1982 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

• silver paint is glossy and even all over, no paint bill on this one
• shiny chrome wheel-arch trim is fitted over the arches and looks clean, but arches are a known rust spot, worth a close look before paying top money
• the Bundt wheels are clean, no wheel refurb cost
• navy leather seats look good with only light creasing on the driver's seat, no retrim needed
• there is a manual gear lever in the console, a rare spec on these that usually helps value rather than costing anything
• the dash wood is glossy and uncracked in the photos, no wood bill
• the twin-cam six engine bay is clean with everything in place, no detail or repair bill showing
• the trunk spare well is black and clean, no rust repair hiding under the spare
• can't judge the soft top, it is never raised in the photos, keep a top replacement allowance aside
• can't judge the underside, there are no lift photos in this set, rust underneath stays an open question

Money: there is no sold price on file for this car, so value comes from what shows — a clean, glossy car with a tidy engine bay and the desirable manual gearbox; the unseen top and underside are the two places to hold money back for until they are checked.