Highlights
- Full serviced and long MoT.
- Dry-stored / dry-driven.
- Winter hardtop included in sale.
The Appeal
With summer just around the corner (no, seriously), now is the time to bag a roofless example of one of Mercedes’ finest boulevard cruiser – a late-80’s 500 SL.
At gatherings of car enthusiasts up and down the country, safe money says there will be a number of Mercedes-Benz SL’s present in some guise or another. Aside from being many an owner’s pride and joy, lovingly used examples like this are increasingly affordable, parts are widely available and relatively inexpensive.
The History and Paperwork
- Garaged when not in use.
- Good MoT history.
- V5 certificate in keeper’s name.
The car’s data plate reveals that the build of this right-hand drive 500 SL was completed in the first week of April, 1987 at the Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant near Stuttgart. Following its arrival in the UK, it was registered to its first keeper on 1st May, 1987.
The present owner acquired the car in September 1997. In recent years, has rarely been used as evidenced by the less than 3000 miles driven since its MoT in 2006.
Accompanying the car will be a small file containing an invoice of the car’s recent recommissioning and major service in March, 2022, the current MoT certificate to February, 2023 and the V5 certificate in the current keeper’s name. The vehicle is currently SORNed.
The Interior
- Fully original.
- Elegant beige leather of the period.
- Condition commensurate with age and mileage.
The original interior is in very good condition and belies both its 143,000 miles and 35 years of age. There are swathes of elegant beige leather adorning the furniture which follows through to the door cards.
As with the wood-veneered dashboard and centre console, the door cards, sun visors and other soft furnishings present in good condition.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, you’re transported back to the late 1980s and if Starship’s ‘Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now’ were to become your earworm, our understanding would be complete!
The Exterior
- Original ‘Nautical Blue Metallic’ paint finish.
- Optional winter hardtop included.
- Requires some TLC to elevate its standard.
Presented in its original ‘Nautical Blue Metallic’ (code DB-929) paint, the good condition of the interior continues out to the exterior of this German grand tourer. However, the exterior – including the optional winter hard top – is in need of some work to elevate the car to a higher standard.
The original factory-fitted alloy wheels are in very good condition and shod with a good set of Avon ZV7 tyres. The spare wheel housed in the boot is a matching fifth. At the front, the headlight lenses are clear and the plastic indicator/reflector lenses show no hint of fogging often associated with a car of this age. The same may be said for the rear light clusters.
The brightwork around the car is in reasonable condition with some pitting to the chrome wheel arch trims. A cursory glance down each flank shows no evidence of collision damage and all apertures open and close as well as the day it was assembled. In addition, the retractable soft top, which replaced the original in the early 2000’s, is in very good condition.
There are a number of issues to the exterior of the car which are highlighted in the accompanying photo gallery.
The Mechanics
- One original key and one device to clip/unclip the soft top
- Recently recommissioned and fully serviced.
- A good MoT history, currently to June, 2023.
At the photo location, the 500 SL was frequently repositioned to obtain the best of the challenging light at this time of year. The car started first and every time and settled into an appreciative and throaty burble that only a well-tuned V8 can deliver.
The automatic four-speed ‘box connected smoothly – including reverse – with drive engaging with no drama and requiring just a light feathering of the revs to get underway.
The car has undergone nine MoTs since 2006, all of which it has passed. As mentioned, the car has been driven less than 3,000 miles since 2006. As a result, the current keeper had the car fully recommissioned and extensively serviced in March 2022 in readiness for its new keeper to enjoy.
Like the immediately visible parts of this car, the underside and lower sills present in good order with a degree of natural oxidation that may reasonably be expected on a car of this age and mileage.
Summary
Mercedes-Benz had an established reputation for comfortable touring cars well before the R107 SL made its first appearance in 1972. The brand's virtues were strengthened by the SL's ingrained quality, ease of use and mechanical hardiness.
It is attributes such as these that have made the 500 SL one of the easiest to own classic tourers today. Robust engineering, durable materials and clinical build quality go a long way to making the SL a good choice for those who like to travel in style without the uncompromising nature of other open-top classics of the era.
Powered by a strong 5.0-litre V8 engine, the car can still hold its own on modern roads. With decent accommodation, the inclusion of the ‘winter hardtop roof’ and excellent parts availability, the SL continues to flourish in popularity.
Notice to bidders
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