Mercedes-Benz SLK R172 Buyers Guide

In this episode of Steven’s Four Wheels, there’s a buyers guide for the Mercedes-Benz R172 SLK!
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[@antjeprivat1010]

I drive one in iridium-silver for almost 4 years now. I love it. Never had any problems with it. Very reliable, beautiful, and fun to drive. When I bought it, I got interested in car care. Now I have 4 polishing machines and more "beauty products" for my car then for me. .

[@stevensfourwheels]

I’m glad to hear that your enjoying your Benz. I’m exactly the same with my detailing products so I’m glad to hear that it’s not just me!

[@dhdove]

As someone who has had a full respray of a 2013 Fire Opal Red SLK55 AMG it’s worth pointing out that MB will only respray your car free of charge if it has a full MB service history and current MB Warranty. Two years later and so far so good. The body shop manager told me they’d been spraying a car a month (all models) for many years and they’d never had a customer come back with a problem. TonyS

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us Tony, that’s very interesting to know 👍

[@paulbrown7560]

@@stevensfourwheels Actually full MB service history and current MB warranty not required. My wife has a 2012 R172 SLK200 in red. Noticed micro bubbling in 2021. Took it to local MB dealer who asked me to bring it to their bodyshop. The bodyshop manager checked the car over with a paint thickness meter. He confirmed micro blistering present on some of the panels. He stated even though the car at 9 years old was out of warranty it was a known paint fault and MB would respray the affected panels free of charge on any affected cars up until they were 10 years old. Any panels that had been resprayed (hence the paint thickness meter) would not be resprayed. I use my local Mercedes independent specialist for servicing and no MB warranty on the car. This was not questioned and was not an issue at all. So, my car was left in, was given a Mini Cooper (that's fun!) as a loan car for a week, all free of charge. They even give me back the car fully valeted. All very straight forward and no hesitation whatsoever from my local MB dealer.

[@stevensfourwheels]

You’ve been lucky there! Sadly I’ve seen too many cases on owners forums where dealers won’t cover the cost for various reasons. I’m glad you got yours sorted! 👍

[@northstar0506]

Looking to buy a 2016 slk in white within the next few months. Thank you for a great video

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for waiting and I’m glad you found it informative. Good luck on your search for an SLK, let me know what you end up buying!

[@joobie1000]

Just dropped on your video mucka, great and very detailed review, im actively looking for a late 2017 - 2018 model 250slc amg spec one for the mrs now, iv been to see a few but i want full spec, airscarf, activated garmin sat nav, and the translucent glass panel in the hard top etc ! Iv been on pistonheads, cargurus, auto trader, mercland, e.bay, cinch, but hard to find what im looking for, which is fairly low mileage, not overpriced, as lots of them are on some of the car sites etc Il just keep looking, perseverance will pay off in the end

[@stevensfourwheels]

@@joobie1000 thanks for watching and I hope you find the right car for you soon. Just keep searching, one will eventually pop up and you’ll be glad you waiting. Please let me know how you get on 👍

[@joobie1000]

@@stevensfourwheels will do il keep ya posted m8

[@nathana1542]

Excellent video - just about to buy one and this has been very helpful! Thanks!

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy your SLK and let me know how you get on 👍

[@momoho7384]

Hi I just bought one and have no clow how to use it automatic gear. Can you please do video how to use that and use the parking break . Also can you show me when to find the button to open the engin boot and petrol cover

[@stevensfourwheels]

Hope you are enjoying the SLK. I might well decide to do a how to series of videos based on your comment. The bonnet release is under the drivers footwell. I don’t think there is a boot release from inside the car, just on the key and on the boot lid. The petrol cover doesn’t seem to have a release button but I believe if you push the flap on the flap itself, it pops open. Hope this helps 👍

[@momoho7384]

@@stevensfourwheels thank you very much . Also if you can shows how it looks like the spare wheel so we can buy the right one as well as how it looks it books for service and manual user as mine doesn't have it.

[@freddythefrog70]

Well done on having a manual gearbox, there's 3 times more automatics about than manuals. Why have a automatic in a sports car, maybe the unfortunate one legged persons are weirdly attracted to Mercedes-Benz brand? Would do anything for a SLK but I think my spine issues will again stop my dreams! Great informative video 👍

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching and I’m glad you found the episode informative. I hope you find a suitable car soon 👍

[@leonardmein4250]

Great Video. Are your alloys original in that color?

[@stevensfourwheels]

They were diamond cut before but they weren’t in the best of conditions. So I had them stripped back and powder coated in shadow chrome which is a finish you can have from silver through to dark drey. Thanks for watching!

[@leonardmein4250]

@@stevensfourwheels suits the car perfectly :)

[@stevensfourwheels]

@@leonardmein4250 thank you 😀

[@nickward-l9i]

Did you mention the leaky roof issues with the r172 roof?

[@stevensfourwheels]

No but that can be an issue 👍

[@Herbstear]

Very shiny. What polish do you use?

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thank you, I use Auto Finesse Tripple Polish and Auto Finesse Glisten Spray Wax. This is a great combination in my opinion. I have completed a review of Glisten recently.

[@dollycau9099]

L ho anche io..stesso colore...🙂🚘

[@stevensfourwheels]

è fantastico 🚗👍

[@richardvandenberg6379]

This isn't a buyers guide. You're just showing off your car....

[@stevensfourwheels]

Well that is what a buyers guide is. Showcasing a particular model of car. I’ve owned this car for nearly 6 years now and wanted to pass my ownership knowledge onto potential buyers. May I suggest that you watch another channel for their superior (in your opinion) buyers guides. Thank you.

[@hongkongphooey-kw4nd]

​@@stevensfourwheelsim thinking of getting a 2015 2.1 250,what are they like in the wet and ice???

[@stevensfourwheels]

@@hongkongphooey-kw4nd they are a rear wheel drive car so won’t be the best. However I’ve never driven mine in snow and ice.

[@astrinosraptakis9616]

Somebody have any problem with a roof???

[@stevensfourwheels]

@@astrinosraptakis9616 I haven’t had any issues but I know they can have issues as it’s relatively complex which can be simply or more problematic.

[@stevenlawrie7819]

I had a 2016 250d amg line 9 speed auto with full nappa leather interior - fantastic car.

[@stevensfourwheels]

Sounds lovely 👍🚗

[@beastieboy3926]

A modern classic .I had a black 350 a few yrs ago,and enjoyed it . They do everything well without being outstanding in any particular dept,but are great to live with esp in nice weather.

[@stevensfourwheels]

I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed your 350, sounds like a lovely car! Thanks for watching 👍

[@HaggardPillockHD]

Nice to finally find an SLK review that isn't made by a middle-aged car dealer with grey hair

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thank you! I’m glad you found my review different 👍

[@RustyCar]

I purchased a 2012 SLK350, 3.5L V6, 302HP, 4 years ago. It now has only 46,000 miles at the moment. Absolutely fun to drive, and easy to take care of & maintain. Only 2 issues I’ve had is the driver’s side taillight went out and had to replace the entire taillight, and the Bluetooth (for my music) is going out. Have yet to find a remedy for that. Great review! Point of interest: The trunk floor cover can actually be turned over and set back in place providing a deeper storage space when the top is down.

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed the review! It’s great to hear that you’re enjoying your R172. I never knew that about the boot floor. I will have to give it a go 👍

[@hartleyhare99]

Lovely motor. When i win the lottery im going to buy one in black with Continental tyres.

[@stevensfourwheels]

I hope you get that car one day! 😀

[@kintamanijp8509]

That's just my dream car !! I am looking forward buying it this year!! It's a 2011 model with just 53000 km on the clock!! Cost will be 9500 dollaras (here in Japan) Does it sound good? How much is this car where you live?

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching! I hope you get to achieve your dream. My SLK is worth around £11,000 (UK pounds) with 36,000 miles (around 58,000 km). Please let me know how you get on 😀

[@Paulmotea]

Gun metal gray

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@oliverjames4734]

Hi I’m looking at one tomorrow wats the best things to check , 74 thousand miles

[@stevensfourwheels]

They are fairly reliable if they have been looked after. Apart from the obvious service history and test drive, I would suggest checking that the roof folds up and down perfectly and all the electronics functional they should. It’s often the electronics that can cost the most to repair. If the car is bright red then check that paint hasn’t blistered as this is a common fault. Please let me know how you get on 😀

[@mattpeterson4351]

Very nice

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thank you 👍

[@crismateo7444]

where are you from pal? curious accent you've got ;)

[@stevensfourwheels]

If your from the UK then I’m half Brummie and half Black Country which is a curious combination.

[@simonfu9411]

Hi Steven, any issues with rust ? I m looking at 62 / 13 / 14 plates. Thanks

[@stevensfourwheels]

I’ve not had any issues with rust on this car nor do I know about any issues that the R172 has with rust. Hope this helps 👍

[@simonfu9411]

brilliant thanks 🙂

[@michaelhawkins1173]

Hi Steven thank you for your very informative video on the SLK. I am hopefully to upgrade soon to the 350 v6 as in your video. Do you know of any engine issues to be wary of when looking ? Thanks again.

[@stevensfourwheels]

Hi Michael, I’m glad to hear that you found this video helpful. I’m not aware of any particular issues with the 350. Of course please check that the car has a good service history and take the car for a good test drive, would be my best advice. I believe they are nationally aspirated so the V6 should feel smooth but powerful. Please let me know what you end up buying. Thanks, Steven 👍

[@justgetoutanddrive]

No issues with any engine - it's a bombproof car

[@Jjaymontie]

I can surely recommend the 350 variant. I've had mine 8 or 9 years, and it has been a solid car. Regularly serviced, enough grunt for my driving style, and everything continues to work... Wish you success in your hunt, and give your choice a "2 thumbs up."

[@seyley2901]

Look for the chrome roll roll bar (back) to go over the black version. Does anyone know a good place in the UK to get good Mercedes SLC R172 second hand car parts?

[@stevensfourwheels]

I haven’t got any places that I know off. Maybe try eBay? Of some of the SLK pages over on Facebook? Hope this helps 👍

[@mickyday2008]

I had a 2012 AMG 55. Fantastic car. Crazy fast. Amazing sound. I bought it to keep forever but made the mistake of buying a red one. The paint started bubbling up and the lacquer started to lift off. Took it back to Mercedes under the body and paint warranty and it turned out that it had already been ‘fixed’ under warranty. Apparently this is a common fault (Google it). Not impressed at all. I reluctantly sold the car before it got worse and needed a respray. Would I buy another? Definitely, but not a red one. The last of the daft 5.5 litre V8s. Cheap to tax too - £330.

[@stevensfourwheels]

Well I’m glad that you enjoyed the SLK and hope you get another one day! Sadly the reputation of the red paint was enough to put me off buying one.

[@Jjaymontie]

Sorry you had a bad experience I had not heard about a problem with "red" My 2013 350SLK is red, with Bengal Red interior, and I've had no problems with the paint Wonder if it was specific to a year, and later resolved, or...from a certain time frame. Hmmm?

[@beastieboy3926]

Yep, " fire opal red" Mercedes denied a problem at first,but many repainted under warranty later.I was nearly caught out when looking to buy one a few yrs ago,but I googled it before purchase and came across this fault.Even main Merc dealers could not be trusted on this,so be careful.Do not buy a red Merc around this yr.

[@CherylJohnston-v5v]

I am the original owner of a “Mars Red” 2012 SLK 350. It has 52,000 miles on it. Still looks brand new. Always garage kept. Even though I later bought 2019 SLC 43 AMG, I just cannot bring myself to sell the beautiful 2012 red one. I love them bought😊

[@markburden6912]

What is the paint code for that car, mine is the same colour but the paint code is black/

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thanks for watching. The paint code for Palladium is 792. Hope this helps 👍

[@mykehyslop198]

Thanks mate 👍

[@stevensfourwheels]

You’re welcome 👍

[@mykehyslop198]

@@stevensfourwheels👍

[@user-bu9su2xt6x]

Which year it is?

[@stevensfourwheels]

My car is a 2011 car.

[@user-bu9su2xt6x]

@@stevensfourwheels wow what a masterpiece. Looks amazing for 2011 with everything

[@stevensfourwheels]

Thank you! I do try and keep her looking smart 🚗

[@xRoRox]

I’ve got a deposit on a 200. Changing from an Audi that’s literally falling apart after 60k and 10 years old. Been looked after but it needs about 40-50% of its value on repairs. Now it’s cheaper to put some money to it and get an SLK. Looking forward to getting it in a couple of weeks. Wanted the 250 (1.8) but the extra money just doesn’t feel worth it for a bit extra hp. I guess a remap would do the same job.

[@stevensfourwheels]

I hope you enjoy your new purchase, let me know how you get on 👍

[@xRoRox]

@@stevensfourwheels it’s proving a lot better! Battery died on me the day I collected it but luckily they paid for it 😅 Sport mode is definitely a nice addition. Been getting 28mpg when I’m driving it on the back roads and up to 45 in economy just cruising at 60. Time will tell, I suppose. Overall, it’s the best car I’ve driven

[@stevensfourwheels]

@@xRoRox welcome to the SLK Club! I’m glad to hear that you’re loving it so far. Thankfully a battery is easily sorted.

[@villagernumber9233]

Recently developed an obsession for SLK even though I was never a huge fan of convertibles, always find myself looking up these cars on autotrader. Few months ago there was a 2010 SLK 300 up for sale not far from where I live. Was so tempted to go out and test drive it but I'm currently out of work so changing car didn't seem like a good idea, it's since been sold but hey what can you do. Did have some doubts about the SLK 200 in terms of it potentially being a bit underpowered but after watching some of your videos I can see that's not entirely the case. If I can't find any of the bigger engine models such as the 350 or the 55 then maybe I'll just settle for the 200 someday...

[@stevensfourwheels]

Firstly thanks for watching! I’m glad you’ve found my videos informative. Autotrader can be a dangerous place. I’ve personally never had any issues with my 200 being underpowered. I’ve found it to be a very good all rounder with good performance when you need it but good economy on a longer distance run. Of course the 350 and 55 are more powerful but I did recently go out with a friend in his 55 and he struggled to get any power down in the damp conditions. I hope you’re job situation changes soon. Please do let me know how you get on and if you need any more advice then let me know 😀

[@villagernumber9233]

Ahh thanks I hope the whole job situation changes too!! Oh okay if not autotrader then what would you recommend for car searching for future reference? Those are some good points you raised on the 200 so when the time comes will probably end up going for that model as it's the most frequent model available and it does seem like a good all rounder. I guess the V8 would be awkward to drive in certain conditions.

[@stevensfourwheels]

Autotrader is great place to start but other sites like eBay who offer classified adverts. Another option could be Facebook groups. I’m part of a few different groups which cover general Mercedes and also Mercedes SLK as a stand alone model. Often members of this groups will be enthusiasts so in theory the cars should be well cared for.