1985 Mercedes-Benz SL 500 review from North America

Leaked freon from air conditioner (fixed).

Transmission needed repair at 100,000 miles.

Convertible roof needed replacing from cracking (2x!)

Ignition starter replaced.

I have owned this car since new and purchased it in Switzerland in 1985. It was great on the autobahn and the 500 V8 engine is superb.

The car is now in the USA (I imported it) and has a catalytic converter and only one exhaust running from it (euro models have two) and stell reinforced in the doors. It passes emissions with a little help from the mechanic. I still have the euro lights and bumpers and rear deck spoiler. I personally prefer the european bumpers, as they are the original design for the 107 body.

It is a great car and people still ask me if it is for sale. It has that great aura from being a car featured in so many films (my car is black on black and looks kind of like the 450SL in AMERICAN GIGOLO, without the US bumpers). With 160,000 miles I am always worried something is about to go wrong, but so far it has been great. Sometimes it just stops dead! But it starts again. =)

I have a GREAT mechanic so that is why I am keeping this car so long (almost 20 years). Repairs are really expensive and I am used to $1500 when I have work done. It hurts sometimes, but the car drives great.

I am shocked by the low resale of these cars now (I purchased it for $45,000 in 1985 and now it is worth $7,500 at the most, I think) but that makes it a great car to buy for someone that wants a vintage Mercedes. The build quality is outstanding and solid. It is trully a mechanical car. Looks great with the top down, and there is not all the electrical stuff and relays that can go wrong like in the new SLs with their electric EVERYTHING (which I love...but the new SLs must be very expensive to maintain after the warranty expires).