2005 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

Finished in Obsidian Black Metallic with a light grey leather interior, this 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG has the sort of meticulous service history some may say is a little OTT given it’s got just 27,000 miles on the clock.

But then this is a car that’s had three passionate lovers in its life.

The seller bought it from a friend of his in 2012 when it had just 20,000 miles on the clock – and his friend had bought in in 2010 when it had just 16,450. 

Only being sold because, at the age of 83, he’s struggling to get in and out of it, it is presented in an almost unmarked condition, making ‘J55 BAF’ one of the very best SL55 AMGs we have ever seen – and we’ve seen a few. 

Y’all know how we feel about black cars by now, right? While they can look great, they do show up the slightest imperfection, making them a risky choice as a secondhand buy.

Yada, yada, yada.

And yet, when the car is as good as this Obsidian Black Metallic SL55, there are few colours we prefer. 

Mind you, the seller tells us it has “never been scratched or dented” and that it has never had any paintwork bar the touching up of three small stonechips. 

He is, in his own words, fastidious even cleaning the paintwork inside the engine bay.

Of course, the car comes with a fitted Mercedes-Benz indoor car cover. 

The clever folding roof opens and closes as it should, tucking away neatly when it is lowered and fitting perfectly when it is raised. It really does offer the best of all worlds.

The 18-inch AMG alloy wheels are free of scuffs, scrapes and other damage and they are fitted with *drum roll* matching Pirelli P Zero tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

There isn’t anything on the coachwork to worry about. But you’d guessed that by now, hadn’t you?

The light grey interior could have been purpose-made to highlight marks and wear but all you’ll see is a beautifully maintained and cared for example, no matter how closely you peer.

Take the rear seats, for example. We know they are so small they tend not to get used much but these still look like new. They’re both in an incredible condition and don’t have a mark on them.

The front seats, which are heated and have a massage function, are very nearly as good as the ones behind them with only the very gentlest of creasing to their covers.

As for the condition of the rest, we’re told the seller has always had anything that needs doing done immediately, first through the dealer network and then through a “wizard” of a mobile Mercedes-Benz independent specialist more recently.

The SL has got a wind deflector for ruffle-free motoring at any sane speed, and it’s even still got its original storage case in the boot as well as the factory first aid kit under the seat. 

You’d like further proof of the care with which it has been maintained? How about the fact it’s got separate sets of summer and winter over-mats, with the latter being black all the better to hide the debris from muddy footwear?

Or the fact the netting pockets are still taut? Or the sunblinds are not only still there but slide to and fro as they should? Or that the suede-covered instrument binnacle still looks so fresh?

It has been subtly upgraded to meet the demands of the modern driver with the installation of a Bluetooth attachment to channel your music and phone calls via the factory sound system, a set-up that includes a multi-disc CD changer.

Work to do? If you are feeling ultra-pernickety then the handle for the luggage cover has come a few mm adrift but otherwise all you need to do is pay the balance and turn up and drive it away. 

The SL’s service history is meticulous and one of the most impressive we’ve ever seen. Truly a money-no-object regimen, it is recorded as follows:

• 27.01.2006 and 3,590 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 23.01.2007 and 6,823 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 10.12.2007 and 9,859 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 15.01.2009 and 13,064 miles – service plus fresh brake fluid, a fuel filter, sparkplugs, and a poly v-belt by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 15.01.2010 and 15,608 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Colindale
• 10.01.2011 and 17,656 miles – B service plus fresh brake fluid by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 24.01.2012 and 18,922 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 08.05.2014 and 21,238 miles – service plus fresh brake fluid by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 25.02.2015 and 23,046 miles – A service by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 26.06.2017 and 24,352 miles – B service plus fresh brake fluid, sparkplugs, and a fuel filter by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 04.08.2018 and 25,294 miles – value service by Mercedes-Benz Ascot
• 10.12.2019 and 26,051 miles – ‘B’ service plus fresh brake fluid and coolant by Mobile Merc Services
• 26.02.2021 and 26,339 miles – minor service by Mobile Merc Services
• 24.06.2022 and 26,678 miles – minor service plus fresh brake fluid by Mobile Merc Services
• 02.08.2023 and 26,995 miles – minor service by Mobile Merc Services

It’s had recent rear brake pads too, including the ones for the parking brake.

As you can see – and would expect - the supercharged V8 engine starts promptly and idles perfectly with no warning lights illuminated. The engine is smooth and quiet at tickover, whispering at low-to-medium revolutions and only emitting a subtle snarl when provoked. 

This is a very, very civilized way to go very, very fast indeed.

The underside looks very clean and solid and no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention structural corrosion or rust.

Which brings us neatly to the duration of the current MoT certificate. It is valid until January 2024 and was issued with just the one advisory for the offside rear tyre, whose tread is low. Given there is some age-related perishing to the other tyres we’d recommend changing them all while you’re at it given the car’s performance potential.

The rest of the online MoT history is just as impressive and worth looking up.

The SL55 comes with two keys, a V5 registration document and the full book pack including that meticulously stamped service history booklet as well as many invoices and a selection of expired tax discs and MoT certificates.

Time has been kind to the R230 Mercedes SL55 AMG; initially viewed with suspicion by the secondhand market, they’ve moved seamlessly up through the ranks to become genuine platinum-coated, diamond-encrusted jewels, offering performance, reliability and enough everyday usability for them to be the coolest daily driver you can imagine.

All of which means that prices are on the march. 

While you used to be able to buy the very best examples for less than £20,000, you’ll have to pay around twice that for a very good one now, which makes our guide price for this car of between £25,000 and £30,000 look like outstanding value given it is one of the very best we’ve ever seen.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in Bracknell, Berkshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.