1996 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Convertible

Description

The Mercedes SL inspires desire through its long-standing reputation of delivering the highest standards of luxury in a performance roadster. This one-owner, 29,704-mile 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL500 is a timeless classic that you've yearned for, and now it's finally at an obtainable price.

The SL has always been sleek, purposeful, and dignified, with a healthy dose of performance under the surface. The Polar White paint seems to capture this attitude perfectly, and even though it's now 23-years old, it's still in fantastic shape. In typical Mercedes-Benz standards, the fit and finish is beyond reproach. The doors close with precision usually reserved for cars with solid roofs, the gaps are so tight you can't even fit a fingertip in them, and with the color-matched bumper and rocker panel moldings, it has a very sporty demeanor. And up front, the imposing grille with three-pointed star is almost as good as a plow for getting slower traffic out of your way.

This SL has earned its reputation as a luxury cruiser through a long list of desirable features. Comfortable tan leather buckets, with dual memory settings, adjust in every possible direction, the wheel tilts and telescopes, and all that wood in the middle console and door panels is real. But there's another side to Mercedes amenities that are always a nice bonus. This premium marque is known for engineering plenty of safety into their cars, and this can be seen on everything from the dual airbags, to the anti-lock disc brakes, to the roll bar that automatically pops up when danger is detected (it also can be electronically raised on this SL to mount the included rear wind deflector). There are other amenities such as power windows, power steering, power locks, cruise control, automatic climate control, and an AM/FM/cassette stereo powerful enough to be heard at triple-digit speeds with the top down. And speaking of top, you not only get a nice black folding roof, but this one also comes with the color matching hard top that makes your roadster look like a sleek coupe.

The 500 in SL500 refers to the 5.0 liter DOHC V8 that lives under the hood. Making a robust 322 horsepower, it gives you the freedom to choose to keep up with traffic, or easily leave all of them behind. There's a V8 bellow from the exhaust that sounds like LeMans at night, and it turns out that the engine is virtually bulletproof in the real world. This one has led a pampered life considering it has averaged less than 1,300 miles per year so far. The five-speed automatic transmission snaps to attention with the poke of the throttle, and the multi-link suspension provides impressive handling. In total, this is the ultimate roadster for the driver who wants a tight handling car for the backroads, but doesn't want to give up supple comfort or space for the golf clubs.

It's time to reach for a piece of the good life. This SL500 is about bringing a promise within reach. A nice cruiser, with all the amenities, in a convertible...better call now!!