Looking for SL320 - hoping for input

[arosamond]

Having nearly finished bringing mothers 280 back up to something half decent, after years of abuse, I have well and truely been bitten by the bug.
Have been looking at 320's for the last few weeks and as it seems like a buyers market I am thinking of taking the plunge. Any input more than wlecome.

Have been to see a 99 Sl320 today with an incredibly (22k) low mileage and to the untrained eye a real sight to behold. A couple of things that i'm not too sure about though: -

Firstly the car has a MB history from new to 2002 and then a 4 year gap without any documentation whatsoever. The car has however just had an 'A' service at a MB garage. What effect does this lack of history have on the value of the car and should I be concerned about the mileage being genuine with such a lack of documentation?

Secondly, and perhaps this is a quite stupid question but does such a low mileage itself offer up any potential problems?

Other than some rather horid marks on the alloys the car looks fantastic

 

[grober]

If there is no contiguous documented history (invoices with mileage, MOT certs, service books stamps) all you can say is the mileage can't be verified. It could read 22,000 miles or 122,000 miles or any figure you like there's no way of proving it either way. In general cars don't benefit from long periods of inactivity and a nine year old car would have to have a very unusual history to only have amassed a mileage of 22,000 miles??????? For that model I would wager Mercedes would advocate a minimum of a least one annual inspection even if the mileage didn't warrant it.

 

[arosamond]

If there is no contiguous documented history (invoices with mileage, MOT certs, service books stamps) all you can say is the mileage can't be verified.

Thanks Grahame.
I was concerned about that, I did wonder whether the DVLA recorded mileages from MOT certs but I guess that would be too easy!
The dealer says that the owner did so little mileage that it didn't justify taking it in for a service so they just had some local garage change the oil. Still can't undertsand why you wouldn't keep receipts for the oil change or at least the old mot certs.

Regards

Andrew R

 

[Indiepath]

Buy an SL500 - I understand the fuel economy is similar to the 320 and you get a beast under the bonnet.

 

[DSLiverpool]

Is this the one I saw in Huddersfield ? Obsidian and Helios ? T reg

I wouldnt be too bothered over service effect on future value - pay right money for the right car and it will retain it within reason.

What was the mileage at the last service and how many miles were done until the next service - not many I bet as such it probably had a quick oil change and reset.

Good luck....

 

[arosamond]

Is this the one I saw in Huddersfield ? Obsidian and Helios ? T reg

I wouldnt be too bothered over service effect on future value - pay right money for the right car and it will retain it within reason.

Good luck....

Hi Dave

yes it is in Huddersfield, I'm not so bothered about the lack of service it is the fact that there is no history that warrants the mileage, just can't understand why they didn't keep the MOT certs.

What was the mileage at the last service and how many miles were done until the next service - not many I bet as such it probably had a quick oil change and reset.

Good luck....

The last servive was this month an 'A' service at MB Huddersfield, I can't remember what the detail of the previous one was but I will check tomorrow.

It is exactly the spac I fancied but it is equally quite pricey at £13,995 already been offered £500 and haven't started hagling yet but I am very concerned what effect the lack of history would have on the resale.

Regards
Andrew R

 

[glojo]

My head is a bit woozy tonight but you might be able to get a history of previous MOT'a and the advisories from the MOT site.

Regards
John

 

[arosamond]

Buy an SL500 - I understand the fuel economy is similar to the 320 and you get a beast under the bonnet.

Not sure about this one as I will be running the SL full time rather than a weekend indulgence. don't do a huge mileage, probably about 10k so if you work on 20MPG rather than 23MPG then the fuel cost (say £6 per gallon) would work out at approx £400 per year more in fuel, I have no idea what the difference in service costs would be. On the plus side the 500 would be seen as a bigger gas guzzler and may be a better buy today for that reason. have seen many posts saying the 500 is better just don't know whether I have the minerals for running that kind of car as a full time vehicle?

 

[Mark300SL]

We ran an 300SL as a full time daily driver for 4 years - out in every weather taking Allison to work and it was impeccable
For the last 2 years it has been a weekend car but the mileage that we put on it I seriously doubt has affected its value greatly.

Personally, these days I would go for a 500 unless the 320 has all the extras - I didnt worry about memory seats etc until I didnt have them

Check the MOTs via the DVLA as John has already said - that should give some indication, If its a dealer sale get the name and address off the logbook and do some homework.