2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500

This Brilliant Silver Metallic Mercedes-Benz SL has the 4966cc (5.0L) V8 engine with the customary 5-speed automatic gearbox and has covered 108,000 miles since first registered on 8 January 2003. The car’s online MOT history shows regular annual mileages of around 5,000 to 10,000 miles which means that the car has been used frequently and regularly; something that is always better for a car’s ongoing health than being sat idle for months or years at a time.

The car has been owned since 2012 by a professional pilot and his air hostess wife (yes such stereotypes do exist) and he has been meticulous with mechanical maintenance such as servicing the brakes every 3 years and getting any MOT advisories sorted straight after testing. Having kept the car for nearly 8 years he’s now moving on to a later SL350 which clearly illustrates the competence and practicality of the SL and how good it is to live with.

At a short distance, the silver paintwork generally presents clean and dent free. Close up you will see multiple stone chips on leading edges such as the nose and bonnet and early signs of corrosion bubbling up in a few places around the outside of the car such as the rear nearside wheel arch and under the doors.

There is a cloudy appearance on the black gloss panels to the sides of the rear window which MB forums indicate is a known issue with this model. Suggested remedies include hiding it by getting the parts vinyl-wrapped or fixing it by replacing them with new.

As with all things that are starting to show some age, catching issues early and addressing these defects now will prevent more extensive remediation in years to come. Purists may also wish to remove the erroneous AMG boot badge and recoup a few quid by putting it on eBay.

Although this is not the supercharged SL55 model, it is fitted with the optional 18” AMG alloy wheels in fair condition with slight bubbling starting to show in the centres. Tyres are Goodyear Eagles all round fitted new within the last two years.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: The nearside front wheel has been kerbed, scuffing the rim and taking a bite out of the tyre sidewall. This should be checked by a tyre specialist.

Inside the car presents in a very good condition, with most of the cabin cloaked in grey leather with walnut trim inserts. The dashboard, instrument panel and centre console are in good order as is the gearstick gaiter. Atop the gear shift is the lovely feature of the engine stop/start push-button. Around the base are controls for reverse parking, ESP, ABC, Distronic adaptive cruise control, ride height override, folding mirrors and folding roof - all reported to be working correctly as is the emergency pop-up rollover bar (although thankfully no one has needed to test this).

This car has a multi-function infotainment system including FM/AM radio, sat-nav, phone link and CD changer (multi CD unit in the stowage behind the passenger seat) as well as an analogue TV tuner which could be upgraded to digital . The leather on the (part-wooden) steering wheel has the burnished patina expected from 100,000 miles of pleasurable driving.

The leather seats, heated and with a pulse massage option, appear largely free of damage. A few stitches on the driver’s side bolster have come undone and there is some light cracking to leather on the seat bolster - expected on a well used car of this age but worth catching before either becomes an issue - “a stitch in time…” and all that.

Front stowage compartments on both seats contain original MB first aid kits and there is also a genuine Mercedes detachable mesh wind deflector in a zip up case included with the car. The grey carpets and floor mats appear in excellent order and the headlining is clean and presentable.

Under the bonnet, around the imposing engine cover, all looks in good clean condition and there are no signs of corrosion on the underside of the bonnet nor the slam panel or side channels and hinges.

In the boot space, there are some signs of water ingress such as staining to the foam lining in the spare wheel recess but a recent (Dec 2019) invoice shows that this was investigated, fixed and retested so all should now be well sealed. The spare is a Vredestein Space Master folded tyre common to many sports cars which comes with a compressor and tools.

From what we can see of the undersides, all is clean, intact and corrosion free below decks. To get a closer look, why not press the ‘Contact Seller’ button above to arrange a viewing with the vendor who is based near Hull, East Yorkshire.

The online MOT history shows that this car has a 100% record, passing every year with the occasional few advisories since its first test in December 2005. It also shows that the car has been in regular use, between 5,000 and 10,000 miles a year, since. The current MOT certificate is valid until July 2020.

There is a large sheaf of invoices and other paperwork with the car - much of it from Mercedes-Benz specialist Macleod’s of Brigg - which shows the owner’s dedication to good maintenance. Recent work includes around £1000 renewing the brakes 5,000 miles ago in June last year to correct an mot advisory and almost £1800 in December to overhaul the ABC suspension system, and replacing broken rear centre tail light and window seals to deal with the water leak.

This car comes with a full set of owner’s manuals, navigation CD and service record - with several stamps plus 2 keys and 2 fobs.

Mercedes-Benz has always poured everything it had into its flagship sports car. They remain hugely desirable, over-engineered, high performing automotive masterpieces and this one is an honestly presented, regularly-driven and fully working SL500 with a good history. It’s not perfect, but what cosmetic faults there are can be easily resolved.

The owner has dealt promptly with mechanical issues that have cropped up during his time with the car, and as the sometimes costly ABC active ride system has just been sorted, this is one vulnerability that a new owner doesn’t have to fear. The only issue we can see which needs to be resolved is the front tyre.

As to price, we’ve sold a number of R230 SLs and we think this one will go for between £4,000 and £7,000, which is a ridiculously small sum to pay for something with this car’s performance and status and it surely can’t depreciate much further.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located near Hull, North Lincolnshire; 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, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

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.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.