Discussion
rev-erend said:
Does anyone else supper from low speed brake squeal ..
Drive me nuts in traffic sometimes and is mildly embarrassing.
At the weekend - I plan to take the pads out and check if the garage put copper ease on the back of the pads and cleanthe holes / slots in the rotors.
I would do a few things... first off, clear rust from the holes in the discs with a drill. from memory they are 4mm. Also, if there is much of a lip on the disk, use a flap wheel in a grinder and take it down a bit.Drive me nuts in traffic sometimes and is mildly embarrassing.
At the weekend - I plan to take the pads out and check if the garage put copper ease on the back of the pads and cleanthe holes / slots in the rotors.
rather than use the copper grease I would use MINTEX CERATEC ANTI-BRAKE SQUEAL GREASE which you can get on Ebay for £2
finally, make sure that the caliper is not very close to the disc in the areas in the picture below. sometimes they are VERY close and a build up of crud makes them squeal. on this one below you can just see where I have used a file to relive it a little...
jmn said:
I am looking for an R171 SLK55 myself.
Does anyone know what an MB franchise dealer would charge for a vehicle inspection?
Has anyone looked at the 21k mile car in Hastings on Autotrader?
Thanks.
Looks lovely; really good price! I wouldn't worry too much about an inspection; probably less worries than a run of the mill family car of a similar age. Buy on condition,history and 'gut feeling'. 👍Does anyone know what an MB franchise dealer would charge for a vehicle inspection?
Has anyone looked at the 21k mile car in Hastings on Autotrader?
Thanks.
SIMON67 said:
jmn said:
I am looking for an R171 SLK55 myself.
Does anyone know what an MB franchise dealer would charge for a vehicle inspection?
Has anyone looked at the 21k mile car in Hastings on Autotrader?
Thanks.
Looks lovely; really good price! I wouldn't worry too much about an inspection; probably less worries than a run of the mill family car of a similar age. Buy on condition,history and 'gut feeling'. ??Does anyone know what an MB franchise dealer would charge for a vehicle inspection?
Has anyone looked at the 21k mile car in Hastings on Autotrader?
Thanks.
As stated I wouldn't see the value in a main dealer inspection. These cars are pretty much bulletproof.
When I bought mine at 23k miles the vendor had an issue with the roof not aligning which he had the main dealer fix - circa £800.. since then it's been fine
I have two (mine) a late 2005 /55 plate and (the wifes) a 2007 / 57 plate. Hers has HK sound, electronic climate control ( mine has the basic) hers also has the elecric folding mirrors
Yours is the same spec as mine virtually, except I wanted the two tone red / black nappa. This age it's the sweet spot with lower VED and also the big brakes
These cars are getting older and it's a compromise when buying in as much as you have to decide what your priority is. For me, I knew I'd be keeping it for a while and the one I bought was used as a third car buy it's previous owner so it had never seen a salty road (important when my slk 32 was rusting at 7 years!) and it was immaculate. There are a lot of dogs out there now and prices bear no correlation to quality.. at that mileage it should be like a new car.
SIMON67 said:
Looks lovely; really good price! I wouldn't worry too much about an inspection; probably less worries than a run of the mill family car of a similar age. Buy on condition,history and 'gut feeling'. ??
And just keep a good bit of cash spare for any age related jobs that need doing. I ended up refurbing most of mine - it needed a headlight refresh, new battery, brakes, tyres, transmission fluid change etc. Then did the standard xpipe, cat/resonator delete. Worth every penny I put into it. There is plenty I miss about it - the R172 55 is just more practical/comfortable for my commute now though.buzzer said:
I have always loved ours... its a bit of a garage queen though, still less than 40k miles! there are times when I am tempted to sell as it gets so little use as a third car.... then I drive it and the temptation goes away! Mine is a rare colour as well, we searched ages to find a none black or silver one.
I am now gearing up to buy an SLK55 R171 so if you are tempted to part with this car please email me on uktrucks@msn.comI was looking at Silver - Black or Blue but that Red is just lovely.
Allan
Love these cars, saw one in a filling station in Croydon last week and got chatting to the driver. He was telling me how all his mates told him he'd got a hairdresser's car until they had a ride in it. He asked if I ever had that comment about my SL.... told him most laymen mistook it for an SLK anyway and the one time I had pointed out it wasn't an SLK, but an SL they simply moved the insult from hairdresser's car to rich hairdresser's car 
[quote=buzzer]I have always loved ours... its a bit of a garage queen though, still less than 40k miles! there are times when I am tempted to sell as it gets so little use as a third car.... then I drive it and the temptation goes away! Mine is a rare colour as well, we searched ages to find a none black or silver one.
[/quote
A lovely colour. The mind-set that says "I must add a V8 badge" interests me. Hopefully not from Halfords.
[/quoteA lovely colour. The mind-set that says "I must add a V8 badge" interests me. Hopefully not from Halfords.
Hi all.
Hope you don't mind if I butt in on this thread.
I'm also currently considering an SLK55 and currently looking for information on what to look out for. I've done some looking at user forums on Internet and is seems like they're generally a good reliable car. Things to look for (apart from general condition and history) are brakes (may be expensive to replace) and exhaust flap valves (although I guess you can't test for that if they are not already giving errors)
Are there any other "usual suspects" I need to check for?
Also at what age/mileage to expensive services occur? I'm thinking of things like timing belt/chains or similar items. One item I belive is expensive is plug change (due to two per cylinder), what mileage do these occur and is it a straightforward task with 'normal' tools (I'm compentent mechanic and have a decent tool box but obviously no MB special tools).
I'm probably looking at a 2005/6 car but will be looking for low miles, few owners & service history, I'd rather pay more and get a better car. Looking to keep long term as weekend/second car so rather get a good 'un and keep it that way than something past its best.
I must say those cars in Red look absolutely fantastic, evey credit to the owners, but seem to be like rocking horse droppings, I didn't even know they were available in anything other than black or silver.
Thanks in advance for any help, greatly appreciated.
Hope you don't mind if I butt in on this thread.
I'm also currently considering an SLK55 and currently looking for information on what to look out for. I've done some looking at user forums on Internet and is seems like they're generally a good reliable car. Things to look for (apart from general condition and history) are brakes (may be expensive to replace) and exhaust flap valves (although I guess you can't test for that if they are not already giving errors)
Are there any other "usual suspects" I need to check for?
Also at what age/mileage to expensive services occur? I'm thinking of things like timing belt/chains or similar items. One item I belive is expensive is plug change (due to two per cylinder), what mileage do these occur and is it a straightforward task with 'normal' tools (I'm compentent mechanic and have a decent tool box but obviously no MB special tools).
I'm probably looking at a 2005/6 car but will be looking for low miles, few owners & service history, I'd rather pay more and get a better car. Looking to keep long term as weekend/second car so rather get a good 'un and keep it that way than something past its best.
I must say those cars in Red look absolutely fantastic, evey credit to the owners, but seem to be like rocking horse droppings, I didn't even know they were available in anything other than black or silver.
Thanks in advance for any help, greatly appreciated.
2005/9 cars do not have the exhaust flap valves. Maybe the later R192 V8's have them ?
There seem to be very few issues:
Leaking rocker covers
Servicing : MB are not cheap but they are not all that bad. Plenty of specialists offer better prices.
The 6 pot front / 4 pot rear discs are quite expensive. Tarox do a replacement for the front that is better priced.
Plugs - yep 16 of them, every 4 years. NGK irridium. About £110 for a set. Yes you can change them yourself, I did or pay MB £500 for fitting and parts. The plug leads are deep so you need a tool (I used a tuning fork style ball joint splitter).
There seem to be very few issues:
Leaking rocker covers
Servicing : MB are not cheap but they are not all that bad. Plenty of specialists offer better prices.
The 6 pot front / 4 pot rear discs are quite expensive. Tarox do a replacement for the front that is better priced.
Plugs - yep 16 of them, every 4 years. NGK irridium. About £110 for a set. Yes you can change them yourself, I did or pay MB £500 for fitting and parts. The plug leads are deep so you need a tool (I used a tuning fork style ball joint splitter).
Hi Rev,
Thanks for yor reply, that's good news about the exhaust valves being later cars, hadn't realised that when I read about it.
Strange that the plugs are changed by time and mileage. I had a Toyota MR 2 a few years ago which had comprehensive service records but I couldn't find any record of plugs being changed, went to Toyota to buy some, they asked me the milage (about 60k) and the guy said they weren't due yet as the interval was 80k, didn't matter that it was 10+ years old. Got a similar story from Yamaha with my R1. Sometimes you can't give money away!
I'm a bit confused about what you used the BJ splitter for, was that to remove the leads or the plugs?
Not something I'd like to pay thick end of £400 for if it can be done with simple tools (or at least tools which cost less than £400)
Thanks for yor reply, that's good news about the exhaust valves being later cars, hadn't realised that when I read about it.
Strange that the plugs are changed by time and mileage. I had a Toyota MR 2 a few years ago which had comprehensive service records but I couldn't find any record of plugs being changed, went to Toyota to buy some, they asked me the milage (about 60k) and the guy said they weren't due yet as the interval was 80k, didn't matter that it was 10+ years old. Got a similar story from Yamaha with my R1. Sometimes you can't give money away!
I'm a bit confused about what you used the BJ splitter for, was that to remove the leads or the plugs?
Not something I'd like to pay thick end of £400 for if it can be done with simple tools (or at least tools which cost less than £400)
Edited by CGCobra on Wednesday 24th January 20:07
I think the ball joint splitter fork is used to prize the spark plug leads off... I have used an old open ended spanner ground down at the sides used to do the same.
spray some maintenance spray around the leads before you remove them, they come off a bit easier. once they are off I always give the recess a blow out before removing the plug just to be sure...
I did some plugs recently on an MX5. after removing the leads I looked at the plugs down the hole, you would not have believed the crap that was in there! If I had just removed the plugs, most of it would have fell in the bores!
spray some maintenance spray around the leads before you remove them, they come off a bit easier. once they are off I always give the recess a blow out before removing the plug just to be sure...
I did some plugs recently on an MX5. after removing the leads I looked at the plugs down the hole, you would not have believed the crap that was in there! If I had just removed the plugs, most of it would have fell in the bores!
Yes correct. I just used the BJ splitter to grip the plug cap and lever it out .. one or two I managed to pull out by hand but others needed more force in very restricted space.
I also changed to K & N filters at the same time as they can be reused. Two less items in land fill every year.
The plugs might be every 4 years or 60 k miles - cant remember the exact details now.
I also changed to K & N filters at the same time as they can be reused. Two less items in land fill every year.
The plugs might be every 4 years or 60 k miles - cant remember the exact details now.
Thanks guys, that makes sense.
Amazes me that this car requires 2 plugs per pot, in reality it's not such a high performance engine (only makes about the same BHP/L as the Rover engine in my kit car), presumably its a large bore, short stroke motor.
BTW buzzer, that car or yours is a fantastic colour (as many have said) if I come across one like that it'll be getting snapped up!
Amazes me that this car requires 2 plugs per pot, in reality it's not such a high performance engine (only makes about the same BHP/L as the Rover engine in my kit car), presumably its a large bore, short stroke motor.
BTW buzzer, that car or yours is a fantastic colour (as many have said) if I come across one like that it'll be getting snapped up!
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