SLK55 4 day test drive...... my review
02-07-2005, 11:33 AM
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SLK55 4 day test drive...... my review
To follow up from my earlier teaser thread (which has a nice short video if you haven't seen it yet http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=S...MG-4-day-drive ):
https://mbworld.org/forums/slk55-r171/96859-test-drive-first-slk55-amk-uk.html
I managed to do just over 300 miles in the UK spec SLK55 AMG, mainly on country roads with about 50 miles of motorway cruising.......
So my review.......
0-60 and other performance figures...... I think Mercs figures are conservative, with a brand new car and ESP on I could match or better their times so a well broken in car driven well without ESP should be able to beat the claimed figures.
Performance: Amazing! Mercs 4.9 second 0-60 is accurate and achievable by anyone in dry conditions. In a straight line the 55 is much faster than my S2000..... the SLK55 is devastating away from the traffic lights and will leave all but the fastest cars trailing!
Sound: the V8 sounds fantastic and is much louder than the V6 in the SLK350, I'd actually say that the SLK55 sounds better than the SL55. The engine and exhaust sound is very noticable in the car and by the number of people who turned to look what was coming its obviously something to attract lots of attention! The other interesting sound you'll hear is a squealing noise under full throttle acceleration which I assume is the rear tyres slipping slightly?
Roof up: very refined ride, firm but not too hard..... the SLK350 handled some very rough british roads without much bother and the SLK55 is no different...... I was worried that the extra weight of the engine would result in more understeer but AMG seem to have worked their magic somehow to the point where the front end turns in very well. Road and engine noise is less noticable when the roof is up and windows closed so it will make a very good mile muncher on the motorway.
Roof down: The chassis in the new SLK is very stiff..... I couldn't feel any sign of scuttle shake which is very good indeed!
Fuel MPG: 14mpg average! £90 of fuel in 300 miles!!!!
Handling: The SLK55 handled better than I expected (I was worried about the extra weight of the 5.5ltr engine) and is a match for most roadsters on the market today with the exception of the S2000 and Boxster. Although the SLK sticks to the road very well and the traction control does its job well the car feels slightly heavy and cumbersome in corners, the feeling of heaviness is made worse by a slightly slow steering response..... don't get me wrong the steering is generally good but compared to the Boxster in particular there was a lack of feedback and slightly vague feel about the 55...... I often found that I needed to make steering corrections when I wouldn't normally expect to. Throttle response is also rather slow compared to a good manual car so quick applications of the gas resulted in delayed action resulting in a jerky ride. The throttle response was surprisingly slow which makes smooth progress more tricky...... but I guess you'd get used to how the car drives after a while.
Brakes: Good strong brakes with ABS cutting in only at the last minute with a few final judders..... even in the wet!
Wet handling: better than expected....... even with the bags of torque on tap from the monster engine the grip on a wet road was impressive, the ESP system does a great job of keeping wheel spin in check without being too obvious that its there...... several of my favourite corners allowed the tail to slip out a bit before the ESP cut in to clean thing up which is fun.
7G: I didn't like the 7G box in the SLK350 I tested last year so I was again worried that the SLK55 would also let the car down...... in theory the AMG 7G has been tweaked to make the manual shift changes faster...... unfortunately its not that much quicker and I'd be surprised if many people could tell the difference!. In full auto the 7G is great and other than not changing down when I'd expect it too (under hard braking for example) I don't have many complaints. The manual mode was a big let down for me...... its still TOO slow and unpredictable..... when I press the change up or down button I want the car to change gear THEN...... the reality is that the car sometimes changes quickly (within half a second) but sometimes it can take a second or two before reacting and sometimes it ignores you altogether!.
Some examples: On full throttle I hit the shift button 1000rpm before the redline..... on more than one occassion the shift was too slow and the car hit the rev limiter before making the change.
In the time it takes from hitting the change button to when the change happens I could take my hand away from the wheel and adjust the rear view mirror
In sport mode (ie. not manual) the car will change up in the middle of a long sweeping bend when you are trying to hold a steady throttle (theres probably a way to avoid this if I read the manual but I didn't have chance to find out).
Under heavy braking the manual change down isn't great...... it doesn't automatically blip the revs to match the new lower gear (as a Ferrari 355 would) so the change is usually jerky as the engine races to match the new gear......
Overall this is an AMAZING car...... for me the only things that let it down were the 7G auto and the poor fuel economy (for me the SLK55 would cost around $200/month in fuel more to run than a Boxster S).
In a straight line the SLK55 will have few cars nipping at its heels but on a twisty road a few of the more agile roadsters will be right behind you (Boxster S should be close).
If you don't mind the failings (in my opinion) of the auto box you will love this car!, its handling is among the best, its speed is mindblowing, great brakes and good looks combined with a versatile hardtop make it hard to beat.
If the auto box concerns you and you generally prefer a manual I'd recommend you take a test drive before buying the car.
Due mainly to the auto box I have cancelled my order (number 181 in the UK) so if anyone wants my build slot my contact at Merc UK said he's willing to offer it to somebody who wants it.
The only other car on my shortlist is the new Boxster S so I suspect I'll be ordering one soon!
https://mbworld.org/forums/slk55-r171/96859-test-drive-first-slk55-amk-uk.html
I managed to do just over 300 miles in the UK spec SLK55 AMG, mainly on country roads with about 50 miles of motorway cruising.......
So my review.......
0-60 and other performance figures...... I think Mercs figures are conservative, with a brand new car and ESP on I could match or better their times so a well broken in car driven well without ESP should be able to beat the claimed figures.
Performance: Amazing! Mercs 4.9 second 0-60 is accurate and achievable by anyone in dry conditions. In a straight line the 55 is much faster than my S2000..... the SLK55 is devastating away from the traffic lights and will leave all but the fastest cars trailing!
Sound: the V8 sounds fantastic and is much louder than the V6 in the SLK350, I'd actually say that the SLK55 sounds better than the SL55. The engine and exhaust sound is very noticable in the car and by the number of people who turned to look what was coming its obviously something to attract lots of attention! The other interesting sound you'll hear is a squealing noise under full throttle acceleration which I assume is the rear tyres slipping slightly?
Roof up: very refined ride, firm but not too hard..... the SLK350 handled some very rough british roads without much bother and the SLK55 is no different...... I was worried that the extra weight of the engine would result in more understeer but AMG seem to have worked their magic somehow to the point where the front end turns in very well. Road and engine noise is less noticable when the roof is up and windows closed so it will make a very good mile muncher on the motorway.
Roof down: The chassis in the new SLK is very stiff..... I couldn't feel any sign of scuttle shake which is very good indeed!
Fuel MPG: 14mpg average! £90 of fuel in 300 miles!!!!
Handling: The SLK55 handled better than I expected (I was worried about the extra weight of the 5.5ltr engine) and is a match for most roadsters on the market today with the exception of the S2000 and Boxster. Although the SLK sticks to the road very well and the traction control does its job well the car feels slightly heavy and cumbersome in corners, the feeling of heaviness is made worse by a slightly slow steering response..... don't get me wrong the steering is generally good but compared to the Boxster in particular there was a lack of feedback and slightly vague feel about the 55...... I often found that I needed to make steering corrections when I wouldn't normally expect to. Throttle response is also rather slow compared to a good manual car so quick applications of the gas resulted in delayed action resulting in a jerky ride. The throttle response was surprisingly slow which makes smooth progress more tricky...... but I guess you'd get used to how the car drives after a while.
Brakes: Good strong brakes with ABS cutting in only at the last minute with a few final judders..... even in the wet!
Wet handling: better than expected....... even with the bags of torque on tap from the monster engine the grip on a wet road was impressive, the ESP system does a great job of keeping wheel spin in check without being too obvious that its there...... several of my favourite corners allowed the tail to slip out a bit before the ESP cut in to clean thing up which is fun.
7G: I didn't like the 7G box in the SLK350 I tested last year so I was again worried that the SLK55 would also let the car down...... in theory the AMG 7G has been tweaked to make the manual shift changes faster...... unfortunately its not that much quicker and I'd be surprised if many people could tell the difference!. In full auto the 7G is great and other than not changing down when I'd expect it too (under hard braking for example) I don't have many complaints. The manual mode was a big let down for me...... its still TOO slow and unpredictable..... when I press the change up or down button I want the car to change gear THEN...... the reality is that the car sometimes changes quickly (within half a second) but sometimes it can take a second or two before reacting and sometimes it ignores you altogether!.
Some examples: On full throttle I hit the shift button 1000rpm before the redline..... on more than one occassion the shift was too slow and the car hit the rev limiter before making the change.
In the time it takes from hitting the change button to when the change happens I could take my hand away from the wheel and adjust the rear view mirror
In sport mode (ie. not manual) the car will change up in the middle of a long sweeping bend when you are trying to hold a steady throttle (theres probably a way to avoid this if I read the manual but I didn't have chance to find out).
Under heavy braking the manual change down isn't great...... it doesn't automatically blip the revs to match the new lower gear (as a Ferrari 355 would) so the change is usually jerky as the engine races to match the new gear......
Overall this is an AMAZING car...... for me the only things that let it down were the 7G auto and the poor fuel economy (for me the SLK55 would cost around $200/month in fuel more to run than a Boxster S).
In a straight line the SLK55 will have few cars nipping at its heels but on a twisty road a few of the more agile roadsters will be right behind you (Boxster S should be close).
If you don't mind the failings (in my opinion) of the auto box you will love this car!, its handling is among the best, its speed is mindblowing, great brakes and good looks combined with a versatile hardtop make it hard to beat.
If the auto box concerns you and you generally prefer a manual I'd recommend you take a test drive before buying the car.
Due mainly to the auto box I have cancelled my order (number 181 in the UK) so if anyone wants my build slot my contact at Merc UK said he's willing to offer it to somebody who wants it.
The only other car on my shortlist is the new Boxster S so I suspect I'll be ordering one soon!
Last edited by SLK55AMG; 02-07-2005 at 11:37 AM.
02-07-2005, 12:29 PM
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2005 SLK55 AMG
Terrific and fair review and wish you luck with your Boxster.
I too only wish the SLK55 had the option to order the
6-speed manual but I couldn't resist the looks and the 8.
To many Boxsters on the road for my liking out here but
again the Boxster is a great car for the money and I'm sure
you'll have loads of fun. By the way can I have your user name-LOL?
I too only wish the SLK55 had the option to order the
6-speed manual but I couldn't resist the looks and the 8.
To many Boxsters on the road for my liking out here but
again the Boxster is a great car for the money and I'm sure
you'll have loads of fun. By the way can I have your user name-LOL?
Last edited by AMG SLK55; 02-07-2005 at 12:32 PM.
02-07-2005, 02:29 PM
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2002 S2000 , 2005 911 & soon 2005 slk55 AMG
Why a Boxster?
A Boxster? Just keep your S2000 it a better car hands down. Nice review on SLK55 its a very cool car.
Originally Posted by SLK55AMG
To follow up from my earlier teaser thread (which has a nice short video if you haven't seen it yet http://www.putfile.com/media.php?n=S...MG-4-day-drive ):
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=96859
I managed to do just over 300 miles in the UK spec SLK55 AMG, mainly on country roads with about 50 miles of motorway cruising.......
So my review.......
0-60 and other performance figures...... I think Mercs figures are conservative, with a brand new car and ESP on I could match or better their times so a well broken in car driven well without ESP should be able to beat the claimed figures.
Performance: Amazing! Mercs 4.9 second 0-60 is accurate and achievable by anyone in dry conditions. In a straight line the 55 is much faster than my S2000..... the SLK55 is devastating away from the traffic lights and will leave all but the fastest cars trailing!
Sound: the V8 sounds fantastic and is much louder than the V6 in the SLK350, I'd actually say that the SLK55 sounds better than the SL55. The engine and exhaust sound is very noticable in the car and by the number of people who turned to look what was coming its obviously something to attract lots of attention! The other interesting sound you'll hear is a squealing noise under full throttle acceleration which I assume is the rear tyres slipping slightly?
Roof up: very refined ride, firm but not too hard..... the SLK350 handled some very rough british roads without much bother and the SLK55 is no different...... I was worried that the extra weight of the engine would result in more understeer but AMG seem to have worked their magic somehow to the point where the front end turns in very well. Road and engine noise is less noticable when the roof is up and windows closed so it will make a very good mile muncher on the motorway.
Roof down: The chassis in the new SLK is very stiff..... I couldn't feel any sign of scuttle shake which is very good indeed!
Fuel MPG: 14mpg average! £90 of fuel in 300 miles!!!!
Handling: The SLK55 handled better than I expected (I was worried about the extra weight of the 5.5ltr engine) and is a match for most roadsters on the market today with the exception of the S2000 and Boxster. Although the SLK sticks to the road very well and the traction control does its job well the car feels slightly heavy and cumbersome in corners, the feeling of heaviness is made worse by a slightly slow steering response..... don't get me wrong the steering is generally good but compared to the Boxster in particular there was a lack of feedback and slightly vague feel about the 55...... I often found that I needed to make steering corrections when I wouldn't normally expect to. Throttle response is also rather slow compared to a good manual car so quick applications of the gas resulted in delayed action resulting in a jerky ride. The throttle response was surprisingly slow which makes smooth progress more tricky...... but I guess you'd get used to how the car drives after a while.
Brakes: Good strong brakes with ABS cutting in only at the last minute with a few final judders..... even in the wet!
Wet handling: better than expected....... even with the bags of torque on tap from the monster engine the grip on a wet road was impressive, the ESP system does a great job of keeping wheel spin in check without being too obvious that its there...... several of my favourite corners allowed the tail to slip out a bit before the ESP cut in to clean thing up which is fun.
7G: I didn't like the 7G box in the SLK350 I tested last year so I was again worried that the SLK55 would also let the car down...... in theory the AMG 7G has been tweaked to make the manual shift changes faster...... unfortunately its not that much quicker and I'd be surprised if many people could tell the difference!. In full auto the 7G is great and other than not changing down when I'd expect it too (under hard braking for example) I don't have many complaints. The manual mode was a big let down for me...... its still TOO slow and unpredictable..... when I press the change up or down button I want the car to change gear THEN...... the reality is that the car sometimes changes quickly (within half a second) but sometimes it can take a second or two before reacting and sometimes it ignores you altogether!.
Some examples: On full throttle I hit the shift button 1000rpm before the redline..... on more than one occassion the shift was too slow and the car hit the rev limiter before making the change.
In the time it takes from hitting the change button to when the change happens I could take my hand away from the wheel and adjust the rear view mirror
In sport mode (ie. not manual) the car will change up in the middle of a long sweeping bend when you are trying to hold a steady throttle (theres probably a way to avoid this if I read the manual but I didn't have chance to find out).
Under heavy braking the manual change down isn't great...... it doesn't automatically blip the revs to match the new lower gear (as a Ferrari 355 would) so the change is usually jerky as the engine races to match the new gear......
Overall this is an AMAZING car...... for me the only things that let it down were the 7G auto and the poor fuel economy (for me the SLK55 would cost around $200/month in fuel more to run than a Boxster S).
In a straight line the SLK55 will have few cars nipping at its heels but on a twisty road a few of the more agile roadsters will be right behind you (Boxster S should be close).
If you don't mind the failings (in my opinion) of the auto box you will love this car!, its handling is among the best, its speed is mindblowing, great brakes and good looks combined with a versatile hardtop make it hard to beat.
If the auto box concerns you and you generally prefer a manual I'd recommend you take a test drive before buying the car.
Due mainly to the auto box I have cancelled my order (number 181 in the UK) so if anyone wants my build slot my contact at Merc UK said he's willing to offer it to somebody who wants it.
The only other car on my shortlist is the new Boxster S so I suspect I'll be ordering one soon!
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=96859
I managed to do just over 300 miles in the UK spec SLK55 AMG, mainly on country roads with about 50 miles of motorway cruising.......
So my review.......
0-60 and other performance figures...... I think Mercs figures are conservative, with a brand new car and ESP on I could match or better their times so a well broken in car driven well without ESP should be able to beat the claimed figures.
Performance: Amazing! Mercs 4.9 second 0-60 is accurate and achievable by anyone in dry conditions. In a straight line the 55 is much faster than my S2000..... the SLK55 is devastating away from the traffic lights and will leave all but the fastest cars trailing!
Sound: the V8 sounds fantastic and is much louder than the V6 in the SLK350, I'd actually say that the SLK55 sounds better than the SL55. The engine and exhaust sound is very noticable in the car and by the number of people who turned to look what was coming its obviously something to attract lots of attention! The other interesting sound you'll hear is a squealing noise under full throttle acceleration which I assume is the rear tyres slipping slightly?
Roof up: very refined ride, firm but not too hard..... the SLK350 handled some very rough british roads without much bother and the SLK55 is no different...... I was worried that the extra weight of the engine would result in more understeer but AMG seem to have worked their magic somehow to the point where the front end turns in very well. Road and engine noise is less noticable when the roof is up and windows closed so it will make a very good mile muncher on the motorway.
Roof down: The chassis in the new SLK is very stiff..... I couldn't feel any sign of scuttle shake which is very good indeed!
Fuel MPG: 14mpg average! £90 of fuel in 300 miles!!!!
Handling: The SLK55 handled better than I expected (I was worried about the extra weight of the 5.5ltr engine) and is a match for most roadsters on the market today with the exception of the S2000 and Boxster. Although the SLK sticks to the road very well and the traction control does its job well the car feels slightly heavy and cumbersome in corners, the feeling of heaviness is made worse by a slightly slow steering response..... don't get me wrong the steering is generally good but compared to the Boxster in particular there was a lack of feedback and slightly vague feel about the 55...... I often found that I needed to make steering corrections when I wouldn't normally expect to. Throttle response is also rather slow compared to a good manual car so quick applications of the gas resulted in delayed action resulting in a jerky ride. The throttle response was surprisingly slow which makes smooth progress more tricky...... but I guess you'd get used to how the car drives after a while.
Brakes: Good strong brakes with ABS cutting in only at the last minute with a few final judders..... even in the wet!
Wet handling: better than expected....... even with the bags of torque on tap from the monster engine the grip on a wet road was impressive, the ESP system does a great job of keeping wheel spin in check without being too obvious that its there...... several of my favourite corners allowed the tail to slip out a bit before the ESP cut in to clean thing up which is fun.
7G: I didn't like the 7G box in the SLK350 I tested last year so I was again worried that the SLK55 would also let the car down...... in theory the AMG 7G has been tweaked to make the manual shift changes faster...... unfortunately its not that much quicker and I'd be surprised if many people could tell the difference!. In full auto the 7G is great and other than not changing down when I'd expect it too (under hard braking for example) I don't have many complaints. The manual mode was a big let down for me...... its still TOO slow and unpredictable..... when I press the change up or down button I want the car to change gear THEN...... the reality is that the car sometimes changes quickly (within half a second) but sometimes it can take a second or two before reacting and sometimes it ignores you altogether!.
Some examples: On full throttle I hit the shift button 1000rpm before the redline..... on more than one occassion the shift was too slow and the car hit the rev limiter before making the change.
In the time it takes from hitting the change button to when the change happens I could take my hand away from the wheel and adjust the rear view mirror
In sport mode (ie. not manual) the car will change up in the middle of a long sweeping bend when you are trying to hold a steady throttle (theres probably a way to avoid this if I read the manual but I didn't have chance to find out).
Under heavy braking the manual change down isn't great...... it doesn't automatically blip the revs to match the new lower gear (as a Ferrari 355 would) so the change is usually jerky as the engine races to match the new gear......
Overall this is an AMAZING car...... for me the only things that let it down were the 7G auto and the poor fuel economy (for me the SLK55 would cost around $200/month in fuel more to run than a Boxster S).
In a straight line the SLK55 will have few cars nipping at its heels but on a twisty road a few of the more agile roadsters will be right behind you (Boxster S should be close).
If you don't mind the failings (in my opinion) of the auto box you will love this car!, its handling is among the best, its speed is mindblowing, great brakes and good looks combined with a versatile hardtop make it hard to beat.
If the auto box concerns you and you generally prefer a manual I'd recommend you take a test drive before buying the car.
Due mainly to the auto box I have cancelled my order (number 181 in the UK) so if anyone wants my build slot my contact at Merc UK said he's willing to offer it to somebody who wants it.
The only other car on my shortlist is the new Boxster S so I suspect I'll be ordering one soon!
02-07-2005, 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by AMGFUN
A Boxster? Just keep your S2000 it a better car hands down. Nice review on SLK55 its a very cool car.
The other reason for the change is that my company car scheme have removed the S2000 from the choice list
Last edited by SLK55AMG; 02-07-2005 at 03:24 PM.
02-07-2005, 03:49 PM
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2002 S2000 , 2005 911 & soon 2005 slk55 AMG
What do you think about the top. With the way the top folds down still exposing half the top do you think it will have a fading problem? You know I'm just going hunt you down and add another kill on the side of my S. Ha Ha
Myself I want a V8 under the hood. If I'm going to buy another car its has to be faster than my S . When you get your ride please post some photos.
Myself I want a V8 under the hood. If I'm going to buy another car its has to be faster than my S . When you get your ride please post some photos.
Originally Posted by SLK55AMG
Yes I tend to agree!..... the S2000 is a fantastic drivers car but I fancy a change and the new Boxster S is a great car as well...... for some reason the old Boxster S didn't really turn me on but the new one seemed much better to drive than I remember the old one.
The other reason for the change is that my company car scheme have removed the S2000 from the choice list
The other reason for the change is that my company car scheme have removed the S2000 from the choice list
02-08-2005, 03:48 AM
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Originally Posted by AMGFUN
What do you think about the top. With the way the top folds down still exposing half the top do you think it will have a fading problem? You know I'm just going hunt you down and add another kill on the side of my S. Ha Ha
Myself I want a V8 under the hood. If I'm going to buy another car its has to be faster than my S . When you get your ride please post some photos.
Myself I want a V8 under the hood. If I'm going to buy another car its has to be faster than my S . When you get your ride please post some photos.
I'm not sure the Boxster hood will have a problem with fading..... I've not heard it being raised as a problem by owners. I do like the fact that you can put the roof up or down at upto 30mph
The old Boxster S didn't feel much quicker than my S2000 but the new one does...... the 987S can do 0-100 in 12.3 seconds thats around 2 seconds quicker than the trusty Honda.
I'll post some pics when the new car arrives in June.
02-08-2005, 06:34 AM
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Todays Autocar magazine (in the UK) has a back to back drive and comparison of the SLK55 AMG and new Boxster S...... their opinion seems to match up with my review.
They praised the brutal power of the AMG and it rules the straight line drag but on a twisty road the Boxster was right behind the AMG......
To quote Autocar "355bhp SLK wins the straight-line battle, but 276bhp Boxster walks it in the twisties!"
I.e. if you prefer a car thats great in the twistys get the Boxster...... if you want outright straight line grunt (and a good looking hardtop convertible) the AMG wins.
They praised the brutal power of the AMG and it rules the straight line drag but on a twisty road the Boxster was right behind the AMG......
To quote Autocar "355bhp SLK wins the straight-line battle, but 276bhp Boxster walks it in the twisties!"
I.e. if you prefer a car thats great in the twistys get the Boxster...... if you want outright straight line grunt (and a good looking hardtop convertible) the AMG wins.
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02-08-2005, 04:10 PM
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Great write up on the car mate,
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
02-08-2005, 04:25 PM
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2005 SLK55 AMG
Originally Posted by robquantrell
Great write up on the car mate,
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
02-08-2005, 07:11 PM
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That was exactly what i thought until my MB dealer told me otherwise, now usually in thr UK, MB dealers arn;t known for their full knowledge of thei products so I discounted it until a (reputable) high end car dealership told me the same thing, off his own bat as well, without me prompting him at all..almost as if MB have changed final spec?
but....since no one who actually owns one has come forward and siad it has a 5 speed then I don't think i can believe the dealers
maybe the dealers in the UK can't count past 5!!!
but....since no one who actually owns one has come forward and siad it has a 5 speed then I don't think i can believe the dealers
maybe the dealers in the UK can't count past 5!!!
02-08-2005, 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by robquantrell
Great write up on the car mate,
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
a few q's if thats ok!
- how did you find the interior quality, plastics, leather, seat comfort etc etc
- how was the HK sound system and command sat/nav?
- what was the boot space like?
and finally i have heard many conflicting reports that the UK customer cars have 5-speed auto's? I drove an SLK55 very briefly last week and actually didn't notice how many gears it had (too busy listening to the noise!!). What have you heard about this? ALl the reviews I have read state that the car has a 7-speed but dealers in the UK insist that their SLK55's will have 5-speed auto
cheers in advance, great review, I was actually thinking of an S2000 and have test driven one and loved it as a roadster, my only worry is that on scottish roads as a daily driver it is too compromised? How did your ownership experiences reflect this?
ok thats it, sorry for rabbiting on!!
Cheers,
Rob
Interior quality is very good..... soft touch plastics are nice but mark very easily...... generally on a par with Audi in my opinion. The AMG sports seats (standard in the 55 as far as I know) were firm but fairly comfortable...... I did a 100 mile run without any aches or pains
Sound and sat nav?...... shame on me but I didn't bother trying it!...... I prefer the engine noise to the radio and have a TomTom GO for navigating
Boot space...... again not bad for a two seater but you loose space with the roof down. I'd say there is room for 10 bags of Tesco shopping.
The S2000 is an amazing car in the handling stakes only the Boxster is better...... if by compromised you mean low torque and not many creature comforts then yes you are right but I love the S2000 in London traffic so I'd love it even more if I could drive it in Scotland! On your test drive did you rev it all the way to the redline? if not you will have missed the whole point of the car........ it needs to be revved within an inch of its life.
