NO RESERVE 38-Years-Owned 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL
Vehicle Details
- Year: 1983
- Make: Mercedes-Benz
- Model: 380SL
- VIN: WDBBA45A5DB025225
- Mileage Shown: 228,869
- Transmission: Automatic
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Anthracite Grey Metallic
- Seller Type: Private Party
- Location: Englewood, NJ 07631
- Country: United States of America
- Lot #: V-0059077
As part of the R107 series produced from 1981 to 1985, this 1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL is powered by a 3.8-liter M116 V8 engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Finished Anthracite Grey Metallic over a grey leather interior, it features a new black soft and body-color hardtop, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, power accessories, an upgraded Blaupunkt and Rockford Fosgate stereo system, and more. Garage-kept by its owner of nearly four decades, this 380SL is now being offered for auction on behalf of the seller out of New Jersey.
This example is finished in Anthracite Grey Metallic (172U) and is equipped with a newly installed black fabric soft top along with a body-color removable hardtop. Exterior details include North American-spec quad headlamps, front fog lights, a power antenna, and chrome trim and moldings. It rides on 14” Bundt alloy wheels wrapped in Toyo Extensa A/S tires bearing 2014 date codes. The seller notes the rear decklid has been replaced and mentions cosmetic imperfections, including minor rust bubbles and a crack in the driver-side headlamp lens. Detailed images are provided in the gallery along with a clean CARFAX report.
The cabin is upholstered in grey leather with matching door panels, dashboard, and carpeting, accented by burl wood trim and a custom wood-rimmed steering wheel. A premium Blaupunkt head unit has been fitted and paired with a Rockford Fosgate speaker system at a reported cost of approximately $4k. While the cruise control is noted to be inoperative, all other gauges and electronic functions are reported to be in proper working order.
Power comes from a 3.8-liter M116 V8 engine, which was upgraded with a double-row timing chain in the past five years. The rear wheels are driven through a 4-speed automatic transmission. The car features a fully independent suspension with double wishbones up front and semi-trailing arms at the rear, complemented by coil springs, anti-roll bars, and telescopic shock absorbers. Disc brakes facilitate stopping at all four corners, supported by a hydraulic dual-circuit system with a vacuum booster and a foot-operated parking brake. It has been maintained under an open-checkbook philosophy at a dedicated service shop, with oil changes reportedly performed annually or every 3k miles and all recommended work routinely carried out per the mechanic’s guidance.
This sale will include the owner’s manuals, a factory first-aid kit, and a clean title.
The seller would like you to know: “This car has been a part of the owner’s life for almost 40 years. It’s been driven and enjoyed in nice weather, as a way to escape on the weekends. This car has been maintained with an open checkbook for its entire life. While its starting to show its age some, overall the car is in very good shape. I think it presents as if it has half the mileage it does. The owner is looking for the next steward to take care of the car in its next phase of life.”
Auction Results
- Sold for: $6,000
- Auction End: Jun 25, 2025 06:43:20PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 19
Attachments
Comments (53)
Great buy @venkerSteell ! I am in long island and don't have help to get the car from NJ otherwise I could have bid more but it seemed too much work for me.Anything under $7500 is a good buy I think ,even with this mileage .I had a MErc that I drove up to 200 K miles and it was still running strong !! Enjoy
Great gift
Enjoy
@VenkerSteell WAO; see it was a celebration all the way! I have a coupe of old cars (1954 oldest) and I clean the cars with water free products (they are amazing). This paint looks very nice so to protect the corrosion from not growing, maybe that can be an option. Good luck!
@FunRun4Ever Haha, my wife's birthday is on 7/9 so it's making someone's birthday wish come true.
@AuthenticAuctions @Dsgray16 Thank you very much! I've been eyeing the auction for a few days now and finally sprung it on my wife today and she was all-in. This looks a beautiful car and something we will take very good care of. My wife is jumping up and down.
Enjoy the Car!!!!!!!! My friend missed his own BD Party!
Sold for $6,000
Thanks all. Congrats to @Venkersteell on the winning bid. Ill be in touch.
It’s a nice car for somebody who wants a 107
I have a 560 and it’s a great cruiser
Gl to new owner
Enjoy
Bid in the amount of $6,000
Bid in the amount of $5,680
Bid in the amount of $5,380
Bid in the amount of $5,000
Additional documents have been added to the listing gallery.
Bid in the amount of $4,750
@Vlad600sel I have a few records and I am trying to get PCar to add them.. $3,800 for the Blaupunkt/Rockford Fosgate stereo, $2k in maintenance with Eurotech Motors.. spark plugs, air filter, idle control relay, a bunch of other stuff. $3k receipt for timing chains, tensioners, valve cover gaskets etc. We'll be able to dig up more records for the winning bidder.
Bid in the amount of $4,500
Just a reminder to everyone that the clock adds time when you put your bid in, so no reason to wait until the last second!
Bid in the amount of $4,250
Bid in the amount of $4,000
Bid in the amount of $3,600
@Vlad600sel Hardtop is in storage, ill be working with the owner to get it out this coming week. Its only been used a few times and is in great shape. I wasn't able to get pics because its in storage.
I didn’t see the hardtop
Do you have it?
I don’t see any paperwork for repairs or maintenance
Are there missing or non existent,
Thank You @ seller! I'm doing a last minute analysis for my BF who's BDay is today. Let's see if he decides to make himself a great gift! I Love the car.
@FunRun4Ever Pic 137 displays the worst of the rust on the car.
@FunRun4Ever All rust spots i came across were photographed and are included. Undercarriage stuff is surface.. oil spotting underneath seemed inline with what I would expect for a car of this age. Garage floor and driveway were clean.. nothing puddling etc. I would probably do some mitigation to the front quarters just behind the wheel wells.. and obviously if you wanted to make it pristine you could repaint the car, but the paint is in great shape for an 83'. Hope this is helpful.
Thank you @seller. What about the question of corrosion and oil leaks?
@FunRun4Ever Soft top is new within 5 years and looks it.. functioned perfectly when we put it up and latches well. Owner said he only used it a handful of times. Tool is included to latch it to the windshield. Windows work (power) and there are no stories with any of those components. The long term owner (seller) bought it from a vintage car dealer in Lynbrook Long Island. (2nd selling)Owner believes the dealer no longer exists and I don't have info on the first owner.
Bid in the amount of $3,300
Hello @seller! What about the first owner, where was the car? Are the corrosion pictures all the spots the car has? Any oil leaks? Can you talk about the windows and top conditions?
@AuthenticAuctions @Dsgray16 *shop
@nobrakes This car is the epitome of that kind of car.. Its been driven its whole life and cared for accordingly. And Ill be able to put the buyer in touch with the show that has been maintaining this car for 15+ years.. so you can get the full story from them as well. Owner said he just did whatever was recommended, but also paid up for things like the double timing chain conversion etc. Its a shame some cars get looked down on for millage.. only tells a small part of a car's story.
I will add I have a 87 Ferrari 328 with just over 100k miles on it that runs and drives perfectly. I’ve bought and sold plenty and everyone of those low milers had to be trailered away to be inspected and serviced because they were sitting dormant for years.
What kills these cars is when they sit dormant. I would rather have this well loved 225k miler that is a known quality than a 90k miler that has been sitting for a long period of time and has to be refreshed mechanically.
I own the same car. Super fun to drive. Not a 560 but a great cruiser. GLWTS.
Bid in the amount of $3,000
Bid in the amount of $2,750
Bid in the amount of $2,500
@GinnmillRacing Heat and AC work. The dash is not capped, it was replaced within the last 2 years.
Bid in the amount of $2,250
Does the heat and air conditioning work? Can you confirm if dash is covered with an aftermarket cap?
Driving video added.
Keep the questions coming and good luck in the final hours of bidding!
Bid in the amount of $2,000
@rockingchairmotors I have one its just not great so I didn't add it.. I am posting it to my youtube channel now.. ill ask PCar to add it to the listing as well. I drove the car.. it goes good. Lights work, turn signals work. It needs new wiper blades. I dont think this car has ever been used in the rain and they have probably never been used. The tires are dated (2014 if i recall), but have great tread. For the performance level of this car, I would probably just run them as is for a good while longer. That's my quick-take on its driving condition.
If you spend the time doing a start up video why didn't you do a driving video? You had the extra person there?
Bid in the amount of $1,750
What a beaut!
Bid in the amount of $1,500
Nice to see some bids on this. Please let me know if anybody has any questions as we get into the final 24 hours.
Bid in the amount of $1,250
Bid in the amount of $1,000
Welcome to the 1983 Mercedes Benz 380 SL auction. This car has been long-term owned by the second owner and is being sold by that owner. Major maintenance worth focusing on is that the timing chains have been done and they have been upgraded to the double chain setup.
Regular maintenance has been performed on this car whenever it was needed and the oil and filter were changed every 3k miles.
I am representing this car on behalf of the owner. I have driven it though and seen it in person. It’s in remarkably good shape.
Let me know if you have any questions!