1987 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

With just one owner from new, this incredible Mercedes-Benz 300SL has been kept in a heated garage since new. That in itself is remarkable but then to discover that it spent its time in there on axle stands takes it into the realms of the supernatural.

First registered on the 16th of August 1987, it also has a full Mercedes-Benz main dealer and specialist service history and a scarcely believable 15,000 miles. We think it’s fair to say that the owner was something of a fanatic.

Finished in Diamond Blue Metallic and cream leather, it comes with both a folding blue fabric roof and the optional MB hard-top in Nautic Blue, all of which are confirmed in the car’s original documentation.

Offered for sale in its original, untouched condition, this is one for the enthusiast and investor looking for a no-compromise, museum-quality SL to add to their collection.

The Diamond Blue Metallic coachwork is as good as you’d expect of a car that’s barely been used and thoroughly pampered. Still featuring the sort of shutlines and panel alignment that made Mercedes a byword for quality engineering, the doors operate with bank-vault precision.

There is a letter from Goodwin’s dated 3rd of August 2020 that records the depth of paint on every panel. Its interpretation of the results is that the depth of paint is “consistent with factory finished paintwork”, and it went on to say “visual inspection … shows no sign of the vehicle having any refinishing done to it.”

The chromework sparkles, and the rubber trim is still a deep black and free of the sort of sun-induced perishing other examples tend to sport. The glass, badges, and light lenses are equally good.

It’s fitted with a full set of genuine Mercedes mudflaps and a set of front foglamps, both of which add to the car’s purposeful and practical air. It even still wears the original dealer number plates.

The blue folding fabric roof fits beautifully, being taut and free of rips, tears, and other damage. Remarkably, given it is still the original, the plastic windows are still bright and transparent.

The roof rises and falls effortlessly too, giving the driver the choice of wind-in-the-hair motoring when the sun is out, and almost coupé-like weather protection when it isn’t.

And, when it gets cold, simply pop on the genuine Mercedes-Benz hardtop. Finished in Nautic Blue, it adds all-season weather resistance, making the 300SL a true grand tourer no matter what the conditions. It’s also in fine fettle but then we’re guessing that it’s spent way more time on its storage stand than it ever has on the car…

The standard Mercedes-Benz alloy wheels, complete with the optional embossed centre caps, are in great shape with no scuffs, dinks, or other damage. They’re fitted with matching Michelin tyres

As we will never tire 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 it does perhaps give you an insight into their attitude towards maintenance.

Problems? Well, aside from the odd (and we do mean odd) minor mark then the tyres look a bit old, so if you’re actually going to use it then you might like to pop a new set on. Other than that, it’s all good and needs nothing.

The interior is typical of the German firm’s seventies and eighties cars, being minimal and very cool as a result. Of course, it helps that the quality of the leather and other materials used was first-class, as was the way it was installed.

And that quality shows in the way it has survived. The leather seats, for example, are still springy and firm and as supportive as Dear Deidre after she’s been at the cooking sherry. Free of anything bar the lightest of creasing, they’re testament to this car’s careful curation over the past 33 years.

It has the optional rear seats too, plus an outside temperature gauge and tinted glass, all of which would have been optional extras, back in the day.

The fabric roof’s inner headlining is bright and clean, as is the frame. The inside of the hardtop is very good, too. The door cards are in great shape, as are the carpets and wooden veneer trim. It’s even still got the original headunit, a gloriously of-the-period Blaupunkt that still has its original handbook.

In fact, it’s all wonderfully preserved and everything works with the sort of crisp precision you only get with cars that have seen this little use.

Interestingly, even the protection foam pads on the folding roof mechanism are still present and correct, something we can’t recall seeing before.

The boot is very clean and incredibly well presented - absent are those typical scuff marks made when lifting bags in and out, for example. Home to the toolkit and an almost certainly unused spare wheel and Michelin tyre, it even features the original first-aid kit still in its protective plastic.

Work to do? Well, someone has made some temporary repairs to the base of the rubber seals on the offside and nearside A-pillars. It’s unsightly rather than a problem but if it were ours we’d pop it on the To Do list.

The servicing regimen is as impressive as the rest of the car, and comprises:

10.08.1987 – PDI inspection by Lancaster Europa of Sheffield

07.03.1988 and 571 miles – service by Lancaster Europa of Sheffield

03.08.1990 and 5,063 miles – service by Lancaster Europa of Sheffield

13.10.1993 and 6,382 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

10.03.1997 and 7,938 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

26.04.1999 and 9,813 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

06.10.2000 and 10,588 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

08.04.2002 and 12,147 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

28.06.2005 and 13,921 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

23.06.2010 and 14,278 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

21.08.2012 and 14,882 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

25.06.2015 and 15,170 miles – service by Damas of Chesterfield

It drives as well as you’d imagine.

The engine bay is original, clean, and beautifully presented. The bulkhead, which enthusiasts will know is one of the model’s few weak spots, has been checked and given the all-clear.

It’s much the same story underneath with the original underseal still in place but then you’d guessed that already, hadn’t you?

Faults? Well, the underbonnet soundproofing foam is starting to deteriorate and peel away at the back edges peeling away and whist not a problem, given how good the rest of the car is we can see that the new owner might want to get it replaced.

The SL’s MOT certificate, which is valid until October 2020, was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s been doing, well, forever.

It has a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years. Wonderfully, it also comes with a hand-written AA Motorist Log that details its entire life, down to every tank of fuel.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, fully stamped service history, book pack, and storage wallet plus two sets of keys and the original emergency key. The car also comes with a genuine MB indoor car cover and 100+ Mercedes-Benz Owners’ Club magazines.

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 a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

The R107 Mercedes-Benz SL is a staple of the classic car world for many reasons, not least its durability and reliability. It’s relatively cheap and easy to service and maintain too, and the fact that it is so effortlessly elegant doesn’t harm its cause any.

And, if you’ve been on the lookout for a low-mileage, one-owner-from-new, collector-quality example with an impeccable history then you’ve found it.

Being possibly the lowest mileage, one-owner car on offer anywhere in the world today, it is almost impossibly well-preserved and as close to a new and original SL as you’re ever likely to find.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that it isn’t going to be cheap. Its guide price, of between £65,000 to £80,000, reflects its provenance and unique condition. A hefty sum for sure but when the market falters, collectors and investors look to the very best examples and this is certainly that.

So, while you’re paying more up-front, you should get a lot more out at the other end, too…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near 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’.