At $40,000, Will This Updated 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL600 Up the Ante?
Today’s Nice Price or No Dice Mercedes-Benz SL600 wears AMG bodywork and wheels, but it’s what’s underneath that makes it interesting. Let’s see if the work put into this V12 cruiser will make it worth laying out some serious cash for its purchase.
At a $4,995 asking, the biggest hurdle faced by yesterday’s 2002 Toyota Prius towards a sale was that newer Prius models can be found for around that same price point, albeit typically with more miles. And those later cars are a good bit better conceived, making them a bit more livable. This was a fact not lost on the vast majority of you, who sent the Prius packing in a 58 percent No Dice loss.
Yesterday’s Prius was for people who want to save the planet or desire to spend as little as possible at the pump without going fully electric. What if, however, your interests lie elsewhere, say towards something with more ostentation, elegance, and oomph? Don’t worry, fam. I’ve got you.
This 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL600 is said to be the culmination of a year’s work and over $10,000 in expenses bringing it to its current state of badassery.
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According to the ad, the 59,000-mile V12 roadster has been fitted with an AMG body kit and Japanese-market three-piece AMG wheels. The latter are wrapped in new Toyo tires. In addition to the aesthetic updates, the car has been switched to coilovers and an upgraded braking setup featuring four-pot calipers from Hedgehog Tuning & Motorsport on the front and CL63 clampers in the back. The drivetrain has seen some love too, and the ad shows the six-liter M120 V12 both in surgery and back together. The seller states:
Engine and transmission overhaul & tuned completely with all brand new OEM parts; Pulleys, water pump, oil pump, engine wiring harness (from Germany) .. ++++ too much to write!
That replacement engine wiring harness is a big deal since this Benz comes from the era of bio-degradable looms which have a reputation for bio-degrading before they’re supposed to. All the drivetrain work comes with a 1-year warranty at a certified MB mechanic, which is a nice bit of comfort considering the complexity.
Perhaps not so nice are the omissions in the ad. We get no pics of the interior and hence can’t tell how the upholstery or wood has held up. Additionally, the seller tells us nothing about the condition of the hydraulic top motors and pumps, nor offers to show the car shown with either soft or hard top in place. Is the hard top even included with the car? Inquiring minds, yada, yada…
The seller does note that all papers & documents are in hand and touts that the car will come with a clean title. They also somewhat disappointingly say, “I’ve put a lot of money to restore this car and I know what it’s worth.”
The fact is that the Mercedes R129 represents one of the better values in the classic car market today. And yes, these are old enough to be considered classics. The SL600, with its V12 engine, is one of the more rare models and hence can command a premium. This one asks $40,000 which is quite the premium over lesser cars, until, perhaps, you tally up all the work and updates that have gone into it. Then what might it be worth?
Well, that’s just what we’re here to figure out. What do you say? Is this ramped-up roadster worth that $40,000 asking as it is presented in the ad? Or, at that price, does the seller not know what it’s worth despite how much money has been put into the restoration?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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