Historics: delivery mileage SL55 and 12k mile CL55

[MikeInWimbledon]

Saw these yesterday. Immaculate.

Interesting benchmarks for existing owners.

Ref 151 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL55 Kompressor AMG MRP




https://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2023-11-25/cars/ref-150-2003-mercedes-benz-sl55-amg-mrp/

Ref 150 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG MRP

The fifth generation of the legendary SL series convertible sports cars was known as the R230. It featured a fully retractable hardtop that was marketed as the Vario Roof, a first for the SL class although it had been available on the smaller SLK model since 1997. The flagship models were built...

www.historics.co.uk

 

[Will]

Double wow, I love cars like these!

Be interesting to see what they sell for!

 

[Dickster]

The guide price on the SL55 is very low.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Blimey the auction is today. It would have been a good day to visit Mercedes-Benz World.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Double wow, I love cars like these!
Be interesting to see what they sell for!

They look even better in the flesh.

The batteries on my man maths calculator need renewing, so I couldn’t do the numbers.

Obviously there’s cost and risk in getting them rolling properly on the road. The tyres are just the beginning of the work that will need to be done, but what a great chance to buy Museum quality MB history.

 

[ube63]

The CL would make a great car to cross continents once recommissioned. The SL is probably destined for more downtime in a garage, sad for a car that is best on the road

 

[SpikyMikey]

Wowzers
What a fabulous pair of machines

£96K for the SL in 2003.

 

[Will]

It would be sacrilege to use either of those cars to pile mileage onto them.

I mean there’s plenty of relatively nice ones, 30/40/50k miles of whatever to do that with.

I suspect they’re better suited to an ongoing collection, nice garage with a dehumidifier, lighting etc. Maybe keep them in commission for a few spring/summer runs out etc

 

[JHS]

£98.5k in 2003 (£171,300 today) and driven for 12919 miles since?????
£96k in 2003 (£167,800 today) and driven for 646 miles since??????
Verges on the borders of insanity.

 

[JHS]

It would be sacrilege to use either of those cars to pile mileage onto them.

Why would anyone buy a mode of transport and then not use it?
I must be getting senile because I just do not understand it.
Two nice performance cars, with plenty of life left in them, destined to be locked away in the automotive equivalent of an old folks home! Madness.

 

[Will]

Why would anyone buy a mode of transport and then not use it?
I must be getting senile because I just do not understand it.
Two nice performance cars, with plenty of life left in them, destined to be locked away in the automotive equivalent of an old folks home! Madness.

People collect all sort of objects, you can do what you like with them

Cars, watches, boats whatever.

Plenty of these were made and used in all weathers with six figure mileages. There’s no harm having a handful preserved for collectors/museums or whatever

 

[Dickster]

If I didn’t have my SL I’d bid £20-25k for the SL and use it..

It’s got to go for £30-40k surely?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

If I didn’t have my SL I’d bid £20-25k for the SL and use it..

It’s got to go for £30-40k surely?

Difficult one to call I’d say, we’ll soon find out though.

 

[Will]

No idea what time the auction is but I’d have thought £30-40k would be good value compared to what ‘regular’ low mileage examples go for.

 

[Dickster]

It’s on now, £59k it went for - strong money

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It’s on now, £59k it went for - strong money

It was, they both were, immaculate and tastefully specified…

Was that “hammer” or “hammer plus comm?”

A lot of “normal” SL55 owners will be breathing a sigh of relief.

Destined for a private collection for sure.

 

[Will]

It’s strong money for an SL55, but when you see what many other collectable cars sell for it’s hardly unrealistic and probably good value for an SL with that mileage regardless (look at the prices of older ones!)

It seems as though regular ‘low mileage’ or nice spec SL55s are asking £30-40k anyway so not a huge premium in % terms.

Must have been more than one person who thinks a 600 mile example is worth the extra

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It’s strong money for an SL55, but when you see what many other collectable cars sell for it’s hardly unrealistic and probably good value for an SL with that mileage regardless (look at the prices of older ones!)

It seems as though regular ‘low mileage’ or nice spec SL55s are asking £30-40k anyway so not a huge premium in % terms.

Must have been more than one person who thinks a 600 mile example is worth the extra

“Other collectable cars?” That’s all about the rarity.

Same old problem with the SL. Great car, capable of significant use in all kinds of use in all kinds of conditions but it doesn’t have the bragging value of a 911 or Ferrari

 

[SpikyMikey]

Sounds like a bargain compared with the hammer price on this in the same auction:

Ref 126 1991 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton JG

One for Mr Dazzler.

 

[Dickster]

It was, they both were, immaculate and tastefully specified…

Was that “hammer” or “hammer plus comm?”

A lot of “normal” SL55 owners will be breathing a sigh of relief.

Destined for a private collection for sure.

I believe that was the hammer price