bobinyelm

2003 SLK 230 44,000mi

Nothing came up in a search, so I am asking here-

I ONLY use my 2003 SLK 230 in the summer months, and keep it stored October-Early April each year. I leave the top down all summer (with a car cover), and all winter raise the top and use a car cover. The car has never been left outside overnight, and the temperature it sees are never above 85 deg or below about 40 deg. It is a white car, so sunlight never got the surfaces very hot, either.

The other day I got in to put the top down for the summer and use it for the first time, and the entire vinyl headliner material had detached from whatever it was glued to to hold it against the roof insulation was hanging down completely.

Obviously the adhesive holding it had failed completely, yet when I closed up the car a few months ago it was perfect (not even a small area of delamination).

Has anyone experienced this, and what method did you use to fix it. I would be up for a DIY solution, and if you took it to an upholstery shop, how much did THEY charge?

Right now, all shops are closed in my state for the Covid 19 Pandemic, but hopefully they will re-open in a few months, though I have heard far longer estimates, making DIY attractive, though I would only DIY of the results were good.

My SLK is one that was never even driven in the rain since new, nor was it ever used on other tha nice sunny days (never above 85 degrees), so is in otherwise near-showroom condition despite its 44,000 miles, so any DIY would have to result in a job commensurate with the car's current condition.

Thanks,
Bob

Raymags1025

Bob I see this is an old post with no responses. I just discovered the same problem with my 2003 SLK Kompressor. Mine was sitting outside for several weeks in rain and cold weather. Started right up but liner is hanging. Did you ever get a resolution to your issue? If so, what and how much did it cost. Thanks! Ray

bobinyelm

I DID.

You Tube has videos of how ridiculously easy it is to remove the whole headliner assembly for recovering.

It's like six small screws and 15 minutes to remove it.

I paid a local upholsterer to order exact match vinyl and install it on he hardboard. I think he charged me about $150, which is expensive, but
cheaper than trying to find a NOS headliner, or take a chance of a used headliner. Install was about 20 minutes.

My car since new had never seen a night outside, nor had ever been driven in cold weather or the rain, and had only about 40,000 miles on it.
So I doubt it, or your headliner fell from a few nights outside.

Sadly we just moved cross country and I was forced to sell my showroom condition SLK with under 45,000 mi I had babied since new, and got and took
what I considered a insufficient offer of $9500 for it.

Bob

I am still a bit heartbroken...

Raymags1025

Thanks for the info Bob. I purchased mine with 52k mile’s on it in September of 2021. Excellent condition inside and out and the owner upgraded the headlights and audio system. I paid $10,750 and probably overpaid by about $1k but really loved it. No problems since other than the headliner. I’ll check out YouTube. I’m sure you can find another SLK!

bobinyelm

Based on dealer records and auction results, you did NOT overpay.

The average prices paid for "typical" Model Year 2003 R-170 SLK230's (90k-140k miles in :Good, not Very good, Excellent, or "pristine" Condition) were $7700-8500 as of early 2022.

Pristine vehicles needing nothing (no dents, dings, chipping of 2-tone interior paint) of sub- 50,000 miles typically were bringing $12,500-$13,500 sales prices. I traveled 1500 miles to buy the one I purchased to find "the one," and though I enjoyed the car sparingly (7000 mi in 11 years), it satiated my "need" for one. I've owned about a dozen MBs since my first 1959 180 in 1966, and I suspect when I sell my Spinter, I won't be revisiting the marque again.

SEE:

If you have a primo car, it's worth IMO having the job done properly by a vehicle upholstery shop. It's the first place that most people notice less-than-perfect cosmetics.

Having looked at over 30 SLK 230 cars when I bought mine in 2011 with 38,000 miles on it, 11+ years later I figure my chances of finding one as nice as the one I had
and low enough miles it's not worth the effort to me.

Bob