1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL

An American-spec left-hand-drive car with just two previous owners, this beautiful Mercedes 380SL is in outstanding condition having come from the warmer, salt-free climes of the southern states of The USA.

Its first owner was a Bonnie Powell of California, followed by a Darlene Durand of Arizona, both of whom seem to have looked after it very well. The care they lavished on it was aided and abetted by the dry, temperate climate which has preserved it beautifully; it therefore has none of the rust, rot and general degradation that life in Western Europe inflicts on a car.

The palomino interior is also a real highlight, being vivacious and fresh when so many Germanic car interiors are stolid and dull. It’s only UK owner is the vendor, and he imported it approximately eighteen months ago. He’s used it only lightly since then, and has undertaken a small amount of mechanical work to bring it to the standard you see here.

And no, the federal bumpers and headlights aren’t loved by all, but it’ll be cheap as a result and swapping them over wouldn’t be the hardest job you’ve ever done – and after that you’ll have a rust-free, perfectly preserved classic Mercedes with the steering wheel on the right side of the car for European adventures…

The vibrant red paintwork is in fabulous condition, with a deep, glossy shine to it that really does bring that wonderfully timeless shape to life. While we suspect part of this is due to a high-quality respray at some point much of the credit must go to the climate it hails from; salt really does kill cars in a way you don’t appreciate fully until you see a Japanese or American car that has spent its life in a place that doesn’t use it.

So, not only is it free of rust and corrosion – including the wheelarch lips, which almost always go - but the underside is as clean as the topside. The panel fit is good too, and the gaps are as tight and as even as we’ve come to expect of Mercedes of this period.

The black rubber trim is in great shape, as is the chromework and the badges. The lights and glass are also good.

The black fabric roof fits very well indeed, and the fabric itself is in good shape with only a couple of small tears and plastic windows that have gone slightly milky with age. The inside headlining is a little water-stained too and is showing signs of age, so while it is still serviceable we imagine the new owner will want to fit a new one when time and funds allow.

A body coloured hardtop is included in the sale, and it is – yes, you’re ahead of us here, aren’t you? – in great shape too, with very good paintwork and a clean undamaged headlining.

The alloy wheels have been recently refurbished, and so are looking fabulous. They are also shod with matching Michelin Defender tyres, all of which have good tread.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our 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 do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The only other problems we can see are door rubbers that have seen slightly better days, and some minor marks on the paint of the air intake above the bonnet.

The palomino MB Tex interior is in a wonderful condition, and is better than that of any R107 SL we have seen in a long time. The seats are taut and supportive, and completely clear of rips, tears and other damage. In fact, they show barely any signs of wear at all, which is remarkable for a car that is now 36 years old.

The door cards are as good as the seats, and the carpets are as good as the door cards. Even the wooden veneer trim, which normally suffers in hot countries, is glossy and free of cracks. Nor has it delaminated.

Everything is in working order, including the air-conditioning and the period Panasonic radio/cassette and electric aerial, although one of the rear speakers has become detached from the underside of the rear luggage shelf.

The boot is very clean and tidy, and looks to have been hardly used. The boot floor is solid and free of rust. The alloy spare is in a very good condition.

It really is a genuine time-warp interior and a lovely place to be, so please do try and make the time to come and see it here at The Market HQ in Abingdon.

Problems appear to be limited to a passenger’s side mirror that doesn’t move. It tries, bless it, so the problem probably isn’t too serious. Oh, and there’s a minor crack in the centre of the dashboard top. But then they almost all go here, so we’d be pretty relaxed about repairing it if it were ours.

The owner replaced the front brake calipers, along with the brake pads and hoses. He’s also replaced the fuel pump, along with the anti-roll bar and subframe bushes. The work, which included refurbishing the original alloy wheels, came to more than £3,600 but it was worth every penny as it has left the SL fighting fit and ready to meet its new owner.

The engine bay is very clean and tidy with only minor marks to the paintwork. It really is a lovely sight, with the V8 nestled beneath that huge air cleaner. It doesn’t need anything doing under there other than to continue to treat the old girl in the fashion to which she has become accustomed.

The underside of the car is straight and clean and free of even the usual light, surface corrosion that even the most carefully curated cars are prone to. It has been neatly undersealed but a cautious owner might want to touch up the few places where it has peeled slightly or rubbed off.

Our test drive demonstrated a tight car commensurate with its physical appearance, definitely nothing on the obvious to-do list.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and the certificate expires in March 2020.

Unusually for an American import, the Mercedes comes with its stamped service history book, which will give potential bidders reassurance that it has been well looked after. It also appears to confirm the car’s low mileage.

It also comes with its owner’s handbook, and some paperwork from America, including inspection certificates and some old invoices and bills.

It also has one of those gorgeous 'little black books' full of a previous owner's hand-written notes on its use and care (even though they’ve spelt tyres wrong…) plus a typed summary of the services that have been done to it over the years.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

The price of good Mercedes R107s has been steadily rising in recent years and we think they’re always going to provide a safe place to put your money given their reputation for bulletproof reliability, almost indestructible mechanicals and classless style.

So, good cars will always find a good home and should be easy to sell on if/when you decide to change your classic car collection - and this is a very good example; given its condition and history we think it will sell for between £11,000 and £16,000, which is about £5,000 less than a UK car in the same condition might fetch.

That price differential seems bonkers to us as you’re able to buy a completely rust-free car with none of the corrosion issues that haunt those that have been here for decades. Yes, it’s a left-hand-drive but if you’re planning inter-continental jaunts – assuming the Europeans will still let us in after 31st October, that is – then its left-hooker status is a positive benefit.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings of any auction, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles we have for sale. While we use our trade experience to assess every car that comes through our hands (and between us we have bought hundreds of classic cars over the years for our personal use…) we are fallible, and our assessment of a car may contrast with that you might form yourself.

This is why we offer a far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange a professional inspection on their behalf of, each vehicle prior to bidding than any traditional car auction, and we will never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this by coming to see it in person.

That said, we do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or those formed as a result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.