List Your Problems For The SLK55 AMG
Further more stop making excuses like SLK55 has “teething” problems because it is a "high performance car" or because "it is a first year production car" or because "someone got a lemon" or because it "has been built too such a high level" or because "the engine is very powerful" or because "it is not a SL"!
I know it is very difficult to say anything bad about things we love; like our cars.
But the truth is MB has to improve their vehicles reliability and build quality. Isn't that the main reason we all bought the SLK55 and not the Z06?Right now my car is at the service department! They are changing the motor for one of the side mirrors, finding out what is wrong with the power steering, figuring out why there is no sound coming out of the two rear centre speaker, trying to fix the roof noise and major rattling (distortion?) noises coming from one of the subs…….
People must accept that with such a new car, built too such a high level there are going to be 'teething problems', those that cannot accept this are living on another planet!
I know people who have bought Bentley's, Aston Martin's and Porsche's who have experienced problems with their cars.
I'm jolly delighted with my purchase! :p
Rgds
Marky-Mark
Just read the posts here of everyone else who owns an SLK55 and see that, pretty much, we all LOVE our cars and don't have any major or unrepairable minor problems. Having a MB allows you to get the kind of attn and svc to get the minor things replaced better than if you were at toyota I guarantee.
When I went for my stereo speaker, I got a free late model MB to drive for the day as they graciously fixed my car. If you have to have a new car, and want to be able to complain about even the smallest thing and have it fixed immediately, you want to buy from MB where they will entertain and cater to you and your complaints without question.
Most people on this forum are die-hard MB fans; specially the ones with AMGs! They don't want to say anything bad about MB/AMG. They have a lot of pride in owning a MB/AMG vehicle. I totally understand them. Again, facts are facts! Do your own research: MB has major reliability issues! Or look at any other study or article you want! By the way, Toyota was sixth on the J.D. study.
Again, no one buys a car based on reliability. There are many other factors and that is why I bought the SLK55. I love my car and I will deal with whatever problem there is!
Also, the service here in Vancouver is very bad. All my friends who own MBs are complaining and are frustrated! I remember the service was very good when I lived in Germany (15 years ago).
Late Model Courtesy car!
I am lucky if they give a car at all! Most of the time I have to take a taxi to my office and wait there until my car is ready!"Entertain and carter to you and your complaints without question"??? I am constantly fighting with them!
What you are describing is actually the kind of service I get from Acura Dealership. My MDX has been pretty much trouble free but when I do go there they are very courteous and get the job done the first time!
Just read the posts here of everyone else who owns an SLK55 and see that, pretty much, we all LOVE our cars and don't have any major or unrepairable minor problems. Having a MB allows you to get the kind of attn and svc to get the minor things replaced better than if you were at toyota I guarantee.
When I went for my stereo speaker, I got a free late model MB to drive for the day as they graciously fixed my car. If you have to have a new car, and want to be able to complain about even the smallest thing and have it fixed immediately, you want to buy from MB where they will entertain and cater to you and your complaints without question.
Last edited by Teufel; Feb 16, 2005 at 07:26 PM.
Teufel... I'm sorry to hear that your '55 is plagued with issues and you have to endure all of this with a dealership that does not seem to care about you as a customer. Forcing you to take a taxi while they are fixing your car due to manufacture problems is just not right. However, based on your past posts of issues with MB, it might just be time for you to throw in the towels and enjoy yor Acura.
Yes MB does seems to have a higher volume of quality issues these days. This is clearly a very visible problem both in consumer reviews and MB's financial statements. Fixes like the ones we encounter cost money and eat into their profit margin. If MB want to continue their success they will need to get back to their roots and address the recent crop of quality problems.
That being said, I just took a drive to Napa from Berkeley this weekend and enjoyed every moment of it. The speed, power, and handling of this vehicle is just amazing. I would buy this car all over again, problems and all.
Enjoy your cars.
Enjoy your cars.
our dealer has free sodas/coffee + mixed coffe/bottle water
omlettes in hte morning on certain days, always random pastries, shoe shinners, and some other weird stuff
free dealer carwashs,
and work gets done even if u have a C class
fk
1) MB changed a fog light (seal broken).
2) MB changed a rim (defected).
3) MB changed both side mirror blinkers (seal broken).
4) MB changed one of the mirrors (they accidentally had broken it!).
5) MB removed the seat to fix the seatbelt.
6) The roof is still leaking after a car wash.
7) My Teleaid is still not working.
8) My front passenger side brake squeal. Even though, MB put new pads! I
think the problem is with the rotor being in the wrong direction.
9) Engine vibration.
10) Speaker problems.
11) Seat moves during hard driving.
12) Door knocking noise.
13) HUGE!!! roof noises!
14) Passenger side mirror struggles (shakes) to adjust for backing up position.
15) Still don't have the proper AMG floor mats.
16) I got the Navigation manual just two weeks ago!
17) Problem with the windshield washer nozzle.
18) Problem with the differential.
19) Problem with the steering.
20) Should I go on!
I can not wait to see the day that Infiniti/Lexus/Acura make cars similar to AMG. Probably never!
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
May be I should move to CA!
Teufel... I'm sorry to hear that your '55 is plagued with issues and you have to endure all of this with a dealership that does not seem to care about you as a customer. Forcing you to take a taxi while they are fixing your car due to manufacture problems is just not right. However, based on your past posts of issues with MB, it might just be time for you to throw in the towels and enjoy yor Acura.
Yes MB does seems to have a higher volume of quality issues these days. This is clearly a very visible problem both in consumer reviews and MB's financial statements. Fixes like the ones we encounter cost money and eat into their profit margin. If MB want to continue their success they will need to get back to their roots and address the recent crop of quality problems.
That being said, I just took a drive to Napa from Berkeley this weekend and enjoyed every moment of it. The speed, power, and handling of this vehicle is just amazing. I would buy this car all over again, problems and all.
May be I should move to CA!

With respect to the brakes, the brakes on my CLK500 started a slow speed squeak at about 5000 miles, the dealer replaced the pads and rotors (fronts) and the squeak completely went away until about 11,000 miles, now its back again. The notion of ALL high performance brakes squealing is not true as the brakes on all the Porsche 930 turbo's, 993' and 996 I've owned over the years NEVER squeaked or did they on various other high performance cars I've owned. Get MB to make the change, and as others have indicated here that did, the noise is gone...it may come back like on my car but I hope it does not. As for SLK55 being hand made, the engine is hand assembled but not the majority of the car. The MB SOHC 3 valve twin spark engines cost MB 50% less to produce than the previuos DOHC 4 valve engines, they have rougher idle especially without load (in nuetral or park) and have much noisier valvetrains, they do have more low end useable torque and lower emissions though. The new breed of MB engines are back up to speed in the technology dept.The new 3.5 and the upcoming 4.5 and 6.3 etc are much improved.
I think the new SLK is an awesome car and the 55 is my favorite of the bunch. Congratulations to all.
Last edited by RJC; Feb 18, 2005 at 10:36 PM.
our dealer has free sodas/coffee + mixed coffe/bottle water
omlettes in hte morning on certain days, always random pastries, shoe shinners, and some other weird stuff
free dealer carwashs,
and work gets done even if u have a C class
fk
I keep missing the shoe shine guy though
"The notion of ALL high performance brakes squealing is not true as the brakes on all the Porsche 930 turbo's, 993' and 996 I've owned over the years NEVER squeaked or did they on various other high performance cars I've owned. Get MB to make the change, and as others have indicated here that did, the noise is gone...it may come back like on my car but I hope it does not. As for SLK55 being hand made, the engine is hand assembled but not the majority of the car. The MB SOHC 3 valve twin spark engines cost MB 50% less to produce than the previuos DOHC 4 valve engines, they have rougher idle especially without load (in nuetral or park) and have much noisier valvetrains, they do have more low end useable torque and lower emissions though. The new breed of MB engines are back up to speed in the technology dept.The new 3.5 and the upcoming 4.5 and 6.3 etc are much improved".
"I think the new SLK is an awesome car and the 55 is my favorite of the bunch. Congratulations to all".[/QUOTE]
My SLK55 is going to be in the MB garage until Wednesday or longer!
They tell me they have removed the door panel and some other? pieces and are waiting for parts to be shipped from Germany!The problem is subwoofer distortion; not rattling noises. They have already changed the subwoofer but didn't help. I guess now they want to change the amp or the x-over or god knows what! And of course no courtesy car! NO
Oh, I forgot a minor detail SOME IMBECILE TOOL HAS DAMAGED MY BAUTIFUL BERRY DOOR PANEL IN THE PROCESS!
Yes, if there is a way to deactivate the paddles, I would love to do this as well?
They phone me at 3pm and say there is no more noise. It's fixed. I pull out of the workshop, and 5 seconds down the road i hear the same thing i've been hearing for the past week.
I'm gonna have to fix this myself i think. There is one catch. I have to be sitting in the passenger seat so i can find where this noise is comming from. Which means that i have to let someone else drive my car.
Lucky them.
They phone me at 3pm and say there is no more noise. It's fixed. I pull out of the workshop, and 5 seconds down the road i hear the same thing i've been hearing for the past week.
I'm gonna have to fix this myself i think. There is one catch. I have to be sitting in the passenger seat so i can find where this noise is comming from. Which means that i have to let someone else drive my car.
Lucky them.
as loud as we can at them. What the hell are these people smoking when they assemble out cars???


