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Canadian-market 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL offered at no reserve in California
A 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL from the R107 generation, originally sold in Canada and later imported to the United States, is being offered without a reserve by a California dealer. The car has 86,000 kilometres on the odometer, a repainted silver finish and a range of period equipment.
By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read
A 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SL, originally sold in Canada before being imported into the United States, is heading to auction in California with no reserve price. The selling dealer is offering the R107 roadster with its owner's manual, a set of service records, a damage-free Carfax report and a Virginia title. The car shows 86,000 kilometres, or roughly 53,000 miles, on its six-digit odometer.
The car left the factory finished in Black, with black leather upholstery, but has since been repainted silver under previous ownership. It is powered by a 5.5-litre V8 that was rated at 227 horsepower and 279 lb-ft of torque when new. Drive reaches the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential. The car also has power steering, a fully independent suspension and power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes.
Equipment includes a colour-matched removable hardtop and a black soft top, Euro-style headlights, fog lights, a power antenna, chrome-accented bumpers and trim, and 15-inch Gullideckel alloy wheels fitted with Yokohama tyres. Inside, the car has heated bucket seats, a Sony CD stereo, a Uniden car phone, an alarm system, electric windows, central locking, cruise control and automatic climate control. The four-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel frames VDO instrumentation, including a 260 km/h speedometer, a 7,000 rpm tachometer, a clock, and gauges for coolant temperature, oil pressure, fuel economy and fuel level.
The seller notes several issues. The rear window of the soft top shows yellowing, the canvas underside has age-related wear, and the passenger-side electric mirror moves left to right but not up and down. The parking brake does not work. The passenger window and fan speed selector switch operate intermittently, and the passenger seat heater does not function, although its button light illuminates. The selling dealer also reports a rattle from the steering column. The steering damper was replaced in April 2019, and the fuel pump and filter were reportedly replaced in March 2020, while an oil change is recorded for October of the same listing period.
The Carfax report lists a mileage inconsistency entry from May 2026, which the Virginia title does not resolve, since it carries an “Exempt” odometer notation. Prospective buyers are directed to the gallery for close-up photographs of the paint and trim condition, which the dealer presents as the main guide for assessing the car before any bid is placed.
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