Sometimes we find safe bets, whether they be in relation to value, price, or maintenance. Other times, like this one, we find a wild card that makes even us think a car is a gamble. For your gambling consideration we present this 1998 CL600 listed for sale here in San Jose, California. Asking price is a mere $5,950 with 95k miles on the clock.
Finished in a rare Ruby Metallic (572) over Black Leather, this C140 immediately caught our attention. The stock 16 inch chrome wheels help set this apart from most coupes on the market and given the color combination of this specific example, we can appreciate the exclusivity. Light pitting can be seen on one of the wheels in a close-up shot but the paint appears to show nicely and only displays a small defect on the front bumper just below the passenger side headlamp.
The interior presents well for the most part but definitely shows some signs of heavier use on the driver’s seat bolster. The three remaining seats appear rarely used and seem to be in fantastic shape. Most of the walnut trim is still in nice shape and not badly faded but the door cards and steering wheel seem to be showing multiple cracks. For the particular buyer, be warned these pieces are becoming more difficult to find in nice shape but there are companies that can refinish trim pieces. As an added bonus the factory floor mats are still included with the car.
The history of the car is unknown but we can speculate based on some context clues. The seller notes this CL600 as an accident-free example with a clean carfax. It doesn’t appear to have changed hands anywhere online as the VIN draws a search blank and we hope, given the older style license plate/plate surround from Stahl Motor Cars, this CL600 is a one or two owner example. Not much maintenance history is given but if the car is as it appears there's a chance the seller has documentation. For the price, this is certainly a gamble worth entertaining given only 167 CL600's were sold for the 98 model year.
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