Original California car. Clean CarFax. Higher mileage but exceptional maintenance with receipts. Attractive color combination with beautiful leather interior. Two tops included. The affordable SL that still looks like a million bucks!

In the ‘80s, if they wanted to portray a TV character as extremely wealthy, they gave them a Mercedes-Benz R107 SL to drive. It was the epitome of style, comfort, and performance for the discerning owner. Today, all of those attributes remain true, although cars like this 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380SL are now extraordinarily affordable. You still look like a millionaire, you still get the best-driving 2-seater of the period, but now it costs about the same as a 5-year-old Hyundai. We’d call that a screaming bargain. This handsome SL hails from California, and it’s true what they say about west coast cars: they really are better. It came to Ohio to be a fair-weather toy so it has never suffered winter salt or slush meaning that it's completely solid throughout. That’s original paint, so you know there are no surprises hiding underneath, and the quality of Mercedes’ workmanship is evident in the high-gloss finish that still looks awesome 40 years later. There’s a hint of beige in the gray paint, giving it a warmer, more appealing look than basic silver, and with the accessory chrome fender flares, it looks crisp and well-tailored. The factory chrome and stainless trim is excellent and the rubber trim has not degraded, another testament to proper care over the years.

The gray leather interior remains in very good condition with only minor signs of use. Again, this is due to the extremely high quality of Mercedes materials and the care it received. The driver’s seat is comfortable—not perfect, but still quite good. The carpets are protected by matching gray mats so they remain in excellent shape and the dash pad isn’t cracked or faded. The massive steering wheel makes you feel like you’re at the helm of something important, and the big, round gauges are fully operational and easy to read. There’s some minor cracking and delamination on the veneers on the center console, but otherwise the wood is in good condition, too. Everything works, including the A/C and the original Becker Grand Prix AM/FM/cassette stereo. That cell phone holder is a remnant of the 1980s that’s actually kind of cool, and the package shelf behind the seats looks unused. The additional speakers were installed years ago, but are cleverly attached so that you can still operate the convertible top release handle. We believe that’s the original black canvas convertible top, which remains in surprisingly good condition with a clear rear window and no rips or tears—nice! There’s also a color-matched hardtop that turns the 2-seat roadster into a tight, quiet closed car for late fall drives. There’s also a decent trunk that’s upholstered in the same high-quality carpet and a full-sized spare tire assembly still lives underneath.

The ‘380’ part of 380SL refers to the 3.8 liter SOHC V8 living under the hood. As reliable and rugged as anything wearing the three-pointed star, it delivers the kind of effortless performance that buyers of the SL would expect. No, it’s not going to win any drag races, but it’s torquey and energetic and feels expensive in everything it does. There are many signs of proper maintenance, including a recent tune-up, and it does indeed run beautifully. Thanks to fuel injection, it always starts quickly and easily, idles nicely, and just goes about its business like a competent servant should. Prod it a bit and it’s happy to rev, although this is not a sports car. It’s all about grand touring with comfort and ease. The 3-speed automatic transmission is smooth and serves up downshifts as needed, and with 2.65 gears in back, it’s a peerless highway cruiser bred for the Autobahn. The suspension is supple yet confident, so it doesn’t mind hustling a bit, and there’s a disc brake at all four corners. You’ll also note a recent exhaust system, super clean floors, newer fuel pumps, and fresh 205/70/14 radials on polished factory alloys.

Documentation includes the original books and manuals, owner card, as well as some recent service receipts.

If you haven’t experienced that perfect blend of sport, luxury, and quality that is an R107 SL, then perhaps this is your opportunity. This is a well-maintained example (these cars routinely run to 500,000 miles with proper care) that just works like it should. Add in the beautiful colors, the California heritage, and nice documentation, and you get a great all-around hobby car that costs far less than something like this should. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.