Description
PRINCIPAL FACTS:
Sold in 1997 via Mercedes-Benz’s Diplomatic and Tourist Sales department in Piccadilly, London, this Azurite Blue Metallic SL500 has only covered 26, 065 miles since. Having been looked after this really is a time-warp car that drives as well as it looks. A car that’s begging to be bought and used, daily, these cars modern and fast enough to be easy to live with, but engaging and interesting in a way that so few modern cars are. Ready to be driven out of here, just as its original owner did back in 1997 it is, a few small tasks aside, about as perfect as a R129 you’ll find.
CONDITION SYNOPSIS:
Having covered so few miles in its 27 years and been well looked after it’s not really a surprise to find that this SL500 is about as clean an example as you could discover, and use. If we’re being picky the alloy wheels would benefit from a bit of refurbishment to make them perfect – while doing so we’d put some new tyres and make sure any balancing weights are more sympathetically positioned inside the rim. There’s a bit if cracking on the under bonnet heat/ sound insulation mat, but that’s not unusual, nor something of any concern. The rear seats are slightly discoloured, being slightly yellow, this something that a deep clean or repainting would fix – if it bothers you. Elsewhere, it’s all supremely tidy, the boot is so immaculate we’re not sure it’s ever seen any luggage and it’s pleasing to see that the original cassette player hasn’t gone the way of some awful aftermarket item, making the interior look period correct.
HISTORY FILE:
There’s a service book stamped through its early life – with a voucher for its first free service among the paperwork – the rest of the accompanying documentation attesting to care and money spent to keep everything as it should be. The MOTs underline the mileage is in order, too.
SLSHOP SUMMARY:
Low mileage, great condition cars like this present a couple of opportunities; squirrel away, keep it in the same order and enjoy the idea of driving it, or just get out and use it. We’d always recommend the latter, because there’s arguably more value in the enjoying the car for the purpose it was designed for rather than something just to look at – however elegantly the R129 shape has aged. You could buy and run this cool, 5. 0-litre V8 drop top over a few years for less than the depreciation on something ordinary and new would cost you, and it’ll still be worth all, and almost certainly more than you paid for it…
