The perfect cruiser just in time for the summer months, which is, in fact, the only time this Mercedes 500SL has been used over the past ten years. The 500SL makes an excellent choice for those wanting to enjoy summer by being able to drop the roof at the touch of a button. 

The car also comes with a detachable hard top enabling the vehicle to be used all year round should you wish to do so. With the sun out and roof down, you can open up the huge 5.0 litre V8 and hear the incredible soundtrack in all its glory. 

The Mercedes’ interior has been re-connolised giving it a fresh look which still holds its own today.

The 500SL’s previous keeper to the vendor had owned the car for 12 years, when it was used for just a few thousand miles each year which can be seen from the MOT history. Ten years ago, it was sold to the vendor who has continued the tradition of not using it very often and only in the summer months, again backed up by the MOT history. 

He has covered approximately 16,000 miles in the ten year ownership. Stored in a dry, dehumidified garage, the SL has been well cared for and will undoubtedly be a much-missed car once sold. The only reason for the sale is health reasons, or it would be staying put.

Inside, the colour choice from Mercedes was Beige leather (275A) which is the same colour combination as the SL that Princess Diana owned and which is now situated in a German museum. 

The electric seats in the car are working as they should; as mentioned, the vendor has had them re-connollised in the correct colour to freshen them up. The finish is excellent, with just the smallest amount of wear to the driver's bolster. 

The rear seats look as though they have hardly been sat in over the years and are therefore excellent. The door cards are also in good order with no scuffs or damage to point out, and the controls for the seats are working as they should. 

The dashboard is finished in black with no damage to mention. The heater vent on the driver's side does have something broken, which enables the flaps to be directed where needed. 

The four-spoke steering wheel is in good order, and the instruments show no warning lights when the engine is running. The clock is reported to work intermittently, the other gauges perform correctly, and the odometer reads 88,965 miles. 

Finishing off the dashboard, the centre console is trimmed in Burl Walnut, which has no cracking to the lacquer. The heater controls and switchgear are in excellent condition, with no wear to be seen, and there has been a period Blaupunkt radio cassette player fitted. 

To match the beige seats, the carpets are also beige and are in good order with minimal wear and in clean condition. This follows through the car into the boot, which holds the spare wheel, warning triangle, original first aid kit and tool kit. The headlining on the hard top does have some patches where the material has come unstuck, and the inside of the soft top is in good condition.  

 • Almandine Red Metallic 

 • Detachable hard top and stand

 • Electric convertible roof

 • Original wheels

                                                                                                                                                   

Finished in Almandine Red Metallic, the 500SL presents well for the age of the vehicle. There are some odd chips here and there, as you would expect, and some swirl marks could be reduced with a machine polish. Starting at the front of the car, you will notice a chip in the nearside headlamp. 

This has been like this since the vendor purchased the car, but it did come with a new headlamp that the seller never got around to fitting. The indicators and lower fog lights are in good condition with no splits or cracks.

Around to the sides and the SL is nice and straight with no dings or dents to point out, and the doors align nice and straight. The seller did mention he had the offside rear wheel arch touched up several years ago up after a self-inflicted graze. 

The convertible roof is in really good condition with no apparent signs of wear and tear, and the windows are nice and clear with no discolouring often found on plastic windows. The hard top windows are in good order along with the surrounds, and there is a small scratch where the roof has been stored on the stand, which has been touched in. 

At the rear end, everything looks to be in good order. The boot aligns as it should, as does the bumper, and the classic design Mercedes lights are free from any splits or cracks. The correct badges are present, with a bright finish and no tarnishing. 

The wheels are the originals and are generally in good order with no excessive corrosion present. There is the odd age related mark, but nothing too difficult for your local wheel refurbisher to tackle. The tyres have some wear to them but still have a good amount of tread remaining.  

 • 5.0 litre V8 

 • Just 88,965 miles 

 • Clean underside

 • Automatic gearbox

 • New spark plugs

The 5.0 litre V8 fires up perfectly with no hesitation and sounds as it should with no untoward noises coming from the bay. 

The vendor gave the car a service in July 2020 at 88,100 miles, where he fitted a new drive belt, oil and filter and checked the brakes and fluids. In April 2021, at 88,409 miles is when the new spark plugs and air filter were fitted. 

The 500SL is reported to pull strongly through the gears and have a smooth change. There are said to be no noises coming from the transmission or suspension, and the car drives as you would expect. The brakes also bring the car to a halt in a straight line with no juddering through the pedal. 

What a great car to own! It has been cherished by the vendor for ten years and twelve years before that by the previous keeper. It is 95% original paintwork apart from the touchup on the wheel arch. It looks fantastic and comes with the hard top and stand. 

Also included is a Ctek battery conditioner, should you keep it like the vendor and use it only in the summer. The interior is nice and fresh thanks to the re-connolised seats leaving nothing else to do other than make the most of it and enjoy this German grand tourer.