Given the small cost of this book, you would be foolish to spend thousands on an example of Mercedes Benz ‘Pagoda’ 230SL, 250SL or 280SL roadsters or coupé without taking it's expert advice … STOP! Don’t buy a Mercedes Benz ‘Pagoda’ 230SL, 250SL or 280SL roadster or coupé without buying this book FIRST! Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from Chris Bass’s years of Mercedes ownership: learn how to spot a bad car quickly and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right car at the right price! Packed with good advice from running costs, through paperwork, vital statistics, valuation and the Mercedes community, to will it fit in your garage and with your lifestyle? This is THE COMPLETE GUIDE to choosing, assessing and buying your dream car.

Features:
• Written with input from Roger Edwards Motors – the leading SL specialist
• Drawing on 10 years’ of Mercedes-Benz Club articles on these cars
• All you need to evaluate a ‘Pagoda’ SL
• Benefiting from Veloce Publishing’s established assessment system
• 100 photographs showing you what to look for – and what to avoid
• A clear and realistic description of what these cars are like to drive and own
• A reliable guide to values
• A step by step guide to assessing a car
• A guide to the realities of restoration
• An introduction to the support available to Pagoda owners

Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ SLs are cars that have the style and dynamic qualities to be instantly recognised and appreciated 35 years after they went out of production. They are more practical than their predecessors, the 300SL Gullwing and roadsters, and more memorable than their successors, the W107 ‘Panzer-wagen’ SLs. This book gives you a ‘warts and all’ introduction to what these SLs are like to own, drive and maintain, plus a step-by-step guide to how to evaluate any example you might be considering. It includes 100 photos of what to look for – and what to avoid, plus a realistic assessment of running and restoration costs, as well as market values. This includes servicing and spare parts prices, and the relative values of the various models, specifications and vehicle conditions you are likely to encounter. Written by the Editor of the Mercedes-Benz Club Gazette, it draws on the experiences of the late Roger Edwards – a former Mercedes-Benz apprentice who spent his life working on and enjoying these cars. Including input from Roger’s colleagues, who continue to run his company, a leading source of expertise on Pagoda SLs. The book also benefits from the author’s 30 years of owning, restoring and enjoying old cars and his contacts in the world of Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. The latest in a series of buyer’s guides published by Veloce, it uses a well-established evaluation system, developed to enable potential buyers to assess any car they view, and builds on all the lessons learnt in the preparation of earlier titles. It is written in an easy to follow, jargon-free style and will equip you with all you need to know when buying a ‘Pagoda’ – whether you want to get your own hands dirty or just need to know what is necessary to supervise others working on your behalf.

• Is it the right car for you?
  marriage guidance
• Cost considerations
  affordable, or a money pit?
• Living with a ‘Pagoda’
  will you get along together?
• Relative values
  which model for you?
• Before you view
  be well informed
• Inspection equipment
  these items will really help
• Fifteen minute evaluation
  walk away or stay?
• Key points
  where to look for problems
• Serious evaluation
  60 minutes for years of enjoyment
• Auctions
  sold! Another way to buy your dream
• Paperwork
  correct documentation is essential!
• What's it worth to you?
  let your head rule your heart!
• Do you really want to restore?
  it’ll take longer and cost more than you think
• Paint problems
  bad complexion, including dimples, pimples and bubbles
• Problems due to lack of use
  just like their owners, Pagodas need exercise!
• The Community
  key people, organisations and companies in the Pagoda world
• Vital statistics
  essential data at your fingertips