I have the identical car to the red one except it is an '87 with tan interior. I paid $6K with 220K miles. I thought that was a bit high, but I had been looking for about 6 weeks and had looked closely at 4 or 5 cars. In the DC area, you don't find SDL's for $2-3K.

Anyway, several I looked at were lower mileage but I passed. When I saw and drove this one, I knew it was the one. Everything worked - everything. No buttons missing, no rust, everything original. Only drawback was the paint on the hood was terrible and in the center was down to the primer. I hear maroon cars have paint issues.

Anyway, after driving it for 6 months, it is like a time warp. I have put about $1500 into mechanical issues, mostly preventive maintenance issue to make sure the car was worth repainting and another $2K into a paint job.

Net result? A timeless limo that rides and drives like a brand new car that would cost 8 to 10 times as much to buy new. Since the paint job I smile every time I walk up to this car. There is just no beating the mileage and comfort of this drive. And if I get in an accident, I WANT to be in this car!.

So figure $8K for the red one plus $2K in repairs for the first year. The $3K difference in price will never bring the black one up to the condition of the red one if it is what you say. Both will need mechanical work. They are 17 and 18 year old cars. But the cracked dash and the paint issues on the black one will nag at you.

Just my $.02.

__________________
Alan Hamm
'87 300SDL 277K Miles
'89 560 SL 68K Miles