1981 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL (R107) |

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1981 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL (R107)

This vehicle has now been sold - click ‘Register Similar’ below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

Sold Price

£15,900

Mileage~27,300 on clock
TransmissionAutomatic
Engine3.8L
LocationRoberttown

SOLD

1981 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL (R107)

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Isaac Wass

Professional Consignor

The R107 was one of Mercedes's biggest successes and it's easy to see why, a timeless classic which never fails to draw attention.

Mercedes-Benz have produced the SL range since 1954, with the R107 being the third generation first introduced in 1971. World-renowned performance, styling, and reliability made the R107 one of Mercedes best selling models at the time, shipping over 50,000 units. The 3.8L engine is mated to a four-speed auto, enclosed in a two-door monocoque shell with independent suspension, coil springs and anti-roll bars at the front and rear. The steering was power-assisted featuring the Daimler-Benz re-circulating ball system.

This example comes to market from ~10 year ownership, covering just ~2,000 in that time and a UK RHD with its matching hard top. During the current ownership the bulkhead has been refurbished, as well as fitment of a new water pump. The car looks to be a well cared for example, the mileage reading looks to be a replacement clock in ~1991, total mileage being somewhere close to ~74,000. Take a look at the full listing to see this SL in detail below.

This listing was written from information supplied by Isaac after meeting Michael the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Having always had an interest in classic cars, the great build quality and overall reliability convinced me to make the purchase of the R107.

Michael is an avid lover of classic cars, having owned and fully restored a Triumph TR6 in the past. After parting ways with the TR, he soon found himself needing to scratch the classic car itch, and having heard great things about the German build quality and ultimate reliability of the R107s, he found himself in the market for a 380SL.

Having owned the car for ~10 years now, Michael has enjoyed his time with the 380SL - describing it as a great car, however it’s simply not the TR6 he fell in love with so many years ago and as a result has decided to let the 380SL go, perhaps in search of something else. Any questions about the car can be directed towards Michael in the comments section below.

Michael

Vehicle Owner

Michael saved £2,700* when they
sold their Mercedes with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

With its classic 80s styling and simple straight body lines, this 380 SL is a well presented example of a Mercedes-Benz milestone in automotive history.

Wheels and Tyres

The "Mexican Hat" wheels are in good condition, free of any major damage or defects, just the smallest signs of age on some of them.

The tyres are Maxxis branded and DOT marked ~2009, however they look to be in fairly good condition for their age, having been dry stored for the last ~10 years the rubber is not sun damaged or perished. View the images to see the detail.

Bodywork

The bodywork is generally in good condition, free from any dents or damage and all panels look to be well aligned too. There is some visible sign of corrosion under the paint to the rear of the boot lid, but other areas like the sills and front wings look good, and Michael tells us he had the bulkhead refurbished in his ownership. The car comes with colour matched hardtop that is in good condition to match the rest of the car too.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The paint is "Thistle Green" (881H), a colour rarely seen on the market. The condition of the paint is good for its age, with little more than general swirls from washing to be mentioned. There are no major chips, scratches, or scuffs to the paint that we could see either.

Again, we have taken high resolution images and videos of the car for you to assess the condition of the bodywork for yourselves. The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass across the car is in good condition, with no obvious chips, cracks, or scratches to be seen. Likewise the trim is in relatively good condition, however the chrome work is beginning to develop some light pitting.

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INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

The high quality interior and well sprung seats are in excellent condition, clean, and timelessly elegant.

Seats and Carpets

The brown cloth and MB-Tex seats are in good condition, with little to no signs of wear and are very well sprung, giving the interior a very comfortable feel. Likewise the carpets are in very good condition too, with the mats free of any major spots of wear too.

Dashboard

The dashboard is in good condition, with no cracking or other visible damage to be seen - all switchgear and dials are present and correct too, in fully working order and free of any damage.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is free of any major damage, with only light signs of wear as to be expected from a car of this age. The automatic gear selector is also in good condition, seeing very little use when compared to its manual counterparts.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

The 380 hits the sweet spot of power and usability, with enough grunt to keep up with modern traffic and the automatic gearbox making for easy driving and plenty of real world usability.

Engine and Gearbox

The 3.8L engine is capable of producing ~201BHP, more than enough to keep up with modern traffic and when mated with the automatic gearbox makes for a very practical car to drive.

The engine started first time with no issues during our ‘Cold start’ video and performed faultlessly during our ‘On The Road’ segment too. Likewise the gearbox suffered no faults during our time with the car and changed gears effortlessly and without any untoward noises.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension of the 380 SL is obviously that of a luxury car, with a very soft and comfortable ride offering the driver every modicum of comfort when on the road. The suspension itself does not seem to have any issues, with no clunking or crashy behaviour - Michael does have a full set of suspension uprights in storage that will come with the car for when the suspension does eventually need refreshing.

Similarly the brakes had no difficulty stopping the car quickly and reliably, and without any grinding or squealing.

The Drive

The 380SL is without doubt a cruising car, the soft suspension and well sprung seats make for an extremely comfortable ride quality not seen in many cars. With the roof down and the wind in your hair, this car is unquestionably perfect for summer driving, however come winter the hardtop provides that extra layer of protection from the elements, truly making this an all year round car for the brave.

Electrics and Other

When speaking with Michael he tells us there are no known issues with any of the electricals and during our time with the car there were no electrical faults that came to our attention either.

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History and Paperwork

This well presented R107 380 SL comes to market from ~10 years of ownership in a rarely seen Thistle Green over brown colourway, very retro indeed.

Coming from ~10 years ownership with current owner Michael, this 380SL is a well presented example of a timeless German classic. With mileage traceable through a number of old MOT’s the odometer currently reads ~27,300 miles, the total believed to be ~74,000 given what looks to have been a clock change in ~1990. Coming to market with its matching hard top, and bulkhead refurbishment in current ownership, this is a cracking example which can be had at a very reasonable price.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in high resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
07.04.1986	MOT	36,666
01.10.1986	MOT	40,360
10.11.1987	MOT	46,269
04.01.1989	MOT	47,272
07.04.1990	MOT	47,302
24.01.1991	MOT	7,062
15.07.1992	MOT	10,605
13.01.1994	MOT	14,544
23.06.1995	MOT	17,004
07.11.1996	MOT	19,651
28.10.1997	MOT	20,397
20.05.1999	MOT	20,885
22.06.2000	MOT	22,562
21.06.2001	MOT	22,846
08.05.2002	MOT	23,086
25.01.2008	MOT	23,711
02.07.2009	MOT	24,385
14.07.2011	MOT	24,882
24.08.2012	MOT	25,089
24.05.2013	MOT	25,823
21.07.2014	MOT	26,116
26.07.2015	MOT	26,196
22.07.2016	MOT	26,341
26.05.2017	MOT	26,363
24.05.2018	MOT	26,563
15.05.2019	MOT	26,708
23.11.2021	MOT	27,315
25.08.2022	MOT	27,359