Hello fellow SLK lovers!

I currently own a 00 silver slk and adore it but.........it has been a maintenance NIGHTMARE!! I have been debating getting another one. Currently, it has the following issues:

* Key went "bad" according to the dealership. I have to lock and unlock manually. NOT FUN WHEN ITS RAINING!!!
* Sun visor broke. Swings back and forth. (ordered a new one already)
* My coolant light and windshield wiper fluid light come on every 5 minutes. This has been a problem since day 1 and I have paid HUNDREDS to get it fixed. No success.
* Makes a strange "WHOOP" sound every once in a while when starting. (no, it's not the kompressor) It sounds like it's coming out of the dash.
* 6 disc player stopped working. Sounds horrible!
* Salsa package interior peeling. Looks terrible!
* Cup holder broke....AC vent knob broke.

It's been VERY frustrating! Look, I'm a quality person and I LOVE the new body style. My heart races when I see one on the road! I want the 07 but my friends and family think I'm crazy for doing it all over again. Are there any known issues with the new body styles that anyone has encountered?? I'd hate to give BMW my business but I don't want another frustrating 7 years!!!

"Bad SLK"

 

go elsewhere for fun, Test the new TT or Boxster. why go for another 7 badluck years? Just my opinion but after my own slk crap shoot, I moved on.

 

Wow, Budnball! How sad! Sounds like our cars were "built on a Friday" during happy hour. LOL!

You had similar problems with your SLK? I will most def. check out my options. ORIGINALLY, I wanted a TT but fell in love with the SLK's hard top. I don't like rag tops b/c they are noisy, leaky etc. (Ironically, my roof leaks! My own personal chinese water torture!) I LOVE the new slk body but I will probably look at the Lexus SC430, TT, XLR, G35 and Elise. Maybe the FX....cause I think it looks funny.

Any 2007 SLK owners feel differently? Can lightning really strike me twice? Any KNOWN issues people having problems with NEW SLK'S???

Thanks budnball!

 

Well, now that Mercedes isn't in co-op with Chrysler I can only hope these quality issues will go back up. It's sad, my family has owned Mercedes my entire life, too. We never had the problems I've had with mine. It's amazing, and depressing at the same time. Talk about ruined childhood dream.

SLK has been a rollercoaster of emotional turmoil because of all the quality garbage I've had to put up with.

Personally, the day BMW gets a hardtop roadster is the day I'm trading my car in.

~ddd

 

Best to ask in the R171 forum re that model.

Bazzle

 

They had some engine issues with the first year but they appear to more reliable than the R170. My buddy has had his for 2 years now, no problems. The new ones are very nice, faster, more nimble, comfortable. But European cars usually score at the bottom of the reliability scale, far below any American brands. Get an '07 Mustang GT, more reliable, more ponies. Heck for the price of an SLK350, get an '07 Mustang Shelby or a Saleen (love their Parnelli Jones edition). Also, the new Camaro should be coming soon, also the new Challenger. Muscle cars are back, slk's are for girls.

 

So american cars are more reliable now then euro cars?

 

The SLK 32AMG is a much better car then an 07 GT though....wouldn't you agree?

 

Better is such a subjective term. I was discussing reliability and if you go by JD Powers Dependability Surveys or Consumer Reports Surveys, Ford is significantly more reliable than MB in general. Also from personal experience, I've owned several of each, currently our oldest cars belong to my kids, a '98 Mustang Conv and a '98 SLK230. Hands down, the Mustang is extremely reliable and much better built. Items that needed replacing/repair on the SLK far exceed the Mustang excluding the soft top that had to be replaced. Now if you ask me which I would rather drive, that's totally different, the SLK is a neat little 2 seater, it's posh, it uses materials with a better feel (I obvisouly can't say better materials because the Mustang interior is not peeling into shreds like the SLK interior). You can probably build a Mustang from the parts that had to be replaced on the SLK. And to blame one specific car is not fair, I've had 6 MBs, my very first new one was taken back under the lemon law, a W201, the replacement car was not much better with a radio, horn and transmission replaced in the first few weeks. My parents first MB caught on fire wile driving on a perfectly sunny day on a San Diego freeway. My last MB, a C230 Coupe was a disaster, 18 times the first year for warranty work. But my persistance paid off, my 2004.5 C230 has been dead on realiable but I won't push my luck, when the warranty is over, so is the car. So if you ask what would I rather have, a brand new GT Convertible vs. a 2004 SLK32 for about the same price? I would hands down pick the Mustang, it's 300HP that for a few grand can be bumped up to 400HP, it's a current body style, has lots of cool accessories for performance, handling, appearance. And it's new, full warranty, no hassles with interiors peeling, no MAF's to replace. My only loss would be the free car washes I know enjoy.

 

Budnball is just full of negative advise. To comment on the R171 based on his bad luck or treatment of an R170 is stupid. Run for the hills from this owner before his luck rubbs off on us.