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A Miata would be a much better bet(easier to drive, cheaper to own, its a much better car to drive), but I assume she wants the SLK, just so she can tell people she has a Benz
yup ....lol I forgot about the Miata. I also looked iinto the EOS by VW but COSTCO does not have them on their list.
Basically i am looking for a compact hard top convert.
yup ....lol I forgot about the Miata. I also looked iinto the EOS by VW but COSTCO does not have them on their list.
Basically i am looking for a compact hard top convert.
The SLK really isn't "compact", it's more mid-sized than anything.
I'd highly recommend the new Miata, it's always been a wonderful, small, efficient roadster. The new hardtop model was something that came out in 2011 or 2012 I believe (I could be wrong). It'll be cheaper to buy than an SLK, cheaper to maintain, more fun to drive, quicker acceleration, better handling, etc etc.
Why buy through Costco? I've never heard of buying a car through a big-box store. Just to go your local dealership, find the right color/options, offer them a price, and see what happens.
The SLK really isn't "compact", it's more mid-sized than anything.
I'd highly recommend the new Miata, it's always been a wonderful, small, efficient roadster. The new hardtop model was something that came out in 2011 or 2012 I believe (I could be wrong). It'll be cheaper to buy than an SLK, cheaper to maintain, more fun to drive, quicker acceleration, better handling, etc etc.
Why buy through Costco? I've never heard of buying a car through a big-box store. Just to go your local dealership, find the right color/options, offer them a price, and see what happens.
According to MB the SLK is a compact car.
The Miata I test drived the hard top in 2007 which i think was the first year it came out. ITs not as luxurious and its not as spacious as the SLK and my reseach tells me SLK owners vs MIata owners are much more happier and have less issues.
Miata to me personally screams poor mans convertable. I live a life style that screams DIVA and I like to flash it. I don't want to buy a NEW car they depreciate as soon as you hand over the cash Cert. Pre Owned are very good and you can get great deals.
Buying via COSTCO has a lot of bennies. to many to list but if you reseach it you will see what I mean.
I am test driving a few tomorrow so we will see how it goes.
The Miata I test drived the hard top in 2007 which i think was the first year it came out. ITs not as luxurious and its not as spacious as the SLK and my reseach tells me SLK owners vs MIata owners are much more happier and have less issues.
Miata to me personally screams poor mans convertable. I live a life style that screams DIVA and I like to flash it. I don't want to buy a NEW car they depreciate as soon as you hand over the cash Cert. Pre Owned are very good and you can get great deals.
Buying via COSTCO has a lot of bennies. to many to list but if you reseach it you will see what I mean.
I am test driving a few tomorrow so we will see how it goes.
Do what you please but don't say nobody even warned you about the potential issues you'll encounter with the SLK.
The SLK, or any Mercedes model for that fact, never received over 80% for a customer satisfaction rating. I've heard plenty Mercedes owners that have issues...Miata is fairly simple to operate and maintain, less issues and things to break.
I think your "DIVA" lifestyle is both capricious and immature which will eventually leave you broke trying to live above your means.
If you want a FUN convertible to drive, a Miata really IS hard to beat. It's not flashy or excessive but it'll hold value extremely well, you can purchase a newer version versus an older SLK, and you won't ever have unGodly expensive repair bills.
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A Miata would be a much better bet(easier to drive, cheaper to own, its a much better car to drive), but I assume she wants the SLK, just so she can tell people she has a Benz
That's how it appears. [Sigh] Some people will never learn that you just look like a fool flaunting money that you don't have.
"Big hat, no cattle" as my father would always say.
What advice can you give me regarding buying a SLK and a pre owned car from a dealer or a private party?
I never purchased a pre-owned before and after buying a NEW car few yrs ago I realize NOW that pre-owned is a better savings.
With that, I plan on paying cash. how should I negotiate a sale. Some people have mentioned to be off City Data. That I should not mention this, becuz they are going to try and get me to finance and they get a kick back from the lenders.
your help is much appreciated.
I'm not sure why the naysayer in this thread is so interested in persuading you to get a cheaper Miata (which costs exactly HALF what the SLK costs new - and for good reason - fine car, I've heard they're fun, but a Miata is NOT a Mercedes) or otherwise not get what you want, a Mercedes SLK, but I will throw this out there: the 2004 and older model SLK230's (2.3L 4-cylinder models) will get the best gas mileage, anywhere from 25 city to 35 highway in normal driving. That particular engine is highly reliable, the transmission is robust (5-speed automatic), it shifts extremely well (high performance when you push it!), never feels like you're going to break or draws attention when getting the RPM's up, is smooth and refined, and feels more powerful than it's actual stats (true on the non-Kompressor models, certainly true on the Kompressor [supercharged] models).
The last year of the SLK model I'm referring to (as well as the 230 engine) was 2004. It's generally better to get a model with the most recent facelift/update and closest to the last year the model was made when buying a used car, if not just a 2004 itself. This gives automakers to perfect and work out little kinks that they may overlook in the first couple years of a model freshly hitting the streets. Further, when searching AutoTrader.com and Cars.com (two of the best car listing websites), I would search by mileage - low to high, and only consider the lowest mileage cars. If you're paying cash and can't afford the price, I'd go older but keep the mileage low rather than newer and high mileage, but stay 2000 or newer (maybe 1998, but the 2000 model received a major facelift). Further, when you buy a used car it's good to have a couple thousand dollars reserve *just incase* and be mindful that something *could* go wrong (IE: watch your garage floor for leaks - seals can go bad with age, for example, especially on low mileage cars and if, say, a rear-end seal goes out and all the fluid were to drain out, the car would be pretty much worthless or very expensive to repair). And it's probably a good idea to have the car inspected by a Mercedes dealer before buying. Don't be afraid to travel for the best deal. Good luck.
AutoTrader listings (go to page 2, too, because the listings start over as "featured [not premium] listings":
A Miata would be a much better bet(easier to drive, cheaper to own, its a much better car to drive), but I assume she wants the SLK, just so she can tell people she has a Benz
No way I would get a Miata, what a little pos matchbox car that is! Mercedes is a good brand but most of there cars are relatively heavy. If you can find a certified pre owned or one with warranty then go for that, but then again that can be said about any car.
I'm not sure why the naysayer in this thread is so interested in persuading you to get a cheaper Miata (which costs exactly HALF what the SLK costs new - and for good reason - fine car, I've heard they're fun, but a Miata is NOT a Mercedes) or otherwise not get what you want
Because it sounds as if the poster is:
a) Trying to purchase a vehicle which she cannot afford
b) Trying to be a "DIVA" (her own words) simply buy purchasing one of the cheapest Mercedes on the market
c) Not understanding the potential cost of maintenance on a used Mercedes
I could care less what she personally gets but I'm trying to be the voice of REASON here; I'm offering pragmatic advice about a potentially costly mistake.
The SLK is heavy, bulky, not very fast, has a low-rent interior, and can be VERY costly to repair. There are very few redeeming qualities about the vehicle. I'm trying to suggest an alternative that would be:
a) Inexpensive to purchase (and much newer than an SLK)
b) Inexpensive to maintain
c) Agile and lightweight
d) Extremely reliable
e) Fun to drive
Why on earth anyone would want a slow, heavy, bulky convertible is beyond me. I guess to each their own but it sounds as if the OP wants a "status" vehicle and the SLK is pretty cheap on the used market (for good reason)...not exactly a status symbol in my opinion.
I don't know, dude, but maybe you're right. The OP can read all this and hopefully think about it all on her own and make good decisions. You're definitely right that maintenance costs CAN be high if the person doesn't really know what they're doing in their dealings. The cheap interior comment - I actually agree. But relatively speaking, one could say the same about some of the older Porsche 911's. The interior doesn't necessarily make the car.
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