jimbo409

Im thinking of buying a 2002 slk 320 but am hesitant about buying because of the top cylinders leaking, my questions are
1. do all cars eventually leak
2. roughly what does it cost to replace all of the 5 cylinders i can not do it myself
3. the car has 79000 miles
what else should I look out for with this car i always liked the car

latemodel21

I have had 3 2002 SLK32 (and have put on 200,000 miles between them) and have not had any hydraulic leaks. They are not uncommon, but they are not normal. Contact "top hydraulics" for great pricing of top quality rebuilt units. I just looked on their site and I see all 5 AND the pump are only $850 (can't imagine you need them all ... more likely only the top-latch cylinder)

https://www.tophydraulics.com/20-r170-slk

They are considered to be the source for these parts. I did use them for a rebuilt/exchange when I needed a new hydraulic top pump for my sl55 and they were easy to work with and the price was great.

Cheers,
Chris

Billy22Bob

see my recent update on the $1 o ring I used to fix mine....

I've done the top lock and the rear lift cylinders on one of my slk230/32's
....reasonably easy diy if you do a bit of home mechanics - you tube has some good videos - I used the drill technique
The other car (32), I've only had to do the top lock so far
The rear trunk lift cylinders rarely fail - not sure why, maybe less weight. But there are techniques posted to diy this as well.

Other issues with the roof is - managing water leaks and making sure the parcel shelf doesn't get caught up in the retraction procedure - can damage things - always watch it like a hawk.
Check your 6" flip cables for wear/stretch - best get an order in and replace (diy) in the first 6 months for peace of mind.

All pretty harmless
b22b

austral

The convertible operates on 5 hydraulic cylinders, 4 are located trunk side and only one overhead in the top. That being said, likely only this cylinder will need work as the other one’s are most likely not affected and these need no replacing. Usual troubles are caused by a leaky cylinder due to a leaky (metal) bearing. If you have a leak, you will see it by the headliner(cloth fabric) has gotten wrinkled over your head, it is most likely the o-ring is no longer a tight seal. I recommend buying a set of silicone o-rings which are sold at aftermarket providers such as fcpeuro specific for Mercedes and will set you back about 10.-$ for a set of 5 pairs in different sizes versus buying a new cylinder for a whopping 345.-$. In any case you need to remove the overhead headliner to see if the cylinder is cracked, inspect the tubings for leakages if nothing seems off, remove the head cylinder and remove the bearings. Work involved: about 30 min. Removing the headliner and 20 more minutes for the headcylinder. For this job you have to manually open the top and support the opened roof with a pole so it stays open and won’t pinch your fingers or hit you in the head while crashing down. If you are mechanically inclined you can all of this work by yourself. Check youtube for exactly this kind of demonstration of how to go bout it. Don’t let a mechanic sucker you in replacing all 5 cylinders at a cost of around $2000.- inclusive labor when only one needs seal rings. Good luck!