editor58

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While I agree with you about the US being their largest market but if I understand economics, the US $ isn't worth shit in Europe now. So if the the dollar is less, isn't Germany taking a lower valued currency and delivering the same product? So while I'm not defending their tactics (which I think suck) I do understand their trying to squeeze every nickle out of the dollar.

Now their choice to do it on the SLK55 is MORON marketing. Let's see... we'll take our affluent sports car enthusiast, suck him dry, and then try to fool him and hope he won't notice!
That's stupidity, and an easy way to loose life-long customers.

-editor

dsb

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Hey Matt,

Glad to see you here. Long time no chat. I've been having some fun with the 55 lately. In fact, yesterday I took a friend out to Thunderhill raceway. He sat passenger and got to experience 120+mph straights, 1+G corners, etc. Initially, he was concerned about all the late braking, but I reassured him that my brakes were probably the best part of the car. Fade free and never a concern. In fact, the only concern was if a trailing car was near me late in the brake zone and couldn't scrub speed as quickly. Good thing that never happened. Now, I desperately need some slicks. I bought these Falken Azenis for the Autocross because they were cheap and fit on the OE wheels. On the road course, they get greasy too quick and slide all over the place. So, that might be my next mod. Have you done anything else to your car lately? Any track sessions? Of course, I realize you have another vehicle for that type of fun.

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Blown SLK55

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Yup, you are 110% correct. I think I had 1 too many Martini's with the wife last night at dinner & had the Xchange rate benfit reversed in my head . Doh! Thanks for your post & correction!

-Matt

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Hi Dan. No additional mods to the SLK yet but I am looking into the same ES rotors for the unsprung weight reduction & the Brabus carbon fiber roll bars (another huge weight reduction & they look great IMO). I'm on the fence about the ES rotors since the OEMs are the shiznit (maybe just not as light as the ES's although let's see someone (maybe ES) confirm the actual unsprung weight reduction - they do lack the OE rotor slotting though - our stockers "look" cooler & you & I both know that enhances brake performance substantially ).

Sorry to hear about the Azenis tuning into grease skates after a few laps. Get some R compound Khumos - problem solved & your track times will absolutely drop (I picked up almost 3 sec @ Seca when I swapped them on my RX-7 - pretty substantial). Cheers.

-Matt

dsb

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Yeah, agree on the rotors. I probably wouldn't change them out until the OE wears down anyways... unless the price was right. Of course, $1995 is actually pretty good for a full set.

I'll look into the Khumos. Although I don't drive at 10/10ths on the track, my tires are definitely being pressed to the limit. Good thing my exhaust is so loud. Otherwise, you'd hear nothing but barking tires.

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