My turn to be ridiculously excited - my first AMG!
Discussion
juice said:
Looks lovely and a great spec - congratulations !! You must be well chuffed ![biggrin](/inc/images/biggrin.gif)
Enjoying the snappy gear changes ?![hehe](/inc/images/hehe.gif)
Yep! All good!![biggrin](/inc/images/biggrin.gif)
Enjoying the snappy gear changes ?
![hehe](/inc/images/hehe.gif)
Quick trip over to Caffeine & Machine this afternoon to meet a friend. Always feel like you are being silently judged when you arrive, but I think I passed today!
Managed to get a spot by the pub itself which was good. What was not so good was the covering of dust it got from the passing cars
![eek](/inc/images/eek.gif)
Hadn’t intended washing it this weekend, but got home and decided I couldn’t leave it like that! Only a quick wash and wheel clean, but it looks most excellent now
![cool](/inc/images/cool.gif)
That is a really nice looking example and as others have said a great colour. So many Mercs are just in the standard silver or black, I have two of them! haha
I think the SLK55 is one of the lesser known AMGs and for that I think it's a very cool little car. Also it's a hefty engine for a relatively small car so has kind mini-muscle car credentials but I suspect handles really nicely too.![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
I think the SLK55 is one of the lesser known AMGs and for that I think it's a very cool little car. Also it's a hefty engine for a relatively small car so has kind mini-muscle car credentials but I suspect handles really nicely too.
![smile](/inc/images/smile.gif)
Just a quick one, when you get a chance, check the battery compartment for water.
I just checked mine - it was half full of water after I had just washed it.
There's a rubber grommet at the bottom next to the battery, with a flap that's supposed to let the water out, but mine was blocked with small leaves/crap
The location is perilously close to the cabin fan, so to prevent soggy carpets and stink I'd recommend giving it a quick check esp after all the rain we've had !![thumbup](/inc/images/thumbup.gif)
I just checked mine - it was half full of water after I had just washed it.
There's a rubber grommet at the bottom next to the battery, with a flap that's supposed to let the water out, but mine was blocked with small leaves/crap
The location is perilously close to the cabin fan, so to prevent soggy carpets and stink I'd recommend giving it a quick check esp after all the rain we've had !
![thumbup](/inc/images/thumbup.gif)
juice said:
Just a quick one, when you get a chance, check the battery compartment for water.
Thanks - mine looks bone dry with no sign of previous issues, and the heater fan looks very clean. There are a number of drains around the car - the one in the scuttle panel near the battery box on mine was totally clogged with crap, but now clear. No sign of water in the boot under the spare wheel and toolkit either.I do have one issue in that one of the keys will lock / unlock the car, but has really poor range (even with brand new Duracall batteries) and the little red LED light on the fob does not light up when the buttons are pressed. It also doesn't start the car - put it on the ignition and nothing happens at all. The circuit board all looks ok (some people have found the coil can come loose if the key is dropped) so I think I'll need to send it off for repair.
Bought some new gas struts for the boot, but they are about 2-3mm too long and I cannot get them on, even when bump stops on the hings are removed.
Also got a new 'SLK55' badge for the boot, as this has been removed at some point, as well as a 3M headlight restoration kit to try to freshen up the offside headlight which is quite faded.
A good clean and lubrication of the rubber seals is also in order at some point (Gummi Pflege and Krytox to the ready!)
Hopefully will have some time tonight to get a few of the jobs done...
Oh, and a couple of questions... (there will be lots!)
I've got a Bluetooth to 3.5mm adaptor (link below) which works well for streaming, but not for the phone, as it sits in the glovebox
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mpow-Bluetooth-Streaming-...
The COMAND unit has a Bluetooth menu item if the 'SERV' button is pressed, which appears to search for a phone - it did actually pick up my iPhone XS at one point, but my phone didn't seem to recognise the car. I thought the phone system connection was via a cradle in the centre console. I know you can get a Bluetooth 'puck' that connects to the connector in there, but they are ££££, and I think are only for calls, and not streaming anyway.
I'm not really sure what the menu option does - anyone know? Anyone got it to work?
Next question... Tyres....
I'm thinking Michelin PS4s - any thoughts or alternatives?
I've got a Bluetooth to 3.5mm adaptor (link below) which works well for streaming, but not for the phone, as it sits in the glovebox
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mpow-Bluetooth-Streaming-...
The COMAND unit has a Bluetooth menu item if the 'SERV' button is pressed, which appears to search for a phone - it did actually pick up my iPhone XS at one point, but my phone didn't seem to recognise the car. I thought the phone system connection was via a cradle in the centre console. I know you can get a Bluetooth 'puck' that connects to the connector in there, but they are ££££, and I think are only for calls, and not streaming anyway.
I'm not really sure what the menu option does - anyone know? Anyone got it to work?
Next question... Tyres....
I'm thinking Michelin PS4s - any thoughts or alternatives?
Edited by 595Heaven on Tuesday 20th August 12:38
This evening I decided to tackle the badly faded, crazed and yellowed offside headlight. The nearside one looks fine, so possibly replaced at some point.
Bought the 3M Headlight Restoration Kit from Amazon. There are several different kits on the market but they are all basically the same - a set of progressively fine sanding pads attached to an electric drill and then some polish.
This was the light before I started:
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/TTL9oglc.jpg)
Lots of masking tape and cardboard to protect the surrounding bodywork, and I got started. First grade is quite aggressive and turns the lens totally opaque![eek](/inc/images/eek.gif)
Two more finer grades and the haze begins to clear...
After several passes with the polishing compound and we have a result:
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/21Q0s1pS.jpg)
It isn’t perfect, and there is still some sign of the crazing, but it looks so much better, and feels totally smooth to the touch. Pretty happy with that!
I then had another play with the bad key. Realised that if I put it in the ignition and then press the lock button, the steering column releases and I can turn the key. Didn’t start the car so as to avoid spousal
, but I suspect it would work. Weird...
Bought the 3M Headlight Restoration Kit from Amazon. There are several different kits on the market but they are all basically the same - a set of progressively fine sanding pads attached to an electric drill and then some polish.
This was the light before I started:
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/TTL9oglc.jpg)
Lots of masking tape and cardboard to protect the surrounding bodywork, and I got started. First grade is quite aggressive and turns the lens totally opaque
![eek](/inc/images/eek.gif)
Two more finer grades and the haze begins to clear...
After several passes with the polishing compound and we have a result:
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/21Q0s1pS.jpg)
It isn’t perfect, and there is still some sign of the crazing, but it looks so much better, and feels totally smooth to the touch. Pretty happy with that!
I then had another play with the bad key. Realised that if I put it in the ignition and then press the lock button, the steering column releases and I can turn the key. Didn’t start the car so as to avoid spousal
![rolleyes](/inc/images/rolleyes.gif)
Sa Calobra said:
However this is stunning. Wow, how much??
Think low spec Dacia Duster money... The Duster is a great car for the money, but the SLK55 beats it in a number of areas. The Dacia fights back with ECO mode, ISOFIX, roof bars and a second row of seats, but there is not really any contest
![laugh](/inc/images/laugh.gif)
Not that keen on black cars (look great for about 5 minutes after you wash them), but I think the silver looks great. Mystic Blue trumps them in my view and looks absolutely amazing in the sunshine.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/r661Gn3Q.jpg)
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff