few miles but it's a great cared for sports car.i also have a 79 107 it was my day driver now I'm going to do the same deal your doing i enjoy the smoking g tire and your car reviews.im a very big fan and admire your work.
Interesting. I was just looking at an SL500 for a daily driver. Hard to find a well maintained one out here. Good luck driving that in LA traffic though. Dope video as always Matt.
Matt I’m shocked you didn’t talk about that murano cross cab 10:56. Those things are so rare!
this car is made to cruise relaxt at beyond 100m/h on the autobahn.
it will still be quiet and comfortable
Murano Cross Cab! 10:34
Pocket Sand > Murano Cross Cab
Certainly a rare car.
I've never seen one with the top down🤔
They seem to be not that rare in STL. I know they are rare, but I see one at least once a week.
SL = super leicht (not super Licht. Licht a as translation for lamp or "sun light" = "Licht". the German opposite of heavy is "leicht"). Glad to tell you something know after all this year learning about cars from you 😂
13:15 Glad you said it; couldn't agree more. I went a similar route a few years ago and grabbed an e36 M3 convertible (stick) w/hardtop. Gets prettier every day and is a pleasure to drive for the daily grind as well on backroads.
Do you sing 'picture me rolling in my 500 Benz' a lot? 😂
''SL500 Benz, AMG Package, '95 Classic, with the red Gucci jacket and the Cartier glasses just to match it…''
:D
47 Goon Nah... read my comment above, it's not from Pac... 😂
hes talking about Joey Bada$$ b
slicktalk - yea.. But dude was referring to the original comment.. picture me rollin etc... pretty clear who he was talking to in his reply.
Kev27RS - But the original comment was a 2pac reference.. which is why dude said that. His comment was to Tom T.. not you.
6:16 6:37 that fool in corolla pretty much describes LA traffic how I remember it. Used to take the same route too. Love that SL though.
I love this SL generation. I remember watching alot of "Columbo" series from the mid 90s, where nearly every woman drove a nice SL in the LA based crime series.
And btw, it's nice to see you driving in L.A. for someone who comes from germany :)
I love this era mercedes, these coupes look so good on the staggered monoblock wheels with the wedgey box lines love it.
Matt, did Clarion (or whoever they had do the install) have to gut all the fiber-optic cabling? My folks have a '99 E320 and we can't replace the period tape deck without yanking out the entire sound system because it's the fiber-optic system.
Whats your mustang up to these days? It would be cool to get an update.
U gotta find the glass top for it.
Sadly 😢 I own a 1992 sl500 Charcoal with 17x10 oz Operas.. with a blown motor.. due to the locking/malfunctioning traction control...
Currently burning in the Florida Sun.
Nice car Matt.
Matt, whatever happened to the F pace you ordered? I remember you mentioning it in a video a while ago.
Dishant Mehta he ordered it but didnt end up taking it
MaxwellSpeaks Did he say why?
yeah, someone was going to take over the focus payments and flaked, fpace was zero $ down
Dishant Mehta he talked about it on the podcast for like 20 seconds but i dont remember tbh
I freaking love that car. After you hit a certain age, "sporty" but luxurious becomes an awful lot more livable in traffic than a serious sports car. Nice to know another guy who also loves sports cars has a similar taste to my own when it comes to daily drivers.
I love this car! People say it's the last Mercedes that was built to last forever. But here in Germany nobody would ever think of such a gas guzzler as a daily for short distances. Gas is way too expensive over here. With a cold engine the gas consumption must be crazy.
I love watching this, I know all the streets he’s driving on really brings me back.
Okay, but what flew by you at 4:36 ???
bike
EatMyAK sounds like a R35 GTR
EatMyAK gtr
350Z or 370Z could also be, those are pretty common in cali
Cessna 400.
matts office is in the hood?
yo cheap rent is cheap rent homie
nah, you guys don't get LA. The hood is way out of your price range.
Jeff K LOL. just imagine how much rent in San Francisco 'hood' is!
Idk if the west side is the hood
it is when your in front of the projects
It's hard to admit as a car guy that sometimes you want a comfortable cruiser for the daily grind. Good choice Matt.
Will we see this on a future one wake?
My dream car is an SL73 AMG.... That body is so enticing, so dominant, so subtle, but aggressive...... Great job!
Nice car I used to work on those if your blower motor resistor go just get it on eBay it's like 60$ and 300$ at the dealer lol
Man this car is so cool. Is 2001 and it looks like the 80's for some reason.
I'm very happy for your Matt. Got yourself a nice ride.
The m113 is a bullit proof engine. Just look out for oil leaks from the valve covers. Not much goes wrong with them because they are simple. No need for variable cam timing with the newer v8s!
I have a 1999 SL320 in the same colours and specification, but with a panoramic hard top. I bought it in London for the price of the pano roof option when the car was new (£7k) after one lady owner had put 80,000 miles on it. I had some problems with the ECU that controls the roof, but I expected that. The car is mint and without doubt the best car I have ever owned and I have owned a lot of Mercs (new and old) over the last 20 years. The vehicle oozes class and still turns heads where ever it goes and the fully automatic convertible roof still pulls an audience! I lusted after a 500, but my car stood out in terms of service record, ownership, general condition and options so I was happy to compramise with the 320 - to be quite honest the 320 is all you need in today's traffic. Everybody deserves to run one of these in their life time, the previous model is sky rocketing in value and this (better car) will follow, but still remains affordable (for now)!
10:30 OMFG A MURANO CROSS CABRIO!! DO THOSE ACTUALLY EXIST??
That's perfect, Matt. Ton of a car for little money and it's just a perfect spec - AMG wheels, silver color, 500 V8 engine and a hardtop. And just like you said it won't be cheaper again, so you won't loose money on it even with money spent on maintenance.
If you'd bought a Caddy XLR you'd have cooled seats and you wouldn't need ball powder.
XLR came out after the R230 SL.
XLRs are also VERY expensive... not sure who buys those things at current prices :/
funny cause the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the video was the XLR. This generation SL and the XLR look so similar
XLRs have shitty engines and GM interiors. They're also fucking ugly and overall are no comparison to the classic SL.
Shitty engines and interiors, yes 100% agree, but the styling is actually nice. The XLR doesn't look as dated as the R129
German here, born in 1967. imho this is an excellent, classy vehicle. A true future classic.
Was anyone else annoyed about the Gold Toyota Camry driving like an ass? 6:12-6:44?
I spotted this... nice eye friend
Yeah, '01 was a good year for Euro cars, provided you have an independent (non dealer) shop for service. My 01 Jag XJR runs like a train. But watch out for that ZF 5-speed (which I also have). It's "sealed for life" but after 80k miles or so it will get clogged by metal dust and eventually fail. A replacement rebuilt unit is $5k before installation. To void this get an independent transmission shop to thoroughly drain the fluid, clean out the gunk, clean the magnets and replace the filters. I did this at 90k and now at 150k still have no problems.
murano cabriolet @ 10:39. I know, I know, you are all extremely welcome...... lolz
Hey Matt,
I'm sure you already know if its had one but you need to consider getting a trans service, which are due about every 50k miles. The 722.6 trans are bullet proof but the electrics are not. They have an electrical connector and conductor plate inside that go bad and cause trans fluid to wick up the harness and into the trans control module and cause a thousand or more in damage!
Looks great! A soon to be sought-after Mercedes 😊
TURN SIGNALS?
Regarding the deadzone with the brakes, sounds like there might be air trapped in the brake lines or old fluid. Might be worth a check.
Super clean!
One of the all time best Benzes. You did good with this one!
Who replaced Matt with Doug demuro?
Had one for 16 years and did over 120,000 miles in it and while you have to keep it well serviced, it can be lots of fun.
Soft top needs to be used monthly and doing that the top never failed to open and close. A rolled towel inside the Perspex will insure their is no cracking.
Take it on a winding canyon road (with tyres at the right pressure) and make your own gear changes having set the suspension to the harder suspension and you will find it exceeds your expectations.
Enjoy 😊
Good solo driver but not very practical. Weighs around 4000 lbs (4400 with you inside).
Alex K. Lol
so classy...
Alex K. 😂😂😂😂
GOT EM
thats fucked up
The most reliable gas engine and transmission from Mercedes! Transmission is slow but , but, it's bullet proof , same as the engine itself. Car dealer here , had over 70 cars with this engine and transmission , never had problems . Still have 2 , sl's 500 like yours 163k and the other 120k on the miles. I love them , especially for the price that you can get them these days. All the best and I'm pretty sure that you can do pretty easily 250000 miles with no major intervention on the engine or transmission
such a good taste my friend, congrats...
I have to admit, I'd never pick that as a daily driver, for reliability reasons alone. Sensors, computers, anything electrical in a German luxury car is hell. I DO have to admit I LOVE the look of those coupes.
The gas mileage is really bad for a 5.0L too, my dads vortec 5.0L van got 22mpg and it weighed 5,600lbs, if he gets 20mpg out of this he need to check and make all the cylinders are working because these things are 1960's bad on gas.
as a note, i've taken an '01 E320 to 200k (sold) with very little trouble, a 2000 e320 to 180k (wrecked) , a 2003 clk320 to 135k (ran like the wind; sold cause i needed another sedan), and i'm now in a 2008 e320 Bluetec. All have been used and i drive the hell out of them. My experience has been absolutely delightful. I've done little maintenance and the joy and satisfaction of driving a german car is incomparable to a Civic or equivilent. I get the reliability and sensibleness of a jap car, but my german MBs have been teriffic and light on maintenance. (I've also communted in a camry, civic, f150, 300z, Jeep Grand Cherokee. I drive 35k a year or so. I always come back to an MB.) I'll admit though, that i've shyed away from the upper level MBs with air ride and reputations for being more maintenance demanding. Base model E classes are pretty simple to maintance, relatively speaking :)
I think that's what it is... the more complicated it gets, with air ride, and gizmos/bells & whistles, the less I want it.
EM613 this one came from the time that MB's were absolutely bulletproof. Cars developed in the 90's were shit because MB realized no one of their customers needed to buy a new car if it kept on going until the owner died..
Roadster... not coupe
Can't believe you didn't turn onto the 405 at 8:30 that road is like the autobahn!
Is that Matt Farah's million mile Mercedes?
I think it's Matt Farah's million mile Lexus right?
My dad had a 1998 SL600 for several years. that thing was a blast! Fastest we ever went in that thing was 140 across west texas
The SL R129 is super nice but for a city cruiser I'd rather buy a CL500 because it's bigger and more comfortable. The engine, transmission and the other mechanical stuffs are the same, its only downside is that you're unable to fold down the roof
Zoltan Benedek the w140 coupe or the w215 cl
Do really need something that's EVEN bigger and more comfortable than this boat?
By far the best body style SL ever made! Dad had the silver arrow. Was beautiful. Sadly he sold it before I could drive. You got it for a steal!!!
Your SL needs a LS swap...for the better gas mileage,
frank leary and to make it more reliable and sound better
sam good joke
frank leary a m113k would be better
BMW and Mercedes need to stop making engines, and just start outsourcing GM V8's lol
Tehgziz Lauw An LS in a McLaren? yuk
Im just seeing this now but is that the mercedes cd changer inthe trunk?😂
It has aged well for being 16 years old!
It's actually 30 years old, R129 was launched in 1989.
I like old school 5 speed gearboxes. Maybe not on twisty roads, but freeway cruising and city driving, they're perfectly predictable and smooth. I drive about 220 miles a day in and around Los Angeles. My 6 speed manual in my GTI gets old sometimes.
Feels like I'm playing GTA lol
I just picked up a beauty 90 two tone blue on blue last month, loving it. My 550 4matic has been relegated to poor weather duty.
Anyone else cringe a little at 6:35 ?
jjjake yeah. TMI sometimes
jjjake i
What was TMI? The near collision?
That guy drives like a complete idiot. Its heavy traffic still hauling ass all over the place.
Typical old busted Camry driver.
Matt, have you watched the Harry's Garage review of his SL600? Yours and his reviews are winning me over.
5 liter v8 daily because fuck polar bears
I just gave my 97 SL 500 to my son for Christmas and senior year of high school, but only after spending $6K on the roof cylinders and $2500 on the new Harttz soft top and the coil on the #6 cylinder and he LOVES IT. I’m now in the market for an R107 84-85 380 for an AMG retro redress.
16k? if you just wanted a daily driver you could of gotten like a 2016 sonata or something similar. Now if he was looking for this car thats one thing but in my opinion a terrible choice but to each his own.
Who said a DD has to be boring? This is infinitely cooler than a Sonata
Imad S true but he does have other cars that are better. For a daily I'd pick up a E55 amg from the early 2000s for under 10k.
Good choice as well, but even those don't match the presence of the R129
2016 Sonata can eat a bowl of shit
it was an example and i suppose buying a car just for a daily driver and you spend 16k on a 2001 mercedes then have to spend alot more. Thats just plain stupid if im assuming altogether he spent at least 20k he could of gotten a 2016 accord coupe or any other cars that you wouldnt have to spend a arm and a leg for up keep.
Matt I loved this video! It's so genuine and interesting to listen to you talk about the reasoning behind your purchase for this car.
Your camera makes West LA/Culver City look a lot nicer than it does in person lol. But I completely feel you on the getting an auto. I've been driving a stick car in LA for the past 10 and it just got too annoying. I picked up a W221 S550 last December and it's an amazing difference. I've got an indy too so if anything goes wrong it'll be a simple service. People just need to stop worrying about these, "expensive" cars so much
You've purchased my DD! Beautiful ride. Good luck with it! Loved the Silver Arrow from that year.
Sorry, meant to type "dream DD". I sadly am a few promotions away from owning one. 😂
I have a 2004 SL55 AMG which I bought with 75k miles on it and in great working order. I added a bunch of FabTech and other parts to it...very inexpensive. Haven't dyno'd it but probably around 450 hp at at the wheels with somewhere over that in torque...mid 12 sec quarter mile time slips on street tires...been over 170 mph twice. $20k for the car...$10k for mods and work. I've had probably 100+ cars in my life and this is certainly one of the funnest I've ever owned. You just can't get this kind of comfort, prestige, drive-ability, and performance for this kind of money. ECU and TCU tune, bigger IC and IC pump, smaller clutched SC pulley (15 lbs), bigger looped fuel rail, bigger injectors, and for now just some KN filters. Thinking about headers, exhaust, and bigger throttle body but as you might have picked up with the 100+ cars...I get bored pretty quick with them. Still...very underestimated/appreciated cars.
What is the watch that Matt is wearing in this video?
The M113 engine is the most reliable V8 that Mercedes has ever made. It's lighter than the M119, simpler, more fuel efficient, has better emissions and a broader torque curve which makes it perfect for cruising.
What a throw back, great shape too. I always felt that a lot of cars from this time have a real nice cozy feel on the inside. Looks like a great daily
I recently bought a dark blue 98 sl500 super cheap off of an older couple a few miles away. It's my second car and I drive it every day to work and school. Fast too, my friend has an 02 wrx and I was able to beat him multiple times (in mexico). 112k miles on it and I'm hoping it'll be good to me! 👍
ok, so I got this offer for a 06/2002 SL 500 with a mere 35000 km. Dealership wants 25k (about 20k $). Wanna use it for shortdistance commute and longdistance travel. So...good deal or not? I´ve never owned a mercedes, any advice about what to look out for would be apreciated. (FYI, swiss car, so tech-wise it´s most likely in very good shape)
Have u done a txt drive?
@@atos.nympha3451 no, not yet. had to pass some money towards my mum, so I´m out anyways...unless noone buys it in the next weeks