Mercedes SL prices at auction tumble as markets peak. R230 and R107 prices.

[@stevejones1318]

"Not been able to test the roof". What bs. That's a flat out lie. It obviously doesn't work. Not surprised it sold low.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes....I dont think I would rush to buy a R230 without testing the expensive items first. Having said that....the roof can either be a quick simple fix or something MUCH more expensive. Its a bit like buying a Meme Crypto Coin...you might get lucky, but the chances are you'll lose your shirt. Mike

[@daviddowie828]

AMG 55 100+k miles and no service book..? That's a massive no-no. Would rather have a car that's had a bit of a dunt and repaired properly, but has FSH.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@daviddowie828 Totally agree....but maybe for someone on a budget with a healthy appetite for risk....Mike

[@daviddowie828]

@@MikesMercsandothercars or maybe you are a mechanic and can do the repairs yourself...but keeping that v8 running sweet is a very expensive proposition.

[@atoz3570]

Not tested roof! Typical used car salesman....

[@matthewstephenbrown]

I've had 5 R107's ranging from 77 to 87. They are a bunch of work to get sorted. Thank god for Mercedes Source and Pierre Headry.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Wow that's quite a few SL's. I totally agree they are a lot of work to get up together which is why ideally you would pay up and buy a mint one. What would we do without the likes of MS and PH they have made a great contribution to merc owners. Thx for watching. Mike

[@JustinSmith-ee9kp]

Also a huge thanks to Mikes Mercs! Mike’s an amazing source of knowledge with brilliant clear videos on basically all R107 repairs, that have both helped me do loads of things to my R107 that I wouldn’t have otherwise done, and saved me a fortune as well. The fact that they are laced with honesty and humour and have helped me learn more about and form more of a connection with, my R107 is an added bonus! Thanks Mike.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@JustinSmith-ee9kp Jeez you say some nice things. You should be in Sales! It is true that you end up with a whole different connection to your SL once you have started to fix things yourself. All the best over the Christmas period. Mike

[@GeoffBuysCars]

Good video Mike! Two points, an SL 55 with no MoT and no history and an untested roof is a huge risk so I dont see the price being too low, and on the R107, there’s too many of them around, they’re too expensive to restore and the audience for them is aging fast

[@GeoffBuysCars]

Also, have you seen the Pagoda bargains?! Pagodas have dropped off a cliff too

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thx for your message (+ I love your channel). I agree - risk of buying an R230 unseen is like buying a meme coin - you might be lucky but the chances are you'll lose your shirt. Yep - its all about supply and demand and with the R107 there is no shortage of cars but GOOD rust free cars are a rarity these days. As for Pagoda's...in the meme coin analogy....I wonder if its a good time to to take profits. Mike

[@vincenzocherubini2424]

@@GeoffBuysCars As someone who got his first Pagoda for around 4k(230 SL manual) , then another one a few years later for 7k (280 SL auto), i think they've still got a long way to go before i'll get my hands on one again. Even at the sloghtly lower prices they go for now, i never in my wildest dreams ever imagined they would one day be going for 100k+. Beggars belief!

[@SWLW436]

Interesting vid. Subbed. I don’t think the 230 done too bad considering mikey wheels, no history or MOT and unknown plethora of problems. Nice 107s for circa 10k could be a steal, but as you mention could be a disaster. I still believe 190e/202/129s etc are underappreciated

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Agree with everything you say. Thx for watching. Mike

[@schmoo99]

Scrap at best - 130k, no SH, no Mot, the dude that purchased at £4300 mugged himself.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

I liken it to buying a meme crypto coin. You might get lucky but the chances are you'll lose your shirt. Mike

[@beytanerkmen4613]

Yes the market is down for Mercs but its just a correction, like the stock market. Also, you can't really compare a 88+ 300sl and an 82 380sl as everyone knows to avoid the early 380 as it has a single row timing chain which is weaker than the twin row found in every other engine. Also the post 85 107s came with a galvanised body so , if accident free, would increase the life of the car considerably. The 300sl M104 is considered one the of best engines ever made by Mercedes unlike the 380 which was one of the most troubled engines even though it was all alloy. Restored cars are worth far less because nobody can seem to put the cars back together as well as they were built and the paintwork of most restorers is difficult to match original so a complete paint job is needed which , if not flatted, shows orange peel. Original low mileage late 500 107s will still fetch £30k + but the market for cars that need work is down because the costs of any bodywork is uneconomical now if you want it done correclty. Bye original and you only bye once. Purchase part restored or filler restored Mercs and you'll never be happy. I have three and I drive them often and don't worry about resale prices because I know the market will slowly recover and when you own and drive a Mercedes, time isn't an issue becuase they're so reliable.

[@jsanders100]

Are you sure it’s just a correction? I think it’s permanent. The world is changing fast and it’s going over to electric cars. Who wants a car that’s unreliable, slow, expensive and that you are not allowed to drive. It’s over!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

You speak wise words....and have almost as many Mercedes as me! When I get a chance, I want to do a video about which R107 to buy because they all basically look the same and yet as you rightly pointed out, there is a world of difference between the red 1975 R107 I am currently restoring and the red low mileage crash damaged 300SL which sold for 22k (kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ_ZYaCopsappNE) The walk around TI Developments in the last video put in perspective the true cost of a proper restoration. He laughed at me when I asked him to 'touch up' the small rust spot on the headlight of my Pagoda. Thanks for watching. Mike

[@Nilfaultfound22]

I think I’ll keep my 55,000 mile ‘89 560 for a few years yet and hope the market has a small recovery after I retire 😊 Thanks for so many great videos this year. Safe travels Mike and family ❤

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Good to hear from you - hope you have a great Christmas. Mike

[@ComeJesusChrist]

@@Nilfaultfound22 I think your model is the top of the market or certainly one of the most sought-after models and production year. I was just commenting on how expensive the later models became, some even fetching six figure prices. How much do you think your car is worth now and what would have been the top price before this adjustment?

[@kennixox262]

I'd like to get rid of my '89 560 as I don't drive it much anymore and want to cut back on car expenses.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

​@@kennixox262 ...some one left a comment on this video saying he was looking for one. Mike

[@BrianPaterson-f3i]

Good vid Mike,will watch with interest the update on the battery charger cheers!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thanks for your comment. Mike

[@reinmansmith]

@@MikesMercsandothercars I will also await your video on the BCM replacement with interest 👍

[@kriskalpa]

Merry Christmas. Prices are down across the market, great time to buy.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Agreed. Merry Christmas to you too. Mike

[@jsanders100]

How do you know this is the bottom?

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@jsanders100 I dont think it is. Markets are driven by liquidity and as recession begins to bite, money will become tighter. Who knows what these cars will be worth over the next 10 years... Mike

[@billrbca]

good vid...thanks, just further confirms what I am happy with my R129.....just modern enough but still maintainable

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep - great cars the R129's. They depreciated years ago and are often thought to represent great value at these levels. Mike

[@stephenlester7286]

But with spares support from dealers etc now getting low at least a w140 can provide spares.

[@ODTK268]

With W 113 and R 107 it is possible to leave the cars unused for a few years. You don't necessarily have to drive it. This is of course pleasant. Unfortunately, this is not possible with the R 230. If the thing sits for a few years, some expensive things will break afterwards. You have to drive it regularly and many collectors don't feel like doing that.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

So true. My R107 starts straight away after months of not being driven. With the the R230, there is always that question in the back of your mind...will something break today....Mike

[@davieman3443]

A potential money pit and reflected in the final sale price. It's not a bargain!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep - a high mileage SL55 with no history is not for the faint hearted!...still, I haven't seen one sell for that price. Mike

[@davieman3443]

@MikesMercsandothercars True. The market for these type of cars have crashed. If you are patient and come across a motivated seller you can pick up some great deals, even with cars in mint condition.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@davieman3443 Agreed...a VERY low mileage one owner from new 2003 SL 55 AMG sold for £66k last month.... Mike

[@Richard57072]

I’m interested in that battery control module, can you share details please 👍 Car prices in general have tanked not just Mercedes. I’ve been looking at Porsche 996 and 997s for a while. They are not selling. Some have been on AT for over a year. I eventually secured a 996 C4S for less than £15k.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Wow...just goes to show that all good things come to those who wait. A subscriber put me onto the BCM details of which you can find on Facebook by typing Brian Wallace BCM. There is a bit of a waiting list and the unit is not cheap $728... Do you have an R230 with a BCM problem? and if so where are you based? Mike

[@Richard57072]

@ thanks Mike. Okay, so my car has a red battery light on the dash when I start the car. I press the steering wheel menu buttons and it goes out and stays out until next start up. I have checked everything with the system and all appears to work fine. So I have lived with it for a few years. Now, I’d like to upgrade the BCM just for peace of mind and preventative maintenance. There are plenty of options now, a few guys on eBay and a guy that has been recommended to me in Essex. I’m based near Brands Hatch. Where are you Mike?

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@Richard57072 I'm in Bristol. The guys who have developed the BCM have also designed an inspection hatch and when that arrives, my plan is to fit the BCM either to my SL55 or to a car that needs it. The BCM unit costs about $728 including postage to UK and there is a 2 -6 week waiting list. I'd be interested to know what sort of prices are you being quoted to refurb your BCM? This is one of the things I want to touch on when I do the video - refurb or replace. Partly the decision will be based on cost BUT....there is another difference. The new unit is fused internally whereas the existing unit is earthed through the case which is how the car catches fire IF something goes wrong on the board. What model and year R230 do you have? Mike

[@BarmaBoysAndFamily]

I was present when the manor park Mercedes was picked up. The new owner immediately dropped the hood and drove it round the car park before loading it. Just an unlucky auction for the owner I guess as it was in the middle of storm Darragh 😔. The car looked and sounded amazing. Beautiful condition.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Wow that is good news (for the buyer). I never seen an SL55 sell for so little. Mike

[@BarmaBoysAndFamily]

@MikesMercsandothercars Hi Mike. In this case it was clearly a case of several things. December auction, bad, bad storm knocked out much internet on the day, selling without a statement about key items such as roof, forgetting to bring the history with the car and promising it later, and selling it fresh out of 2 years storage where the MOT had expired and not even attempted a re test. If you are dim enough to make all of these basic errors, AND then submit such a complex car for aution with no reserve, then irrespective of what the market is doing, you are going to get your pants pulled down properly for doing it 🤣. It truly was immaculate and clearly very well cared for. The new owner already loves it. I declare here that I do know him. We both knew it would be cheap because of the above points, but we did not expect it at scrap value! Bonus. Buy in December, sell in Spring. This is not a new rule, let's be honest🤷‍♂️

[@BarmaBoysAndFamily]

It wasn't just the Merc that was cheap on the day by the way. Due to the exceptional weather and the timing, many bargains were had. I bought a beautiful original mk2 Jag for pennies. It was crazy cheap for its condition. I was impressed with the auction house very much though. Cant blame them for having a December auction and you cannot contol the particularly violent weather on the day. But in the present market it's a great time to buy. And if people choose to sell in December, and plenty clearly did, then what can you do except buy stuff ☺️👍

[@mattmay2173]

The r230’s are having a tough time at the moment. Lots to go wrong and really a lack of parts support from mercedes and finding people who are competent to work on the car is tough on owners. My sl55 has had over 6k spend on it this year alone. The timing cover o ring being the biggest cost and that is an issue that is far more common than people are aware of. Interested where you got the updated bcm from

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Hi - Not sure if I ever replied to your comment. I'm hoping to fit that BCM either to my own SL55 or maybe to a subscriber car who needs it more that I do. Brian Wallace on Facebook is the BCM man. Mike

[@BassicVIC]

That’s good news for me! 😊 I’m going to buy my R107 soon.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Cool. At some stage, I'd like to do video about what to look for when buying an R107...do you already know what colour, model and year you want? Mike

[@dominicwood3750]

Yes they are cheap right now but aren’t all convertibles cheaper in the run up to Christmas? That auction car sounds a lot of trouble with no MOT or service and broken roof. With 130k even a fully working on the button car would be under £10k.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep agreed. December not the best time to be selling a classic. Having said that, the M113k engine is deemed to be pretty reliable and a high mileage would necessarily put me off....but.....as you correctly identified an SL55 with multiple owners, no MOT, no service history could turn out to be VERY expensive to fix. I haven't seen too many SL55's sell for under 10k but....as time marches on those super expensive repairs get ever closer. Thx for watching and commenting. Mike

[@dominicwood3750]

@ I’ve actually used this dip in the market to buy a second SL55 with only 40k on it, a few small jobs will get to it mint. I’ll sell my high mileage slightly modified car in the Spring. Whatever the price point these cars offer so much value I’m planning to keep this new one forever.

[@ComeJesusChrist]

@@dominicwood3750 This is not just seasonal, the car market, both old and new, are under a lot of regulatory pressure and decreasing demand, so certain classics that have limited utility, were rather common and are not necessarily cheap to run, are adjusting in price even more. I don’t think this may affect the true premium market as much, but at the lower end, even previously sought after classics are suffering. On the other hand, this is the time to buy models previously unaffordable.

[@solsol1624]

Anyone notice the reg on the sl55? Could it be?

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

.....could it be what? Mike

[@solsol1624]

@MikesMercsandothercars BCE Bernie Ecclestone, a coincidence perhaps?

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@solsol1624 I never thought of that....although wasn't he more of a Ferrari man? Mike

[@solsol1624]

@MikesMercsandothercars yes indeed he was and is currently selling his entire collection, several videos here about it! Just thought he ,might have the SL for the school run 😅

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@solsol1624 Well I guess if it was good enough for Jeremy Clarkson and Steve Jobs...

[@shabbos-goy9407]

Padgoda's are way overpriced. RHD late 280SL is hilarious at £150k plus They are not shifting and dealers can't move them

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes I agree. My Pagoda is insured for around £40k. I guess the sensible thing to do would be to use the opportunity to sell your car at these lofty prices with a view to buying back a better car at a later date. Mike

[@martinogold]

Best looking car ever made though... But yeah, that and all the other classic cars are way overpriced.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@martinogold which - the R107 or the R230? Mike

[@bikerman6907]

As a car collector and enthusiast, cars with high mileage are of absolutely no interest, hence the super low prices, SL's and CL's with ABC system and heaps of electronics.... is quite expensive to keep in good condition. I have a mint conditioned 2006 Gelandewagen G55 AMG with mileage 29000 km/18000 miles. Not much Electronics to go wrong thankfully.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

A successful friend of my parents collects cars and has many G Wagons. Until I met him, I had no idea they were so desirable. One of the reasons I love the old SL's is their reliability and lack of expensive electronics to go wrong....but as you know the exhilaration of driving an AMG is (almost) worth the hassle of maintaining them. Mike

[@SimonParkes-ud4jn]

I think r107 SL prices have been artificially high for a while - driven in part by the prices charged by the SL Shop but also the cost of properly restoring them. At less than £20k they almost certainly aren’t economical to restore but at £50k the dynamic shifts. The SL Shop has to be north of £50k to make the business work but most r107s aren’t going to fetch anywhere near that money.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

I guess a classic car like many other things is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. A friend with a classic car garage, recently asked me to go and view a lovely 350SL because the customer thought is was worth 30-50k. In reality, she would struggle to get more than 12k....and that is for a good rust free car. For me, I just like driving them around and am not too fussed about the values...Mike

[@ComeJesusChrist]

I’ve owned a red 1983 280SL with the cream interior and baroque wheels. The remote central locking and original stereo with the aerial still worked. Their prices went up to a completely unreasonable level, so there’s no surprise that the market is adjusting. The post-facelift models from 1985 onwards never really reached rock bottom, the 107s started rising before the post-facelift models reached the bargain bucket. I remember how the top of the market used to be around £15-20k for pristine examples around seventeen years ago. A few years ago, I saw some for over £100k, I couldn’t believe it. I don’t think those prices were ever justified. I’d rather spend my money on a pagoda or the two generations after the 107, especially on the 230, which is a very usable, modern but beautifully sculpted all-weather car.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thanks for your comment. My first ever car was a 76 280sl in silver but I think maybe the red with cream interior is the ultimate combo. The R230’s are such a lot of car for the money…..and as for the SL55, it is truly exhilarating to drive. If you get a chance check out the recent Mercedes Brooklands auction ….interesting price action on Pagoda’s. Mike

[@jonnybigpotato4263]

Really interesting video Mike thank you. I follow the auctions too, I have a C107 and want both a 129 and 230. I agree prices are down at auction massively not just for mercedes but generally, even Ford are coming off the boil. I think though that different auction houses have very different outcomes and personally I think that Manor Park do not do well on prices. OI don’t know why. It is certainly right that a great many auction cars are unsold at the moment but Manor Park to me look at the low end of auction results and always have. It is hard to tell without going and looking at the cars (as you say) whether that is because the cars are less good at some auctions compared to others but they would not be a place to get top dollar is how it looks to me. Iconic seem to do much better but maybe that is just the cars that are put through there. I have also seen Bonhams online do shockingly badly with another make in recent months. Auctions I would say are definitely a place to buy rather than sell unless you just want to move something on or have a stand out car which will stand a top end auction. I know one car that went through Manor Park (not Mercedes) and it deserved to do well but the bids on the day were very weak. It didn’t sell but sold later at a price I would say was well below what it deserved.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes - some auction houses do seem to do better than others. I guess it’s all about attracting the right buyer on the day. I’ll be interested to see what that 500sl goes for - what’s your guess? Mike

[@jonnybigpotato4263]

@@MikesMercsandothercarsI thought your guess sounded right, although looking at current bidding with 6 days to go my guess would be around £32k. Looks a very nice car and on the forecourt at the SL Shop it would easily be £65k i would guess. Whether they ever get those prices for them I don’t know. There is also a very nice r129 500 being auctioned in the same place, H reg but I am interested to see how it does. I think they are very undervalued and possibly best value of all in the balance between running cost risk (by which really i mean complexity) and purchase price - not as reliant on electronics as the 230 but obviously more than the 107.

[@jonnybigpotato4263]

Looks like i under shot that, made over £40k plus fees i expect. Great result for that auction I would say

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@jonnybigpotato4263 Yep - £41,250+fees. Just confirms that people are still prepared to pay good money for a low mileage pristine example. Happy Christmas. Mike

[@AntonyRichards-jx8vr]

I should think reports of R230 repair costs (especially leaks and electrical problems) are scaring potential buyers and keeping prices low.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

I think you are 100% correct...I also think that buyers need to be especially vigilant when buying an R230 because they can be expensive to fix. Mike

[@jonstangerjazz9188]

The 380SL is notorious for oil leaks, not to mention timing chain / bushing issues.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thanks for your comment. I’ve never owned a 380sl so that is good to know. Mike

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@AlexanderVanHeugten-h4x One day I'll get round to doing a proper video about which R107 to buy and what to look out for in each model. For example, it wasn't until doing the current restoration that I began to understand the vast difference between the fuel injection systems on early vs late SL. Mike

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@AlexanderVanHeugten-h4x Probably the 1989 galvanised 300sl is the one to have. The crash damaged car in the auction below sold for £22k+fees: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ_ZYaCopsappNE Mike

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

380 SL single row timing chain , no ta

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Oh yes...I had forgotten about that. Good call. Mike

[@alfredwebster8031]

The R230 is just to expensive to maintain, I eventually sold my 1997, R129 SL320 due to that the annual Mercedes Benz franchise services just became unaffordable and if you do not have a full franchise service history your vehicle is worthless.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep - many R230 will simply get scrapped when they go wrong because of the prohibitive cost of some repairs. In the years to come, a few pristine examples will remain and probably fetch top dollar. A super low mileage one owner from new 2003 SL55 recently sold at auction for £66k!! Mike

[@nicholasmargerison2730]

Anything Mercedes of this era, early 2000s to late 2000s plenty of plastic parts. Parts not that easy to obtain, particularly Airmatic or active suspension. Even if a vehicle is perfect won't draw particularly high prices are potential buyers scared off. I'm sticking to my pre 1995 rule from now on with Mercs.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thx for your comment. I agree - the earlier cars just seem to be more durable with less things to go wrong. Having said that, the SL55 is exhilarating to drive……tempered only by that distant feeling that something expensive may go wrong at any time. Mike

[@saturupiah5940]

Gee. That’s terrible money for a stunning classic Mercedes.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

That's what I thought.....makes you want to weep if you own one...but gives you hope if you are looking to buy one! Mike

[@BobBenz55]

Wow under 5K…. Will be looking soon just for the engine. Have a R129 final edition SL500. Will be doing that conversion. M113K. ❤. I also have SL55. SL600 R230’s. With these cars including my CL55 W215 …. You have to do the work yourself. Changed my ABC pump on my CL55 … the way the SL600 is behaving. That will be next. 😂. Think out of my collection including my C36 AMG. I love My W124 convertible with the m104 engine. Simple engine, super easy to maintain. Will be doing a M104 conversion with the AMG M104. Got a W210 E36. Not a fan of that shape at all. Loving your content and tips to maintaining the R230’s. Will recording some content soo on my channel 👍🏼

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Thx for your comments - you have some great mercs! Agreed - the way to afford/maintain an R230 is to be brave enough to tackle those daunting jobs yourself...ABC pump/fluid flush...SBC pump etc. R129 conversion sounds awesome and I think what some people overlook is what you would have to pay for a M113k engine without the rest of the car attached! Think I've watched your channel before....get the kids involved young that's what I say. Mike

[@BobBenz55]

I will get the complete car for the R129 conversion never know what other bits you will need. Thats why I want for the R129 M113. Most of the wiring is all ready done. Been doing so much research. Enjoy watching your channel… nice work 👌👍🏼

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@BobBenz55 Let me know if and when you start and maybe I can come up and do a video. Have a good Christmas. Mike

[@jsanders100]

It’s over for all classic cars. Look at steam engines, trains, etc. No one wants a classic you can’t drive it’s just a museum piece and young people don’t identify with these cars.

[@RobertMurphy-v8q]

Ask someone under 30 if they know what an SL is

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

……kids of SL owners?

[@paulwatts1704]

A grand over what I thought... might well cost you 10k to get it sorted.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes you are right - could easily cost 10k….especially if you get someone else to do the work. Still….a super charged V8 for sub 5k is quite a landmark. Mike

[@henq]

Lot29: bad paintwork, door other color as panels.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Jeez you have got good eyesight - or were you at the auction? A subscriber said he saw the winner driving around the carpark with the roof down. Mike

[@m60kaf]

Clearly a bit of a shed, 130k, roof doesnt work, oldest model but still £4k!!! Maybe Manor park isnt the place to sell a car?

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Hopefully someone got a bargain SL55…..Mike

[@monk3yboy69]

Manor Park …in general, not a good place for much really…..

[@justinjoyit13]

Bordering on clickbait here! So the SL55 was just about right-high miles, no history, no MOT and probably a broken roof. I'd have stopped at 2.5k. Same for the 107, not a great colour or spec and relatively high miles.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

I haven't seen an SL55 sell for such a low price - sure the R230's 350 and 500 have sold for around that price but a super charged M113K? Transpires that one of our subscribers was at that auction and saw the buyer driving around the car park with the roof down...maybe he dodged a bullet. Agree on the 380sl....but what about all the other R107's that were left unsold at the Iconic auction...your best guess on the sale price of the 500sl? Mike

[@tonychavez2083]

Pristine low mile R107’s are still guaranteed money - R230’s not so much..

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

It will be interesting to see what that 500sl fetches - what's your guess? Mike

[@lemmykilmister450]

End of the year auctions are always pants. Of course auction houses won't tell you that if you want to enter your car.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes...definitely not the best time to be selling a sports car. Mike

[@felawes]

Buy a R129. Fabulous.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes the R229 is a great car and probably a bit under appreciated. Mike

[@Billy-the-Kid]

It has become too expensive to run those things for hobby. Or try to keep them running. Most people can not even pay their daily existence.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

......Yep - I always get an extra shock when it is time to pay the road tax on my SL55 AMG....all my other cars are tax and MOT exempt. Times are tough out there and this is reflected in the price of luxury items items like classic cars.. Mike

[@psmh4]

I have a r129 96

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Nice car - one of our subscibers is contemplating an engine swap on his R129...using the supercharged M113k engine from something like that SL55. That would be quite something. Mike

[@BEGGARWOOD1]

And AmG with no service history and a non tested roof . Seem’s reasonable

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep…..definitely “buyer beware” someone not familiar with the potential expensive problems of the R230 could be in for a nasty shock. Mike

[@johnruppert5630]

I had a 2005 SL55 and it was a wonderful car but repairs were a killer. I wouldn’t buy a Mercedes again!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Fair point. I liken it to marrying a gorgeous, fun, exhilarating girl...and finding out she is a bit higher maintenance then expected......some people get divorced and others grin and bear it as their bank balance dwindles. Happy Christmas. Mike

[@martinogold]

R230 is when the SL when to sh*t.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Ouch that is harsh. You will probably hate my forthcoming “101 reasons to live the SL55” video. Mike

[@stevenlangdon-griffiths293]

Lot 28 is a car I’d never buy.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Lot 28 was a 1949 Landrover - is that what you meant? Mike

[@larrydowling]

107 WITH 100,000 MILES,please GF mercedes mike

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

What does "GF" stand for? Mike

[@larrydowling]

@@MikesMercsandothercars it means to get yourself completely F............ to tell youtubers a 130,000 miles supercharged benz is a true bargain.

[@randlcars4582]

Thats not really cheap no history not mot roof not working high mileage not got much going for it

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

One of our subscribers mentioned he was at the same auction and saw the buyer drive around with the roof down....so maybe he got lucky and dodged a bullet....I think if it had a stack of service history showing what had been replaced (ABC pump, SBC pump, hydraulic lines PSE pump etc) I would be too concerned about the high mileage. My R107 has over a quarter of a million miles and is still going strong. Mike

[@FiftyTechSolutions]

It's because all the serious items that can fail all over £1000+ to fix. PSE, BCM, ABS, SBC, and Fuel Tank,. Big bills, that almost all SLs suffer from.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep agreed. I'm planning to do a more in depth vid on the R230 in due course because it is an iconic car. I think the single biggest problem is that it looks just like a normal Mercedes and therefor people aren't prepared for the "Super car" bills. If you buy a McLaren and the hydraulic suspension fails you almost expect a high bill because its a McLaren. All the Lambo's and many of the Ferrari's also cost a fortune to maintain but because they look like super cars no body pays too much attention to the astronomical repair bills. Thx for watching. Mike

[@MLC...]

Good point. Maybe this will prevent these complicated models from reaching the values of Pagodas etc in future.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

@@MLC... I think many of R230's will be scrapped because the cost of repair (if you don't do it yourself) becomes prohibitive. At some stage in the future maybe a well maintained low mileage SL55 will be so rare that prices will drift up. Who knows. Mike

[@MLC...]

@@MikesMercsandothercars I think you are right. Very possible that most will be scrapped. Many car enthusiasts do have a budget for maintenance, myself included. You just cannot spend any amount of money on an ongoing basis on a certain car. I tend to go for ones that don't break the bank, slightly more simple cars.

[@genecase9464]

SL500 is a terrific car on paper but too many expensive things to go wrong. An early 2000's 500SL is a better bet but seems kinda boring to me. Still, I could see buying one. The 560SL is too expensive and a bit dated. The 380SL is to weak and problematic. The late 70's 450SL too ugly and too heavy with those big bumpers and tons of smog controls. The 60's 280SL is cute but again, too expensive for a weekender like me. That leaves the '72/'73 350/450SL. Bigger than a 280, smaller than a late 70's 450. Beautiful with the small chrome bumpers. Super reliable. Easier to work on and maintain. Classic car cachet with fuel injection reliability. Engines and transmissions last FOREVER! I had a beautiful '72 for 20 years. "Fixed up", not restored. Bought it in 2000 as an investment in my life, not my checkbook. A weekend driver. Money very well spent. Should have kept it. 🙁 But I still have pictures. 😐

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yes - I agree with everything you say. My first ever car was 76 280sl followed by 65 230sl and I drive them as often as possible. Mike

[@simonmerrett9743]

Your sound quality, is awful 😬

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Agreed - the sound was dreadful and really annoying. Sorry about that. Mike

[@simonmerrett9743]

@ thank you Mike 🙏🏻🎄

[@titofranzini6199]

UK prices not to be compared to EU and rest of the world.... neither japan (you know why) bye

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

…..I don’t know why. Enlighten me. Mike

[@billsmith281]

There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes 😂

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

I had forgotten about that excellent phrase! Mike

[@Bizmyurt]

But an sl from that era is not classic yet!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Do you mean the R230's? Agreed they are not quite in the classic category yet....but boy you get a lot of car for your money. Mike

[@Bizmyurt]

Because there are to many and they last to long!

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Do you mean the R107's..if so, I agree the 2nd longest production shape of any car with lots of cars to choose from. Mike

[@stevepreston2903]

Never buy a car of this calibre with no Dealer service History or test drive.

[@MikesMercsandothercars]

Yep...its certainly not something I would do in a hurry. Mike