Rare Manual 1991 Mercedes Benz 300SL - Driving the Dog Leg 5 Speed R129 (POV Binaural Audio)
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- Опубліковано 16 січ 2025
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Driving a rare Manual example of the R129.
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#RespectTheDrive #Manual #Mercedesbenz
33 years later and it still looks better than most modern cars.
A lovely six cylinder, a funky gearbox, and asymmetric mirrors. Tremendous champagne cruiser.
I think the w124 and w201 were the only ones with asymmetrical mirrors though.
Crazy thing is the m104 depicted is known to take boost well, we're talking 2jz levels without complaints. Even funnier is that manual swaps are a big deal among the m119 and m113 v8 owners, as in we aren't sure what Mercedes was thinking as to why they didn't have a factory option. Also no handbrake, not sure how teds able to drive them without one it scares me.
@@210works I own an r129 , that's just the park brake. A handbrake is a handheld lever mate.
@@210works very different, the muscle memory alone makes it a pain. Go for the park brake and hit the clutch. Regular lever handbrake . You know the one that you grab with your Hand, is the universal standard or at least it was until the modern dct and cvt came along.
There's something special about mercs from the 80s and 90s 😍
I hope we see a W140 review some time
Love the stick shift with the inline 6 and the brown interior. What a nice time capsule!
Late 80's and early 90's Mercedes have such an undeniable road presence, as if they were carved from a single block of solid aluminum. Every time I pass one by my eyes are always locked on them, they're just such nice things to look at. They're among my favorite cars for other people to own lol.
Exactly and they were the Pinnacle for Mercedes because the Germans retiring were the best engineers, replaced with marketing people and they wanted reliable cars to keep their pension payments...
These cars were so ahead of their time styling wise, they look great!
Edit: And boy do they sound good.
I swear it sounds better on video! I was editing and it was incredible!
@@TedwardDrives I suppose that's happening quite some more times with this ''normal'' cars. It's just loud enough to enjoy in real life, isn't it? Autotopnl recently has a C350 that's on video - in my opinion- way too quiet to enjoy.
@@TedwardDrives Just my 2 cents : the 280 SL R129 was also available in manual. But not distributed in the U.S apprently. A better engine than the 300SL, nervous and almost as performant as the 320 just less torque. A driver's car.
The R129 was the best Mercedes ever made. This was the pinnacle.
A hardtop convertible that has no rattles after 33 years. There is no other car that can do this, regardless of price. Golden-era Mercedes are peak.
I love this era of Benz. Bank vault. Nothing fancy. Just comfortable and it "works." This car is a grand touring car that could go forever.
It was fancy back in the day
Huh? It was very fancy. Gorgeous leather, ample wood trim, every feature and tech imaginable at the time.
I just like the simple style and functionality of this car. It feels quite timeless.
I appreciate what you said about today's cars around the 17:00 mark. Modern cars are far too bloated and often lack an individual character, because automakers try to make them capable of everything. Automotive technology has progressed so far that they can cram everything in: far more horsepower than what the vehicle truly needs, the ability to switch from a floaty, comfortable ride to a harsh sports-like suspension on a dime, all while trying to be the do-it-all luxurious daily driver. I guess humans will always strive for excess once it is possible.
When they were new, you didn't even hear anything from the suspension beyond maybe a thump from the tires. It's too bad nobody seems to want serious build quality anymore as there's a great feeling of reassurance and getting what you paid for that can't be quantified. Even as a manual diehard, I'm surprised at how fun it seems as I thought a manual would be unnecessary in one of these (especially with MB traditionally uninspiring manuals). Great cars and the styling has held up very well. Timeless and built to stay that way.
Was so excited when you teased this on your insta story, gotta love a manual benz!
The taupe is classy and my god that thing sounds good
Even though it says 300 SL on the back it’s the 24 Valve version you’ve driven there. In Europe it was sold as 300-24V while there’s still a 12 Valve version.You can also see it from the redline ending at 7000 rpm while the the regular 300 SL ends at 6200 rpm. Those 24 Valve engines like to rev and not much is happening below 4000rpm.
They also don’t have a limited slip differential and the wining noise is quite normal before the facelift versions.
Still a fun car and maybe the most engaging R129.
as good as the m103 is, im glad we didn't get it in the US spec SL's, because our cars often weighed more, and in general a m103 in such a heavy car would be a little underwhelming as they already were simply "adequate" in the W124.
i wish mercedes included LSD's more often at least as an option, i know there are plenty of AMG cars that don't even have them (IIRC).
Bro THESE are the videos I FUCKING LOVE the old 90s cars like 90s Lexus models that GS400 BMWs and Mercs any 90s car esp rarer models like this
I love that you love these older Benz's. Same! I own a few. The W140/R129 lights on the door will flash when you push the lock/unlock button on the key fob. Red for lock. Green for unlock. Keep up the excellent work! "Smooth. Soaks up the world around you." Exactly right! That's why I own and maintain these cars. There's nothing like them on the market. The old machines drive nicer than the new ones in my opinion. "New Mercedes is just taking a down turn". Agree!
(You can do a review of my 1991 560sel, 37k miles, or my 1997 S420)
One of my favorite vehicles I ever owned I still miss driving it, I loved all the hidden door storage and hiding areas. I loved the inline 6, liked it even more than the S500 of this same era. The paint on this car is perfect. And the first automatic convertible. It says 160 but it easily did 140 smoothly. 80 felt like 50. Drive it gracefully it's better than a 911. Careful with rolling compartments they break easily. I hope all the old men keep these concourse quality forever.
I love the way you appreciate and understand the purpose of these older Mercs. And finally, someone didn't talk sh!t about the 1990's Mercedes manual transmissions, I think they are absolutely fine: precise, extremely smooth and bulletproof, they weren't made for race cars. It would be awesome if you could drive a 190E 2.3-16v also with the dogleg 5-speed in the future, I'd love to watch that.
One of my best manual cars. Never seen an car that sound like dat
When you consider that $79,000 in 1991 is the equivalent of $182,000 today for what is basically a “Base” car you can see why vehicles aren’t “over engineered” anymore. That engineering budget has to be diverted to the mandated safety and driver assistance stuff instead of being manufactured like a bank vault. It’s simply not possible.
@@210works except a mercedes from 1990 has an insane build quality and is made to last 10 times a my 2024
I'm not disagreeing, but I'd add that, since the German manufacturers rely a lot on leasing, I don't think build quality matters much to modern buyers, anyway. The generation of people who held onto things, repairing, and taking care of them are largely aged out (not that they don't exist in our younger generations, they're just not nearly as common and nobody builds very much with us in mind).
@@mitchkelleher7972Personally, I would very cheerfully support a return to this '80s and '90s steel solid build style over just plastering a fairly flimsy looking roadster with a bunch of LCDs and touchscreens, as the new S class and E class models are
@@davidtarara6728 So would I and I'd be glad to lose the active "safety" BS forced on us, too, and drivetrains that weren't running at the very edge of safety margins. They weren't as fast, but they were lighter, simpler, and put the driver more in tune with the road, so they were more fun than the excessive power that can't be used or barely used in modern cars. These SLs were definitely not lightweight like most cars were back then (at least relative to today if nothing else), but that weight came from being built like a nuclear bunker instead of being packed with a bunch of short-lived electronic junk.
@@210works a friend of mine has a 1974 Mercedes w113 200D as second car, is built like a tank, has perfect preserved interiors, extremly realiable and who knows how many times the odometer completed his 99999 cicle 🤣
the legendary M104 🥰
R129 is just timeless. 👌🏻🗿
The V12s are cool and all, but this is the enthusiast's SL.
Even automatics v8 could be ignored compared to that beauty 300-6/24 manual 5gb.
This is SL
I would LOVE one of these. 😍
Bring back simple fun, unique manual cars. The 1000hp money pits are cool but over hyped now.
Love listening to these videos on a drive!
Love my 92 500SL, they drive so good
I'm a sucker for the W107 Mercs, but the R129 is just as elegant. Great cruiser.
just looking under the hood it's remind me of my old 1989 300E 💔😔. my god what a car and memory. unfortunately the was cursed. it only lived with me about 6 months. 😢
thank you Ted for the video and the memory you bring to me.
Beautiful car! I myself have an SL500 and absolutely adore it. Always have wondered what the manual 300SL was like to drive. Great video!
Much like the host, I don't think of 1991 as old or vintage despite the math that would suggest the contrary.
I'm a simple man. I see old Mercedes and Manual, I click.
Great video as usual. Personally I like r107 86-89 in European version better. It must be one of the world's most beautiful cars, and at least as good build quality.
Beautiful spec
I can feel the quality
That inline 6 sound
24v there
I am absolutely in love with this beige on chocolate wayback machine and to be fair I don't think these wheels look bad either. They stand out, for sure, they're pretty unusual for such Benz, but I don't think they are that much worse than some clean, restored monoblocks.
Man that shifts ohh....... 1991 but still the best , Love them 😌
Man I love your vids.....
Awesome car, I wish the manuals weren’t so rare. A friend of mine has one as well, it’s burgundy with a burgundy interior. They did some odd color choices with early R129s.
to add the r129s seats are magnesium , and the hydro electric roll bar is also designed for roll over protection. not to mention the 500sl launched with a detuned group c engine(the m119, the most desirable of SL V8's)
regarding the roll bar... I mean YEAH lol. of course thats what its for
@@TedwardDrives forgot to mention the standard aluminum top is like 78-80lbs not too bad, but the panoramic top is closer to 120. Do not attempt with the panoramic top.
@@TedwardDrives yeah I know, just really excited the chassis I daily is on display here. Another little known fact is that the r129 and NA Miata can both be attributed to the survival of the roadster class of cars. The NA made them easier to obtain , and the r129 made them significantly safer(at the expense of being expensive lol)
The m113 is really good too... extremely reliable. Lighter also.
@@martinsv9183 it is , however it's sohc (purist consider this a step backwards, and it lacks the racing pedigree). That said it's a better platform aftermarket wise. Hell AMG supercharged it from factory(m113k), you can supercharge the m119 through koenig-specials though.
I miss my 90 300e 4matic. 😢😢. Im so stupid for trading it in. For a Jeep no less. 🤒
Sounds great
The red and green lights only react if you lock/unlock with the infrared remote control that is in the key.
That's an incredible car. Nice review Tom!😊
Had a manual 83 240D...4 on the floor...loved it
Had the same from november 81. Got it until 2000's years and half a million km.
Manual gb is the real thing
@@antonmk1244 Best ever vehicle...
@@MarcelaR-dh1ok now i got 250D 5 speeds :)
the 3.0 was sooo fuckin good, i loved my 300e.
A true gem 💎 😍
This 300 manual gb really the best setup to me.
Lighter, living car, simpler to keepup, less petrol consumption.
V8/12 automatics only for lazy ass 😅
300 manual the real SL spirit !
That's your K-jet hot start right there!
Haha yes indeed
Now this is a proper Benz woohoo ❤
I think the button for the rollbar has the same original intention as the buttons for retractable rear spoilers on cars: to be able to clean that stuff and underneath it.
Otherwise you won't be able to do that. Imagine having to make your SL think you are going to crash so it brings up the rollbar just to be able to vacuum the dust underneath it.
Or try to keep going fast enough with cars with retractable rear spoilers to get the dirt from underneath during going that speed.
Edit, i remember that i found an article a few months ago from a german car magazine, where they compared the SL with the back then new SLK in the 230 Kompressor variant. Both had the same hp but the SLk was a 2.3L supercharged I4.
It was faster in every metric than the SL. No wonder, it was lighter, smaller and had more torque.
I miss older cars they were so unique back then.
Captain Pedantic told me to tell you that the automatic in these was actually a 5-speed from the start in 1990.
the pedantic in me wants to say it was an extra cost option to you lol
@raycroal Versus the manual, yeah. Maybe in Europe you could also choose the 4-speed but not here.
This car is very polite, very demure, very mindful
I love my SL 500, financially I should sell it, I recently purchased a 997.2, and NYC is not parking cheap, but I love it…
Is there even anywhere in NYC you can still stretch the legs of a fast car these days?
Now it makes me regret selling my W201 2.6 manual. The M104 does sound better than the 12v before, a nice throaty sound.
Yep, I know that dogleg 5-speed, my mom's 1994 E220 had the same one. Don't leave the clutch in when in 3rd, it'll pop into neutral. 4 pedals on the floor too, surprised you didn't mention that! I always thought the front seats in the W124 were very firm, how do they compare to this 300SL?
Nice car and color
I swear that's the same color of my 2013 Hyundai Elantra except it's called desert bronze.
It’s from 1991 but still has the colors from the 80’s
r129's are classics and are really golden era of modern Mercedes, but cant say im a fan of the colour scheme of this one, both inside and out :-(
A dog leg gearbox, nice
Other planet
I had a 1993 W140 S320 and that had that engine in it Man that would have been interesting with a manual but not sold here in Australia. Only in Europe
I.. I've never been this early before, I don't know how to feel about this...
its cool...just have a seat, eat some crackers and the people will arrive shortly
I have a 90 300SL with the manual...I always think I want a manual but I have sorted out all the issues on mine. Mine has a 5 speed auto . I call mine the open air lazy boy! The later facelifted model in mid-90's was a little cheaper interior
Love it!
Great video thanks. I was looking for a manual R129 reviews but there are only one or two. I hope I can find European spec one day.
Never knew Mercedes made anything in manual transmission. 😮
We had one of these at the VA out motorsports rally (auto 500, though), and the guy who drove it came with the hardtop on and took it off and rolled it into the hotel on a luggage dolly! Just car gay things lolol
That’s actually insane 😂
That car sounds quite good over 3,000 RPM
Hooooly shit this era of Benz is is so fucking great and hoooooly shit am I drunk right now.
WOW! Very nice...Just needs a wooden shift knob...
Look it's cool and all with the manual but an auto is much better suited to this car. If I had the choice I wouldn't even look at the manual tbh. Also finally a R129... Hope you do some more if you can get your hand on 500 or 600 or even one of the AMG ones.
When cars were cars and had a perfect design and not like now that they look like big cell phones with wheels and are so electric that you feel like you are getting on an electric chair that will Fry the brain
There’s just something special about an 90s and before Mercedes Benz. I can’t explain it.
Do you like the sound of a BMW NA straight 6 or Merc?
Better build quality than an R107, really? Not doubting, and no direct experience, but I always thought of that generation as the pinnacle build quality wise, so that's very surprising, and interesting.
Definitely. The Bruno Sacco era Benz’s were the best all-around.
I wonder if you can swap the engine from the 55 amgs with a crossfire transmission in that car.
And… the MT version is the only one anybody really cares about! Yet… it’s crazy that you can’t buy one any more.
Mercedes set the benchmark for making cowlshake unacceptable and I appreciate them for that. People forget how horrible that was in 80s and 90s era cars.
The 300sl badge is mounted too high on the lid. Sloppy detail work after respray.
Hi Ted,
I'm a follower of your content for some time now, (not suscriber, but I'll do), and I was wondering if you could find an Opel Kadett GL. It was the car of my father, before he got a Peugeot, and I remember that car fondly. Since this video is about a 90's car, it seemed proper to me, to ask for it here.
I know that you're in the US, but maybe someone imported one time ago. Cheers!
Much easier to find cars when the subscriber count is higher :)
@@TedwardDrives I already did it, hahaha. Normally I peruse a bit before I suscribe, but the LFA convinced me a few days ago, only that I forgot to suscribe, this video reminded me .-.
Not sure what do you mean with "even Volvos had [headlight wipers]" and such wipers "being tried out for a while but it didn't stick"; Volvo had headlight wipers for decades (depending on the market).
Are you saying Volvos currently have them?
@@TedwardDrives No, I think the V70 might've been the last one (production ended in 2016). I suspect they were introduced with the 140 series facelift in 1974. Can't imagine they ever had them in the US market during the sealed beam years, though.
Day 30 of asking Tedward to drive the S60R (Can’t believe it’s already been a month, like video’s wise, since I’ve started 🎉)
I love this body style benz, but, i still think i would prefer the v8 and automatic.
Lucky for you there are A LOT OF THEM
@@TedwardDrives There really are, though as the name suggests, we get a lot of rust and it's hard to find original owners, well cared for, low mileage, and fully functioning ones.. MB parts can be pricey.. love these old car videos, where you can really feel the soul of these cars.. keep up the good work.. 👍
god those foglights look like they're right off my old mk3 golf.
...I mean...could it be?
I still can't get used to having the odd numbered gears down.
Woah
I drove for the first time today (driving school, for about 30 minutes or less), in a manual car, it felt overwhelming, the throttle was extremely sensitive, and the clutch was very deep.
Does the feeling of being overwhelmed go away with time? Will I get used to the throttle and the bite point of the clutch?
It's ok to be overwhelmed the first time, practice makes perfect. Like any other skill, with enough repetition you will build muscle memory, and you will be able to control the car without thinking.
Though I must add, many people think that just because they can control the car without thinking, they can also drive on roads without thinking. You do both of these things at once, but don't be fooled, they are two very different things. Always remain vigilant of your surroundings, even after you get comfortable driving the car
Does it come in brown? Brown brown brown
First gear isn't long, the car is just so slow it takes forever to rev through it lol
What type is gearbox is in it,like getrag 5 speed in 190 2.5 16v and e 30 m3.
Today's Mercedes Benz want to be other brands and forgotten what they used to be
When Mercedi were made for gentlemen, not influencers
The engine sounds kinda similar to BMW's M52 and M54
@4:30, ted you can also use the turtle r107 hardtop removal technique, its not recommended for anyone that loves their back or has back issues though. not the guy that did it , but heres the vid ua-cam.com/video/ceVXeaxHuKQ/v-deo.html
I'm afraid to even watch that...my back hurts thinking about it
Same sound as 300 SL 1955 gullwing
Best and last era of true Mercedes car.Sad....
Those wheels are horrific
They came with the car. Will be refinished or replaced, fear not.
The term paint correction should be abolished in the automotive industry. It should be called paint enhancement. Detailers destroy car paint because they get carried away with removing too much clear cost.
Only bad detailers do that.