a new cabriolet

[MissMercedes]

Hi,

I am a newbie. I am looking for a new cabriolet and have come a bit stuck.

I like the new SLK, but I also like the CLK cab. and sometimes I think maybe having 4 seats would be good. I have looked at an Audi A4 Cab and also thought about a SAAB 9.3 aero. I can stretch to a second hand SL too.

any advice about Mercedes would be good. this seems an informative site and hope to hear positive views.


And before anyone asks, Yes I was Christened Mercedes by my car nut father. Who has never owned a mercedes car in his life.

Thanks in anticpatipation.

Karina Mercedes J

 

[SLinKyjoe]

piece of cake this..just buy an SLK nad have done with it. proper metal roof for starters.....no doubt you will get some other views.

but a new Merc should at least give you peice of mind with a warranty. where as secondhand may have problems?

i was going to say the SAAB and A4's do look a bit girlie but under the circumstances i wont.

and as for your name....i do recall that Mercedes Cars were named after the Daughter of and Austrian King or something.....so cars are actually named after you....


do you need 4 seats? I have never been in the back of a 4 seater cab and would be interested to see responses from those who have. I would think it may get a bit windy.

 

[MOHDW211]

Hi Miss Mercedes,

My friend has a A4 cab. He has the A4 2.5tdi version. Its having a recent facelift so used values may be coming down after a while. I would say drive all the ones u mention then see which one is the car for u.

It's always good to have 2 extra seats since if your going out with friends they can join you in your nice car. Have u considered the CLS....i think it looks nice and being a new model with def hold its value. It's quite exclusive at the moment.

The CLK is also due for a facelift very soon...possibly this summer.

I quite like the CL over the SL in terms of practicality and its looks.

Anway good luck with your decision.

 

[pascal]

CL........... No.............CLS ................. No... No No NO.

They would look terrible with the roof cut off.

Also, I think they both suit more mature, masculine persons (my opinion)

Personally, I would go for the SL. Looks a million dollars.

If you seldom need more than two seats, it should be no problem.
Of course, every situation is different. If you have access to a 4 seater,
or close friend has one etc, all need to come into the equation.

The SLK is a beautiful car also. Auto, Auto Auto.

BTW Karina, Welcome to the forums.


pascal

 

[davidsl500]

I was in a 3.0 A4 Cab the other day, very smart but my mate was cramped up in the back so wouldnt say it was a practical 4 seater. Mind you why they have seats in the back of an SL is beyond me. If you go for an SL then have t checked out thoroughly - a bad one will cost you dearly.

The SLK is a good looking car as well. Why 4 seats anyway ?- just means more people can cadge lifts instead of posing with a mate......

 

[pascal]

I think by the way Karina described it, she was talking about the new (r230) SL.

As for the R129, I use the rear seat on mine from time to time. Its only good for short trips. My daughter and a friend for instance. I'm not likely to be ever sitting back there, so am not all that worried about their comfort. LOL.

pascal

 

[peterchurch]

Hi,
I'l agree with David on the SL being costly if it plays up but thats just pot luck I'm afffaid, and they are great to drive. I would stick to the newer models 99 - 2002 as they had the better engines. (the hardtop is very heavy and needs a place to store it as well which is a bit of a shame) I had a SAAB 93 (1999) model and I loved it. The built quality was at least SL standard and it had plenty of room in the back and power when you wanted to have fun. If you do go Saab I would recomend the auto box though, as the clutch Is a total beast in traffic (if you are looking at an older model I saw a 93 Viggen cabrio for sale in Chingford a few weeks ago for about 10K ) I was sorley tempted myself

Best regards,

Peter

 

[MissMercedes]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. I have a budget which could stretch to a 2 year old SL350 or even a SL500. I am not sure I could handle a V8 though. Pascal, What is this r230? Or will everyone laugh at me for asking?

I think the latest SLK is very sexy. At the moment I drive a VW Beetle Cabriolet and to be fair, even with the 2 litre engine it has it isnt very powerful. It is very Girly (I like the way Slinkyjoe spells it Girlie) but it does have 4 seats. I have only ever had 3 people in the car at one time. Normally it is me and maybe my father, who detests the sight of it.

I saw a top gear programme a while back and 2 presenters were in the lake district with the CLK500 and the Audi A4. That was the diesel version. I will not be taking a diesel version. I am not standing at the fuel pumps covered in grimy diesel and having truck drivers whistle at me. Sorry if that is stereo typical female behaviour but thats how it is. I do like the shape of the CLK but I was recently in a AudiTT and even though the guy who drove it told me it was the same floorpan? of the Beetle, it was a compact car. And I like the fact I was close to the screen. I think it will help make parking easier. The beetle with the roof down is terrible for rear view.

The guys at work want me to buy a porsche boxster but i think it is too much a sportscar...i was looking for something a little less performance and a bit more comfort.

Karine Mercedes J

 

[davidsl500]

If you have a problem with parking then dont go for an SL - the end of the bonnet is about 4 miles in the distance...............

Looks are one thing but you have to be comfortable with how it drives etc., so book some test drives and see how you go.

You could have parking sensors fitted front and rear to help the parking of course. Boxters are very commonplace now - but still nice if you like that sort of thing.

You could of course go slighly less common for instance a Crossfire or a Nissan 350Z but they dont really have the prestige.

Given the choice then I'd go for an Jaguar XKR or new shape SL.

 

[pascal]

Miss Mercedes,

The new type SL (the type you are talking about) is called the R230. The older shape, like mine, Peters and Davids is called the R129.

From the way you said that you could nearly stretch to to an SL from a new SLK oR CLK Cabriolet, I knew it was this model you were talking about.

Will probably have the least depreciation, as you will be buying it used, and now they have come down to sensible prices.

Unless you want massive power, the 350 should easily suffice. Its about 260 horspower.

pascal

 

[Myros]

what about us classics?

Karina, don't rule out a slightly older SL if you want that "special" motor car. Ken had an absolute belter for sale on this forum a few weeks ago, just have a look in spares for sale. I kept up behind an SLR today in my 20 year old 500SL, for at least 100metres and 3 or 4 seconds.
I spent about half an hour in the back of it yesterday, and that is enough to put all but the best, or most petite of your friends off cadging a lift.
A good one will last for ever, and I've found they are rare enough to actually get people talking to you about your car, with genuine interest.
Whatever MB you buy, people on this site are freindly and will try to help you with any problems you might have.
Welcome aboard.

 

[peterchurch]

The R230 prices are very sensible at the moment the only worry I would have with one is that the first wave of second hand ones are reaching 3 years old this year and no one really knows what will go wrong on them yet
As for a Porsche they are not such a bad idea as they are about the only car that refuses to depreciate. I am concidering a 911 at the moment (not very much more than a Boxter with the right finance/lease package)

 

[MissMercedes]

Hi again,

Thanks for the replies.

Pascal, 260BHP! I was suprised. I dont need that much. I have been looking at the prices for SL's and I think that most are going at around £55,000 or more which is a bit too much. I dont really fancy second hand. The Guys at my work, are telling me how good they are but I realise they just want me to buy one so they can have a go in it. I think the same for the Porsche. I see Boxster's being driven by older men that seem to be having a midlife crisis!

I fancy the new SLK and have seen on a thread here that you dont even have to check the oil!. That will save the Guys from doing that too.

I wasn't taken with the audi but I must admit I never sat in the back. I am going to Mercedes Direct on the North circular today for a look at CLK cabs. Hope they are open on a bank holiday. I think I like the CLK. I like the one with the Blue glass.

David, A girl in a Jaguar? I dont think so. They are certainly old mens cars! A crossfire? I have seen a Nissan. Horrible thing. I want something with curves not angles.

Myros, What is an SLR? hope nobody laughs at me for asking! I do take the point of people asking for lifts but sometimes the room would be good for the shopping! And it has to be a cabriolet, I just love the feeling of my hair blowing in the wind on a nice sunny day.

I think I fancy my next car to be a Mercedes. I like the idea of the status of having one. Will people let me out at the junctions like they do at the moment, if I buy one?

 

[davidsl500]

Miss M I'm confused now!

Your earlier thread suggested that you had a budget that would run to a 2yr old SL350 or even SL500 but you dont want a second hand car !

Anyway your budget would easily cover a new CLK240 or SLK280 with options (options can add a suprising amount to the new cost). Whichever one you choose you should have plenty left to buy some more shoes (lol).

So its a trip to the dealer and compare the two I reckon. For my own two pennies worth, the CLK is more a family oriented car whereas the SLK is more the young,free and single type (joe, excepted!). The CLK has quite a big rear end on it so you might find the parking harder - so choose the parktronic option.

I have seen a vast cross section of people driving Boxsters so they are not really mid-life crisis cars - more for people that cant afford a proper porsche...

Whether people will still let you out at junctions is another matter. Some drivers seem to do the exact opposite simply because you drive a prestige brand. I have a feeling that you get let out of junctions etc., because you are a girlie with your top down (the car's top. please ..!) more than what you are driving.

So get down the dealers - you might and try them out!

 

[MissMercedes]

Sorry I confused you. I had basically set £45/50 thousand as my budget.
Regarding the second hand car issue, I would prefer a new one.
I am in the 'young, free and single' category, but not so young.

Karina

 

[SLinKyjoe]

how did the shopping trip go? for cars obviously!

 

[BarryS]

Hi Mercedes,

Nice question and nice problem to have:

As a new CLK (coupe) owner I could recommend it. I'm sure the convertible would be nice. If you go for it, make sure you get the updated version (just a freshen-up I believe).

However if I was you, I would not be able to resist a new SLK, as you say, it looks great. And I too like the idea of a proper roof. It's a younger-person look too I think !

I agree everything you say about the Boxster but I'd recommend trying one, they are nice.

Your point re status was also on my mind - Porsche/Merc is definitely going to get you the most envy but even though the Boxster is new it looks like the old model so I'd go for the new SLK.

A final off the wall consideration - a mini cooper S ??

Have fun.

Barry

 

[Myros]

an SLR

...is slightly out of your price bracket at the moment Karina. It's that fancy hand-made by Mclaren thing that costs twice the national debt of a central european country. It goes like a bat out of hell, especially when its driver notices a 20 year-old SL keeping up with him.
I'd still say have a shufti at the 107 SL. Miles more style than some of the modern opposition, and dare I say it, the last true "classic" Mercedes?
Try this thread for a look see at what sounds like one of the best.

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=10967

 

[sara]

I bought a new CLK 320 avantgarde cab with options. I wanted something that more than 2 people can go out in. There is plenty of leg room in the back. It also a classy car like the slk.

Parking sensors, leather a must. Metallic and alloys+suspension upgrade make the car look better and comand, changer, harmon kardon were my other options. i could have had xenons but did not bother because i am inside the car, not outside.

i got about 6% discount but had to wait 5 months.


no problems yet but it is thirsty.

 

[MissMercedes]

Hi again,
I have had a good look at the CLK convertable plus the SLK and I am really in love with the SLK. The guy in MB Colindale says I should buy a used SL500. He said the waiting list on a silver SLK is about six months but assured me if I changed my mind, I could get my deposit back. Is he telling me the truth?
Is that really the case regarding deposits.

Karina