1988 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

You know, thinking about it, you see a lot fewer of these out on the roads than you used to. People are probably more conscious of how much they’ve gone up in connoisseur’s estimation (and value) over the past few years and being a little more careful with them. That said, they remain a very practical, capable and untemperamental tourer that, even after two decades, feel little different to a modern car.

This example has plenty of things going for it – not least that classis Eighties SL colour combinations. Signal red was and is surely one of the best shades for the shape? This car retains both of its roofs too – hard and soft – looking just as good in each. This one is equipped with Mercedes fairly unburstable three-litre straight six. Now yes; many people will extol the virtues of the awesome V8, but the reality of classic touring is that the six will probably give you a very similar experience without the fuel consumption and the higher maintenance costs. As well as less nose-heavy handling!

So all in all, this car represents a nicely balanced package. Also remember; this is a post-1986 car – so even better build quality and rust-proofing.

This particular example has been in storage for the past four years, though will by no means need any kind of recommissioning to bring it back to life; it roared eagerly up the motorway to get to us at the Market. It’s MOT’d till October and very much ready for the road and the summer.

Mercedes’ R107 SL has plenty of straight and parallel lines that will let you know if any of the panels or trim iare off kilter, but both line up pretty well on this example, showing that doors bonnet and boot line up nicely with the wings at both ends. This goes for trim strips and bumpers too, where different materials run parallel with one another. With either roofs on or the top down, the car maintains a good stance overall.

There is nothing in the history to say whether the car has had any paintwork done, and overall the SL maintains a good overall impression. The Signal Red finish remains consistent across the car. Looking closer, you will see blemishes; there are some small areas of rust around the trim areas in the lower front wings adjacent to the wheel arches. Also, there are some small, light blemishes on the bonnet and slight roughness to the paint on one corner of the scuttle panel. By contrast, the areas around and under the headlights (which can be a concern on these) look very solid. Likewise, the seams in the rear valance and the front spoiler look clean and the spoiler scratch-free.

There are some blemishes to the trim parts with some mild pitting to chrome parts and scuffs to the lower side moldings. The big wing mirror surrounds are somewhat faded and the glass in the near-side is discoloured.

There are perhaps some slightly untidy joins in the brightwork, but the window surrounds on the main structure and on the hard top still give a good impression. Also, fit and finish-wise, the steel roof matches up nicely with the rest of the car. Some of its seals have become worn and some of the rubber window/roof seals on the main body of the car have perished in places.

As well as always being elegant and airy, Mercedes always made sure the interiors of its big roadster were also pretty resilient, and the inside of this convertible has weathered pretty well. The perforated leather of the seats, both front and back, retains a good colour and shape and is clean. As usual, the folding rears look pretty unused, while those in front show only light scuffs. Predicatbly, the driver’s seat shows a little more wear on the outer bolster and a little more creasing, but not much. The carpets are quite clean, and while the rubber cushioning underneath is cracked in places, it still maintains its thickness.

The wood veneer has not faded and retains a good colour. That in the centre console shows a few handling scuffs around switches but remains very presentable. The gear selector and steering wheel too, show only a few very small handling marks, and still retain a good colour to their leather.

The interior door handles and arm rests are pretty big structures. Again, these are looking good, with few, if any handling marks. The leather panels behind them are also tidy, retaining good texture detail and straight stitching lines. They fit flush to the metal panels.

The interior chrome and brightwork is good – there’s probably more than you would think, with no dents in the larger plates from roof panels being interchanged. By the way, the SL also has a wind deflector, which is in good condition.

The underside of both roofs look to be in good order. That of the steel shell is clean and shows no tears or sagging in the lining. Likewise, the underside of the canvas roof (itself clean, hole-free and of a good colour) is clean. The rear window is clear and free of cracks.

The roof mechanism appears very robust. The hoops are straight and largely corrosion free, though one shows some surface rust. The space into which the roof folds is clean and rust-free and the hard tonneau very tidy, though the seal around the cabin (where the hard top sits) has perished in places.

All in all, a nice space in which to enjoy your summer touring.

Lifting the bonnet (which has had its soundproofing stripped off) reveals a workmanlike engine bay. Everything appears present and correct, if a little faded in places. Hoses and cables may not be the newest, but they, as well as their connections, fasteners and junctions look tidy. There is some oxidation on parts, though the bay as a whole is free of rust and the bulk head/fire wall looks to be in good shape. There appear to be no leaks and nothing looks neglected. The radiator looks sound, though the struts bracing the cross-member in front of it are rusty. The motor fires up readily and idles smoothly.

At the other end of the car, the boot spaces look similarly sound. The full-size spare (good condition) sits in a pretty clean cavity below the boot and, again, the removable panels are sound and tidy enough.

The underside of the car appears pretty solid. There is a little rust on the corner of the front sill, underneath, on the driver’s side, but generally, the floor pans and chassis area appear free of any serious corrosion. There is some on seam edges and some surface corrosion on one or two larger components, but certainly not all.

The suspension structures and control arms look to be in good shape, as do the springs, though one or two of the ball joint covers could do with attention. Bushes look a bit tired (but that can be said of sooo many classics). The 15-hole alloys show only minor scuffs.

The Mercedes comes with only a sparse history, though nothing about the overall condition of the car suggests neglect. For the past four years at least, the car has been in dry storage.

It’s a few years now since the R107 series passed over into fully stamped-up classic status and during that time values have firmed up considerably – without going wild. As such, the Panzerwagen SL is a fairly safe bet though too much remedial maintenance can hit you hard.

This example has a few minor corrosion issues to be sorted, but these are still at a stage that can be caught very early. The new owner could easily choose to use the car throughout the remainder of the Summer and begin a mild refresh in the Autumn – probably the best idea as the car remains a handsome and very presentable classic in this very popular and attractive colour scheme.

Balancing all these factors, we think this 300SL can command a value of between £17,000 and £23,000. Happy touring.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.