2006 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class consumer reviews

I have owned my Pewter SLK280 for about six years now. Let me begin by saying that I have read that Mercedes Benz quality has been slipping for a number of years. That said, the quality in this car has few if any seconds, but you will pay for it. This car is among the sexiest ever built, it is fast and handles like a go-cart. It is relatively comfortable and slightly more practical than a motorcycle, but bikes are fun aren't they? I love this car when it is running well, I hate it when I have to get anything fixed. It saves headaches to take it to a Mercedes service department, it will cost you, but Mercedes will take care of you. I recently bent a rim on the car, I figured I would get some nice aftermarket rims. If you live in a metro area, should not be a problem, if you live in a smallish town, forget about it, rednecks can't deal with European cars, does not matter if you are looking at a national parts chain or not. In fact, most parts except for filters and oil (filters you will probably have to order) are going to have to come from the dealer, and they will have to put them in, only the dealer can zero out your dashboard service warnings. You can do your oil changes yourself and change light bulbs, that's about it, unless you invest in a whole other set of tools. We have put about 200,000 miles on our car, original engine so far, transmission valve body was replaced twice under warranty/recall, New intake manifold not under warranty, and a few sensors replaced. With 200k on the odometer, surprisingly the original brakes are still on it. The roof squeaks and creeks when up, its a 'vert though, there are noises. If the factory radio craps out, factory replacement is NOT affordable, aftermarket head units look sketchy. If you are looking to buy one, try to find the six speed manual, an automatic even with paddle shifters is boring, not sporty at all. And NO you cannot swap a standard for an automatic unless you figure it out yourself. Cup holder is in a stupid location, dash board is rather disappointing from a maker such as Mercedes, an overabundance of fake plastic, door panels/handles and seats are neat though. All the complaining aside, when we bought this car, my wife's co-workers also bought new cars (ours was used), none of them still have their originally purchased vehicles, and their replacements are not holding up as well as this car. The paint is fantastic, the leather on the interior is very nice, not showing any scuffs on the entry side of the seats, the engine with 200k on it runs very nicely, does not use oil, still has same power (225 horse), exhaust system is stainless steel, so no rust, auto trans seems to be doing fine. We have been looking into engine and transmission replacement, as my wife does not want to give up this car, and it can be done, it is just expensive, but even at $10,000 for the motor and replacement, you cannot touch these cars for that price. Final verdict is that this is a great car, a very underrated sports car, fast an excellent handling car, fun to drive, gets better than 30 mpg (they do not advertise this) it gets looks everywhere, people even think it is a new car even though ours is a 2006 (11 years old at this writing). The down side it that it comes at a cost, however, Mercedes such as they are still the best quality auto manufacturer in comparison to the American Big Three, but there are still problems. Today many auto manufactures use the ZF auto trans, and MBZ will have problems as many cars do and will, the service department that we use does not give anything away, as they shouldn't; this is a prestige car, but they do take care of our car, for a price. If you can deal with occasional problems then this is your car, for that matter with 200,000 miles on ours, it has spent more time on the road than in the shop! If you get one prepare to deal with a case of affluensa, though, you get a lot of snooty comments from folks, as well as compliments. I do not know how a comparable car from BMW, Rolls Royce, Jaguar or Porsche would compare, if there even is one.

Very fun to drive. Comfortable, Powerful, Reliable, Powered Hard-Top Convertible is easy to put up and down with a single switch. Be sure and get the 6 Speed manual transmission - lots of fun.

I bought my 2006 SLK about six months ago, and it's a dream come true! You can really feel the road in this car, which may be a drawback for some drivers but I like it. Lots of compliments on my new "baby." Highly recommended.

Love it!!! Comfortable and I enjoy driving it for fun and commuting!!! It looks hot! Got it for my bday!!

robert and partrick give excellent service. Honest and very helpful with picking out the vehicle of my dreams...I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a fun or affordable vehicle. 5 star service!!

I purchased this vehicle a few years ago and am just getting around to writing the review. At the time, I was looking for a hard top convertible and a sporty look/feel. I'm 6ft 3in, and this was the "only" vehicle that I could actually fit into in a convertible, with room to spare actually. The car is loaded with the WOW factor, it will definitely feed the ego and impress those who gaze upon it. It's absolutely fun to drive even after all these years of owning. Now for the down side, I have concerns with the transmission, you really have to watch yourself when you put your foot down. The transmission will "slip" a bit to allow the engine to rev up before grabbing again for a sudden jump in speed. The problem is if you're already at highway speeds and you want to gitty-up-go, you can easily red-line the engine while it's "slipping". You'll have to ease back on the foot at just the right time so that it'll grab again and lurch you forward. It's not a cheap car to own and this baby loves it's maintenance. This is the first car I've owned where I haven't been able to do the maintenance myself. Changing the oil, cleaning the spark plugs, can do but to clear that nagging computer display you're going to have to take it in. I haven't spent less than $1000 per visit, actually averaging around $3000 per visit for my maintenance. The roof creaks annoying loudly over time and you'll have to take it in to get them to lube up the bushings and bearings to get it back under control. There are sensors EVERYWHERE, and they break easy. Try doing any work yourself or to any other mechanic and chances are they're going to break one of these sensors that'll cost you $500 and up to repair/replace. Benz was engineered to be maintained by Benz, so if you're going to get one, be prepared to spend the $$$$$ on maintenance, and not all Benz dealers have good mechanics. In summation, this car is the sexy model you always wanted to date, just be prepared for the high cost of ownership.

This car is great - fun to drive, practical, comfortable, and reliable. Mine has over 100k miles and I've had ZERO problems. The Mercedes-Benz quality has definitely returned.

I grew up on muscle cars, near had everyone made at one time. Moved to a BMW Z3 handling was great but engine performance was so so and many electrical problems. Bought a 2004 SLk Limited Edition and was thrilled with everything but the horsepower so traded it up for 2008 SLK Edition witht the six, more horses then the 4 cyl but still not enough for a man used to raw horsepower. Last purchase was a 2007 SLK (amg) NOW we are talking !! Horsepower is superb but the torque is incrediable. The handling on the AMG edition is second to none I ever drove, compine this with the horses and torque and its the best car I ever drove. Including many Vetts, Cameros, Mustangs, BMW's etc. If your gonna spend the $$$ for a Benz Convertible and what the raw speed w such, dont waste your time on anything else but the AMG model, you wont be disappointed.

My black SLK 350 is such a fun car to drive. It handles wonderfully, has a surprising amount of trunk space, and loads of great features. The seats are comfortable, the Harman-Kardon sound system is phenomenal, and there are plenty of small storage spaces inside the car (door, armrest, behind the driver's seat). I test drove the 280 and the 350; while both are fun, if you can get the 350, go for it.

Let's start with the good stuff: This car is a rocket and it looks as good as any sports car on the road. OK, that was it for good stuff. The interior design is worse than any base car. The cup holder sticks precariously out over the radio, AC/heat and all the other controls. If your water bottle sweats, you're hosed. The AC/heat controls are hardly intuitive and the noise drowns out the radio. Which speaking of is embarrassing for a car as expensive as this one. The sound is worse than an old Honda I owned in the '70's. And we won't even talk about repairs and oil changes. The tires are over-priced and under-sized. Are the car designers in league with Michelin?? So it would seem. And if you hit a pothole, plan on it feeling like you're riding in a log wagon and that's with the suspension set on "comfort". I'm selling this car and will NEVER own another Mercedes. They should be embarrassed.