Currently listed on eBay, this 2001 SL600 seems to be a great deal. Located in Cape Coral, Florida, the car is finished in Black (040) over Exclusive Ash Gray Leather (518) and appears to have been well-cared for since day one. The odometer currently reads just under 84k miles and is accompanied by a thorough collection of service records dating back to day one with a stamped maintenance book. The seller states the car is a 2-owner with a current Buy It Now price is $18,950, which is honestly about the best deal to be had for a late-model 600 in this condition.
From the very start, we notice this R129 is wearing the very rare and desirable two-piece staggered AMG wheels made by BBS. These wheels were primarily optioned on 600's and have gained in popularity in recent years, causing values to soar. We've seen sets like this ranging from $3-5k for the wheels alone. It's worth noting that this car did come optioned with these wheels from the factory per the original window sticker. While no mention is made of the tire life left, we can see the wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires.
As a 2001 model, the car is equipped with the AMG Sport Package which greatly improves the aesthetic of the R129 with AMG bumpers and side skirts. Additional options include heated seats for those cool fall evenings with the top down and xenon headlights. The seller states that all electronics work as designed and has ice cold AC.
The SL600 came equipped with a 6.0L V12 engine (M120) rated at 389 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque when new. This power mated to a 5 speed automatic gearbox enabled this Grand Touring Roadster to reach 60mph in 5.6 seconds (5.5-5.9 seconds depending on source).
While the car does come with a huge stack of maintenance receipts, the seller doesn't make any mention if the hydro-electric motors that control the hard and soft tops have been rebuilt or replaced. The seller does state both tops are in great condition and function with no leaks. The 600's came with a leather stitched dash and door cards which is a nice upgrade over the standard 500's. The Gray Leather could use a cleaning as we can see some signs of use on the door pulls and seats. A picture of the driver's seat and back bolster should be requested by any interested parties. Despite being under the Florida sun, the woodgrain appears free from fading without any cracks.
The R129 chassis is already regarded a modern classic. While production numbers were not limited, finding clean and well-maintained examples has become difficult. This SL600 was the top of the line R129 offered in the US and the accompanying original window sticker shows the original MSRP of $132k when new in 2001. Considering these cars are destined to be forever classics, values should continue to appreciate. Even the current asking price for this car seems low for other comparables on the market. Assuming there's no underlying issues, someone should come out very well on this car. Do your due diligence and maybe this car will yield great dividends in the future.
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