1988 Sterling 825 SL Sedan- ESTATE CAR - Needs TLC - GREAT CAR !

  • Price: Ask a price!
  • Location: Norwalk, Connecticut, United States
  • Condition: Used
  • Make: Other Makes
  • Type: Sedan
  • Trim: Sterling 825 SL Sedan
  • Year: 1988
  • Mileage: 86,956
  • VIN: SAXXS83B4JM155396
  • Color: Red
  • Engine size: 2.760
  • Number of cylinders: 6
  • Power options: Air Conditioning, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Seats
  • Fuel: Gasoline
  • Transmission: Automatic
  • Drive type: FWD
  • Interior color: Brown
  • Options: Leather Seats, Sunroof
  • Vehicle Title: Clear

1988 Other Makes Sterling 825 SL Sedan Description

1988 Sterling 825 SL Sedan - ESTATE CAR - Needs TLC - GREAT CAR !

Thank You for looking at our eBay listing. this is a 1988 Sterling 825 SL Sedan. its a very rare find. it will need some TLC but overall this is a great car. this is a ONE OWNER car that is been garaged its entire life. from the day it was bought until today when we picked it up from the estate (the gentleman that owned this car passed away several months ago at the age of 86 -please see photo of title showing 1931 birthdate)this car is nearly 30 years old but absolutely does not show its age. these are getting harder and harder to find.

Although I believe this car will sell to someone who knows and loves Sterlings,If you are not familiar with Sterlings please scroll down to the bottom of the listing for some general information on the Sterling Motorcar.

This particular example has just 86,956 original miles. we have the original 1988 Connecticut title and Bill of Sale ready to transfer to new ownerwe have stacks of service records and documentation. we have some of the original purchase paperwork. brochures, articles etc. that he researched before he bought the car. we have two keys which works in all of the locks. on the way homeI took the car up on the I-95 today and before I knew what I was going 75 miles an hour. it's steers nice and straight the suspension is nice and quiet. the brakes are a bit spongy but seem to be getting better as I drove it,as the car has not been driven since last spring.if you look at the photos the car shows very nicely all we did was run it through a car wash it has not been buffed or detailed. the timing belt and water pump were replaced at 47k miles. he bought the car brand new (PAID CASH) I've always had a theory that if you have the money to plunk down to pay cash for a car . . .you CERTAINLY have the money to maintain it properly . . . .that appears to be the case here. . .100%.

briefly going through the records. THOUSANDS of dollars have been spent on the car. he loved this car and it shows. it appears he did not buy this car until 6/89."NEW" box is checked on title. so it must have been a leftover from 1988 SOLD NEW in 1989.

In my opinion most of what this car needs is more cosmetic and "tinkering" than anything else.nothing major as far as mechanical items seems to be an issue. there are really three major things to look at when buying any car. . .and they are as follows. . .

MOTOR (GOOD). . .TRANSMISSION (GOOD). . .RUST (NONE). . . .

Sterlings can still be seen on the U.S roads, the surviving cars having something of a cult following, and remain in service, unlike most "orphan" vehicles, all parts are still readily available for the Sterling since it shared most major mechanical components with the more popular Acura Legend

ANY HONDA OR ACURA DEALER CAN SERVICE A STERLING MOTORCAR

AND YOU CAN GO TO WWW.STERLINGFIXER.COM FOR PARTS AND TECH SUPPORT. HIS NAME IS DALE. HE IS SUPER NICE AND HAS OVER 75,000 BRAND NEW / USEDPARTS FOR ANY MODEL STERLING MOTORCAR.

there is an absolutely incredible amount of documentation with the car,the previous owner was a meticulous note taker, you will see what I mean when you get all the paperwork (see photo of paperwork spread out on my living room floor) I've never seen a car so lovingly cared for before. there is a logbook with every repair, every oil change and service from the day it was purchased in till a couple thousand miles ago it's pretty remarkable.

* it has absolutely no rust on it (even underneath) was in climate controlled garage for its entire life.

* the wood on the car is very nice, minimal crazing or issues.

*the paint is very good and appears to be all original.

* the leather interior is very nice no rips. holesor cuts. it just needs a good cleaning.

* the engine runs good and a proper temperature with correct oil pressure.

* all gauges seem to function properly.

* it drives good, lots of power. nice comfortable car.no issues to report.

* the transmission shifts good. goes through all the gears (does have a slight clunk dropping in / out of park / reverse (but NO issues with shifting) its actually drives VERY well.

* all the powerwindows and the power seatswork fine.

*the factory alloy rims are in excellent condition (tires are great).

* sunroof / tilt wheel / radio / power seatbeltsall seem tofunction properly.

the items that will need attention are as follows:

* it needs a couple of tail light bulbs replaced.

* it has some very light scrapes / damage on the passenger side it appears that some of it will buff off.

* as you can see in the photos the bumper black has worn through and will need to be touched up or painted.

* the glove box lid does not stay shut and the lid to the cubby box in between the seats is loose.

* it needs a new battery (will try putting a good 48 hour charge on it - I will update this)

* the outer painted part of the passenger mirror needs to be replaced.

* there's a very small area on the very front of the hood (drivers side)that is slightly pushed, butin there is no paint damage and I believe if you pulled on it hard enough with your hand you could pull it out.

* its is going to need some of the plastic lenses replaced on the front of the car the headlights and the turn lights in particular.

* the turn signals do not always work.

* the fan / climate controlcontrol cluster needs to be reset as it has fallen a couple of inches into the dash (looks like VERY easy fix).

*the headliner is slightly drooping in the back.

* there is a slight exhaust leak.

* assorted loose trim and slight warping of some trim pieces.


General Information /Sterling Motorcars


Sterling was a brand name of automobile marketed in the United States by ARCONA (Austin Rover Cars Of North America) under the name Sterling Motor Cars, a division of the Rover car company of the UK. It existed in North America from 1987 to 1991, during which Rover was in collaboration with Honda of Japan.

Model Range


The only Sterling model that was sold was the 800 series, which was a rebadged Rover 800-series but with different specifications tailored for the American market. In 1987 and 1988, only the sedan body-styled 825 (trims S or SL) was offered. In 1989, the fastback was added alongside the sedan, coinciding with the introduction of a new, larger, Honda engine and was called the 827 (1989 trims S, SL, SL Limited or SLi; 1990 trims S, Si, SL or SLi; 1991 trims Si or SLi). Limited production Oxford Editions were also available in 1990 and 1991.
Sterling 825 Sedan (US)
In the United States and Canada it was available only with the V6 gasoline engine. By 1989, the instrumentation had been changed to gauges sourced from a different component builder (losing the oil pressure gauge and voltmeter in the process) The 2.5 L Honda V6 was a completely different engine from the Rover KV6 engine introduced in 1996 (only sold in the U.S. in the Land Rover Freelander), although the two share the same 2.5 L capacity and V6 architecture.

Sales Information


Sales in America were strong, due to the appeal of classic 'British' interior design, combined with a clean and up to date exterior design, both of which compared well with its sister the Acura Legend. U.S. sales hit a high of just over 14,000 cars in 1987. All models came with extensive, real wood interior trim. The SL models also feature ABS, power Connolly leather seats, and two-tone paint as standard equipment. U.S. market Sterlings got motorized automatic seatbelts in the 1989 model year. while dynamic characteristics and performance were broadly similar to the Legend, due to the shared platform, core structure and power units; detail spring and damper changes gave each model its own unique feel. The Sterlings were the sportier cars, with less float and an overall tighter feel than the Acura Legends.

this vehicle must be paid for within 48HOURS OF AUCTION END we will assist with shipping, we have some VERY reasonable shippers - upon receipt of payment we will overnight title, bill of sale and paperwork to you within 48hours.

please ask your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, significant other, grandma, grandpa, mom, dad,dog, cat, psychic . . . for permission AND any financial issues resolved BEFORE you bid, I have heard every excuse of why a high bidder cant complete the deal, including "my cat walked across keyboard and accidentally bid on it" . .YES that was a real "excuse" someone gave us. . . .

PLEASE NOTE YOU ARE BIDDING TO OWN THE CAR NOT BIDDING TO WIN THE CHANCE TO COME AND KICK THE TIRES AND THEN DECIDE IF YOU WANT IT, PLEASE ASK ALL QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK BIDDING.

the VIN is SAXXS83B4JM155396

NO RESERVE - BIDDING STARTS AT JUST $975