SLK200 for her indoors.

[Fabill]

A decade or so since I posted on here. Back then I had a C270 saloon which, apart from the engine and organ style accelerator pedal, I loved. The former were so annoying however, I decided to part company with the C270.
Since then I have not ventured back to a Mercedes. However, that might be about to change. The 'boss' fancies a Mk2 SLK as her next wheels. Of course, its the looks that appeal to her.
But, I'm more interested in what to look out for when buying, hence this post.
Your input would be very welcome.

 

[GP801]

We have had our R171 SLK 200 from new in 2005. Apart from routine servicing its needed one new ball joint on the front and a small gearbox oil leak sorting. The latter is a common issue and an easy fix. It is also in the dreaded Fire Opal colour but fortunately has not suffered from the dodgy paint issues that so many have. I have heard that there are rear subframe issues with rust causing them to need a new subframe. They rust from inside out so hard to spot unless you get it on a ramp.
The 200K engine is prone to timing chain issues. The risk is reduced with frequent oil changes so check the service history carefully. If it sounds rattly walk away. They do usually give a warning rattle before giving up. We have 2 cars with this engine and have so far not had a problem. The cost of repairs often scraps the car.
Spec varies enormously. The standard wheels are pretty uninteresting so I would look for one with upgraded 16 or 17 inch wheels. For me the 18s give too harsh a ride. The autobox works well and should have had a fluid change at 37,000 approx. Never driven a manual. Ours has lots of options however Comand navigation is effective but basic by modern standards. The upgraded HK audio is disappointing. Heated seats very good. The airscarf is a bit gimmicky and for me does not add much. Full climate control was optional but nice to have. Heated steering wheel is brilliant. Xenon headlights are really good but the standard ones are poor in my opinion.
They were often second cars so there are often low mileage examples with good spec for sale.
Performance is best described as adequate. It suits our needs but a 6 cylinder 280 or 350 would be better if you want performance to go with the looks.

 

[Chrishazle]

Recently bought a 2008 R171 SLK280, agree with most of what GP801 has said, the V6 petrol engine is a peach, I'd go for that rather than the 200. Disagree about airscarf, to me it's a "must have" and SWMBO agrees, likewise heated seats, I would have liked memory seats as well but that was the one thing on my wish list I could not find. Check the servicing history carefully against MB recommendations, first owner of mine serviced it at supplying dealer but second did not so a few things had been missed - negotiating point at purchase! 17" wheels are fine with decent tyres - mine came on Hankooks which were/are a bit hard, have changed fronts to GY Efficientgrip Performance and will do the same to the rears when they wear out, front is noticably better after the change. If it has Comand, check that software upgrade 09/29 has been installed, 2019 map update is the last one MB will issue and needs this, cost me £100 at comand.co.uk to get this omission corrected (I'll sell you the 2019 map DVD's for not a lot!). Mine is also Fire Opal Red but the paintwork is good thankfully! Check MoT history for advisories about tyre wear pointing to tracking needing doing - again a problem with mine, had the tracking done, the "before" chart had loads of red on it, car drives so much better now it's sorted. As for the gearbox, mine has the 7G with flappy paddles and is lovely - and has had the ATF change!

Take your time searching, there are a lot of SLK's for sale, so be picky - I looked off and on for 18 months before I bought mine, but was not in a hurry as I had a 968 cabriolet to play with!

 

[Supracat]

Some really nice cars out there - probably good idea to start with a favourite colour and then go from there.

 

[gilberto]

Recently bought a 2008 R171 SLK280, agree with most of what GP801 has said, the V6 petrol engine is a peach, I'd go for that rather than the 200. Disagree about airscarf, to me it's a "must have" and SWMBO agrees, likewise heated seats, I would have liked memory seats as well but that was the one thing on my wish list I could not find. Check the servicing history carefully against MB recommendations, first owner of mine serviced it at supplying dealer but second did not so a few things had been missed - negotiating point at purchase! 17" wheels are fine with decent tyres - mine came on Hankooks which were/are a bit hard, have changed fronts to GY Efficientgrip Performance and will do the same to the rears when they wear out, front is noticably better after the change. If it has Comand, check that software upgrade 09/29 has been installed, 2019 map update is the last one MB will issue and needs this, cost me £100 at comand.co.uk to get this omission corrected (I'll sell you the 2019 map DVD's for not a lot!). Mine is also Fire Opal Red but the paintwork is good thankfully! Check MoT history for advisories about tyre wear pointing to tracking needing doing - again a problem with mine, had the tracking done, the "before" chart had loads of red on it, car drives so much better now it's sorted. As for the gearbox, mine has the 7G with flappy paddles and is lovely - and has had the ATF change!

Take your time searching, there are a lot of SLK's for sale, so be picky - I looked off and on for 18 months before I bought mine, but was not in a hurry as I had a 968 cabriolet to play with!

How would I know which version of maps I had on Command
Thanks

 

[Fabill]

Thank you for the inputs.
Have checked some 280 and 350 prices and they are similar to 200. Road tax varies but not so as to put me off. So, I've got lots of choice.
Do the 280 and 350 have same timing chain issues as the 200?
What about the roof? What should I look for/listen for when opening/closing?

 

[Gollom]

My wife has R171 and there is rust at the pointed end of both front panels - apparently it was a known issue as crud collects there. Would be worth paying particular attention to that area when you view the R172. Sure it will be fine - but at £300 minimum a side best to check! As for the roof, get them to play a hosepipe set to spray with you sat in the car for 10 minutes or so. Sue's has a very small weep on one side when wind blowing a certain way, but not a major issue.

Finally - hers is just a 200, but when she takes it on the motorway top down (stays at 70, honestly officer) you can't wipe the grin from her face!

 

[ianw19]

The v6 instead can have balance shaft issues. You need to know the engine number to check. I think 2007 or 2008 onward cars are safe from this issue in general terms. Look for a facelift version?

 

[GP801]

Recently bought a 2008 R171 SLK280, agree with most of what GP801 has said, the V6 petrol engine is a peach, I'd go for that rather than the 200. Disagree about airscarf, to me it's a "must have" and SWMBO agrees, likewise heated seats, I would have liked memory seats as well but that was the one thing on my wish list I could not find. Check the servicing history carefully against MB recommendations, first owner of mine serviced it at supplying dealer but second did not so a few things had been missed - negotiating point at purchase! 17" wheels are fine with decent tyres - mine came on Hankooks which were/are a bit hard, have changed fronts to GY Efficientgrip Performance and will do the same to the rears when they wear out, front is noticably better after the change. If it has Comand, check that software upgrade 09/29 has been installed, 2019 map update is the last one MB will issue and needs this, cost me £100 at comand.co.uk to get this omission corrected (I'll sell you the 2019 map DVD's for not a lot!). Mine is also Fire Opal Red but the paintwork is good thankfully! Check MoT history for advisories about tyre wear pointing to tracking needing doing - again a problem with mine, had the tracking done, the "before" chart had loads of red on it, car drives so much better now it's sorted. As for the gearbox, mine has the 7G with flappy paddles and is lovely - and has had the ATF change!

Take your time searching, there are a lot of SLK's for sale, so be picky - I looked off and on for 18 months before I bought mine, but was not in a hurry as I had a 968 cabriolet to play with!

My wife also loves the Airscarf. Clearly I am the only one not that thrilled with it. Ours has the memory seats. Very useful but the easy entry function does not move the seat back as on many other MB products. It just raises the steering wheel a little. Apparently the seat movement was deleted after the first few weeks of production. Allegedly too many issues of the seats being damaged by crashing into the rear bulkhead.

 

[Chrishazle]

Having had 968's for 20 years (12 years coupe then 8 years cab) my wife's one bitch about the R171 is the lack of space behind the seats, she always seems to have not just a handbag but also a carrier bag of spare shoes, sweater and the kitchen sink, and despite being only 5ft2 insists on having her seat as far back as it will go. Luckily I'm also short so have my seat a little way forward so she dumps her junk behind my seat where, as she says, she can reach it.. She also can't fathom releasing the seat back to access that area, finds the side lever too awkward/difficult - and I must admit having it on the side of the squab rather than near the top of the seat back (as on the 968's) is not as easy. I dread the first time we try to take the R171 for a weekend away, suspect I'll have to resort to the S204!!

 

[Gollom]

@Fabill Take a look here SLK 250d AMG. Mercland are a long time member of this forum and I've yet to hear a bad thing said about them. I have just changed my car and bought from them - a really good deal and has to be the best prepped car I have ever bought. Ask for Jay (he owns the place) and tell him you are a forum member - often there a extras for members

 

[Piff]

The 250d is surprisingly agile. I'd have another in an instant. If you go for the Fire Opal Red , carefully check the metal panels under good light for micro blistering.

 

[Chrishazle]

As has been said before, there's a school of thought saying a 2 seat sports car with a diesel engine is an oxymoron - but there are a lot of them around! Personally, having a 2.2l diesel 204 and a 3l petrol V6 SLK, I know which sound I markedly prefer, especially at the low mileage the SLK will do annually! Again personal preference, the only SLK's I'd look at would be R171 or 2, petrol engined and 3L+, I'd have a 55AMG like a shot but management vetoe'd that! Equally, if I could get it in my garage I'd have an SL (again 3l+ petrol), but my garage is 1ft too short.

 

[GeeJayW]

We had this poverty spec R171 facelift SLK 200 from new in 2008 until 2015. The only problem we had with it in that time was a blown headlight bulb. We went to Le Mans twice with tent and camping gear, camera gear and clothes for up to a week, and could still fold the roof. We went on a road trip to the Dolomites via Germany (up to 140mph on the autobahn, would cruise at 100mph all day) on the way out and the Alsace on the way back. We also went up to John O'Groats and back down through the highlands. Outstanding car, never missed a beat. Ours was 6-speed manual (don't like the 200 with an auto box), did not have airscarf or memory seats, basic stereo. The only thing I would have liked to have was bigger brakes as per SLK 350. These are included with sport pack on the 200/280/300 models.

If I was buying another R171 I'd try to find a facelift 280/300/350 with sport pack and if possible a 6-speed manual gearbox, though auto would be fine with V-6.

After the micro-blistering we experienced with our Fire Opal Red C-class coupe, I won't touch Fire Opal with a barge pole. I'd probably go with Palladium Silver (again).

Also test drove an R172 SLK 250 (petrol) when they were launched. Nice car, but didn't like the auto box with that engine.

Good luck.

 

[Gollom]

R171 is much better looking than R172

IMHO of course!

 

[GeeJayW]

R171 is much better looking than R172

IMHO of course!

I certainly wasn't a fan of the R172 styling when it first came out. It has grown on me to some extent, not sure whether I'd have one or not.

Will probably just keep the MX-5 as our fun car. It's not as comfortable/refined as the SLK, but it is a little more nimble and just as nice to drive.

 

[st13phil]

My wife has had two SLK's: A facelift R171 SLK350 and now a R172 SLK55. I know both of those are at the upper end of the model range, but the following comments are - I believe - applicable to the model ranges in general.

For the R171:

Facelift cars (those with the F1-style nose) have lots of minor improvements over the earlier cars that add up to a nicer overall package. If you're going for a V6 engined car, the 350 is a better bet than the 280/300. It's faster without sacrificing economy and has more standard kit on it (e.g. memory seats) which means that they tend to be better optioned overall. The Sports Package includes various nice to have cosmetic bits and pieces, but the combination of 18-inch wheels and Sport suspension makes the ride pretty firm. The optional perspex wind deflector works really well and their high price on fleabay fully reflects how good they are. In 6 years and 50k miles Angie's 350 only needed a rear suspension bush replacing over and above routine servicing.

For the R172:

The interior is a step up from that in the R171, with better feeling materials and an overall nicer ambience. It's also quieter and has better ride quality, and the seats are more padded. The optional HK audio system is much better than that in the R171, and the Intelligent Light System is an improvement over the Bi-Xenons on the R171 too. The fold-out "Airguide" wind deflectors work, but aren't as effective as the perspex wind deflector on the R171. All in all, the R172 is a more refined package than the R171.

Both cars wear their front tyres on the inner edge, so don't be put off by that wear pattern but be aware that they can look like they have reasonable life left in them from a casual look but actually need replacement. Parktronic is a good option as the extremities of the car are impossible to see from the driver's seat, and I'm one of those who wouldn't consider a car without Airscarf as it makes top-down motoring comfortable even in quite low temperatures. The SLK in both guises is well screwed together and generally very reliable. Roof seal issues aren't common, but it's always worth checking for signs of water ingress in the boot / spare wheel well. If the front drains (on the scuttle and in the battery compartment under the bonnet) aren't kept clear the heater fan motor gets corroded and fails, so check that it's quiet and runs at full speed.

 

[mingmer]

I certainly wasn't a fan of the R172 styling when it first came out. It has grown on me to some extent, not sure whether I'd have one or not.

Will probably just keep the MX-5 as our fun car. It's not as comfortable/refined as the SLK, but it is a little more nimble and just as nice to drive.
View attachment 97340

Interestingly enough, the MX5 is also of interest to the 'boss'. And I'd be happy if that was her final choice, though not as happy as I would be if she opted for the SLK.

 

[Cherrypd]

We’re going to look at a CLK on wed which means our 2010 SLK200 AMG will be up for sale very soon.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Comparing my SLK to SWMBO's MX5 NC, the SLK is more a GT / tourer and the MX5 is a sportier drive. Average about 32mpg in the SLK and 36mpg in the MX. Surprisingly the MX is more £ on VED....

More luggage space in the SLK but we have tailored luggage for both and have managed a weeks touring in the 5 with no real trouble