1984 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

Examples like this, a Signal Red 280SL with just three previous owners and only 27,000 miles on the clock, are becoming hard to find. A genuine UK-supplied car, it was delivered to its first company owner via Alan Day Mercedes Benz in London – and it’s still original enough we think that first owner would recognise it still today.

The good news continues because the first two registered keepers were actually one and the same person; first registered to a business, when the first owner retired in 1990 he transferred the car into his family name. In total, he had it in his care for an astounding 36 years, bringing the odometer reading up to around 25,000 miles.

The *third* owner acquired the car in June 2020, selling it to the vendor in April of this year. He’s enjoyed putting around 700 miles on the clock but a change in his circumstances means he now finds himself 120 miles away from his storage facility, which makes using his new SL a bit trickier than it was, hence this sale.

Finished in Signal Red (568), a colour that lends the car an eye-catching and sporty road presence, its bodywork is very good for its age with tight and even shutlines and no dents, dings or other damage.

However, as is so often the case with older red cars, it has suffered some paint fade due to UV damage, especially on the horizontal panels. It’s not at all bad but there is some colour difference of you peer closely; please see the photos for examples.

The soft-top hood is finished in a black fabric. Rising and falling as it should, it is in good condition. The rear plexiglass windows are free from fogging or cracking too, and the whole thing snuggles beneath the steel tonneau cover to keep everything neat and tidy.

The original removeable hard top is included with the 280SL. Fitting it might be a two-person job but once on it fits snugly and turns the car into a very pretty car that’s as weather resistant as any factory saloon or coupé.

The hard top is also fitted with a proper glass rear screen complete with demister element, further extending your classic sportscar’s range well into the depths of winter.

It also sits on the correct, and iconic, Sportline l7J x 14-inch light alloy wheels. These are in a good condition throughout with only some minor kerbing scuffs to a couple of the rims and a little lacquer loss. They are also shod with a matching set of APLUS A606 205/70R14 tyres, which were fitted new in 2021.

If we are being picky – and we do try because we know so many of you reply on the description and photos in lieu of your own inspection – then the rubber strip in the rear bumper is a bit wonky. That’s about the extent of your exterior woes, though.

The interior is as original as the coachwork. Finished in the familiar Palomino MB-Tex vinyl with “Dattel” or mid-brown Sport Check fabric to the centre panels, the box-pleated seats are complete with the ‘eared’ headrests.

They are in a very good condition and are still comfortable and supportive with that characteristic firm springiness we associate with M-B cars of the period.

A two-seater, this example features a carpeted luggage shelf in place of the rather impractical rear seats that some examples offer.

There is a little UV related fading to the fabric in this area but the rest of the tan carpeting appears to be in fine fettle, which isn’t surprising given its tiny mileage.

The door cards are excellent. Finished in MB-Tex vinyl and with matching insets of Sports Check fabric, generous side pockets provide ample storage.

The dash is topped with deformable safety foam trimmed in black; the SL is as safe as it is lovely to behold. It is in a good original condition, as is the large, four-spoke Mercedes-Benz steering wheel.

A thin panel of dark wood veneer dissects the dash from side to side and the instrument binnacle houses white-on-black VDO instrumentation comprising a speedometer and tachometer in addition to a multi-function dial. The dark veneer also extends into the centre console and all the wood trim looks to be in a very good condition; where so many are cracked and faded and dull, this still looks bright and shiny and unsullied.

The hard top’s headlining is mid-tan to the uprights with complementary vinyl to the roof panel. The overall condition is very good indeed although that of the soft top is a little stained in places.

The car is fitted with a Blaupunkt Trier radio-cassette headunit, which, if it isn’t the original, is period correct.

Oh, and the Mercedes-Benz first-aid kit is still in its slot behind the driver’s seat, which is a nice touch.

The boot, which is fully carpeted, provides a home for the full-sized alloy spare wheel, warning triangle and some tools.

As for remedial work, the trim around the handbrake lever has some age-related cracking and isn’t up to the same standard as the rest of the cabin. There’s also a small circular stain on the cushion of the passenger seat and the sun visors are grubby, so nothing to worry about.

The 280SL features the well-proven 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox. An advanced unit for its time, the M110.982 engine is rated at 182bhp and 176 Ib-ft of torque, giving the Mercedes a top speed of around 130mph but it is, like every model in the range, more of a long-distance cruiser than a sportscar, something the auto ‘box reinforces.

The engine bay is in a good condition overall with no obvious areas of concern. An underbonnet insulation mat has been fitted only recently.

The underside of the car appears good and is in keeping with its age and mileage with plenty of underseal in evidence.

The service book shows the SL’s meticulous maintenance while in the first owner’s hands, with just the one Mercedes-Benz main dealer looking after it from 1984 through to 1999.

These stamps cover the mileage from its pre-delivery inspection all the way through to 24,600.

• 21.02.1984 – pre-delivery inspection by Alan Day Limited

• 30.05.1984 and 931 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 15.05.1986 and 5,144 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• February 1987 and 6,292 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 08.02.1989 and 9,697 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• February 1990 and 11,594 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 13.02.1991 and 14,175 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 28.10.1991 and 15,639 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• July 1993 and 19,564 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 15.07.1996 and 23,513 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 26.08.1997 and 23,980 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 13.05.1999 and 23,853 miles – service by Hughes of Beaconsfield

• 23.05.2007 and 24,600 miles – service by Novatech of Slough

It appears to have been off the road between 2007 and the early 2020s, something that explains the £900 recommissioning that was undertaken by an independent specialist in May 2021 at 25,984 miles, or just over 1,000 miles ago.

The SL’s MoT certificate, which is valid until June 2024, was gained, like so many before, with no advisories. In fact, the last five MoTs have been clear bar one mention, in 2020, of perished tyres, an issue that was rectified shortly thereafter.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and it comes with three keys, the M-B wallet and a pack of handbooks in addition to some invoices and a current MoT certificate.

PLEASE NOTE NEW AUCTION PREMIUM 7% + VAT UNCAPPED.

The R107 Mercedes-Benz SL could be seen as an MGB for people who won’t compromise on space, performance, handling, or safety in their classic sportscar.

Very nearly as modern to drive as your family hack, the SL is capable of taking you vast distances without leaving you deaf, aching, or broke.

It’ll also be as much fun popping down to Sainsbury’s as it will wafting down to Saint-Tropez - and there aren’t many classics you can say that about.

As for the investment needed to make this one yours, we think somewhere between £30,000 and £40,000 should do it, which seems like good value to us given it is one of the nicest examples of what might be the best version we’ve seen in a long time.

And yes, you could probably find a cheaper one but the premium you pay for a well-maintained one in this condition will ensure it’ll be easier to sell and should fetch a better price when the time comes to pass it on.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars 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’.