Every so often, a deal comes along that presents an opportunity almost too good to miss. This 1991 Mercedes-Benz SL500, currently for sale via online auction with The Market, might just be that car.

This is not a pristine example of Mercedes’ luxury touring roadster, but with enough love and a little elbow grease, it very well could be.

There’s a lot to like about this opportunity. For starters, being an SL500, it is fitted with the desirable 32-valve, 326bhp V8 engine. This powertrain was designed with relaxed cruising and indecent autobahn speeds in mind, and whilst this particular example will need a little tuning before it is back to its best, the basics are solid and it presents well.

The car comes with its original colour-coded aluminium hardtop, and wears the timeless colour combination of two tone silver/grey over a deep navy-blue interior. Most importantly, the R129 SL was one of the last to be designed during Mercedes-Benz’s famous period of over-engineering. With the right specialist attention and a caring owner, there is no reason to suggest that this SL won’t provide solid enjoyment as it ages into genuine classic status.

Considering what has happened to the older Pagoda’s in terms of price, and what is just beginning to happen to topless versions of the R107, the R129 series represents superb value. Good R129’s are approaching £15,000, so an opportunity to acquire a solid base for maybe a third of that seems like something not to miss.

See the listing and full vehicle description on The Market’s website by clicking here.

The auction ends at 730pm on November 15.