Owning a Mercedes-benz W116 450SEL

Sam Bailey runs The SL Shop (theslshop.com) which, as the name suggests, specialises in Mercedes SLS, but also sells good examples of other classic Mercedes-benz cars.

Sam says of the W116, ‘Finding a good low mileage example can be difficult, and most high-mileage cars will need some form of attention, particularly the V8s. The injection and intake system can be an expensive fix, and a complete rebuild to a high standard for a 6.9 is going to generate a five-figure bill.

‘Parts for all models and engines are available through specialists such as ourselves and Mercedes-benz direct, but they can quickly become expensive.

‘The restoration costs might not be approaching SL levels, but don’t underestimate how much you’ll spend to turn a bad car into a good one. Buy a good one to start with and it’ll serve you far better in the long run.’