Rusty early SLKs - how bad are they?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Mercedes inspected the subframe on ours and replaced it FOC which I guess is impressive.

[BenHar]

Mercedes inspected the subframe on ours and replaced it FOC which I guess is impressive.

Was that a month after you bought it new?

Ben

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Both my Dad and my youngest daughter have got very early ( R reg) SlKs 230 autos, brilliant cars. Scabby front wings and the trim inside loses its paint , but super reliable and cost nothing to run. I prefer driving them to our Boxster .

As others have said it’s the R171 with its subframe issues you’ve got to watch, newer the Merc the more likely to have problems, like all cars.

[xtriple]

As others have said it’s the R171 with its subframe issues you’ve got to watch, newer the Merc the more likely to have problems, like all cars.

Indeed! Mine is currently having electrical problems due to wet stuff not so much falling from the sky as being deposited in great lumps aided by 80 mph winds! However, like most recent(ish) Mercs, I expect a good deal of doing fuck-all and just using it, may cure its ills.