How long have you owned your SL?

[Mike Hughes]

I've owned my 230SL for almost five years.  The previous owner had it for 14 years and the first owner (whom I met before the second owner acquired the car) had it for 23 years.  

Today there is a one owner Tobacco Brown 1969 280SL in our body shop for some minor cosmetic work!  I wonder how many original owners are out there?

[namruts]

I bought mine 1n 1982 for £3500.Approx $6000.I use it regularly and it is a great car.

Richard.(England)

[J. Huber]

Like a few of us, mine joined the family before it became mine. Good part was I was in High School when it arrived so I "offered" to keep the cobwebs off. And got to!    1980. Dad threw me the keys for good in 1987.

[martin luke]

Hi Ive owned my '66 230SL for 37 years I paid £1340.00 for it.My Bank Manager thought I was mad and told me I could buy a  brand new Ford Escort for the same money! the guy had no class!

[George Des]

White DB050 with ZF 5 Speed---2nd owner-purchased in Vicenza, Italy 31 years ago for $1800.00. 3 trips across the pond and many, many hours on the autobahns and autostradas.

George Des

[al_lieffring]

quote:Originally posted by George Des

White DB050 with ZF 5 Speed---2nd owner-purchased in Vicenza, Italy 31 years ago for $1800.00. 3 trips across the pond and many, many hours on the autobahns and autostradas.

George Des

George

In 1976 I paid $1750 for my 4 speed 230sl, your extra $50 must have been for the ZF 5 speed.

Al

[114015]

Middle aged too.

The "hellbeige": for 22 years,
the "dunkelbordeauxrot": for 13 years,
the 114015: 37 years with family from new (uncle, parents, me)



Achim

[Shvegel]

About 8 years. Bought it as a 5k special that had sat for 23 years and had been crustorated badly. Last 2 years in Northern Minnesota at a friends shop being set right.

[ejboyd5]

44 years, bought 01/31/64 to be exact.

[deacon]

22 years - my dad 15 years.  I cannot believe J Huber's dad "threw him the keys".  I paid my dad his asking price and my son will pay mine! (only slightly below fair market)

[J. Huber]

quote:Originally posted by davidg

.. I cannot believe J Huber's dad "threw him the keys".

David, you sound just like one of my six siblings! What can I say -- spoiled or charmed. Probably both. Now, just to set the record straight, the deal was -- I graduate from UC and I get the keys... so I sort of earned it?  

[rhersberger]

I've had mine about 15 years.

[Ulfi]

Just one year come December, but it will be a keeper for sure

[ddodson1]

My 230SL had been in the family for 30 years...It became mine in 2001.  Finally put some serious work into a restoration this year and got it back on the road.  My father bought the car in 1978 (in Munich, Germany) and shipped it home when transferred back to the states.  He too "threw me the keys" when he got tired of it sitting in his garage, waiting for a restoration he never got around to.

Drake
1965 230SL
Maryland

[jpressick]

I picked up my 250Sl from the Mercedes factory in November 1967 and still have it. Jim

[dixy2k]

since 2005

[tobacco]

I can't beat 44 years, 42 years or 1967 -- good Lord, you guys! --  but I was only 22 when a generous Air Force credit union helped me buy my '71 280 SL exactly, let's see, 13,721 days ago.   Were any of you original owners younger when you bought yours?

[Cees Klumper]

So the average of the responses so far is ... 21 years!

[Douglas]

This is an interesting and somewhat unexpected way of looking at the value of a collector car today. Naturally, market price is one indicator for how desirable a car is at any given moment, but there's also length of ownership as another barometer. If there were a way to measure collector cars against each other, it would be an interesting comparison. Some cars are  a flash in the pan and are satisfying to own for a relatively short period of time, whereas others tend to foster a longer relationship for any number of reasons. Surely it says something good about the fact that W113 owners tend to stay owners for a long time.

[marti]

I have owned my 230sl for 15 months.  Due to an accident, time in the shop and other repairs, I have driven her for 4 months!  I almost considered selling her (AGAIN!), but drove her yesterday for the first time in three months and said NO WAY!  I even performed my very first car repair, other then putting gas in and checking the oil...I put in an air filter.  Of course, I was on the phone with Ray at Ray Benz alot to get it done!

[gugel]

7 years -- the first 2 to restore it.

The previous owner had it for 16 1/3 years but didn't drive it for the last 9 years of that.  The owner before that, who imported it to the US, had it for only a year and a half.  Before that the first owner had it for 18 1/2 years in Germany.

[badali]

I just bought mine today.  It is a 1966 230SL with 56,298 original miles as stated on the title.  There are  a few oil change and service stickers in the door jam that help verify the mileage.  The car is white with 115 trim code navy blue interior MBtext seats.  It came from California and is rust free with what appears to be one repaint.  The paint is show condition right down to the notch near the head light chrome.  I am sure I will have questions as I get to know my car better.  I also have a 61 220 Sb (since 1987)and a 73 280 SE4.5 (since 1997)

[thelews]

I just bought mine today.  It is a 1966 230SL with 56,298 original miles as stated on the title.  There are  a few oil change and service stickers in the door jam that help verify the mileage.  The car is white with 115 trim code navy blue interior MBtext seats.  It came from California and is rust free with what appears to be one repaint.  The paint is show condition right down to the notch near the head light chrome.  I am sure I will have questions as I get to know my car better.  I also have a 61 220 Sb (since 1987)and a 73 280 SE4.5 (since 1997)

That looks like original carpeting and seats like mine.

[Douglas]

Looks to be a nice example from the pix. You may want to investigate the history of the transmission. Pagodas have "park" at the bottom of the shifter, so I'm guessing this is another transmission?

[thelews]

Looks to be a nice example from the pix. You may want to investigate the history of the transmission. Pagodas have "park" at the bottom of the shifter, so I'm guessing this is another transmission?

It looks like the gate is correct, but that the car is turned off in gear.