1989 Mercedes-Benz 420 SL

The 420SL we are pleased to be selling is from the last year of production and must surely be one of the very best examples. With just five owners in 32 years, the last for around 7, and a modest 79,000 miles on the odometer, the car is barely run in.

The car has been lavished with care and attention throughout its life and this shows in the car’s condition today.

It’s the little things that are telling, such as the original walnut dash, the orange needles on the instrument dials that haven’t dulled and the illuminated vanity mirrors that still light up as the maker intended.

The colour combination is striking, the car an undoubted head-turner par excellence.

A suitably comprehensive history is the icing on the cake, the car seemingly having wanted for nothing. It drives beautifully and holds a constant 80 degrees on the temperature gauge.

When we say immaculate, we are not joking. Other than a small mark just in front of the boot lid, likely to be when the hardtop was being fitted, the Almandine paint finish is quite flawless. Clearly this is a car that has been loved, cherished and stored correctly when not in use.

There are a few small stone chips here and there but nothing that detracts from the overall finish.

The grey sills are correctly painted in factory grey colour rather than body colour or black.

The soft top is fairly new and is in good order. It has both roof spanners too, which is unusual as at least one usually goes astray.

The factory hard top is present and correct, at once transforming the SL from cool convertible to stylish coupe. There are a few minor scratches on the aluminium below the rear window, no doubt from its time in storage and the paint on the leading edge is marked. The roof is substantial and many purchase a hoist to aid removal. Otherwise, it is definitely a two-person job.

The alloy wheels have stood the test of time rather well and each is clad with a Pirelli P6000 tyre, all with plenty of tread. As we always like to point out, premium matching rubber is a good sign of careful and considered classic car ownership.

We would ask you to inspect the panel gaps and shut lines on the SL. Many modern manufacturers would be pleased to be able to emulate them today, but 30 + years on and still looking good is deeply impressive.

The seats and door cards look barely worn and will almost certainly be the original items. You see, it’s that Mercedes-Benz build quality again. Built to last and they did. The ‘pebble’ hue contrasts nicely with the exterior colour too!

The car also has the rear seats fitted, but unless you propose to carry small children, the space is best thought of as extra luggage capacity. They fold flat if not being used.

Lovely clear instrumentation is a joy to behold, with gauges for fuel level, oil pressure and coolant temperature. There is even an economy meter, a tad unnecessary in this type of car…

The walnut veneer is in excellent order (no cracks), again pointing to careful storage away from the sun’s damaging rays when the car was out of use.

This is a well-equipped car, with working cruise control, power windows and of course that smooth automatic gearbox. Oh, and let’s not forget the headlamp wash/wipe system.

There is a Sony CD player fitted, with Bluetooth connectivity we are told.

The driving position is excellent, the view down the bonnet imperious. Fire up the V8, slip the gear lever into drive and waft down the road.

The boot is a good size on the SL, ideal for shopping trips and weekends away. Tools are present and correct as is the first aid kit. There is a proper full-sized alloy spare wheel too, with a Michelin tyre fitted.

We are also told that the car has never been smoked in.

We always include plenty of pictures of a car’s underside and that is the case here. It will come as no surprise to find that this area impresses almost as much as the car’s shiny paintwork. There are the merest traces of surface rust on the odd component, but nothing at all that would cause us any concern.

We doubt this car has ever seen a salty road and most likely has remained tucked away on rainy days too.

The engine compartment is a delight to behold, that glorious V8 engine the undoubted star. Clean, tidy, no sign of any leaks which all points to careful maintenance over the years.

You will also note that the car boasts a Mercedes-Benz factory supplied exhaust system.

This is a well maintained and cherished car. Sadly, the original service book was mislaid but our knowledgeable seller got in touch with Mercedes-Benz who were able to confirm the car’s main dealer history.

You will find a replacement service book in which our seller wrote to confirm the occasions when Lancaster in Ipswich service the car.

There are also later bills for regular servicing and maintenance which can be viewed in our picture section.

You will note that the car had an 80k service in October 2020, at a cost of £885.07.

Only last month the instrument cluster was refurbished along with the cruise control module and fuel pump relay.

Other work included the fitting of a new brake master cylinder.

The SL was last MoTed on 3rd August which it passed with no advisories. There are plenty of old certificates with the car and these not only confirm the modest mileage but also show almost no advisories ever recorded.

The owner’s manual is present and correct and there are two keys.

We are big fans of the Mercedes-Benz SL and we do think this is one of the nicest R107s we have seen in a while. It presents well and has always been properly maintained.

The colour combination is eye-catching and let’s not forget this car is from the last year of production.

It is a car we would have no hesitation in jumping in and heading off to the South of France for the weekend. What an appealing thought! We would avoid the motorways and instead amble along the Route Nationales, Raybans on, wind in our hair, destination St Tropez.

The SL would be right at home, and we guarantee would attract far more attention than the millionaire’s playthings which now line the streets. It’s classy and shows impeccable taste.

We can see you are tempted now, so place your bids right away.

We estimate the car will sell for between £27,000 and £35,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, within government guidelines of course. The car is located at our THE MARKET HQ near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, 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’