mercedes slk230?

[Embraer]

any of you guys have experience? considering R170 series...there seem to be a decent amount of nice looking 60-70K mile examples floating around.

when i ran a body shop, it seemed like the early-mid 2000's mercedes had different build quality/electrical gremlin stuff go wrong with them. (the E320's come to mind). much of the same with SLK's?

[Embraer]

bump.

slk or boxster? picking up a new(er) car next week

[Mookster]

I bought a SLK280. 3.0l engine, 228 hp, automatic.

Gets 24-27 mpg in sport mode. It is a luxury car. If you are looking for a sport ride/sports car, the Boxster will be a better choice.

Hardtop convertible in Florida...good choice.

Test drive one and decide.

[kaisen]

I think Porschephile has/had one. They're pretty simple as far as Mercedes go. Decent cars. Quite cheap.

Let me know if you'd like my help finding one.

E

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I do. I opted for the 320 V6 with the 6-speed manual. Fun car. The supercharged 230s are generally considered more "mod-able" between the typical R170 models (230 or 320). I actually had my sights set on a Boxster S when I went down and it had sold that day unfortunately, so I ended up testing out several 2 seater convertables including the Z3 and Z4 BMWs, the S2000 Honda, both flavors of SLK and the Audi TT. The Mercedes were the best of the bunch; for me personally the 320's true manual gearbox and low-end torque gave it the edge over the 230 but the 230 was a good car in its own right - definitely worth a look.

A couple of things to watch for in the R170s are PSE issues (there's a pneumatic "brain" that controls a lot of functions including door/trunk locks, etc. - they're known for getting water in the systems if owners aren't careful and if so, they can cause a lot of problems (and are not cheap to replace). That and typical maintenance. Dig around the forums on benzworld.org - lots of good info. there.

I don't know what your budget is, but you may want to look for the AMG32. They're available these days for the mid-to-high teens, which is a hell of a lot of car for the money. They've got the supercharged V6 and are VERY quick, along with having all the nice looks and other benefits of the R170 line (plus all the nice AMG goodies like the nicer rims, better suspension, etc.)

Best of luck. I'd definitely say the R170s are worth a look. They're very good cars overall. Don't let the naysayers fool you into thinking that M.B.s from that era aren't worth having because of the whole Daimler-Chrysler merger - it's a load of B.S. The M.B. cars are just fine. The only issues I've had with mine since buying it are an O2 sensor, a crank position sensor and a hood strut. Other than that, it's been perfect.

[71T Targa]

I've started to 'look' at these as well. Is there an underlying reason they are so cheep? 75% depreciation in 10 years???

There seem to be a lot of 10 year old cars with < 70k miles for less than 10k.

Something like this 2000 with 64k miles for 10k seems very tempting.

[livi]

One of the last Mercedes models with really good build quality, over-engineered. No sports car of course, but still very nice ride. Around these parts its got a bit of a hairdressers rep unfortunately. I would not mind one myself and I would go with the 230 k. I have heard several opinions voting for the four pot, the six cylinder putting the little car slightly off balance.

[Laneco]

R170? Isn't that the basis for Chrysler Crossfire?

Might look into that. I think they are both beautiful looking. Maybe that has effected the retail. Also, if I recall, not all the R170 were built in Germany. They were built somewhere else too, like Africa or Mexico or something.

angela

[ChemMan]

I have had one for a few years. Great car. Very easy to work on. Lots of tech info on benzworld on the R170 forum. A couple of things would be interior peeling. You can buy touch up paint. One of the members on benzworld sent me their extra and it works well. Make sure the top is in working order. That is a real pain if there is a problem. Other than that it is the typical stuff from that generation of mercedes. The Mass Air Flow sensor needs to be cleaned often. I do mine with every oil change. Even with that, the MAF can go bad. A OBDII scanner is a must have. Performance wise, 0 to 60 is best described as.....peppy but 60 to 100 is surprisingly fast or at least it seems that way to me.

Easiest spark plug and wire change ever. Changing the fuel filter also very easy. For the oil changes, it is best to use a pump like the Mityvac 7201. Gas mileage has been between 22 to 25 mpg premium. Snow tires in the winter and it does fine.

[Bamberg96]

I have had a 2002 230 slk for 3 years, Bought it with 16K miles, now at 28K. Three oil changes with the oil sucker and an ignition lock change for $300 - thats it so far. Weak point is the interior plastic scratches easy but it is built like a tank, is very safe and gets great mileage. The top makes it a great everyday car. Very pleased!

[aigel]

I find them very bland. The 230 is pretty anemic IMHO. That said, if you want a solid 2 seat convertible for not much money, I'd go for it.

G

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Viponds (Australia) sells the vinyl touch up paint. I refreshed mine this past spring and it looks fabulous inside now. Very inexpensive but pulling the interior apart to prep/paint everything does take a while.

Look at the Bipes Roof Commander too. A mod worth having.

[ChemMan]

I looked up my maintainance records for the last 5 years and this is what I have had to do:

front and rear pads and rotors
oil changes
air filter changes
Coolant Flush
There was a recall on the rear lights. The bulbs used to burn out fast or melt into the socket. The recall took care of that.
Dash lights and temp control dial light bulbs
Plugs and wires
Fuel filter
Tires. I need a new set this spring. If you get the sports package, the front and rear monoblocks are different sizes so rotating front to rear is out. The PO curb rashed the AMG monoblocks. My winter project is repairing and repainting them. One more wheel to go!
Replaced Camshaft Position Sensor
Changed the original MAF at 80K

The slk230 is really not much of a runner at the start like the boxster. Like I mentioned before once it is up to speed, acceleration is excellent. Top speed is limited to 140 mph. As a daily driver, I would pick the slk over the boxster. I think you can get a very nice slk for under $10K but not sure if the similar priced boxster would be quite so nice. If I were were looking for a summer only vehicle, I would go for the boxster. Would still consider the slk32 AMG. The slk's hardtop is really nice in the winter and heavy rain.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yes, I got the rear light recall also - get that done if your car hasn't had it. I never had a problem but hell - I wasn't about to say no to a pair of new $600 light assemblies either.

Definitely look for an AMG32. They're shockingly quick and can be had really inexpensively now. The biggest concern I'd have is that most of them will by this point have been driven kind of hard - but I'm sure if you're diligent you can find a pampered one that will be a great deal.

If I were in the market for a different 2-seat convertible that's where I'd start. The AMG is a LOT of car for the money.

[Embraer]

the SLK32 amg scares me for the same reason that my Jag XJR scared me. engine parts availibility is ZERO. the AMG motor was handbuilt, and i'm sure any of those cars that i'd find in the low to mid teens has been ridden hard for its life. (my XJR wasn't the ford v8...it was the supercharged inline six, for which NO parts were available).

good replies...i literally just showed up in california. im in a starbucks, i have no place to live (i see a Days Inn across the street that i'll stay in until i find an apartment). when i got off I-15 in Victorville, i thought to myself "oh crap...what did i get myself into. what a piece of crap town."

i left OKC yesterday at 4pm, and rolled into palmdale at 4pm here in california. 1310 miles in my $400 BMW.

[Garp]

Originally Posted by Embraer

when i got off I-15 in Victorville, i thought to myself "oh crap...what did i get myself into. what a piece of crap town."

My thoughts exactly when I drove through this town, sorry for any residents out here but that was a depressing sight.
Good luck.

[kaisen]

...i literally just showed up in california. im in a starbucks, i have no place to live (i see a Days Inn across the street that i'll stay in until i find an apartment). when i got off I-15 in Victorville, i thought to myself "oh crap...what did i get myself into. what a piece of crap town."

i left OKC yesterday at 4pm, and rolled into palmdale at 4pm here in california. 1310 miles in my $400 BMW.

Congrats!

[Embraer]

kaisen, i got your email. tomorrow i have to find a place to stay, but i am in still interested in getting a car