Mercedes-Benz - 500 SL - NO RESERVE - 1992

The 500 SL being offered here is from the sought after first generation, before the 1993 facelift. The 500 SL was sold in 1992 as a European version to a customer in Japan. The current owner is a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast who acquired the car in 2010 and imported it in the Netherlands. He is probably the second owner; in recent years he transferred the registration to his companies a number of times for tax reasons, but he remained the owner all these years. That also explains why the mileage did not increase much: the 500 SL is part of a collection and was always kept in dry and heated storage. In combination with the dry climate in which the car spent the first eighteen years, the bodywork has remained in excellent condition with only light signs of wear. However, that was no reason for the current owner to save money on maintenance. For example, the complete soft-top hydraulics were overhauled by Wensink (€5,142) . In addition, it came to light that the hardtop had never (!) been part of the car until 2010, which implies the car only had one owner in Japan. The last maintenance invoice from Mercedes-Benz specialist Stolk (€4,296) shows the car was very much loved. The 500 SL has new Bridgestone Turanza tyres (2021) . The phenomenal 5. 0 V8 with 326 hp starts and runs as it should. There are also a few points of attention. The air conditioning cools well, but its operation needs to be checked. The open and close cycle of the original hardtop sometimes needs a hand and the electric operation of the headrest on the driver's seat does not work. The car shifts well but rattles in reverse. Although the current owner has regularly driven the 500 SL in good weather, they haven’t been doing it that much lately. That is why the time has come for this original 500 SL to find a new custodian. The car is sold 'as is', in its current condition and without warranty. It is recommended to view the vehicle before bidding. Please contact Catawiki to schedule a viewing appointment. The car can be viewed and picked up in Groningen, the Netherlands.