Description

1996 Mercedes-Benz SL280 (R129)

Only 50,100 miles from new; recent SL Shop report; a lovely car let down only by lacquer peeling issues

Come on, admit it, who hasn’t secretly lusted after one of these glamorous roadsters ever since they were launched back in 1989?

Beautifully built and just exuding class, they were strictly for the rich and famous when new but have now dropped to a temptingly affordable price. A wide range of engines were available from a mighty 6-litre V12 to the creamy smooth 2.8-litre straight-six you see here. All had a removable hard top and an electrically operated hood. With 204bhp on tap, the SL280 could sprint to 60mph in around 9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 141mph with up to 33mpg economy.
First registered in March 1996, this SL280 benefits from the upgrades that were made to the model following the 1995 facelift and has some nice options including heated electric seats. It has had six owners to date, the fifth of whom owned it for 17 years (2003 – 2019). It is showing only 50,100 miles on the clock which is said to be correct and is partially backed up by 13 old MOTs back to 2003.

The original service book is not present but there is a duplicate service book with one stamp at 41,036 miles in August 2006 and there are a few invoices for subsequent upkeep including a new alternator in August 2016 and a new fuel pump and door central locking vacuum pump in 2020 plus new plastic windows in the soft top. An owner’s handbook is present as are two sets of keys.

In February this year the car went to the SL Shop near Stratford for a thorough check-over, the detailed report on file basically giving it a clean bill of health but mentioning a few things to keep an eye on (power steering fluid dark; squeaky fan belt; bonnet insulation missing; front brake discs 20% life remaining, rears 40% etc).
The car is said to drive as you would expect for such a low mileage car with an MOT until November 2021 and a good electric soft top that operates as it should. All that really lets the side down is the peeling lacquer coat on the red paintwork which affects various panels on the car, as can be seen in the photos. A full respray would transform it into a real beauty but it still looks smart enough from a few feet away and you wouldn’t be embarrassed to run around in it as it is.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]