Mercedes-Benz R107 buyer's guide

The SL of the 1970s and 80s — eighteen years of the same handsome car.

Years: 1971–1989 · Models: 350SL, 450SL, 380SL, 560SL, and the European 280SL, 300SL, 420SL and 500SL

Overview

The R107 was Mercedes' only roadster for eighteen years: a solid, comfortable two-seater with a folding soft top and a removable hardtop, sold overwhelmingly in the United States. Engines ranged from European sixes to the 5.6-litre V8 of the final 560SL. Survival is high and so is supply — which makes this a market won on condition and history rather than rarity, with a few important exceptions.

Engines

The M110 six (European 280SL); the M116 V8 in 3.5, 3.8, and 4.2 litres; and the M117 V8 in 4.5, 5.0, and 5.6 litres. US cars were shaped by emissions rules; European cars are lighter and quicker.

What to check

• Rust in the sills, floor pans, and above all the front bulkhead and firewall area, where repair is structural and expensive — inspect with the carpets lifted if you can.
• On the 1981–1983 380SL, the single-row timing chain: confirm the double-row conversion has been done, or price it before anything else.
• On early cars, the front subframe's reinforcement history — cracking at the control-arm mounts was the subject of a manufacturer recall and repair programme.
• The soft top's canvas and frame, and whether the hardtop is present, correct, and complete with its stand and cover.
• Climate control and vacuum systems, and the general state of the expensive chrome and trim.

Values

The 560SL leads the US market, with the European 500SL beside it as the connoisseur's car; low mileage with full records is the premium specification throughout. Two tops, factory colours, and originality all count, and a photographic history file genuinely adds money.

Buying tips

Make the bulkhead and the 380's timing chain your first two questions. Beyond those, the R107 is a buyer's market: wait for a documented car rather than improving an undocumented one.

See the 391 R107 cars currently listed.