The 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Is the Last Old-School Mercedes
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- Опубліковано 6 лис 2019
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The 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Silver Arrow was the last old-school Mercedes. Today I'm reviewing this SL500 and I'm showing you all around this great example of the R129 Mercedes SL. Then I'm driving this 2002 SL500 to show you what it's like to get it out on the road.
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The SMOG feature is a system which detects elevated levels of carbon monoxide and other pollutants outside the vehicle and automatically activates the secondary cabin air charcoal filter, and deactivates it when the air is clean enough again. SMOG on the display is just an indication that the system is on, there is no input required from the user. I have this same feature on my '96 S600. I believe it was standard on the higher level models. Please upvote so others (and hopefully Doug) can see this. Nice car!
Does SMOG work better with the roof up or down ?
@@Affalterbach1967 That is a really good question. Logically, one would think it should shut itself off automatically when the roof is open to extend the life of the filter. Maybe it does, and the smog indication just stays there to remind you that you're in SoCal? Maybe someone with an R129 can check the manual and chime in.
Fuck Google Censorship
Wow some carbon detecting tech back in 96?!? Cool, I taught old cars were so simpley made.... no tech shit...
@@beedslolkuntus2070 The W140 and R129 were very technologically advanced cars for their age, especially the W140. First car with soft close doors, first car with parking sensors, first Benz with GPS (Euro/Japan only).
Fuck Google Censorship
GPS BACK WHEN?!?! *when?!?!?!!*
1990's? No way I can't believe that
I wouldn't even believe it if you told GPS back in 2005! When I was born too.
My dad had this old Chevy Lumina back in 2004 he bought that, well we had to leave the country and we sold it, but then Recently I got to saw the interior and the door squeekkkksssss like hell xD
Roll bar still pops up when the car detects an impending roll over even in the down position.
Olu Folami yes thank you
He talks about stuff he doesn't know, also it came with rear seats if you wanted to.
I always remember the blurry video of an SL crashing on the Autobahn and rolling over at 100+ MPH. The driver walked away, due in no small part to the pop-up roll bar.
@@svenbrachthauser1143 Yup. Harry's garage SL600 V12 - great review, btw - has rear seats.
Seems like the roll bar would cause a serious injury to any rear seat passengers.
@@svenbrachthauser1143 Yes you're right. But Doug might be partially right too. I don't think they ever were sold with rear seats in North America. And if they ever were sold with the back seats in North America, that option must have disappeared after the Bose sound system became standard over there (not in Europe) in MY 94.
“Thissss” at the start pierced my brain.
HMZ he is a god
I guess you are new to his channel lol
.. and left the carcass unobstructed
Every time, you'll miss it if it left ..
I see the owner has manufactured two clones to take the roof on and off.
MI Car Guy looked forever for this comment
@@jmoney7289 same surprised no one mentioned them
Doug didn't even help those two clones
I knew someone had to have said something like this hahah
Identical blonde twins are required to install und remove the hardtop, so ownership of the SL500 Silver Arrow requires good breeding.
Also, the roll bar still automatically pops up with a spring in a roll over even if you have it down, Doug.
Owlrich, you are correct. Pops up within 0,3 seconds when the rear axles sensors detect a rollover.
Beans on Toast for Breakfast that’s clever
Yes, it happens more and more often that the lack of research shows.
Thank you! Doug get your facts straight! I like this channel, but this sort of thing happens way to often!
@@beansontoastforbreakfast7911 It's even more sophisticated than that... skidding is enough to trigger it. I did a quick turn on fine gravel with mine; all wheels still were on the ground and it was all under control - but suddenly the bar shot up. Pretty scary at the moment - but it feels reassuring that the device is there and rather too quick than too slow...
8:50 doug: “I really wanna show the top being put on. But it’s a two person job, would you mind?”
owner of car: “not at all! hey kids! You wanna be on a UA-cam video?”
Alan Harper im glad I’m not the only one who noticed that lol!
@Alan Harper Some creepy ass shit going on...🤔
Having Doug watching them do it for him was very funny! even more with that elegant and relaxing music!
“Picture me rolling in my 500 Benz”
*in my SL 500 Benz if you are referring to the Joey Bada$$ song
Matthew Szoke na I was referring to Pac
I got no luv 4 these niggas theres no need 2 be friendssss
“Flossing a Benz on rims that isn't stolen”
“They got me under surveillance, that's what somebody be telling”
We can thank the great Bruno Sacco for this beautiful masterpiece. The R129 was one of his best designs.
You are so correct
The roll bar automatically shoots up for safety in case of the car rolling over.
Doug was unaware of that.
RJ Beats he’s mentioned this same exact safety feature in other videos though I wonder how and why he missed it. He knows what it’s for
That makes sense, but it begs the question of why have a switch to put it up? It's not like it looks good up, so it's not for style. And it couldn't be for redundant safety - it's not like you'd have time mid-roll to realize it didn't automatically deploy and remember to reach out and hold the button.
@@Mee399 Yes, I got that impression too.
@@Mee399 he should be if he is avtomotive expert.
Ah the 02 silver arrow. I emailed you a few years ago to capture my 00 SL600 which only still has 22k miles on it. Glad to see a r129 get some appreciation.
I would die for that car. Wish he would have done yours. I had a phaeton w12 he was going to review but he ended up with another one that was in better shape than mine.
I also have a r129. It’s a 97’ with 11k miles. One of the best generations of the SL
I thought he was saying Silver _Aero_ !
SL 320 owner,, don't drive it much now but can't bring myself to sell.😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
Poor car is begging to be driven......
Doug in his Veloster N review: Why do manufacturers put metal badges on their mats?
Also Doug: I really like the metal badge on this mat
German car double standards 🤷♂️😌
Typical germanophile behavior.
Doug: "THIS...."
Me: "Is the start of a good day."
omg how brilliant, that means Doug putting out a review means you automatically have a good day and a hundred and thirty one people feel uplifted at this simple observation. Go humanity!
1 3 ok
ziiiiiiiis
@@user-sl1tg3eb9q ok
im a fkin psycho
This body style for the SL is timeless. No lie, I would buy one.
Same here, I love this model.
I bought one last summer and this model is plagued with problems. Trust me, you don't want one.
I bought one last summer and this model is plagued with problems. Trust me, you don't want one.
Dave Carpena I have a 1975 450SL it’s sexy as helllll
@@tommydogsdad if you think this car is plagued with problems I would stay away from enthusiast cars
Great video Doug! The roll bar raises automatically if the car detects an imminent roll over. The reason that it can be raised or lowered manually from the button on the console, is because the wind deflector you showed in the boot attaches to it. So if you want to reduce wind buffet whilst driving with the roof down, you raise the roll bar with the deflector attached to it.
My dad bought a 2002 SL500 Final Edition three years ago from a renowned seller in Germany for around 70.000$.
And it holds value quite well.
Edit: the storage compartment with the cup holders in it can be optioned to be a 20 discs CD changer
My uncle owns an SL600, had no idea what it was until I asked him about it, then I did some research. Very understated yet beautiful car. My favorite thing to do when we hang out is take it for a drive on the highway and just cruise, such a smooth ride and engine. Absolutely amazing car.
Oh no… $50k max
10 k all day long on marketplace for a base model sl 500 12-15K for an AMG Good luck finding the silver arrow
The top going down sounds like my printer when it preps itself after just turning it on😂
😂😂😂
Or when you print the test page. :)
I have an R129 and it's pretty freaking loud. After all the years you're just used to it. That's how I tell if everything is working as it should! 😂
That’s the sound of massive overengineering. The car will probably still be going in 2049.
For me it's the sound when flight attendant walks down the aisle and closes the overhead bins.
My parents: What are you watching
Me: THISSSSSSS, is my favourite car guy on youtube
@ZionHillCalling Have you seen the Tesla father and son? Now that's bad!
Not my favorite car guy. But his reviews are extremely detailed which I like
@ZionHillCalling bro he gives us informations about a car, that even the car owner gets suprised
And he so comited to it
And he's the only youtuber I know without cringy first video
Doug's the type of guy to give his children a Doug score.
And the type to show all the guys his wife's "quirks and features"
Bruh..😂😂😂
"taking the top off is a TWO person job"
*twins appear*
Me: is this some fancy editing trick?
well a god two seat car without top has to have an hardtop to install normally at home, the slk has a convertible metal top that works perfectelly even when the car is not stopped, "one of the best" ,i heard them saying in a car show on t.v. compared with other brands of the same year,like the boxter that lot´s of people don´t like but it´s spectacular to drive ,even the Z3 has an hard top removable, mercedes SL since mid 60´s till 85 at least ,had both tops when you bought it ,the cloth and the metal one, i owned a black 280 SL for 10 years from 67 and never took the hardtop, where i live it´s impossible to drive with the top down the temperatures are most of the summer higher than 40 degrees celsius ,at night it´s good to take the top, but the trouble made me never took it of the car , but only in that one
Rui Cameira don’t care didn’t ask
didn´t reply just comented some opinions didn´t knew that it would appear as a reply to your coment ,but about others coment, when wanting to reply a coment itappears on some place else, if you read carefully never talked about you´re coment, just about that hardtop stupid opinion of dah de muro
dead af cringe
What Doug completely forgot to mention is that the rollbar automatically deploys in a crash (I own a 2000 SL500)
nolan879 same thing as the e36 bmw convertible even in a minor accident, but a minor accident was still enough to total mine with 52,000 miles on the clock
nolan879 yeah it comes up as the first video result if you search r129 roll bar
TableRocked relaxxx
nolan879 I doubt that he forgot to mention it, but rather didn’t bother to do any research about it. He is famous for his inaccurate assumptions.
TableRocked actually he did say that “modern convertibles” have “automatic” roll-bars that shoot up in position in case of need, but this was manual. And this was clearly a mistake because it does pop up in case of accident.
We need a compilation of Doug saying “absolutely massive”
I think you just discovered an untapped market!!!
I want a compilation where Doug say CUPHOLDERS
You ever realize you've always wanted something without knowing it.
@@BCaldwell I have been thinking the same thing. I like the way he says it in his first Audi r8 v10 plus review.
@@davidc4946 It must be done!
I wish Doug would’ve driven around listening to Picture me Rollin’
Same 😆 but i doubt that he would do that cause of copyright infringement then he wont be able to earn from this video 😅
And, be in a Limp Bizcuit vid...." Keep rollin, rollin, ROLLLLIN"! 😆😆🤣
PICTURE ME ROLLIN’ IN MY 500 BENZ
Doug the type of guy to look up and down before crossing the street
You're telling me people don't do that?
fried rice You look at the sky and ground before crossing the street? Do you have special needs?
@@dragonballtorture haha i do that.
r/whoosh to both of you
What if a plane/submarine runs you over?
@@gustavserrano2237 don't worry that tablerocked dude said the exact same thing in my comment.
I miss the era of Benz in the ‘90s and ‘00s
They were just simply beautiful machines
You can thank Bruno Sacco for them.
You're both right. 70 through 99. The best on earth.
@@ultraguy8771 He left in 99 and it SHOWED.
The 90s yes, and even before that. But the 2000? After they merged with chrysler in 98 their quality started to slip imo
Its called 2000s. Dont be lazy with the bs 00s
Doug, you just made me fall in love with the r129 sl500... It may be my next car I love it so much
The music when lowering the top is extremely satisfying.
Sidenote, I was obsessed with the 2003, SL600 model and customised them online for fun. However this video shows the robustness and class of the SL500 and that's something I've grown to appreciate with age.
Great review, love your videos.
8:51 I thought there were multiple Dougs for a second 😂😂
The SL was actually the first car to ever have an automatic rollbar
This is my favourite Mercedes of all time. I think it is stunning. I hope I will be able to buy an SL500 one day.
I've been following Doug for more than a year and never have I read a single comment on a video anybody appreciating him showing roof mechanism...
Every cabrio owner hates roofs.
Thats why.
It’s an old tradition. This channel is way older than 1 year
I always thought this was a beautiful car. It's monolithic styling is just iconic. No weird, busy body lines. Just a simple, well-proportioned shape. I think I'll go buy one.
Come get me for a ride
i own a 500sl and I can confirm there is no better looking hard top convertible in my opinion
I ended up buying a 92 400E instead. Similar Bruno Sacco styling, but with 4 doors. Got to have room for the whole family. It's getting a 5 liter swap from a 94 S500 right now.
Beautiful, damn near timeless design
The SL has really gone into the crapper ever since.
The next generation was good, but the styling was fading,
After that, a crime scene
the current one isnt bad! i'd love to see how the next gen will look with mercedes' new design language
Eh this thing looks like a mid 80s car. Not bad but imo mercedes often look 10-20 years older then they actually are
@@Mr.Marbles Well, it came out in 1989, so it was probably designed around the mid 80s.
It literally just looks like an old car, nothing special about it
The styling was fading because of this "SUV/crossover" trend nowadays sadly. It's very rare to find a Miata than a GT86 where I live (yes I'm not joking, the miata doesn't really sell as well as a GT86 in Dubai). I see more Range Rover Evoque convertibles than GT86s also. Yes I know you guys will say "How tf?/Why tf?". But that is how it is.
I do see an R129 and R230 SL 500 and SL 600 once in a while here. But AMG variants are just ridiculously rare.
Another FANTASTIC video Doug! 👍 I love watching your videos, as they give me a detailed glimpse of something I might not ever have the chance to see. Keep up the great work my friend!!!
📣Great video as always, I love the features you point out. Beautiful SL NICE!
Doug's enthusiastic "This" lets me know everything is going to be ok
Dougs "thiiiss" cured my anxiety
OMG, my best friend's dad used to have one of these!! I remember when my friend finally got his driver's licence, his father allowed him to drive around with this car. When I was staying at his place, we used to sneak out of the house late at night, raced to the local McDonald's with the top open (even when it was like freezing cold outside), then ordered something at the Drive Through just to impress the young lady at the counter. It was hands down one of the greatest times of my life, and everytime I see one of those old SL on the streets, I instantly remember the two of us just having a blast :D
More nostalgia Doug, thanks, I remember the 500SL as a kid in the mid 90's, but the nostalgia for me is right here, I was 15 in 2002 and I thought this car was so cool, I loved the solid-looking, powerful, confident, simple styling (I still do) and the car itself was just a really nice execution overall. I remember the 97 generation of the SL600 V12 being Andrew Cunanan's dream car on the mini series/dramatization on the murder of Gianni Versace
Thats my favorite car. People still turn around, when this car drives by. So many years later.
I really hate when I’m reading the comments and a AD comes on and shoots me back up to watch it 😐
Anyone else hold their breath that those kids didn’t drop a roofpin on the body??
In 1979 my first year in college my football coach owned a Mercedes Benz sports coupe that I fell in love with. In 2004 I was able to purchase a 2002 Silver Arrow. My dream had come true. Fast forward to 2023 I still owned my Silver Arrow, it was almost at 200,000 miles and was still running great. It had a few dings on it but they were minor. I saw one with only 60,000 miles. I traded my Silver Arrow in for the one with less mileage and fell in love all over again! I really love 💕 this car. I’ll keep it until I’m gone! Thanks for your videos 👍🏾
I remember spotting and following behind Bill Cowher in the Pittsburgh suburbs in a red SL500 one day a while back when he was still coaching the Steelers. He was driving it quite quickly, although it was the early morning and your able to drive those roads quickly without anyone on them!
"This was the very last really good Mercedes SL"
He says as his own chart scoring chart shows the 2018 SL 450 scoring higher in most categories as well as over all.
Lmao nice consistency.
He really got this wrong. The power glass hardtop of the next generations was astonishing virtuoso Mercedes engineering. The cumbersome manual hardtop fitting only underscored that fact. Shocked he never realized that.
Well, that's because it's the newest of all the cars and is faster, better tech, etc...
If you have watched the British version of Top Gear, you’ll know what makes a car truly “great” is an intangible quality that can’t be explained logically.
@@redram5150 However, it is Doug's own metrics that led to that conclusion. On top of that, it was not the higher trim model head to head (SL550) with this silver arrow, but the base model. I'm curious if Doug will respond to this because it is definitely a strange ending.
4:52 I see the same red light for the convertible top as the one in his recently acquired G500
Looks as though it's the exact same switch! Doug must've recorded this before he got the G-wagon
Edward Hobbs I was thinking that exact same thing
Julian Stanford look at the temperature reading... 101°!
Doug, My friend had one of these and the roll bar even when it was in the down position would automatically flip up if an impact occurred. I thought that was cool!
That interior is beautiful 😻
when your so early that there are no doug is the type of guy comments
Doug is the type of guy who knows the diff between you're and your
Dumbest comment ever lol.
When you're so early, Doug hasn't even said "this" yet
turnersexplicit the type of guy to be too early for the ”Doug the type of guy” comments.
Your comment made me in a better mood for some reason
Priceless and Timeless. That's why I'm keeping mine.
You could consider purchasing one for me too
@A real bisexual petrol-head stfu and don't repeat your nonsense everywhere.
@@eazen but he speaks the truth
+1.... 97 SL320 anniversary edition
@@eazen hes kinda true in a way lol
My dad has a ‘98 SL500 - it feels and drives like its almost brand new.
Mine does too. It's a piece of art rather than a car almost. Still in mint condition.
I'm very fortunate to have a Silver Arrow Edition as well. Absolutely love it!
You know, for a early 2000s car, it actually ages really well. I would love to have something like that.
$16k, bro.
I'll sell you my '98 SLK if it ever appreciates in value, lol.
Mine was 5200 but it wasnt this edition
Its late 80’s car not 2000’s
Great video. Had several R129's, including a '96 SL600 was the bomb to drive. There were a couple of cool facts from these cars in that era. 1) In the storage space above the center climate controls, on all SL600s and SL500s if you ordered it, there was an in-dash phone (we always referred to it as the "Bat Phone".) Even in the late 90's Analog phone plans were on the way out so you had to shop around for some company that still offered them if you wanted the phone to work. BUT, the height of cool was having "Home/Office/Car all with different numbers on your business cards.
2) New owners didn't always realize that you had to turn the radio OFF for the antenna mast to retract, so Mercedes stocked masts for those of us who liked automatic car-washes where it would ALWAYS bust off if you left it up, and would replace it for $150 bucks or whatever it was with just a "look" that you were clearly a "newbe." I only had to have that happen once.
3) Lastly, the real aficionados of this car didn't have to manually put on the hardtop, we had a winch attached to the garage ceiling which would strap under the roof, pretty easily I might add, and then automatically lift the roof off the car. It worked nicely in reverse as well - making it a one-person job. Some of us like to drive with the top down in the Winter, long before the AIRSCARF® system was a thing.
ok
Like your style.
Awesome review.One of the greatest Cars ever produced.Talking about storage compartments. There's another underneath the armrest panel. I also happen to own a 96 V12 sport AMG package..That's definitely a car for keeps!
I would love to get my hands on an SL73 AMG from this era
Yes!!!!!
Yeah that’s basically the best one. I think it has like 480hp
Hmmm... why?
I think everything above the 500 is a bit of a waste. You don't floor it when it's open and when the top is up, it's just a coupé with poor visibility, anyway. Better buy a 320 or 500 to drive with an open top in fine weather and spend the change you'll save from that on a really sporty car...
@@notroll1279 I bet you're a blast at parties.
@@bobcortez4427 At least I get invitations...
We have a 600SL in our family. Great car, sounds amazing.
The little "compartment" in the center is where MB installed the factory cell phone module (including keypad and display).
Was about to comment this! It’s true. Wonder if it’ll still work?
@@simontung8866 Not in the US - the cellular companies decommissioned those networks.
@@simontung8866 No. It is analog. Good luck finding cell service.
I just love this car. Nothing more. Just iconic Mercedes, so pretty and stunning
the roof top and the trunk sounds like a VCR, when you insert the tape, and then press play
Was thinking the exact same thing. 🤣
This was the Merc to have when I grew up. Back then SL really meant something.
I love those box shape Benzes from the 90s. Love the straight 6s that they came with also.
The roll bar automatically deploys even from the down position when the car detects a possible rollover (another example of how far ahead of it time this car was when it came out in 1989). I was driving mine swiftly through some windy roads and a horrible beeping noise accompanied the roll bar while it sprung into action (scared the crap out of me). I personally think the car looks better with the roll bar up. This is a German car, you don't have a choice between style or safety. This car was made to give you both.
I agree with you on the roll bar until it blocked my rear view while driving.
I personally own a black/black 2001 SL 500 sport. I couldn't be any happier with this car. In this video he explains it well. Extremely well built, solid feel, smooth ride, timeless styling and quick. When the R129 first came out it was a status symbol and it still is. Even though this body style came out over 20 years ago. It still looks current today by the timeless styling. Nothing on the road looks like it. They just don't make cars like this anymore. You can definitely feel it was a $95k car when you drive it for the quality and perfection to detail.
Great coverage. the 1999 SL500 and V12 Sport has the same body features. Getting difficult to maintain these now. My dream cars!
The roll-bar was deployable manually, or if in the event of a roll over, it also deploys on it's own.
That's good to know, lol.
Anyone else remember when Jim Carey had this car in Liar Liar?
(Cuts of truck driver)
Truck driver: HEY! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?!
Fletcher: IM AN INCONSIDERATE PRICK!!!!
Anyone else remembers, yes.
Tokyo JZA80 “money talks” is full of this era Mercedes in a lot of scenes
@@microchrist6122 Phantom of the Opera?! Don't nobody wanna see no damn Phantom of the Opera! I thought you had some good shit like Luther Vandross tickets or somethin!
Here it goes: I sped. I followed too closely. I ran a stop sign. I almost hit a Chevy. I sped some more. I failed to yield at a crosswalk. I changed lanes at an intersection. I changed lanes without signaling while running a red light and SPEEDING!
@@celsovera91 💀💀💀💀
These are beautiful. I, too, have always loved this styling!
Doug, this was by far your best convertible top music. Bravo, o Master of the Royalty-Free Library.
11:54 I feel a power broker with a nose candy habit in the 90s found this amazing
Lol but coke never goes outta style so the underlying point is still valid
Car salesman: "Why do you want to buy this Ford GT?"
Doug: *Because it's the last Old-School Ford GT*
Fuel Economy Hahahaahahahahhasooooooooooo funny
Absolutely love that James Bond type of music playing when the soft top is going up and down.
This is by far my favourite n Mercedes of all times . I can’t wait till the day I go and make the purchase ...
Mercedes SL73 AMG based on this body style is one of the coolest Mercs of all time.
TCMustang I never heard about that model until you posted this. Thanks! That’s such a badass car
@@ryanwilsonbackup Yeah, those are very rare. Only 85 of them were built, so not many people have heard about them. Apparently SL72 was even rarer, only 35 of those were built in from 1995 to 1996.
TCMustang like 50 of those 85 were all commissioned by the Brunei royal family
@@kylekeogh2731 Yeah, Sultan of Brunei also bought 25 of 35 SL72 AMG's.
TCMustang sucks that he has so many amazing cars just rotting away in the garage. I say we invade and flood the exotic car market
Doug doesn’t get old like the rest of us normal human beings He gets “old school “
ok boomer
Dale Marcell hi dale
that's a good one
OK BOOMER
Very clear analysis on the pros amd cons of this car. Unbiased and critical takr on this car.
Finally you reviewed my dreamcar, thank you a lot
The reason for the locks sounding like they do and not being is perfect synce is because Mercedes of this era used a vacuum actuated locking system, not electric motors.
I figured that as 90s audis had the same type of locking system
The central locking is air operated, hence the pressure reaching each lock in order
A little trivia. In 1933 Pierce Arrow made a show car for the New York auto show called the Silver Arrow. In 1963 Bill Mitchell (designer for GM ) made a prototype show car call The Buick Silver Arrow. In 1999 Buick came out with the last versions of the Buick Riviera called The Silver Arrow. And as Doug is showing us, Mercedes Benz gave the Silver Arrow name to the SL.
I love this car, my dad just bought a '92. Doug forget that you can manualy turn of the light in the trunk with a switch
I always liked that Mercedes of this time had the Le Mans style single windshield wiper. I'm rather surprised it wasn't mentioned under quirks.
Alright, who is looking at SL500 listings?
There's one on Ebay for $26,800
ME!
Looking at the 600...
96' models are about $60k in my country but I'll not say which country is it. I hate this country.
ASOZCAN why are you hiding your country?
My dad's old Mercedes from 1990 has this lock sound as well and it is gorgeous, it is so authentic and cool. No car does that sound
A few weeks ago i was driving around when out of the corner of my eye i saw this car, in white, i instantly fell in love with it, i had never seen this car around, its very unique! Its honestly my next goal in terms of cars.
Loved mine. Been wanting one since the early 90's when DJ Magic Mike had one. When I got mine I was like YES! Only took me 20 years. lol. The roll bar also served purpose to a third brake light and speakers some of them had in them custom. The Smog is for the cabin filtering. Like the Tesla X cabin filtration from outside hazard.
Doug: Last old school Mercedes
Also Doug: Best modern SL by far
*PICK ONE, DOUGY!*
Douggy muh boi, MBZ spend an untold sum of money to auto-engage the roll bar in something like .2 seconds when the vehicle sensed a rollover imminent. So no you did not have to chose as the owner to look nice or be safe. There are commercials with some very 90’s graphics depicting this very safety feature. This is the best convertible ever made in my humble opinion so I’ve spend countless hours researching the R129. Douggy is very often well informed and is the best car review guy on the tube but this little tidbit he missed (also I think it was the very first all powered convertible). Love your work Doug, thank you for all the world class videos and info you bring to the Wild West of UA-cam. Your Aces.
The roll bar in the up position looks awesome.
One of my favorite cars of all time. I lusted for those and still do. They are an example of what made Mercedes Benz great up to a certain era of car. (:
Doug looks so smug, making two children do the hard labor.
Those kids are doing something right in life though, they own a Mercedes.
@@kurtmadouse8455 huh their parents owns it u dumbass
When I was in high school, my mom bought a then-brand-new Mazda Miata, with its matching hard top. Yep, us kids got the chore of putting it on and taking it off. But we couldn't drive it - oh, no. The only time I got to drive it before age 21 was the last day of high school - I got to drive it to and from school. Even though it was 4 years old at that point, that was my first time - and I wouldn't get to drive it again for another 3 years. I think I only drove it less than a dozen times in the 27 years she owned it. (Sadly, it was totaled when it was hit while parked a couple years ago - it only had 45,000 miles on it at the time!)
@@AnonymousFreakYT damn :/ at least you got to drive it
@@davenadeau8671 no u
Hey Doug, thanks for doing the review of this R129 SL. I owned a silver 1993 SL500 over 15 years ago. The one tone bodystyling like this silver arrow version was not limited to the later years. My 1993 had the exact bodystyling as the one you reviewed. Also with the back seats, not all SLs came without back seats and storage compartments, my car had full little seats and seatbelts. The roll bar as everyone else had commented here, the up and down mode was a luxury feature..in the event of an accident the roll bar snapped in place very quickly. Overall it is a quick car but my view is, it was just simply too heavy..1800kg dry weight..but as you say it was well built.
"This was the last really good Mercedes SL" yet its Doug Score is 4 less than a 2018 SL450 🙄
lol
Not how his scoring works, but ok.
dougscore features stuff like features in which new cars obviously win since they have features that didnt exist 10+ years ago.
I’ve e yet to figure out the reasoning behind the ‘Doug score’ Should 18 year old cars be measured against modern cars for their ANYTHING with today’s cars? For example, 5.8 seconds to 60mph is pretty damn good even today and it got a crappy ass score. SMH.
I didn't know this same design ran for that many years. My father's close friend owned one. As a kid I wanted one so bad.
Hey Doug, i'm pretty sure the roll-bar automatically activates in the event of an accident. In fact, It did.
I think government regulations requires a protection system.
It also activates if you corner too hard and are on 3 wheels.
There are 2 large limit switches on the rear wheel axles. KKKKKKKKRRRRRRR Clunk and it's up. Happens every now and then when you drive enthusiastically.
@@SoundsLikeOdie you have to put a pie on it so it launches it like a catapult
I was really waiting for this one, lookng between r230 sl500 and 1990 model for myself, probbably 320 because of the manual shifter, thank you for the review.
I had a 90 R129 for a few years, loved it!
Press the "0" key on your keyboard repeatedly and make Doug your private DJ...
LOOOOOOOOL
Klingt komisch...is aber so
Gruß an Herrn Paschulke
I'd say Doug sounds more like an annoying fly
@@HowItsEvenPossible hahahahaha WELL SAID!!
Anybody remember this car from Ludacris' 2001 video "roll out"? Such a beautiful car.
Hey Doug,i really love your videos about all the cars,who you represent. I really would like to see a review on a Lexus ISF,if it's possible,thanks and keep going. Your doing a great job out there.
This has always been one of my favorite MB models. Never knew about this trim. Would love to own this some day. More of a BMW guy but damn...
I was genuinely horrified at the sound of the convertible convertibling. 7:12
It made me want to play Super Mario 64.
Batmanhec Yeah that sound was pretty intimidating lol
There is something wrong, it needs to be looked at. It is not normally that clacky sounding.
Sure it´s normal. There are 6 or 7 lifters which are not digitaly synchronized. Welcome back to the Age of mechanical solutions. When the system breaks, you pay at least 3k to fix it with original parts at the MB dealership.
@@citcit9811 I spent $2400 to repair the vario roof on my
1998 SLK. , the little sister of the SL.