This Mercedes-Benz 300SL Is the Last Manual Transmission SL 

Mercedes didn’t let you chose between safety or sportiness. If the rool bar is in the down position and the sensor felt that the car is about to flip over, the rool bar would be deployed automatically in a fraction of a second.

Surprised Doug missed a major quirk of the mono-wiper…it extends and retracts to better reach the corners (this can be seen in the video).

Doug the type of guy to lick his iPad before turning the page

My favorite era of Mercedes Benz. These older manual models are one of the reasons. The other reason is how well they were built. I had an old 300E and it was reliable. We put over 60,000 miles on the car. Did I mention we bought it with 225,000 miles? Great cars and I'd love to own another one.

I have a 2001 SLK with a 6 speed manual. It came with everything: power seats, heated seats, etc. I check its value every year and despite its low miles and almost new looks.....I'd be lucky to get $10,000. Thus I keep it and every spring am glad I kept it. I store it every winter here in MN. Most men my age (76) consider any car with an automatic NOT be a sports car. The coordinated dance: left foot clutch pedal, right hand shift of a gear, back to the clutch as the right foot hits the accelerator. It you can't do this, you don't know what it's like to drive a sports car. Thx for the video.

I was the owner of this actual car from 2008 until November 2022. The 5 speed is truly unique, which I think complements the engine well. It’s not particularly fast, but it’s strong and smooth. The engine needs to be revved, which is ok because that dohc engine noise is very sweet. It reminds me somewhat of how the gullwing 300sl sounds at high rpm. It’s great to see Doug’s review. It does have a remote infrared locking system, so the blinking red and green lights inform you that’s it’s been locked or unlocked. There is no annoying horn chirp. I also changed out the center console storage bin from a cigarette lighter and cassette holder, to a newer version with the cup holder. The list of maintenance and parts I replaced was extensive. Pretty much a “you name it, I did it” situation. Of course it only makes financial sense to do this many jobs yourself. Luckily these are relatively I complicated cars, with little electronics compared to modern cars. The soft top cylinders job was probably the most involved job, but there is plenty of information available to guide you. The new owner will be getting a well sorted car.

About that rollbar.. I remember being at the NY Auto Show in the mid 90’s, and both MB & BMW had live-action safety related displays. If I remember correctly, MB was showcasing their airbags and had an E class convertible with the airbags deploying & retracting; while BMW had a 3 series convertible with rear headrests that would shoot up in the event of a rollover and provide protection to the occupants. Really cool engineering.

As far as I recall from the 1991 auto press coverage of this car, the roll-bar was fully automatic. If it was down, you depended on sensors to elevate it in the event of a rollover.

Doug you've missed a few things. All the storage areas lock/unlock with the doors. Also the center rear view mirror is power controlled. Someone else mentioned it but, the near instantaneous deployment of the rollbar was a tech masterpiece as was the one button controlled top. Most models would have had a key fob, which interestingly was infra-red and not a wireless frequency. Not only did it have memory seats (had to be one of the first cars to have that) The head rests and seatbelts were power height adjustable. In addition the traction/stability continued to push tech that other manufactures took years to integrate into their vehicles. I would love to know if there are any tuner companies that have developed a turbo or other performance upgrades for this motor.

The glove box is under the airbag. That's what the lockable key is in the dash next to the airbag. The door panel compartments were for additional storage and the locked so you could leave valuables in there with the top down and they'd be secure. Also, the lights on the door handles actually corresponded with the keyless entry that WAS offered on the 1990 and 1991 and up SL's as a visual confirmation of what button was pushed on the remote, as they weren't labeled like today. It would appear that owner lost the fobs, as my 1990, 1991 and 2000 all had keyless entry. FYI. LOL. The adjustable roll bar was so you could utilize the wind deflector. The roll bar automatically went up as soon as a rear wheel left the ground. Try taking a hard right and punching the gas... the roll bar shoots up with a deafening sound of a shotgun blast.

Fun fact about headlight wipers: The very first car to have them was the Saab 99, back in 1968. Soon all Saabs and Volvos had them and they were quite common on many European brands in the late 20th century. Saab and Volvo kept them well into the early 2000s.

It’s so funny- that hill Doug is driving up is Jamboree in Newport Beach. My dad had this 1979 300D Mercedes, not the turbo diesel just the regular one, and it was so slow going up that hill. So seeing Doug complain about the power while going up that particular hill hits some pretty specific memories from when I was a kid.

I’ve driven this car in a manual, it feels perfectly German and it’s fantastic. Thanks Doug for sharing this great vehicle.

Regarding the Manuals being rare, that's indeed true. I just checked on the German Marketplace and while there are over 50 with Automatic there are only 12 for Sale in Manual Configuration. Which sounds like a lot in other Countries, but for Germany and this being a German Car, that's not a lot. That said, great Car and so many of them are still around here on the German Car Marketplace for a good Price and proper Paperwork Prost & Cheers from Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps

I love how Doug went from being RU-vid’s biggest car reviewer to it’s biggest used car salesman 😊

European specs sl's were available in manuals for longer. I think sl 280 up to 97 - 99

Doug, the power roll bar in the 129 was due to a widespread resurgence in the “Unsafe at any Speed” (Ralph Nader, 1965) hysteria which drove the American convertible to (temporary) extinction in the 1970’s. Pending regulation in the USA for convertibles in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s had convertibles under heavy scrutiny for safety, and the roll bar was to mitigate perceived forthcoming regulation. This was the peak of time when BMW and Mercedes were jockeying for American market cap, hence the $1 billion W140 program, so anything Mercedes could do to secure American sales and market cap was incredibly important. They could not afford to take a risk, so the electric roll bar was added.

I remember these from the late 90's to the late 00's and they were impressive. I think the mechanical sounding top adds a rawness and authenticity. A dog box is always great! I like that the manual came with a I6 because it's easier to work on and the car will handle better.

I believe the roll bar automatically deploys in a crash if it's down

in this era, 24v Inline-6 were the only models with the 8000 rpm tachometer (and the 2.3/2.5-16 W201). You can see it in the W124s as well.

I have this car but with a period Mosselman twin turbo kit! Its awesome, sounds amazing with a eisenmann exhaust! A few things, The cupholder was not standard on that car. None of the early r129s have that. It looks like a retrofit of the storage unit from later models. It instead had a cassette holder and an ashtray. The lights for the door locks were there for the original master key which had a IR remote on it which would lock and unlock whe pointing at the middle part of those two red and green lights. Finally the truck doesn't require the key to push the truck unlatch button. It was only needed to unlock or lock the trunk. Which also locked/ unlocked the entire car. Also in europe rear jump seats were available and offered on the early models.

As a kid I used to love the headlight wipers quirk!

Less Doug DeMuro channel > this channel

It’s funny that here in Italy, this is by far the most common r129 SL for a law that taxes more bigger engines. Every year i go at the Padua classic car trade festival and every year there are so many of these 300 manuals :)

I love the R129 and it's an underappreciated gem in today's market. Beautiful Bruno Sacco design that drives like a million bucks. The Carmudgeon Show had a brief discussion of the R129 on the Bull Market episode. Jason and Derek have both owned various models and agreed that the 94-96 SL500 had the best engine for the chassis.

Doug, for the roll bar it's an automatic system. It has sensors tied to the SRS system and reads if the car is going to tip over, and if it feels so - it activates pyrotechnics to extend the roll bar. There's no choice.

The rollbar is also automatic in case of a rollover. In Europe there where back seats, i could just fit in the back but i was younger then… SAAB and Jaguars of the eighties had headlight wipers too. I went to Geneva in 1989 to see and test the car. It was a real super techno car and i still adore it.

I grew up around 1990s Mercs and the R129 is my all time favourite, so bear with me while I geek out on this... 5:14 Actually you don't really need the key. The red and green lights are part of an infrared remote system. The IR receiver sits right between the red and green lights on each door handle. You would point the IR remote at the door from a few feet away and the car would unlock. Same as in your Barbie G, Doug, only that in your car you point the remote at the center mirror! ;-) Seems the C&B car is missing the remote so you need to turn the key. 8:11 That center compartment actually is the perfect size for your sunglasses, and that's what it was for according to the owner's manual. You had your roof down and your sunglasses right at hand. The car phone was ultra rare. Also, this is where later models had an LCD screen for the optional trip computer. A hidden display that was very cool! 9:30 Hey, this is a 90s Mercedes! Of course they had a clever way for the roll bar to deploy whenever needed! It could be raised and lowered hydraulically as Doug pointed out. But in the down position, it would be spring loaded with an electromagnetic release and would shoot up in 0.3 seconds if the rear wheels suddenly left the ground. That's why you would put it up first for anyone but your mother-in-law before they would sit in the back seat (in the models that had 2+2 seats). 18:41 Ah, the two tone paint for the bumpers and sideguards. Nicknamed "Sacco boards" after then chief designer Bruno Sacco, the off-coloured sideguards were first introduced in 1979 and were quite controversial. Most 1990s Mercs had them, from the W201 "190" to the W140 S-Class. For the R129, my personal favourite is the two-tone "emerald" green.

Awesome video like always DOUG! Thanks for sharing

R129 was available in Germany with a manual all the way up to 2000. With the smaller V6 not sure about the 3.2. I think in 98 they went from the inline six to the v6. Also if I’m not mistaken the headlight wipers come on when you try to wash the windshield with the headlights on.

Oh my God. I had an Sel 600 from the 90s and you described how these cars are perfectly. They are like tanks that float on the road like no other car I’ve ever owned. And you described this car perfectly. The steering, the suspension, the drivability, everything was perfect

I've been yearning for a R129 300SL-24V for sale near me for the past two weeks. Literally searching all the literature I could find, all the relevant RU-vid videos and podcasts related to the matter, a proper R129-obsessed week... ...and NOW a Doug video??? This is definitely a sign so I'm definitely buying it.

In an accident the rollbar would pop up automatically. Fast enough to be up before you flipped the car upside down. I remember a pic of an SL that crashed on the autobahn going 200kph+ (120mph) and the occupants getting out unhurt

I have the exact model with manual transmission from 91. the key has a remote control by infra-red, that why it has the lights. Instead of blink the light it does that. And another thing, my car has a dual airbag but it still have the glovebox. The lid on the dash, my car has a board computer with mileage and another trip information. In this car, when the rool bar is down, every time the car detect instability brings it up in a fraction of a second. So it's safe even with the roll bar down.

that car should have a cassette storage. They updated it to the later cupholders introduced in 1996.

I commented this in the last r129 video and the same applies to this one. The roll bar even in the down position automatically shoots up in two cases: if the car experiences a collision with forces above 4G, or if the eletric suspension switches sense the car roll beyond 23 degrees to either side. This happens in a fraction of a second using an electromagnetic spring system.

What a great car! Such classic, understated lines, love it! Truly one of the all time greats, from a time, when mercedes (and my whole country) hadn't lost it's way yet... Thank you, Doug!👍

Congratulations Doug! You’re an inspiration! Thank you for “letting us in and showing us around!”❤ Well-deserved! Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got brewing!

In Europe an r129 sl280 was available with a manual transmission all the way up to 2002

The headlight wipers were to clean. I don't ever remember them activating just because you had the wipers on in the rain. They activated when you used the windshield washer function. Everyone else has already commented on the roll bar's function.

Wow, thought that there was only the old ones! I know lots about cars all because of you Doug!

This was one of those cars that I'd read about, but absolutely never saw. Thank you for reviewing it. I'd think that the word you'd be looking for to describe the experience wouldn't be exciting, but satisfying.

The 90-92 SLs are actually more desirable than the newer ones, because they didn't use biodegradable wiring harnesses and didn't use water-based paint, along with other parts of the car that were changed by DaimlerChrysler bean counters.

I often peruse Carsandbids for fun, especially manual convertibles. I never thought I’d come across an SL in that category!

I remember visiting LA in the early / mid 90s - the R129 was THE car to have in fancy areas like Beverly Hills. Most of them were in grey or black like this one.

After watching this video, and hearing Doug's description of it, it surprisingly reminds me of a modern version of a much earlier, and probably one of the most relaxing manual transmission vehicles that I have ever driven and this will surprise you. From Doug's description it sounds very much like a Ford F-series with a 3-on-the-tree from I believe 1986 back. I will admit, my only experience with 3-speed manuals was with 3-on-the-trees and maybe a 3-speed on the floor was similar however the 3-on-the-trees (I've driven some and have ridden in many more) were very relaxed transmissions. You weren't banging gears on on a 3-on-the-tree but, at the same time, that's what made them so special. The gearing was long, the shifts were gentle and I have to say, driving one is very relaxing. It really sounds like that is how this SL drives. I will tell you, even if you like banging gears on a performance car, there is something very special about a relaxing manual transmission. It changes the whole dynamic and there is a time when it is nice to have that kind of experience with 3 pedals. I have to imagine this thing is a needle in a haystack. I absolutely love manuals and while I am not a Mercedes guy, I loves the 300 and 500 SLs of this era and I never knew this existed but am soooooo happy it does. I wish the seller good luck, this is truly a very, very special car.

The fluorescent hum of the parking garage was killing me lol.

Mercedes is now discontinuing the last models with manual transmission in Germany so it has been aroud for a lot longer here, although it has been only offered in the base models as well in the last years

One heck of a history lesson from DD! Great stuff ...

My grandpa had a 500 SL and one thing I always remember was the roof suspended from the garage ceiling, always seemed so funny.

My 2001 Volvo V70 had headlight-wipers and them even worked. Those were very good at winter of southern-Finland salt-spray... But modern cars have mainly plastic headlights, so wipers can't be used anymore, because them would ruin and scrape the lights. In here many cars still have pressure washers for headlights.

This generation actually was offered with rear seats, last generation before they came back in the current gen. They were optional, probably just not offered in the US.

The sound at 13:56 is one of the first sounds I have heard in my life

Excellent review! I love these cars.

Quite interesting to see a slower version of a fast car on Doug’s channel

Doug, you need to hire an audio engineer to process your audio, because a good one can greatly reduce the echo.

@Doug Demuro: Well done. Always liked these.

Doug! I love your content and I just applied to work for Cars & Bids! I hope I get to work with you and your team 😁

This 300SL manual is a very special 'basic' Mercedes. I love the minimalism in the car with all the special features that make living with the car much easier and satisfying to drive and own. Most car manufacturers have lost the love of people for the plain joy of driving a basic car with the top down, slipping through some mountain curves and enjoying every downshift and upshift as you do it. Very nice Mercedes. I would think this one might make 300,000 miles with just regular maintenance. Very well built back then. Very nice car, thanks for showing this Mercedes to us, Doug.

I love R129s, truly wonderful cars. A 600 with a 6spd swap would be perfection

I have a 1990 300SL-24 with the 5 speed manual, I agree with Doug on how this drives and the kind of experience you get from it. Lots of very well refined fun at a slower pace. Very well built and smooth. Very easy to work on.

That roll bar looks like it should go up more

I had a neighbor who had a one of those as a kid. His was a V8 and he had the Hard Top Hoist that Doug mentioned. It did make putting that top on and off way easier.

The R129 is by far my favorite SL. The manual transmission 300SL was definitely unique, especially in the USA market. Very under appreciated in todays market.

Here in Europe it was also possible to buy the S-Class from the same time (W126) with an earlier variant of the same engine (M103 vs. M104) with a manual gearbox (i.e. 300 SE). This was of course the short version of the S-Class. At the time, a manual gearbox in this car was really an obscure choice, but today a short W126 is actually not a very big car. It is, for example, only marginally larger than a BMW E60, but has an appearance that is much more sophisticated and stylish. Something to think about in relation to the perhaps even more sophisticated R129 with manual gearbox. Another point was that the automatic gearboxes of this time were really slow and inefficient. With a more efficient manual gearbox, these cars actually became quite agile and fast for their time. Another interesting point in combination with the headlight wipers was that here in Europe you could also have hot washer fluid. There was an extra loop on the coolant which, via a heat exchanger, heated up the tank for washer fluid. This naturally also worked on the front window.

I also have a 1991 Manual R129. From my research I found out that there were 397 sold in the US during the first 3 years of production. Vids up on my channel as well. Good review Doug.

My father own a 92 - 300SL silver manual! Amazing car! Amazing video!

Didn't the rollbar pop up on its own if the car's computers detected a rollover? The switch is for the draft blocker which is attached to the bar.

Was at work scrolling through Cars and Bids as per usual, and I saw this unicorn and it said reviewed by Doug. Immediately proceeded to go on my break to watch this beauty! 😊

More of these Doug!

This is high on my list of important or interesting Mercedes for my collection. Thank you for reviewing

That engine bay is just begging for a massive turbski

@12:15 my 6-speed 2005 C Coupe had the foot mounted parking brake also. I loved that it cleaned up the console/armrest area without a big ugly brake lever. My current 2014 SLK250 (also manual) has an electronic parking brake.

I remember seeing a new one of these in the showroom when I was...like...8. It was red and gorgeous and my little mind was blown by the tiny headlight wipers.

Great work Doug. And another Kiwi tee-shirt. Cheers from AKL, NZL.

Was the roll bar a standard feature? That's a really cool feature that surprised me and got me a lil excited.

I had to drive a SL like this at my former workplace around four years ago (2019) Because of its labeling I was sure that SL was at least a 1991 model. The owner said it was a 1989 model 😳 (In Germany, cars which are at least 30 years can be labeled as a "vintage car" and that Mercedes look quite modern to be a vintage car... 😯)

I love it when Doug reviews old Mercedes

Noti gang 💯💯 love these videos

I actually kind of love the 2 tone late 80s early 90s look these earlier ones have. Gives it the boxy retro air of a Foxbody or AE86, whereas the later ones suffered ever so slightly from the strange blobbiness of many cars in the 00s.

I had a Charcoal 1998 W124 E220 Manual. The clutch was sturdy but much smoother than almost anything else I've driven. Exceptionally fun car to drive. I was curious if the Key would lower/raise the windows when held in the locked/open position like later models did.

My brother has not one but two manual Mercedes: a 1974 280 W114 sedan and a 1979 W116 280S sedan and I have to say - probably because my driving experience is way smaller than yours - that I love to drive them (thanks to my brother who’s always lends these cars for me). They are serious cars, not so luxurious as one can think, but the manual transmission give them a little bit of fun. I never drove an 90’s SL like the one you just reviewed so I can’t really say but I think I can totally relate with your thoughts about this 300 SL :)

@16:00 thank you for finally explaining this. I used to own a 1978 Mercedes 300CD coupe, and was always curious as to when/why they changed it to the C300. Those in-line 5 diesel engines were built like a tank, and sounded like one too😂

Finally u did the review of what i was waiting for so long💯 my favourite manual mercedes..#dilchahtahai😎

unarguably one of the most beautiful cars in the history of modern cars

You should get your hands on a 1984 Volvo 760 Turbo. The stick shift in that was a 4 speed H pattern - pure fun to drive and idiot proof. Reverse was done with a pull-up ring placed on the shift lever that worked from 1st moving it far left. 5th gear was an electronic overdrive that you engaged/disengaged in 4th by pressing a button on the top of the stick ball. No pedal handbrake either but a normal one placed center by the driver's seat. It was a blast to drive. Fond memories of my very first car. Wish I could have kept it too but maintenance on these Volvo's was a nightmare, never mind rust and electronic issues.

The ‘72 Impala that I learned to drive in had the bright setting for the headlights on the floor to the left of brake pedal. It was a button that you tapped with your left foot. Once to turn the brights on and a second tap to turn them off. The placement was extremely intuitive and the button itself had great action.

The reason for the headlight washer/wipers is because they were mandatory for the Netherlands.

The engine in this car, the M104.980 is referred to as the German 2JZ. It revs very high and has very strong pickup, amazing sound!

Remember when Doug used to drive a really expensive car and the owner would ride with him cause they didn’t trust him now he can afford basically any of the cars he drives I love that growth so inspiring!

I picked up a factory Miata hard top for my NB Miata this past year, and the seller gave me a kayak lift to go with it. I installed it on my garage ceiling and use it to lift up and store the hard top. Works great. Due to my garage door, I had to mount the lift towards the other end of the garage. So I back in, remove the hard top and lift it up, then pull back out and turn around to park it nose-in with the roof hanging above the hood. It looks a little precarious but it works great, and it’s really the only place I have to store the hard top.

The top operation seemed pretty quiet to me, also cars have had power tops all the way back to line the 50’s.

How can this be a 6-speed (Doug score at the end of the video) while the shift knob only goes to 5? Did you count the reverse gear?

Cool video as always. Thank you. Roll bar button is not to lift the roll bar for safety. That's to raise the roll bar to use the wind deflector attached to it. Roll bar pops up automatically, when the sensors detect any rollover.

Love the styling of these boxy Mercedes. That wiper looks like it could take a hand off. The first luxury car I ever road in was back in the mid to late 80s and it was a 300D(clack clack clack) with an 8 track player. Same relatives had a Saab 900 Turbo, which was another car I had never seen before.

I love this body style. I would love it better if the 500sl or 600sl came with a manual. I will Find one someday and buy one. Great video as always doug.

That handle is to operate the screen along the rollbar. If you flip the car, sensor will automatically pop the rollbar. Research doug

I love that paint! I have this upper/lower/interior/wood spec combo on my 94 S320!

I had this identical looking car in the 500SL version. The biggest issue was the plastic MB emblem under the hood would shrink with the heat and never sit properly again. Loved this car.

I have a 96 SL320 with the 5 speed Automatic & used to own a 190E 16V with this same dogleg Hewland or F1 type manual gearbox. I have driven a 5 speed 300SL R129 & like a lot of Mercs back in the day the shift linkage is not like a BMW or Honda & quite notchy & not easy to master driving smoothly. Doug seems to agree @ 20:41 . The main reason I sold the 16V 190 was the poor quality of the manual shifter. I sold M-Bs new from 1983 to 2011 & all the young "want to be (but could not afford) buyers" wanted a stick shift but @ least in North America the real buyers wanted automatics. R129s are great cars built when Mercedes were "Engineered like no other cars in the vorld ". Much better build quality than the models of SL's that came after. These Manual 5 Speed 300SL's were rare for a reason.I don't deny they are collectable just not that much fun to drive as you might expect. An R129 is better suited to an automatic transmission.