Tag: Roadster

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1JZ-Powered 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

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When someone says “engine swap” on an old car, my mind automatically goes to a big V8 swap in an American muscle car. It certainly doesn’t go to today’s car.

What we have is a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL with a Toyota 1JZ-GTE turbocharged inline-six. Talk about an odd couple. The R107 is so far from the tuner-culture 1JZ that I’m really struggling to see who this appeals to. Toyota fans who want something classy? Or R107 fans who want easy power? Either way, I am extremely impressed with this build. Something I don’t say often.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1JZ-Powered 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL on eBay

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

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Last week I laid out why I think right now the R230 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is probably the best value in the Mercedes-Benz world. It has the perfect combination of very high production numbers and the perfect timing of too old to be modern but too young to be a classic. Today, we have the previous generation that had a similar production run, which means it can still be had for very little money given how many are out there floating around. Of course I’m talking about the trusty R129, and more specifically an early 500SL.

This example up for sale in New Jersey is finished in one of my favorite colors of Spruce Green and just has shy of 51,000 miles. The best part? The asking price is only $10,900. Of course there is a catch.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500SL on eBay

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2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500

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For me, right now, there is no better value in the Mercedes-Benz world than the R230 generation SL-Class. A nearly $90,000 car new back when it first launched almost 20 years ago has probably reached its floor for the well-loved models. If you want in on one, now is the time. Thankfully just like the previous generation, the R230 had a long production run with no less than five different engine choices including a V12. Of course, the real value is with the classic M113 5.0-liter V8 with the nearly indestructible 722.6 five-speed automatic. Today’s example, an Amber Red Metallic example up for sale in Nevada, is looking to be a real deal even in today’s thirst for everything cool in the automotive world.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 on eBay

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2014 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG

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Long live the V12! In all seriousness, I’m not breaking any news here saying the V12 engine is not long for this world. The return just isn’t there for companies with the emissions regulations and you can make comparable power with turbochargers, superchargers, and electric batteries. Thankfully we have roughly 30 years of them to choose from and they seem to be aging reasonably well, all things considered. My favorite V12, the Mercedes-Benz M275, can be had across various of platforms and it seems the secret is out about them. Today’s car, a 2014 SL65 AMG, came with a giant sticker price of over $215,000, but that doesn’t mean you are going to be snagging this one for $48,000 some eight years later. Not even close.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2014 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG on eBay

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1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

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At some point, you have to throw in the towel. A car that gets too far gone and well past the point of mathematical sense to fix, or try to dish it off as a parts car. Ideally, you are never faced with the situation, but when you are, you probably have to take a real hard look from an outside perspective. I think today’s car, a 1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SL, is one of those situations.

This is admittedly a rare Euro car with the slim bumpers, nice headlights, and M110 inline-six engine. Other than that, it is a typical R107 that there are more than plenty out there at every price level. The problem is, the condition is not good – not good at all. Is it worth saving?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SL on eBay

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1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL

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Fresh off the craziest Porsche 911 color combo I’ve ever seen, today we have a Mercedes-Benz that is ready to join the party. This 1993 600SL looks innocent enough on the outside, but once you open those doors, the 1990s slap you right in the face. The dealer in Germany is claiming this is a one-off pre-merger AMG and while I’m normally skeptical of any dealer claim, I think I am buying this story. Although that is the only thing I’m buying once you see the asking price. Hold on.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL at V&G Automobile

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2000 Mercedes-Benz SL600

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I’m not exactly breaking any news here, but if you want an R129 Mercedes-Benz 600SL/SL600 at somewhat of a reasonable price, don’t sit around too much longer. The cream of the crop is already selling for a ton of money, and the very nice examples have quickly risen to a level where you really have to love these cars to spend the amount of money they are demanding. Thankfully there still are some not-so expensive ones out there on the market, but I think it is very clearly becoming a “you get what you pay” situation on them. Today’s example, a 2000 SL600 up for sale outside of Boston, sure seems to be one of those cases.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL600 on eBay

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2016 Mercedes-Benz SL400

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Today I wanted to look at a 2016 Mercedes-Benz … SL400? Yes, that is a thing. Back in 2015, Mercedes-Benz introduced the SL400 with a 329 horsepower 3.0L twin-turbo V6 paired with a the 722.9 seven-speed automatic. The whole reason for this is that the base price was $85,000, which meant it was $23,000 less than the SL550. For legacy SL buyers, that is a big deal. You still get your SL with all the toys, but save a bunch of money if you don’t ever use 430 horsepower. This was true in a lot of households as these cars are used as Sunday cruisers and rarely get full throttle. A win-win for both Mercedes and buyers as more cars were sold and buyers save a little bit of coin. Now five years later, these could be a bargain, right?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2016 Mercedes-Benz SL400 on eBay

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2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500

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Hard to believe we are in the middle of August, but we say that every year like its some kind of surprise that the calendar moves. Soon we’ll be heading into fall with cooler temperatures and, eventually the dreaded “W” word. What won’t be cooling off anytime soon is the demand for really nice R129 Mercedes-Benz models. I think the day is finally here for this generation of SL-Class and some recent results for nice examples only back that up. For now, it seems like its the second facelift cars with the SL1 and SL2 packages that are in most demand, and wouldn’t you know, that is exactly what we have up for sale today in Arizona. This one finished in the always fun Amber Red Metallic checks in with 65,000 miles and surely looks the part. The asking price of course reflects that too.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500 on eBay

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2008 Audi TT 3.2 Quattro Roadster 6-Speed

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VAG’s decisions on who would be able to shift their own gears have always been a bit confusing, but the period of the 3.2 VR6 is really where this came to a head for U.S. customers. In 2004, Volkswagen brought their hottest Golf (finally!) to our market, featuring the singing VR6 in 6-speed manual only form with the R32. Great, but Audi offered the same platform in slinkier TT 3.2 Quattro form. However, fans of manual shifting were overlooked as Audi opted to bring the top TT here only with DSG. This carried over to the A3 model range, where you could get a 3.2 quattro but only with the DSG box.

When it came to the next generation, VAG opted to change this formula. As it had been a fan favorite, you’d assume that the R32 would retain the same layout. But no, Volkswagen removed the manual option and the Mk.5 based R32 became DSG-only. So that would hold true in the bigger budget, typically more tech-heavy TT too, right? Wrong, as in the 2nd generation, Audi finally opted to allow buyers to select a manual in either Coupe or Roadster form:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 Audi TT 3.2 quattro Roadster 6-speed on eBay

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