Is the SL from a dealer or an individual? No matter which ask a lots of questions. Be sure to ask if it has a single or double timing chain. If single think more about it. If double ask if they have documentation that it is double. Single chain can be big problems, check out entrys on this forum to read about this. Also if the speedometer is original 380 it should only go to 80 miles per hour but that could have also been changed. You did not mention price but what I did when I bought mine was to decide what I was willing to give and begin to make offers until I got it where I was willing to pay. Of course mine looked, ran and even smelled bad but I got it real cheap and since last Feb. have been working on it myself to where now I have what I would call a decent 380SL. Also it is not my only car and is not my daily driver which probably should be considered. But it is my second favorite
car of my life. The favorite being a 64 Corvette when I was 21 years old. Since then I have owned probably 20 cars. I really enjoy my SL and intend to have one from now on. Next project for mine is a new soft top next week.

Hope this has not been to much for you with all these ramblings from an old guy who bought his first SL on Valentines Day 2002 and has been having a love affair ever since.

Have a great New Year and hope it starts out for you in a great car, MBZ SL.