1997 Mercedes-Benz SL 280 (R129) |

Closed Auction- Unsold

1997 Mercedes-Benz SL 280 (R129)

This auction has now closed - click 'Register Similar' below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Mileage~54,042
TransmissionAutomatic
Engine2.8L
LocationDalry

AUCTION CLOSED

1997 Mercedes-Benz SL 280 (R129)

Introduction

Adam Purrier

CEO

The R129 model introduced improved safety features, a modern facelift over its predecessor, and improved performance making this late 90’s roadster worthy of a place in the Mercedes-Benz history book.

Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1989, the Mercedes-Benz R129 was a direct replacement for the R107 of previous years and brought with it a number of changes including a hidden roll over bar and adaptive damping system, making this one of the safest vehicles of its time.

This particular car comes from a 14 year ownership with current owner Robert and benefits from low mileage for its age at only ~54,000 miles, included hard top, and a healthy service history in Roberts ownership consisting of 16 service stamps in total. Of course the rear badge isn't quite right, a little upgrade from a previous owner perhaps ;-)

This listing was written from information supplied by Adam after meeting Robert the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I was attracted to this car by its sleek body lines and fantastic colourway, I’d wanted a Mercedes for a while and simply couldn’t say no!

Robert has owned the car for 14 years, during which time he has loved every moment spent with the car, and when speaking with him about his ownership he struggles to find fault with the car. During his ownership he has made no changes to the car and has maintained a good level of service history.

Having owned the car for more than a decade, Robert has begun having a little difficulty getting in and out of the car due to age and has made the tough decision to sell the car, so that someone else might enjoy the car as much as he has.

Robert

Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior
Interior
Mechanics
History
All Images

EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

The R129 features a facelifted exterior, providing classic 90’s sports car styling combined with stunning red paintwork and silver alloy wheels to create a timeless exterior.

Wheels and Tyres

The wheels are in good condition for the age of the vehicle, showing no signs of corrosion or curb damage. The silver paintwork is in good condition too, with no peeling or fading. The spare wheel however does show some sign of corrosion and could benefit from refurb.

The Ventus tyres are in excellent condition, with plenty of tread overall and no signs of degradation to the sidewalls or tread surface - these tyres are only a few years old, having been fitted in 2019.

Bodywork

The bodywork itself appears to be straight and true, with no visually misaligned panels or uneven body lines. There are no visible bumps, dents, or knocks to the bodywork, and the sills and wheel arches appear to be solid too.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The red paintwork on the vehicle is in good condition overall, however it could definitely benefit from a machine polish to rejuvenate the paint and bring back the original lustre of the otherwise fantastic paintwork. There are some stone chips as to be expected with the age of the car, but these are not heavy and could be described as light stone chipping.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass is in good condition, we couldn’t find any major chips, cracks, or scratches to any of the glass present on the vehicle and likewise there were no damaged bits of trim that we could see during our time with the car.

It is worth noting that at some point prior to Robert’s ownership the SL280 badge has been replaced with an SL500 badge, we would recommend removing this and replacing with the appropriate SL280 badge in order to maintain the originality of the vehicle.

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

With electronically adjustable seats, full leather interior, burl wood dashboard highlights and space for four, the interior of the SL280 is a very pleasant place to be.

Seats and Carpets

The cream leather seats are in good condition for their age, with no cracks, rips, or tears present in the hide, and only mild age related wear - however the leather could do with a good clean to bring back the original colour of the hide.

The carpets too are in good condition, with no major wear present however we think the interior would benefit from a deep clean to really restore the otherwise good condition interior to its original quality.

Dashboard

The dashboard is also in good condition, we couldn’t see any signs of delamination of the burl wood inserts, a common problem with older wooden dashboards, and the rest of the dash is in good condition too with no visible scratches or cracks to any of the plastics.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The leather steering wheel is in fair condition much like the seats, showing minimal signs of wear and the stitching is in good condition too with no real damage to speak of.

The automatic gear selector is also in good condition too.

VIEW ALL

'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

With a 2.8L engine producing ~190BHP and a very capable automatic gearbox, the Mercedes-Benz SL280 provides an engaging and fun drive with the reliability of typical German engineering.

Engine and Gearbox

During our ‘On The Road’ video above you can see the engine start from cold - it starts with no hesitation, turning over just fine and then idling comfortably as you would expect.

The gearbox performed as expected too, with the automatic box shifting gears reliably and smoothly without any knocks or lurches either.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension performed well during our time with the car, handling corners nicely, providing a good level of comfort to the ride, and did not present any knocks or bangs that we could tell.

The brakes tell a similar story, stopping the car quickly and efficiently with no squealing or grinding.

The Drive

Having the straight six engine the vehicle sounds fantastic, making the car worth driving purely for the engine note, however combined with the ease of the automatic gearbox this really does make for a wonderful driving experience. Be it B-Road blasts or lazy Sunday driving, the SL280 is a fantastic all rounder.

Electrics and Other

During our time with the vehicle we checked all aspects of the electricals on the car, including the electronically adjustable seats, the electronic convertible roof, and all the usual electrics such as stereo, blowers, and lights all of which worked as expected with no faults.

There was a bulb warning light that flashed up for a short period of time whilst we were with the car, however it quickly went off leading us to believe there is a faulty connection to blame - this would need to be confirmed by an auto electrician.

VIEW ALL

History and Paperwork

An honest and genuine example with low miles and long ownership, this SL280 is the perfect car for summer 2023.

Having owned the vehicle for 14 years Robert has made sure to keep the vehicle well maintained, including its most recent service in November of 2022. Having had no big bills, this car has obviously been well cared for during its time on the road, and with only ~54,000 miles this is one of the lower mileage examples on the market.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
21.03.1997	Pre-Delivery Inspection	N/A
29.05.1997	Service	1,781
06.11.1998	Service	5,836
27.07.2001	Service	16,924
24.04.2009	Service	32,350
20.04.2010	Service	34,332
04.04.2011	Service	36,680
23.02.2012	Service	39,418
22.04.2013	Service	41,199
25.04.2014	Service	42,850
20.04.2015	Service	44,831
25.04.2016	Service	45,876
28.04.2017	Service	46,724
23.04.2018	Service	47,801
26.04.2019	Service	49,407
20.07.2020	Service	50,434
09.11.2022	Service	53,820

VIEW ALL

Key Details

ModelSL280
TransmissionAutomatic
Reg. Date26.03.1997
CC2799
Mileage~54,042
HistoryGood
ColourRed
Interior ColourCream/Black
Interior TrimLeather
Chassis #WDB1290582F151398
Engine #10494322007285
Last Service09.11.2022
MOTYes Exp. 09.11.2023
MOT ExemptNo
Road Tax ExemptNo
Former Keepers6
Tyre TreadGood
Tyre BrandVentus
Tyre AgeDOT Marked 2019
LHD or RHDRHD
VisitedYes
Sale TypePrivate
Owned14 Years
Key FeatureLow Miles
Auction ID1299

VIEW ALL

All Images

All Videos

Vehicle Location

Dalry, Scotland

Delivery Calculator

Auction Closed

Register your interest for similar cars.

This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

Ask Questions

Seller : HBob

Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.

6 Comments

PAJ

1 year ago

Thanks

HBob

Seller

1 year ago

Hi
In the fourteen years I have owned the car there have been no accidents or problems with the electrics, see the garage bills on the web site. As can be seen from the photographs the paint work is in very good condition.

PAJ

1 year ago

Hi
Has the car had any paintwork, accidents or problems with the electrics.

HBob

Seller

1 year ago

There is a hardtop available and will come with a storage stand. The hardtop also has a heated rear screen.

philsw

1 year ago

Hi does the car have a hard top ? Thanks

Kulraj Salh

Admin

philsw

1 year ago

Hi philsw – The seller HBob has supplied some pictures of the hard top and stand, these have been added to the end of the “Exterior Gallery”.

https://www.tradeclassics.com/auctions/mercedes/1997-mercedes-benz-280sl/#gallery1-223

https://www.tradeclassics.com/auctions/mercedes/1997-mercedes-benz-280sl/#gallery1-224

Best, Kulraj – Trade Classics

MORE COMMENTS MORE COMMENTS

Vehicle Location

Dalry, Scotland

Delivery Calculator

Thank You

Form Submitted

Your request has been submitted successfully and we'll keep you updated.