SLK 350 Advice please

[pbsaxman]

I'm considering getting the above for "she who must be obeyed". I personally prefer a manual but I was advised by a dealer the other day to go for automatic with tiptronic as it will make resale easier. So with that in mind what extras should I spec and what are just unnecessary add ons. It may be a new or used purchase I (she!!) haven't decided yet.

Thanks in advance for your advice

Peter

[anonymous-user]

pbsaxman said:

I'm considering getting the above for "she who must be obeyed". I personally prefer a manual but I was advised by a dealer the other day to go for automatic with tiptronic as it will make resale easier. So with that in mind what extras should I spec and what are just unnecessary add ons. It may be a new or used purchase I (she!!) haven't decided yet.

Thanks in advance for your advice

Peter

Peter

I got a new one of these 6 weeks ago and went for manual. The 350 with manual is a wonderful combo and I do not believe for one instance that it will make re-sale difficult - infact so few around it could be good. I have spoken to a few people on this and it's the one car in the Merc lineup that you can get in manual with no fear.

If you are looking for used or something already in the network you will have to go auto as no manuals exist. I had to factory order mine.

I can't answer your last Q as I put every extra under the sun on mine as I want to keep it for a few years and enjoy so gave no thought to future resale values

[khushy]

MOST Merc buyers will want an Auto (indeed most Mercs built are Auto's - Vans/lorries excepted!!!) if you are going to keep the car for a long time (years) get what YOU want - if you think it might get sold soon - get an Auto!!!!!

Mercs are nicer in Auto anyway - you will love it - especially with that G7 doobry!

Khushy

Edited by khushy on Monday 15th October 17:50

[Olf]

The 7spd boxes is odd. Never quite seems to be in the right gear. I went for the manual. It's a lovely slick gearbox and suit the car well I think. As for resale, I heard all the warnings too, ignored them and the final analysis was that a year later the car was worth a grand less than an auto car. The auto box cost 2k though so you could argue that I was a grand better off than if I'd gone for the auto.

Buy want you want. The resale thing is a bit of a red-herring.

[BoFox]

Bear in mind that the SLK has a handbrake, which means a lot less people will be put off buying a manual than they are for models with a footbrake.

[Chauch]

The manual would get my vote every time. The auto perception within the brand is starting to change and the SLK was one of the first to get the decent gearbox and therefore will almost certainly not carry the auto premium at resale time as they used to....

[PK328]

I would echo the comments in support of the manual.

As for extras, I think the AMG body kit and 18" wheels add visual muscle that is missing from the slightly effeminate standard car. COMAND satnav is useful as are phone and iPod integration kits. Standard headlights are pretty poor so Xenons would be a good bet. Not sure Airscrarf is worth it but heated seats are.

Good luck with your search!

[pbsaxman]

Thanks to all of you who have commented on the manual v auto. Echoes what my view would have been but the dealer I was talking to was saying that with the bigger engined mercs people tend to look for auto on resale and if trading to a merc dealer they are not interested in manual cars. Interesting!!

Thanks for the few comments on general spec, I had kind of decided on heated seats, xenons and comand but on the website if you spec up all the available stuff it takes the new price to about £45000. Lots of available add ons like a sports pack which if you choose you can't have the AMG bodykit etc etc etc. I just wondered if those of you who drive them had any tips on do's and don't's.

Thanks again and in further anticipation

Peter

[Olf]

They also do two types of wind deflector which sits between the roll bars, one is a crappy material thing which comes with the car and the other is a perspex jobby like the Boxster has but bigger. This works very well and when you get rid of the car you can resell this on ebay for 150 quid rather than just letting it go.

Be careful about the storage cubbies vs smoker option pack - it's a bit weird and with mercedes you often have to specifically opt for no cost extras that cannot be retrofitted later. Make sense?

There is some reasonably priced custom loggage made by a german company I think. Literally 3 or 4 hundred quid which makes full use of the boot space. Very useful.

I think air scarf is worth the extra. It kind of defines the car and for many people is a must have.

I persoanlly wouldn't bother with the 18" AMG wheels. They look ok but the ride and handling (no tramlining) on the 17" wheels with the sports suspension is much better.

Other than that, the back end can be a bit lively on damp/wet roads and the rev limiter seem to come very early. The engine sounds as if it could easily go another 1000rpm.

Fuel consumption is good for a 3.5 V6. I got about 23 when caning and my wife often saw 30+.

[anonymous-user]

I would say AirScarf is a must if you enjoy open top motoring. I drove 100 miles the other day in rather overcast conditions.... with airscarf on it's so comfortable.

[disad-vantage-d]

I specifically went for the manual. This is a sports car not a limo. I am so glad I did.

I am sick of hearing the broken record at the dealers about Mercs and auto boxes. This is the first decent stab Merc have had at the Boxster. I think it is time the sales staff at the dealers accepted this and promoted what is a superb manual gearbox.

I am sure that there will be plenty of people like me who would not want a sports car with an automatic box come resale time.

Buy the car on it's merits and for what you want it for, not what some salesman tells you.

Personally I have the AMG wheels and body styling which I think transforms the look of the car. Also, the Airscarf system is not a gimmick. I think all convertibles should have it. Today I have just done a 180 mile motorway journey with the roof down in absolute comfort. Doubt this would have been possible without it.

[markmullen]

The absolute essentials are airscarf (which means you have to have heated seats too) and phone prewire. On a 350 COMAND is usual. Of course unless you're going for dog's dick red then metallic paint, and leather is essential.

[Sandy59]

A bit late here but if you're still wondering about options, I went for the heated steering wheel which is great in the winter time, and would be appreciated by the 'other half' I'm sure.

[matc]

Facelift with power increase due early next year. Up to 305 BHP!!