2002 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

Offered with just 3 former keepers, the second of which had the car in his possession for fifteen years, this Mercedes-Benz SL55 offers canny bidders the opportunity to get behind the wheel of what is probably AMG’s greatest modern classic for a fraction of the price they would normally have to pay.

Because, while the car is in generally good mechanical condition, it is a wee bit scruffy in places: the headlines are that it will need one or more alloy wheels refurbishing, a small area of the driver’s seat refurbishing, and a partial or possibly full respray (depending on your fastidiousness) to bring it back to showroom condition.

That’s the bad news; the good news is that the interior is very good, the owner hasn’t made us aware of any mechanical problems, and tells us that it pulls like a train. The car also comes complete with its cherished "M55 CRH" registration, so the neighbours may think you've just won the lottery!

The paintwork is generally good, and shines nicely after a wash. The panels are straight, the flanks are free of ripples, and the shut lines are good.

There are some swirl marks in the paintwork and the edges of the doors are slightly scuffed and chipped. The car also has picked up a few stonechips over the years, a small dink in the offside rear wing, and the odd minor area of bubbling on the folding metal roof. The front end looks to have incurred some damage at some point too, as well as we suspect, the offside rear. The seller has also pointed out that the front lower grill is missing.

While the swirl marks could almost certainly be addressed with a professional machine polish, the other issues will need more extensive remedial work. In light of the car’s value, we’d respectfully suggest that the new owner will probably want to run it ‘as is’ for a while and then budget for a full respray in the medium-to-long-term.

The alloy wheels are in good shape bar a few nibbles and rubs. They look okay but we imagine that most bidders would want to allow something in the budget to get them refurbished and a full set of matching tyres fitted.

Please see the detailed photographs which show these areas, although we would welcome potential bidders here at The Market HQ in person should they want to see the car in the flesh.

The light grey leather interior is in very good condition, and the seats are completely free of damage, scuffs and other age-related issues; they remain taut and supportive and the electrical adjustment still works on both seats, as does the heat and massage function.

They show only the lightest of creasing bar the very edge of the upright bolster of the driver’s seat, which has lost its colour. We think that most of this wear could be removed by a professional but do accept that a small amount might still be visible.

The rest of the interior is in very good shape, being clean and tidy and free from obvious marks, damage and defects. Everything works as it should, and the whole ensemble harks back to a time when Mercedes-Benz built cars up to a quality rather than down to a price.

This ethos is reflected (pun intended) in the suede finish to the top of the dashboard is in great shape, and adds a stylish anti-reflective surface that is as attractive as it is useful.

Further proof comes in the form of a dedicated cubbyhole under the driver’s seat for the first-aid kit, and a matching one on the passenger’s seat that holds the fire extinguisher.

Problems are limited to some marks on the leather-covered rollover hoop, a small area of wear on the rear tonneau cover, and the need to order a new remote control key fob. The central locking works fine, it just needs a new fob to be able to lock and unlock the car remotely.

The engine bay itself is clean and tidy and presents very well. It also contains that amazing AMG engine, which starts, ticks over, and runs very well. The next service is due, we are told, in 8,000 miles although we’d be tempted to budget to have it done ASAP on the basis of time if not mileage.

Bar a bent air-conditioning radiator and a slight whine from the engine when it is first started, the owner hasn’t made us aware of any other mechanical problems, although those of an (understandably) sceptical nature are very welcome to come and inspect the car in person here at The Market headquarters in Abingdon.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and has only gained one advisory point in the last three years - and that is for the nearside rear tyre, which is worn close to the legal limit. The MOT certificate itself expires in August 2020.

The car comes with a couple of expired MOT certificates plus an email confirming the car’s Mercedes-Benz service history.

The service history comprises: 

15th December 2015 at Mercedes-Benz Chelsea at 80,981 miles

10th March 2014 at Mercedes-Benz Chelsea at 77,473 miles

20th July 2012 at Mercedes-Benz Chelsea at 72,937 miles

1st December 2010 at Mercedes-Benz Chelsea at 65,362 miles

5th February 2010 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 59,373 miles

5th December 2008 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 49,267 miles

6th October 2007 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 39,162 miles

17th July 2006 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 29,178 miles

27th May 2005 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 20,160 miles

9th March 2004 at Mercedes-Benz Knightsbridge at 9,958 miles

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork.

Time has been kind to the R230 Mercedes SL55 AMG; initially viewed with suspicion by the secondhand market, they’ve moved seamlessly up through the ranks to become genuine platinum-coated, diamond-encrusted jewels, offering performance, reliability and enough everyday usability for them to be the coolest daily driver you can imagine.

All of which means that prices are on the march. While you used to be able to buy the very best examples for less than £20,000, you’ll have to pay around twice that for a very good one now, which makes our guide price for this car of £11,000 - £13,000 look like outstanding value, especially with the reserve set even lower.

This price point should give the lucky winning bidder enough headroom to be able to buy and refurbish the AMG for less than it would cost them to buy an A1 example and, who knows, they might even be able to come out of it ahead if they time it right…

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 available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. 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 the 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.