Here comes the 964 Carrera 2.

This past Friday, theFinally, an air-cooled Porsche (964 Carrera 2) arrived at our house.I will post a review of the specifications and actual driving experience in a later blog entry. Actually, with the arrival of this air-cooled Porsche, we had to part ways with the Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129) that had been in our house.

Therefore, I would like to share with you my husband's impressions after owning the famous SL500 (hereafter referred to as R129) for about 9 months.

Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129) General Comments

The mileage since purchase is approximately 4000 km.From long touring, daily use, commuting, windingand my husband drove this R129 in various situations.(I only drove it about 3 times)The following are some of the areas and general comments that my husband was particularly impressed with about this SL500.

1) Soft but sticky suspension

The first time I drove this car, my husbandWhat soft feet!"He said he had the impression that "I was very impressed. Even though he felt this way because he usually drives a PorscheI think it's the softer end of the spectrum."My husband said. Specifically.

Feels like walking on a thick carpet in the lobby or hallway of a luxury hotel

It is said to be like a piece of carpet on the road. However, it is notIt's never just a soft and fluffy ride like a domestic luxury sedan.. He said the ride was soft but well damped and flat.

My husband used to take this R129 on long touring trips and winding roads, but honestly, before we went on the winding roads, etc."Is it really safe to be this soft?"He thought it was a good idea. However, what actually happened?

I was nervous at first, but when I dove into the corner, I found that while I allowed the roll to be relatively easy, I was able to keep my head down."Grounding and grip sensation comes out instantly.Oh, no. It grips the road surface with gusto, and does so without breaking down, while keeping a moderate load on the outside tires. Also, the steering wheel has a lot of play and feels unreliable in normal driving.It is properly agile when the driver suddenly turns the wheel to avoid an obstacle on the road, and then returns to the original line as if nothing had happened.
I always think this is what makes Mercedes so great."

My husband always thought that the "great thing about Mercedes-Benz" was that

It is soft and supple, yet turns, runs, and stops when the need arises."

It is the place to be. People often say that Mercedes-Benz and European cars are safe, but it is not only because of their crashworthiness due to the solidity of their bodies.The active safety capabilities of the vehicle, due to its high mobility, mean that it is safer because it has a higher probability of avoiding hazards."My husband was emphatic.

(2) Heavy and door

R129 is aIt's the last generation of the old-fashioned Mercedes flavor."I asked my husband if this is really true.

I think so.The weight of the doors is massive, and very different from a modern S-Class coupe or SL.The closing sound of the door is also loud and metallic. and the metallic sound is also loud. The trunk and various switches andEverything is massive, and the "on/off" is clear.I felt like I could even sense the creator's intention of "this is the way it should be."
I think the heft of the car also contributes to its "sense of security" and "stability" when I'm driving. Not to mention the stability on the highway, and if you are going fast enough to lead the passing lane, nothing happens.It's hard to believe that this car is 20 to 30 years old.I think it is the perfect car for a long distance grand tourer.

He was a great admirer of the company.

(3) M119 engine V8 roar

Our R129 is a mid-term model, M119 type before the SOHC (Single OverHead Camshaft), which debuted in the 1980s and was used in the E500/500E of the famous W124, which was given high safety and driving performance and was regarded as an over-quality engine.V-8 DOHC 4,973ccis equipped with a

My husband had this to say about this M119 engine.

I really think it is a great machine. 320ps (235kW)/5600rpm, 48.0kg-m (470.7N-m)/3900rpm, so by today's standards, it is a great machine.Modest specs for a 5L V8."I am a very good person.

This engine, armed with twin turbochargers, was used in the 1989 Sauber C9, winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the 1991 Mercedes-Benz C11.

And.

...The, Sauber! ...C11?(How did you manage to get a word in here that I'd never heard of before?)

I did a little research and found that "The C11 was a racing machine built in 1987 by the Swiss Sauber team led by Peter Sauber under Group C regulations for the purpose of competing in the WSPC.In the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans, a top speed of 400 km/h was recorded during the final raceYes," he said.

...400km/h....

But this engine doesn't make any statement about its identity on the street, it just quietly goes about its business," he said.However, when the accelerator pedal is pressed deeply, the torque rises instantly.You can't get this pickup quality in a modern turbocharged V8. In fact, when you compare it to the current Panamera Turbo...The quick rise in torque when stepping on the pedal in 2nd or 3rd gear is a feature of the SL500 (R129), which is only available in NA.is clearly faster than that of the other two.

As expected of an NA car, the current turbo is said to have eliminated turbo lag. The current turbo is said to have eliminated turbo lag to a great extent, but I wonder if it is still no match for NA.

As for the engine sound, when driving on a winding road, the roar of the V8 can be heard when the engine is pushed to the mid to high RPM range.The absolute volume is quiet, but the beat and the precise mechanical noise are very pleasant.andThe sound of a car's engine is not only about volume.I am very happy with this car.

I heard that it was a great car. The more I hear about it, the more I realize that it was a great car.

(4) Three tastes: hardtop, convertible, and softtop.

This R129 comes with a hard top as standard.This hardtop is quite large and very heavy, about 34Kg.Therefore, it is difficult for a single person to put on and take off. In our house, too, we had to carry both sides of the cushion and barely take it on and off each time.(Some people on Youtube show how to do it alone, but I definitely don't think you should do it. Definitely, I think it hurts the body)

With hard top

With this hard top installed, the driver can enjoy a complete coupe style. It is also quieter, and, best of all, the body is more solid.Although the SL has always been a car with a very robust body, it still feels a little loose-bodied compared to a modern Boxster or other open two-seater.

That's what the hard top is for.I feel like the quality of the ride has gone up a notch."My husband said. My husband personally likes the R129 best with this hard top.

When open

On the other hand, when the hard top is removed and the car is open, it quickly transforms into a car with a sense of openness.I'm not a big fan of wind entrainment from the get-go.(I've driven in the open too, and it didn't really bother me)The optional wind deflector will further reduce entrapment and dramatically increase comfort.

I know the 981 Boxster is a relatively wind-whipped vehicle, but...

Compared to the Boxster, I think the R129 has about 1/3 to 1/4 of the roll-in volume.

My husband says.

'But don't you feel the extra body looseness when you drive in the open?' I asked.

'When I run in the open, on the other hand, I don't mind the looseness of the body, andIt's more of a buffer to cushion the impact of the road surface.It's smooth and feels good even at low speeds. It's smooth and comfortable even without going fast, and it's perfect for a casual cruising style of driving.

This was the case.

With soft top

The soft top is also very well made, and is a chubby little thing.(Cheesy Kansai dialect)He said he did not feel it at all. The thick top was attached to a solid, thick metal frame, and he felt very little flapping even at high speeds.

In Car Graphic magazine at the time."Technology more advanced than landing on the moon."The 12 hydraulic cylinders, called "hydraulic cylinders," open and close fully automatically in about 30 seconds.
Although not as quiet or weather resistant as a hard top, the soft top did not cause any discomfort at all, and the driver had no complaints even on long tours.

(5) Best or nothing

In a word, the R129 is "The best or nothing," which translates to "the best or nothing" in Japanese, and it is a model that strongly retains the Mercedes philosophy.

My husband says.

Every device, piece of equipment, and mechanism is a mass of cost.They have a lot of sophisticated mechanisms that would be unthinkable today.WOW. From the complex, fully automatic opening and closing system of the hydraulic soft top, to the air-controlled door locking mechanism, to the heavy doors, to the precision balanced stock wheels, to the sub-frames welded directly to the main frame... the list goes on and on.Cars and vehicles that clearly show that they are doing their "best" with cost as a secondary consideration.

He said.

General comments?

So, my husband's general comments are as follows.

The number of R129s is now quite small, and with the price rising overseas, the number of SLs that are being sold overseas has not stopped. However, the number of R129s is now quite small, and the price has skyrocketed overseas, so the SLs have not been able to stop being sold overseas.

I see. It is such a waste that such a famous car is leaking overseas so rapidly. As for the R129, I hope it will find another owner who will take good care of it.