The 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a two-seat sports car that came with a choice of 3.2L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl and 6.0L 12-cyl engines. At 30 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Two Seaters |
|---|---|
| Engines | 3.2L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl, 6.0L 12-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 12–15 city / 19–22 highway / 14–18 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,550–$5,850 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 494–635 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 3 configurations: SL320, SL500, SL600 |
| Age | 30 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls covering the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
If one of the headlamp wiper arms becomes misaligned, the wiper balde can lodge in the groove under the headlamp. If the washers are activated with the wiper blade in the misaligned and lodged position, the washer pump will run continuously expelling all available fluid.
Risk: Pump operation in the absence of fluid can cause the pump to overheat and cause a vehicle fire.
The drive belt pulley on the engine can develop fatigue cracks in the metal and break. If the drive pulley breaks, the car would not have engine cooling, battery charging, and/or power steering.
Risk: Loss of these systems can cause the car to over heat, lose power from the battery, and loss of control of the car increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class with NHTSA. 1 report involved a crash and 1 report involved a fire. Owners reported 1 injury.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 15 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R
Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D
iPhone mobile phone: Various complaints after software update to iOS8
Shift quality complaints on TRANSMISSION 722.9 (7G-TRONIC and 7G-TRONIC PLUS)
Message in instrument cluster "DISTRONIC PLUSCurrently Unavailable - See Owner's Manual"
Mercedes: parktronic intermittently not functioning. The function works again after a short time or distance. When the foot operated parking brake is applied, the parktro
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1996 SL-Classs that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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