Mercedes SLK230 Kompressor

I owned a '98, one of the first SLKs delivered in California and one of the last cars made before the ill-fated DaimlerChryster merger. I bought it new and sold it in 2003 with about 8K miles on it, so I can't comment on the durability of the drivetrain.

I would say it wasn't terribly well made. Mine was silver with the red interior, and the door panels came delaminated (universal problem with these cars - had it fixed at an upholstery shop here in San Diego). The red plastic coating flaked off the inside door pulls. The instrument cluster failed ($1000 part), and after two fuel sender replacements the gauge was still never accurate. Mercedes used water-based paint which chips easily -- actually stones appeared to tear the paint, as though it was very soft.

In terms of driving, the 185bhp engine doesn't like to rev. The gearbox is the usual Mercedes automatic 5spd -- no problems. As a commuter car, it's fine; as a sports car, it's not as eager as the Boxster (although it's better looking, IMO). Make sure you (and she) like driving it. The manual tranny they introduced in '99 was widely criticized, so the auto is the better option (and the only one you're likely to find...)

The retractable top never failed (and I used it every time I drove the car), but it is finicky and if it slips out of adjustment the trunk can be hard to open. Not a big deal, though - dealers can adjust it easily.

I've driven the 2005- SLK350 and would say it's vastly improved. Not sure how resale is going on those, but a CPO 2005 SLK350 would be a better buy, IMO. Parts/repair costs aren't as bad as Ferrari, but a Mercedes can bite.

 

I haven't driven one, but haven't really heard great things about them either. For the money, I think a boxster, M roadseter, S2000, or TT would be a nicer car.

 

I've never heard anything positive about aftermarket warranties.

Go Mercedes CPO, or don't go, IMO.

 

I have a 2002 C230 Coupe (hatchback.) Almost the same driveline. I haven't had any issues with my C230, but I added an ASP Pulley to overdrive the supercharger and make about 220-225 horsepower now. Pretty peppy, but the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is a bit too eager to step in. But for safety, not a bad issue to have.

As for being well made (C230 viewpoint, not SLK230) - it's not great, but it's not horrible either. Probably slightly above average? Definitely better than any of my former Ford products and about on-par with my old Audi A4 for quality.

Engine is a bit industrial sounding (i.e. rough), and as Bullfighter stated, not eager to rev stock. The 2.3 liter engine is much torquier than the 1.8 liter that came after it though, and with the ASP pulley, it revs to redline much more willingly. I get 31 - 33 mpg on the highway with my C230 Coupe if I drive at a steady pace, high 20's (28 mpg) on the highway if I'm being moderately aggressive. YMMV - especially since I think the SLK230 had the clutch-type engagement of the supercharger as opposed to the direct belt drive on my 2002 C230.

Aftermarket warranties are only OK. I have one and luckily I haven't had to use it. My C230 has 78K miles and I've had zero issues. If you can get Certified Pre-Owned, that would be best (and most comprehensive), otherwise aftermarket warranties might be OK, but you'll have to read the fine print carefully. Many of the aftermarket warranties won't cover the supercharger, etc.

 

Don't buy from CarMax I bought a VW New Beetle from them and had nothing but problems with them and the car.

 

I drove one a while back and could not believe I was driving a Mercedes. Very bad build quality, so-so handling and no pep from the engine. I've had 2 Miata's and you really can't go wrong replacing them with newer ones. The current body style is price in your range and I've heard good things about the auto trans.

RE: Carmax. I sold them my Boxster because I wrecked it ($9g's in damage and poorly repaired) and they were the only ones who would take it, on the premise that it would be auctioned. A week later it was on the showroom floor.

 

Odd thing about CarMax is that they always tout that they will not place a car for sale on their lot that has sustained any major damage. They usually have some sort of car in the showroom to illlustrate that point (in my visit, it was a Mitsubishi Eclipse.) But when my friend was looking for a used G35, virtually all their cars had damage as I was easily able to see inconsistencies in the paint, poor prep work that shone through the paint, poor panel fit, etc. When it comes down to it, CarMax is a used car dealer like any other... except they have deeper pockets to put on a better show when you arrive.

 

My mom has a 99 SLK230 Sport.. Overall, it's a decent car, but we did have a few problems with it.. The supercharger had some kind of catastrophic failure at around 32K miles (but after our warranty had run out), and the bill to replace it was almost $3500! (On a good note, the car is faster than ever) We also had a problem with the passenger-side window, which was "fixed" 5 different times while still under warranty. Thankfully, they seemed to fix it right the last time.

It's a fun little car, and they've depreciated a TON, so you can pick one up for a great price. It's a totally different animal from my Boxster, but it suits her perfectly.