Ya, if you don't mind 10 mpg! The 560SL is much better than the 450SL, more power, much better mpgs too!

If you are looking for a 90's 300d turbo with the 2.5 l engine, you might want to check this out; ebay item 4531488080. I bought my 87 300d turbo from him and he seems to be honest and has a good reputation. Most of the cars he sells are native Arizona and should be rust free. Maybe you could find someone in Phoenix to look it over. In my case, he took the car to a indy and did some $400 repairs before selling and also put 4 new Yokahama tires on it. Be prepared to pay the $10K as these cars are in demand. Full disclaimer, no affiliation etc etc.
Oily

Reliability of the 450SL is very good. Practicality of a 450SL is another story. With the possible exception of the diesels for the right owners, Mercedes Benz does not make a practical car. For practicality and reliability geta Honda or a Toyota.

John Roncallo

Go for the W124 in the '94 or '95 vintage. I'm partial to the V8 and have had very minimal problems. These have cost less than $1500 in 15 months and are very unlikely to recurr. Slapped in a 6 CD/MP3 Alpine player and this is truly a great road car. Heading to CA in April to tour wine country. Details to follow if anyone's interested. Ciao