Learn Me: Mercedes SLK iterations etc.

As I drift further into my seventies I find that I am entering Grand Touring status more than sports car status. I have looked at BMW Z4's , Corvettes and Jaguars. One of my neighbours has an SLK for sale and I realize that I know next to nothing about these cars. A quick poke around on line brought up several that are near my price range. Any and all information from the collective would be greatly appreciated.

I currently have an NB Miata and previously have had RX7, RX8, Alfa's and Mini Coopers. I think I would like to be coddled a little but still have fun driving.

My mom has had a 2005 Chrysler Crossfire since new, so I've learned a decent bit about the first-gen SLK's. The Crossfire is an R170-chassis SLK320 in drag, built by Karmann.

The R170 first-gen cars seem pretty reliable with just routine maintenance. The convertible top may eventually need some of the hydraulics repaired as it ages, as the seals can leak. The Crossfire has a soft top vs the SLK's hardtop, and the rear window glass is glued into place. It will eventually start to fail. Your engine options were a supercharged 2.3L inline-4 (SLK230),  naturally-aspirated 3.2L V6 (SLK320), or supercharged 3.2L V6 (SLK32 AMG). The Crossfire never got the four-cylinder. 

I think the 230 could be had in manual-trans form, the 320 can definitely be had as a manual, and the AMG is automatic-only. They all got recirculating-ball steering which is easily the worst part of the car IMO. It provides rather poor road feel - this is not a BMW or Miata in that regard. Regardless, it's fine for commuting and back-roads cruising which is where these cars excel. I would almost be inclined to recommend the automatic transmission no matter what, as the manual in my mom's car is pretty clunky and truthfully not all that fun. Mercedes makes a very good, durable automatic and these are a 5-speed auto if you buy one so equipped. The 230's are pretty slow, I had a friend in college with one and it was underwhelming.

There are known issues that crop up with various relays in the engine bay, they are located too close to the exhaust manifolds and fail over time. Easy to repair though, with almost no tools and about 15 minutes' time. 

The car has a chipped key as with anything else of the era, and the solder joints in the immobilizer computer will fail over time, again due to heat. This means the car won't recognize the key and will refuse to start. A new computer is a few hundred dollars.

We had an issue with the alarm system's backup battery failing - it is located in the siren, and when it goes bad, the alarm will go nuts. Constant flashing hazards, things like that. You can unplug the siren and just leave it that way if you want, or replace the siren. We used one from another same-era SLK, I think.

They seem to be pretty good cars, they are definitely GT cars and not the most raw, connected sports cars in the world. I borrowed mom's for a few months while she was recovering from knee surgery and enjoyed it as a commuter/cruiser.

Thanks a lot for the information.  I suspect I will need to find a few to drive in any case. Any ideas about the second generation models?

lateapexer said:

Thanks a lot for the information.  I suspect I will need to find a few to drive in any case. Any ideas about the second generation models?

 

I just know that the same friend who had the yellow SLK230 in college also spent some time with his dad's SLK55 AMG, which was a second-gen car. It was black with red seats, made a great noise, and very fun to drive or ride in. Dad was driving and the engine lunched itself. Not sure what the cause was, but I think the "55" engines are generally considered pretty stout. The second-gen 320's would be another 3.2L V6/autobox combination and I believe it's similarly reliable vs the first-gen 3.2.

There is always my 91 300SL 5 speed.  Not an SLK but in some ways better.  Nothing beats a dog leg 5 speed for fun shifting.

Very difficult to find a 5spd R129 that is... for sale...

I've driven a manual SLK230 and in my opinion the drivetrain is even less sporty than the rest of the car. Imagine a 4 cyl that groans under heavy throttle and peters off at 5000 rpm. The manual doesn't feel particularly good to use. You're WAY better off with a 320/auto in my opinion. 

The manual in the Crossfire, and i assume the manual slk320 (i actually didn't know that existed?) is the same unit used in 6spd manual Jeep Wranglers. It has sort of a goofy ratio spread and is not particularly a sports car transmission either. 

The 5spd MB auto is a very good one for the era. 

Also i think the interior in both is kinda crappy.

I'm honestly just not a big fan of first gen SLK or of the Crossfire. I think later gen SLKs are probably a huge improvement although i havent personally verified this. 

I do have an R129 project car i've put very little miles on but if you can find one of those cheap enough I think it's a better overall package. It's big and heavy but stock v8 performance is better than non-supercharged 3.2 cars and it has tons more presence/authenticity as a 'high end product' than the downmarket SLK does. If that matters. 

Vigo said:

The manual in the Crossfire, and i assume the manual slk320 (i actually didn't know that existed?) is the same unit used in 6spd manual Jeep Wranglers. It has sort of a goofy ratio spread and is not particularly a sports car transmission either. 

What, you don't want to go rock-crawling in your Chrysler roadster?

Brake_L8's definitely provided a great deal of info for you! 

I'm currently restoring and updating a 98' R170 with 48k miles! Some of the issues i'm seeing seem to be common.

The interior plastics are, well, horrible! With exception to the dash top, i'm replacing/updating lower dash plastic and console pieces. The seating surfaces do last, but it's the stitching that tends to separate at the seams. Again, I'm replacing/updating with new leather.

On the electrical side, I definitely noticed blown fuses were the result of  corrosion on  the connecters, so I added dielectric grease to everything. The main fuse that stops everything in its' tracks is the K40 fuse block located in the engine compartment-in a box-next to the exhaust-in Florida??? As stated by Brake_L8, if you catch it early enough, simply opening and cleaning the contacts, then adding dielectric grease should end your issues.  

 Mechanically, the top's the first issue (fixed), but there are a few others, more so niggling issues. Inline fuel pump goes if filter's full. Noisy parking brake drums is another. Again, easily fixed. All of the common repairs are located on Pelican Parts' website:  https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/4083_catalog.htm

It's definitely a cool little convertible, albeit, a 90's convertible. I'll admit; It's been pretty easy/fun bringing it into the 2020's.