Vehicle Description
One owner. Higher mileage but EXCEPTIONAL maintenance with
documentation and receipts. Two tops, new seat covers, custom
chrome wheels. Everything works, runs and drives superbly. An
affordable 560SL that lives up to the legend. This flashy 1987
Mercedes-Benz 560SL is a fantastic combination of affordable price,
great specifications, and strong pedigree. The bright red over tan
leather combination is elegant and intimidating at once, the
perfect choice for the top-of-the-line SL and perennially popular
with enthusiasts. On the trim SL, it looks like the sheetmetal was
shrink-wrapped over the mechanicals and the chiseled character
lines along the bodywork really stand out. This car has never been
hit or rusty, and that's mostly original 1987 paint, which means
there are no nasty surprises waiting for you underneath (the hood
has been repainted). Build quality is exemplary, which you'd expect
from a car whose engineers referred to as 'der Panzerwagon,' or
'The Tank.' It feels incredibly robust, and this is a 35-year-old
machine! The US-spec rubber bumpers have become so familiar that
they're not really a demerit today and they remain in excellent
condition with no UV damage or cracks. There's still quite a bit of
chrome and it's all excellent, from the grille to the windshield
surround to the wonderfully heavy-feeling bright trim on the trunk
lid. Like most SLs, this car has led an easy life with just a
single owner who used it as a summertime toy. With the 560, leather
upholstery was now standard, wrapped around supportive seats that
hold you in place without feeling tight or restrictive. The seat
covers are recent, so they remain in excellent condition with no
issues, and despite being original, the rest is in fantastic shape.
Carpets, door panels, and the real burled walnut on the console all
remain excellent. The big steering wheel was leather-wrapped in the
560, and the big, round gauges are a model of functionality, able
to be read at a glance. There's a newer JVC AM/FM/CD/USB stereo,
but it sounds great and still triggers the power antenna properly.
The A/C blows cold, the windows power up and down properly, and
even the temperature gauge in the center of the dash keeps an
accurate eye on exterior temperatures (this is not an owner
add-on). You'll note that this car has an upholstered rear seat
area, which is obviously for children, and it has seat belts for
safety, so don't be afraid to bring the kids for some top-down fun.
The trunk is beautifully upholstered using the same plush carpets
as the interior, and you'll find the original unused spare and jack
tucked underneath. All SLs came standard with both a folding cloth
top and a removable hardtop, with the cloth top being recent and in
excellent condition. But the biggest improvements to the 560SL came
under the skin, starting with the big 5.6 liter SOHC V8 engine,
which powered all Mercedes-Benz flagship sedans in the 1980s. In
the relatively lightweight SL, performance is impressive, even
bearing in mind that the transmission usually starts in 2 gear.
There's torque available at any speed and I would liken this SL
more to a German Mustang than a lightweight sports car. It's
impeccably smooth at all times, even when you're running hard, and
it has proven itself over the decades as one of the toughest
machines ever to come out of the Mercedes-Benz factory. There's
some concern over the timing chain and gears, but fortunately, this
car has a recent and extensive service to eliminate that worry.
That work included the timing chain upgrade, making it something
that the new owner will never, ever have to worry about again.
Mileage on these cars seems to be a non-issue, as they'll seemingly
run for hundreds of thousands of miles without any diminution in
performance or reliability, so it's a mistake to regard a car with
mileage like this one as second-best. Maintenance is what really
matters, and this car has been properly maintained all its life, a
fact that is more than demonstrated by its extensive service
receipts. All 560SLs received a 4-speed automatic transmission with
a deep overdrive gear, so it's an effortless high-speed cruiser,
especially with 2.47 gears out back (remember this car was born to
run the Autobahn). For smoothness, it is programmed to start in 2
gear, which makes it feel a little sleepy, but a quick prod of the
throttle will drop it into 1 and the car takes off like a
rocket-German Mustang indeed! Otherwise, shifts are smooth and
unobtrusive, and only Mercedes-Benz seems to have mastered the
ride/handling compromise that makes the SL so much fun. Drive
gently, and it feels luxury car smooth, with bumps feeling far away
and never upsetting the rock-solid platform. Drive it aggressively
and it is happy to run with you, with good reflexes and a
surprisingly amount of grip. Powerful 4-wheel disc brakes are
augmented by ABS, another 560 upgrade, and there's a wonderful V8
burble from the tailpipes out back. This car sits on a set of
chrome alloys as well as recent 205/65/15 Continental radials, so
it's ready to drive anywhere. Extras include the original owner's
manuals, a chassis manual, large binder full of receipts, as well
as numerous spare parts including the original package shelf if
you'd like to remove the back seat. We've sold quite a few of these
and their enduring appeal surely comes down to their awesome build
quality and fun-to-drive road manners. This is a whole lot of car
for the money, and if you've been watching R107 prices lately, you
know that these are on the move in a big way. We can't promise this
one will make you rich overnight, but we can promise that you'll be
having too much fun to worry about it. Call today! Harwood Motors
always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections
of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
