Is there anything i should be looking out for on this particular model?
Any common issues etc ?
Will be looking to purchase in the new year, happy to purchase interstate too. Would it be absolutely nuts to drive one of these back to WA ?
Looking at buying an r230 sl500
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MMWA
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Looking at buying an r230 sl500
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Tony From West Oz
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
With a co-driver, you should be fine. A friend of mine and his new wife have just returned from picking up another (yes, they has 2 already) Lotus from ES on their honeymoon.
Would you like a volunteer to co-drive with you?
Tony
Would you like a volunteer to co-drive with you?
Tony
Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.
'83 W123 300D 325000km (Wife's car Josephine - sold).
'84 W123 300D replaced good OM617 912 with OM617 952 and enjoyed having good acceleration for the first time since first driving a 300D in 2002
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'85 W123 300CD, 275 000km (Fatmobile) rebuilt turbodiesel transplanted into 280CE (SOLD)
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'98 W202 C250 Turbodiesel
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'83 W123 300D 325000km (Wife's car Josephine - sold).
'84 W123 300D replaced good OM617 912 with OM617 952 and enjoyed having good acceleration for the first time since first driving a 300D in 2002
'86 W124 300D sold
'85 W123 300CD, 275 000km (Fatmobile) rebuilt turbodiesel transplanted into 280CE (SOLD)
'99 W202 C250 Turbodiesel
'98 W202 C250 Turbodiesel
'06 Ssanyong Musso Crew Cab 2WD Ute (OM662 diesel and Auto Transmission)
'00 Ford Courier Crew Cab 2.5TD
'06 Ssanyong Musso Crew Cab 4WD Ute (OM662 diesel and Auto Transmission)
'04 Ssanyong Musso Crew Cab 4WD Tray back Ute (OM662 diesel and Auto Transmission)
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scorchi0
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
Ensure the Sensotronic Brakes (SBC) work correctly. The pump makes quite a bit of noise which is normal and there was a recall on them many years ago. Ensure that's all up to date.MercMad West Australian wrote:Is there anything i should be looking out for on this particular model?
Any common issues etc ?
Will be looking to purchase in the new year, happy to purchase interstate too. Would it be absolutely nuts to drive one of these back to WA ?
They run active hydraulic suspension. Ensure the car stays pumped up and there are no leaks from the struts.
Ensure the hydraulic powered hard-top retracts and parks correctly at both ends.
Not sure if these had pixel problems in the instrument clusters like W210s, but keep an eye out.
Just generally make sure everything works! Power seats, COMAND, Active cruise control etc.
1991 S124 300TE - Smoke Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver
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MMWA
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
Cheers for the tips.
oh no, not hydro suspension, i hate hydroleakmatic suspension. I assumed it was airmatic like the S classes which any idiot can fix himself. This might be a deal breaker.
Do these by any chance suffer the same rust issues as the w220 etc of the era ?
The ball is rolling sooner than expected, this may be happening within the next few weeks, assuming I can find one I like. I want black one and they all seem to be silver - silver does not excite me.
oh no, not hydro suspension, i hate hydroleakmatic suspension. I assumed it was airmatic like the S classes which any idiot can fix himself. This might be a deal breaker.
Do these by any chance suffer the same rust issues as the w220 etc of the era ?
The ball is rolling sooner than expected, this may be happening within the next few weeks, assuming I can find one I like. I want black one and they all seem to be silver - silver does not excite me.
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MMWA
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
SL350 might be the answer - I understand hydro suspension was optional, not standard on these.
I absolutely do NOT want ABC under any circumstances.
Can anyone confirm this to be the case on Australian version cars ?
I absolutely do NOT want ABC under any circumstances.
Can anyone confirm this to be the case on Australian version cars ?
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T-Modell
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
Hi,MercMad West Australian wrote:...
I absolutely do NOT want ABC under any circumstances.
...
Why? You have so much electronics in a R230, that it really doesn't matter if you have one box more. Just my opinion ...
Thomas
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1967 W111 250SE Cabriolet, horizon blue
1973 W115 220D 5.0 Pick-Up Argentina, solar orange, "Ute"
1986 R107 500SL, arctic white, the midlife crisis viagra replacement
2007 R171 SLK350, calcit white
2019 W222 S560, ruby black, comfy cruiser
1967 W111 250SE Cabriolet, horizon blue
1973 W115 220D 5.0 Pick-Up Argentina, solar orange, "Ute"
1986 R107 500SL, arctic white, the midlife crisis viagra replacement
2007 R171 SLK350, calcit white
2019 W222 S560, ruby black, comfy cruiser
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MMWA
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
The day Mercedes can build a single item with oil flowing through it that doesn't eventually leak, let alone pressurised oil, I may consider it. It is nothing but a liability on a car of this age. No problems if new, but they're pushing 10 years of age now and nothing at all is cheap in that system.T-Modell wrote:Hi,MercMad West Australian wrote:...
I absolutely do NOT want ABC under any circumstances.
...
Why? You have so much electronics in a R230, that it really doesn't matter if you have one box more. Just my opinion ...
Thomas
Absolutely not interested thanks, airmatic or springs and shocks for me only - case closed ;)
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scorchi0
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
The airmatic is just as prone to leaks, perhaps even more so. Struts fail, valve blocks fail and they both can cause pump failure (due to it working overtime to compensate for the leaks). It's all $$$$MercMad West Australian wrote:Absolutely not interested thanks, airmatic or springs and shocks for me only - case closed ;)
1991 S124 300TE - Smoke Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver
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Ivanerrol
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
The air-matics can be repaired by some one with a bit of mechanical aptitude. There are kits available. Even You Tube instructions are available.
Failing that, rebuilds are available from the U.S. at a reasonable cost. The rebuilds are allegedly better than new - last longer.
Brand new original air struts are available from the states at half the cost of Aus ones - including the airfreight.
Failing that, rebuilds are available from the U.S. at a reasonable cost. The rebuilds are allegedly better than new - last longer.
Brand new original air struts are available from the states at half the cost of Aus ones - including the airfreight.
Current
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Departed
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W204 - C280
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W126 - 380SE , 380SE (Ex SA Import), 560SEL
W124 - 300e, 260e (ex Japan)
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S212 - E350 Wagon
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Departed
W211 - E240
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W126 - 380SE , 380SE (Ex SA Import), 560SEL
W124 - 300e, 260e (ex Japan)
W111 220s (Indonesia) 4 speed manual column shift
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scorchi0
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Re: Looking at buying an r230 sl500
That's true Les, and I guess the ABC components are even higher priced.Ivanerrol wrote:The air-matics can be repaired by some one with a bit of mechanical aptitude. There are kits available. Even You Tube instructions are available.
Failing that, rebuilds are available from the U.S. at a reasonable cost. The rebuilds are allegedly better than new - last longer.
Brand new original air struts are available from the states at half the cost of Aus ones - including the airfreight.
Point is though that the OP wants a car with Airmatic to avoid reliability issues, but Airmatic certainly has its own set of issues.
Trent
1991 S124 300TE - Smoke Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver
1993 C124 320CE - Brilliant Silver