3 Affordable Mercedes Collector’s Cars You Can Buy Right Now

Driving a classic car is a romantic experience: elegant styling, a buzzy engine, and a better feel for the open road. But driving an older vehicle every day requires compromises, such as cost, comfort, and practicality. Or does it? CarBuzz recently nabbed the keys to three classic Mercedes-Benz models from three different decades, each illustrating how an older car can actually be fun while being reasonably affordable and usable.

Based on recent auction results and classified listings, these cars start at under $5,000 on the low end and top out at around $60,000 on the high end. We believe each one of these cars offers a unique experience that’s difficult to capture in a new car, especially at these prices. If you want to stand out without breaking the bank, here are three reasons why you should consider a classic Mercedes-Benz.

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Mercedes-Benz

While its roots trace back to the creation of the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1885, Mercedes-Benz was officially founded in June 1926 when Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. (the world’s oldest car company) merged to create Daimler-Benz. This German manufacturer of premium cars is historically known for its motorsport pedigree in early Grand Prix racing, its off-road prowess in the creation of military vehicles like the Genadewagen (now G-Class), and its focus on utmost luxury and technological innovation in models like the S-Class and SL. Today, it is one of the world’s largest automakers.

Founded

June 1926

Founder

Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, and Emil Jellinek

Headquarters

Stuttgart, Germany

Owned By

Daimler AG

Current CEO

Ola Källenius

2002 Mercedes-Benz SL 500

A Drop-Top Cruiser That Ages Like Fine Wine

A new 2025 Mercedes-AMG SL 43 Roadster starts at $111,950, but you can nab a used one for a small fraction of that price. The R129 SL was built from 1989 to 2002 with various engines ranging from a V6 to a V12. We drove one of the final examples, an SL 500 Silver Arrow Edition Roadster from 2002. This model used a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that pumped out 322 horsepower and 331 lb-ft, numbers that aren’t bad even by modern standards. The lone weak spot is the five-speed “slushbox” automatic, which leisurely lulls the Silver Arrow to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds.

This is not a dedicated sports car, but rather a luxury convertible cruiser that delivers modern comfort with old-school style. You can get a hard-top roof that provides the style and security of a coupe or remove it for some open-top pleasure. There’s even a power-operated roll bar that deploys for additional safety. Almost everything in the cabin is electrically powered, yet it’s still devoid of the bright screens that plague today’s luxury cars. The Silver Arrow even gets some beautiful engine-turned metal around the gauges and shifter.

The driving experience is relaxed, but the V8 delivers plenty of power for passing slower traffic. There’s a decent amount of feedback through the steering, and the suspension provides a supple ride that isn’t too floppy. Even stock, the V8 produces a subtle rumble, which could be amplified with a subtle aftermarket exhaust.

We have found examples of the SL 500 Silver Arrow ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 (depending on mileage and condition), and even a well-maintained SL 600 with the V12 engine will run you less than $30,000. In our opinion, stick with the V8-powered SL 500 and enjoy a stylish cruiser that’s aged like a fine wine.

1997 Mercedes Renntech E60

A Luxury Muscle Car

Buyers craving a bit more performance will likely look to an older AMG like the E55, but if you want something that no one else has, try to find a Renntech E60 RS. Originally commissioned by comedian Jerry Seinfeld, the E60 was developed by AMG (before it was owned by Mercedes-Benz) and Renntech, a tuning company in Florida. They took an E 420, punched out the V8 engine from a 4.2-liter to a 6.0-liter, and increased the output from 275 hp and 295 lb-ft to 434 hp and 525 lb-ft.

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The car features a stainless steel exhaust, carbon intake, improved oil cooling, modified five-speed automatic transmission, limited-slip differential, and bigger brakes. In other words, the E60 was a German muscle car. We drove this car back-to-back with an SLR Stirling Moss, where it felt slow and outdated by comparison. However, the Renntech easily kept up with a 1950s straight-eight race car, which is no small feat.

Mercedes was limited by the technology of the era, so the “improved” five-speed automatic still takes an eternity to swap to a lower gear, even in the Sport Mode. Once it does swap cogs, that brutish V8 thrusts the car forward at a modern pace, hitting 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. If you keep the throttle pinned, it will supposedly crack 200 mph. The suspension is soft enough for daily use, but it’s well-controlled even at the Concours Club racetrack where we drove it.

This particular example was the one and only JS Edition, which was built for Seinfeld himself with blue leather and special plaques. It features a power rear sunshade, a built-in car phone, and other impressive luxury amenities. Though only 60 were made in total, you can find a non-JS Renntech E60 for less than $60,000, a far cry from where prices were just five years ago.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300 D

A Slow Family Bus That Proves Speed Isn’t Everything

The final Mercedes we drove over the weekend was the slowest of the bunch, yet it was easily our favorite. Mercedes built the W123 from 1975 to 1986, selling over 2.7 million units in sedan, coupe, and wagon body styles. There were various four- and six-cylinder engines available, but we drove the 300 D, powered by the famous 3.0-liter inline-five diesel.

There’s slow, and then there’s 300 D slow. This five-pot engine only produced 87 hp, which was actually an increase from the early examples. It took around 14 seconds to hit 60 mph (if you didn’t give up by then), and the engine sounded like it was going to explode as you got to that speed. And we loved every second of it. There’s something charming about reliving a truly sluggish car. It resets your opinions on today’s econoboxes that can travel at US highway speeds with ease. Planning when to attempt a lane change or pulling out into traffic requires far more thought, keeping you more involved in the driving experience. There’s not even a tachometer to see your engine revs.

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The example we drove wore a creamy beige paint that made it look like a German taxi, a friendly look that lacked even an ounce of aggression. It oozes charm. This is a happy little car; A 300 D owner is never in a rush, doesn’t get impatient, and won’t take themselves too seriously. We see it as a great Sunday car to enjoy with the family. There’s plenty of room in the back seat, a huge trunk, and it has enough amenities, such as air conditioning, an analog clock where the tachometer should be, and power windows plus a power sunroof. You could install a modern radio or bask in the clackity vibrations of the diesel engine.

A mint wagon or coupe will cost around $20,000 or more, but less pristine sedans can be found between $5,000 and $10,000. These things are known to run forever and are almost unkillable. We’d try to find one with a manual transmission, not necessarily because it’s more fun, but because it will better allow you to wring every ounce of power (what little there is) out of the engine.