I finally got around to picking up the (no longer) latest issue yesterday. I was interested in the "budget Benz" article because of a used car in my area. The article referenced the SL series cars as a good budget buy but left out at least 2 things. It said that the R107 cars never came with manual transmissions, I am assuming that means in the U.S. market, as they were available with a manual transmission in Europe. It also left out mention of the 280SL. Is the 280 a Euro-only model, or was it also sold in the U.S.? I ask because a local used car dealer has a fairly nice 280SL(I don't care for the chrome aftermarket fender "accents" or the "ground effects/skirts) with a MANUAL transmission...is this a legal U.S. market car or a grey market model?
Take the VIN to the MVA they can tell
Alex
Thanks for the post. Here is the deal with the cars you mentioned. US market cars came with an automatic only. Also according to just about everyone on this, the automatic is a better gearbox. This is the info I received from Mercedes directly and all the European magazines that have reviewed these cars said the same. Also there were some 6 cylinder cars available in europe only as well as 2 additional V8 models. They are the 280 SL the 300 SL, the 500 SL and the 420 SL. None of these cars are US model cars. I have driven a 280 SL with the automatic and they are a nice car and are often very inexpensive.
The car you are describing is definitely a grey market car. For me the only gray market cars I would consider are a 500SL or the 450slc 5.0 that came here in very limited numbers.
Hope this helps!
Andy
I figured there was a STRONG chance this particular 280SL was a grey-market car, it's just been so long since that term has been used, I came to believe all such cars had left the road. I've read many articles in CAR, over the years, where they criticised the shift action of M-B's many manual shifted cars. Never a amention of their longevity under use, and I would imagine serving this transmission, when needed, will be problematic/expensive.
Supposedly, a used car dealer in another part of town (Memphis) had a Porsche 914 with that funky, semi-automatic transmission that VW used in the '70s. Apparently, there are "unusual" cars hereabouts, if I care to look for them.
Supposedly, a used car dealer in another part of town (Memphis) had a Porsche 914 with that funky, semi-automatic transmission that VW used in the '70s. Apparently, there are "unusual" cars hereabouts, if I care to look for them.
If you could find that car, that would be very interesting to me. :nice:
A sportamatic 914 would be a terrific find and worth restoring no matter how far gone it was. I would love to hear where it is if you are not interested in it.
Andy
I once had a 350 SLC, as grey market as they came (was actually titled and insured as a 450 SLC), loved that car! It had a 3 speed auto, I drove a manual once, and HATED it. Of course, I drive a Miata as a daily, and few manuals can come close. Still, the MB manual was worse than the tranny in the UD box truck I used to drive for work...
Crazy, isn't it? M-B pretty much invented the car and GM has been building cars for over a century, yet the "mainstream" models from either have THE worst shifting manual transmissions.
As far as the Sportmatic 914 goes...sorry I brought it up, as it's long gone, IF it really existed. I saw the ad for it in a local Autotrader-style mags, MANY years ago. Most 914 reference books I've read (I once owned a 914 1.8) say such a car was rumored to have been built, but no one appears to ever have owned one. Having a tiny bit of experience with the Sportmatic in VW bugs, having an automatic 914 is a high price to pay for a "one-of-a-kind".
Speaking of SLs, there's a Pagoda Benz for sale around the corner from our office. It's a 230 SL, silver, blue interior, blue top, four-speed. It's been repainted but still looks clean.
I need to add a drooling emoticon. I've always wanted a pagoda-roof SL.
A manual 280SL is a much nicer driver than a US spec 380SL auto of the same year... even if the gearbox isn't world class.
Bill
I had a 1989 560SL for quite a few years. I decided to sell it because I got tired of driving around by myself all the time. With two small kids, a two-seater car just didn't fit the bill anymore. I got a 3 Series convertible a few years ago and have enjoyed it ever since.
The SL was a great car. Lots of power, smooth riding, and built like a tank. When I took it in for its final (for me) smog inspection in 2004, there were several emissions measurements where the car blew essentially a "zero"--no measurable emissions. It was a really solidly built engine.
