77% Which? works for you

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1 Which? works for you Which? Car review MercedesBenz SLK ( ) On sale: Jul 2004 Class: New price: 31,285 54,368 Used price: From 6,225 Performance: Boot & Storage: Ride comfort: Safety: Solid and secure folding hardtop roof. Powerful engines and strong brakes. Reasonable boot. Poor visibility, roofup. Expensive to buy and run. Thirsty engines. handling: Reliability: Total score: 77% Recommended models in the range Which? Car Top Choice Model SLK 200K 2dr Tip Auto New price: 32,845 Used price: 9,750 Fastest Model SLK 55 2dr Tip Auto New price: 54,368 Used price: 14, mph: 4.9 secs Most Efficient Model SLK 200K Grand Edition 2dr New price: 33,615 Used price: 11,895 Combined fuel economy: 36.2 mpg Cheapest Model to buy new SLK 200K 2dr New price: 31,285 Overview The MercedesBenz SLK was one of the first roadsters with a metal folding hardtop roof, and has been since refined everfurther to combine a highly comfortable roofup ride with proper sports car thrills topdown. The largerengined version are more exciting, but the SLK is a good longdistance cruiser and some of its optional gadgets are very tempting. Buying secondhand, few used SLKs of this generation can be found outside of the MercedesBenz dealer network, which isn t such a bad thing dealers can confirm the service record and there are useful guarantees with used cars that you won t necessarily find at independent retailers. That said, prices tend to be high. The SLK was updated in 2008, with a newlook nose and some engine improvements. If you fancy the wind in your hair as you re driving, but are worried that you might get chilly, the SLK s Airscarf option could be what you need a vent pumping out hot air at neck level to keep both driver and passenger cosy. Other tempting options include nappa leather and an AMG body styling kit (if you don t go for the SLK 55 AMG itself). The SLK is a joy to drive, with steering and handling to match its sporty image. Its cabin is well designed, and although it s narrow, the seats will accommodate people up to 6ft 6in tall. The entrylevel supercharged 200K model is just about powerful enough to have fun, though it s not as quick as a basic Audi TT. MercedesBenz has an average reliability rating overall, but this generation SLK is one of the betterperforming models, scoring four stars in the latest Which? Car Survey. The most commonly reported issues are with the rainwater seals, ventilation system and springs. Cheapest Model to buy used SLK 350 2dr Used price: 6,225 Cheapest Model to Run (new) SLK 200K Grand Edition 2dr New price: 33,615 Running costs: 23,490 (3 years/36,000 miles) Owner s View Tremendous fun to drive. Excellent handling, superb performance with all the sensible gadgets you d need, e.g. Airscarf. Smooth gearbox and surprisingly economical considering the 3.5 litre engine. It s superb engineering, especially the folding roof mechanism.

2 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) On the road The SLK gives a lively ride, as you d expect in a sports car like this, but it is comfortable for long journeys. Entrylevel versions use the 1.8 supercharged engine (200K) which we tested; it s sufficient to have some fun. Performance The 1.8 supercharged engine (badged 200K) may seem like the poor man s option but it provides plenty of power. From 2008, power went up from 163bhp to 184bhp, a useful boost. This engine remains smooth at all revs. The manual transmission isn t that nice to use, as it doesn t appreciate being rushed and requires quite a lot of effort to shift between gears; most Mercedes buyers prefer an automatic gearbox anyway, and this is invariably smooth and intuitive. Acceleration (3762mph) 4.9 secs 4.2 secs 3.3 secs Ride comfort The sporty, stiff chassis strikes a good balance for a sports car, and it s sufficiently comfortable over long distances despite its firmness. Performance We use the sophisticated electronic timing equipment to record standingstart and ingear acceleration, and repeat each test several times. Ride comfort Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of thousands of miles in a myriad of different models.

3 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) On the road continued... Handling There s little body roll when cornering, and directional stability is very good the SLK achieved a high speed through our emergency obstacle avoidance test without losing control. The communicative steering helps here, and it s geared quite highly so small inputs result in big changes in direction, great for a sporting car such as this. Handling Onthelimit handling is explored well away from public roads to ensure a fair test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of the harshest tests in the industry.. Brakes Brakes Stopping power in the SLK isn t a problem, and the brake pedal is perfectly weighted. The average stopping distance from 62mph in our tests was 38m. Braking distance (620mph) 38.0m 34.5m 35.5m Refinement and noise You can tell MercedesBenz engineers spent quite a lot of time ensuring the SLK remains quiet. With the hood up, it s easy to forget you are in a convertible car although there is a hint of wind rustle around the windows. The engine stays pretty quiet at all times, even at high revs. Cruising noise 70dB 70dB 70dB The Which? Car braking test measures stopping distance from 620mph and is repeated ten times in quick succession to highlight any brake fade issues. Refinement and noise The Which? Car experts use a decibel meter to record interior sound levels at common UK motorway speeds, and combine this with subjective assessments to arrive at an overall score.

4 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) On the road continued... Cabin and controls The SLK s seats are well designed and comfortable, although if you want leather trim you ll have to spend extra. Instruments are clear and the controls are simple to use although the radio can be a bit baffling at times. The cabin has a suitable display of opulence although things will appear quite bare without spending some money on options such as the upgraded stereo, woodandleather gearknob and woodandleather steering wheel. Even cupholders cost extra. Visibility and parking Visibility in the SLK is quite poor. The pillars are necessarily large (to contain the electric folding mechanism) but this makes the windows quite small and there are noticeable blind spots fore and aft. Optional parking sensors can help with parking, and the 10.4m turning circle is quite good in this class. Turning circle 10.4m 10.3m 10.4m Cabin and controls We penalise cars with difficult controls, and we look for things like backlit light switches and easytouse heating and ventilation adjustments. Visibility and parking Visibility is a major issue for motorists today, so each car gets a 360degree swivel view test to reproduce the driver s eye view and any obscured areas.

5 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Comfort and practicality As a twoseat roadster, the SLK isn t going to be immensely practical, but it does have a decentsized boot when its roof is up and excellent seats. It s comfy for long journeys, and we love the optional Airscarf necklevel heating system. Getting in and out The SLK sits low on the road and it can be a struggle to climb in and out of. Seat space and comfort MercedesBenz seems to be particularly proficient on seat comfort. The SLK s seats are firmly padded, but comfortable over long distances. Side support is quite good too, although if you want soft leather and power adjustment for the seats you ll need deep pockets. The driving position is suitable for drivers up to 6 6 and the seats are heightadjustable. The SLK is quite narrow inside though, so if two tall people are sitting in it they might be rubbing elbows. If there s one option you must have, it s the Airscarf seat ventilation system. This blows warm air around your neck, reducing stiffness on long journeys. Getting in and out We take measurements all around the driver and passenger s door apertures and note the height of the seat, door sills and step down onto the car floor. The best cars don t require too much bending or stretching to get in and out. Seat space and comfort We assess seat comfort subjectively, using our road testers expert knowledge and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to see how well the car caters for people of all shapes and sizes.

6 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Comfort and practicality continued... Boot and storage The 240litre boot is quite good by twoseat roadster standards, but the folding roof lives in the boot once folded, reducing capacity to 175 litres. Cabin storage is limited, with a small glovebox and few cubbies. Boot space (seats up/down) 240 litres / litres 240 litres / litres 240 litres / 240 litres Heating and ventilation Climate control is standard in the SLK. The engine warmed up swiftly from 10deg C in our tests, and the air conditioning system is powerful and effective. The Airscarf system channels warm air to the neck area of both seats, and it s a worthwhile option as it allows comfortable motoring even in low external temperatures. Boot and storage Carmakers give official stats for boot space, but our tests are more realistic. We load the boot up with measuring blocks only as far as the rear window line, so that luggage is well secured and won t obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test with the rear seats up, and folded down (where possible). Heating and ventilation Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm each car up from a frosty 10 degrees in our climate chamber. Starting with a cold engine, we measure how long it takes to warm up the front and rear of the cabin. Diesel cars usually take longer. We also check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.

7 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Running costs and depreciation The SLK s expensive purchase price is offset somewhat by great residual (resale) values; it s still quite thirsty, though. Insurance groups for the SLK start in Group 16, rising to Group 19 for the SLK 55 AMG; VED (road tax) and BIK company car tax are reasonable for the SLK 200K, though the topbanded SLK 55 AMG s another matter. Servicing at Mercedes main dealers is expensive, too. Fuel consumption Fuel consumption The 30.4mpg figure we measured for the SLK 200K is a bit disappointing, especially considering it had a manual gearbox. Mercedes claim is for 36.2mpg, so we were a long way off this. Both SLK 280 and SLK 350 are said to return under 30mpg, and you ll be lucky to see the claimed 23.5mpg in the SLK 55 AMG. Petrol (combined mpg, claimed) 23.5 mpg 36.2 mpg We test fuel economy under strict lab conditions using realistic test cycles to reveal the facts behind the figures. Our figures rarely match manufacturer claims as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold engine, and on the motorway. Diesel (combined mpg, claimed) Urban (claimed/measured) 22.4 mpg/21.6 mpg 20.8 mpg/20.8 mpg 18.2 mpg/18.7 mpg Extra urban (claimed/measured) 43.5 mpg/42.2 mpg 42.2 mpg/41.5 mpg 36.2 mpg/34.9 mpg Motorway (measured) 31.7 mpg 32.5 mpg 26.6 mpg Combined (claimed/measured) 32.5 mpg/30.4 mpg 30.4 mpg/31.0 mpg 26.7 mpg/26.4 mpg

8 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Running costs and depreciation continued... Emissions Carbon dioxide emissions start from 184g/km for the SLK 200K manual and 187g/km for its automatic counterpart, but all other versions put out more than 200g/km 288g/km, from the SLK 55 AMG. Petrol (CO2, claimed) 184g per km 288g per km Diesel (CO2, claimed) Emissions (claimed/measured) 209g per km/219g per km 225g per km/215g per km 255g per km/253g per km Emissions While testing fuel economy, we also collect exhaust gases to enable us to measure the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. We also check whether particulate filters are effective at removing sooty emissions from diesel engines. Safety Safety and security Euro NCAP score No results available. Which? safety rating Active (crash avoidance) Passive (crash safety) Child Pedestrian We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP crash test scores (where available), alongside our own comprehensive safety checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results from our accident avoidance test after all, it s far better to steer around a crash than rely on the airbags... Security Security Theft of car: Theft from car: Security scores come from the security experts at Thatcham, who break into hundreds of cars each year. Most modern cars are very difficult to drive away, but are still too easy to steal from.

9 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Which? Car Survey results The Which? Car Survey is the UK s most robust reliability and owner satisfaction survey. In 2015, drivers told us about 58,000 cars, covering more than 484 million miles in the previous 12 months (that s equivalent to driving to the moon and back a hundred times). This unique feedback allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars. Note: Star ratings below are from 15 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown under Most common faults indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the past 12 months. Brand MercedesBenz ratings Sample size: 2,292 people Overall owner satisfaction for this brand 83% Brand reliability Dealer Sales Service Dealer Servicing & repair Model: MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Ownership ratings Sample size: 86 people Overall owner satisfaction for this range 83% Driving enjoyment Ease of driving Comfort Dash layout and controls Practicality Value for money Running costs Incar technology About our survey Brand ratings Everyone who takes part in the Which? Car survey tells us about their car and the dealers who sell and service it. We analyse this feedback across all cars to give toplevel satisfaction ratings for each brand, including the brand s reliability record over the last eight years. All star ratings are out of five. Model ownership ratings These show how owners score this car in 12 different areas, from performance to heating. Owners ratings are subjective so may differ from Which? Car test scores but they give a good idea of what the car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars are scored against other cars in the same class (e.g. for space). Owner s View A joy and pleasure to drive. What motoring used to be all about. Owner s View Secure folding hardtop, excellent seats and a good boot, but SLK 200 needs more power.

10 MercedesBenz SLK ( ) Which? Car Survey results continued... Reliability ratings Overall Reliability Up to 3 years old 48 years old Petrol cars Reliability breakdowns average annual repair cost Diesel cars Reliability breakdowns average annual repair cost All cars Reliability breakdowns 2% average annual repair cost 203 Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12 months About our survey Reliability ratings We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where the car has been on sale for some time, and we have numerous survey responses from owners, we also split scores by the age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are out of five the more stars, the more reliable the car. Most common faults Most common faults Up to 3 years old 48 years old Rainwater seals 5% Springs 5% Ventilation Other 5% Exhaust System 2% Fuel System 2% Want to know what s most likely to go wrong as the car gets older? These are the five most common faults reported by owners, grouped by age into new, recent and older cars. A score of 40% means four out of 10 owners reported problems with that part of the car over the previous 12 months. Engine electrics and nonengine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause more headaches than mechanical parts in most modern cars. Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year