What websites are best for buying a classic Mercedes SL Class?

Question

Where the heck are people actually finding clean classic Mercedes SLs these days because I am honestly about to lose my mind searching for one online. Ive been scouring the usual spots like Bring a Trailer and Cars and Bids for months now but the bidding wars are just insane and it feels like everything is being sold by some high-end dealer who marks it up 50 percent immediately. I tried Facebook Marketplace too but its just full of scams or cars that look like theyve been sitting in a swamp for twenty years... honestly so frustrated with the whole process.

I am super excited to finally pull the trigger on an R107 though, specifically looking for a 560SL if I can find a decent one. I have about 28k saved up and I really want to find something by late August so I can actually enjoy the top-down weather here in San Diego before it gets weird. I just want a solid weekend cruiser that isnt gonna fall apart the second I drive it off the lot. Are there any niche forums or specific enthusiast sites I should be checking instead of the big mainstream ones?

looking for 1986-1989 models

must have the hardtop included

prefer signal red or midnight blue

no rust is a dealbreaker obviously

Im just tired of refreshing the same five tabs every hour and seeing nothing but overpriced junk or stuff that sells in two minutes. Does anyone have a secret spot they use for these?

mhsqhttzyw · Accepted Answer

I had the best luck finding my cruiser on the Mercedes-Benz Club of America (MBCA) classifieds. It's way less chaotic than the big auction sites and people there actually take care of their stuff. My search ended when I found a Mercedes-Benz 560SL 5.6L V8 R107 through a club member. Also, check the BenzWorld forum marketplace. You gotta be quick tho, the good ones go fast!

ettjjjlqwy · Answer

Building on the earlier suggestion about club classifieds, I've had great luck over the years scouring the BenzWorld and PeachParts forums. People there are technical and usually honest about quirks.

Check Hemmings private seller listings daily

Confirm they used a Mercedes-Benz Timing Chain and Guide Kit 560SL recently Ngl, the auction sites are a mess right now so sticking to enthusiast hubs is definitely the way to go.

xxvrsfrqfl · Answer

Re: "Building on the earlier suggestion about club classifieds,..." totally agree, those niche spots are usually a decent option. Honestly reminds me of when my buddy Mike tried to snag a cheap 560SL off a random ad. He was so hyped but the floorboards were basically held together with duct tape. We spent hours trying to get the hardtop off only for it to get stuck... never even finished the test drive, just went for beers lol.