Used Mercedes-Benz SL for sale: everything you need to know

The Mercedes-Benz SL is a popular choice for used car buyers looking for a beefy, two-seat convertible, which offers comfort, performance and drop-top elegance in one slick package.

This is a real driver's car too and even the entry-level V6 has over 300PS to play with. Then there are the AMG range-toppers, a duo of high-end models that feature copious amounts of power from their V8 and V12 engines.

As the sports car equivalent of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, you'll find plenty of cutting-edge technology features within the Mercedes-Benz SL too. Indeed, it boasts a large amount of assistance systems, the option of active suspension and some of the finest audio systems you’ll find in any two-seat car – the Harman Kardon systems, in particular, are outstanding.

The Mercedes-Benz SL was given a mild facelift in 2016, but you’ll struggle to tell the difference. There were under-the-skin changes, a new front bumper and subtle changes to the switchgear. 

With relatively small numbers of annual sales, the lack of familiarity with the graceful Mercedes-Benz SL also helps it still stand out. It’s maybe not the default choice in this sector, but as a piece of motoring royalty, there’s still plenty that appeals here.

There are some obvious rivals to consider though, like the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, the BMW 8 Series Convertible and Jaguar's F-Type in open-top guise. It has some throaty V8 engines to challenge the Merc too. Other than that, there’s not a huge amount of competition in this sector. Genuine luxury alternatives such as the Bentley Continental GTC and Aston Martin DB11 are, realistically, in another league price-wise.

Should you buy a Mercedes-Benz SL?

There's no doubting the appeal of a beefy SL, although ff you’re after a genuine out-and-out two-seat sports car, the Jaguar F-Type might offer a little more experience-wise. However, if you just want a fab all-rounder with a rewarding drive and jump-seat space in the rear for two, the endless appeal of the Porsche 911 Cabriolet is hard to beat. 

Admittedly, the Mercedes-Benz SL could do with being a little more luxurious, to take it closer to rivals from Bentley and Aston Martin. Maybe such a repositioning is coming with the next one (it wouldn’t be the first time in the Mercedes-Benz SL’s long and varied life). For now though, consider it a bit of a hidden secret – the thinking person’s luxury two-seater. If that sounds like you, you’ll discover a lot to like.

A Mercedes-Benz SL not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.

What’s the best used Mercedes-Benz SL model to buy?

The entry-level Mercedes-Benz SL 350 V6 engine is fine, with a charismatic growl and, in SL 400 guise, the support of two turbochargers to effortlessly haul it up to speed. But we’re traditionalists, and think the Mercedes-Benz SL is at its best with a V8: it’s hard to ignore the allure of an SL 500.

The AMG models are also very tempting. The Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG gets a 5.5-litre V8 good for up to 585PS, while the daddy of the range is the incredible Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG, with an outrageous 6.0-litre V12 putting out a staggering 630PS. If you can afford the fuel bills and eye-watering purchase price, it’s hugely tempting.

Used Mercedes-Benz SL fuel economy and performance

Post-facelift, the Mercedes-Benz SL 400 was up to 367PS and the SL 500 produced 455PS. The seven-speed gearbox also gained two more gears, becoming the 9G-Tronic. This compares favourably to earlier cars when Mercedes-Benz SL offered a choice of 3.5-litre V6 producing 306PS or 4.7-litre V8 producing 435PS. Both had a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Later, the SL 400 replaced the SL 350, taking power up to 333PS, while the ferocious 585PS SL63 AMG V8 and 630PS SL65 AMG V12 joined the range.

The most fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz SL is actually the older SL 350, which officially returned more than 39mpg while the SL 400 drops to less than 37mpg. All other Mercedes-Benz SL models are not very economical at all, with hefty fuel costs to match. 

The early SL 500 did 30.7mpg, which the SL 63 and SL 65 dropped down to 28.8mpg and 24.4mpg respectively. This is a thirsty car but the upside is there’s a decent 75-litre fuel tank as standard.

What used Mercedes-Benz SL trim levels are available?

Choose from three used Mercedes-AMG SL models; the Mercedes-AMG SL 43, Mercedes-AMG SL 55 4MATIC+ and Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+. These cars come in a choice of five trim levels: Premium, touring, Premium Plus, Touring Plus and the SL 63-only Performance. The Premium trim specification below shows that even at base-level it's comprehensive, but an option worth looking out for is the Magic Sky Control roof, which switches from light to dark glass at the press of a button.

• Premium :  The Premium trim carries 20-inch AMG alloy wheels plus there's adaptive high beam assist from the Digital Light headlights. Performance brakes underline the car's capabilities and a 360-degree parking camera helps you slip in and out of spaces. The cockpit benefits from an Airscarf to keep your neck warm while audio comes via a Burmester sound system. 
• Touring Plus: At the other end of the trim spectrum, the Touring Plus adds in the likes of 21-inch AMG alloy wheels, the useful MBUX hands-free assistant and gesture control.

Used Mercedes-Benz SL dimensions and boot size

The Mercedes-Benz SL’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4612mm
• Width: 2099mm
• Height: 1315mm 
• Ground clearance: 120mm

The Mercedes-Benz SL’s boot size is:

• 504-litres roof up
• 364-litres roof down

Used Mercedes-Benz SL road tax

Buy a used car like the Mercedes-Benz SL and it's fair to expect beefy fuel consumption and high CO2 emissions, which in turn means sobering VED (road tax) bills. While the older V6s arguably aren’t too bad, costing £290 a year, the bigger-engined versions took bills right up to the top-band M rating of £630 a year.

How much is it to insure a Mercedes-Benz SL?

All Mercedes-Benz SL models sit in the highest group 50 insurance band, so expect premiums to be high, especially for the AMG models. Adding to this is the complexity of the cars themselves, with aluminium bodywork that requires a degree of specialist attention. However, SL's do come with a comprehensive alarm system and other anti-theft tech. It’s also more secure than some other convertibles, simply because of the fact it has a hard-top roof, rather than a fabric hood.

Read our full Mercedes-Benz SL review