The Mercedes-Benz R129 SL is a roadster which was produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1989 until 2001. Styled by Bruno Sacco, the car was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1989, with sales of left-hand drive models commencing in the summer of that year. Right-hand drive models appeared in the autumn. The car was runner-up to the Citroën XM for the coveted European Car of the Year accolade in 1990. 

The R129 was offered as a two-door roadster with an automated (electro-hydraulic) fabric convertible roof, and an automated tonneau cover. Also supplied was a manually detachable hardtop that could be fitted over the stored fabric convertible roof and tonneau. The cars are well-known for their timeless design and great build quality. 

The R129 replaced the R107 in 1989 and was in its turn replaced by the R230 SL-Class in 2002, for the 2003 model year.

R 254 YMB was first registered in August 1997. The vendor purchased it in July 2010 and has done some 20,000 miles in it in the nearly twelve years of his tenure. He’s reluctantly decided to sell the car as an impending house move is likely to see a ‘downsize’ without the garage space he currently enjoys.  

The car comes with a thick file of paperwork, reflecting its long years of careful ownership. The original service book shows regular servicing throughout its life, and the full set of owners’ manuals are still in their leather folder. There’s a big pile of MoT certificates and a lot of receipts for servicing and other work. 

The vendor has had the car regularly serviced and maintained at renowned marque specialist Around the Benz in Arundel, Sussex, and the receipts and service history reflect this. 

There is also a manual for the radio. 

The car has an MoT certificate valid until March 2023. 

 

The car’s silver paintwork looked resplendent in the spring sunshine on the day of our photo shoot. Closer inspection reveals only a few minor blemishes: there are some small chips on the rear of the boot-lid, caused by the pegs on the hardtop, which have been sympathetically touched in. There’s also some minor damage to the paint at the front of the passenger door. Otherwise the car’s bodywork is in remarkable condition for its age, and it’s clear that it has been carefully stored and well looked after. 

The vendor acknowledges that the soft-top has some damage: some splits along the fold-line, (see pictures) on which he has effected a temporary repair. The car is also supplied with a hardtop complete with panoramic sunroof, and this comes with an original frame for storage. (The buyer might need to give some thought to transporting this frame when he or she collects the car!) The hardtop is in very good condition which suggests it’s been little-used. 

All four wheels show some evidence of corrosion bubbling through, and it should be noted that the vendor replaced the original AMG wheels, with Monkar style 16 inch wheels in 2019 – he didn’t like the ride or appearance of the AMG ones and he found that their extra weight, compared to the standard wheels, caused excessive wear to suspension bushes, which had to be replaced. At the same time as replacing the wheels, the vendor had four new Goodyear tyres fitted and a complete laser reset of the suspension geometry was carried out. The spare wheel in the boot is an unused Monkar rim and Pirelli tyre.

Open the doors and it’s again clear that this car has been looked after. The seats show some signs of wear, but only what one would expect of a 25-year-old car. The rear seats are very much ‘+2’ seats and appear to have been rarely used.  

The carpets have been protected by overmats and are clean with few signs of wear. The dashboard, switchgear and centre console all look good, and the kick-plates are virtually unmarked. 

Both door panels are generally in very good condition, although the wooden trim on the driver’s door has some scratches – see photos. 

The car’s pop-up rollover bar works when asked, but the leather on this also has some scratches on one side.

In the boot is the unused Monkar spare wheel and Pirelli tyre, plus an original jack, wheelbrace and tool roll. The interior of the boot is clean and unmarked, as is the spare-wheel well, and there’s a 10-CD autochanger which the vendor assures us works perfectly.   

The car starts on first turn of the key, and the note of the 3.2-litre straight-six DOHC engine is enhanced by a custom-made stainless-steel rear box on the exhaust. The vendor assures us that the car drives beautifully, with no issues, and the 3.2-litre engine is seen as being more reliable than the 5-litre V8. 

The electro-hydraulic mechanism for raising and lowering the sunroof works quickly, quietly and smoothly.  

Under the bonnet, everything looks to be in order, while there are no visible leaks or rust under the car. The car is supplied with three keys.   

The R129 became a modern classic almost as soon as it launched, and the cars are still highly regarded and sought-after today. With a timeless design and sound craftmanship, the car’s looks belie its age. R 254 YMB appears to be in largely original condition and shows few signs of its 85k+ miles. With only the minor bodywork and soft-top issues to be rectified, this is an excellent example of the model and the silver colour suits the car. 

With good support from owners’ clubs and specialists, the R129 is a practical and enjoyable classic car and this one would seem to be a clean and tidy, largely unmolested example that should provide many more years of wind-in-the-hair top-down motoring.