Veroomer

I'm finally upgrading from my rice rocket (CRX SI '88)- yup bout time - to an SLK. I could have gone S2000 route because I love honda engines, however the service department at the dealers here suck - it's time to move a way from that brand. That other German brand's M roadster...nice but it's ugly with the top up. Anyway...

I drove both the 350 and 55 at my local dealer. Loved both. I'm not an automatic lover...I prefer manual . My MB dealer didn't have a manual on the lot for me to compare and said many MB owners prefer automatics and they rarely have sticks on the lot.

So if you are a 350 with manual tranny or if you upgraded from one to a 55 I would appreciate your throughts. For me it's not only about power, it's also about the joy of driving...okay power.

Thanks

lennyr

My other car is a del Sol VTEC, so I made a similar transition to yours. I'm also a manual guy, and if the '55 had a manual available I would have got one. That being said, I love the '55, and have got used to the auto. It's the only auto I've ever used that feels right 95%+ of the time. The manual mode to the 7G is pretty good, but is no substitute for a stick. When I first got the '55 the tranny was the only thing about it that I didn't like, but after it got reprogrammed at my 3K mile "welcome" service, it was a whole new experience: at first, the shifts were too late or too early about a third of the time, and were balky at that; after the reprogramming it almost always choses the right gear, and gets to it quickly. Also, the lack of snappiness that comes with a slushbox is more than made up for by the torque the '55 makes.

slktyperice

I too made the transition from Honda to MB, specifically the 7th gen 2001 Civic Coupe EX in manual, riced out... But yeah, I have the SLK350 6MT and love it. The new generation of the MB 6MT used in the W203 C230/C350 and the SLK350/SLK280 are a huge improvement to the old one. The shifter slots nicely into place and feels like that of a E46 M3. Although the throw is longer than I'd like (after driving the S2000, anything less than that transmission is garbage). Basically if you want stick, save the $15k and put it in a Kleeman Kompressor (cams, headers, ECU optional) setup for the SLK350 6MT which will put you around 430bhp. Then you'll be faster than the SLK55 and have a manual.

-1-

Give me a manual tranny ANY DAY. My wife and I have five vehicles and they are all five or six speeds. I like the SLK55, and still don't understand why the 6MT isn't offered. I'd have to drive the auto SLK55 to make a final determination. Bottom line, if we ever upgrade to the SLK55, the auto tranny would be a compromise and definitely wouldn't be my first choice. I WOULD NOT have considered an equally equipped/priced SLK 350 with an automatic. Even if the auto and 6MT were equally priced.

Easy-SLK

OK. I have a SLK55 and I love it. I think there is some sour grapes from 350 owners who couldn't afford the 55 and use the manual transmission as the reason the bought the 350.
I don't think the MT can cope with the huge torque of the AMG, so to the contributor offering 430hp form a 350......dream on.
Get the 55, don;t bother with the 350. I made the mistake of getting the 350, only to replace it with the 55 3 months later.

SLK55AMG

I can offer a view as somebody that doesn't have either a 350 or 55...... I had a 55 on order but cancelled after eventually getting hold of a loan car (5 days worth of testing)....... the power of the AMG is very impressive but the 7G auto killed the fun for me, don't get me wrong its the best auto box I've every driven but coming from an S2000 it was too much of a step back in terms of driver enjoyment. I tried the 350 with manual and almost went for one but then tried the new Boxster S and found it offered the enjoyment and handling that I wanted. In a straight line the AMG will always walk away from me but in the twisties where I get most of my kicks the Boxster S is better IHMO.

slktyperice

Easy-SLK, have you heard of Kleemann? You can get probably 430bhp out of a 350 with the Kompressor/cams/headers/ECU upgrade. That's probably the best if you want the power (albeit not massive torque) and the 6MT. Kleemann will test the setup to make sure it doesn't blow the tranny.

Crosis

IMHO, part of owning a high end vehicle is the prestige that goes along with it. With an SLK55 AMG, you are at the top of the SLK line. A car that turns heads and grabs respect from MB owners. In a Boxster, you are at the rock bottom of the Porsche stable... the 914 of the modern times. Sure its fast. Sure its a fine handling car. But it gets little respect from low end car owners and no respect from Porsche owners (not to mention retains no value because of this). I went through the whole choice process and eliminated the Boxster from the list based partly on the fact that, after talking to many people and reading tons of material, with Boxster.. there is a substitute.

SLK55AMG

Depends where you live in the UK the Boxster is often quoted as being one if not the best sportscar when it comes to retaining its value.

Respect..... over here no Porsche driver gets much respect and even if its the cheap end of the Porsche range it doesn't mean its no good...... is the Ferrari 430 looked down on because its the "entry level" model?

Prestige...... also depends what you want from the car..... I actually don't like the Porsche image but love the way the car drives, and I laugh at the uninformed people that always assume the 911 is the only decent car Porsche make..... 99% of those that say the Boxster isn't a proper Porsche have never even driven one or a 911

Also on the prestige point the Boxster S is top of the Boxster line in the same way as the 55 is top of the SLK line...... and although owning a Porsche means very little to me in terms of the badge or prestige I suspect most normal folk on the street would equate Porsche with more prestige than Mercedes..... AMG would also mean very little to most people whereas enthusiasts would give it extra respect (I'm in that category as both the SLK55 and SL55 that I've driven were fantastic cars!).

-1-

This comment is below the belt - FOUL! Don't demean the SLK 350 owners for stating a manual transmission preference over automatic. There's no reason to get into a discussion over economic clout. My original reply was:
The truth is , I prefer a manual transmission.

I'm sure that the MB engineers are capable of producing a suitable 6MT for the SLK55.

Ynot

You might be right in England but here in the states you are definately wrong, fully loaded SLK 350 in my case is $61K, my dealer was trying to sell a SLK55 on the lot for $65K (brand new), black/red interior, $4K isn't much money, that's as much as my wheels/tires combo. I didn't get it b/c I know in the long run, I will regret getting an auto. I drive auto vehicles as my daily drivers and don't need another one for the weekend. I know the 7g auto is the best in the market but it's just not the same w/o a clutch. I don't drive my car much but every time I do, I'm glad that I have a 6MT and not an auto. Things might change, I make consider an auto in the future but right now 6MT is a must.

You think wrong. The 6MT is capable of up to 450bhp/450lb/ft tq but not recommended, my dealer said, they can install the Kleeman S/C and easily give you 100bhp/100tq for 16K and give you the remaining 4yr/50K warranty, that's how much confidence they have with Kleeman's products. Although Kleeman can do it for much cheaper but give you only 1yr warranty.

Easy-SLK

I can't disagree with your sentiments on the new Boxster, it is a fine car. AS a previous owner of an S2000 we have both enjoyed the best manual gearbox on the planet, tho the engine was lacking in torque (Who cares it felt and sounded great)
I'm in the UK where the norm is a manual gearbox, if given the choice I would have taken a manual AMG, but must reiterate that I find the 7G suitable for every circumstance (other than blipping the throttle whilst passing girls !!)

Easy-SLK

IMHO..... BULL****.

Crosis

Well sorry if you want to act that way sonny but my opinion comes from a city where Porsches are as common as chevys. The boxster is laughed at. You dont have to agree.. thats why its called an opinion. Check out the definition of that word at www.dictionary.com .

-1-

Easy, Easy-SLK.

SLK55AMG

That probably explains why Porsche are doing better and better these days and have more money available to develop top notch cars. Don't forget that the Boxster is probably the only reason Porsche still exist as an independant car company (they were on the verge of going under when they released the Boxster...... sales of which brought them back from the brink)........ without the Boxster the 911 could have died or ended up wearing an Audi badge

P.S. I've just looked at used Boxster prices in Tampa...... you appear to have your facts confused....... a 3 year old Boxster retains between 75 and 80% of it original value that is VERY GOOD is it not? 3 year old SLKs don't seem to retain more than 75%

Duo-Art

A 3 year old SLK in the United States is the older style R-170. The R-171 has only been available here since October of 2004.

SLK55AMG

I know..... the 3 year old Boxsters are the old model (986) as well. The new Boxster (987) retains its value as well as the new SLK.

Veroomer

Thanks lennyr, slktyperice, -1-, SLK55AMG, Crosis, Ynot, and other SLKers for your replies to my question. Keep them coming, I would like to hear from more the SLK owners.

I’m appreciate the 350 MT clan standing up for their preferred method of driving, even if it meant not getting the top SLK.

Ynot’s little SLK pics look awesome to me. An equals the look of the 55, he is right about the price difference between the two - I did the MB’s Build your Own SLK for both models. And I was surprised on how close they were.

Price isn't the question here. This is for me, and no one else. It won’t bother me if heads don’t turn…I don’t need a car for that. This is about me the car and the road.

So, let me add to this query with another question…. See new post on for 350 MT owners by Veroomer.

Ynot

thanks, I personally think the AMG kitted one looks better than the AMG one (bias opinion of course ) b/c it's smoother up front w/o the air vents, when looking up front and on the side, it has more curves. Also the 55 nose fins (whiskers) are black, doesn't match with the car unless your car is dark. But the rear end of the 55 is to die for. Quad exhaust tips, spoiler, and smoked rear lights .

If it's all about the driving experience and not about power and speed then forget the auto, I was in the same situation when I looked at purchasing this car. Will I enjoy driving it one year down the road and with an auto, I just felt, I would get bored after six months. There's w/o a doubt the power and torque of the 55 is intoxicating but what are the chances of stepping on the throtte everywhere you go. I have just as much fun shifting slowly thru traffic. If you don't get the AMG pkg at least get aftermarket coilovers, it'll be more fun taking the twisties than the stock suspension.

Veroomer

I definitely agree about the 55's front spoiler...I think the air vents could have been design much better or....MB wanted to make the car more mucho looking...but the hard look doesn't go with the rest of the car's styling. They look like shark gills. SLK in black, air vents aren't as noticeable. I have a black car...but time for a color change. Iridium Silver or Pewter I am tossing between. Low key colors. I prefer the sweet looking front end spoiler you have and absolutely the 55's boot is outstanding.

IMHO think MB designer/engineers undersize the wheels, 17’s are okay 18’s even better. I hate seeing cars with small wheels that don’t fit the look of the car. The 19 DCR’s you put on yours gives a stylish bad-#ss look. verrrrrooooommmmmmmmm.

mkmars01

I just ordered my 2007 SLK55 AMG yesterday as an early delivery. Will arrive in mid-August. This is an upgrade from my current 2002 S2000 which I have enjoyed every single day for the last 4 years. IMO, there is not another car in the $35k price range in the USA that can even compare to the performance and drivablitly of the S2000. When I am having fun the car stays in one very controlled spin/slide. The speedshift 6 speed is an abolute dream with the smooth short throws as well.

I was leaving the MB dealership on a test drive of an SLK55 and tried to pull out in rush hour traffic and the ESP ground me to a stop (unfortunately I think this cannot be completely disabled on the SLK55). I hate this feature, but I do not want to wrap a $75k car around a tree either. I am so used to swinging the rear end of the sS2000 around, I was disappointed. However once straight, I eased the pedal down and was in love the huge amount of torque I had been missing in the S2000. The 7 speed seemed extremely smooth in comfort mode (or whatever the mode is called) but had extremely fast shifts in sport mode. I still think the paddle shifts are still gimicky but will try them out. I have not found a car with tiptronic that I have liked yet.

When it comes down to it, sit a S2000 next to a SLK. Almost anyone would take the SLK if a 350 or 55, but not the ower end one. Performance is very important to me. The trade off with my SLK55 from the s2000 is huge power for exceptional handling and performance vs. prestige.

I like both cars and am still debating keeping the S2000.

The 6-speed in the S2000 will be greatly missed though. I have never been a fan of automatics. But 35% quicker shifts than a human can do, ability to jump 4 gears, 7 gears, I just might become a fan of auto's. Still nothing beats shifting through 6 gears while the right foot is too the floor.

dsb

Not true.

You can reduce it's effect by pressing the 'esp off' button. It simply allows for more fun before engaging the ESP.

In addition, there is a service menu in the HUD that allows you to turnoff ESP, ABS, and BAS. It's purpose is for dyno testing. I wouldn't turn it off though. It can come in handy.

mkmars01

Aye, DSB. What I meant was ESP is only reduced by pressing the off button. Most owners including myself will never go into the service menu to change things.

Like I mentioned, I have only test drove the SLK55 and do not have mine yet. So I can only make a comparison of the 30 minutes or so I spent in the SLK. Obviously, very good impressions considering I ordered one. I can definately see a big advantage to having ESP on in this car vs. the S2000 given the big increase in HP, torque, and weight on the same width tires (at least the rears).

Now, just to wait the 2 months for it to arrive. Will be a LONG 2 months.

Ynot

First, congrats on your new purchased. It'll be all worth it at the end.

You can turn if off completely, some of the members here do it when heading to the track, here's how. http://slk350.blogs.com/350/slk350/index.html



S2000 are fun, three of my good friends are proud owners of it, have to say it has the best short-throw shifter I've ever driven. It handles like a go-cart but lacks the torque/power at low end. Reving it all the time could get quite annoying, especially for those next to you that seems to think you are trying to instigate a race. For daily driving, I think you will like the SLK more, more refine, comfortable, more power, equals more fun. S2000 also seems to attract negative attention, the kind that boy racers like, with the SLK, for the most part, ppl will admire from a distance.