Find me a 450SL please!

colm_mcm

Anyone out there looking at used car websites keep an eye out for a nice Merc 450SL or maybe a SLC


Here are the musts:
not be white
be 1978 or older
have leather or MBTex interior
be in the UK
be under £4,000
also have the hardtop if it's a convertible

I'd like one with AMG bits too! not hugely important.

Had my eye on a silver 78 coupe, but it got sold in the last few hours!

unkel

What made you decide to go for the safer classic car option?

Can't blame ya though. Lovely cars. My personal preference has always been an SLC

colm_mcm

a combination of things,
parts availability for the Merc should be easier
the Merc has a bigger engine and 2 extra cylinders
Merc has a nicer interior
possibly better image for the Merc, and the possibility of convertible

SLC very nice, would definately consider one. but for the mileage I do, a convertible with an extra hardtop is ideal

--amadeus--

I came very close to buying a 450SL before I took the plunge on my current car (there should be a thread full of great buying advice called something like "p1800 or 450SL" if you search).

The one thing I would say is that you seem to have set a very restricted budget. The one I was interested in was a sniff under £6k and I was warned off it because it was so cheap, I don't think I saw any sub 5k. What kind of condition are you expecting at that price level?

SLCs are a fair bit cheaper for some reason - you'd probably get a better car for teh money if you went SLC rather than SL

mike65

£4000 for a softtop SL? You'll be lucky to find one that isn't a smooth looking rust bucket.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C34603
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C36872
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C34610

Mike.

Dades

I assume it doesn't need to be a 450SL? I'm sure you could get by with a 2.8 or 3.5 litres!

Ebay 350? Irish car originally - could be a rust trap though.
(Actually as per Mikes small ad above).

Not a bad looking SLC.

Not much out there for that price.
Methinks your search will require patience/more cash!

MercMad

I think unless you increase your budget, you will be buying a rust bucket that will eat cash, possibly much more than you've spent in a short time.

Forget SL's at that price, the only ones you'll find may be topless but they will be bottomless too !

SLC's rust very badly in the sills and bulkhead area, sometimes only the underseal is holding them together so if you do look at any get poking with a screwdriver and also jack it up to make sure its not just the jack that goes up !!!

Good luck !

colm_mcm

I can raise the budget, don't particularly want a 5hitebox. saw some nice looking ones for around the 4k sterling mark, all are now sold.
i know bad cars can look nice in pics easily.

I'm adament about the 450 bit though. a 2.8 or 3.5 wouldn't interest me at all!

Volvoboy

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/SL-500/AMG/764824/

Wee bit over your budget but dear god its worth it!:eek:


-VB-

colm_mcm

bit over budget, then slap a years tax on top of that too :eek:

--amadeus--

If you are willing to move on budget then I came very close to buying this car

Owner uses it for long runs, is a member of teh owners club and spent a lot of time and money on the car. I wasn't keen on the interior colour and decided to go for a Lotus instead but it was the best 450SL I found in a couple of months of looking. This was just after Xmas though, I don't know if it's still available.

Dades

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'm adament about the 450 bit though. a 2.8 or 3.5 wouldn't interest me at all!

You're not really going to need that extra 25hp you know!
Don't tell me - the tax will be €46 regardless - so you're intent on getting your monies worth?

VB - I'd be suspicious of that AMG at that price. Even with the newly painted tyres!

pburns

Volvoboy wrote: »

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mercedes-Benz/SL-500/AMG/764824/

Wee bit over your budget but dear god its worth it!:eek:

-VB-

Looks like something a gangsters moll off Miami Vice would drive.

Saw an old episode of Dallas recently (Series one, from late '70s). Bobby drove a red SL - really class, not flashy like today's model...

colm_mcm

Dades wrote: »

You're not really going to need that extra 25hp you know!
Don't tell me - the tax will be €46 regardless - so you're intent on getting your monies worth?

my last car was a v6, the one before that was 4 cylinder, the only logical step forward is a V8.

I'm not looking for a concours example. just something I can drive every so often. I'm prepared to take a chance on one I've seen on carandclassic, contacted seller for more details.....