1983 280SL Euro 5 speed

[John R. Boyce]

I wasn't really planning to sell our SL, but my wife would really like an Audi TT roadster, and I saw one this week that is tempting. So, if we can find a buyer for the SL, we'll make the move.

This car was purchased new in Germany by a US military officer, who imported it to the US himself. I bought it from him in Denver in the summer of 1999. It had 78,000 miles on it then, and has about 88,000 now. We keep it in the garage and now only drive it in nice weather (which, by the way, we have plenty of in North Dakota in the summer). In June 2003, my wife and I drove the SL over Beartooth Pass (US 212) in Montana-Wyoming, with the top down. The car worked flawlessly.

It has the M110 2.8 liter twin cam fuel injected inline six, 185 hp, with a 5 speed manual transmission. It runs great, and is a pleasure to drive. I have always used synthetic oil and MB coolant. The car has no airconditioning or cruise control. It has dual zone heat and heated seats, blue plaid cloth and MB tex. Power door locks and passenger mirror, and hand crank windows. The radio is a vintage Blaupunkt AM/FM cassette.

The car has no rust and, as far as I can tell, all of its original paint ("silverblue"). It has a few door dings, but no significant dents or other body damage. The wheels on the car are silver painted BBS alloys, with good Pirelli 205/70-14 tires. The soft top (presumably original) is dark blue, and is in very good condition. The hard top is also in great shape. We have the Euro headlights in a box, along with four steel wheels, MB hubcaps, wheel bolts, and some miscellaneous parts.

I can take digital pictures of the car and send them to interested parties, but the system doesn't seem to want to allow me to post a picture with this message.

The car is garaged at our home in Bismarck, North Dakota.

VIN: WDB10704210015931

It's hard to know what to ask for a price. We paid $14,500 for the car in 1999. I think I would have to get $9000 for it to make it worth selling.

John R. Boyce
Bismarck, ND