Odometer Reading

[thomas wright]

Hello fellow SL fans,
I would like to inform you that after a while as an associate I am now  Full Member and looking forward to enjoying all the benefits of your vast knowledge that will bring.
My question: my Odometer is in kilometers, there are five numbered discs so assume when they reach 99999 it will reset to all zeroes and start counting up again. If that is the case how would one know how many times it has been around the clock so to speak.

My car: 280SL W113 circa 1969 LHD Auto

Thanks for any help you can give.

Thomas. UK

[dirkbalter]

You don't know unless you have service records going back to almost the purchase date to confirm the actual mileage. The general condition of your car can give some indication as well. Other than that it's pretty much anyone's guess.

I know that doesn't help much.

Dirk

[Pawel66]

Welcome! Good call!

As for the odometer: you are not able to say how many times it crossed 99 999. Unless you have documented service history - then you have the odometer readings noted in the service book. Condition of certain car parts can indicate mileage, simply: if someone is telling you their car has 65 000km and you see pedal pads worn so much that you can see steel through them - the likely conclusion is that it is 365 000km.

[MikeSimon]

I have my doubts that any W113 will make 365 000 km without major issues that would need repairs that will be obvious.
I think, most cars with metric odometers have been over the 99 999 once, but that may be it.

[Pawel66]

Mike, I cannot say, of course and you are right. I just threw in a number.

However - I have always heard comments about quite high durability of the engines we have in our cars and I would have hoped they could do more than 200 000km. Certainly if they were Sunday drivers, they would not have a chance, but if an owner used them more often - do you really think they would not last much longer?

[FGN59]

I just had a heavy duty mower engine overhauled. When the guy opened it, he called me to ask how old the mower / engine was: the answer is I don’t know (same thing as seeing the odometer on a car and having no complete records). I’ve had the mower for 12 years, bought it used from another guy who himself had bought it from the city’s roads and parks maintenance department. From what I gathered on the manufacturer’s web site and the identification plate, the thing could be between 35 and 20 years old (ISEKI mower with all aluminum Kawasaki engine manufactured in the US). In fact they still sell a version of it. The mechanic told me he was surprised the engine looked like new, it just needed new piston rings (the oil scrubbing ring -rough translation of the French term- was worn, and new valves (the admission one eaten by dust in the air intake), the rest was still like factory fresh. I’m just leaving to pick it up this morning, going to put the mower back together over the weekend and see...
I guess that a well-designed, well manufactured and reasonably well looked after piece of machinery is not quite eternal, but almost...

[thomas wright]

Hi All,

It seem I may have caused a bit of a stir as it look like other owners are also in the dark as to the precise kilometers/miles there car may have travelled since its birth.
I agree that unless there is a paper trail since it left the factory it is almost impossible to know.
Just a thought and without wanting to be controversial do you think MB could have included a sixth disc with 1to9  or alphabet 'a - i'  that would roll over each time a 100,000 was reached would have been helpful , mechanism permitting.

I am grateful for all of your inputs.

Thomas.

[Pawel66]

Thomas, this thread went aside a bit, my fault, sorry, but that was after, I think, you received answers .

If they could have had 6 digits - I thank so! Why they did not? Some of the Members here may be better equipped to answer, particularly those who are experienced in the car making industry. I can think of several reasons, but that would be speculation.

[Cees Klumper]

The one reason I remember someone giving was that cars in those days were not expected to last longer than 100K (kilometers or miles - big difference there). Makes little sense really so I would wonder about the actual reason.
No idea how many kms mine has covered, but would be interesting to know. I do know it's on at least its third engine. In the end it doesn't matter - anything can last forever (well, until the sun has burnt out maybe), I reference the 5 million kilometer Volvo P1800.

[hansr433]

The choice of 5 counters vs 6 is a design/cost/space issue.  Furthermore, in the 60-70s, people walked more.  The concept of hopping into your car to drive to the corner store was not yet conceived of.  So, the designers thought that 5 counters, nicely centered, were sufficient.  Cars then were also kept longer than the currently 3-year average brought on by car leasing.  Thus, an owner was usually able to say how many times the counters had rolled over.

[Pawel66]

There you go - makes perfect sense! Thank you!

[MikeSimon]

While the instrument as a whole is a Mercedes Benz part, the unit was manufactured by VDO. Thus the mechanism is largely based on parts and components which were standard in VDO's modular packages. Very unusual to see a 6-digit odometer that would count to 999 999 in the 60s or 70s.