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Drive one but coming from a miata you should be good for power.

 

I came to SLK ownership, from use of a MK3.5 - MX5.

They are both different.... But both open top Roadsters

The SLK's has potentially bigger engines.
Bigger Trunk/Boot for Road Trips, or food shops..
Able to cover 500 mile days, in relative comfort.
Though this comes with higher running costs..

As for the manual box. The later 9G Automatic box, with paddle shifters could give You the best of both worlds...??

The 9G Auto is great for over takes - Press the "-" down shift for more than a tap and selects the optimum gear and changes up as required during the over take.

Auto's are great in traffic

Use manual mode and the paddles to be in the optimum gear for bends/accents/engine breaking descents. My winter Coupe has a manual box and I don't see any advantages of a manual box, over a modern Auto box - Except weight...

But summing up, the MX5 is fun and nimble, with the SLK a more GT Roadster tourer..

As always, give a few different ones a try and see whether it fits Your needs

 

Just comparing manual vs auto tranny's. I have a manual '07 solstice GXP I've had for 15 yrs and a '18 SLC 43 I just got in January. I have to agree with Trev5, I don't see a difference if you have paddle shifters or even an auto gearshift that doubles for manual changes. My '17 Ram has gear select on the steering wheel with other controls and I have never used them (stupid place for them IMHO). I have tried the paddle shifters on the SLC, but I like just letting comfort, sport or sport+ do it's thing depending on my mood/road. Sol is man 5 speed- SLC is 9G auto. If no auto with shifting, then I can see leaning a little to manual, but if I had to do it again, I'd get an auto in the Sol. I don't get too crazy with it and I'm 15 yrs older

 

Hi there,

Owned a NA MX-5/ Miata my 1993 for over 30 years. With lots of aftermarket goodies like supercharger, big brake kit, suspension upgrade with kony sport and sway bars and many other things.
Very nice handling and performance. Begining this year traded for a very well kept MB SLK 200 my 2012 with manual 6 speed gearbox. I am very pleased with the upgrade, construction quality and materials are far away from Mazda ones, performance related also please altought the driving is less racing but much more confortable. Now I can cruise in the highway top down and speak normaly and listen to music.
Cost related no big diference so far. Did a scheduled maintenance in a MB dealer and it is normal prices at least here in Europe ( Portugal)
Enjoy your new car !
Thanks
José Pedro

 

An automatic with paddle shifters is nothing like a manual transmission. There is no fun and connection to the car with paddles, as you get with a clutch. The benefit of a manual is not the shifting; it is the clutch. My wife drove a '99 R170 manual for 20+ years and loved it. She now has a '15 R172 (SLK250) manual. The R170 is more raw driving like a Miata. The R172 is more comfortable and feature rich. The power band is higher in the R172, so sometimes I have to wait for the acceleration.

 

Totally agree with you, the clutch is the conection with driver, and pedals + shifter ake all the fun.

 

Different folks, different folks.

I loved manual, especially being a biker but had to switch to auto on cars due to the disability of a family member.

Autos have improved over the years.
Not the same but certainly not lesser.

Switch to a V8 and you’ll see what I mean.
Bonus, I can keep both hands on the wheel should I choose.
Maybe the 250 with 9 gears dulls the experience, but 7G 55 (or the 350)? Love them.

 

Had an Eunos (MX5 Mk1)...read quite a bit about the original designers in Japan being influenced by the whole warrior at one with his horse while he fired his bow and arrow type of philosophy.

The lightness and precision of the Mazda is beautiful and requires little more, the first bend you take you realise you are in something special. The car even now is idolized back in Hiroshima where it was made.

The SLK in any engine/gearbox format is so different, heavy, better build quality, chassis just different...better build quality...a long distance cruiser...but if you loved the Mazda you may feel disappointed by the SLK?