1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

Last week I looked at a really cool 1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL that took the early R129 styling cues and freshened them up a little bit thanks to some different wheels, tail lights and a little bit of paint. The price was more than reasonable for all you were getting and I think that you would probably do just fine when it came to keeping the value on that car.  Today, I wanted to look at another early R129 that is nearly stock just to compare it when it comes to styling. This 1992 500SL up for sale in Alabama is painted in the classic Pearl Gray with dark gray lower cladding that is just a wonderful example of what these early R129s are. Nothing is aggressive or flashy, just a perfectly crafted Mercedes roadster that is built to pass the test of time. The best part about it? You can grab this one for under $10,000.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SL on eBay

Year: 1992
Model: 500SL
Engine: 5.0 liter V8
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 88,238 mi
Price: $9,890 Buy It Now

**1-Owner, Clean Carfax!** Local new car trade-in. Routine documented services since day one! Recent convertible top replacment. Loaded with premium heated leather, full power top, burl wood trim & more. Only 88K miles. Can’t beat this deal on a Mercedes SL roadster! Just serviced & inspected. Sharp! Call or text 256-595-9403 / or 205-789-7625 for more info.

Truth be told, if you gave me $10,000 and told me to go buy a R129, I’m finding a 2000-2002 SL500 with the SL1 and SL2 packages that probably looks a lot like this. Yes, it would have a few miles on it, but miles have never scared me away from any car and the nearly bulletproof M113 won’t change that. However, if you told me to get a pre-1995 R129, this one would be near the top of the list. I think these early cars look much better in softer colors because colors like red can be quite jarring on this body. Inside, the different colors of gray blend nicely and the burl wood still has that deep, rich look to it. Everything else seems to be nice although I would throw that aftermarket headunit out the window on the drive home and try to find a stock radio to replace it. One other little thing is that the driver’s side bolster has a wear spot on it that you can barely see in some of the photos. Under the wood, well, I don’t know because there are no photos of that, but the M119 shouldn’t be too much of a handful if you know your way around it.

I think the hair under $10,000 for this car is a decent price given it’s condition and just 88,000 miles. It isn’t the best deal in the world, but you probably won’t lose much on this car if you buy it to be a weekend driver with some days to commute with it on the really nice days. The values on R129s have been pretty stable and haven’t been going either direction outside of the really special cars, so if you prefer the looks of these great roadsters, I have no qualms at all with this one or any other. As always, keep them maintained and it’ll be a good ownership experience.

– Andrew