AMG55 SLK R171 questions....
Discussion
it's about that time of the year (well actually at least twice a year TBH) again where my mind gets to thinking that just about any decent car is better than what I have and I'm curious about straying.
I already know that for the foreseeable future my motoring has to include a V8 (this is 100% non-negotiable) so was just bumbling around various sites for ideas XK's were considered (not a fan of BMW's, great cars I know but just don't do it for me) and then it struck me the SLK AMG55. Mrs Iroc's best friend's son-in-law used to have one and I recall it sounded epic. Seems to tick a lot of boxes:
good performance (a little quicker off the mark than either my '05 Mustang was or my truck)
nice drive
hard top convertible (though must have airscarf)
looks good
sounds great (this is a very important part of the whole 'experience')
I'm just wondering what the downsides of ownership are. I suspect that having owned Yank motors for the last 15 odd years that the 'driving experience' or how 'civilised' it is won't be an issue though currently Mrs I does have a R172 250d, might it suffer in comparison to that (although that'll likely go if I do get the 55)?
Any thoughts?
I already know that for the foreseeable future my motoring has to include a V8 (this is 100% non-negotiable) so was just bumbling around various sites for ideas XK's were considered (not a fan of BMW's, great cars I know but just don't do it for me) and then it struck me the SLK AMG55. Mrs Iroc's best friend's son-in-law used to have one and I recall it sounded epic. Seems to tick a lot of boxes:
good performance (a little quicker off the mark than either my '05 Mustang was or my truck)
nice drive
hard top convertible (though must have airscarf)
looks good
sounds great (this is a very important part of the whole 'experience')
I'm just wondering what the downsides of ownership are. I suspect that having owned Yank motors for the last 15 odd years that the 'driving experience' or how 'civilised' it is won't be an issue though currently Mrs I does have a R172 250d, might it suffer in comparison to that (although that'll likely go if I do get the 55)?
Any thoughts?
I have one and an very happy with it, owned it for 3 years, been faultless. brought a 2005 model as wanted big brakes and cheap tax (skin flint at heart haha)
they are solid cars. Ride is pretty harsh, you'll notice that coming from the 250D version and floaty american wafting.
There is not much of a 'downside' to ownership, having one that has been cared for is crucial, roof requires keeping on top of (seal lubing, alignment checks) and general maintenance needs to be kept up. there isn't a big 'AMG tax' associated with these so surprisingly reasonable to keep in good health.
Liberating the exhaust with a 2nd cat delete and or an x-pipe in place of the resonator will give a completely different experience, if you like your V8 to rumble then well advised modification to do. Again, inexpensive.
There are alot of pups out there, buy on condition and ownership record rather than headline mileage or price. I had to see 3 before settling for mine, and even then it had issues to sort.
They are a quick car. I've had Superbikes and this is my first fast car (that i'd call made to be fast properly) and the performance is pretty startling. If Mrs I is to drive it would be worth her having a spin in it to 'make sure' My wife hates is as its too fast. she is okay as a passenger thou.
Once sorted out (had mine detailed twice) and you get it how you want, they are really excellent. Shameless pic of mine below. Good time of year to pick one up, potential for a bargain.
Happy hunting.
Adam.
they are solid cars. Ride is pretty harsh, you'll notice that coming from the 250D version and floaty american wafting.
There is not much of a 'downside' to ownership, having one that has been cared for is crucial, roof requires keeping on top of (seal lubing, alignment checks) and general maintenance needs to be kept up. there isn't a big 'AMG tax' associated with these so surprisingly reasonable to keep in good health.
Liberating the exhaust with a 2nd cat delete and or an x-pipe in place of the resonator will give a completely different experience, if you like your V8 to rumble then well advised modification to do. Again, inexpensive.
There are alot of pups out there, buy on condition and ownership record rather than headline mileage or price. I had to see 3 before settling for mine, and even then it had issues to sort.
They are a quick car. I've had Superbikes and this is my first fast car (that i'd call made to be fast properly) and the performance is pretty startling. If Mrs I is to drive it would be worth her having a spin in it to 'make sure' My wife hates is as its too fast. she is okay as a passenger thou.
Once sorted out (had mine detailed twice) and you get it how you want, they are really excellent. Shameless pic of mine below. Good time of year to pick one up, potential for a bargain.
Happy hunting.
Adam.
Am in a similar situation to you although have been looking for the last 4 months..
Have seen 6 so far and only one came close to what appeared to be a good example - in the end I let it go because was put off the car beeing a MB demonstrator for over a year and the seller kept changing the reason for selling.
Did get a couple of strong leads via some PHers but by the time I could get around to seeing them the cars were sold.
Prices seem to be all over the place and current private sellers are in my opinion overly optomistic. Out of the 6 cars I've seen 4 of the buyers dropped their price over 1k from their asking without prompting and 1 seller went from 16.5k to 14k. So make sure you haggle.
Also seems quite a few cars out there have 8+ owners (while this doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with it, personally I would want one with fewer owners)
Some independent dealers also seem to be holding stock and since looking the exact same cars are still for sale on auto trader or in the classifieds. There is one dealer who added a 10k markup in 1 month from buying a car from a forum member.
I'm hoping some good examples come up as the weather starts to improve.
Have seen 6 so far and only one came close to what appeared to be a good example - in the end I let it go because was put off the car beeing a MB demonstrator for over a year and the seller kept changing the reason for selling.
Did get a couple of strong leads via some PHers but by the time I could get around to seeing them the cars were sold.
Prices seem to be all over the place and current private sellers are in my opinion overly optomistic. Out of the 6 cars I've seen 4 of the buyers dropped their price over 1k from their asking without prompting and 1 seller went from 16.5k to 14k. So make sure you haggle.
Also seems quite a few cars out there have 8+ owners (while this doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with it, personally I would want one with fewer owners)
Some independent dealers also seem to be holding stock and since looking the exact same cars are still for sale on auto trader or in the classifieds. There is one dealer who added a 10k markup in 1 month from buying a car from a forum member.
I'm hoping some good examples come up as the weather starts to improve.
Edited by fizz47 on Friday 30th December 22:17
Edited by fizz47 on Friday 30th December 22:28
Lovely cars. Owned mine for over 3 years also!
Will be putting mine up for sale in the near future as I'm getting less and less opportunities to drive it now unfortunately.
If you'd like any details on a well loved example (discs and pads changed, gearbox oil done, both rocker covers done etc) drop me a message.
Will be putting mine up for sale in the near future as I'm getting less and less opportunities to drive it now unfortunately.
If you'd like any details on a well loved example (discs and pads changed, gearbox oil done, both rocker covers done etc) drop me a message.
Jester86 said:
Lovely cars. Owned mine for over 3 years also!
Will be putting mine up for sale in the near future as I'm getting less and less opportunities to drive it now unfortunately.
If you'd like any details on a well loved example (discs and pads changed, gearbox oil done, both rocker covers done etc) drop me a message.
just out of curiosity is your one currently on AT at the moment (60k, silver)? I'm not ready to buy just yet - still need to decide whether I want to lose the truck (let's be honest a 0-60 of just over 5 in a pick-up is friking hilarious) and then actually sell it.Will be putting mine up for sale in the near future as I'm getting less and less opportunities to drive it now unfortunately.
If you'd like any details on a well loved example (discs and pads changed, gearbox oil done, both rocker covers done etc) drop me a message.
Interestingly enough SLK is also the first car in a long time I would actually consider taking in black (normally run a mile from black cars)
They are great cars... Had mine for a few years now. there are some details on my web site on maintenance.
www.jtccc.wordpress.com
here is a picture of my car I tool earlier this month on Clee Hill!
www.jtccc.wordpress.com
here is a picture of my car I tool earlier this month on Clee Hill!
Beautiful car and totally designed for roof down driving. It's a GT not a track car, but that means you can drive hundreds of miles and get out feeling that same as you got in. If it's not a daily driver I think you need it 12 months to get a feel for it and understand it. I've had thoughts of selling. A car for fun is quite a burden sometimes, but once driven those thoughts dissipate. I think over time it may appreciate in value a little if looked after but probably not an investment when you take away what you'll need to keep it in good order.
Check that the gear stick and paddle\buttons do what they should. Check the history. Check for alloy damage.. all the things I didn't do and all the things that needed attention due to buying from people who were really no more than crooks. There will always be another one so don't get carried away.
Downside is most AMG parts will be expensive to replace so unless you are well flushed you'll find yourself going to Merc used parts places.. like I did to replace the module in the gear box for manual stick changes. What a saving though ; and it worked. 2006 + models have heavy tax at the moment. Other than that :-) good luck with your search.
PS It uses 16 Iridium spark plugs so worth checking if thats been done. I'd also be careful who you choose to service it as well. The first service I got done is a Merc independent near where I work, but didn't realise after quoting me that it needed 16 plugs - so doesn't see AMGs very often. Just regular Mercs. They also, I think put on advisory notes (needs new engine mount) that my subsequent and now regular indie said, was absolutely fine. So I'd get some recommendations from here.
Check that the gear stick and paddle\buttons do what they should. Check the history. Check for alloy damage.. all the things I didn't do and all the things that needed attention due to buying from people who were really no more than crooks. There will always be another one so don't get carried away.
Downside is most AMG parts will be expensive to replace so unless you are well flushed you'll find yourself going to Merc used parts places.. like I did to replace the module in the gear box for manual stick changes. What a saving though ; and it worked. 2006 + models have heavy tax at the moment. Other than that :-) good luck with your search.
PS It uses 16 Iridium spark plugs so worth checking if thats been done. I'd also be careful who you choose to service it as well. The first service I got done is a Merc independent near where I work, but didn't realise after quoting me that it needed 16 plugs - so doesn't see AMGs very often. Just regular Mercs. They also, I think put on advisory notes (needs new engine mount) that my subsequent and now regular indie said, was absolutely fine. So I'd get some recommendations from here.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 31st December 14:48
With all the performance cars I've purchased over the years, my SLK55 hunt was genuinely the most difficult. In all honesty, I loved mine but I'd struggle to go through it all again to find a good one!
- Most seemed to be owned by people because it's the highest-spec SLK. No understanding of performance cars, so it's run to a budget (albeit with Merc servicing in most cases).
- LOTS were being sold because the gearbox was faulty, the brakes needed changing, or the major service was due; all feigned ignorance when asked.
- There was no correlation between cost, mileage and condition. I've never seen such a massive disparity between these three factors both privately and across dealers.
Anyway, make sure you look at LOADS. They tend to hang around, so haggle hard. Always ask about the brakes, the service history and make sure the gearbox oil has been changed (mine had, but still grenaded and needed a £2500 rebuild).
And don't worry about mileage, buy on condition!
This one would be my choice:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
It doesn't say so, but it's got uprated Bilsten suspension, Quaife diff and uprated headers. It's not worth more than £16k tops, however! That was up for sale for about £13,500 about 6-7 months ago privately, so they've added a good markup!
irocfan said:
just out of curiosity is your one currently on AT at the moment (60k, silver)? I'm not ready to buy just yet - still need to decide whether I want to lose the truck (let's be honest a 0-60 of just over 5 in a pick-up is friking hilarious) and then actually sell it.
Interestingly enough SLK is also the first car in a long time I would actually consider taking in black (normally run a mile from black cars)
No no mine isn't actually being advertised at this moment! Interestingly enough SLK is also the first car in a long time I would actually consider taking in black (normally run a mile from black cars)
MattyB_ said:
This one would be my choice:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
It doesn't say so, but it's got uprated Bilsten suspension, Quaife diff and uprated headers. It's not worth more than £16k tops, however! That was up for sale for about £13,500 about 6-7 months ago privately, so they've added a good markup!
funny you should say that - I've found myself drawn to that one time and again. Looks just stunning.http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
It doesn't say so, but it's got uprated Bilsten suspension, Quaife diff and uprated headers. It's not worth more than £16k tops, however! That was up for sale for about £13,500 about 6-7 months ago privately, so they've added a good markup!
Interestingly enough I've been looking back over a few that have sold over the last 6 odd months and people were having no luck selling at < £15k and yet now, at the worst time of the year for selling sports cars/convertibles there seems to have been a huge bump in prices (of course it could just be the dealers being greedy
)irocfan said:
funny you should say that - I've found myself drawn to that one time and again. Looks just stunning.
Interestingly enough I've been looking back over a few that have sold over the last 6 odd months and people were having no luck selling at < £15k and yet now, at the worst time of the year for selling sports cars/convertibles there seems to have been a huge bump in prices (of course it could just be the dealers being greedy)
Noticed this too - wondering if it's because not a huge amount of decent private ones for sale and exploiting this..Interestingly enough I've been looking back over a few that have sold over the last 6 odd months and people were having no luck selling at < £15k and yet now, at the worst time of the year for selling sports cars/convertibles there seems to have been a huge bump in prices (of course it could just be the dealers being greedy
)Had an 08 plate and it was epic after I put in the X pipe. Gearbox a bit slow and ride can be a bit nuggets but better than many sportscars. Dash plastics are a bit Early Learning Centre but stand up well to being in open air. Roof is a beautiful thing and makes car feel very insulted compared to fabric.
Bad stuff was brake discs are shocking price! Image a bit gay until people are told it's a V8.
Bad stuff was brake discs are shocking price! Image a bit gay until people are told it's a V8.
Biggriff said:
Had an 08 plate and it was epic after I put in the X pipe. Gearbox a bit slow and ride can be a bit nuggets but better than many sportscars. Dash plastics are a bit Early Learning Centre but stand up well to being in open air. Roof is a beautiful thing and makes car feel very insulted compared to fabric.
Bad stuff was brake discs are shocking price! Image a bit gay until people are told it's a V8.
Never understood the gay thing , knuckle dragging moron clarkson loved the slk 55 so much he bought one . i was borderline buying one but the new slc 43 made more sense for my lifestyle . Bad stuff was brake discs are shocking price! Image a bit gay until people are told it's a V8.
A 2 seater roadster with a hand built v8 that makes a great noise , does that remind any tvrs owners of something ? And before they start , I've had a few tvrs ending in a griff 500 .
Sorry for hijacking thread but would like opinions on this...
Also posted on another MB forum but wouldn't hurt to get more opinions..
Looking at a 171 SLK 55
..
Service 1 and 2 - carried out by main dealer on time..
Service 3 @ 23k miles (April 2012)- Main dealer - minor service- oil and filter
DSR says next service was 19k late....
Service 4 @ 51k miles (Dec 2014) - Independant specialist... Large service...brake fluid, filters replaced, spark plugs replaced, tramsmission fluid changed..oil filters changed..
Service 5 @ 60k miles ( Dec 15) - Kwik fit , invoice states -MOT, air filter changed, oil change using 5w30 triton oil ( not sure this is suitable oil for the car). Also says spark plugs changed but total invoice is <£200
The above was carried out by the same owner...
The above is all suggesting to me that the car was not cared for as it should have especially for an AMG. Would this also be an indication of the how the car was driven etc...
Thoughts and comments appreciated....
Also posted on another MB forum but wouldn't hurt to get more opinions..
Looking at a 171 SLK 55
..
Service 1 and 2 - carried out by main dealer on time..
Service 3 @ 23k miles (April 2012)- Main dealer - minor service- oil and filter
DSR says next service was 19k late....
Service 4 @ 51k miles (Dec 2014) - Independant specialist... Large service...brake fluid, filters replaced, spark plugs replaced, tramsmission fluid changed..oil filters changed..
Service 5 @ 60k miles ( Dec 15) - Kwik fit , invoice states -MOT, air filter changed, oil change using 5w30 triton oil ( not sure this is suitable oil for the car). Also says spark plugs changed but total invoice is <£200
The above was carried out by the same owner...
The above is all suggesting to me that the car was not cared for as it should have especially for an AMG. Would this also be an indication of the how the car was driven etc...
Thoughts and comments appreciated....
fizz47 said:
Service 4 @ 51k miles (Dec 2014) - Independant specialist... Large service...brake fluid, filters replaced, spark plugs replaced, tramsmission fluid changed..oil filters changed..
Service 5 @ 60k miles ( Dec 15) - Kwik fit , invoice states -MOT, air filter changed, oil change using 5w30 triton oil ( not sure this is suitable oil for the car). Also says spark plugs changed but total invoice is <£200
Oil should be 0W40 and capacity is 9.5 litres. There are 16 plugs, ideally NGK no 5344, costing alone about 150 GBP if buying online. Changing the plugs is an utter PITA, especially the ones at the back. The price quoted by KF can only mean that not all plugs were changed but why would one do that given they were done in Service 4?Service 5 @ 60k miles ( Dec 15) - Kwik fit , invoice states -MOT, air filter changed, oil change using 5w30 triton oil ( not sure this is suitable oil for the car). Also says spark plugs changed but total invoice is <£200
How many mls since Service 5?
If the car spent most of the time since Dec 15 standing I would still consider it if all other aspects are to your liking.
I'd use service 5 to push the seller down on price - saying you'd have to spend 500 - 700 quid alone on getting all plugs and the oil changed again to undo the "damage" done by handing the car to someone not capable of servicing it properly.
Jester86 said:
There is also no mention of any brake discs or pads being changed. I would have expected by 60k miles for them to have been done.
Mine lasted about 45k.
Agreed, service 4 looks weird in that brake fluid was changed but no further work done re the brakes.Mine lasted about 45k.
Further, why would the seller delay service 4 by a whopping 19k mls?
Jester86 said:
There is also no mention of any brake discs or pads being changed. I would have expected by 60k miles for them to have been done.
Mine lasted about 45k.
Decided to pass on the car... Wrote a polite email to the trader on why I was passing on the car and outlined the reasons..Mine lasted about 45k.
Car was advertised as having full MB history ... Not sure how missing a service by a considerable margin, two services that were not carried out by MB and the car being run on the incorrect oil for 15k equals a full MB history...
The car may turn out to be perfectly good and I hope it does for whoever buys it, but just not the one for me...
fizz47 said:
Decided to pass on the car... Wrote a polite email to the trader on why I was passing on the car and outlined the reasons..
Car was advertised as having full MB history ... Not sure how missing a service by a considerable margin, two services that were not carried out by MB and the car being run on the incorrect oil for 15k equals a full MB history...
The car may turn out to be perfectly good and I hope it does for whoever buys it, but just not the one for me...
just out of curiosity any chance (if it's not breaking any rules) of popping the ad on here for interested parties to peruse?Car was advertised as having full MB history ... Not sure how missing a service by a considerable margin, two services that were not carried out by MB and the car being run on the incorrect oil for 15k equals a full MB history...
The car may turn out to be perfectly good and I hope it does for whoever buys it, but just not the one for me...
irocfan said:
fizz47 said:
Decided to pass on the car... Wrote a polite email to the trader on why I was passing on the car and outlined the reasons..
Car was advertised as having full MB history ... Not sure how missing a service by a considerable margin, two services that were not carried out by MB and the car being run on the incorrect oil for 15k equals a full MB history...
The car may turn out to be perfectly good and I hope it does for whoever buys it, but just not the one for me...
just out of curiosity any chance (if it's not breaking any rules) of popping the ad on here for interested parties to peruse?Car was advertised as having full MB history ... Not sure how missing a service by a considerable margin, two services that were not carried out by MB and the car being run on the incorrect oil for 15k equals a full MB history...
The car may turn out to be perfectly good and I hope it does for whoever buys it, but just not the one for me...
Anyone else who wants the info please let me know
just out of curiosity any chance (if it's not breaking any rules) of popping the ad on here for interested parties to peruse?[/
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