Bid for your chance to own this 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 only on The MB Market. Finished in Black Opal Metallic (189) over two-tone Exclusive Gray Leather (568), power is provided by a 5.0-liter M119 V8. Showing just 68k miles, this R129 is offered with recent maintenance and a clean Carfax.
LaurentiuD bid $12,250
LaurentiuD bid $10,500
LaurentiuD bid $11,500
LaurentiuD said:
Thank you. In terms of maintenance history, do you still have the actual service records for the car ? How far back do these service records go ?
Does this ML have air suspension or a regular spring & strut system?
Thanks for the interest and all the bids... unfortunately we are below Reserve.
@JMKCAR: No odors inside of the car what-so-ever. The catalysts work as designed, so no exhaust smell outside of the car either. No fluid leaks.
@elie7elie, the car comes with 2 keys. No need for a locksmith 🙂
We have less than 24 hours left in the auction of this ‘98 SL500! With unique options and color combination, this is the last R129 model year with the M119 dual overhead cam engine, matched with the 5 speed transmission. Mechanically, this car is fully sorted, with extensive service work completed over the past several years: new suspension & brake components, new Top Hydraulics cylinders, new coolant radiator, thermostat and hoses, new tires and fresh fluids all around, etc… There is no deferred maintenance for the next owner to worry about! Having said all that, I do believe there is a lot of value offered here. This R129 will not disappoint even the most demanding owner-collector and it is ready to be enjoyed for many years from now ! I do appreciate the interest shown and the questions many of you have asked. Best of fortunes in the auction!
@Nort850: Thank you, I appreciate the comments.
Hello, the area that you are referring to has a light scuff on the leather. It is not a tear. Good observation!
The other question was related to whether the entire set of hydraulic cylinders was replaced or not. My Answer: The gentleman that I bought the car from has purchased a complete set of hydraulic cylinders from Top Hydraulics (order placed on 08/28/2017 for a FULL SET of Mercedes R129 SL class cylinders) - please see picture 171, left hand invoice. Top Hydraulics is a German specialist in Florence, Oregon that is well known & respected in the US for re-manufacturing convertible hydraulic cylinders. The new hydraulic cylinders were then installed on the car by GLB Motorworks in Saint Louis on 9/11/2017 - see picture 172, left hand invoice. Based on many customer testimonials, these Top Hydraulic cylinders represent an upgrade from the OEM parts, and appear to be very durable.
I have received a few questions on the pictures of the soft top... it appears that the canvas may not be as well tensioned as desired. My Answer: The soft top was replaced under a previous ownership and unfortunately I do not have much information on it, other than what the previous owner has shared with me verbally. I haven't used the soft top much in the past and, as a result, I did not pay close attention to how well tensioned the canvas was. It is very possible that it needs some adjustment... honestly I have not looked into it at all thus far.
I have received a few additional questions and comments recently from an MB Market user... Sharing them publicly for openness and transparency. MBStyle has commented that the correct color for this R129 is Green Black Metallic or Emerald Black Metallic, code 189. Thank you for sharing !
I have received several requests for additional pictures of the hard and soft tops, sun visors, rear view mirror and reading light housing. Pictures detailing these areas will be uploaded shortly.
Answer (continued...): Besides the couple of minor cosmetic issues that you have noted (shown in the pictures), I believe that the rest of the car is in exceptional condition. Over the years, I've owned several classic Mercedes and have always been committed to bringing them to their original state and glory. I am anal about doing things right and have been using MB OEM replacement parts, whenever possible / available. I’ve sold a couple of cars on BaT last year: an 1978 MB 300SD and 1988 MB 420SEL. Both auctions have testimonials on the quality of the cars, as well as the honest and transparent presentation. 1978 MB 300SD: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-mercedes-benz-300sd-3/ 1988 MB 420SEL: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-mercedes-benz-420sel-11/
I've had several people contact me over the past couple of days and I will share publicly my answers to their questions. A gentleman that has a collection of classic MBs and appreciates the drive to make them perfect, has asked the following questions: "... At this point in time is there ANYTHING you feel remains unfinished in your drive to make it better? I will be looking at the pictures again later but wonder what is left to do? I did notice the visor on driver's side. I will look closer but the reading light, map light module tends to crack as well as start to sag. Any issues with any of the plastic trim through out the car? Is there absolutely anything to do to make it a collectible level car?" Answer: There is a significant amount of maintenance and service work that I have done on the car in the past few years. The only thing that I would consider doing to make it "perfect" (i.e. collectible level) is to rebuild the Becker radio. The LCD display is discolored and a bit difficult to read. There is an outfit in New Jersey that specializes in rebuilding this type of radios who are well known for the quality of their workmanship… if desired, they can also add a Bluetooth receiver to the radio, as part of the rebuild process. Since I did not have a chance to get this done before the auction, I would be happy to pass on their contact information. They are great people to work with.
@KM1977 and @mfagone777: Thank you for your comments, I agree 🙂 !
@DBCooper, thank you for pointing out an incorrect statement in our posting: "power adjustable inside rearview mirror with memory." The inside rear view mirror is manually adjusted and of course, without memory. It looks like this was missed during our recent review of the draft posting and I will ask The MB Market to correct the statement.
This SL500 comes with a soft cover and a stand for the hard top. Additional pictures of the car cover, stand, service records and new hard top headliner will be posted shortly.
Over the past 5 years, extensive mechanical and maintenance work (listed above) was performed on the car and is well documented through service records. In top mechanical shape and with fresh fluids all around, I would not hesitate driving the car anywhere in the US today.
Hello and welcome to the auction of my 1998 SL500. I have been a passionate MB enthusiast for many years, and over time, I have collected a handful of unique classic cars. This R129 example is in exceptional condition, mechanically and cosmetically.
Thank you Robert ! Good fun throughout the battle at the end !
Get the best of The MB Market directly in your inbox every day. Subscribe for a curated list of our top market listings and articles!
NO RESERVE: 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500
LaurentiuD said:
Thank you. In terms of maintenance history, do you still have the actual service records for the car ? How far back do these service records go ?NO RESERVE: 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500
LaurentiuD said:
Does this ML have air suspension or a regular spring & strut system?1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
Thanks for the interest and all the bids... unfortunately we are below Reserve.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
@JMKCAR: No odors inside of the car what-so-ever. The catalysts work as designed, so no exhaust smell outside of the car either. No fluid leaks.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
@elie7elie, the car comes with 2 keys. No need for a locksmith 🙂1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
We have less than 24 hours left in the auction of this ‘98 SL500! With unique options and color combination, this is the last R129 model year with the M119 dual overhead cam engine, matched with the 5 speed transmission. Mechanically, this car is fully sorted, with extensive service work completed over the past several years: new suspension & brake components, new Top Hydraulics cylinders, new coolant radiator, thermostat and hoses, new tires and fresh fluids all around, etc… There is no deferred maintenance for the next owner to worry about! Having said all that, I do believe there is a lot of value offered here. This R129 will not disappoint even the most demanding owner-collector and it is ready to be enjoyed for many years from now ! I do appreciate the interest shown and the questions many of you have asked. Best of fortunes in the auction!1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
@Nort850: Thank you, I appreciate the comments.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
Hello, the area that you are referring to has a light scuff on the leather. It is not a tear. Good observation!1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
The other question was related to whether the entire set of hydraulic cylinders was replaced or not. My Answer: The gentleman that I bought the car from has purchased a complete set of hydraulic cylinders from Top Hydraulics (order placed on 08/28/2017 for a FULL SET of Mercedes R129 SL class cylinders) - please see picture 171, left hand invoice. Top Hydraulics is a German specialist in Florence, Oregon that is well known & respected in the US for re-manufacturing convertible hydraulic cylinders. The new hydraulic cylinders were then installed on the car by GLB Motorworks in Saint Louis on 9/11/2017 - see picture 172, left hand invoice. Based on many customer testimonials, these Top Hydraulic cylinders represent an upgrade from the OEM parts, and appear to be very durable.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
I have received a few questions on the pictures of the soft top... it appears that the canvas may not be as well tensioned as desired. My Answer: The soft top was replaced under a previous ownership and unfortunately I do not have much information on it, other than what the previous owner has shared with me verbally. I haven't used the soft top much in the past and, as a result, I did not pay close attention to how well tensioned the canvas was. It is very possible that it needs some adjustment... honestly I have not looked into it at all thus far.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
I have received a few additional questions and comments recently from an MB Market user... Sharing them publicly for openness and transparency. MBStyle has commented that the correct color for this R129 is Green Black Metallic or Emerald Black Metallic, code 189. Thank you for sharing !1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
I have received several requests for additional pictures of the hard and soft tops, sun visors, rear view mirror and reading light housing. Pictures detailing these areas will be uploaded shortly.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
Answer (continued...): Besides the couple of minor cosmetic issues that you have noted (shown in the pictures), I believe that the rest of the car is in exceptional condition. Over the years, I've owned several classic Mercedes and have always been committed to bringing them to their original state and glory. I am anal about doing things right and have been using MB OEM replacement parts, whenever possible / available. I’ve sold a couple of cars on BaT last year: an 1978 MB 300SD and 1988 MB 420SEL. Both auctions have testimonials on the quality of the cars, as well as the honest and transparent presentation. 1978 MB 300SD: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1978-mercedes-benz-300sd-3/ 1988 MB 420SEL: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-mercedes-benz-420sel-11/1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
I've had several people contact me over the past couple of days and I will share publicly my answers to their questions. A gentleman that has a collection of classic MBs and appreciates the drive to make them perfect, has asked the following questions: "... At this point in time is there ANYTHING you feel remains unfinished in your drive to make it better? I will be looking at the pictures again later but wonder what is left to do? I did notice the visor on driver's side. I will look closer but the reading light, map light module tends to crack as well as start to sag. Any issues with any of the plastic trim through out the car? Is there absolutely anything to do to make it a collectible level car?" Answer: There is a significant amount of maintenance and service work that I have done on the car in the past few years. The only thing that I would consider doing to make it "perfect" (i.e. collectible level) is to rebuild the Becker radio. The LCD display is discolored and a bit difficult to read. There is an outfit in New Jersey that specializes in rebuilding this type of radios who are well known for the quality of their workmanship… if desired, they can also add a Bluetooth receiver to the radio, as part of the rebuild process. Since I did not have a chance to get this done before the auction, I would be happy to pass on their contact information. They are great people to work with.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
@KM1977 and @mfagone777: Thank you for your comments, I agree 🙂 !1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
@DBCooper, thank you for pointing out an incorrect statement in our posting: "power adjustable inside rearview mirror with memory." The inside rear view mirror is manually adjusted and of course, without memory. It looks like this was missed during our recent review of the draft posting and I will ask The MB Market to correct the statement.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
This SL500 comes with a soft cover and a stand for the hard top. Additional pictures of the car cover, stand, service records and new hard top headliner will be posted shortly.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
Over the past 5 years, extensive mechanical and maintenance work (listed above) was performed on the car and is well documented through service records. In top mechanical shape and with fresh fluids all around, I would not hesitate driving the car anywhere in the US today.1998 Mercedes-Benz SL500 w/68k Miles
LaurentiuD said:
Hello and welcome to the auction of my 1998 SL500. I have been a passionate MB enthusiast for many years, and over time, I have collected a handful of unique classic cars. This R129 example is in exceptional condition, mechanically and cosmetically.One-Owner 2006 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI
LaurentiuD said:
Thank you Robert ! Good fun throughout the battle at the end !