As an owner of 5 previous
R170 SLKs (still have 2) for over 14 years, and an above average technically competent person, this is my perception and experience..
And some of this is just the state of the current used car market in general, not a fault of the
SLK - most shops won't take in older cars for repair, and parts can be hard to find or NLA. Expertise on specific models is also hard to find.
Ideally, the owner would have some technical ability so they don't have to take it to a shop for everything that needs attention.
The
SLK is a reasonably well built car, and a great value in the used market - IF - you can find a clean crash free unmolested example. The
SLK also shares some parts with other
Mercedes models, which helps on parts somewhat.
Having bought ours used, even with low miles (~30k) I had to sort all types of issues that were a result of devious or incompetent sellers and owners ... drive them a couple weeks and you will figure out why the last person sold it. Issues I eventually sorted myself, and directed the repair on a few items. Every car needed something, an average of $3000 per car to make sure it had the correct new tires, new battery, belts, fluid changes, and minor repairs.
Once sorted, and maintenance caught up, we have enjoyed over a quarter million miles in
SLKs relatively trouble free.
The
SLK driving experience was characterized by one of the automobile magazines as "the rich man's Miata", which is an accurate assessment - it handles well, feels more substantial than it is, and is very enjoyable to drive, especially top down in nice weather. It is not a luxurious ride like the SL, people who expect cushy will be disappointed. The
AMG versions are very competent and on par with many new high performance cars.
DO keep up on the maintenance, the cars are not very forgiving to neglect. This isn't a Toyota.
DO a little research to know the idiosyncrasies of your model, scrutinize yours and proactively take care of things before issues arise and surprise you.
DONT substitute parts if OEM or Genuine is available, cheap parts will dilute the car quickly and compromise the longevity.
DONT modify it, alter the recommended tires, wheels, shocks, brakes, or other engine or suspension components - most any alteration will degrade the performance, handling or ride quality. It is an optimized package from
Mercedes, there are very few things a change is considered an improvement.
Tier 1 fuel.
Mercedes spec oil (preferably Mobil 1)
If you are into cutting corners and being thrifty, you bought the wrong car, it will not last and live up to expectations - its a real
Mercedes sport convertible. Enjoy it as much as possible, there is nothing else quite like it in the new car market. (
BMW Z4 comes close)
Happy top down spirited motoring.
R
