Highlights

Good service history
Excellent all-round condition
Low mileage

The Appeal

Any Mercedes-Benz carrying the SL denomination has a lot to live up to. With each new iteration the firm has turned up the dial to add more luxury, more comfort and more desirability, all whilst retaining the high levels of engineer and design for which the three pointed star is renowned.

The R230 added a clever party trick to the SL equation - where previous versions had required a separate hard top to switch from convertible to coupe, the new car was designed to be both. The ingenious retractable hardtop makes the car perfect whatever the weather, switching from sunny to rainy conditions with the flick of a switch. With 5litre V8 power it also had the effortless urge to dart away from rain clouds to better weather.

Presented in a vibrant Jasper Blue Metallic with two-tone grey leather luxury interior this SL500 comes with all its original owner’s manuals, receipts and MOTs through the years, being properly maintained by either Mercedes or Specialists.

The History and Paperwork

First registered in 2002
Good service history
Regularly serviced
MOT expires 06/06/2024
V5c present
2 remote keys
Original owner’s manuals and service book
Owner’s wallet
Space saver spare
Toolkit
First aid kit and fire extinguisher
ULEZ compliant

The SL’s service book shows regular maintenance by fastidious sellers throughout the car’s life. There are also other invoices showing that it has had a new battery less than a month ago and that the stylish seven-spoke alloys have also been refurbished.

The vendor states that the folding roof’s hydraulic pump has also recently been replaced and the boot seals also renewed (sometimes a potential weak point on these cars). A sheaf of MOT certificated also confirm the rather low mileage as genuine.

The Interior

Full two-tone grey leather interior
Air conditioning
Cruise control
Electric heated and memory seats
Electric roof
Wind-breaker
Front and rear parking sensors
6-cd changer
Wood centre console and door inserts
Remote control steering wheel
Excellent condition throughout

The R230's cabin combines Mercedes-Benz's trademark quality with a more design-led feel than previous generations.

This SL’s interior has clearly been well maintained, its two-tone grey leather making a nice contrast to the Mid Blue Bodywork. The leather remains in excellent condition with only a gentle patina and light creasing on the high-backed sports seats. Bolsters and cushions are firm, well defined and retain all of their shape.

The steering wheel and gear knob present well, the latter showing only one small nick to its leather covering. The sturdy, leather covered roll-over bar also remains in very good condition. A very nice feature of the cabin is the burr walnut trim; its lacquer retains a deep gloss, while the paleness of the leather brings out the warmth and richness of the grain.

Carpets are stain-free and clean, and the mats have straight, nicely bound edges and show no holes or stains. The rubber seals around the cabin appear very healthy. Altogether a very pleasant space in which to go touring.

The Exterior

Good condition Jasper Blue paintwork with a few stone chips around the front and some scratches to the lower part of the front spoiler
Some paint chips to the door edges and the odd small scuff or scratch around the body
Wheels have been recently refurbished and all four tyres have plenty of meat left on them
Lights all nice and clear and without damage
Twin exhaust pipes
Hood mechanism works smoothly
Good condition throughout

The handsome lines of the R230 clearly reference the SL model's lineage whilst borrowing some styling cues form the firm's contemporary larger sports cars. Finished in Jasper Blue Metallic, this early model retains all of its sleek lines and taut, low-slung profile.

The paintwork is in good condition with good finish and only minor signs of use. There are some small stone chips to the front apron and a scuff on the front nearside wheel arch, but they are not immediately visible. Shut lines and panel gaps are consistently narrow, while bumpers, air scoops, lights and door handles all remain flush to the bodywork, maintaining the overall smoothness of the contours and maintaining the integrity of the shape.

The folding steel roof operates smoothly and quietly, fitting flush to the windscreen when raised and folding neatly under its hard tonneau when lowered. Its colour matches that of the rest of the bodywork.

The Mechanics

5.0 litre V8
7-speed automatic gearbox
Good service history
Clean engine bay
Solid underneath
New boot seals fitted
New hydraulic roof pump
Sport and comfort mode suspension
Various height settings available for suspension including high position for speed bumps
Vendor advises that the car drives like an SL500 should with no issues to report

The underside of the Mercedes looks very solid with no apparent signs of rust or collision damage. The seven-spoke alloys were refurbished at the beginning of the year and they sit on a good set of tyres.

Although a little dusty, the engine bay looks to be in fine fettle, with no signs of leaks or corrosion on or around the big V8. Ducts, hoses and the heavy-duty plastics used in shrouds and casings look a very healthy shade of black, with no signs of cracks or heat damage. Under-bonnet insulation also looks very tidy. Suspension towers look strong and inner wings solid, while the rubber seals around the engine bay remain supple and intact.

Talking of seals; it’s worth repeating that those in the boot have been replaced, as water ingress here could interfere with the roof motor, pump and mechanism. There is absolutely no evidence of that here, but the owner replaced them just to make sure.

The Summary

This appears to be a very clean and low mileage example of one of Mercedes greatest GT cars. With a good service record it has obviously been very well looked. Quick, comfortable, with the versatility of hard or soft top motoring and of course very refined, this looks like a very tempting and cosseting modern classic.

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