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Junkyard Gem: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Sold for the 2018 equivalent of $145,000 when new, now just scrap metal.

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Mercedes-Benz produced the iconic R107 SL-class for nearly 20 years, and so expectations were high for its successor, the R129. Debuting in the 1990 model year, the new SL-Class looked futuristic and carried a fat price tag. Today, here's a used-up 1991 300 SL in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard.



I see quite a few 1990s and 2000s Mercedes-Benzes during my junkyard travels, but R129s are quite rare in places like this.



This one shows 170,354 miles on its VDO odometer, which shows a certain commitment by its owners to everyday roadster use. Depreciation is rough on cars like this, so we can assume its final owner didn't treat it with the same care as the first one.



This car appears to have been sold new at Mercedes-Benz of Princeton, New Jersey. Its 27-year journey ends just south of Denver.



The engine is a 228-horsepower DOHC straight-6, which seems low for a car that scaled in at close to 2 tons. The 500 SL sported a 322-horse V8.



How much? $78,500 in 1991, which comes to about $146,000 in inflation-adjusted 2018 dollars.

Just the car for Germans in early-1990s Southern California!

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