1999 Mercedes-Benz R129 SL320 with Black Leather (231)

Mechanically sound but cosmetically compromised SL320 represents serious opportunity for a wise buyer looking for an inexpensive means to get in a R129 SL. The cosmetic relates to a knock on the front kerbside headlight area, where there’s a temporary repair to the trim under the headlight cracking on the headlight and indicator glass, and a tiny kink in the front wing behind it. That’s nothing a good bodyshop couldn’t repair quickly and inexpensively, with any money spend easily clawed back in its certain, immediate increase in value.

Finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic, with Black Nappa Leather and burred walnut wood trimmed interior, it features five-spoke alloy wheels, comes with its hardtop, has heated seats and comes with a good history file and has covered a relatively low 52,249 miles since it was delivered to its first owner back in 1999.

As already highlighted, there’s a day at the bodyshop to sort a small knock in the front kerbside corner, but it’s a day or two’s work at best. The Brilliant Silver Metallic paint would benefit from a deep detailing, but look past that and there’s a solid, nicely specified, decently looked after and sensible mileage SL320 that’d benefit immeasurably from a not a lot of care and attention. There’s some slight seeping of oil out of the seals underneath, that nothing unusual, nor anything to worry about. Further nit-picking and one of the interior reading lights doesn’t stay on, and the stereo speakers aren’t working, these simple, possible DIY fixes for an owner who enjoys working on their own car. Do that, and replace the tyres for some newer than the ten year+ old ones here, and things like the, knock aside, straight bodywork, unmarked alloy wheels, very tidy interior and mechanically sound suddenly come to the fore, this SL320 representing a very appealing, inexpensive opportunity for the next owner to reverse the early onset of moderate neglect and return it to excellent condition.

Underpinning the opportunity for the next owner to add value to this SL320 is a history file that while not bursting with paperwork, has plenty of evidence to support the fact that this car’s been looked after. There’s a well stamped early service history, with main dealer receipts in the files highlighting money spend and maintenance undertaken. The MOTs highlight the mileage is correct, and a good number of the more recent invoices are from the SLSHOP, again highlighting that the car’s been looked after.

There’s an appealing honesty to this SL320, which presents a wonderful opportunity for its next owner to take what’s a solid example and add some serious value – ownership and monetary – by undertaking some easy, inexpensive jobs to take it from okay condition, through good and even up to excellent. It really is that close to that, which makes this appealing to a buyer who’ll enjoy that process, as much as they will the car when it’s back in the condition it so easily could be in.