We get a lot of good looking R129 SL’s through our page. Between the cars that have been in our own collections and some of the SL’s owned by our readers, we bet the rarest R129’s can be found through The MB Market any given day. As most of these cars are early AMG variants or V12 powerhouses, there’s something to be said for how the right black on black SL500 Sport can appear so perfect amidst the rarer, more colorful options. This 1998 SL500 can be found listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $21,900 CAD ($17,250 USD) out of New Westminster, BC.
Finished in Black (040) over Black and accented by the “SL1” Package, this Sport package consisted of staggered AMG Monoblock wheels and AMG ground effects (front and rear bumpers, side skirts, and the integrated front fog lamps). Compared to the non-Sport cars, these cars really stood out from the pack and gave the R129 a much more aggressive appearance, especially as the W210 E55 AMG was just hitting the market. As Black is so hard to keep clean, it appears this car’s been very well kept and has possibly had a recent paint correction. The seller notes this example is “very well preserved” and from the photos, we’d have to say we agree. A paint matched hardtop is shown and included while it’s mentioned the soft top rear window is in great shape.
The interior seems to follow suit, whereas most of these cars show carpet and seats baked and faded by the sun, this SL500 looks to be in fantastic condition. The wood appears to be well kept and still retains a deep shine. Otherwise all the leather seems clean, conditioned, and largely original- a stat that’s becoming rarer on these cars as they age. Even the LCD display screens seem to have all the pixels intact and all control modules appear to function as they should. Any R129 forum is littered with stories about failing climate control units and stereo head units losing displays. One photo shows a series of fanned out receipts and records and that’s a great start for a R129, we just hope thats the tip of the iceberg.
At 102k kilometers, this SL is probably a solid buy IF it’s as well-sorted as it’s made out to be. A 90’s SL without headache is an absolute dream but without records or preventative maintenance out of the way, that dream can quickly turn into a few thousand dollars at the mechanic. Prospective buyers should do their homework with this one but don’t be surprised if it’s as nice as it seems, just be sure to act on it- they don’t come along too often.
Comentarios