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Ask anyone what they'd do if they won the lottery and you can bet somewhere on most people's list will be the following: mansion on the French Riviera, swimming pool filled with champagne and a Mercedes-Benz convertible. The first two may well remain a pipedream for a lot of people but the last one may well these days be possible for many.
Stuttgart's SLs have been with us since 1971 and there's certainly something about them that appeals to the hedonist in us. The range grew old and a little uncompetitive in the Eighties though, and Mercedes-Benz eventually brought out a stunning replacement in 1989.
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Detailed ratings
Luxury Sports Convertibles
What you get
Looks that will have others giving you either admiring glances or a volley of rotting fruit, depending on their outlook. Because everybody seems to want an SL as their dream car, everyone knows exactly what it is as you park next to them. Not for those who seek a low profile.
The SL's party-trick is an automatic soft-top that will stop traffic and pedestrians, it's so fascinating to watch. From roof-up to fresh-air in seconds, unlike many rivals.
You'll probably never use all of it, but there's performance aplenty in all these cars, together with all the gadgetry you could desire and that fabulous Mercedes-Benz build quality and crash safety as standard.
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What to look for
Mercedes' engines, like the cars, last virtually forever as they're always under-stressed. Watch out for oil leaks, though. Avoid manual cars at all costs and anything without a proper service history. The gearchange is slow and heavy and when you sell on you'll find buyers are simply not interested in anything other than automatics.
Check all those electronic 'toys' like the central locking, electric windows and air conditioning. Don't forget to take the hard-top off (you'll need help to lift it) and check the condition of the folding roof. Replacements for slashed hoods are none too cheap.
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Replacement parts
(Based on a '95 500SL and exclusive of VAT) A full exhaust will be around £1500. Brake pads are approximately £60 for the front and £40 for the rear. An alternator is just under £150 and a starter motor roughly £150. A headlamp is about £250 and a radiator should come in at about £250.
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On the road
It's a fact that you never see a Mercedes-Benz SL being driven anywhere near its (very high) limits, just as you never see £50,000 Range Rovers in muddy fields. It's nevertheless true, however, that the SL was without doubt designed as much more than something to cruise to the beach and back in. The handling, a sensation back in 1989 for such a heavy car, is still amazing, but the competition has finally caught up. Still, on the used market, an SL takes some beating.
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Overall
A dream car that lives up to the promise. If you can find a way and the right car, sign the cheque and head for that mansion in the hills.
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