Full disclosure: I own a 1989 560SL, so if you’re looking for an impartial review, this isn’t the article for you. There isn’t a thing I dislike about mine, though others might find it heavy off the line and awkward in the curves. Mine has rallied, it has toured, it has gone to work, the grocery, the barn. It has been my commuter for the 15 hour drive down to Monterey Classic Car Week (where it managed to collect business cards that read “I want to buy your car, please call”), and back, in hot weather. It always starts, stops, shifts, and steers with aplomb. It’s the “no muss, no fuss” car. Plus, if you put in a bit of effort (there’s a lot of chrome and rubber), the 560SL will shine like a Hollywood celebrity at the Oscars. They’re that good. Now that you know my bias, let’s discuss this low-mileage, one-owner, 1987 560SL here on eBay, with bidding at $25,100, reserve not met. This car is located in Gainesville, Georgia.
The 560SL was the last and best of the R107 series, outfitted with the potent and durable M119 5.0L V8 engine, good for 227 hp and 279 lb-ft of torque. The car is fast: sixty mph comes up in around 7.5 seconds, and top speed is a respectable 140 mph. Of course, getting there will drain the fuel tank in no time flat – these cars register about 17 mpg on the highway. Power steering, a four-speed automatic, and a sophisticated suspension are designed to transport occupants in style; the car does not expect you to dive into turns one and two after the straight at PIR. Disc brakes at all four corners and a limited-slip differential round out the mechanical components. This 560SL has traveled only 42,812 miles under one owner – it’s barely broken in! When I shopped for my car, I settled for a high-mileage driver-quality example that I could improve over time, but – and this sounds weirdly picky – I wanted a car with all its factory engine bay stickers, its first aid kit, and whatever other tokens of originality I could muster. This car passes all my tests, but it will sell for much more than I paid.
Speaking of prices, these cars cost $65k new – the equivalent of $170k today. Consequently, the cabin is suitably luxurious with real wood trim, wool carpets, Mercedes’ famous MB-Tex vinyl upholstery, and either a hard top or a soft top – or both. Chrome trim is splashed here and there – enough to be convincing but not ostentatious. This example is in decent condition, but the driver’s seat needs attention: the upholstery is dirty, and the pleats are uneven. With the sale comes most of the car’s original documentation and two keys.
Another requirement I imposed on my purchase: the car had to come with its original color-matched hard top. Today’s example apparently features a soft top only. Fortunately, the car is black so finding a used hard top and painting it to match won’t be much of a chore. Finally, if I must have a third brake light, I much prefer the small-profile version used in ’88 and ’89, versus the lump on the trunk here. All that said, this one’s low miles will serve to keep its value well above mine for years to come. Comparable-mileage 560SLs sell for $30k or more. Less well-traveled examples can breach $50k. Have you ever owned a 560SL? What did you think of it?
1st memory of these was from the tv show Dallas. Sounds like yours has been as tough and reliable as anyone could ask Michelle. 👍 Beautiful cars, great stance, love the front end.
If you want a R107, this would be a decent choice. The 560SLs are the best of the bunch for power, and long-term value.
While not quite mint, this car wins points on being a one-owner, low-miler, with service history.
I have had several R107s as summer drivers, and would not bother to acquire a hard-top for this one. They are a finger-pinching PITA to handle & store.
There are always cheap ones around, but they almost always cost way more to put right.
Great information here, Cam.
Have always liked these. I brokered one and drove it a little bit. Was lots of fun at the time. Got more looks from the ladies than just about any other car that I thought could be a chick magnet. Of course one problem could have been the driver was always the same.
One could get MB-Tex in US-delivered 560 SLs? I’m an advocate of MB-Tex in convertibles and for those who miss the olfactory pleasures, aerosol sprays are available.
Owned an ‘88 560SL, which was my dad’s car. Arctic White with blue. Great car per earlier posts. This car is absolutely beautiful and well maintained. That said, I would be a little concerned about the timing chain guide rails. They are plastic, and can easily break after almost 40 years of work. Just something to think about if looking to buy one. I had mine replaced during ownership. GLWTS.
Looking at the interior I would think it might be 141, instead of 41, just saying, still a pretty car.
I bought an 89 as a divorce consolation prize, and it did console me XD. Then, a few years later, my daughter totaled it – and I was inconsolable. I still haven’t forgiven her, and that was 18 years ago. I loved driving it down A1A from my NE Florida home to a beach place I had in Flagler Beach – a beautiful drive, top down. It was navy blue top and interior, and Astral silver. I loved it. I had at the same time the same color 91 300 SEL, and side by side in the driveway, I thought they looked like perfection. This was in the late 90s, very early 2000s, so they had some years on them, but were low mileage in perfect shape. Gorgeous Teutonic seriousness in their “look.” To the point, I had a Russian guy with a big Mercedes part out business come to buy it out of my garage, where I’d kept it after the wreck hoping it might be repaired. He said it couldn’t. But he also said they were called “Panzerwagen” for how tough they were built, and that they had the chassis, or at least the suspension, of the full sized sedans. I got rear ended in the 300 SEL sedan too, a good hard hit that totaled the car that hit me, and it literally did not make a mark on my car. Amazing.
Owner too still in love with this car with head in clouds over price expectations. His “our $35,000 buy-it-now — firm on price” says it all.
Pure elegance from stem to stern. A minimum of effort would make that interior more inviting.
Had one like this. Never could get A/C to work right. Had no hardtop. Found one in Van Nuys, CA, at a foreign car parts dismantler. He said come on back. There were a dozen lined up against the wall. “ Take your pick, $200”!
Beautiful and far superior to any junk MB builds today. But they require far more maintenance than most vehicles. If yoh do not have the funds, move on. Parts costs are very high.
You can buy these here in Oregon, in good shape, for $10,000. And mostly its boomers who are buying them; young classic owners would rather have Japanese cars or trucks. The big problem is the plastic cam chain guides, which are expensive to fix and evidently have not been fixed on this car. Also, no hard top would be a dealbreaker for me. You think they’ll be easy to find, but the minute you go looking for one, you can’t find them anywhere; my two cents.
We had an 89, matching hard top, 48k miles, Sandstone color (don’t remember the exact name of the paint, but a unique goldish/sand) with darker brown leather interior. Like new. Sold at auction for 26K to a guy in Saudi Arabia-he had it shipped. 35k is asking a lot considering no hard top, seat wear. But to each their own, I had thought it would go for more. One guy got mad as he was going to bid higher but his keyboard stuck and the clock ran out. Never going to know how high it would have gone.
I owned an 87 560 SEC lovely BENZ . Just make sure your service shop is credible. The people that service my car was taking parts off my car for another customer’s car just like mine. When I found out l had to replace everything they took. After that I sold the car.The only BENZ I ever owned, So it was a good and bad experience.