1983 Mercedes-Benz 380SL

• the moss-green metallic paint is glossy with a thin pinstripe, no paint bill
• tan leather seats and the door card look excellent, no retrim cost
• the hardtop is shown fitted to the car, both-tops cars carry more value
• the black dash top shows no cracks, no dash replacement bill
• the engine bay is tidy and complete, no detail bill
• the door-jamb plate reads VIN WDBBA45A5DB026472, built 04/83, the numbers match the 1983 title, no paperwork fight
• the underside on the lift shows black-coated floors intact with no holes, the rust repair bill is not lurking under this one
• books and a touch-up paint stick are photographed with the car, small extras that help resale
• the front steering links under the car are painted red, not a factory finish, harmless but not original
• can't judge the soft top fabric, it is never shown raised, keep a top allowance aside

Money: there is no sold price on file for this car, so the photos carry it — excellent leather, a clean lift shot underneath and VIN numbers that match the title make it a low-risk buy on condition; the unseen soft top is the only real unknown.