Kansas man buys dream $2M Mercedes 'Gullwing' sitting for a decade then realizes just how broken it is
Published on Oct 05, 2025 at 3:53 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Oct 02, 2025 at 2:50 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Kansas YouTuber Tyler Hoover of Hoovies Garage has said that his dream $2 million Mercedes 300SL Gullwing classic car is more broken than he first thought.
Hoover has got his hands on what is, to some, the holy grail of the automotive world, and this particular car has been sitting for more than a decade.
Despite getting it up and running recently, the car does have a few more issues than he and his mechanic at Mercedes-Benz Classic, Nate, had expected.
Making the car safe and reliable was one of the big jobs with the car, and that was something Nate was very confident he and his team could achieve.
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What was wrong with the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing?
As it turned out, there were a few things wrong with the Mercedes sports car.
One of the main items on the to-do list was making sure the compression in the cylinders was okay – and thankfully, it was!
A whole table of broken and replacement parts was laid out, including those for the brakes and rear axle.
New bearings were also made up for the car, as well as the seals for them.
Hoover wanted the car ready for the 300SL Rally, which involved a 1,000-mile trip with other SL owners.
The brake drums provided the biggest bit of bad news, as some of the most intricately made parts on the car.
For four new brake drums, it will cost Hoover an extra $14,000.
The 300SL was a dream car for Hoover
Tyler Hoover had always dreamed of owning a 300SL Gullwing.
But price increases meant he thought he had no chance.
That was until this abandoned one came up for $2 million, a relatively low price for a Gullwing.
Occasionally, an abandoned Mercedes classic like this one will crop up.
As well as a lot of mechanical components, new tires were another must for the classic car.
The car also needed a replacement fuel tank, and thankfully, Nate and his team had one available.
With only the lining needing replacing, this saved a lot of money and time.
Hoover had just a few days at the time of the video before the car was due to appear in the rally.
But despite the long list of parts that needed replacing, it looked like his very rare Mercedes would make it.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
