1978 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

• Silver paint looks even with good shine and straight panels in the outdoor photos, so no repaint bill on looks alone.
• Slim chrome bumpers and grille look bright and straight, no re-chroming needed from what is shown.
• Black leather seats look shiny and unripped in these photos, no need to reupholster.
• Dash top looks smooth, but the centre console wood looks faded and cracked and a lower dash panel looks missing with wiring showing, so budget wood and trim work there.
• Carpets look stained and faded in the footwells and trunk, so budget a deep clean and check for water leaks.
• Engine bay looks aged, with a rusty exhaust manifold, yellowed tanks and a frayed battery cable at the terminal, so budget a cable, a detail and normal service checks right away.
• Trunk lid underside shows peeling paint and surface rust spots, so budget treating that before it spreads.
• Underside photos show thick coating peeling away from a floor edge with rust showing along the split, repeated in two near-duplicate shots, so budget a lift inspection and floor repair check.
• Wire-style wheels look bright and the tires look usable, no wheel refurb or instant tire bill from these views.
• The car is shown only with its hardtop fitted, so you can't judge the soft top — ask to see it up before paying.
• French-language service books are shown in the rear compartment, which fits a European-market car, so check the import paperwork matches.

Money: At $12,500 the straight silver paint and good leather help, but the peeling floor coating, frayed battery cable, tired console wood and missing dash panel are real spend, so the price only works after a rust check underneath.