1974 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

V8

Clear

This auction is for a very nice 1974 Mercedes Benz 450sl convertible with hard top and an optional back seat. 2-seater convertibles are great when you are single but once you settle down and get a child or two they become completely impractical. Not with this one. The optional backseat turns this roadster into a fun family 4-seater with seatbelts for two to make it safe and legal. I am sorry to see it go but I am selling because it doesn’t get used anymore and I must make room in the garage. The car has seen very little use in the last few years ( a few hundred miles in the last few years at most) and needs to be owned by someone who will enjoy it. I have had this car for over a decade and thoroughly enjoyed it. About 7 years ago, almost over 10,000 were spent on new paint new top and new interior. Since it lives in a garage and only used in the summer it still looks great and in many aspects is better than new. MECHANICALLY I have had zero problems period. Other than routine maintenance (oil changes, tires, brakes) and a few isolated issues like a fuel pump, the vehicle has performed flawlessly. It drives like you are floating on a cloud and is deceptively fast and agile.YOU CAN DRIVE THIS CAR ANYWHERE ! In preparation for selling the vehicle, I had a mechanic go through it to make sure everything was in good working order. He ran a compression check and all 8 cylinders were between 118 and 120 psi, which he said were perfect and a testament to the incredible German engineering. He did mention that the plug wires were starting to show their age so I had him perform a complete tune up on the vehicle with new plugs, wires, distributor caps, rotor points and condenser (this was over $850). This should guarantee the new owner many years of trouble free enjoyment. The vehicle is registered in Maryland with historic tags which cost less than $20 per year and full coverage insurance through Grundy runs about $75 per year. My son who used to log hundreds of miles in the backseat is turning 16 and inches shy of 6 ft. so he doesn’t fit too well in the backseat and looking enviously at the driver’s seat. Since its introduction decades ago, the Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters have been the favorites of many car lovers. From the spectacular 300SL roadsters of the mid 1950s to today's 600 horsepower Autobahn hammers, these wonderful 2-seaters are the perfect blend of luxury and performance. In the 1970s, the 450SL was a favorite of celebrities and the merely well-to-do. Stylish, reliable, comfortable, with more than adequate performance from the healthy 4.5 liter V8 under the hood, they remain popular today for all the same reasons. Today, they are still considered prestigious cars and showing up in this one will likely win you front-row parking from the valet. This Silver 1974 450SL is a 2-owner car with just 117,434 original miles. Its styling has a timelessness to it that belies the fact that the car was designed in the 70s, and it has aged extremely well next to many of its peers. As stated the interior was replaced a few years ago. The carpets look appropriate for the time and mileage, while the door panels are good condition. A new stereo system was installed a few years ago that works and sounds great. The stereo plays CDs and mp3s copied to a CD. It has a detachable face so you don’t have to worry about locking the car or losing the stereo; just pop in the trunk or the locking glove box. The gauges are all functional, and today's designers could take a note from the clean, elegant design that conveys information without excessive complexity. Overhead, the blue canvas top is in good shape, and this car also includes a matching hardtop, which seals the car up as tightly as an equivalent Mercedes-Benz sedan. The 4.5 liter V8 under the hood has a bubbly, energetic idle, and pulls the roadster around with real authority. The highly original engine bay shows signs of regular maintenance, and that's about all these cars need to be reliable for many thousands of miles. The blower for the heat and air makes noise and may need to be serviced. Since we never used the car in the winter and only in the summer when the top was down we never knew it to be a problem. Given their popularity, 19-year manufacturing run, plus build quality that was truly higher than any car before or since, these cars remain excellent hobby vehicles. This has all its original owners’ manual and warranty books. So here is that most rare of beasts: an affordable, reliable classic car that provides enjoyable top-down motoring while being relatively inexpensive to own and maintain.The Fine Print (read it before bidding!): GOOD LUCK!! Please bid to the value this incredible car may hold for you. Please feel free to ask questions or add comments. Please ask questions BEFORE you bid. We will respond quickly and honestly. This car is located in Annapolis, MD 21401, about 45 minutes from Baltimore and Washington D.C. Your inspections are invited andencouraged! CONDITIONS: Winning this auction constitutes a legal and binding agreement between the Buyer, the Owner and the Selling Agents. Please bid sincerely and sensibly. Zero-feedback bidders must contact us first before bidding to establish some level of seriousness-of-intent; It's nothing personal, just business: We, and many others, have been stung on eBay Motors by too many dead-beat auction winners. Vehicles are sold "As-Is and Where-Is". No warranty is expressed, implied or offered. Neither the owner nor the Selling Agents can or will take any responsibility for this car after it leaves the premises. PAYMENT:Buyer must make a $500 deposit by Paypal or certified check overnighted within 24 hours of the Auction Close.will secure the Deal for all Parties involved. Failure to make Deposit within 24 hours will risk Cancellation of the Sale at Discretion of the Owner and Sellers. BALANCE MUST BE PAID within 7 BUSINESS DAYS of sale by WIRE TRANSFER, CASHIER CHECK, or CASH at PICK-UP. TRANSPORT: If you are local, we can bring it to you. If you are distant, you can drive it. No need to use a shipping company because you can drive this car anywhere. I will deliver the car if you are local ( 50 miles from Annapolis, MD 21401) for free and possibly arrangements can be made for more distant locations. If you prefer it to be shipped, we do not offer quotes on shipping. There are many vendors to choose from offering vehicle transport: eBay's "preferred" shipper, DAS, and FedEx/Passport are two great places to start getting bids. STORAGE: Owner can offer, free of charge, indoor storage for up to 30 days after auction termination. Longer periods can be arranged at cost if necessary. Seller cannot accept any liability during this storage period.