1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

It’s a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, which means one of the last cars that were sold before Mercedes-Benz introduced the Sacco-designed R129. This 300SL shares its name with the W194 sports car from the 1950s, which essentially started the SL model line. It also benefits from the updates that all SLs were bestowed upon with in 1985, in addition to the minute changes on the outside: improved suspension, new wheels, new powertrain choices, etc.

Thirty two years hence (it was first registered in 1988), the car has 139,200 miles on the clock, three former keepers (excluding the vendor), a valid MoT (which expires in April 2022), and is ready to be driven by the next owner. The bodywork looks clean, apart from some scratches, and the interior is typical of Mercedes cars from that era: solid and fuss-free; and it’s also aged well. The car, which also gets the detachable hard-top apart from the standard manual soft top, is free of surface rust, too, mentions the vendor.

The R107 SL was available in a wide variety of colours (the official palette had more than a hundred choices) but it’s been around long enough that popular choices among those seem, for the lack of a better word, ordinary. This R107 left its German factory in a unique shade of Black Pearl Metallic, which looks a bit like anthracite grey under light but tends to be closer to black when the ambient light reduces. It’s not as deep as the usual black or as bright as grey.

In terms of design, the R107 SL fails to dethrone the preceding Pagoda. It’s instead visibly more robust, and miles ahead when it comes to crash safety. Having been offered for nearly two decades, the R107 saw various upgrades made to the car, and not all of these were mechanical. These final cars also got 15-inch wheels, a slightly redone front bumper (inclusion of front spoiler), etc. While not close to the modern looks of the car that succeeded it, the R107 made for a pleasant sight. And it still does.

This 1989 car shines well, has a largely sorted bodywork except for some scratches. These are on the boot, some on the front bumper, etc. The panel above the nearside headlamp has a little paint damage and there are small scratches on the bonnet, too. The convertible soft top is visibly aged but there are no visible signs of it being torn. The hardtop looks great, but has a small scratch on it. In addition to this, there appears to be a slight dent on the driver’s door. The vendor mentions the 300SL’s wheels have been refurbed and there’s no surface rust to speak of.

The R107 was launched when the US market was getting increasingly stringent about crash safety of convertibles. But Mercedes-Benz had devised a solution that enabled them to offer rollover protection without a permanent rollover hoop. The A-pillar and the windscreen both were strong enough to support the car. In addition to that, it was equipped with crumple zones to absorb the impact in case of a collision. The safety improvements made their way into the cabin, too, with the inclusion of padded surfaces on its four-spoke steering wheel. ABS and driver airbag also got included on the later models, the latter only as an optional extra.

This example here has had its interior redone, visible by its decent if not entirely spotless condition. The seats do have age-related wear, but on the whole, the interior appears to be in good shape. The headlining on the hardtop appears to be tight. The steering wheel doesn’t look old, and the meter console is simple, quite legible, and reflects the same mileage as reported. There are marks on the door sills (scratches on the offside sill and paint damage on the nearside one) and some dashboard parts can be livened up. On closer examination, you’d find that the wooden panel on the centre console has a crack or two. The door cards seem okay, though. The vendor says everything works, including the power windows and the radio.

The SL was available with either a V8 or a six-cylinder like here. On the 300SL, an entry-level model that was introduced towards the end of the car’s life cycle, Mercedes-Benz used a 3-litre six-cylinder engine that made 188 hp. It’s specced with an automatic gearbox — suitable for both open-top motoring and motorway runs. Power steering was standard on the car, which means driving it at low speeds will be easy.

Cars made after 1986 were galvanised so rust is going to be less of an issue. And this one’s cleared its MoT without a warning, so that is reassuring. Underneath, it does have some surface rust, though. You can take a look at the photos below. It has Dunlop tyres all around, the refurbished spare wheel is now back with the car.

The vendor mentions that a lot of work has been carried out on the 300SL in the past. Sadly, the invoices were lost by one of the previous owners. The included paperwork has some old MoT certificates and a service bill from 2016. According to which, the car got a new water pump, head gasket, oil and filter, among other consumables.

The latest MoT is valid till April next year, and this R107 cleared it with just one advisory: front headlamp reflector slightly defective. Looking at the previous mileage entries, it’s clear that the SL hasn’t been used heavily, having done just about 15,000 miles in the last 15 years or so.

The 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (R107) was priced at around £32,000 when new, and at an estimated £21,000 - £26,000, this example has a lot of offer. It’s in a great colour combination, this car, and it seems to be well-maintained, too. The six-cylinder engine might not tear the racetrack apart, but for enjoyable, relaxed cruising, it’s going to be a good choice.

The R107 was offered to new car buyers for nearly two decades, which speaks volumes about the car. Of course, Mercedes-Benz made improvements on the way, and this example benefits from most of those. Which makes it all the more sensible to invest in a later model car, and with the updated styling, it’s not difficult to pick one primarily on looks, too.

With official support for parts and the presence of specialist garages, it’s even easier to pick a R107 now. While it mightn’t be able to match the upcoming AMG-developed SL (bound to be launched later this year), let’s not forget that the R107 has managed to lure enthusiasts and fans for over 50 years now. And by the looks of it, it will continue to do so for many more years. About time they started referring to tanks as R107, don’t you think?!

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.