The R107 SL is not a used car. It is a financial IQ test.
To the uninitiated, a $15,000 Mercedes-Benz SL looks like a bargain. To the expert, it looks like a grenade with the pin pulled.
The Mercedes-Benz R107 (1971–1989) is the last of the "Cost-No-Object Artifacts"—vehicles engineered by geniuses and built like bank vaults. But after 40 years, the line between a rising investment and a Financial Abyss is razor-thin.
Whether you are hunting for your first 560SL or trying to save the 450SL in your garage, this book is not a brochure. It is a forensic survival guide designed to save you thousands of dollars in "tuition."
Inside, you will learn to navigate "The Trap" and master the machine:
•The "Walk-Away" Inspection: How to spot the Plenum Chamber Rot and Subframe Cracks that turn a classic car into scrap metal.
•The "Time Bombs": Identify the Single-Row Timing Chain (380SL) and the "Evil Servo" (Climate Control) before they detonate your bank account.
•The NLA Terror: How to survive the "No Longer Available" parts crisis and source the specific rubber, switches, and relays that keep these cars alive.
•Artifact vs. Appliance: Why a "Pool Noodle" repair ruins value, and how to restore your interior, roof, and fuel system to factory integrity.
For the Buyer: Do not sign the check until you pass the "Water Torture Test." For the Owner: Stop throwing money at "Appliance" repairs. Learn to curate the Artifact.
The R107 is a legend. But it demands tribute. Read this book. Buy the right car. Save the Artifact.
