Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

What you lot reckon to them ? I can get a '99 T plate for £6500. 111k miles, full Merc history, silver with black leather, nice looking car.

Any experiences guys ? If I do go for it then that would replace my S1, so bear that in mind but hold the 'skank' comments please !

Coldo

Dont do it. Is a 111k Mercedes worth more to you than your very tidy escort?

safcdixon

i agree you dnt want german .(who won the war again?)

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

Dunno what to do at the moment. The Escort is at the stage now where I can't sensibly use her as she's that clean. Had I have known then what I know now, I probably wouldn't have gone as far as I did. The Merc is nice, usable and comfortable and I can use it in all weathers, park it where I want and not have to worry.

Can't do that with the S1.

Stoo

I'd be going for the Merc..

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

From a practicality perspective this is the most sensible option, as opposed to what is tantamount to really having an ornament that I can't sensibly use........

Coldo

Escort wont lose money, merc will.

Havent you got a diesel focus for running about in? If i was you id use the escort more, get a bit of enthusiasm back for it. No doubt the merc is a better car, but if its just a 2nd car/toy you are after, keep the escort surely?

Stoo

Exactly. I've done the whole ornament thing and having a nice car to just jump in and go wherever you want is brilliant. The S1 is nice, but I think you'd get more fun from the Merc.

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

Yeah the Focus is my everyday car, so whatever is second is a toy. I just feel that I'm a bit old for the S1 now to be honest........I know what you're saying and you are right, when I take the S1 out it is a treat whereas the Merc will become an everyday occurence by comparison. On the other foot, the Merc is a nice car that I can actually use. I don't know what I'll do in the cold light of day, just looking for some inspiration from somewhere, in either direction !

James-W

I don't like the drive of the slk's, get a boxster! no point keepin a garage ornament s1 what you never use!

RAT8OY

SLK's are nice mate my old man has had two and still keeps his last 320 on the drive going green with mould.

Drive one first tho as his is the V6 manual and performance wise I wasnt impressed! Torque is very good though!

They dont have the kick of a turbo car!

Girl's fuckin love them tho!

gingeRS

agreed, stretch the budget a little (if you can afford to) and get a boxster

sooo much better to drive and much cooler

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

Not a fan of them mate - at all. Never have been.

RAT8OY

I think Hammond summed it up on Top Gear! Somebody who wanted a 911 but who's life didnt quite work out the way they wanted! LOL They are good cars though!

It's Czech Mate

You cant have driven one then if thats what you think

Rich_w

SLK is not really my cup of tea. Maybe you are a hairdresser though. The current Black Series SLK 55 is a bit more like it though (no foldy roof)

For that money ina Merc I'd try and find a CLK.

RAT8OY

Yes mate, I have driven two of them, Hence me saying they ARE good cars! You wouldn't buy one tho if you could afford a 911!

Not that I can afford either! LOL

Paddy

Don't worry about the SLK being a hair dresser's car.

All the cheaper SLKs we've had in the last few years have been bought by Air Stewardesses.

Drive one Stu. I've always preferred the Z3 as an equivalent to the SLK, from the point of view you can drive them a bit more like a hooligan.

Magic Numbers

You can pick up CLK's for slightly more money and having the 55 AMG a while back I certainly would rate it! My mother had the car you have questioned about, was on an R plate with 65k that sold for £8300 last year. She has the new SLK 200 in black and for what it cost I think its silly money for what you get! The parts are very dear for them and local servicing is pricey with Dealerships asking in the region of £93 per hour

I personally would look at other makes and models as the SLK has never really impressed me

rostill2007

i know a bloke who had that same car and it just kept breaking down on him mercedes is supposed to be really unreliable now but not sure if thats true or not

Drunken Master

The SLK's look awful and the 230 isn't really a good model. I would probably consider getting a decent E46 coupe instead.

James-W

You wouldn't buy an slk230 if you could afford a new sl55 amg though would you!
Just the boxster gets publicised more as a poor mans car for some reason :S

Boxsters are far better cars in probably every way than an slk. faster, better looking, better handling, better drivers car....

z3 is also a good option, i'd be staying away from cheap convertibles though....

James-W

And going on the mileage, the car thats the subject of this thread isnt that cheap.

aduz

they are pants dont bother

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

Hmm............ !!!!

XRdodgybird

They are a girl's car.... and proper heavy to drive.

I don't think it would suit you at all....

Magic Numbers

Stu - Just buy a CLK55 AMG, the V8 sound you will love! And its a Man's Car

Turbocabbie

keep the S1 but do something radical and drive it enough to enjoy it !!!

Who the hell are you looking after it for, the next owner ?

Paddy

Hold that hum and do it on your boyfriends balls when you park up at a quiet beauty spot, in your new SLK.



Stu, if you're after a useable 2 seater drop top [so westfields etc. out the question] with a bit more poke than an MX5 in the price range of £6500, you should really be trying a 2.8 Z3 as well mate. They are more fun than they look.

No matter what anyone says, when you're buying a car like an SLK, image is an issue. Or else people wouldn't buy what is effectively something to pose in. The SLK is a middle aged woman's car.

They're not a driver's cars [not tried the 55, I imagine it's different], the boxsters are brilliant as people keep saying above but I personally would not want to be in one more than 5 years old and the 3.2, if you can stretch the budget to that, get one.

Twellsie

iTrader: (1)

not sure what the older ones are like, but my mrs had the newer shape one and i found that the seat would not go far enough back, meaning i got cramp when driving it long distances (im 6 ft 1 btw)

Rs(555)

iTrader: (8)

my wife has a slk 230 auto sreg very nice cars ...gives very little problems...just bit too small for me as i am over 6 foot tall ...

TurboShed

The moral of this story?

Just say no to Buftyism!

Rossco

I did some paint work on a 51 plate CLK 320 Kompressor the other week and to be honest it was a pile of shite, build quality was shocking!!

Did go ok for a big automatic convertible barge though.

percybigun

yep this era of mercedes has poor build quality. we had a 2000 CLK 320, lovely car but once they get to 100k miles they begin to rust and the electrics start playing up.

and the elecs and things like gearbox issues arent fixable DIY, or even at normal back street garages. its dealership or specialist only.

you might think cool its a merc i can use it all the year round, until you see the tin-worm and the warning lights starting to appear!

RC4

show me a clk amg for 6 k,around what he wants to pay???????

matts1

Some good and bad cars out there, my old boss had a merc and it was constantly on a tow truck - was two years old!!!

traded it in for another and that seemed ok.

Just make sure it is not a nail with issues as it could get messy!

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

I could double £6k if I wanted to, budget if I sell the S1 ain't really a problem. Just got to decide if I really actually DO want to sell the S1, but then what I would replace the car with.......

Paddy - you said you wouldn't tell anyone about our dogging exploits...bastard

rostill2007

easy solution spray the bottom of the s1 with black stone chip