|
|
 |
|
| Autos |
Developing a Yen for the Pagoda
Patrick C. Paternie
02/02/2004
|
As a testament to the 230SL’s sportiness, one of the first production models was chosen by the factory’s ace rally driver, Eugen Bohringer, to compete in the 1963 Spa-Sofia-Liege endurance rally, a 4,000-mile race across Belgium, Italy and Yugoslavia. With few modifications other than rally-specific timing equipment and a beefed-up suspension and underbody to cope with the rough roads, the 230SL won handily over the powerful factory teams of Austin-Healey, Saab and Mini Cooper.
So the Pagoda is fun to drive, and a beauty to behold, but is it a good investment? SL analyst John Olson, author of The SL Experience, a comprehensive history of the series, says yes, as long as you remember to kick the tires. The key, as with all vintage collectibles, is to get one in good condition. Pagoda parts are available from
a number of sources, including the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, which supplies parts going back 20 years. In fact, last year, the Classic Center in Germany assembled a complete Pagoda from off-the-shelf parts. But parts can be expensive, especially chrome trim and the front grille, so Olson warns that it is ultimately much cheaper to pay top dollar for a well-maintained or restored car than to buy a fixer-upper. Rust and corrosion are the biggest strikes against value retention.
Proper mechanical and body inspections by qualified experts are well worth the cost. A Concours Trophy–winning 280SL currently sells for $55,000 to $60,000, and cars that are street driven command about $40,000, as long as they are still in excellent condition. Yet the values listed in most price guides for a 280SL average about $25,000.
"There are so many more bad ones out there selling for less, that they cancel out the good ones when you do an
average price analysis," Olson explains. The upside is that it is possible to buy a great car at a low price from a seller who relies on published average values. He also reports a far greater demand for the newer, more powerful 280SL models, making them "more liquid, easier to sell." He adds that the Pagoda is a rarity among classic sports cars because enough buyers want the automatic transmission that it is not a detriment to the car’s
value.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
