My friend owns a 1999 SL500 Sport. He is selling it to move up to something else. The car has 54,000 miles on it. All of the service records are intact. The car was recently damaged by hail, and I am waiting on a company to give me an estimate on repairing this. I am seeing prices across the board. From $20,000 from wholesalers purchase price to $35,000 suggested retail. Interior and exterior are in excellent shape other than the damage. Can anyone give me any idea on what is a fair price?
Also, the hardtop has never been removed. The car is Black and the interior is gray. The owner assumes the softtop is black or gray. Does anyone know for sure?
Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated.

 

If I were you, I'd take the hardtop off to check the roof. Not to check the colour, but to make sure:

It works cause the motor could've seized.
It still seals and fits properly.
And it is in good condition.

I don't own a SL (yet) or know all that much about them, but the roof is vital in any convertable. The softop could've been up in the hailstorm and be full of holes or someone may have broken it the car once by tearing through it, who knows.

Would costs a fortune to fix if something was wrong with it.

 

Fair price under 30K........

 

Really??? Seven years with hardtop in place? Why did he bought an SL in the first place?

 

$35,000 is way too much for a 1999 500 UNLESS it is in mint perfect shape. Yours sounds like it potentially has problems.


Check out KBB.com

I would suggest $25,000 to $29,000 MINUS the cost to repair the body damage.

BUT BUT BUT -- you didn't way which options, the wheels, CD player, etc. All effect value.

Another BIG BUT -- there are plenty of R129's in great shape. Why buy one with potential problems? There was a guy on this board last month -- his buddy was selling one in for something like $38,000 -- it was SILVER ARROW 2002 -- and had about $50,000 worth of Brabus upgrades.

So, look around -- you can get something very sweet for $35,000. Another example: Mine. August 2005. 2001 SL500. 42,000 miles. Designo. Sport. AMG wheels. Cross-drilled rotors. 100,000 Starmark Warranty. 6 CD changer. Premium sound. Phone option. $36,000.

Shipping cost for coast to coast is about $1,200 -- so don't let geography stop you from shopping for something great.

These babies are VERY expensive for parts -- engines last forever, it seems, but little stuff, like mirrors and body trim and antennas, are hundreds -- so, find one in as good a shape as possible. OR find an OLDER one cheap -- like 1995 through 1997.

www.cars.com lists about 100 95's through 97 (97 is supposed to be best year) -- for under $20,000. Some with low 50,000 mile range.

Imagine what you could do with the extra $15,000 you save.

 

I have a 99 that now has 50,000 miles, you'll love the car. A good deal would be 25 - 28ooo dollars. Keep an eye on ebay for the best deal. Don't buy the one with hail damage unless you get another huge discount off the 25 - 28k... Also, anyone who says they have never had the hard top off is not being truthful or has something to hide.
Beyond this, i have seen some sweet deals on 99's on ebay, look for one with a panoramic hard top, this is sweet...

 

Buying a used car is always something of a leap into the unknown, unless you can buy a car that you know already. That's the advantage of this one. You know it and you know what's wrong with it: the hail storm damage. All the other cars have got somehing wrong with them, too; you just don't know what it is.

These are my thoughts:

Colour and spec sound great, but then it's a matter of taste.

54k miles is perceived as high by the market, but it is nothing if the car is well-maintained. Mine has 113k on it and still feels new.

Hailstorm damage is cosmetic. Negotiate a price and then deduct the cost of fixing the damage to your satisfaction.

Check the hood works. This is essential. I can believe the hardtop has never been off the car; there is a 2001 parks round the corner from me every day; the hardtop has never been off it.

Is it a post-06/98 car? These cars have all the latest updates including the M113 3-valve engine. Cheaper to service, more fuel efficient and torquier too, not to mention more modern. These cars also have all the toys.

I'd be surprised if you had to pay more than $27k less the cost of repair.

 

I have a friend who owns a Pre-owned Euro car dealership in the Bay area, and he had a 2001 SL500 AMG package with 50,000 miles for sale and was listed at $27,000 (with one year dealer warranty).

I bought mine 2000 SL500 30 mos ago without the sport package with 31,000 miles for $30,000 at a MB dealership. Perfect conditions, no dent or scratches. I was willing to pay extra for the CPO program since I don't know the previous owner and the CPO program "supposing" replaced all the worn out parts b4 it can be listed for sale.

That should give you an idea what these cars go for.

 

Bought my 1999 Sl 500 Sport May 17th 2007 41K Red all options and pano top. Paid 30K

 

Personally, I'd be a little leery of buying an SL from someone who has owned an SL for a while but is unsure of the color of the canvas. Agree with J.Oli... why did the person buy a convertible if he/she never wanted to take the top off?

Issues with the convertible mechanism can be expensive. And if the thing hasn't been moved in years, who knows what trouble(s) lurk in the seized and bound mechanism. And the R129 ragtops come in two pieces. They do require a bit of 'art' to install properly. Hell, just taking the hardtop off after all these years could damage seals if they are bound to the body from the ravages of time.

As to the price... what's the car worth to you? If you really, REALLY love the car, then you'll pay a higher end price. If it's just 'transportation', then your price will probably not be the sellers' price. And as mentioned before me, options and doo-dads can add to the value/price of the vehicle.

On the positive side, I own two R129's and love 'em. Parts are pricey, but they are fairly reliable - if well maintained. However, the true personal value of an SL is driving with the top down, wind in your hair and being the envy of those driving around you stuck in sedans and SUV's.

Finally, do you really want to buy a car from a good friend? If the car craps out 2 weeks after buying it, how would you feel? Regardless of your decision, good luck in your quest for an SL!

 

I've been investigating this range and model for a near-future purchase and it sounds like your friend is trying to pull one over you.

As others have said, the price range for this year and mileage is around $25K, give or take a few options and overall condition.

But if I discovered that then soft-top mechanism had not been used in years, I would investigate everything thoroughly.

There are too many fine examples of this model to settle for a questionable specimen.

Look around like I am. You'll find several gems.


Cavaleer