Car addict bought a broken V12 Mercedes SL600 for only $5,000 from a friend and there was a surprise given it had been sitting idle for months
- YouTuber from Kansas bought a V12 Mercedes SL600 for $5,000
- He was expecting an uphill battle to get it driving
- However, he was in for a pleasant surprise
Published on Dec 12, 2024 at 6:49 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Dec 16, 2024 at 8:31 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
When one car enthusiast and YouTuber from Kansas, US, bought a V12 Mercedes SL600 for only $5,000 he was expecting an uphill battle to get it in a drivable condition – but a surprise was in store.
It had been sitting idle for months.
The 1997 model was also suffering from the effects of aging.
However, he was shocked when he took it on the road.
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The V12 Mercedes SL600
Tyler Hoover of Hoovies Garage repurchased the 1997 Mercedes SL600 V12 he had sold to a friend four years ago.
He paid $5,000 for it due to the used car showing the wear and tear of aging – although it isn’t as old as the oldest street-legal car.
Off the production line, it was originally priced at $123,000 – that would equate to around $200,000 today.

Under the hood, it boasted a 6-liter V12 engine with 389 horsepower.
However, over the years it accumulated numerous issues including a malfunctioning hydraulic top, suspension issues, AC failure, cosmetic damage, and a leaky steering stabilizer.
He’s entrusting his ‘Car Wizard’ to iron out those kinks.
The surprise on the road

Expecting issues when he fired her up and took her out on the road, Hoover was in for a pleasant surprise.
Showing the luxury and high build quality of classic Mercedes, it’s a remarkably smooth ride.
A sentiment echoed by one man who revealed why he thinks his Mercedes is better than a Tesla despite it being 25 years old.
“The hydraulic suspension is just so smooth but even smoother is this V12,” Hooever enthuses.
“Oh my gosh – and the car just oozes quality it’s it’s insane.
“Wow that was up to 60 real fast and actually I’m surprised how smooth that still is considering it’s been sitting for years,” he added.
All for just $5,000.
Want more? This legendary 1950s Hudson Hornet Nascar racer was found in pristine condition with a surprise under the hood.

All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”