1993 600SL (R129) Blue 5,000 genuine miles (10 MB stamps)

[Gbrowncls55]

TWENTY telephone bidders on the line from the start, plus commission and online bidders.

"Pig holler auction" Passed its reserve quickly at £40k

Unique: property of a foreign Royal family, MB dealer history and genuine mileage. And an SL600 is a rare thing.

Coronary territory for the auctioneer: so flushed and carried away.

As Mr Brown says, 500's are better cars than 600's, but it's all about the rarity and the "all the toys spec."

Cheap, for £67k you could have bought a low mileage Ford from the 80's or 90'a (not even a fast Ford) a 911 with a dozen owners and six figures on the clock or a very slow, "normal" Pagoda.

I'd rather spend the money on three SL55's.


For comparison this heavily restored, unoriginal car went for £70k in the same auction.

View attachment 120886

For some reason these "fast ...ish" Fords seem to live in a world of their own, with values devoid of any relationship to the actual car. ...Count me in for the three SL55s!

 

[BTB 500]

Times is hard, Royal Families draw the line on a Main Dealer service every 200 miles, economising with a service every 500 miles.

Some things like replacement of brake fluid are due based on age rather than mileage though.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Some things like replacement of brake fluid are due based on age rather than mileage though.

Annually? It seems to have been service one year in three. Every few hundred rather than two hundred…

Agai look at thirty year old 911’s and you’ll see really patchy servicing

 

[SG1]

I was expecting the car to go for much more than the guide to be honest but as Will says, the condition doesn't look good enough for a 5k mile car.

RE the 500 vs 600, I have driven every R129 apart from the SL70/SL73 and yes the 500 is probably the better all round car than the 600 but the 600 feels smoother and just special to be honest and that's why I own the 600.

 

[BTB 500]

Annually? It seems to have been service one year in three. Every few hundred rather than two hundred…

Agai look at thirty year old 911’s and you’ll see really patchy servicing

Brake fluid is meant to be changed every 2 years. My own R129 does low annual mileage and dropped to 2-yearly services some years back, at MB's suggestion.

Totally agree about patchy history on low mileage 'sunny day' cars - it was just that I'd have expected a car owned by royalty to be serviced by the book. It's not like they'd be organising it themselves.

 

[HB]

Brake fluid is meant to be changed every 2 years. My own R129 does low annual mileage and dropped to 2-yearly services some years back, at MB's suggestion.

Totally agree about patchy history on low mileage 'sunny day' cars - it was just that I'd have expected a car owned by royalty to be serviced by the book. It's not like they'd be organising it themselves.

Bill, their staff is an incompetent as they are, trust me

 

[Sjmw]

I was expecting the car to go for much more than the guide to be honest but as Will says, the condition doesn't look good enough for a 5k mile car.

RE the 500 vs 600, I have driven every R129 apart from the SL70/SL73 and yes the 500 is probably the better all round car than the 600 but the 600 feels smoother and just special to be honest and that's why I own the 600.

Agree. I’ve had 6 R129s: 4 500’s, 1 600 and currently own an SL60. The 600 is a special car

 

[C43AMG]

Bill, their staff is an incompetent as they are, trust me

+ They where most probaly billed for the servive anyway

 

[HB]

+ They where most probaly billed for the servive anyway

Correct and for other stuff ………

 

[190]

Servicing a very low mileage car "by the book" illustrates what a nonsense the culture of FMBSH can sometimes be. From an engineering point of view there is no sound reason to change oil very 12 months regardless of mileage unless the very low miles were driven in short trips such that the oil didn't get up to temperature. If it did then changing it after a few hundred or even a few thousand miles is simply a waste of money and resources. Yet the market which values FMBSH above good engineering practice forces us to do it or the car loses more value than the cost of the service.

I practice what I preach. My car is due an oil change after 5000 miles none which were short trips. Due to the lock downs it took 2 years to drive those 5000 miles.

 

[jasmine]

most people buy a 600 because of the badge , had one years ago and in my opinion no better than a 119 5 speed 500 , plus far more expensive to keep on the road . each to there own though )