R129 SL600

[DanMorgan]

Apart from the lack of documentation, I feel this is a great buy for someone!

1996 Mercedes-Benz R129 SL600 - 38K Miles / 12 months MOT / Panoramic Roof | eBay

 

[rockits]

I saw that on my searches the other day too.

Looks like it has had a hard 38k miles no?

Doesn't look like a loved example so much compared to how you see loved or very well cared for examples are like to me.

 

[BTB 500]

£23,500 is strong money considering the ad states "there are further works that need to be carried out on this car", only 1 key and no documentation at all. Last MOT'd over 6 years ago ... the new one mentioned it the ad doesn't appear online. Also slightly odd that the first one shown is September 2006 (with multiple fails and advisories, despite the car being on just 11k miles then). Online MOTs for my car go back to July 2005.

From some of the issues mentioned (cracked steering wheel, discoloured hood windows, mention of re-connolising the leather) it sounds like it might have been parked up outdoors without the hardtop fitted. Seems to be sitting a bit high at the front, looks like the radio antenna is broken, and the driver's seat & bolster is rather tatty for a car with only 38k miles:



And the door:



The end of the HRW cable from the hardtop is also badly frayed:



I'd check the panny top over carefully in case it got nibbled while stored off the car.

Pretty normal for eBay but most of the 'options' listed were actually standard (ADS, black hood, 8-hole alloys, rear seats, LHD headlights, Exquisit radio). The fire extinguisher was a no-cost option, so basically just the panoramic top and multi-contour backrests.

​

 

[SL63Mark]

I would approach stated mileage with a pinch of salt. Seats are well worn, steering wheel worn smooth, no history.

MOT history is interesting. Looks like mileage stalled between 2006 and 2011, with only 2,000 miles covered, but with annual advisories indicative of significant wear and tear.

Such a shame the history has been lost.

For example, in September 2010, with only 12,200 indicated miles, the MOT tester found

• Front Steering column flexible coupling has slight play (2.1.5)
• Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Possibly cluster or odometer replaced ?

 

[rockits]

I'd agree with that as does look like it has been left for long periods standing likely outside or maybe inside but isn't a pristine well looked after example. Too many weird anomalies for me with MOT, mileage and condition with too much work to do.

 

[Will]

Low mileage is great when everything stacks up, but I see no point in paying over the odds for a poor condition car on the basis of some numbers in the cluster only.

I don’t think it’s a particularly good example regardless of any of the specifics. Not sure what they sell for in good condition but I suspect it would be worth paying more for a nicer one

 

[BTB 500]

Possibly cluster or odometer replaced ?

I wondered about that ... possibly used hard then clocked (or cluster replaced). With no history the first recorded mileage is in 2006, when the car was already 10 years old.

 

[Will]

Old Mercs were prime candidates for clocking back in the day. Due to their durability and the quality of the interiors they could hide their mileage well.

And of course as mentioned, before the electronic service records and MOT history it was a lot easier too!

Would anyone have questioned this car’s appearance if it was being sold as a £10k example with 138k miles? I wouldn’t!

 

[rockits]

There is scam going on with many ex police cars being clocked before the first MOT. I heard it had happened with high end supercars too being clocked before the first MOT or just before services each year as these cars are very price sensitive to mileage.