Discussion
), so..... 
Hi - I'm not aware of any SLK specific foibles, but I will say, try and get an auto and look for a full history.
The Merc manuals are not the best and can be rather notchy. The history should be preferably main dealer, but a good indy is also welcome.
From other Mercs I've owned/driven the smaller N/A engines can be a bit breathless. The 3.2 V6 is fine for that size car. I've not driven any supercharged so can't comment.
Good hunting
Paul.
The Merc manuals are not the best and can be rather notchy. The history should be preferably main dealer, but a good indy is also welcome.
From other Mercs I've owned/driven the smaller N/A engines can be a bit breathless. The 3.2 V6 is fine for that size car. I've not driven any supercharged so can't comment.
Good hunting
Paul.
Tony
Yep, Kompressor is fancy talk for supercharger. I've not driven one, but are meant to be resonably quick, if a little characterless. They gan sound like a hair dryer. Try the V6!
As for tiptronic? Never tried one. I know it would be an auto box though! Not a manual with hydrolic assist like the BMW SMG or Alfa Selespeed system.
Paul.
Yep, Kompressor is fancy talk for supercharger. I've not driven one, but are meant to be resonably quick, if a little characterless. They gan sound like a hair dryer. Try the V6!
As for tiptronic? Never tried one. I know it would be an auto box though! Not a manual with hydrolic assist like the BMW SMG or Alfa Selespeed system.
Paul.
Hi All
Tiptronic 320 V6, the best convertible I have had !!
I did try a 230kom, ok, but a little rough through the revs,(sorry kom owners)only thing I can fault is the lack of stuffing in the seat base, but everyone to their own !!
Superb roof system, no leaks, fairly good at Motorway speeds with the top down,
Hope this helps
Regards TJ
Tiptronic 320 V6, the best convertible I have had !!
I did try a 230kom, ok, but a little rough through the revs,(sorry kom owners)only thing I can fault is the lack of stuffing in the seat base, but everyone to their own !!
Superb roof system, no leaks, fairly good at Motorway speeds with the top down,
Hope this helps
Regards TJ
I bought a 9 month old 5000 mile SLK320 back in Jan for the same money as I would have had to have paid for a RX-8 with its 2-stroke oil consumption habit - instead I secured an astonishingly good deal from a MB main agent.
A great car - mine is Brilliant Silver and is well spec'd with auto and leather (MUST HAVEs), plus heated seats, CD, parking radar, Tracker, xenons - even £100+ worth of fire extinguisher! The only other extra I would have liked as well would have been Bose sound....
I reckon on about 27 mpg average, very rarely bother with the tiptronic as the fully auto mode is fine anyway and use the cruise control as often as possible.
The only negative point I have is the steering - rather woolly.
You'll be surprised how much the boot holds - but it's more limited with the lid down.
Hope you find a nice car!
Edited to add - I wouldn't bother with a pre-2000 facelift model!
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Monday 5th July 07:27
A great car - mine is Brilliant Silver and is well spec'd with auto and leather (MUST HAVEs), plus heated seats, CD, parking radar, Tracker, xenons - even £100+ worth of fire extinguisher! The only other extra I would have liked as well would have been Bose sound....
I reckon on about 27 mpg average, very rarely bother with the tiptronic as the fully auto mode is fine anyway and use the cruise control as often as possible.
The only negative point I have is the steering - rather woolly.
You'll be surprised how much the boot holds - but it's more limited with the lid down.
Hope you find a nice car!
Edited to add - I wouldn't bother with a pre-2000 facelift model!
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Monday 5th July 07:27
pre-2000 facelift there were no V6 models. The seats were far less comfortable and the car had a smaller fuel tank,softer suspension and sat 5mm higher. It was less well spec'd and both the interior and exterior styling was less attractive....the black sills make it look too high off the ground.
The one to go for is definitely the youngest 320 auto you can afford.
The one to go for is definitely the youngest 320 auto you can afford.
We love our 320 SLK, done 6000 miles since we bought it, couple of odd niggles but superb all rounder, def get the V6 with as many toys, agree on the bose thats the only thing i might retro fit, the auto comes as standard with Tip i believe and i always drive tip the way i drive i find myself surging forward at a rate of knots in auto when i dont really want to be going that fast, in tip mode i find i can control the engine more !!! suspension is OK, i might fit a stiffer front end to cope with the weight of the V6, steering is wooly but off to test drive the new SLK as soon as...
Went to look at the new SLK yesterday. Lovely exterior styling (apart from that aerial!), but something of a disappointing interior. Great seats, but the type of plastics used and their fit and finish look very cheap. A strange 'sandblasted' look - same on the silvered buttons. Of which there are quite a few with the COMAND option. Spec the car to the standard I'd like and it'd cost me £43903.....
As for the 'old' SLK 320, here's what the Sunday Times said back in Dec 03:
Introduced in 1996, the Mercedes-Benz SLK was the first of the latest generation of convertible cars with a folding hard top. Initially launched with a 2.3 litre supercharged engine, the SLK (Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt — sporty, light and compact) would accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.1sec and carry on to a top speed of 148mph. But enthusiastic drivers were disappointed by the sound of the coarse four-cylinder engine and the intrusive whistle from the supercharger.
Mercedes-Benz remedied the situation as part of the car’s midlife facelift in February 2000, introducing a 3.2 litre V6 putting 218bhp through the rear wheels. On paper the larger V6 engine provides only fractionally more performance than the 2.3, but its delivery is smoother and the engine note more satisfying.
With prices for a used SLK320 only about £1,100 more than for an SLK230, it represents the best used buy, but drivers will pay a small penalty at the pumps, where the V6 manages about 5mpg less than the 230 Kompressor.
In addition to the new engines these facelifted cars also sit slightly lower on the road and come with revised front bumpers, mesh-covered air intakes and colour-coded sills. The overall effect is to give the Merc a more muscular stance. As the name suggests, the SLK is a relatively compact car, shorter than a VW Golf or Ford Focus, but cabin space is good. With the roof up and the height-adjustable seat down it will easily accommodate a six-footer, and the surprisingly broad cabin has space for a comfortable centre armrest with useful storage.
The dashboard has a retro feel with its large dials and chrome surrounds, but despite being trimmed in leather the overly large steering wheel — adjustable for reach only — detracts from the car’s sporty feel.
As with all Mercedes-Benz cars the standard equipment can be a little sparse. Although alloys, antilock braking and sports seats are standard, used-car buyers should seek out models with the all-important leather upholstery, air-conditioning and metallic paint to make the car feel like a “proper” Mercedes-Benz.
It was initially only available with an automatic gearbox, but a six-speed manual box was introduced, along with a revised auto-box, to coincide with the 2000 facelift. While a manual gearbox may seem the obvious choice in a sports car, it’s the automatic SLK that has the best performance — with both the 2.3 litre and V6 models posting faster 0-62mph acceleration times.
The majority of SLKs will have enjoyed a relatively sedentary life but they still need careful checking. Put the roof up and down a few times to check for sticking motors, particularly on cars that are outdoors all year round, listen for gearbox noises and feel for a heavy clutch on cars with manual gearboxes.
It’s also essential to check the bodywork carefully. SLKs are fully galvanised and come with the unique Mercedes-Benz 30-year warranty, so any repair should be carried out by an authorised repairer using genuine parts, or this precious warranty could become invalidated.
VITAL STATISTICS
Model Mercedes-Benz SLK320
Engine V6, 3199cc
Power 218bhp
Transmission Five-speed automatic
Fuel 25.4mpg (combined) (I get 27)
Acceleration 0 to 60mph: 6.9sec
Top speed 152mph
Seats: Cloth seats don't suit the SLK so pay the extra and buy one with leather
Imports: Left-hand-drive cars are not uncommon but are worth significantly less than right-hand-drive
Servicing: Dashboard readout will tell you when the next service is due
Air-conditioning: Essential but not a standard fit on most cars
Colours: White cars worth £1,500 less than others, yellow also less desirable, metallic are best
ESP (electronic stability control): Standard on all cars since February 2000
Alloys: Standard on all models
Folding roof: Should take no more than 30 seconds to fold - check by timing it
Boot Space: good even with the roof folded down
Wind deflector: Check the boot to make sure it is still with the car
Safety: SLK scored four stars in Euro NCAP testing
Keys: Remote central locking key expensive to replace
Gearbox: Six-speed manual or five-speed Geartronic automatic. Auto adapts its shift patterns to suit the driving style
THE ONE TO BUY
Mercedes-Benz SLK320 auto, 2000 X-reg with 30,000 miles. Pay £21,250 at a dealer with a 12-month warranty, or £19,800 privately.
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Friday 22 October 23:59
As for the 'old' SLK 320, here's what the Sunday Times said back in Dec 03:
Introduced in 1996, the Mercedes-Benz SLK was the first of the latest generation of convertible cars with a folding hard top. Initially launched with a 2.3 litre supercharged engine, the SLK (Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt — sporty, light and compact) would accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.1sec and carry on to a top speed of 148mph. But enthusiastic drivers were disappointed by the sound of the coarse four-cylinder engine and the intrusive whistle from the supercharger.
Mercedes-Benz remedied the situation as part of the car’s midlife facelift in February 2000, introducing a 3.2 litre V6 putting 218bhp through the rear wheels. On paper the larger V6 engine provides only fractionally more performance than the 2.3, but its delivery is smoother and the engine note more satisfying.
With prices for a used SLK320 only about £1,100 more than for an SLK230, it represents the best used buy, but drivers will pay a small penalty at the pumps, where the V6 manages about 5mpg less than the 230 Kompressor.
In addition to the new engines these facelifted cars also sit slightly lower on the road and come with revised front bumpers, mesh-covered air intakes and colour-coded sills. The overall effect is to give the Merc a more muscular stance. As the name suggests, the SLK is a relatively compact car, shorter than a VW Golf or Ford Focus, but cabin space is good. With the roof up and the height-adjustable seat down it will easily accommodate a six-footer, and the surprisingly broad cabin has space for a comfortable centre armrest with useful storage.
The dashboard has a retro feel with its large dials and chrome surrounds, but despite being trimmed in leather the overly large steering wheel — adjustable for reach only — detracts from the car’s sporty feel.
As with all Mercedes-Benz cars the standard equipment can be a little sparse. Although alloys, antilock braking and sports seats are standard, used-car buyers should seek out models with the all-important leather upholstery, air-conditioning and metallic paint to make the car feel like a “proper” Mercedes-Benz.
It was initially only available with an automatic gearbox, but a six-speed manual box was introduced, along with a revised auto-box, to coincide with the 2000 facelift. While a manual gearbox may seem the obvious choice in a sports car, it’s the automatic SLK that has the best performance — with both the 2.3 litre and V6 models posting faster 0-62mph acceleration times.
The majority of SLKs will have enjoyed a relatively sedentary life but they still need careful checking. Put the roof up and down a few times to check for sticking motors, particularly on cars that are outdoors all year round, listen for gearbox noises and feel for a heavy clutch on cars with manual gearboxes.
It’s also essential to check the bodywork carefully. SLKs are fully galvanised and come with the unique Mercedes-Benz 30-year warranty, so any repair should be carried out by an authorised repairer using genuine parts, or this precious warranty could become invalidated.
VITAL STATISTICS
Model Mercedes-Benz SLK320
Engine V6, 3199cc
Power 218bhp
Transmission Five-speed automatic
Fuel 25.4mpg (combined) (I get 27)
Acceleration 0 to 60mph: 6.9sec
Top speed 152mph
Seats: Cloth seats don't suit the SLK so pay the extra and buy one with leather
Imports: Left-hand-drive cars are not uncommon but are worth significantly less than right-hand-drive
Servicing: Dashboard readout will tell you when the next service is due
Air-conditioning: Essential but not a standard fit on most cars
Colours: White cars worth £1,500 less than others, yellow also less desirable, metallic are best
ESP (electronic stability control): Standard on all cars since February 2000
Alloys: Standard on all models
Folding roof: Should take no more than 30 seconds to fold - check by timing it
Boot Space: good even with the roof folded down
Wind deflector: Check the boot to make sure it is still with the car
Safety: SLK scored four stars in Euro NCAP testing
Keys: Remote central locking key expensive to replace
Gearbox: Six-speed manual or five-speed Geartronic automatic. Auto adapts its shift patterns to suit the driving style
THE ONE TO BUY
Mercedes-Benz SLK320 auto, 2000 X-reg with 30,000 miles. Pay £21,250 at a dealer with a 12-month warranty, or £19,800 privately.
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Friday 22 October 23:59
We also went to our local dealer yesterday to have a peek at the new SLK, nice front, fugly rear, marked improvement on the interiour though.
The car in our dealership had scratched paintwork, a hole in the rear bumper and a flat battery !!
The salesmen were shite, we were in there an hour and not one of them approached us, even with the 18 month waiting list we were seriously considering ordering one, not now though, off to buy a 2nd hand SL instead !!!
The car in our dealership had scratched paintwork, a hole in the rear bumper and a flat battery !!
The salesmen were shite, we were in there an hour and not one of them approached us, even with the 18 month waiting list we were seriously considering ordering one, not now though, off to buy a 2nd hand SL instead !!!
sheff3 said:
Thanks for that lot chaps..........
Looks like I'm going to have to up the budget a little.
Firstly, I have to disagree about the manual gearchange, my wife has a new 6 speed C180 coupe which has a silky smooth gearbox, however I concede that an auto car MAY be easier to sell on later.....
Looked at a new SLK 350 on Sunday, Liverpool dealer quoted 1 year delivery, BUT Manchester dealer 4 years
, but did say in reality it WOULD be sooner....... The electric roof on the SLK is superb (imo), in fact ALL Mercedes cars just ooze quality, and are well worth the money paid for them, with top class residuals......
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