2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Designo Edition
Contents
For July 9, 2020, our used car find is this 42k mile 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500, which is listed on craigslist by a private seller in the Atlanta area for $11,500.
Here’s what makes this car special.
The Listing
Mercedes-Benz debuted the R129 generation SL in 1989, and it was one of the most advanced automotive designs of its day. Four decades later, the Bruno Sacco penned lines still look great, while the mechanicals have proved to be some of the very best to come from the engineers in Stuttgart.
This particular example comes from the final few years of the R129, so it includes most of the improvements made along its 13-year production run, including the electronically-controlled 5-speed automatic gearbox (a notable improvement over the earlier four-speed slushbox) and the robust M113 V8 engine, which puts out a solid 302 hp and 339 lb-ft of twist. Also of note, this powertrain is not affected by the dreaded biodegradable wiring harness issue that plagued earlier R129s.
Most R129s from these later years come in rather boring colors like silver and black. But this car is a Designo edition, sporting sharp-looking Slate Blue paint with a distinctive blue-trimmed interior. The condition appears to be outstanding inside and out, as you might expect from a one-owner car with not even 50k miles on the clock.
On the downside, the car is not equipped with either the SL1 or SL2 package, which would add AMG wheels and other styling enhancements as well as Xenon headlights. The silver lining, though, is that the smaller stock wheels provide a cushier ride than the optional 18-inch AMG rims, which is befitting a boulevard cruiser like this.
The asking price of $11,500 (OBO) is fair for a clean, low-mile, late-model R129, especially considering the rare Designo trim.
If you’ve been looking for a top-shelf example of this iconic Benz, this looks like an excellent buy.
Details and Specs
- 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500
- 42k miles
- 5.0 liter SOHC V8 engine (M113)
- 5-speed automatic transmission (722.6)
- Designo Slate Blue on black leather with blue inserts
- for sale by owner for $11,500
- Peachtree City, Georgia