My $1500 98 SLS

4010 Views 14 Replies 6 Participants Last post by JC316, Jun 20, 2007

JC316

Discussion Starter · Jun 12, 2007

Picked this car up for $1500 with a blown head gasket, I am the third owner. Came from a 95 SLS.

Exterior:

I love the styling of this car, much better than the pre 98 imo. Very european in design, almost looks like a cross between a Mercedes and a Bimmer.

9/10

Interior: 9.5/10

Interior styling is impressive. More gadets than you can possibly imagine. The gauges are gorgeous better than even the Contiental and the radio/climate controls are easy to reach. The seat comfort is also MUCH better than the 95. The bose 4.0 system is great, the best stock stereo I have ever heard.

Handling/Driveline: 9/10

It handles quite well, feeling very agile in curves. The suspension is stiff, yet not harsh, it recovers well from dips and major bumps.
The 275 horse motor does very well power wise and the tranny is silky smooth.

All in all, I give this car a 9.5 out of ten. It was a pain in the ass to change the HG, but it was WORTH it. Very impressed.

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1 - 15 of 15 Posts

96Fleetwood

· #2 · Jun 12, 2007

Get a non-hazed set of headlights from eBay and you will be golden!

Looks good! How much invested after the HG?

JC316

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 12, 2007

I have got about 2500 in it, but sold my 95 for $1600.

I~LUV~Caddys8792

· #4 · Jun 12, 2007

Nice review format there!

JC316

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 12, 2007

I~LUV~Caddys8792 said:
Nice review format there!

Stolen from the master :worship:. I saw your reviews on all of the cars you test drove.

JC316

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 12, 2007

Also need to add, the interior build quality is much better than my old 95. Everything inside is solid, not flimsy.

My dad likes to slide and wallow into and out of cars, which normally isn't a problem except that he is over 200lbs. That posed a problem for the cheap interior of the 95, he wound up breaking the center console and ripping the "oh shit handle" off the back passenger door.

Doesn't happen here due to the quality (Plus I yell at him when he pushes down on the console

)

Night Wolf

· #7 · Jun 12, 2007

Wow... its good to see someone actually fix the darn thing instead of just complain about it.

Did you do it yourself? Timesert the block? I'm impressed

I~LUV~Caddys8792

· #8 · Jun 12, 2007

JC316 said:
Stolen from the master :worship:. I saw your reviews on all of the cars you test drove.

Haha thanks, but IIRC, Jesda was the first one to use that style.

JC316

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 12, 2007

Night Wolf said:
Wow... its good to see someone actually fix the darn thing instead of just complain about it.

Did you do it yourself? Timesert the block? I'm impressed

Yup, fixed myself and timeserted the block. The whole damn show, even changed the TCC solenoid while I was in there

.

Less than $600 to fix it and then some tires.

Night Wolf

· #10 · Jun 13, 2007

Did you take pictures?

Can you do a write-up in our tech section? That would be awesome. I must say I am very impressed.

That sure seems to be the way to go.... I see these cars with blown head gaskets go for cheap that would otherwise me a mint car (such as yours) Congrats again!

JC316

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 13, 2007

I was going to take pictures, but it was just too messy a job to have a $400 digital cam out there. I can do a writeup though, I remember all too well what was involved.

I was shocked at the condition of the car once I cleaned it and drove it. The suspension is like new, it doesn't even have the shakes that plagues the sevilles.

I even have full documentation of the previous owners. What was done and the milage that they put on it.

I~LUV~Caddys8792

· #12 · Jun 17, 2007

Those cars look much better in SLS form IMO, mainly because of the wheels.

What else differentiated the SLS from the STS as far as styling goes? IIRC, they both have body colored grilles and neither have the hood ornament.

gary88

· #13 · Jun 18, 2007

I~LUV~Caddys8792 said:
Those cars look much better in SLS form IMO, mainly because of the wheels.

What else differentiated the SLS from the STS as far as styling goes? IIRC, they both have body colored grilles and neither have the hood ornament.

No wood on the steering wheel, plastic trim strips mostly on the doors instead of wood, interior color shifter instead of wood, pre '02 SLS had quad oval exhaust tips while the STS had dual rectangular exhaust tips, pre '02 SLS had grey grille with chrome lining while the STS had a body colored grille with no chrome, pre '02 SLS had grey body molding while the STS had body matched molding, also the STS had perforated leather while the SLS didn't. That's all I can think of now.

Tommy Deville

· #14 · Jun 20, 2007

WOW great find, well worth it.
Unless I missed it in the orginal post u neglected to say how many Miles is on it.
Any Idea how the HG failed?

JC316

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 20, 2007

118K miles. HG blew due to a factory defective head. It had grooves cut in it.

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