Getting Top Down Costs OVER $4K to Fix on This Mercedes!
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- Опубліковано 22 сер 2024
- Have you ever wanted to own, or do you currently have, a 1990's convertible Mercedes? They are beautiful cars, but they come with an expensive problem. You've got to check out what it takes to get a common convertible problem fixed on this 1999 SL500.
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Lots of how to videos on how to remove, rebuild and install all of those cylinders. Anybody with mechanical ability and the willingness to make the effort can do so for a couple hundred bucks. I did all mine only to find a damaged plastic hydraulic line in the trunk that I was able to source on ebay for 30 bucks. Works perfect now. Probably shouldn't own one of these unless you have deep pockets or, like me, enjoy the challenge of fixing it myself. No excuse these days with all the info out there.
True. Now that my auto repair and diagnosis experience has gone way up over the last couple years, sometimes I contemplate getting the next gen SL class with ABC and all of the pentosin soaked fun that comes with. As any Mercedes enthusiast will know, having a second, reliable vehicle is paramount.
But then, when you deal with other people's automotive drama for a living, you won't have much appetite left for your own vehicle going "but wait, there's more".
This is why I prefer my 500e to these r129s. Same power, gearing, and suspension, without the hassle. And funny enough the 500e is even lighter weight.
Buy the hardtop and forget about the hydraulics.
Anyone with that level of mechanical ability is not the Wizard's target audience. The presentation is clearly for the average driver/consumer who doesn't know a lot about cars but wants useful information about what to look for and avoid. There's other channels that do what you're looking for.
@@Flies2FLL But then how are you going to look good on the one way drive to the junkyard?
It's a state of mind, just consider it a giant Miata and enjoy your new manual convertible top!
A V10 manual at that.
Not an easy manual either when you have to bust out wrenches to get all unlocked. Lol
couldnt even use a real amg badge when making it a fake amg
Why would you? Ain't fooling anyone...
1:False advertising, can get you into trouble if you sell the car. 2: AMG can't get you for infringement for using their branding. These are my guesses btw.
I know, like WTF?
If it was my shop I wouldn't have let the car into the shop.
@@thethomasj1795 Same 👌
Always buy the hardtop!
I agree. Personally, I loathe the current near-forced sunroof/moonroof/glass roof obsession in the car market, so a ragtop is not even on my radar. Unless the Wiz is working on one.
Was that RHM brake light wiring stripped from rodents or something? Could be the opening of a real can of worms, if so.
Bring a friend who doesn't mind heavy lifting. Ideally you should never try to move the hardtop alone.
Or you can just manually put the top up and lock it in place...don't fix the hydro system.
So true👍
I never use the sun/moon roof on my CR-V, but I bought the car used and it was simply there. I wouldn’t get one if buying a car new, and certainly not buy a convertible.
I have a 2000 R129 with 35K miles on it. None of the hydraulic cylinders have failed yet. I will order the seal set online for around $100 and rebuild them myself. Not a fun job as several of them are hard to get to. It is a great car especially if you can DIY.
How is Mrs. Wizzard going to get new shoes if you work on your own car?
35k miles in 24 years,time to turn off the old interweb and go for a drive... Lol
Mine failed twice… I just do it manually… otherwise a great car…
nice, you got a mint one huh? I moved on to the r230 for my dream car purchase instead of a mint r129, wanted the folding hard top, I still worship a black '98 sport package r129 though, esp the 600's, they are great cars, some parts are better made on them than the r230's too.
Mine is mint, 51k original miles…
One thing wizard didn’t point out is that ‘98 was the last real Mercedes year. 4 cam, 32 valve… the ‘99 that he showed is a very different engine (2 cam, 24 valve), ever since they took over Chrysler, from model year ‘99 and up, the quality is far different.
The hydraulics in all r129’s is a huge issue. It’s easy to do manually, or you can spend 4k to do it with a button, but if you keep the car it will leak again in a few years. R129 ‘89-‘98 is one of the best Mercedes 0:04 ever made, the best looking, and with the best engine (m119)
Daimler-Benz took a controlling stake of AMG in 1999. There is in fact AMG models in these model years (1999 - 2003) and even prior: these are the SL 55 AMG, SL 60 AMG, SL70/ 72/ 73 AMG.
Correct
This getting boring. Can we agree on the fact that, cars like these are never meant to be owned by broke people????
Also owning these EGO PROPS without a bulletproof service plan is complete insanity.
I don’t find it boring. Always good to know the caveats on models you may be interested in owning as an enthusiast.
The man doesn’t exist to please you.
My neighbor had one of those high end SL500 Mercedes with a convertible, she had to replace 3 of those Hydo cylinders, cost her $4000 at the Mercedes dealership, six months later two more failed, two days later she traded it in on a new Kia.
A KIA 😂
@@raymondreiff8170 Yes a Kia, I got a good laugh out of it too when she did it.
Aa opposed to the low end SL 500?
@@johnjohnmcclane1818 When an SL500 starts nickle & dimming you, it's not nickels, or dimes, like the Wizard said, it's thousands of dollars at a time.
Now all she has to worry about are the Kia boys stealing it, crashing it and posting the video on tik tok
I have owned 4 R129 models, 2 sl500s and 2 sl600s, but I still have a 94 sl600.
I have replaced all the cylinders along with numerous other repairs,fairly easy cars to work on. Most issues are created by a lack of knowledge of the people working on them.
My best and most reliable R129 was my 98 sl500, a near flawless car for the 8 years I had it,but I did replace the top cylinders and the oilers for the cam shafts.
If you leave these cars sit and don't use the top,it will develop leaks in the cylinders,it is also a good practice to change the fluid and clean the reservoir when replacing all the cylinders.
And as far as relearning the top,it takes about 2 minutes,all the cylinders combined take a morning to do,not to difficult.
You can buy all the cylinders in a kit from top hydraulics, or send yours for a rebuild,it was about a thousand dollars last time I checked, and you can also rebuild them yourself which I did do on one of mine.
Overall,these are very good cars with a few items you will need to do every ten years or so,but I do agree to replace all the cylinders at the same time.
You really like these cars huh?
@pierredelecto7069 I do. My current 600 is the first one that I bought,I have had it since about 2010.
The properly functioning r129 is a wonderful car,the 600 is a great cruiser. Although it is heavy and thirsty, I still enjoy taking it on a spirited drive. The 500 is probably more "fun" as far as fast driving goes,and I could see 29 mpg on interstate trips with those,but I sold my last 500 about a year ago after a several year debate between the two as to which one would go. I would convince myself the 500 would go,then I would drive it and couldn't sell it,the decision to sell that one came as I simply needed the space,and a friend really wanted it. I have a small handful(well,two handfuls)of cars and trucks I like,and having two SLs didn't make sense.
The older 600 is not a car I would recommend for everyone, I have been in the business for 40 years now and do all my own work,if not for that,I would stick with a 500,or become very good friends with guys like the wizard.
That AMG badge alone adds 100hp 😂
and a 0 to repair bill🤣
I went comedy on mine, did the sl74 badge.
You missed a zero😂😂😂
Have a 1991 300 Sl-24. It cost me a ton $1500. In 2014 it has 215k miles. Top did not work no big thing. You can do it by hand in few min. Go on line that show you how to do it. Hard top come off by hand. The cars also came with the tool to open and close the top.
do you have the super rare manual trans??
I have had a 99’ SL500 for 10 years. Nothing has ever went wrong on it. Always has been reliable as long as it has a good battery nothing will short out. So always keep it plugged in and also store it inside.
It is a pretty complex car so it doesn’t do well sitting outside in the heat or cold. 🥶
Always kept mine inside and it’s been perfect. 👌🏻
Same with my '97.....gotta exercise the top to keep it all happy!
@@alm4132 yes probably or you can hardly ever use it at all, like I do. I use mine with the hardtop on so I don’t get baked in the sunshine and enjoy that terrific climate controlled a/c the car has. Plus at 45 this will keep me younger looking.
Before moving here we lived in Minnesota so it was also inside most of the year. About 9 months. And it seemed happy that way.
If I want a convertible that is not going to give issues I have manual topped convertibles for that if I want that experience on perfect days.
Besides trying to restore that gorgeous Nappa leather interior and maple wood trim would cost a lot so it’s better to keep the sun ☀️ off it. And it keeps it looking like brand new. It still smells new inside. I will never sell it. I will be buried In it. It drives like a cloud and is perfectly poised always. With just enough power to hear it sing and still go fast.
@@alm4132 I think the fluid from the hydraulics happen when exposed to too many hot and cold cycles it will make the fluids go nuts. Has never happened before to me. lol 😂
And if you spend $5,000-$8,000 k every 20 years or so replacing them averaged out over that time is not a lot per year. 🤷🏼♂️
yes, the SL just snaps at you if it sits outside over night, like a SWAN, they like to be kept in the garage, they are SWANS, good looking but very mean haha.
your lucky.. i belong to a mb web site the stories I read made me hard pass those cars.
This is 1 really safe automobile. Built like a tank🎉
As a vintage mercedes lover this was hard to watch. In the past year repair costs have doubled. It's a sad thought that these may just become too much to maintain 😢
Just work the top manually lol
Why, it’s a job that needs doing every 20-30 years.
I bought a pristine 2000 SL500 about 8 years ago. The price I paid accounted for the fact that the hydraulic seals had NOT been replaced since they all go at some point on this car. I was going to DIY the job, but I found a local MB fellow who knows these cars inside and out. He did the work for $2,500. These are very reliable vehicles as long as you are aware of the trouble spots and as long as you account for future maintenance.
NICE, I loathe the hard top on these though, to much work.
Honestly, if I had one of these cars, I would get the hardtop, install it, and never take it off.
Problem solved. Then again, I drive a Cayman S, not a Boxster S~
Great video!
Holy cow, that second non factory paint job was done by the lowest bidder. Underneath the trunk lid was the first clue. Not sure it makes financial sense on a $6000 car to spend $4500 on a top repair unless its a forever car.
Bit of a white elephant as an heirloom.
Looks like an Earl Scheib powder puff paint job.
Sorry to burst your enthusiasm, but that is the way it's done from the factory. All that area is covered by the trim so they don't bother to paint it. And fun fact: ALL Mercedes car of that era are painted flat black underside the trunk no matter the exterior color.
friend at his used car lot could not sell a cherry one for 4k. in silicon valley
This is one reason it’s good to have good old fashion hand crank hand latched tops!
There’s 2 handles under sun visor and a round knob you turn to crank top up and down!
My 280sl is fully manuel by me..
I had a shop tell me my caliper was frozen, and quoted me $450 for replacement. I had noticed no symptom consistent, so I said I would do the job. It was the parking brake. So your advice to get a second opinion is spot on. I remember seeing this car - 1999 brand new at a dealer, when I test drove a smaller and cheaper Mercedes. Sweet looking car if you can afford it. Servicing these cylinders looks like a total nightmare.
As the video started, I thought, the customer doesn’t have to drive it with the top down… he can do it manually. Great info Wizard. It is all in the owners manual and several UA-cam videos cover it too. I bought one of these almost 2 years ago. Been loving it. No top issues so far. But head gaskets was the first big thing to fix. Next is a dash out to repair the AC. Oh, Wizard I found a shop in FL that serviced my non serviceable driveshaft. Where there is a will there is a way!
I was on a driving tour in Germany in 92 and we had one of these SL's. When you were lowering the top, it was important not to disturb the dance the car makes. Panels open, the windows lower, things whirr - and if you so something like foolishly open a door, the system hangs. At first , we thought we had broken something. Neat car though - incredible turning circle (as tight as a small Toyota!). I preferred the 850i BMW. My favorite Mercedes was the 500E which was so damn stealthy. We had a 190 Evolution but it was hard to see around the rollbar and spoilers. I loved the SL as it looked so cool with the top down. Spending thousands keeping one doesn't seem like such a bad deal - you are driving one of the finest cars ever made and how do you put a price on that? If saving money IS the ultimate goal of owning a car, just buy a damn Toyota.
It makes sense to do all 11 cylinders at the same time. You only want to remove and dismantle the roof mechanism only once. SLs aren't cheap to run unless you're a DIYer. I'll stick with my W204 saloon (sedan).
I replaced the two front hydraulic cylinders in my 99 SL500 when one began to leak a few years ago. Top works fine with no other issues at this point. This car has been very reliable for the past 9 years and 40k miles. Not as much good professional advice out there on these cars as I would like. Especially since I DYI as much as I can. Looking forward to your future coverage on this model.
Thanks very much for your video, you do a great job with them!
My God those are great looking cars. Maybe it's because I was a teenager during that period but the late 90s to the very early 2000s overall produced the best looking cars. There was an intersection of curves and straight lines where neither was dominant over the other. I don't think the singular best looking car came from that period, but as far as the number of models goes it's the best.
Today on car wizard, If you put on a fake amg badge you die.
lol
Haha yes. I think Mercedes puts fake AMG badges on from the factory these days
I was lucky 5 years ago, I purchase a 1996 sl 500 from an old man. He spent almost 10000$ fixing the roof and the faulty biodegradable wiring harness. I bought the car for 5k$ and it's my daily driver. Love it!
I see the crumbling insulation issue A LOT when i change the H7 headlight bulbs on old benzes that are reasonably doable. I always show it to the customer and then just do it as carefully as i can. Almost always, there's lots of cracking and patches of exposed wire.
The dead gauge cluster issue reminds me of hondas like mine, where a blown brake light fuse will keep the shifter lock solenoid from disengaging so you can shift out of park.
A little brake fluid in the hydraulic reservoir does wonders for those leaky cylinders.
wow you give such great mercedes knowledge car wizard. i never knew a short in a wire can cause he gauges to malfunction. awesome education
Nothing like German over engineering.
Agreed, a local Japanese Auto repair shop, on their weekly radio show, recently did a comparison of a Lexus LS and the equivalent Mercedes. They compared the cost of parts and labor cost of replacing the accessory drive belt tensioner. As I recall, the Merc parts cost a few thousand dollars with several hours of labor, the Lexus part cost under $800, with about an hour of labor to replace.
Over complicated garbage.
@@erocker78 Yep
Watching this makes me want to get a Citroen 2CV. Zero hydraulic cylinders.
@@annahopp Why 'sink' to a 2CV? A Mazda MX5 (US Miata) has no hydraulic cylinders to operate the convertable top - just relies on very reliable 'human power'.
I had one of these (92) and this is 100% accurate - once one of those cylinders go and you fix it - the rest will soon follow, and there are 11 of them, I am laughing and getting PTSD just watching this!!! got covered in fluid from the cylinder over the driver side seat in the windshield, I only fixed that one and I didn't know about the release levers but wouldn't have mattered. I got mine car for "Free" and $6500 later in repairs/time, labor, and parts, sold it for $4000. Never again
Anything that relies on electronics or FLUIDS to make them work should be avoided at all costs and that includes auto transmissions - they're going to give up somewhere along the way and cost $$$$$ to fix guaranteed. Simple and basic transportation is the PLOT we've all LOST due only to ONE UPMANSHIP.
Hey, if you look into the tool pouch, you will find the wrench for the soft top, which has the allen and the wrench for just that purpose. I think I still have one because I did roadside for MB and, yes, serviced a customer under an over pass when they got caught in a sudden rain shower. Yup, the tip was good.
I had a '62 Lincoln convertible which used electric motors for the windshield screw latches and had all the hydraulics in the back, along with various related limit switches along the way. Sold it too cheap 20 years ago but it reminds me about the simplicity of old times! Also reminds me of the simplicity of the Mercedes W107 convertible top and I still have one of those!
Luxury cars are meant to be leased, not owned. I say that as the owner of a 2008 CLK 550 Cabrio. Nearly 400 HP, 400 TQ. Drives beautifully. But it is a guarantee that every year, it will cost me about $4000 to keep it going - and I drive less than 8,000 miles a year these days. It's still less expensive than purchasing almost any new car, but you can't own an old German car and think you can run it like a Honda. And of course, no matter how well you take care of it, it still deteriorates with time, and shows it's age with wear. If all that is ok with you, then buy a Benz. I love mine and will miss it when it's gone.
It costs $4,000 per year to keep it running because after around 2002 when they stopped making the quality Rectangular headlight cars they made the frog eye 👁️ round headlight Mercedes. And those are shadows of their former selves. All you will be Doing right up until today’s model years is spending thousands on keeping their way over complex systems running.
That’s why the only Mercedes ( low mileage) I would touch after the year 2002 are all the High Quality G-Wagons Made in Austria. Which is why they don’t depreciate like pre 2002 Mercedes Today.
The newer cars and especially American made S.U.V’s have built in obsolescence so they need lots of maintenance by Mercedes to keep them swimming in money. 💰
No way would I touch any CLK car. Nice to drive when fixed but that’s it.
Yes but they detoriate far less than a Honda over same miles. Just that its many more expensive things on it.
My wife had a 2006 e350 4matic wagon…we babied that car, never stomped on it, changed the fluids well ahead of schedule, did everything right…and at 118k miles the engine had a colossal failure, losing compression in 3 cylinders. In the meantime this garaged princess had all manner of coach work breakages due to cheap plastics that got brittle and fractured, not to mention failed latches and door lock actuators. We would have done better to buy a Lexus. The car was very inconsistent…solid in some ways and flimsy cheap in others. I always had a feeling something would happen. After it passed 30k miles we never took it on a long driving trip.
@@BillofRights1951 Those engines and car can take alot of abuse. Not the problem. But they had some balance shaft gear material issue from factory before 2007 that could destroy the engine if not fixed.
There's 30 w212's for sale in Germany right now with + 350.000 miles on them.
Highest one 432.000 miles.
I have a 1999 SLk230. It has five cylinders for the top. There is a company in Florida that rebuilds them. I fixed mine five years ago and have no issues
This whole series of Mercedes are my favorite. We have 1986 and a 2005 , now I'm waiting to find this 90's version.
“They designed it so that you can manually operate it on purpose” in case the top gets stuck open and it starts raining. All it takes is an 11 mm wrench (not the more common 10mm, that would be too plebeian) and an Allen wrench (both of which you hope the prior owner left in the factory-supplied toolkit), removing the trunk interior panels and the header trim, and contorting yourself to get to all of the manual releases. Got to love Mercedes’ overengineering!
Oh please . I have owned my SL for nearly 20 years and it’s nearly 30 years old . In that time apart from regular servicing it’s needed a new head gasket, radiator and conductive plate in the gearbox, that’s it
The roof mechanism had worked perfectly for 28 years . I have just had to replace one cylinder.
There are 11 on later SL and 13 on earlier ones. The roof laches tend to go first as they are exposed to more direct heat.
Thanks, Wizard. You've ruined my ability to enjoy the Barrett-Jackson auctions. Last night I was watching the auction and every time a 2005 or 1999 Bentley or the 1997 SL rolled across the stage I remembered a Wizard video documenting the maintenance disasters. While the B-J floor crew was talking up the vehicle, I knew the truth. 😅 Hoovie was even there.
This happened to my 2007 SLK55 last month. The hydraulic system cannot take intense heat. If you park outside in the south in the summer a hose will eventually rupture. It is a common issue. I manually put it up and tricked the rear switch in the trunk to believe the trunk was closed (you have to do this for the windows to fully close). It’s now a hard top. I’m not paying 6K to have a 17 year old car fixed just to have a convertible.
When I was a kid my old man would say if your gauge lights went out if meant that there was an issue with your tail lights. Come to be it's most common ran like that on 70s 80s 90s cars on purpose
inherited a 1998 SL500. original canvas top started dry-rotting so I just put on the hard top. bulletproof otherwise drives like a dream.
If there is a way to manually operate the top, why bother at all?
I got to drive one of those, pretty fun car, i remember it wanting to spin the tires on the 1-2 shift
The next weakest point will always tell you you should go for a full rebuild .
That work in everything that shortcuts are made👍👍👍
i had the wire to the thrird brake light break withthe same issue... but it blew out half the light bulbs in the cluster which cost 5 hrs of labor to change a few bulbs.. I did have the passenger cylinder fail at about 10 years.. im glad i got 20 years out of enjoyment from my SL before selling it.
That's about the funniest fake AMG badging I've ever seen. Lol
There are pre merger r129 amg cars out there. You just didn't buy them new from an MB dealership.
My 93 Dakota suddenly lost air conditioning. I found that the A/C pressure sensor was powered from the same fuse as the backup lights! Replaced that fuse and viola! instant A/C!
What a great instruction. Everyone who has an SL should keep an Allen Tool set and a couple of spanners in the car to be ready for the roof fail. Thanks for doing this video!
They actually come with a tool for this. It is a 10mm (not 11mm) thin wrench on one end and the 6mm hex on the other end.
Hi Wizard, I have a '94, hardtop on 90 percent of the time. Took it off and soft top worked fine but after a couple of uses, small leak driver main cylinder- a few drops on the floor after using, nothing continuous. The way I see it, in summer I keep top down, can always manually raise if a surprise storm (check the forecast).The rest of the year, hardtop is on.
So I don't have to rebuild the hydraulics until I want to. In fact, unless the one cylinder starts badly leaking, it is the "weak link", actually de-stressing the others, and I will monitor the hydraulic fluid level in the trunk. Worst case, a rebuild for $5k is well spent, unlike those BMW's, this engine is bulletproof, the body is great,it is a fantastic value.So if you buy a good one for $6-8k and add the $5K, you are still under 20K for a great roadster like they don't build anymore, even MB doesn't. This was the pinnacle, the 90's and Bruno Saco.
Hello reality check a white one cherry 80k gorgeous would not sell for 4k in san jose ca a very wealthy area. Over 1 year. not a ding clean engine. I hard passed knowing they are money pits. He finally did a trade to get rid of car. THATS REALITY.. and they need more then 5k to fully maintain the car. A lot has to be redone at that age. i redid my 280sl I know the costs and aresa that fail. driveline, top, list goes on.
@@peter-pg5yc Good points but maybe he has a Prius now and is happy. Agree if you can't afford the expense get a reliable daily driver. The "reality" is that it will be a very sensible daily driver, a Prius or Subaru, won't cost much, and may be the only car you will ever need.
Respect to Wizard! 6:03
A mate picked up a SsangYong Musso (not sure if they were ever sold in the US, but the whole model range takes the prize as the ugliest car maker of all time)... They used a fair bit of Mercedes tech and are made in Korea.
Back to the mates car. He got it really cheap, because the four wheel drive system was not working. The owner was told the transfer case was faulty and it would be worth more than the car was worth to repair or replace it.
So, the mate just drove it around like a regular car, he did not care about the 4x4 system... One day, he was talking to an auto sparky mate... and mentioned the problem with the Musso. The auto electrician suggested he check the four wheel drive light in the dash.. He removed the instrument cluster, replaced a blown bulb and the car had 4x4 again (the transfer was shifted electrically)..
This was something he could laugh about... but it might not be so funny if you are half way along the Canning Stock route (1100 miles / 1900 km of 4wd only track in Western Australia with no residents along the way) when the light bulb blows.
In spring and autumn i use the hardtop, summer time i basically only drive it as a convertible. Hydraulic works, but i don't use it much(SL280-97). All service as DIY, at least so far....
My dad bought 1993 mercedes sl 500 for under $10,000 USD. It did had minor issues in the engine, but it was all fixed. The engine was smooth with no problems. One guy came up to my dad and told him I will pay $25000 USD if you let it go, but my dad turned down the offer. After 3 months, he sold to his friend for $13000 USD.
M113 V8 engine. I've also heard that this in its relatively simple design is a durable and strong engine. Its only downside is that it doesn't seem to be possible to rebore the cylinders if there is scoring and wear on the cylinder walls. I am glad the Wizard showed how it is possible to maneuver the top manually. Me,, being on a budget I would just design some cables with levers so I could take up and down the top manually without having to access the "locks" from the trunk or have to use an Allen key. But Shure! I'm on a budget. If not? Rebuild all the cylinders etc. But what about next time some little sensor brakes and the system stops working again.🤔😬
I just had the same wiring issue with the third brake light on my 2000 SL500. Opening and closing of the trunk over time causes issues with the wiring. Soldered the wires back together and replaced the light assembly for under $200.
On my 1992 500sl you can replace the roof cylinder seals without any real problems, to do them all count on 100 bucks in parts and around a day in time.
Yup I always get hardtops. My current car I special ordered without a sunroof as well.
Very wise move. Sometimes extra complexity is worthwhile, but IMO sunroofs and convertibles are just asking for trouble. If you really MUST get something like that, a T-Top is arguably the best option, but a simple hard top is so much less trouble in the long run.
Love these SLs!
Their a lot of shops witch refuse to repair Soft Tops. God bless the Wizard.
Really hope to own that particular year of sl500, even if it had a bad top. As long as it still has its hard top and everything else is in really good shape, that’s something I could have fixed later on but I can still enjoy the car.
On an NA Miata with automatic transmission, the horn fuse share it's power with the rear brake lights and the brake/shift interlock, fun times
The inter-related electronics and hydraulics on late 90s-early 2000s Mercedes was ahead of its time, and absolutely sucks for repairs. Our CLK top will not go down and will cost more than the car is worth to fix. Too bad, because the car is almost immune to rust and the engine runs like a champ.
Funny and irritating things and from a design point of view about German cars: 80% state of the art engineering and design - the other 20% so OBVIOUSLY poorly conceived with unsuitable materials and fragile cross-sections that can hardly make it out of warranty. Almost like the entire product is is split between 'Klaus' and 'Fong Kong where the result is: mostly working but an infinite list of complete irritation.
@@godfreyberry1599 Overly complex and it's necessary to take too many things apart to get to the part that needs to be replaced or repaired. Scanning for codes results in a huge laundry list of faults even when the car seems to be operating just fine. But the car is as solid as a tank and runs like a top 99% of the time.
A bluetooth OBDII dongle and an app like Torque (Android) will display your speed, rpms, fuel, etc even if your gauge cluster goes out as long as the data is on the canbus. It'll also let you read your error codes so you have an idea what's wrong before you go to a shop so you're not shocked by a price or know when you're possibly being scammed. Had a 2008 Nissan Versa and more than once the bluetooth OBDII reader was a huge boon. Not an expensive one, just a little $12 deal. Left it in place as a permeant part of the car.
Thanks, I may be getting a CLK 500 with top issues. it is up now and that's what I prefer. BUT it's good to know the expense involved. It runs well and is German built. Fun to drive
Love your videos Wiard! Very relaxing, enterntaining and informative all at the same time. Please do not change how you do videos!
MB used to be proud that their cars were engineered to be fixable by any sensible mechanic anywhere in the world. I've owned old Mercedes and I was so impressed by that. But now even the 'certified technicians' at your dealer often don't know whether their butts are bored , punched of countersunk. They assure you that your car is 'fixed' and the truth is obvious before you are a block down the road. What MB dealers are really good at is reaching into your pockets and smiling sweetly.
Lots of cars are like that I have found in my years working on cars they don’t always tell you were the power comes from .
That's a golden information for convertable top owners.
You can buy a computer safe logic probe for about ten bucks at harbor freight. Let's you safely check fuses like a pro. Occasionally, a visual inspection can miss a bad fuse and it takes longer to pull each one out and put it back in.
For that kind of repair cost, I'd just put the roof up and leave it there. But then again, I'd avoid convertables in general because I've heard of far too many issues with their roofs. Same thing with sunroofs - I've seen too many people get a free shower when those things inevitably start leaking.
I've owned 2 convertibles your either hot or cold. If you want to drive one rent it.
Always fancied an R129 but the roof and the bio-degradable engine loom have always scared me away. I'll admire from a distance thanks.
You are quite the professional in your craft, and a fine speaker.😊
I remember seeing a video a long time ago where someone was taking those locking cylinders out on the windscreen because at the attachment point on the cylinder, the line would break off. The rebuilder redesigned that so the line couldn't break off again.
I couldn't see these well enough to see if these were that way, or maybe mercedes redesigned them to eliminate that problem.
Looks like tubes from ABS braking systems on that top system. Classically over-engineered Mercedes. Love it.
Thanks, good info. Can you do a vid on good and bad Acuras? I just bought an RDX, specifically a 2019 model.
We bought a 2000 Acura TL new, now 130k, and is THE most reliable machine I've ever owned. Wonderful car company.
@@markweiss9178really? Notoriously awful transmissions.
The answer to these convertible top problems is to ditch the Mercedes and buy a Lexus SC430.
The convertible hard top on my wife's 2004 still works perfectly (as does everything else on the car).
They're both boulevard cruisers anyway. There's no one driving the Mercedes like the sports car it pretends to be.
Also, back in 1992 I believe, when the SL first moved to BEFORE the numbers, I went car shopping with a friend for either an SL300, SL500 or a Cadillac Allante. If the Cadillac salesmen hadn't damaged the very simple top mechanism for the Allante (which also gave 2X the trunk space as the Benz) I think he would have bought the Cadillac. I could not believe that the SL had SEVENTEEN hydraulic cylinders involved in the top and the rollover bar!! And after all that, it had a plastic rear window... I think the old Thunderbird and Lincoln four-door convertibles were actually simpler.
By comparison, my 55-year-old Wildcat now needs 1 top-cylinder rebuilt or replaced... and it text about 15 minutes to remove the rear seat and the side panel to get at it.
Wow! I thought that the hydraulic operated windshield wipers on my 1969 Thunderbird and its variable-speed control knob was a bit of hydraulic overkill but it pales in comparison to the hydraulic nightmares lurking within that Mercedes convertible.
JJS
Have you ever read about the W100 MB600 Limousine and it's hydraulic systems?
Omigosh, yes! You had to be a filthy rich despot, royalty or on the taxpayers' payroll to be able to maintain those imposing but mechanic's (pumber's?) nightmare of a car.
Thanks for reminding me. JJS
@@jerrystaley1563
Jeremy Clarkson bought one and had it serviced for a Top Gear episode.
15k British Pounds for a "service".....
I'm so thankful to own a Miata. I reach back with one hand and open or close the top is seconds manually.
Omg! I thought that was a fox body mustang 🤣🤣🤣
Not really a mercedes guy, but I like the styling they had between the 80s, 90s, and beginning of the 2000s, a lot more than the 2010s and 2020s.
A million years ago when I worked on those, we had a guy at a hydraulic shop rebuild all the pistons. It was far better, used aircraft grade hydraulic fluid which was the best stuff out there.
What do you think of producing a "manual latch kit" that attaches to the hidden releases for those of us who dont mind raising and lowering the top manually. The kit would make the hidden latches completely accessible and easily manipulated. (Maybe even go so far as to remove all hydraulics)
I don't know about the tops, but I know the suspension hydraulics can fail because MB insists on using fittings that deteriorate over time and little bits of plastic get in to the pumps and cylinders. So thousands upon thousands of dollars because they save a dollar or two on the original fittings.
It'd be interesting to see a comparison between this type of convertible top system to that of a Lexus and Miata PRHT systems. I'm sure the latter two do not include hydraulics.
My Miata with PRHT is now 16 years old and still works perfectly.
I'd like to add that at 5:00 you could say that even taking this car to an HONEST non-dealer mechanic could cost a bunch of time to find such an idiotic electrical problem... My Buick has two IP fuses (instrument panel) and the rear lights are totally separate.
For many years American cars were wired with the tail lights in series with the instrument panel lights. I'm surprised you didn't know this. Years ago if your instrument panel lights went out you knew you had no tail lights!
I had a 2005 Porsche Carrera S cabriolet. The top worked improperly, so I took it to my local Porsche dealer. (My mechanic told me to NEVER bring that car to him for any reason.) Porsche wanted $2000 to replace a potentiometer, located behind the driver's side rear interior panel, just to be able to "further diagnose the problem". Looking at a potential huge repair bill, I said no thanks. Other necessary repairs would have put me in the poorhouse. After spending $14,000 on various repairs in a year, I was ready to sell the car. Fortunately for me I broke even by selling the car.
they said this is the zenith of Mercedes but 1. the biodegradable wiring harness 2. unfinished workmanship (e.g. unfinished paint of the trunk lid)
I have one and I love it. Mine came with hardtop. Surprisingly the drivetrain hasn’t given me any problems and it’s a 1992.
ComeOnMan.....They should of made a manual conversion kit to get rid of the hydraulics. That why I love my miata. One level and flip it open.
I miss my Miata.
ill just ride and manually put the top down and up that sounds good to me just got to make sure the AC is working 😊
so glad i sold my 1999 sl 500 sport 6 years ago for 15k . It had 45k miles on it and the roof was perfect nothing was changed
Sorry Wizard... got to 12 min and left knowing I'll never buy a convertible with this complexity.. life's too short... I'm happy with a sunroof!!
Stupid design for a top. Cables and a couple electric motors were fine for DECADES.
My first ever girlfriends mum had an sl320, used to cram in it to go home from school, I remember thinking being able to stick my finger out of the back of the convertible top being pretty poor. My mum had an Audi cabriolet at the time and you couldn't do that, the top was much tighter and felt like a hard top car. Ahhh memories.
Wish they had such analog clusters today with several gauges