RE: Mercedes SLK230 Kompressor | Shed of the Week
Discussion
I would have no problem motoring around in one of these. I 'have grown accustomed to her face' springs to mind and with a little care and attention I am sure it would be an enjoyable ownership experience. The roof still impresses me, but I freely admit I am easily impressed.
Took a C-series estate with this engine from London to Chamonix around 2002 - it had more than enough power to overtake in an entertaining manner and get us up the mountain. As a 107 SLC owner driving dynamics are far form the top of my list.
Speaking of 107 - This 107-year-old still drives his SLK:
https://www.today.com/news/107-year-old-florida-ma...
Took a C-series estate with this engine from London to Chamonix around 2002 - it had more than enough power to overtake in an entertaining manner and get us up the mountain. As a 107 SLC owner driving dynamics are far form the top of my list.
Speaking of 107 - This 107-year-old still drives his SLK:
https://www.today.com/news/107-year-old-florida-ma...
kambites said:
I can certainly see the appeal at that price. No, it's not the last word in dynamics but it's a lovely cheap wimd-in-the-hair cruiser.
Quite. The C Class taxicab dynamics (recirculating ball steering in a 'sports' car!) and cement mixer engine were a problem when these were new, but for a grand you can't complain. They always looked great too, and that colour is far nicer than the usual silver.
te.Are the rust issues on these largely cosmetic or structural as well ?
Pretty good you can get a working convertible Merc for less than a grand, buy it and run it for the summer then offload for not much less than you paid for it.
I remember selling my 350Z and a couple of guys turn up in an identical one, the younger chap bought my car and the older one gave me a lift to drop the cash off in his SLK, it was a bit scruffy but it was him that stuck more in my mind, nice chap but was knocking sixty and was rocking the oldest swinger in town look, like a sort of Robin Asquith/Producer Micheal/Ferrari Guy type, long hair all streaked, earring etc, now all I can see when I see an SLK like this.
Pretty good you can get a working convertible Merc for less than a grand, buy it and run it for the summer then offload for not much less than you paid for it.
I remember selling my 350Z and a couple of guys turn up in an identical one, the younger chap bought my car and the older one gave me a lift to drop the cash off in his SLK, it was a bit scruffy but it was him that stuck more in my mind, nice chap but was knocking sixty and was rocking the oldest swinger in town look, like a sort of Robin Asquith/Producer Micheal/Ferrari Guy type, long hair all streaked, earring etc, now all I can see when I see an SLK like this.
Lovely!!! I have always liked this shape of SLK.
It's a very clever and elegant design, making the gap between the old "square" 80's/90's Mercedes - with hints of C140 CL around the grill and headlight - and the new 00's "flowing" design language. Good proportions and a small car in todays world.
It's a very clever and elegant design, making the gap between the old "square" 80's/90's Mercedes - with hints of C140 CL around the grill and headlight - and the new 00's "flowing" design language. Good proportions and a small car in todays world.
I have had a selection of scabby rusty cars in the past - with the joy of being called out of the MOT waiting room to have the tester show me the chunks of metalwork falling off the underside of my first ever car, a Fiat 127 Rallye Sport (yes, such a thing existed!) any time he tapped it with a hammer.
I get the appeal of open-top motoring but even if buying this wouldn't break the bank, I don't think I could get over the £750-odd of fixed costs per year to keep it on the road (RFL, insurance and MOT) whilst seeing those scabby arches every time I went near it.
Surely half the reason for buying an open top car is to be able to bowl around with roof off, feeling contented, rather than being ashamed about buying a s**tter and therefore wanting to wear a brown paper bag over your head?
Ah'm oot!
I get the appeal of open-top motoring but even if buying this wouldn't break the bank, I don't think I could get over the £750-odd of fixed costs per year to keep it on the road (RFL, insurance and MOT) whilst seeing those scabby arches every time I went near it.
Surely half the reason for buying an open top car is to be able to bowl around with roof off, feeling contented, rather than being ashamed about buying a s**tter and therefore wanting to wear a brown paper bag over your head?
Ah'm oot!
djbobbins said:
I have had a selection of scabby rusty cars in the past - with the joy of being called out of the MOT waiting room to have the tester show me the chunks of metalwork falling off the underside of my first ever car, a Fiat 127 Rallye Sport (yes, such a thing existed!) any time he tapped it with a hammer.
I get the appeal of open-top motoring but even if buying this wouldn't break the bank, I don't think I could get over the £750-odd of fixed costs per year to keep it on the road (RFL, insurance and MOT) whilst seeing those scabby arches every time I went near it.
Surely half the reason for buying an open top car is to be able to bowl around with roof off, feeling contented, rather than being ashamed about buying a s**tter and therefore wanting to wear a brown paper bag over your head?
Ah'm oot!
From what I understand, the wings can be replaced for around £1000. You'd be left with a car that's worth at least the same as it was bought for, while that £1000 can easily be lost just in depreciation on more expensive/ sorted cars. I get the appeal of open-top motoring but even if buying this wouldn't break the bank, I don't think I could get over the £750-odd of fixed costs per year to keep it on the road (RFL, insurance and MOT) whilst seeing those scabby arches every time I went near it.
Surely half the reason for buying an open top car is to be able to bowl around with roof off, feeling contented, rather than being ashamed about buying a s**tter and therefore wanting to wear a brown paper bag over your head?
Ah'm oot!
Arsecati said:
Absolutely cracking shed - exactly what SOTW is about, and a perfect example of why the price limit didn't/doesn't need to go to 2 bags of sand! 
Could this era of SLK have......... dare I say it.......... future classic potential? Even if not, top down motoring for a pint less than a Steinway - bargain! 
100% agree. Could this era of SLK have......... dare I say it.......... future classic potential? Even if not, top down motoring for a pint less than a Steinway - bargain! Excellent Shed.... Haynes Motor Museum has one of these in the 'Classics of the Future' room (or at least they did a few years back!)
Drove one a fair bit in the early 2000s... Made a nice noise (supercharger) despite 4 cylinders. Wasn't the last word in go-cart-like handling, but was comfy, quite refined and felt special.
Drove one a fair bit in the early 2000s... Made a nice noise (supercharger) despite 4 cylinders. Wasn't the last word in go-cart-like handling, but was comfy, quite refined and felt special.
I bought one just like this last August (though pre-facelift, a '99, under 80,000 miles). It'd been in a bump at some point and had paint, so the rust is literally confined to some early bubbles on one front wing and another on a rear. Took it to the NC500 in September.
I've done about 6000 miles in it since, probably 5500 of those with the top down.
Engine is course, though plenty of torque with the supercharger and the auto box is great (though a bit lumpy when cold on mine, think a fluid change is in order).
It's a good, honest little car. I bought it as a snotter stop gap and have fallen for it a little bit. To me its 'classless' in the same way a Golf is, it doesn't say anything about the person driving it. Apart from they might work at a beauticians, perhaps...
I had it serviced and fitted new disks/pads and had the tracking done and new front tyres and MAFF sensor and K40 re-soldered during my Scotland trip after it decided to play up... but I can't help but want to keep saving it. It's too nice for the scrapheap. The big challenge will be the bodywork, as you can soon start spending more than it's worth.
Great shed and can wholeheartedly recommend getting one, especially at disposable money.
I've done about 6000 miles in it since, probably 5500 of those with the top down.
Engine is course, though plenty of torque with the supercharger and the auto box is great (though a bit lumpy when cold on mine, think a fluid change is in order).
It's a good, honest little car. I bought it as a snotter stop gap and have fallen for it a little bit. To me its 'classless' in the same way a Golf is, it doesn't say anything about the person driving it. Apart from they might work at a beauticians, perhaps...
I had it serviced and fitted new disks/pads and had the tracking done and new front tyres and MAFF sensor and K40 re-soldered during my Scotland trip after it decided to play up... but I can't help but want to keep saving it. It's too nice for the scrapheap. The big challenge will be the bodywork, as you can soon start spending more than it's worth.
Great shed and can wholeheartedly recommend getting one, especially at disposable money.
From a woeful period in MB's history. Do yourself a favour and buy a GTV twin spark. Won't be any less reliable, maybe more so. At least it will have some personality and subjectively looks miles better. Much of MB's output from the noughties is rusty, unreliable junk and very well documented as such. As a last resort I'd rather drink the money. Anyone would think I wasn't keen!
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