Welcome back to another edition of What Could Possibly Go Wrong, my weekly examination of an aging used car that’s as cool as it is concerning, and for a price normally reserved for a used SUV.
This week we’re looking at the Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG, an exotic and fast hardtop convertible sports car from an era not renowned to be the brand’s best build-quality.
Last week’s Honda S2000 proved to be a rare misstep from a brand with a rock-solid reputation for reliability. And if a used Honda isn’t a safe bet, what hope does the more expensive, more complex Mercedes-Benz have? You may be surprised.
It was the bruiser of the drop-top sports car world in the mid ‘00s, offering explosive acceleration if less poise than the competition. It was rear-wheel drive, only shipped with a seven-speed automatic gearbox (with paddle shifters), and could be a bit of a handful when pushed.
Just because it had a big hammer for an engine didn’t mean it was uncivilised though. The folding metal roof was slick, capable of folding the roof way in just 20 seconds. It was also the first car to feature Airscarf technology as an optional extra, a system that blew warm air over the driver’s neck to prevent chilliness.
If all that power isn’t enough, there was the exceedingly rare SLK55 AMG Black Series, with more power, a lighter roof, bucket seats and racier dampers. Only 120 were made and they’re incredibly collectible nowadays.
It was an expensive car when new, with prices starting at £50,000 before any optional extras were added. To put that into perspective, a Porsche Boxster S was £40,000 and a BMW Z4 M was £42,000 – in fact, it wasn’t far off the £65,000 asking price for the much larger Jaguar XK.
Prices have softened significantly since then, and an SLK55 AMG can be easily found in the £8,000 mark. The best examples will give you change from £20,000, including examples with desirable extras (like the upgraded Harman Kardon speaker system) and full service histories.
Parts supply is solid for the SLK55 AMG with good aftermarket support for uprated mechanicals. A new pair of front brake discs is £147, while a servicing kit (with engine oil, air and fuel filters) is £80. A new set of headlights is £600, reasonable numbers for a premium sports car. Note that there are 16 spark plugs to replace as part of a service though, that’ll cost a small fortune.
The bulletproof 5.4-litre V8 wedged into the SLK was also used in a number of AMG Mercs of this era, meaning aftermarket support is plentiful.
In its day it was up against all manner of sports car offerings, with the Porsche Boxster 3.4 S its closest rival. It was far better in the corners and there are a lot more around on the used market. There appears to be some price parity between the SLK and Boxster – ropey examples are £10,000 and £20,000 will nab you a nicely sorted one.
The SLK has been discontinued for a while now, and while Mecedes-AMG does make a convertible sports car, it’s not small and it costs from £110,000. The Mercedes-AMG SL is not all that more powerful than the SLK55 AMG with 435hp on tap, and weighs about 300kg more too.
To find out more, read our full Mercedes-Benz SLK AMG review
Pros
- Thundering performance
- Sharp handling
- Proving robust and realiable
Cons
- Hefty running costs
- Sluggish manual gearbox mode
Looking to buy a used Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG? Here’s the lowdown on what to look for:
- The folding metal roof. It’s complex and can leak or jam with time. Repair kits are in plentiful supply, but labour costs will quickly mount up.
- Front suspension. That V8 is heavy, and the multi-link front suspension wears relatively quickly. Listen for knocking noises on the test drive and look for broken coil springs.
- Gearbox. Make sure the gears shift smoothly on a test drive, and the car doesn’t enter limp mode which jams it in one gear, this is a sign the conductor plate has failed. Make sure the gearbox oil has been changed every 40,000 miles too.
- Corrosion. Nowhere near as bad as the first generation of SLK (it would be an effort to do worse), but rear subframes can rot with age.
- Water ingress. Leaks are a common theme with the SLK, so check for signs of damp across in the boot, behind the seats and the carpets.
Should you buy a Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG?
Yes, you should. This complicated, big-engined sports car with a price tag north of £50,000 brand new makes for an unexpectedly solid used purchase. There aren’t pages of horror stories lurking about online, it’s a nice car to drive and it’s even quite easy to live with. With the best, most sorted examples only peaking £20,000 too, it’s a bit of a bargain. Do note that running costs won’t be cheap, neither will fuelling that unruly V8. But as small, fast sports cars go, it’s a bit of a hidden gem.
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