shahedC

I am getting closer to refinancing my home (end of summer), and buying a second home soon after... which can only mean one thing:

time to get the SLK that I've been thinking about all year.. !

The SLK55 AMG is tempting (I test drove it for an hour), but I will probably get a 2006 SLK280 with all the options I want.

That being said, I can get a 2007 SLK280 instead, since they will be available this Fall.

My question: what changes/improvements (if any) can I expect from the 2007 model that were not there in the 2006 model?

IERAX

In a word, none, as far as build quality and materials used are concerned. Some optional packages have been/deleted/renamed/added and there is a new red colour I believe. 2007 slk's are in production now....

jbanks15

get the amg. you will not regret it!

shahedC

If money were no object, I would definitely get the AMG... as I said, I took it for a test drive, and an hour went by!

But then again, my investments are going into real estate and my new business ideas, so my first AMG purchase will have to wait...

As for the first guy who responded, I guess I will at least get a newer car if I get the 2007 model instead of the 2006 model. :-)

Mike Smith

Firemist Red is replaced by Storm Red - a hair darker. I had to have both sample
laying on the hood of a firemist red SLK to be able to tell the difference.

New Premium 1 pkg is old Comfort Pkg plus old Premium Pkg minus auto climate
control.

Cornering fog lights seem to be standard now. At least on the SLK350.

Costs have been shifted around. But, the 2007 Storm Red SLK350 I have on order
is only $700 more than the 2006 SLK350 I priced out. And, the 2006 car I priced
out did not have the Premium Pkg.

Its been debated, but I contend that in three years, a 2007 SLK manufactured at the
end of June, 2006 will have a higher resale value than a 2006 SLK manufactured at
the beginning of June. I tried to use that logic to get a discount on a 2006 car that
was on the lot. The dealer would not budge.

So, I ordered a 2007 SLK350, European Delivery. Manufacture date set for
August 10th. I pick it up August 24th!!

Mike

midget fidger

if the 55 is tempting, why drop all the way down to the 280?? get the 350! i would say go for the 2007 because you'll pay about the same amount and you'll get to say you have an '07 instead of an '06

Ynot

I agree, besides the obvious exterior appearane, bigger brakes/calipers/rotors, cross drilled roters, 17" wheels. It's faster, sounds more aggressive, according to some the SLK280 sounds mute. Northbenz owns both and said the 350 has more kicks going up the mountain and at higher speed, if you can fork out $4K more, I say go with the 350.

shahedC

Good points, guys.. (re: getting the 350 instead of the 280)

I will definitely keep that in mind when I make my final decision... after all, $4,000 spread out over a 5 year loan is only 66 bucks more a month (a little more with interest of course!)

BTW, I used the MB website to the get the total for the 2006 SLK280... and the senior sales manager at my local dealer gave me the numbers for the 2007 SLK280, with options.

I put them up on KewlList for sharing:
2006 SLK280: http://KewlList.com/?37
2007 SLK280: http://KewlList.com/?38

I enabled Public sharing, and there's no Guest password (blank).

I will update the list if I change my options...

shahedC

Better yet, here's a direct link to bypass the logon screen since the password is blank:

2006 SLK280: http://KewlList.com/ListView.asp?listID=37&bBypass=1

2007 SLK280: http://KewlList.com/ListView.asp?listID=38&bBypass=1

For the 2007 model, the dealer gave me a "grand total" and pricing for all options except for the CD changer, which he listed as "TBD". So I calculated the MSRP by subtracting his options total from the grand total. If the CD Changer has a price on it, then the MSRP will be lower, I guess?

quaidorsay

I never test drove a slk350, but ordered one even though I only test drove a slk280.

And the SLK280 was good.

I just said, if the SLK280 is already this good, imagine a 350 engine in this little baby...

it arrives in two days...

its been a long wait.

shahedC

ok, I went to the dealer on Saturday, and test drove a 2006 SLK350....

I could tell the difference between the 350 I just drove and the 55 I drove in the Spring... so I didn't even bother driving the 280...

I placed an order on a 2007 SLK350... hopefully, everything will go ok with my homes, so that I can get the car I want.. :-)

Ynot

Congrats on your purchase.

shahedC

Thanks, but I haven't made the purchase yet... just did the test drive and placed the order. I hope that everything goes as planned so I can make the purchase.

In the meantime, I put a 360 view picture of the test car up on BenzFanz.com
http://BenzFanz.com/SLK350

The site itself is not ready yet, but you will all be able to upload 360 views yourself when it's ready in a month or two. The file upload screen will look something like this:
http://benzfanz.com/Car360FileUpload.html



By far, the customer service at American Service Center is the best! Props go to Frank Namin for making my first purchase a great experience, and working with me currently on my second purchase.

shahedC

Just to repeat what I said in the SLR thread, re: BenzFanz.com:

P.S. Not to compete against MBWorld or anything... I plan on having:
- user car galleries
- user car 360 views
- new car test drives and reviews
- direct contact with local Benz dealer (for your questions, purchase assistance, after-market upgrades, etc)

May the MBWorld gods (moderators?) have mercy as I post a (shameless?) plug for my upcoming website.. !

Mike Smith

Hi,

I noticed the CD changed listed as a no cost option. Is it part of the
Premium 3 package?

Thanks,

Mike

shahedC

Short answer:
It does have a cost.

Long answer:

I got the 2006 options from the website, so you can see the CD price there.
I got the 2007 options from a configuration that the dealer built for me, and his printout didn't have the MSRP, but it had most pricing options, and a TBD for the CD changer, and it had a grand total on it too.

I estimated the MSRP by subtracting the options total from the grand total.... so if I think of a positive value for the CD changer, than the MSRP will be a little lower, but then the grand total is still the same.

Make sense?

Simpsonsrules

Hey, I was just wondering what the Premium 3 package included because im also debating wheather to just go ahead and buy a 2006 or wait it out and just order a 07. thanks.

shahedC

For the 2006 model, the Premium 3 package contains:

P3: Premium III
- (232) Garage Door Opener
- (242) Power Passenger Seat w/Memory
- (249) Autodimming Dr & Rrvw Mirror
- (275) Power Dr Seat & Steering Col w/Memory
- (345) Rain Sensor
- (387) Phone system prewiring
- (530) DVD COMAND Navigation
- (536) SIRIUS Satellite Radio
- (810) harman/kardon Sound System
- (876) Interior ambient light package
- (880) IR remote roof automatic

Mike Smith

Anyone know what happened to the Speed Sensative Power Steering. It was
part of the Comfort Package in 2006. Comfort and Premium packages were
combined in 2007. I don't see a mention of the Power Steering.

Mike

shahedC

I just checked my email from the dealer with the 2007 SLK250 options, and it is listed under "Standard Equipment" as:

Variable Assist -Power Steering

mtiede

I thought the variable assist was standard even in the 2006. Could definitely be wrong though.

shahedC

It seems you are right... I did a Google search and found this:


http://www.automallusa.net/2006/merc...fications.html
2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Specs
...
2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Interior Standard Features
...
-Vehicle speed proportional power steering
...

Mike Smith

Thanks - but the specs posted here are for the SLK55. Different things art
standard on this car.

Mike

lilnora

i just purchased the 2007 slk55 amg... gets here in about another 2 weeks.. they have a new limited amg package out definately go for an amg, you could even order the 2007... but you might have to wait about 2-3 months for it..

shahedC

Oops.. my bad.. I was wondering why the feature list was so long.. !!