1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL

A genuine right-hand-drive car, ‘HWA 30C’ is finished in the classic colour scheme of white with a blue leather interior and a matching folding roof.

It also features the automatic gearbox and received ministrations from Silchester Garage, the well-known W113 experts, in 2011-12 shortly after the seller bought it.

This work was extensive and included reconditioning the engine and refurnishing the interior in addition to carrying out a bare-metal respray and fitting a new roof.

As a result, the seller has spent a fortune on it over the years but his loss could be your gain as he feels the time is right to pass it on to someone who will be able to use it more, opening the door for a canny buyer to snap up a well-fettled example that needs almost nothing doing to it.

The panels are good and straight with no car-park dinks, dents, or other damage to detract from the lovely White (none of your ‘Elephant Breath’ nonsense with Mercedes back in the day…) paintwork. The swagelines align neatly enough too, and the overall impression is of a tidy, smart car you wouldn’t be afraid to use.

It’s also got good chromework plus some very nice black-and-silver numberplates. The SL is so elegant it doesn’t need much in the way of decoration. The corollary of this is, of course, that what little there is needs to be excellent or it sticks out like a sore thumb. There are no worries here on that score.

Nor with the lights, all of which have crystal-clear lenses. Or the badges, which are first-rate. Or the glass, which is bright and free of damage.

Speaking of which, the folding blue hood has got a proper glass rear window, which adds considerable to its day-to-day efficacy. It, along with the rest of the roof, is in great shape with the latter being free of rips, tears, and other damage.

It also rises and falls as it should, fitting snugly when it is up and tucking away neatly under a solid, body-coloured tonneau when it isn’t required. The underlying frame is also very good, and the headlining is good.

The 13-inch steel rims are fitted with good Mercedes chromed hubcaps. The wheels themselves could do with being refurbished as we can see a little surface corrosion peeking out from beneath the trim but the overall effect is still very pleasing, especially because they are fitted with matching Falken Sincera tyres, all of which look to have a good depth of tread on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

As for flaws, there’s some rust on the offside top corner of the chrome windscreen surround. A few of the panels, such as the boot lid, don’t fit quite as well as they should either, so maybe some massaging there wouldn’t go amiss.

But, overall, it’s a good, useable example of a very popular classic sportscar that many would be happy to drive ‘as is’.

The blue and grey interior complements the white coachwork perfectly. With blue seats, door cards, and dashboard, the grey carpets pick up the subtle palette and add context and contrast to the fabulous leather upholstery.

This one’s in a lovely condition too, gently broken in and all the better for it. With only very light creasing to the seats, their wide, squat shape makes them every bit as comfortable as they are attractive.

But then the W113’s interior is famed for its design with the wooden trim being another highlight. Beautifully fashioned, while each item is a piece of art in its own right, together they are so much more than the sum of their parts. As you can see, they’re also in a good condition and a credit to the seller.

There are other nice touches galore, like the gloriously simple gearknob, the delicate levers to recline the seat backs, and the twin-spindle radio. The vents on the back of the seats are another delight, as are the clear Perspex heater knobs.

The door cards are excellent, as are the majority of the carpets. Nor could many find much to complaint about the dashboard and instruments, either.

Which means the work that needs doing is minor. The pedal rubbers are a bit worn and the door seals could do with being replaced. The carpet in the passenger footwell is stained too, so that’ll need looking at.

There’s also some surface corrosion in the boot and under the tonneau cover. It doesn’t look bad but it will need catching sooner rather than later.

The engine bay is in pretty good shape being clean and neatly presented. If you enjoy detailing then you could spend a day or so under there but we imagine most would be happy to leave it as it is.

Especially because it runs so well. Winchester Auto Barn refurbished the power steering pump in August 2023, while Silchester Garage serviced it in addition to the restoration work it carried out for the seller in 2011-12: please see the attached invoices for details.

As you can see in the video, the SL starts easily and shows good oil pressure. It also idles nicely and revs as it should, producing a pleasing exhaust note, one best savoured with the roof down and a loved one by your side as you storm through an Alpine tunnel.

The underside is undersealed and this looks generally good and solid even if it is coming away in places and could do with wire-brushing and touching up here and there.

We can see some perished rubber bushes under there that need replacing, which would give you something to do this coming winter.

As well as the invoices we have mentioned from Silchester Garage and Auto Barn, there are plenty more bills dating back to the 1980s in addition to many, many old MoT certificates, some of which go back as far as the 1970s.

As you can see from the online MoT history, the owner has covered barely 3,000 miles in the dozen years he’s owned it, largely on high days and holidays plus the odd wedding.

This is because he worked aboard for the majority of this time, so kept it into professional storage where it was regularly exercised and well looked after. However, he did use it as a daily driver in the early days, a period he says he enjoyed the most.

The SL’s current MoT certificate is valid until June 2024 and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear.

The Mercedes-Benz 230SL spent most of its life in the shadow of its more famous siblings, which is ridiculous because not only is it utterly gorgeous, it also has a star-studded appeal all its own.

Trouble is, folk are starting to cotton on to just how good these pretty little sportscars are, so prices are starting to nudge up. This means we think you’ll have to stump up somewhere between £55,000 and £65,000 to make this one yours.

Still, the cost of any classic car can only be calculated after you’ve sold it and cars of this quality are always in demand, so you might be pleasantly surprised when the time comes to let it go.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at BonhamsICars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.