R172 SLK300 or 55AMG - any owners
R172 SLK300 or 55AMG - any owners
Author
Discussion

matt3001

Original Poster:

1,997 posts

221 months

Monday 21st September 2015
quotequote all
Currently debating which model to choose... would be a MY15 car. Any owners in?

rgv250ads

434 posts

138 months

Monday 21st September 2015
quotequote all
Not on the R172, but i'm a R171 SLK55 owner and the V8 is not really comparable to anything else in the range, completely different league of Car.

Have you driven both, how come the dilemma ? Adam.

CaptainRAVE

360 posts

136 months

Monday 21st September 2015
quotequote all
An absolute no brainer between the two, you obviously need to test drive the 55! 55 will cost more to run and repair, but worth every penny! Don't discount an R171 55 either.

xyyman

1,102 posts

249 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
quotequote all
I've had an R172 55 for just over two years, ordered with the LSD option pack. Love it to bits and loads of fun. Only thing I have issues with is the gearbox which can be rather jerky to take up or change up or down at low revs. Its had two software updates, so far, which has improved things but its still not great in any mode but, other than that, its great value and not sure what I would replace it with.

sideways sid

1,451 posts

239 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
quotequote all
rgv250ads said:
Not on the R172, but i'm a R171 SLK55 owner and the V8 is not really comparable to anything else in the range, completely different league of Car.
Ditto here!

Get the V8 on a part-throttle woofling and rumbling at 2500 revs. Then boot it. Then try the six-cylinder.

CaptainRAVE

360 posts

136 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
quotequote all
You certainly can't get a much faster convertible for the money.

r129sl

9,518 posts

227 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
quotequote all
Am I right in thinking the 55 is the last NA V8 in the Mercedes range? everything else having gone bi-turbo. And it's not as if the other premium makers are doing NA engines. It's a pretty special car, the 55.

BIRMA

4,244 posts

218 months

Tuesday 22nd September 2015
quotequote all
r129sl said:
Am I right in thinking the 55 is the last NA V8 in the Mercedes range? everything else having gone bi-turbo. And it's not as if the other premium makers are doing NA engines. It's a pretty special car, the 55.
I think you're right it is the only N/A V8 left most others that had the N/A V8 are now turbo's

matt3001

Original Poster:

1,997 posts

221 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
Cheers guys - will drive both.

Has to be a R172 as it will likely be leased.

SFO

5,171 posts

207 months

Wednesday 23rd September 2015
quotequote all
I found the R172 SLK55 far too nose heavy ..

The rear end skips about on uneven roads, especially those with ridges at different angles.

DJRC

23,563 posts

260 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
quotequote all
MY14 55 here.

Bloody amazing thing. I even find myself giggling my tits off on a pooling run and seeing ECO green and 34mpg! Then I hoof it smile

Dual carriageways and A roads is where it excels. Very very little keeps up when you are in the mid range and flowing. By very little I mean if you have got less than a 991GT3 don't even think about it!

It's other great attribute is size - it's v small compared to most. For the money you simply can't get better.

The SLC with the new turbo unit next year will have a hell of a job living up to this, especially that specialness of the last NA V8 with expensive cylinder tech.

CaptainRAVE

360 posts

136 months

Thursday 24th September 2015
quotequote all
On the one hand it will be sad to lose the NA engine, on the other, they could make it an awful lot more powerful smile

The new body work should look a bit better too e.g. The new exhaust confirguration.

DJRC

23,563 posts

260 months

Friday 25th September 2015
quotequote all
40hp more?

But I lose the bespoke engine, lose cylinder de-act, probably lose 2-3mpg.

I'm not seeing much upside to be honest! I just don't think I'll be able to justify it. Besides a 2-3yo SL63 will be in my sights then smile

clarki

1,358 posts

243 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
quotequote all
I went for a MY15 55 in the end yesterday. Collect Wednesday.

Some fantastic deals to be had on the slk55amg atm, if you're prepared to take pot luck at a car from stock. Mine's apparently selenite grey with black leather.

Can't wait till next week now - just has to be the V8.

zainster

442 posts

200 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
quotequote all
DJRC said:
MY14 55 here.

Bloody amazing thing. I even find myself giggling my tits off on a pooling run and seeing ECO green and 34mpg! Then I hoof it smile

Dual carriageways and A roads is where it excels. Very very little keeps up when you are in the mid range and flowing. By very little I mean if you have got less than a 991GT3 don't even think about it!

It's other great attribute is size - it's v small compared to most. For the money you simply can't get better.
I sometimes get tempted by one as my next car when I start looking to buy again but not sure it will be the R172 or the R171 if indeed I end up with an AMG. They really are great road cars with a superb soundtrack though.

I know the R172 is noticeably quicker than the older R171 but its still not one of the fastest AMG's let alone being anywhere close to a 991 GT3!

CaptainRAVE

360 posts

136 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
quotequote all
zainster said:
I sometimes get tempted by one as my next car when I start looking to buy again but not sure it will be the R172 or the R171 if indeed I end up with an AMG. They really are great road cars with a superb soundtrack though.

I know the R172 is noticeably quicker than the older R171 but its still not one of the fastest AMG's let alone being anywhere close to a 991 GT3!
One of the most affordable open top and fun AMGs though. I wouldn't say the R172 is noticeably quicker, you would have to look pretty darn closely to notice the difference.

zainster

442 posts

200 months

Sunday 27th September 2015
quotequote all
CaptainRAVE said:
One of the most affordable open top and fun AMGs though. I wouldn't say the R172 is noticeably quicker, you would have to look pretty darn closely to notice the difference.
It would be hard to tell driving each one in isolation but I meant side by side, it would be clearly evident which was the quicker car.

DJRC

23,563 posts

260 months

Monday 28th September 2015
quotequote all
zainster said:
DJRC said:
MY14 55 here.

Bloody amazing thing. I even find myself giggling my tits off on a pooling run and seeing ECO green and 34mpg! Then I hoof it smile

Dual carriageways and A roads is where it excels. Very very little keeps up when you are in the mid range and flowing. By very little I mean if you have got less than a 991GT3 don't even think about it!

It's other great attribute is size - it's v small compared to most. For the money you simply can't get better.
I sometimes get tempted by one as my next car when I start looking to buy again but not sure it will be the R172 or the R171 if indeed I end up with an AMG. They really are great road cars with a superb soundtrack though.

I know the R172 is noticeably quicker than the older R171 but its still not one of the fastest AMG's let alone being anywhere close to a 991 GT3!
Talking paper figures or what happens on the road? Life is very different on the road to paper, runways and tracks. I'm not normally a Pork fan but by God chasing after one listening to that flat six somewhere around 7k rpm can't half change a chap's mind!