What's it worth - 1985 500sl - Euro

[greymarket]

Well the time has come. Here's what I have and it pains me to do this but it needs a better home.

1985 500SL - Blue with blue interior, blue soft top and w/hard top
Has not run in 2 years, last time it ran it would not idle. (Idle control motor?)
Transmission seals had just been replaced.
New soft top in 2003
Interior is fair to good, worn but not split
US headlights
New Michelins
No rust
Body is straight, paint is in good to very good condition
Bumpers straight and in good shape
Dash has been coverd with a dash pad
Mileage is approximately 130,000, odometer broke at 103,000
Ran very well, no smoke
Trans shifted very well
A/C was working well


Other priorites in life, while not forcing this sale, seemingly make it the right thing to do. What can you all tell me I should ask, or is there any interest out there. Local to Washington D.C./Maryland/Northern VA

[lee polowczuk]

there was one in my area which did not meet an ebay reserve... i think the high bid was 4100..

i would say get it running perfectly...then you can probably get 8-9k

[kbannister]

You really need to get it running. I saw one in the Baltimore area a few months ago that didn't even bring $2000 because it would not start. Running well, I would say $4500 to $6500

I have a '84, paid $4100 for it, ran well, needed interior and paint.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by greymarket

Well the time has come. Here's what I have and it pains me to do this but it needs a better home.

1985 500SL - Blue with blue interior, blue soft top and w/hard top
Has not run in 2 years, last time it ran it would not idle. (Idle control motor?)
Transmission seals had just been replaced.
New soft top in 2003
Interior is fair to good, worn but not split
US headlights
New Michelins
No rust
Body is straight, paint is in good to very good condition
Bumpers straight and in good shape
Dash has been coverd with a dash pad
Mileage is approximately 130,000, odometer broke at 103,000
Ran very well, no smoke
Trans shifted very well
A/C was working well


Other priorites in life, while not forcing this sale, seemingly make it the right thing to do. What can you all tell me I should ask, or is there any interest out there. Local to Washington D.C./Maryland/Northern VA

Any chance you could have it running (at perhaps the minimum cost to you?) before you have it up for sale? It would make a HUGE difference in what the price will bring you. Right now you have a "ran when parked" car (as they say in Hemmings Motor News) and those have to be sold real cheap as they're a huge risk for the buyer when offered in that state....

After 2 years, cylinders may be dry, tires with flat spots, rubber bits dried out, air conditioning inop. who knows what else?

1985 500SLs were excellent gray market bets, though, and you haven't stated whether it had a manual or automatic transmission. A manual 500SL would be EXTREMELY rare and precious to certain buyers, and sell for a high premium, among knowledgeable enthusiasts, because this would be the "hot" set up, perhaps the most high performance hottest for ANY R107 model from 1972-1989. The Euro 500SL motor would equal or outperform the US 560 SL motor. In fact the US 560SL setup was introduced in part to counter the success of the gray market 500SL imports to the USA, so successful in 1984 and l985

Also, the best ads for Mercedes describe the color of the car, and interior, not just "blue" but Lapis blue, nautical blue, correct named color for the year, palomino interior, leather, MB tex or Amaretta or velour seats, etc, be specific so buyer gets a clear picture in mind.

Books and records, accident free, kinder seat, euro or US bumpers, EPA/DOT papers with the car, how frequently serviced, major repairs enumerated,what wheels are on the car, and the location of the car now, would be helpful information for any buyer.

In sum, the longer more thorough and descriptive ad would be more helpful in accomplishing the sale quickly. Also, stating the reason why repairs were not undertaken till now, would help build trust.

Though if it were me, and I could afford it, I would try to have the car put in running condition before the sale, assuming the sale price could cover the cost of the repairs and get me a the fair price for the car.

Making sure the brake fluid, coolant, oil and air/fuel filters belts and hoses good, these fluids were all fresh, all of that could be done and could be added
to the selling price and help the buyer step up with confidencein the car.

Have you looked at replacing or checking the idle air control solenoid on the engine?

These are just a few things I'd consider, before putting my car up for sale if this were my car, for the right person a '85 euro SL could be VERY covetable and fetch a surprisingly strong price for a good car. Yours might be at the point it may have some issues needed to be addressed before bringing a strong price for you.

Anyhow that's what I think. Good examples of these cars are really worth something to the right buyer.

[ericdee]

It's a Auto, they didn't make a stick in that year.