Slk vs sl

[Monkeylegend]

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

You will probably get a better SLK for £7k than an SL.

True BUT, the wife felt cramped and uncomfortable

Agreed, I would go for the SL but you are at the bottom end of the market at £7k so you need to buy carefully.

[mikal83]

Monkeylegend said:

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

You will probably get a better SLK for £7k than an SL.

True BUT, the wife felt cramped and uncomfortable

Agreed, I would go for the SL but you are at the bottom end of the market at £7k so you need to buy carefully.

Thats my vote right now. We had a slk320 b4 and it was quick but souless. Since then I've had a chimaera and a boxster 3.2, just looking for a convertible for summers fun and a blast. I hate mx5.s etc and others like it. Will be looking around mid winter!

[Monkeylegend]

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

You will probably get a better SLK for £7k than an SL.

True BUT, the wife felt cramped and uncomfortable

Agreed, I would go for the SL but you are at the bottom end of the market at £7k so you need to buy carefully.

Thats my vote right now. We had a slk320 b4 and it was quick but souless. Since then I've had a chimaera and a boxster 3.2, just looking for a convertible for summers fun and a blast. I hate mx5.s etc and others like it. Will be looking around mid winter!

Because they are effectively a coupe with the hard top I am not so sure they are as affected by winter and summer pricing like a soft top would be.

To be fair the SL is more of a grand tourer than a sports car so you might not quite get the "fun" in terms of driving appeal you are maybe hoping for. I have had a couple of TVRs and Westfields and there really is no comparison on the fun front imo.

[mikal83]

Monkeylegend said:

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

You will probably get a better SLK for £7k than an SL.

True BUT, the wife felt cramped and uncomfortable

Agreed, I would go for the SL but you are at the bottom end of the market at £7k so you need to buy carefully.

Thats my vote right now. We had a slk320 b4 and it was quick but souless. Since then I've had a chimaera and a boxster 3.2, just looking for a convertible for summers fun and a blast. I hate mx5.s etc and others like it. Will be looking around mid winter!

Because they are effectively a coupe with the hard top I am not so sure they are as affected by winter and summer pricing like a soft top would be.

To be fair the SL is more of a grand tourer than a sports car so you might not quite get the "fun" in terms of driving appeal you are maybe hoping for. I have had a couple of TVRs and Westfields and there really is no comparison on the fun front imo.

To me my Chim just looked like an MGB on steriods.

[WJNB]

Dog Star said:

cb1965 said:

The SLKs are fantastic, the only drawback being the interior space.

The first 2 versions do seem to have small cabins.
Neighbour gave me a ride in his R171 the more shapely curvy version of the original & I thought the cabin cramped & VERY blustery even with the wind deflector in place. As for the plastics - Ugh! In fact it did not feel much larger than my Mk1 MX-5 of many years previous.
Had the budget & went for the R172 the difference being immense. MUCH more room & a classier cabin.
Smaller engine R172's & diesels are cluttering up the forecourts gathering dust & the car has a bad reputation for depreciation so in theory deals should be had - but knowing how tight-fisted Merc. dealers are best check out the independents.
Car is not seasonally affected as it's very much an all year round machine, popular with non petrol-heads mature & practical enough no to be swayed by superfluous performance abilities which egotists have any idea how to exploit. The idea of a coupe one minute & a convertible the next is eminently sensible.

[mikal83]

WJNB said:

Dog Star said:

cb1965 said:

The SLKs are fantastic, the only drawback being the interior space.

The first 2 versions do seem to have small cabins.
Neighbour gave me a ride in his R171 the more shapely curvy version of the original & I thought the cabin cramped & VERY blustery even with the wind deflector in place. As for the plastics - Ugh! In fact it did not feel much larger than my Mk1 MX-5 of many years previous.
Had the budget & went for the R172 the difference being immense. MUCH more room & a classier cabin.
Smaller engine R172's & diesels are cluttering up the forecourts gathering dust & the car has a bad reputation for depreciation so in theory deals should be had - but knowing how tight-fisted Merc. dealers are best check out the independents.
Car is not seasonally affected as it's very much an all year round machine, popular with non petrol-heads mature & practical enough no to be swayed by superfluous performance abilities which egotists have any idea how to exploit. The idea of a coupe one minute & a convertible the next is eminently sensible.

Outside my price range

[pwd95]

What you want is a 3.7 SL, 54reg or younger with the facelifted dash & 'normal' coil spring suspenders. Was in the exact same situation as you back in the summer. Test drove a few slk 350's but whithin about 2 secs of getting in to & driving the SL I was hooked. Very special car indeed.........

[Monkeylegend]

pwd95 said:

What you want is a 3.7 SL, 54reg or younger with the facelifted dash & 'normal' coil spring suspenders. Was in the exact same situation as you back in the summer. Test drove a few slk 350's but whithin about 2 secs of getting in to & driving the SL I was hooked. Very special car indeed.........

Agreed, that's what I have on an '04 plate and you also get the benefit of the lower VED rate as well.

[swisstoni]

This generation of SL turns heads now. They are quite a rare sight already.

They are noticeably more dainty than modern stuff and look very different to modern Mercs.
They will join the ranks of the other classic SLs very shortly IMHO.

[Denis O]

pwd95 said:

What you want is a 3.7 SL, 54reg or younger with the facelifted dash & 'normal' coil spring suspenders. Was in the exact same situation as you back in the summer. Test drove a few slk 350's but whithin about 2 secs of getting in to & driving the SL I was hooked. Very special car indeed.........

I'd go along with that but then I do have a 55 plate SL350. The 3.7 engine is totally bomb proof and doesn't suffer from balancer shaft issues, which the 3.5 engine evidently does. I also understand the 7 speed auto box can give issues on the later cars.

As for the comparison with the SLK I can't help having never driven an SLK. I didn't want one but I did want an SL.

[mikal83]

I'm drooling. BUT its going to be a bit of a struggle after the Mrs got all emotional sitting in an SLK again.

[Monkeylegend]

mikal83 said:

Monkeylegend said:

You will probably get a better SLK for £7k than an SL.

True BUT, the wife felt cramped and uncomfortable

If you haven't done already get her sat in an SL and you can then remind her how she felt about the SLK so she can see the difference. A lot more space in the SL.

[pwd95]

mikal83 said:

I'm drooling. BUT its going to be a bit of a struggle after the Mrs got all emotional sitting in an SLK again.

Get her sat in a few SL's...

Edited by pwd95 on Wednesday 13th November 23:54

[mikal83]

My job after Xmas new year methinks might take her somewhere hot and stickly for a few weeks first to warm her up

[WJNB]

mikal83 said:

I'm drooling. BUT its going to be a bit of a struggle after the Mrs got all emotional sitting in an SLK again.

She may also find that the extra interior space of an SL is not necessary & too wide for many of todays roads unless she rarely drive lanes & remote B roads.
The extra interior space of an SL over an SLK is useful & although many are snooty about the SLK there is way I'd change mine for its bigger brother.

[RDMcG]

I still have my 2003 SL500 which I bought new:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

As per the writeup fit has generally been quite reliable.

[mikal83]

WJNB said:

mikal83 said:

I'm drooling. BUT its going to be a bit of a struggle after the Mrs got all emotional sitting in an SLK again.

She may also find that the extra interior space of an SL is not necessary & too wide for many of todays roads unless she rarely drive lanes & remote B roads.
The extra interior space of an SL over an SLK is useful & although many are snooty about the SLK there is way I'd change mine for its bigger brother.

The car is for me not the missus. Her car was an SLK that she had a crash in, hence the emotions that flooded into her when we went for a viewing on a poss purchase and she welled up big time. As has been written earlier, we shall wait til early spring til we seriously start looking for a car, as thats when they are cheapest to buy. (eyes roll up)!