'86 MB 560SL, Creampuff...

M.D. Holloway · 02-07-2014, 01:52 PM

Drove by a sweet, and I mean sweet 1986 560SL Benz, has 50K on it, owner asking $18,000. The car is almost show room perfect. A southern car that saw weekend drives and kept in a garage under a tarp. I'm thinking about that car, thinking I may want to buy and flip for $20 to $22 if I could...prolly not, but what a sweet ride!

I'll try to get pics...

aigel · aigel's Garage

Have you driven one of these? Built like a tank. And drives like one too.

The steering wheel is straight from a school bus and it probably weighs just as much. 18k seems steep, but maybe they are creeping up thanks to Euro buyers.

G

HardDrive · 02-07-2014, 02:46 PM

I've driven one recently. I could have gotten it cheap, and didn't buy it. I thought the seats were uncomfortable, and it didn't have enough head room. Not a sports car to be sure. The one redeeming factor is the 350ci krautblock under the hood. You put your foot down, and it goes like stink.

aigel · aigel's Garage

You should page chocaholic. He's got his for sale now that he found a real car. I am sure his will be less than 18k and you can drive it without worrying about taking off value.

G

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Wow, those things go for the upper teens now?! A couple years ago I saw one ('89, the last year) listed on CL. A Beverly Hills car. Maybe not 50K miles, but it sounded like a well-kept car. They were asking around $8K, from what I remember.

Embraer · Embraer's Garage

good luck flipping that car for profit!

aigel · aigel's Garage

I doubt they fetch upper teens. But I can't say I have been in the market for one.

G

aigel · aigel's Garage

I doubt they fetch upper teens. But I can't say I have been in the market for one.

G

speeder · 02-07-2014, 10:17 PM

I've seen them go for $20k or more but they have to be absolutely concours. It is really easy to need $6-7k worth of work on one that *looks perfect* as well.

Here is one that went for over $20k, absolute creampuff with low miles, no paintwork, etc.:

slow&rusty · 02-08-2014, 04:31 AM

Until recently, these cars were absolute bargains. In some regard its good to see the values go up, as they were severely under appreciated. The US spec 5.6L with the cats and restrictive exhaust really take the fun out of these large V8s, but once up to speed they are great to drive and so ultra pretty in stock form (without having to add aftermarket wheels or suspension work).
Yasin

Shaun @ Tru6 · 02-08-2014, 06:18 AM

Nice cars are $8K to $12K around here. Drivers are $5K and less.

Steve Carlton · 02-08-2014, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speeder

It is really easy to need $6-7k worth of work on one that *looks perfect* as well.

Yep. Deferred maintenance is not your friend. No idea what state you're in, but you probably are required to pay tax on the purchase, even if you flip it. Dodging that is probably easy, but it's flaky if you don't have a license.

speeder · 02-08-2014, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

Nice cars are $8K to $12K around here. Drivers are $5K and less.

But you are in Boston. Unless it's been in bubble-wrap since it was new, there are no "nice cars" there.

Shaun @ Tru6 · 02-08-2014, 07:38 AM

Denis, the 8-12K cars are summer only, 70K mile cars. And they are kept up by old white rich people either at the dealer or a high-end shop like European Auto Solutions | Mercedes-Benz Repair

Many of these cars haven't seen rain, let alone snow.

speeder · 02-08-2014, 08:01 AM

OK, I guess that's possible. Most of these cars were year round, daily drivers wherever they were sold, at least for the first part of their lives. My dad's car, (which I now own and keep in CA.), was driven year round for the first years of its life and it has rust as a result.

These were expensive cars new but never exotic in the least or true sports cars, so most were driven. What is more typical, since it's sort of an "old person's car", is that they fell into disuse within a few short years from new because the owners got too old to drive them.

They will never be seriously collectible, IMO, because they just sold too darn many of them and the supply will always meet the demand, which will dwindle because many of today's young people just don't like cars and the fuel and maintenance costs can be prohibitive. They are pigs at the pump.

herr_oberst · 02-08-2014, 08:14 AM

Of course, if you want the budget Merc, you can do-it-yourself:

(Yes, those are fence boards under the rack rails. Yes, that's woodgrain Contact® paper on the lid

tabs · 02-08-2014, 08:51 AM

Does the top come off on the 560 SL's?

HardDrive · 02-08-2014, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tabs

Does the top come off on the 560 SL's?

Yes. Requires 2 special levers to get it off.

tabs · 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Yes. Requires 2 special levers to get it off.

You mean like Screw Drivers, or are they like Can Openers? I think that the problem for me with the Benz is that I would feel like a Sardine in a can sitting in one of those PANZER WAGENS..

Recently I saw a mid 90's 500SL for sale for $5800.00.

sand_man · 02-08-2014, 12:55 PM

Not sure there is much to be made on a "flip". For comparison purposes, this car is pretty minty with all records and this dealer has had it for sale for quite a while.
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