I'd like to introduce, Mrs B

The ad read:

Selling this low mileage car because 90 year old original owner gave up driving. Car has been stored for last few years and is in very good overall condition with lots of new and recent parts such as radiator and overflow tank, A/C compressor, battery, shocks, window seals, rebuilt transmission, brakes and calipers etc. Have bills. Car has received a lot of TLC to prepare for sale. Everything works. Looks and runs great. Very clean non- smoker interior. Like new carpets. Leather and paint looks good. Car has been repainted once. Good tires, extra carpets that also look like new, owners manual and original tool kit. Like new , never used original factory soft top. Hardtop with new window seals. Have current smog certificate and "Auto Check" report. No accidents. License paid till November. Your wife, trophy wife or girlfriend would look very good in this stylish car which will only appreciate in the future.

A year ago, the lease on our Volvo convertible was up and we knew we didn't want to keep it. Lyle said, "What car do you want to get?" I answered, "I don' t like any of the cars out there." and after numerous "discussions" we decided to let the Volvo go, and I would get a bike. We discussed I could use the bike for near trips, the bus for far trips and anything more than that we would rent a car. In the long run we would save a fair bit of money from no car payments, no gas, no insurance, etc. I thought the winter might be bad for bike riding in the rain (I never did, I always took the bus) and I hadn't planned on how awful it would be to ride my bike when it was 100º, or to try and ride my bike when there was ash falling from nearish forest fire (I called a cab that day).
It's been a year, and recently my life has gotten more full with work and I need a car more often. We looked at new BMW's, new Mercedes and new Jaguar convertibles. Too much money, not enough warranty and I didn't even fit inside one of them (the Jaguar is GORGEOUS but TINY inside.) So no deal was made.
Then I had a brilliant plan. We decided to get a used Mercedes convertible, just like the ones Lyle and I had lusted after all these years. We called it the two year plan. It only has to last two years and then we can get a new car, we told ourselves. (this is no longer a "two year" car. I want to keep it forever.)

We started looking about a month ago and we've driven a couple 560SL's and they really did feel like older used cars. But still pretty. Then we found "Mrs B". With only 67,000 miles on her she is like new. Drives amazing and everything inside and out shows virtually no wear and tear.

Lyle contacted the seller and we made an appointment to test drive the car last week.
The personalized plates read "Mrs B" and now that she lives with us, and those plates are gone, we've agreed that will still be her name.

We learned that Mr. B was a world War 2 pilot. They bought the car new in 1986. Mrs B would have been 65. The car was referred to as their "Sunday car" and they never drove it without the hardtop on. The soft top has never been used. Two years ago, Mrs B gave up driving and this year asked her friends to please sell the car for her.

It even has the original tool kit in the trunk.And here is just a little history of the car line itself:

The Mercedes-Benz 560SL was launched in 1985 and available as a convertible coupe. It was a luxury sports car that had a Type 107 bodyshell that had made its appearance in 1970 on the 350SL. The 560 SL was created for the American market, with its overhead-camshaft V8 engine that produced an astounding 277 horsepower. Zero-to-sixty was achieved in just eight seconds and top speed was in the neighborhood of 136 mph.

For 1986, the car carried a sticker price of under fifty-thousand, at $48,200. It was a sporty, luxurious car with numerous standard equipment and produced by a marque that was known for its racing pedigree and commitment to style, performance, and refinement.

In 2006, a 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL Convertible was offered for sale at the Bonhams & Butterfields auction held in Carmel, California where it was estimated to sell between $15,000 - $20,000. It has been driven a total of 45,279 miles since new. It has a well preserved factory hardtop, original first aid kit, owner's wallet, handbook and more. At auction, the car did find a buyer. The car was sold for $21,060.

Let me just say, we got a bargain and we are delighted to welcome Mrs B to her new home!