$12,500
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a light-weight grand touring sports car that has been manufactured since 1954. SL has long been rumored to stand for ‘Sport-Leicht’ meaning Sport Light in English. The fifth generation of SLs, referred to as the R230 were manufactured from 2001 to 2011. They took on a much smoother, more refined shape with far more curves compared to the previous generation, which was extremely angular.
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a light-weight grand touring sports car that has been manufactured since 1954. SL has long been rumored to stand for ‘Sport-Leicht’ meaning Sport Light in English. The fifth generation of SLs, referred to as the R230 were manufactured from 2001 to 2011. They took on a much smoother, more refined shape with far more curves compared to the previous generation, which was extremely angular.
The R230 came equipped with many high-end features for its time, a retractable hardtop marketed as the ‘Vario Roof,’ Active Body Control active suspension system, keyless entry, smart key, and Sensotronic Brake Control. The SL 55 comes equipped with a powerful 5.5L V8 making roughly 485hp. The AMG engine adds a ridiculous 180 extra horses compared the base SL 500 and if you have the chance to drive both, the power increase is instantly noticeable. Equally powerful, the interior features an 8-speaker Bose Premium sound system and digital radio.
In January of this year, roughly $2,000 worth of repairs were made around the engine. Parts replaced were as follows: idler pulley, belt tensioner, drive belt idler pulley, supercharger belt, serpentine belt, and the crankshaft seal.
The outside is finished in a metallic light silver. For the most part the paint is in good condition; however, a walk around of the vehicle shows that it has more than a handful of small scratches hidden all around the exterior of the car. There are three noticeable marks on the trunk of the car, although the source of these marks is unclear. There are scrapes in the paint on the hood, above the ‘Kompressor’ text on the driver’s side, and the trunk of the car. Parts of the clear coat along both sides of the rear windshield are beginning to fail. The chrome wheels are in decent shape, the passenger’s rear wheel sports some curb rash, and the driver’s rear wheel has some minor scraping as well. The passenger side rear wheel also appears to have two small pieces of duct tape holding the center logo in place.
Repair work to the tune of $4,437 was recently done to the front of the car. The front bumper, grille, screen, and molding were all replaced.
The interior was done with gray leather and carpeting. The seats are in solid shape. The driver’s seat has some creasing in the leather from regular use, but the passenger seat looks great. The floor mats could probably be replaced, but the carpet beneath them is clean on both sides of the car. This SL’s interior also features some nice wooden inlays in the center console and both door panels. There are no noticeable chips or scratches in the wood pieces, which still have a wonderful sheen. There is a stain on the gray leather housing for the roof when folded down. The gray plastic panel at the bottom of the driver’s door sill is starting to come loose.
The underside of this Benz is clean. There is no damage hiding beneath the car, and there is no rot whatsoever in any of the floors. There is a miniscule amount of surface corrosion along the exhaust, but this is highly common in cars over ten years old.
The seller purchased this car when it was brand-new in 2004 and has spent its entire life in Southern California. It features an extremely detailed maintenance history, which is not surprising considering it was most regularly worked on at the highly reputed Mercedes-Benz of Long Beach dealership. In 2012, the car was reported as having been part of an accident the damaged the front left corner of the car, but the airbags were not deployed. This damage was likely repaired in full because although there are flaws around the car, there is no specific damage to the front left that suggests there was ever a collision in the first place.
The SL has an excellent reputation for being a wonderful touring car with subtle styling. The R230 generation is no different, and highly enjoyable to drive. Furthermore, with the hand-built AMG V8 motor, the SL55 becomes a sleeper capable of keeping pace with some of the most elite vehicles on the market even today. Clean lines, a comfortable interior, and an absurdly powerful engine make the SL55 a fantastic driver’s car for any professional. However, Father Time favors the consumer here, and you will not need a professional’s bank account to have a chance at scoring this beast.
The Market by Bonhams is thrilled to offer this SL55 AMG for online auction with an estimate between $10,000 and $14,000.
