Janis Joplin wanted a Benz, and now might be the time for you to think about one, too. Everyone seems to know that the company has made some wonderful classic sports and grand touring cars for more than a century. While many of these machines commanded a premium price when new, some of them now represent terrific values in today's …
Her friends made a good choice also :)
In reply to BillBall: "Her friends made a good choice also :)" LOL
Hey Andy,
Don't forget the 190E 2.3 16V What a fun car to drive plus room for the kid, dog, wife, AND room to carry spare parts for the Morgan and the Cooper!
Leo
Am I assuming a deep cover personal water craft attack here. One post on an article that can't be linked to from 08 then several non sequitur responses from now?
Don't think so, Adrian, they are putting the articles in a new format such that they appear like forum posts. It was part of the last update I think. Now we can comment on them like they were OPs instead of like articles.
And I'd love a 190 Cosworth, thanks.
I don't think that 230 SLs are really all that affordable anymore either.
The link's not working.
I'll wager that a cheap Benz could get pretty expensive very quickly.
Been there done that. It's impossible.
Not true---- you just have to buy the right one. (and unload it before it eats your wallet)
Seriously though...... you can still buy 107 chassis cars ( SL 1971- 1988) cheaply. Drive them, enjoy them, and sell for more $$ in a few years. Just don't buy a $500 POS that needs a ton of work.
A 450sl fell into my lap a few years ago for $2,500. It ran well, but the A/C didn't work, and it needed about $500 worth of deferred maintenance. I spent the $$, drove the car for 9 months or so, and then sold it for $3,300. (still without working a/c)
You can find a VERY nice 560sl for under $20K. This is a car that will increase in value, and you can enjoy it while you wait for the "bubble". Early small bumper cars are already jumping in price. If you like these---- get one now!
In reply to Andy Reid:
Andy, you wouldn't happen to have a Benz up for sale now would you? 
Is the article posted? I tried searching the Classic Motorsports site and couldn't find it.
In reply to MadScientistMatt:
It sure is. It turns out that items automatically posted in the Classic Motorsports forum on grm.com have broken links. Same story with the ones automatically posted to the Grassroots Motorsports forum on cms.com
We're looking into it.
In the meantime, here's the article.
Thanks! I've been thinking I needed something that's better at carrying around Mrs. Mad Scientist and our two kids than my current E36 BMW convertible for occasions when we don't want to take her Camry. That article might give me a lot of bad ideas. 
Early ones had British made cylinder heads. I guess that they took them in house after a couple years.
I've always liked those. The wing and body kit are so dated looking now. Pretty tacky today, but in a fun way.
That was around the time Penske got a couple guys to quit Cosworth and leave with a sack of GM money to compete with Cosworth, but before Mercedes Benz replaced the sack of money and got their name in place of Chevrolet on the Indy Car valve covers. Most MBs are too much like grown ups cars to me. Nice, but with very few exceptions, like the 190E Cosworth, they do not even tick my car-lust meter.
Ha ha
Leo Basile wrote: Hey Andy, Don't forget the 190E 2.3 16V What a fun car to drive plus room for the kid, dog, wife, AND room to carry spare parts for the Morgan and the Cooper! Leo
I've always heard the earlier Benzes pre-Chrysler inquisition were all very well built beasts. All pre-1990 sport lights make my want list for cars I can afford to both buy and drive without losing money. Love me a pagoda roof but note sure I need to go that early.
I've had a grey market, 77 450SLC for over 10 years now. Bought for $1500, put another $5k into paint and body work. 245 HP, aluminum block, Bosch fuel injected, DOHC, no smog parts, autobahn gearing. It's no sports car at 4300 Lbs but it is a great GT machine. Although I love my Triumphs, the Merc is my go to car for trips with friends. Routine maintenance parts, like brakes and filters are easy to find and no more expensive that "regular" car parts. One of my boys used it for the Prom, made quite an impression on his date's parents (worried about the size of the back seat). I'll be keeping this for a few more years I'm sure.
mike h
Never understood the love of the SL. First, they aren't SL. They mainly came autotrajic. And weren't sporty by any means. Mildly unreliable, love to rust and parts are costly. If you love the looks, great. Just don't buy one looking for a sports car. They just aren't.
markwemple-----
No, they aren't a sports car. I also never understood the SL moniker, as they are pretty darn heavy for such a small car. The love comes from the fact that these may be the best built cars ever made. They are so ridiculously solid, they impart a sense of well-being as you drive them. It's hard to explain, but the quality of construction puts you at ease. They are a very, very comfortable place to spend time in. The 450 and 560 cars also have an abundance of torque--- these are not slow cars.
Unreliable isn't a word I'd associate with them either. If they are well-looked after, they can run for hundreds of thousands of miles without much trouble.
No--- not a sports car. But as a relaxed, classic cruiser that is easy to drive, own, and enjoy. They are hard to beat.....especially for the price. I've always been a sportscar guy, and I never had any love for these either. Then I had one fall into my lap at a ridiculously low price--- $2,500. After 6 months or so of ownership I really developed an appreciation for the "Panzer Wagen".
I still like a hard-edged sports car, but for a classy cruiser that is bound to appreciate. These are a good choice.
This one only cost me $450 about 5 years ago. Ran when parked...sort of...
I just really want an R107.
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