First shape SLK: Any good?
Discussion
B'stard Child said:
Probably but I'm OK with that it's cute, it's RWD, manual with 6 cogs and got a solid folding roof, the interior after 111,000 miles still looks good (aside from some peeling plastic paint on the trims) the leather is unmarked and not saggy.
When Mrs BC suggested a drop top it was a mandatory requirement that the roof was a hard one, in budget and similar money were Pug and Renault folding roof cars but she likes German built cars and the SLK ticked all the boxes - no regrets here girlie or otherwise.
I'm looking at the bigger brother SL500 as the next possible replacement in a few years rather than the newer SLK as doing 5000 miles a year fuel prices aren't a huge factor in the overall running costs.
Agree, BUT the bigger SLK's are a bit more "butch", I do like the big Sl's too. Wife was involved in a major smack in it. Ripped the front off a Nissan but the SLK was very solid...written off tho.When Mrs BC suggested a drop top it was a mandatory requirement that the roof was a hard one, in budget and similar money were Pug and Renault folding roof cars but she likes German built cars and the SLK ticked all the boxes - no regrets here girlie or otherwise.
I'm looking at the bigger brother SL500 as the next possible replacement in a few years rather than the newer SLK as doing 5000 miles a year fuel prices aren't a huge factor in the overall running costs.
Thanks for all the responses guys.
Another factor in favour for them is they are pretty cheap to insure at my age as well(20).
I know its not the most exciting car in the world but they look good, can drop the roof and there's enough poke there to make light work of a long trip.
Would most people recommend them as a pose to a z3 of that era and price?
My daily drive consists of 5 miles getting on the motorway then a quick 10 minute blast on the motorway.
Currently have an rx8, which I love, but having already crashed my previous one, I feel like I am one wet roundabout away from a write off!
Another factor in favour for them is they are pretty cheap to insure at my age as well(20).
I know its not the most exciting car in the world but they look good, can drop the roof and there's enough poke there to make light work of a long trip.
Would most people recommend them as a pose to a z3 of that era and price?
My daily drive consists of 5 miles getting on the motorway then a quick 10 minute blast on the motorway.
Currently have an rx8, which I love, but having already crashed my previous one, I feel like I am one wet roundabout away from a write off!
There is always the Chrysler Crossfire as well, convertible's are available and they are basically an SLK underneath, they more or less all come with the V6 engine which is quicker than the 230, not night and day but noticeable and a much nicer noise.
Cabin not quite as nice as the Merc, the looks are subjective but I do like the Crossfire personally, I would say its a bit less girly than the SLK, not that I think the SLK is too bad in that respect, just enjoy it for what it is and be glad we can get some really quite nice cars for not much money, petrol is a bit cheaper than it was and sping isn't that far away.
Cabin not quite as nice as the Merc, the looks are subjective but I do like the Crossfire personally, I would say its a bit less girly than the SLK, not that I think the SLK is too bad in that respect, just enjoy it for what it is and be glad we can get some really quite nice cars for not much money, petrol is a bit cheaper than it was and sping isn't that far away.
As a young couple with no kids on the way, we bought one four years ago. A mint condition, very low mileage post-facelift.
We did a trip round Italy a couple of years back, managed to pack all our luggage and still get the roof down.
With the roof up, the boot is as big as the contemporary c-class sedan(!).
I will be heartbroken if I would need to sell it. It has been mechanically very sound, though we have a small "waterfall" of electronic issues a while ago (abs sensor, lambda sensor,...). Nothing critical though.
As usual, I drove a number of cars and wasted a lot of second hand dealers' time looking for a good car. Most notable on the short list:
Ours is the later SLK200, with 170 horses. Potent enough for us, but far from a really fast car.
I much prefer the post facelift, the boot doesn't have a big lock next to the numberplate (less obvious on black ones), the indicators are nicely integrated in the mirrors, the skirts are body coloured...
In hindsight, to go through europe, I wouldn't have anything else. Did 3000 miles easily in a week and never had any sort of ache.
This seems as good a place as any to upload some holiday pictures
.
We did a trip round Italy a couple of years back, managed to pack all our luggage and still get the roof down.
With the roof up, the boot is as big as the contemporary c-class sedan(!).
I will be heartbroken if I would need to sell it. It has been mechanically very sound, though we have a small "waterfall" of electronic issues a while ago (abs sensor, lambda sensor,...). Nothing critical though.
As usual, I drove a number of cars and wasted a lot of second hand dealers' time looking for a good car. Most notable on the short list:
- S2000
- Boxster
- Z3
- Z4
Ours is the later SLK200, with 170 horses. Potent enough for us, but far from a really fast car.
I much prefer the post facelift, the boot doesn't have a big lock next to the numberplate (less obvious on black ones), the indicators are nicely integrated in the mirrors, the skirts are body coloured...
In hindsight, to go through europe, I wouldn't have anything else. Did 3000 miles easily in a week and never had any sort of ache.
This seems as good a place as any to upload some holiday pictures
.Edited by ZesPak on Tuesday 27th January 13:15
B'stard Child said:
I'm looking at the bigger brother SL500 as the next possible replacement in a few years rather than the newer SLK as doing 5000 miles a year fuel prices aren't a huge factor in the overall running costs.
Do NOT do this!!!!! Take the advice of someone that has - not unless you're buying a post '05 car (and then I'd recommend the 350).The SL500 (R230) is a technological w
k-fest, is dreadfully made, badly designed etc. I used to get into mine and every single day I'd wince when I pressed 'start' wondering what failure would display on the OBC. Eighteen thousand pounds in three years on servicing and repairs alone.TR4man said:
I eventually bought a Z3 with a hardtop which has given faultless driving for three years and over 38k miles. Rarer and prettier too.
Z3 prettier? Are you having a giraffe? They have dated terribly. They look like a fish.Dog Star said:
B'stard Child said:
I'm looking at the bigger brother SL500 as the next possible replacement in a few years rather than the newer SLK as doing 5000 miles a year fuel prices aren't a huge factor in the overall running costs.
Do NOT do this!!!!! Take the advice of someone that has - not unless you're buying a post '05 car (and then I'd recommend the 350).The SL500 (R230) is a technological w
k-fest, is dreadfully made, badly designed etc. I used to get into mine and every single day I'd wince when I pressed 'start' wondering what failure would display on the OBC. Eighteen thousand pounds in three years on servicing and repairs alone.k-fest PS the alternative is a TVR and we all know how reliable they are
B'stard Child said:
Perfect for me then - I've run a b'stard child of Lotus and GM for 13 years - I live for technological wk-fest
PS the alternative is a TVR and we all know how reliable they are
It's the sheer cost of parts though - they're just ludicrous. Probably the stupidest thing I ever did was buying an SL.k-fest PS the alternative is a TVR and we all know how reliable they are
Fattyfat said:
I don't get this 'hairdressers car' thing. A good friend, who is a hairdresser incidentally once told me that when he was picking a career he could've spent his working life on a building site or inside talking to women all day and making a st pile of cash for doing so. A no brainer for him and as a result he had a decent collection of motorbikes and drove a TT Supra and an aircooled 911 daily.
I quite liked my SLK, drove pretty much like a C-Class so really had no sporting pretensions but was a decent little car to cruise about in.
It's a BS stereotype men repeat when they're trying to be funny, but actually have nothing genuinely witty to say. I have no idea why hairdressers would spend ages getting their hair right, only to have it messed up by a convertible in five minutes. t pile of cash for doing so. A no brainer for him and as a result he had a decent collection of motorbikes and drove a TT Supra and an aircooled 911 daily.I quite liked my SLK, drove pretty much like a C-Class so really had no sporting pretensions but was a decent little car to cruise about in.
I bought my wife a 2003 230 SLK about 7 years ago, and she won't change it.
It has given her very little trouble; servicing costs around £500 a year.
She really enjoys town driving in it. I have taken it out on motorways and couldn't help feel a tad vulnerable close to trucks, even compared to driving in an SL. I know it is silly to think of a supercharged 2.3 litre car as small but it does feel like it and, of course, you are low down. This feeling applies with hood up and down.
The supercharger makes for decent overtaking and, as others have said, the boot is roomy. I bought her a set of fitted luggage which allows two decent sized cases and a holdall to go in even roof down.
I would invest in a perspex wind deflector because the woven thing that comes as standard doesn't really work that well.
The electrics have suffered because of water ingress to the boot, but fortunately only the o/s indicator. No rust problems here.
I'm 6'1" and fit in quite easily. But the ride, even with standard sized wheels and tyres, can be a little jarring and, for my back, the seats are not nearly good enough for more than ten mile journeys.
HTH
Peter
It has given her very little trouble; servicing costs around £500 a year.
She really enjoys town driving in it. I have taken it out on motorways and couldn't help feel a tad vulnerable close to trucks, even compared to driving in an SL. I know it is silly to think of a supercharged 2.3 litre car as small but it does feel like it and, of course, you are low down. This feeling applies with hood up and down.
The supercharger makes for decent overtaking and, as others have said, the boot is roomy. I bought her a set of fitted luggage which allows two decent sized cases and a holdall to go in even roof down.
I would invest in a perspex wind deflector because the woven thing that comes as standard doesn't really work that well.
The electrics have suffered because of water ingress to the boot, but fortunately only the o/s indicator. No rust problems here.
I'm 6'1" and fit in quite easily. But the ride, even with standard sized wheels and tyres, can be a little jarring and, for my back, the seats are not nearly good enough for more than ten mile journeys.
HTH
Peter
TR4man said:
Dog Star said:
Z3 prettier?
Yes, considerablyIn the end, they feel like they're in a different class. The Mercedes feels significantly more modern, but the Z3 has that "older car" charm. The folding hard top sold me.
Monkeylegend said:
monamimate said:
Monkeylegend said:
Rust, and rust.
Weird. Mine had none, even though it sat out in Belgian weather all that time... Check the wheelarches.
Veeayt said:
Sounds like a typical keyboard warrior stuff, or from experience? Had one myself for a short while, then sold it to my cousin. Rust was never an issue.
Not at all,I've never seen one without rusty arches....but then again I do work in a bodyshop lolMate of mine bought one new,did 30,000 miles in 10 years of ownership,always parked in a garage,never bumped done and when he came to sell it needed 2 front wings and 2 rear arches.Rusty as f
k !V8covin said:
Veeayt said:
Sounds like a typical keyboard warrior stuff, or from experience? Had one myself for a short while, then sold it to my cousin. Rust was never an issue.
Not at all,I've never seen one without rusty arches....but then again I do work in a bodyshop lolMate of mine bought one new,did 30,000 miles in 10 years of ownership,always parked in a garage,never bumped done and when he came to sell it needed 2 front wings and 2 rear arches.Rusty as f
k !The wheel arches are same but the thickness of the paint isn't great and stone chips soon cause paint to lift and then the arches go rusty
Reminds me I must get mine painted properly this year rather than continuing to drive around with hand painted arches
Fattyfat said:
I don't get this 'hairdressers car' thing. A good friend, who is a hairdresser incidentally once told me that when he was picking a career he could've spent his working life on a building site or inside talking to women all day and making a st pile of cash for doing so.
His argument for being a hairdresser was that he got to talk to women all day? Did he then enjoy his evenings watching musical theatre and drinking white wine spritzers?t pile of cash for doing so.But seriously, on the looks thing, it is of course a matter of personal taste but I don't think it's particularly controversial to say that the SLK is not a very butch car...
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