2005 Mercedes SL 3.7L Petrol · LJ55 CDU

The 2005 Mercedes SL holds a current MOT certificate following a pass on 23 March 2026 at 74,011 miles, with no dangerous or major failures recorded across the entire five-year history visible here. The maintenance trend is stable but reveals a persistent, unresolved issue that a buyer must not overlook. Every single annual test from 2022 through 2026 has flagged the same advisory: both front tyres worn close to the legal limit on the inner edge. This is not a one-off event. It is a five-year pattern indicating a recurring alignment or suspension geometry fault that the previous owner has repeatedly failed to correct, choosing instead to replace or rotate tyres only when they approach the 1.6mm legal minimum. The mileage profile is notably low for a vehicle of this age. Covering just 9,224 miles between March 2022 and March 2026, averaging roughly 2,300 miles per year, the car has seen very light use. The annual increments are consistent: 2,494 miles between 2022 and 2023, 2,391 between 2023 and 2024, and 1,626 between 2024 and 2025, before rising slightly to 1,626 again by 2026. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden jumps in the odometer record, suggesting the mileage is genuine and the vehicle has simply been used sparingly, likely for short journeys or long periods of standing. Low mileage in a twenty-one-year-old car can mask deterioration from age rather than use, particularly in rubber components, seals, and fluid systems. The recurring inner-edge wear on both front tyres points directly to excessive negative camber or worn suspension bushes and ball joints causing uneven load distribution across the tyre contact patch. On a Mercedes SL, this commonly stems from deteriorated front lower arm bushes, worn track rod ends, or degraded damper top mounts. A buyer should have the front suspension and steering geometry inspected on a four-wheel alignment rig before purchase, specifically requesting measurement of camber, toe, and caster against factory specifications. Do not assume new tyres alone will resolve the fault. If the underlying wear components have not been replaced, fresh rubber will develop the same inner-edge scalloping within a few thousand miles. Beyond the tyre issue, the absence of any corrosion, exhaust, braking, or structural advisories across five consecutive tests is encouraging for a car of this age and suggests the underside and bodywork have been reasonably well preserved. Still, a physical inspection should verify the condition of brake discs and pads given the low annual mileage, as surface corrosion from standing can cause uneven pad contact and reduced braking efficiency. Check the condition of all rubber hoses, the exhaust system for hidden perforation rust, and the operation of the retractable roof mechanism, as hydraulic or electrical faults in the roof system are common on this model and would not necessarily appear on an MOT record.