1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL Roadster Convertible 2-Door 3.8L V8 2-Owner NO RESERVE
1983 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class for sale in Winter Park, Florida, United States
Condition: | Used |
Item location: | Winter Park, Florida, United States |
Make: | Mercedes-Benz |
Model: | SL-Class |
Type: | Convertible |
Trim: | 380SL |
Year: | 1983 |
Mileage: | 104,600 |
VIN: | WDBBA45A9DB021470 |
Color: | Brown |
Engine size: | 3.8L V8 |
Power options: | Air Conditioning, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Drive type: | RWD |
Interior color: | Brown |
Safety options: | Anti-Lock Brakes |
Options: | Cassette Player, Leather Seats, CD Player, Convertible |
Want to buy? | Contact seller! |
Description for Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 1983
Black Titanium Template 1983 MERCEDES BENZ 380SL Description Odometer: 104600 VIN# WDBBA45A9DB021470 Engine: 3.8L V8 Transmission: AutomaticYou are bidding on a very beautiful and outstanding Classic Two-Owner 1983 Mercedes Benz 380SL with Automatic Transmission and 104K all miles are from the state of Florida. This Mercedes is very fuel efficient with about 23MPG Highway resulting in huge savings on fuel cost. It runs and drives very well with smooth acceleration and shifts good from gear to gear. This vehicle has only 104K Original Miles and for a Mercedes Engine it has many more miles to travel. Most of the miles racked up because this Mercedes was like a Snow Bird during the summer season it would go to for the past 15 years in Owensboro, entucky and also be serviced by Tri-Star Mercedes a lot and also Fields Motorcars in Daytona Beach during the winter season. All this Information was provided by the CARFAX. I got this Mercedes from Fields Motorcars in Daytona Beach, L. It was traded in by the Second Owner back in April of this year, here Sales Manager and then they had it on there lot for sale until they sold it to ARC MOTORS INC (ME). I was told by the sales manager that the Mercedes used as a show room classic SL promo, s it sat in the show room for most of the time when it was at Fields for sale and what I'm saying is that it was used a display car with other SL's models. It stayed parked next to generations of SL's. Also Comes with Both Top Including Hard Top and the soft top works flawlessly.
There is something pleasant about driving a Mercedes and my SL is a lot of fun to drive. Its unusual, t handles well, t attracts attention, here are some neat attributes about it, nd there is that big star on the front. The 380SL is not technologically sophisticated nor does it have all the bells and whistles like electric seats or tilt steering wheel that do exist on most any car today and did exist on many high-end autos in 1983. Only the right hand mirror is electric - the left hand mirror is manual. Also has factory installed options like 14" Mercedes wires wheels, uro Headlights, nd the original Becker Radio. The convertible top is not electric but instead a simple manual procedure to put down and put up. It is neat the way the convertible top folds down behind a metal cover. The removable hardtop takes two pretty strong men to lift off or put back on.
The 380SL was a very very expensive vehicle in 1983 and cost an excess of $40,000 for it.
I call the allure that we have about the engineering and build quality of 380SL's, long with those 450SL's and 560SL's, ostly hype and myth. I coined the phrase "Mercedes Myth" because my experience with a new Mercedes failed to meet my expectations. What is not myth is the desirability for Mercedes cars like the 380SL and the reason is basically the overall design and styling. 380SL's are fun to drive, un spending time detailing, nd fun to show. The following is my critique of Mercedes 380SL's:
"Engineered Like No Other Car in the World"? Lets take a look .....
Body
The 380SL metal body is constructed with what seems much thicker steel than most other cars. But, L's are notorious for rusting around the fender wells, ocker panels and corners. Chrome seems to be of high quality. The #1 quality feature that sold me on buying a Mercedes and one that I still appreciate is the way Mercedes folds the metal around the door edges along with the bank like thunk when you close the door. Still, y 380SL when fitted with the Hard Top has some wind noise that is a disappointment. I expect wind noise with the soft top, ut not when the hard top is on. I've noted that the body side trim can come loose and slide horizontally. The rubber material for the bumpers and around exterior mirrors seem to high quality and holds up nicely. Usually the Paint is high quality on the obvious surfaces but down low I note its somewhat sloppy that I find failing to meet the "Mercedes Myth". The hood release and the soft top release can be problematic as I have noted this frequently is a problem. I have had problems in both of these areas. The door handles do have that solid quality feel that one expects. The Hood on 380SL's is aluminum and nicely constructed and finished. I have read accounts of paint coming off in places on the hood and paint prep for aluminum is different from steel.
The fit and trim on the removable hard top is top notch and what one expects of the "Mercedes Myth". The removable hard top is heavy and will take two strong men unless you have a ceiling hoist to lift it off.
Summary: Very high quality but also very rust prone and painted areas down low on the body are usually sloppy. I would consider the Body of 380SL's as meeting the expectations of the "Mercedes Myth" were they not so prone to rust. You would think that Mercedes would have been farther along with rust prevention but obviously were not.
Interior
380SL interiors are normally either Mercedes Tex (vinyl) and/or Leather. I've noted experts who describe all 380/450/560 SL interiors as "weak" and I tend to agree. Interiors have a number of short comings that is not up to the Mercedes myth - namely that seat bottoms usually flatten out and/or stitching comes loose over time, oor panel vinyl coverings are always wrinkled, he dash often cracks especially the blue colored ones, nd the center armrest is basically ordinary. The sun visors are 'cheaper' than what one would find on a Chevrolet Vega - not only being cheap, hey do not have lighted mirrors that one would expect on a $40K car. In addition, here are some parts that are chrome plated plastic but are done quite well. Specifics that do meet the 'Mercedes Myth' are the door handles and associated mechanism, eneral layout of the interior, arpet is high quality and seems to wear well, lectrical switches have a nice firm quality feel, hat big Mercedes steering wheel is a pleasure to use.
Summary: SL interiors have a very short durability from what I have observed, nd completely fails to meet the expectations of the "Mercedes Myth" for quality - a big disappointment here.
Soft Top
Original Soft Tops are German Canvas and are quite pleasing in appearance. Those Soft Tops are water tight and do last quite a while if well taken care of. The rear windows, hree of them, re plastic and do yellow, ade, nd are easy to scratch. I think Mercedes should have made it a priority to figure out a way to have real glass instead of plastic. The soft top is easy to put up and down even if it is a manual operation. One of the neatest things about 380SL's is the way the soft top can be stowed away behind that pop up cover. Sure is attractive with the top down and stowed underneath that metal cover.
Summary: SL soft top meets the "Mercedes Myth" if the SL is sold as a sports car. If sold as a 'luxury car', t fails to meet the "Mercedes Myth" because of the plastic windows and because it is not powered.
Engine, ransmission, echanicals
Engine: 380SL engines are aluminum alloy and are generally not as reliable as the older 450SL or the newer 560SL. The 380SL has the least powerful engine of the group but it certainly is not underpowered and it gets very good gas mileage.
Transmission: No major problems and appears to be long lasting. The Automatic Transmission does have a noticeable "thunk" when shifting through the gears.
Brakes: Brakes work well, ome but not all 380SL's have ABS braking. I had to have the Master Cylinder overhauled on mine at 98,000 miles. The brake pads that 380SL's use do create a lot of dust that tends to accumulate on the wheels making those silver painted wheels appear black. Brake dust is hard to clean off and you might want to look into dust shields for each wheel - I use Kleen Wheels and they seem to work good for me. Course, urist will tell you that dust shields cut down on brake cooling but I don't abuse my 380SL and this has never been a problem for me.
Steering, lignment: Good road feel, lignment seems to stay when set. Steering is not rack and pinion but instead recirculating ball.
Wheels: has 14" factory installed Mercedes wire wheels
Tires: Michelin tires, sually 205/70-14, re what one expects of the "Mercedes Myth".
Summary: SL mechanicals fail to meet ones expectations of the "Mercedes Myth" of reliability and engineering.
Accessories
Radio: Adequate, othing exciting here. The electronic tuning basically sucks and I often wish for the a rubber vacuum hose cracks.
Summary: Fails to meet ones expectations of the "Mercedes Myth". In addition, here is nothing exotic or unusually as far as accessories go with SL's - just basic accessories where most other 'luxury' cars at that time were better equipped.
The Mercedes SL series is quite likely the very finest automobile ever made.
The 380SL is visual poetry parked in your garage, nd poetry in motion while driven.
Driving the 380SL one learns what it must feel like to be a deity when freed from the shackles of place and time and the cares and worries that haunt ordinary drivers.
The 380SL engine runs without sound or vibration at idle and normal speeds. It has more power than even the largest military Hummer, et when pushed merely makes a slight whooshing sound while objects from afar get very big very fast and evaporate in your rear view mirror almost instantly. Shifting through the gears the 380SL gives no jerking forward and back, ut instead offers continuous, nbroken smooth acceleration more like a silent turbine jet engine. The 380SL's ground speed exceeds the speed at which aircraft lift off, nd ten 380SLs have more power than a locomotive with a lot less weight and noise.
While moving the 380SL reminds one that it costs over five times what a normal car does not by excess, ut by the absence of all the little noises, nconveniences and compromises of lesser cars. As many world religions have noted, leasure and Heaven are not obvious pleasures, ut the complete lack of unpleasantness.
The 380SL accelerates smoothly and brutally at any speed. Acceleration comes from torque, ot horsepower. The horsepower advertised by sub-six-figure vehicles has much less to do with acceleration than torque. A normal car has only about 150 ft-lbs of torque, eak. The 380SL not only has 224 ft-lbs, t does this over most RPMs.
Driving the 380SL is salvation. Behind the wheel your life is perfect.
Aug 9 at 11:08 PM
The Three Tops
The 380SL is a bargain when you consider it's three cars in one: a coup�© with the hard top attached, roadster with the top down, nd a ragtop with the cloth top up. The cloth top is always with the car while the hard top is removable. If you get an SL with the hard top rest assured the soft top is snuggled away underneath.
The Soft Top
The tonneau cover covers the lowered top. The SL is a $100,000 car, ot a $20,000 Dodge Chrysler Sebring or similar. At speed the soft top of the SL is quiet and makes no wind noise. I never appreciated this until we got stuck with a Chrysler Sebring rental. Drive the Chrysler with the top up and you hear a ruckus coming from where the soft top and windshield meet, nd whistling from above the side windows. Mercedes designs the tops and interfaces for perfect aerodynamics, irflow and quiet. It costs more to do it correctly. The soft top of the SL even includes rain gutters to keep rain and windshield washer fluid off your side windows, ust like Mercedes hard tops. These gutters are the slight indentations towards the front that channel water to the rear instead of letting it slip off to the side.
The 380SL is a masterpiece of beauty, ower, moothness, afety and convenience which cannot be put into words by any living poet. The rest of this is all technical. Other cars occasionally can offer better performance on paper in one aspect or another, ut always at the expense of something else at which the SL continues to excel. The rest of this cannot possibly convey the pleasure received from owning an 380SL. I present the rest of these facts for my personal reference after having researched them.
This R107 body style was made from 1972 through 1989.
ConditionThere is No Rust on the vehicle. A Southern Vehicle from the Sun Shine State
� 23MPG. Huge $avings on fuel cost!!!!!!
�The A/C blows cold and the Heater works great too.
�Controls such as the Power Mirrors, ower Door Locks, ower Windows, /p>
�Car Runs and Drives Good. Don't miss out on this beautiful Classic Mercedes (R107) Roadster. Bid with confidence.
�Overall, his is an outstanding and beautiful vehicle and it is awaiting its new owner. Bid with Confidence.
�See lots of Pictures Below!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*The exhaust has no signs of smoke
*The engine shows no signs of oils leaks
*The paint looks repainted but very small imperfections and very small spots of surface 8.5/10
*Interior Condition is 9/10 the seats are original and has no tears or rips
*TIRES are in Great condition
*A/C WORKS FINE AND EVERTHING ELSE 10/10
*has 104,500 MILES
* Florida CAR ALL IT'S LIFE
* NO RUST
Terms of Sale* $275 doc fee for all buyers + Florida residents must pay 6% sales tax or sales tax required for your county and tag for registration . Out of states buyers must pay sales tax varies from state to state We will ship the car...buyers are responsible for ALL shipping costs. We can help arrange shipping if necessary.
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About the Seller*WE ARE A WHOLESALE USED CAR DEALER LOCATED IN WINTER PARK, LORIDA
ARC MOTORS INC
2286 W FAIRBANKS AVE, INTER PARK, 2789
407-803-1500
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