Hi there!
I've been driving a 1996 VW Passat VR6 for two years and because it's getting very old (and a bunch of stuff isn't working anymore) I've been planning on buying a new car.
So in the past six months I've been looking at what I'd like to get. The first thing was to figure out my budget (around $15,000), and because I love German cars (I'm from France, I live in Los Angeles now), I've looked at a bunch of VW and Audi, thinking they would be the only one I could afford.
I really want to go for a coupe (now that my wife is going to get a Prius), so originally I thought about going for a used Audi TT. But... I don't know, thinking about it, it just didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, I like the car and all, but it's maybe a little too... "cute".
A friend of mine's parents own like three Mercedes (2004 S500 AMG, GL, 1998 S class) and they used to own an old W124 E coupe, which I drove for a few days, and I was blown away by the manufacturing quality, interior, sounds, everything. The whole Mercedes experience. But somehow I thought all Mercedes were way beyond my price range...
But one day I checked out some used Mercedes on cars.com, and lo and behold, I realized that there were actually a bunch of used SLK (a car which I've always loved) that would fall right in my budget...
TT or SLK? My choice was made...
So I've been looking around to different specs and prices, and I think I'm set on the model: 2001 SLK 320, black, manual transmission.
I was wondering if you guys, since I'm sure you know all tribes and tribulations of all the SLKs models out there, had any advice as to what to look for when buying the car. Anything in particular? I'd appreciate any information on the matter.
And first of all, is it a good model to get? Any other model I should think about (considering my budget)? Is 2001 too old? What's the potential for mechanical issues?
Cheers and thanks!
Hellgi