1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

• light blue paint looks glossy and straight in the studio shots, no obvious bodywork to pay for
• the car wears non-stock side skirts, a rear valance and big aftermarket wheels, putting it back to stock would cost real money
• navy seats look excellent up close, light creasing only, no need to reupholster
• door cards and dash wood look clean and uncracked in close-up, no trim bill showing there
• one seat belt shows a small frayed spot, a cheap detail fix compared with a belt set if it spreads
• trunk carpet is stained with rust-coloured spots in the middle, budget a deep clean and check under it for moisture
• engine bay looks very tidy and complete with factory stickers still on, no obvious detail bill, though the radiator top shows speckled surface marks
• the convertible top itself is never up in the sampled photos, only the boot cover, so you cannot judge the top
• no underside photos were in the sample, so rust underneath cannot be judged

Money: at $29,900 sold, the strong seats and engine bay support the price, but the aftermarket body kit and wheels narrow the buyer pool and the unseen top and underside were gambles.