1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 in Azurite Blue, 41,806 Miles, All Original
(2 Owner Car)
1998 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 (R129) - GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
41,806 Original Miles
Azurite Blue Metallic over Beige Leather
Two Owners • All Original • Always Garaged
Azurite Blue — the most beautiful color known to man.
This beautiful 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is a two-owner, all-original example with just 41,806 miles and approximately 20 years of careful ownership by the current owner, who acquired the car in 2006.
Always garaged and non-smoking.
Finished in stunning Azurite Blue Metallic (paint code 366) over beige leather, with its matching Azurite Blue removable factory hardtop and black factory soft top, this R129 presents in exceptional original condition throughout.
Powered by the proven 5.0-liter M119 DOHC 32-valve V8 and paired with a smooth five-speed automatic transmission, the 1998 SL500 offers the ideal combination of performance, refinement and timeless Mercedes-Benz engineering.
VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Two owners from new
• 41,806 original miles
• Current owner since 2006
• Azurite Blue Metallic (Code 366)
• Beige leather interior
• Matching Azurite Blue removable factory hardtop
• Black factory soft top in excellent condition with unusually clear rear window
• All-original — factory configuration throughout
• Original factory 16-inch 12-hole alloy wheels
• Original factory-installed tires
• BOSE premium sound system
• Cassette deck and CD changer
• Power seats with memory
• Automatic climate control
• Cruise control
• Power windows, locks and mirrors
• Power antenna
• Fog lights
• Four-wheel ABS disc brakes
• Deployable roll bar
• Factory wind deflector
• Factory tool kit
• Spare tire and jack
• Two sets of keys
• All original books and manuals
WHY THE 1998 SL500?
The 1998 model year represents one of the most desirable points in the R129 lineup. U.S.-market cars retained the legendary M119 DOHC V8 — renowned for its durability and smooth power — while benefiting from the electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission introduced in 1996.
Car and Driver called the M119-powered 500SL their favorite R129 configuration:
“Our favorite model is the 500SL, with its M119 V-8 and five-speed automatic.”
Autotrader has similarly noted that:
“The M119 is known for its sterling reputation for durability.”
Read the full Autotrader review:
https://www.autotrader.com/car-shopping/buying-used-1990-2002-mercedes-benz-sl-everything-you-need-know-209362
The same buyer's guide describes the R129 as combining modern technology and performance with the uncompromising Mercedes-Benz quality of an earlier era, and advises buyers to seek a well-cared-for example rather than one suffering from deferred maintenance.
For an enthusiast considering an R129, the combination represented here is compelling: the final year of the M119-powered SL500, the later five-speed automatic, exceptionally low mileage, two-owner history, and remarkably original factory configuration.
WHY THIS PARTICULAR 1998 SL500?
Beyond its exceptionally low 41,806 miles, this SL500 brings together several attributes increasingly important to R129 enthusiasts: the desirable 1998 model year, the final year of the legendary M119 V8 in the U.S.-market SL500, two-owner history, unusually original factory specification, and a striking period Mercedes-Benz color combination.
The car is finished in factory Azurite Blue Metallic (Code 366) over beige leather, accompanied by its matching Azurite Blue removable factory hardtop and black factory soft top.
Azurite Blue is one of the R129 colors that beautifully emphasizes Bruno Sacco's restrained body design—deep blue in subdued light and considerably more vibrant when illuminated. Combined with the light beige interior, it gives this SL a distinctly different character from the more commonly encountered neutral-color cars of the period.
While reliable Mercedes-Benz production figures by individual exterior/interior color combination are not available to us, surviving 1998 SL500s combining Azurite Blue, beige leather, low mileage and highly original specification appear relatively infrequently in the collector market.
Importantly, this car has not been cosmetically updated to resemble a later or more sporting R129. It retains its original factory configuration, including the distinctive 16-inch 12-hole Mercedes-Benz alloy wheels.
A remarkably similar two-owner 1998 SL500 — Azurite Blue Metallic over beige leather, with 27,000 miles and the same factory 16-inch 12-hole wheels — sold on Bring a Trailer in June 2026 for $38,000. This vehicle did not have its hydraulics serviced, per the seller in the comments section of this listing, but to be transparent did operate the hydraulics in a video.
Comparable sale:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1998-mercedes-benz-sl500-226/
For the collector looking for an R129 that remains representative of exactly what Mercedes-Benz built in 1998, rather than one subsequently modified or modernized, the combination of color, mileage, provenance and originality makes this an especially compelling example.
And, in the current owner's admittedly biased opinion:
“Azurite Blue — the most beautiful color known to man.
CONVERTIBLE TOP & HYDRAULIC SYSTEM:
The current owner has never removed the factory hardtop since purchasing the car in 2006. In preparation for this sale, the hardtop was manually removed and the black factory soft top was manually raised so prospective buyers could see its condition.
The soft top is in excellent condition, including an unusually clear rear window.
The hydraulic system was deliberately NOT operated. Because the hydraulics have effectively not been exercised during the current owner's approximately 20 years of ownership, their present operating condition is unknown and no representation is made concerning functionality.
The hydraulics may function, but we deliberately chose not to exercise a long-dormant system merely for purposes of selling the car.
Prospective buyers should assume that inspection and/or servicing of the hydraulic system will be appropriate.
CONDITION & KNOWN ISSUE:
The A/C blows cold.
The blower fan operates intermittently, approximately 90% of the time. A local mechanic believes the likely cause is a resistor that requires replacement.
Recently addressed:
• Driver-side brake light replaced
• Dash sunglass-storage holder repaired
• Paint touch-up and minor cosmetic refresh professionally evaluated
• Vehicle recently professionally detailed
A detailed service history is available upon request and receipts
An independent inspection was completed in 2024 for insurance coverage, and that report is also available upon request.
DOCUMENTATION:
• Clean Carfax — no accidents reported
• Clean Washington title
• Detailed service history available
• 2024 independent inspection report available
• All original books and manuals
• Factory tool kit, spare tire and jack
• Two sets of keys
VIDEOS — SEE THE CAR IN ACTION:
Walk around tour, driving, motor sound and a modified cold-start video:
https://youtube.com/shorts/I5HddDxg-Jw
https://youtu.be/Rk5ba71y63M
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bpxlzrJZIIw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6DAY6NzOmg
A TRUE COLLECTOR CAR
Exceptionally original, beautifully preserved and ready for its next caretaker. Low-mileage, unmodified R129 SL500s of this quality are becoming increasingly difficult to find.
Located in Sequim, Washington.
Serious inquiries only. Additional photographs, service records, inspection documentation available upon request.
