Buying checklist Mercedes-Benz SL R107

Much becomes clear before you travel. If papers are missing without a good reason, that is already a price argument, or a reason to cancel.

• Registration document present, the Stammnummer matches the vehicle
• Latest MFK (periodic vehicle inspection): date, any conditions, and veteran entryVeteran status is tied to conditions (condition, mileage). Gaining it later can be expensive.Veteran status explained
• Look at the service book, invoices and restoration recordsPhotographs of a restoration are worth more than the words "just done".History and papers
• Matching Numbers: check engine and chassis numbers against the papersHistory and papers
• Are the number of previous owners and the location history plausible? (import, periods standing)Importing into Switzerland
• Read the value estimate and the weak points of the series beforehandBoth are in the buying guide for that series.

Sheet metal is the dearest item on a classic. Take your time, bring a torch and a magnet, and be twice as wary of fresh underseal.

• Rust in the usual places: wheel arches, sills, jacking points, window frames
• Inspect the underside. Fresh, thick underseal can hide rust
• Are the panel gaps even all round? Uneven gaps point to an accident or a poor repair
• Paint: colour differences, runs, masking edges, signs of a resprayA paint-thickness gauge costs little and shows filler at once.
• Doors, bonnets and lids close cleanly, and the doors do not sag
• Chrome, trim and rubber seals: condition and completenessA replacement looks trivial, but on a rare model it is often expensive or unavailable.
• Are the drains clear? (scuttle, sunroof, boot, fuel filler)

See the engine cold. A warmed engine hides starting trouble, rattles and smoke, so arrange the visit with the car cold.

• Cold start: does the engine fire willingly, and how is the idle in the first minutes?
• Check the oil level and colour, and look at the coolantStreaks in the coolant or pale foam on the oil cap point to the head gasket.
• Leaks at the engine, gearbox and differential (look from below)A light sweat is normal on an old engine. Drips are not.
• Exhaust smoke: blue = oil, white (persistent) = head gasket, black = mixture
• Clutch: bite point, judder, slip under load
• All gears including reverse; synchromesh on the downchange
• Ask about the service state of the expensive items: timing belt or chain, valve clearances, carburettor overhaul

Unspectacular, but it matters for safety, and the MFK is unforgiving. Electrics are the most often underestimated cost on a classic.

• Dampers, bushes and steering: play, knocks, worn joints
• Brake pipes and hoses: rust, porosity, age
• Tyres: check the DOT age (older than 8–10 years: replace), is the wear even?Wear on one side gives away geometry or accident damage.Tyres on a classic
• Try every electrical consumer: lights, indicators, wipers, instruments, heater and fan
• Look at the loom: bodges, flying fuses, added equipment
• Are the battery tray and earth points free of corrosion?

The interior often gives away the true mileage better than the odometer, and damp in the footwell is a warning of hidden rust.

• Seats: upholstery, bolsters, seams. Does the wear match the stated mileage?
• Dashboard: cracks (sun damage), and whether every instrument works
• Lift the carpets: damp or rust on the floorpan?A musty smell as you get in is a clear sign of water getting in.
• Headlining and, on a convertible, the hood: condition, mechanism, waterproofing
• Originality: wheel, radio, gear lever, pedal rubbers. Are changes documented and reversible?

No purchase without a drive, even if the seller hesitates. Drive it yourself, at least 20 to 30 minutes, with a cold start.

• Experience the cold start and the first minutes yourself (do not let it be warmed up)
• Tracking: on a straight, safe road, does the car pull to one side?
• Brakes: pedal feel, pulling to one side, judder under harder braking
• Listen on purpose: suspension knocks, gearbox whine, wheel-bearing drone in corners
• Watch temperature and oil pressure for the whole drive
• After the drive, look underneath again: fresh drips at the engine, gearbox or differential?

The critical points of the R107, in addition to the shared inspection catalogue. A lift or a pit is mandatory – the R107 prefers to rust from the inside out, and the most expensive damage sits where you cannot see without a lift.

• Check the front crossmember and the scuttle under the windscreen: bubbles on the screen frame, damp in the footwell, rust on the crossmember extensions under the headlamp bowlsThe classic R107 trouble spot – a scuttle repair means removing the screen and quickly runs to five figures.
• Tap the jacking points and the sills: are the original tubes with a visible weld seam still there? The sills rust from the inside and can hardly be judged without a lift
• Check the wing edges, the rear wheel arches (folded edges) and the inner wings; chrome arch trims over the arches are often rust cosmetics
• Check the subframe and axle mounts on the underside: the area above the subframe bushes and the rear spring seats, for rust-throughStructural rust at the axle mounts turns the purchase into a restoration project.
• Check the soft-top well and the drains: blocked drains flood the floor panels and the rear crossmember; check the soft top for brittleness, splits and a cloudy rear windowA new soft top, fitted, costs 3'000–5'000 francs.
• Is the hardtop there? Check the fit on the car and the condition of the seals and headlining – paint damage on the flanks points to clumsy hardtop handling
• M117 V8: chain tensioner and guides (rattle on a cold start), oil leaks at the timing cover and rocker covers; M110 six-cylinder: is regular valve-clearance adjustment documented?Timing-chain damage on the V8 means an engine rebuild – experience the cold start yourself.
• Injection (D-/K-Jetronic): watch the cold start, warm-up and transition; an uneven idle means the fuel distributor, warm-up regulator or diaphragm pressure regulatorA K-Jetronic overhaul at a specialist costs several thousand francs.
• Warm the automatic gearbox up: delayed engagement, hard bangs or slip are faults; oil leaks at the gearbox and differential are the most common inspection fault of the series
• Judge the interior: MB-Tex is almost indestructible, leather and velour age expensively; check the Zebrano wood for cracks and the dashboard for sun damage
• US reimports: check the Sealed-Beam headlamps, federal bumpers, catalytic converter, mile odometer and automatic climate control; look at the conversion and customs papersEuropean-spec conversion (headlamps, bumpers) costs several thousand francs – allow for it in the price.
• Check matching numbers against the data card (engine and chassis numbers, colour and equipment codes) – originality and an unbroken history drive the value

The most important step comes after the visit: judge it soberly instead of deciding in love.

• Judge the condition grade honestly (1–5). If in doubt, half a grade worseThe grades are explained in the knowledge article on condition grades.Condition grades explained
• Compare the price with the series estimate, and note the faults as a negotiating list
• If you are serious: arrange a short independent appraisal, or a second visit with a specialistAn appraisal costs a few hundred francs. Missed sheet-metal damage costs several times that.Appraisal before buying
• Do not rush: a serious seller allows time to think