The car started having a coolant problem at 40,000 miles. The Mercedes-Benz dealership I lived near did not immediately fix the problem, saying it was normal for their cars to run at very high temperatures. A few days after going to their service center, steam started coming out from under the hood. I took it back to them, and they replaced the radiator.
At 42,000 miles, a beeping sound would go off in the cabin whenever the roof separator canvas in the trunk was displaced. Simply hitting a bump would cause this. The dealership was never able to fix the problem. However, pushing the retractable roof button slightly would stop the beeping sound.
At 45,000 miles the passenger side door would not close properly. One would have to slam it to get it to close. I never got this problem fixed.
At 47,000 miles, the retractable roof would not go down when prompted to do so. I brought it to the Mercedes-Benz dealership, but it started to work again before they even took a look at it. When I got home, it stopped working. This was quite frustrating, so I asked them to replaced the wiring that controls the rectractable top.
The driver side brake light started having problems at 50,000 miles. Initially, the bulb was replaced, but the problem persisted. A week after the bulb was replaced, some electrical wires needed to be replaced.
The starter was replaced at 52,000 miles.
The driver side headlight bulb was replaced at 58,000.
The spark plugs were replaced at 63,000 miles.
The interior cabin light was replaced at 70,000 miles.
This car gave me a bit of headache in terms of its reliability. It seemed like I was always making trips to the Mercedes-Benz dealership for maintenance.
On the upside, the car was a joy to drive. It isn't anywhere near as fun to drive as a BMW Z, Honda S2000, or Porsche Boxster, but the hard top is very desirable. The ride could be a little better, especially since its tires are smaller than its other roadster counter-parts. Also, the car has a very heavy feel and does not feel sporty at all. The SLK is entirely too heavy for its own good. Acceleration could be improved as well.
The cabin is roomier than I expected, but the seats are extremely uncomfortable. I'm a young man, and so I didn't think my back could really get sore from riding in a car. Boy, was I wrong. My back would literally ache after driving the car for only 45 minutes. The seats simply are not supportive and cause your back to be in an unnatural position.
I honestly don't think I'll ever buy an SLK230 again. There really are better options out there.
I bought the 1998 SLK230 when it first came out and am still driving it. At 110,000 miles and I still love the car. Other than routine maintenance the only problem I ever had with the car was a rear tail light assembly that kept blowing bulbs. Mercedes realized the problem and recalled the entire assembly, sending out a mechanic to actually replace the entire unit at no charge. No complaints here. I find the ride extremely comfortable and have driven up to six or seven hours with no complaints - and I'm in my 40's. The handling is tight, fun to zip around in, accelerates quickly, and being a sportscar lover from birth (my dad owned a corvette stingray in 1964 which is the first car I remember being in) I love the low roar of the engine. Not whiny, but just deep enough to be cool. For a day to day driving sportscar I don't think the SLK can be beat. Compared too many of the high performance sportscars it is not temperamental, gets fairly good mileage and has a huge trunk. I will drive it when I'm 90!
My 1998 SLK230 top gives me problem all the time; it comes down when it wants to.
Also my engine hardly wants to pick up speed over 40 mph.
My right door is hard to close.
Now after 2 years I really want to sell it.
A really good looking automobile, but too many manufacturers defects.
I own a 1998 230 SLK which has approx. 34000 miles on it.
The "coating" on the console is wearing off as well as peeling off, exposing a black finish under the original grey color. I have asked dealers & mechanics, and am told this is a common problem and there is no acceptable remedy. The slightest touch on the console surface will leave a black mark due to the "coating" being so thin. This condition really disturbs me since the rest of the car is in excellent condition.
My 1998 SLK with 11,000 miles on it (yes that's all) also has a small peeling spot on the console. You can get the original MB paint for touch up or refinishing your console on ebay. It's shipped from Germany. I'm gonna give it a try.
My roof was giving me trouble, the problem is actually in the trunk latch. The cam that leads from the trunk key lock to the trunk latch sticks just enough to make the internal sensor think the trunk is open. If you reach into the trunk lid right side & turn the cam another .5 inch, the roof will work fine. I don't know if it's a lubrication issue or if the spring that's supposed to pull the cam back into place is getting weak. Since the tail lights were replaced from the recall, the problem has not returned. Maybe the dealer fixed that too.
Door not closing properly - check the bumper/tensioner between the two inside hinges. One day I opened my door and a bolt fell out. It went to this bumper & they all were loose. Once I fixed it, the door closed much better. Put some thread locker on the bolt & tighten it up snug. Do not over tighten!!! Those bolts will strip out with very little pressure.
Note: A Comments RSS Feed is available. New comments appear in the Members Area before the main site