MB 560SL in Tampa/St. Pete area. Anyone able to have a look?

[Chocaholic]

Looks like a nice car at a dealership in St. Pete. Its an 88 with 67k miles on the clock. Talked with dealer and he indicated respray of hood and trunk (pretty common on Florida cars), but otherwise appears very nice. Price is reasonable, but he does not have the hard-top for it. Not sure I'd ever use it anyway.

Apprehensive to buy it on his word. If anyone happens to be in the Tampa area, it would be easy to see since it's on display in his store. Only looking for another pair of eyes to see if there's any signs of rust spots, or front-end/back-end repairs, etc.

1988 MERCEDES BENZ SL560 ONLY 67K MILES BURGUNDY OVER TAN VERY NICE CONDITION serving St. Petersburg Tampa Largo Pinellas Park Florida

Here is dealership info:

Genuine Motorcars Inc.
3170 24TH Avenue N.
Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33713
Sales (800) 469-3631
Office (727) 323-8771

Thanks,

[speeder]

Looks pretty good in the pictures, how much are they asking for it? I would want very complete service records/receipts to back up the odometer including the maintenance book fully stamped from new. I do not see that booklet in the photo of the owners manual, etc. Many times dealers will throw that very valuable book in the trash because it has the former owner's name and address in it.

They definitely do not know or deal in Mercedes-Benzes. It is neither Burgandy nor tan. It's Cabernet Red Metallic, (DB-587), with a Parchment leather interior. Mercedes tan was called Palimino. Nit-picking? Maybe. But a dealer that knows Mercedes-Benzes is more likely to acquire a really good car than one that deals in everything and really knows nothing.

JMNSHO.

[speeder]

WOW...on second look, the seats look like Parchment, plus the door panels and rear trim, but the dash/center console and door sills look like Pailmino.

I would keep looking. Mercedes sold about a million of these cars and they are extremely common in mint condition. Many are still with their original, elderly owners sitting in garages all over the country. With low miles and complete records.

There have to be some great ones in dryer places, further from the sea.

[mikeferg75]

I just sold a mint 87 with under 50k miles, I'm interested to hear what they are asking as well...

[Chocaholic]

He's asking $15.9k (but I probably wouldn't pay much over $14). BTW....I believe the seats are MB-tex (but may be confusing it with another car I looked at). I had them in an old 300E and they were bullet proof. They hold up well but don't necessarily hold color like leather does. That may account for the difference.

I just spoke with the shop that's doing some work on it for the dealer. He gave me a careful run-down of the car. The things they're doing are:

4 new tires (dry rot), center-link tie rod and alignment, relay, sub-frame and motor mounts, hood pad, exhaust hangers, trans fluid and antenna mast replacement. Said there's a small mark where hard top probably hit (although it's missing).

Overall, for the price, it seems like a reasonable car considering the low mileage. I don't know the mechanic from a hill of beans, but he felt like it was cleaner and straighter than a lot of cars they see in their shop.

[Hads930]

I think there was a version of this engine that had timing chain problems and some needed a conversion to a beefier type. Check if that car falls into this category and if it does, inquire as to if this has been done.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by speeder

WOW...on second look, the seats look like Parchment, plus the door panels and rear trim, but the dash/center console and door sills look like Pailmino.

I've seen this before in sunny states. When the original leather dries and cracks they replace it with a "cooler" color so it doesn't get as hot.

You can't paint "just" the hood and trunk lid

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Hads930

I think there was a version of this engine that had timing chain problems and some needed a conversion to a beefier type. Check if that car falls into this category and if it does, inquire as to if this has been done.

You're thinking of the old '83ish 380 and 500 motors

The 560 motor is considered to be robust

[Shaun @ Tru6]

This is palomino, (my car it's called saffron, but same color) it's a lot richer than tan. That car looks terrible with the conflicting interior.

no more TR6s?

[slow&rusty]

Wow that SL is in beautiful shape...if you look at the under hood shot of the brackets, fasteners and stickers you can tell it has lead an easy and cared for life. Also if you look at the tiny rubber front spoiler, it looks perfect.

The two differing interior colors are odd.

The 560SL M117 engine is the small block Chevy motor for Mercedes and last forever. Engine timing chains and tensioners need to be done every 100K.

SLs in the US never came with MB-Tex, they are all leather.

Here is a picture of genuine Palomino interior as fitted to my car from this same generation of M-Bs.


Yasin

[Chocaholic]

Thanks guys. Shaun...my "game plan" if you can call it that....was to find either a TR6, a 560SL or a 911 convertible or targa. I had a 380SL when we first got married and always missed the tank-like feel of that barge. So, been keeping an eye out for all three. Had an 89 300E for about 8 years and still wish I'd never sold it. Have never owned a car since that had that feeling of quality.

Anyway...the 6 in Miss got sold before I could get a PPI and just came across this one with some spare time on the internet Christmas day. Love the color and mileage, so looked into it. I'm a little concerned about the seat color and lack of a hard-top, but the price seems right and I'm not willing to part with the cash for "perfection".

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

.....I'm a little concerned about the seat color and lack of a hard-top, but the price seems right and I'm not willing to part with the cash for "perfection".

For $16K, you should get perfection

VERY nice driver's-quality cars are out there for under $10K

[kaisen]

I've got a client with a gorgeous 1985 911 Euro-spec Cabriolet that will be for sale...it's not on the market yet

It's going to be more than $16K though

[mikeferg75]

Here is pic of mine, it was a local car, and I had all history, one very high quality repaint due to left front fender bump in parking lot, I had all docs, and history and books. Full repaint was only due to color match concerns of fender, was a 8k paintjob...

IIRC it mine had 48k when I sold it to a buddy this fall. I fixed all the things you mentioned when I bought mine, common items.

I think you have room to negotiate, very common car with low miles.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

IMHO that sounds like a sleazebag dealership. $299 "dealer delivery" fee? Gimmee a break. And they don't bother to put a price in the listing? Forget it, pass. I wouldn't buy from them on general principle.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Thanks guys. Shaun...my "game plan" if you can call it that....was to find either a TR6, a 560SL or a 911 convertible or targa.

timing wasn't right, but that 72 Targa I brokered was a good buy at $23K. 69-73 prices, even on Ts, are back at bubble days levels or higher, but there are still plenty of good deals to be found.

[kaisen]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

IMHO that sounds like a sleazebag dealership. $299 "dealer delivery" fee? Gimmee a break. And they don't bother to put a price in the listing? Forget it, pass. I wouldn't buy from them on general principle.

All Florida dealers have a dealer fee (doc fee, delivery fee, etc). Since they all have one, it's a level playing field. Some of them are $99 and some of them are $799. That's Florida for you...

Florida dealers, IMHO are generally sleazy
That's my experience having dealt with them for years
ymmv

[Chocaholic]

...and everything is negotiable. Not going to pass just because of that. BTW....I did a search for SL interior (google images) and saw a few others where the seats appeared lighter than the dash. Kind of confirms Kaisen's comment regarding the sun, etc.

Don't intend to pay his asking price, but am intrigued with 67k miles for under $15k. I like the color combo and all maintenance items being addressed including new tires, etc.

[kaisen]

Mike, this isn't personal at all....

rant on/

I've never understood buying an old car based on miles, especially a Mercedes
They're great cars because they're bulletproof, right? Bankvault solid, strong motors, etc.
So why is a 5,000 mile per year car (if 1988, then 125K miles) considersably less desirable than a 2,750 mile per year car (if 1988, then 68K miles)?
Either way that is WAY less than "normal" daily driver miles.
Both cars are probably garage queens most of the time, used only for special occasions or events.
The overall condition between a 68K mile car and a 125K mile car may or may not be perceptable. It depends on so many other factors.
Yet the difference is, say $5000
Apply $5000 to the 125K mile car and it will be NICER than the 68K mile car
Picking one because it has $350 in new tires? Or a $80 new hood pad? Really?

Yet the market just doesn't respond that way. Mileage is the only quantifiable measurement of a car's 'life', esp if you're not car savvy.
It's not like a 68K mile car is low miles. If it were two years old, we'd all shun it as having 'way too many miles' and fearing the dings, pits, nicks, and road rash associated with high miles.
I just don't get it

Buy based on condition

/rant

[kaisen]

Oh, and repainted is repainted

It's like "just the tip"