1998 Mercedes-Benz SL60 AMG

In the care of the vendor for the past eleven years, this is a rare opportunity to get your hands on a cherished SL60 AMG with a very good history because so many have fallen into an under-the-arches-garage mentality, being nursed from one MOT to the next. This one, by way of contrast, passed its last MOT with no advisory points, and the one before that only drew a comment regarding its high-level brake light and a discoloured indicator lens.

This remarkable MOT history – and the car’s general condition – is the result of what some might think is a slightly obsessive approach to car maintenance. That might be so, but what other kind of maintenance would you like to see when you’re buying what is essentially a hand-built, bespoke sports car that’s just entered its third decade?

Still completely standard, the SL60’s coachwork is wonderfully clean and looks stunning. Mercedes-Benz used to be a byword for quality engineering, a state of affairs that AMG’s involvement only enhanced and the fit and finish of the bodywork on this example is a testament to both the initial build quality and the care with which it has been look after in the years since.

It’s shut-lines are tight and even. The paintwork gleams, and it is free of rust, partly thanks to some recent localised repairs that have been carried out by Martock Panel Craft Ltd. over the years.

The de-chromed trim and badging looks like new, too. The 18-inch AMG alloy wheels are in a very good condition, and free of scuffs, scrapes and other damage. They’re also shod with matching tyres, all of which have good tread. As you might expect.

The owner tells us that the soft-top is in good condition, and there is an invoice showing that three of the plastic windows were replaced recently as the old ones went milky. The roof itself is still taut and seals well, and remains wind- and water-tight. As you can see from the photographs, the hard-top is very good. It also comes with a storage cradle, and an electric hoist to make removal easier.

The whole car is in a remarkable condition and the owner should be rightly proud of it. Even the underside of the car looks to be extraordinarily clean and almost completely free of even surface rust.

You want more proof of its condition? How about the inside of the petrol filler cap, which still has its wire petrol cap holder and the sticker showing the tyre inflation guidelines? Or the rubber seals around the hardtop, which are still firm and undamaged?

Or, better still, why not pop along to The Market’s HQ in Abingdon and take a look for yourself? We promise you won’t be disappointed.

The extensive mushroom leather interior appointments are all in very good condition, and belie the car’s age and mileage. The steering wheel, for example, is still clean and fresh, and the 2+2 seating is virtually as firm and supportive as the day it was installed.

The front seats show only very gentle creasing too, and the electrical adjustment, with three memory positions, works just as it should, in fact - as do all the electric components we have tested. The rear seats look to be almost unused, as might be expected given how tight the legroom back there is…

The door cards, dashboard, carpets and inside of the roof are all as clean and tidy as the seats, apart from one small area of wear on the driver's door; so clean, in fact, that if we’d told you this was a carefully curated 25,000 mile example we suspect we’d probably have got away with it.

An expensive Alpine head unit has been fitted, and a Mercedes wind deflector allows for unruffled top-down motoring. The boot is tidy and home to the warning triangle and the spare wheel.

Problems appear to be limited to some of the wooden veneer on the centre console which is slightly bobbly, and there is a crack on the rear ‘parcel shelf’ cover, probably caused by the sun.

JC Performance, an independent specialist, replaced the anti-roll bar bushes and the camshaft oiler tubes in May 2019. This cured a couple of minor niggling faults at a cost of almost £1,000. They inspected the car at the same time and commented that it is “in great condition throughout – a well looked after and maintained example.”

An exhaust valve tappet was replaced in 2017, and the exhaust has been replaced from the catalytic convertor back with a stainless steel system that is much lighter than the original. (The original exhaust is available should the new owner want it.)

Its general servicing regimen is up to date. Please see attached invoices for the complete details of the work that has been done to it over the years. Set aside enough time though, because there are a lot.

Oh, and please take the time to look at the detailed shots of the engine and engine bay too. They show that almost every single crevice and component is clean and free of road grime and dirt; even the underbonnet sound insulation is intact and clean.

A box of miscellaneous spares comes with the car.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever – the MOT certificate itself runs out in April 2020 - and confirms the car’s mileage.

The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a thick sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has 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 refurbished and maintained to the very highest standard.

A sub-100,000 mile AMG SL is just about broken-in and nicely loosened up for its next owner. Having spent the eleven years with the same owner – who has driven it approximately 20,000 miles, including jaunts to to Spain, France and Portugal – it is only now being sold as he’s downsized his house and doesn’t have the room to keep it in the manner to which it has become accustomed.

Being offered with No Reserve, we expect the figures to read between £20,000 and £25,000 when the dust settles; anything less would be an insult to the car’s condition and rarity but what will be will be and it will sell from the very first bid.

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.