[R129 SL] Silver Arrows

[Satish Tummala]

A neighbor just down the street picked one up. (Traded a '99 500SL in
for it). Guy is a self made millionaire, seems more worried about damage
to the car (a valid concern here in San Francisco!!) than how enjoyable
it is to drive.  He has a C43 AMG, a W140 coupe, and a couple of other
MBs.  Must be strange to be that rich, after all, how many cars can you
drive at the same time, how many beds can you sleep in at the same time,
how many meals can you eat at the same time?  Funny thing, he has a
newish Chevy C10 pickup and every time he goes out in the evenings, in
his Tuxedo with his wife, he takes the truck, even with all those
Mercedes to choose from.  I don't get it. The guy is nice enough to me,
as a neighbor and MB enthusiast,and all,  but whines all the time about
how everyone is trying to rip him off in business and seems unhappy
about life... 

Anyway, he said these Silver Arrows are hard come by, the dealers get
very  few and allocate them to favored customers, and this one was to go
to a movie star in Los Angeles, and by paying a premium to his dealer (
a smaller one in Walnut Creek California and takng a bath on his trade
in too) it was arranged that somehow this one would be grabbed when it
got to the port and shipped to Walnut Creek before the LA dealer could
get it.
Dont know much of all that was true but he claims that with his trade in
loss he paid far above $130k (wouldn't say how much)

I looked over the car and while personally I can see why someone would
want the last of the breed, limited (1 of 100) edition and pay any price
for it, the roof treatment does not appeal to me and I can't see the
intrinsic value there, especially with the NEW SL model about to come
out, and they look VERY nice....I  would think the stock 500 R129 SL
would be just about right.

Jim
'91 560SEC