Defying the doom-mongers - the SLK R170
Discussion
DickyC said:
That's kind, BC - I thought I was pushing my luck mentioning it, let alone posting a link!
OK one of the discussions that led to the changes is Here - ClickyThe Rules of posting are Here - Clicky
PH Rules said:
6. Do not post for the purpose of advertising for personal or business gain, unless you are responding to a thread in the Car Buying forum and sharing a link to your car that's for sale in the PistonHeads classifieds or adding your PistonHeads classifieds listing to your Readers' Cars thread. Starting a thread specifically to advertise your classified listing or business is not allowed. Other items for sale can only be posted in the respective Marketplace forum and you must not share links to your items for sale outside of this forum.
HTH
Enjoyed your thread.
I remember seeing the SLK at the Birmingham Motor Show back in the 90’s. Watching the roof go up and down was amazing, it looked like such an engineering feat to me as a 13 year old.
Someone in the village has a silver one that I walk by most dats walking the dog. It looks very dainty compared to modern stuff, unfortunately the rear arches are looking very crusty.
I understand getting attached to a car; my other half’s 125i cabriolet is heading that way especially after we used it for our mini honeymoon trip to do the NC500.
I remember seeing the SLK at the Birmingham Motor Show back in the 90’s. Watching the roof go up and down was amazing, it looked like such an engineering feat to me as a 13 year old.
Someone in the village has a silver one that I walk by most dats walking the dog. It looks very dainty compared to modern stuff, unfortunately the rear arches are looking very crusty.
I understand getting attached to a car; my other half’s 125i cabriolet is heading that way especially after we used it for our mini honeymoon trip to do the NC500.
Nice write up.
Sometime around mid 00's, my wife's boss had a 320, which she brought home a couple of times after he'd gone on a business trip & didn't want to leave it at the office. At the time I had an FD3 RX7, so was expecting it to be some awful boulevardier. We only dared have a few little trips around the block but it was a really good car - miles better than I thought it would be.
Seem to remember a couple of years ago in one of those Classic Car "one's to watch" articles, Jay Leno's valuations expert, Donald Osborne had a 320 & picked it out as a bargain, souped up, grown up MX5.
CF
Sometime around mid 00's, my wife's boss had a 320, which she brought home a couple of times after he'd gone on a business trip & didn't want to leave it at the office. At the time I had an FD3 RX7, so was expecting it to be some awful boulevardier. We only dared have a few little trips around the block but it was a really good car - miles better than I thought it would be.
Seem to remember a couple of years ago in one of those Classic Car "one's to watch" articles, Jay Leno's valuations expert, Donald Osborne had a 320 & picked it out as a bargain, souped up, grown up MX5.
CF
As you age, the scope of your restoration projects diminishes. It's a bit sad, but I was quite chuffed with restoring the boot contents of the SLK32.
This is how it was in 2020 when I bought it:
Several things were missing but the bolts for a space saver spare were there even though the space save itself wasn't. As discussed earlier, the space saver wasn't meant for the AMG because the front brakes are too big. You could make it work if you swapped a rear to the front and fitted the space saver to the rear. The AMG solution was to provide a pump and goo and to use the space for luggage. MB supplied the goo and eBay the missing parts.
Replacement handle.
New goo and various replacement polystyrene shapes.
And that made me buy a set of fitted luggage. From a PHer, as it happens.
Three bags for luggage and the roof down. Pleased with that. Small victories
This is how it was in 2020 when I bought it:
Several things were missing but the bolts for a space saver spare were there even though the space save itself wasn't. As discussed earlier, the space saver wasn't meant for the AMG because the front brakes are too big. You could make it work if you swapped a rear to the front and fitted the space saver to the rear. The AMG solution was to provide a pump and goo and to use the space for luggage. MB supplied the goo and eBay the missing parts.
Replacement handle.
New goo and various replacement polystyrene shapes.
And that made me buy a set of fitted luggage. From a PHer, as it happens.
Three bags for luggage and the roof down. Pleased with that. Small victories
DickyC said:
As you age, the scope of your restoration projects diminishes. It's a bit sad, but I was quite chuffed with restoring the boot contents of the SLK32.
This is how it was in 2020 when I bought it:
Several things were missing but the bolts for a space saver spare were there even though the space save itself wasn't. As discussed earlier, the space saver wasn't meant for the AMG because the front brakes are too big. You could make it work if you swapped a rear to the front and fitted the space saver to the rear. The AMG solution was to provide a pump and goo and to use the space for luggage. MB supplied the goo and eBay the missing parts.
Replacement handle.
New goo and various replacement polystyrene shapes.
And that made me buy a set of fitted luggage. From a PHer, as it happens.
Three bags for luggage and the roof down. Pleased with that. Small victories
R171 SLK55 AMG has a space saver spare and I have 3 bags tailored luggage - makes it very practical (last bag is a bit of a squeeze due to nav unit)This is how it was in 2020 when I bought it:
Several things were missing but the bolts for a space saver spare were there even though the space save itself wasn't. As discussed earlier, the space saver wasn't meant for the AMG because the front brakes are too big. You could make it work if you swapped a rear to the front and fitted the space saver to the rear. The AMG solution was to provide a pump and goo and to use the space for luggage. MB supplied the goo and eBay the missing parts.
Replacement handle.
New goo and various replacement polystyrene shapes.
And that made me buy a set of fitted luggage. From a PHer, as it happens.
Three bags for luggage and the roof down. Pleased with that. Small victories
B'stard Child said:
R171 SLK55 AMG has a space saver spare and I have 3 bags tailored luggage - makes it very practical (last bag is a bit of a squeeze due to nav unit)
Mrs C's R170 SLK230 has a space saver and a tiny amount of space for luggage with the roof down. When we've used the car for holidays, the roof is up for the outward and return journeys. I imagine they were working to improve the situation even before the first R170 was sold. Did I read somewhere that the folding roof was a joint venture between Mercedes and Porsche? As a lad I could remember nuggets of car information I read but that facility is in decline now. Along with everything else 
The SLK32 has gone. After a couple of false starts with withdrawn offers and really low offers, a dealer gave me £7,000 as a trade in. His ad came up this morning because I'd forgotten to cancel the search.
Just taken this pocket rocket in part exchange and what a piece of Kit this car is. 350 BHP on tap and performs and handles like a dream. The car does not drive its mileage nor its age. A Testament to how the car has been serviced and maintained throughout its life.
That'll do nicely.
Just taken this pocket rocket in part exchange and what a piece of Kit this car is. 350 BHP on tap and performs and handles like a dream. The car does not drive its mileage nor its age. A Testament to how the car has been serviced and maintained throughout its life.
That'll do nicely.
DickyC said:
The SLK32 has gone. After a couple of false starts with withdrawn offers and really low offers, a dealer gave me £7,000 as a trade in. His ad came up this morning because I'd forgotten to cancel the search.
Just taken this pocket rocket in part exchange and what a piece of Kit this car is. 350 BHP on tap and performs and handles like a dream. The car does not drive its mileage nor its age. A Testament to how the car has been serviced and maintained throughout its life.
That'll do nicely.
That's good. On a related note, I recall you had the underside painted by Silchester Garage. They're now in liquidation and operations seems to have moved to Portugal - I think the boss of the UK operation was Portuguese. Just taken this pocket rocket in part exchange and what a piece of Kit this car is. 350 BHP on tap and performs and handles like a dream. The car does not drive its mileage nor its age. A Testament to how the car has been serviced and maintained throughout its life.
That'll do nicely.
trevalvole said:
That's good. On a related note, I recall you had the underside painted by Silchester Garage. They're now in liquidation and operations seems to have moved to Portugal - I think the boss of the UK operation was Portuguese.
Apologies, I should have chased up the rumours which were that Paulo had retired to Portugal and left rhe lads running the place. Working for a garage and running a garage turn out to be different and failure came fairly soon. Shame. They did a good job for me at a reasonable price. You'd think that would make a good business.Bobberoo said:
Trade in you say?
And what, pray tell, did you trade it in against???
It's complicated. To fully understand what led to the decision, I'd need to draw a logic diagram. Anyway, down from three cars to two, Mrs C's SLK230 has to make the cut, and I always have to have an Audi Avant quattro in the ecurie. So I've bought a Mercedes C200 Estate; 2WD not AWD. And what, pray tell, did you trade it in against???
Worse. It's currently on a quayside in Japan.
I'll get to work on that logic diagram.
Only just seen this thread after recently picking up a 2001 320 R170.
Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
mattman said:
Only just seen this thread after recently picking up a 2001 320 R170.
Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
Thanks!Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
Now it's gone the values will quadruple.
Enjoy the 320. When we bought the 230 the 320 had only just come out and we couldn't stretch to one. The petformance figures being so similar for the 230 and 320 mask the true nature of the six cylinder car. Lovely.
But, y'know, Mrs C has had the 230 for 21 years now and loves it.
mattman said:
Only just seen this thread after recently picking up a 2001 320 R170.
Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
Would love to know your experience to date with the R170 320… I’m seriously looking at a a manual car at the moment but hesitant to press the button yet.. I neither need another or have space but I really fancy a summer V6 convertible…Some of your restoration costs on the 230 are quite eye watering, but the end result is amazing and you’ll never find another that good.
Mine is at the other end of the spectrum, silver in slightly different shades from having all the wings done 10 years ago (according to the history), the roof has got stuck a couple of times, but seems to be the micro switch in the windscreen top rail so if you click it, it then starts working. But 90,000 miles, 4 owners and a full history. It’s a great car to cruise about in with the roof down, not found the need to drive it hard yet. Surely they can’t get any lower in price?
Your 32 looked very nice as well, must have been a tough job to move it on
An odd replacement for an SLK32, you might say. In fact, the new addition replaced the 32 and my old A4 Avant.
A chance encounter at a garage out in the sticks a couple of years ago introduced me to car dealer, David Morris. He was interested in the SLK32 and we made all the 'one day' promises you make in such situations. When the day came, I rang him and he was still interested. His business, Valley Cars & Classics, sells mainly imported cars from Japan and classics. Instead of buying from his stock, I specced a C200 Estate in silver or dark blue and in a remarkably short space of time, David had come back with several for me to choose from. His contacts in Japan know their stuff, the car is in incredible condition.
This is an eleven year old car! They don't use salt on the roads in Japan apparently.
It's on 47,000 miles and it's like new. Amazing. And David is a lovely chap to deal with. It's as though he read How To Be A Car Salesman, threw the book away and said, 'I can do better than that.'
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