[ryasotharan]

As some of you will know, I've recently bought an SLK(exactly 1 week ago today).

Anyway, the dealer's warrantee company emailed me tips to maintain the beauty:

" Get your fast fit centre (Kwik Fit etc) to change the engine oil and filter, gearbox fluid and filter and back axle oil. Fuel filter is worth changing too. That way you’ll make things last much longer.

And if you keep changing the engine oil and filter every 6,000 to 7,000 miles that engine should last for ages. There are a really strong unit but you need to keep the oil clean and regularly changed.

Might be worth finding a good local Mercedes independent who will help you look after it. And if you need obvious things like light clusters, headlamp units or little bits - eBay has loads of used parts for very little.

There’s Euro Car parts who do brand new parts from the same suppliers as Mercedes but not in the pretty box and much much cheaper than MB dealer prices.

You can run an SLK really cheaply if you just look after it, find a good independent specialist and buy discount OE parts "


Do you agree with this?
Anything extra to add?


Many thanks

 

[jbanks15]

no, I do not agree
1st, never trust a local quick lube place to change your oil. They have no experience with Mercedes in my opinion. They are for quick in and out service, not the care MB/Indy give. Do you really want your baby serviced by some oil tech that did not even have the fortitude to maybe finish High School?

Based on model year/generation, MB says oil change is at 10000 or 13000 miles
Follow what MB says.

Ebay is full of lights that will give you errors because they know nothing about our canbuses/resistor required lights/leds

 

[Delucas]

Well first error

Kwik fit on the first line and to change the auto gearbox oil :surprise::surprise:

Specialist merc guy i agree with .
Go for genuine parts if there affordable to you .

 

[ryasotharan]

Well first error

Kwik fit on the first line and to change the auto gearbox oil :surprise::surprise:
.

What's wrong with changing gearbox oil? Or do SLKs last a lifetime?

 

[Konicky]

What's wrong with changing gearbox oil? Or do SLKs last a lifetime?

Nothing wrong with changing the gearbox oil, just don't ask QuickFit to do it !!! Not sure about any of the other models but my 09 350 has just had it done by Mercedes at 38,000 miles.

 

[i860]

Avoid Kwik Fit like plague, use a decent indy and use only approved MB oils for engine, gearbox, differential, brake fluid and coolant. For parts use eurocarparts or carparts4less ( use code save75 ).
On your slk 200 check the vacuum pump for oil leaks. Also go ans scan your car with a DAS machine just in case.

 

[Col]

As some of you will know, I've recently bought an SLK(exactly 1 week ago today).

Anyway, the dealer's warrantee company emailed me tips to maintain the beauty:

" Get your fast fit centre (Kwik Fit etc) to change the engine oil and filter, gearbox fluid and filter and back axle oil. Fuel filter is worth changing too. That way you’ll make things last much longer.

And if you keep changing the engine oil and filter every 6,000 to 7,000 miles that engine should last for ages. There are a really strong unit but you need to keep the oil clean and regularly changed.

Might be worth finding a good local Mercedes independent who will help you look after it. And if you need obvious things like light clusters, headlamp units or little bits - eBay has loads of used parts for very little.

There’s Euro Car parts who do brand new parts from the same suppliers as Mercedes but not in the pretty box and much much cheaper than MB dealer prices.

You can run an SLK really cheaply if you just look after it, find a good independent specialist and buy discount OE parts "


Do you agree with this?
Anything extra to add?


Many thanks

As others have said avoid Kwik fit and similar places like the plague. Find an independent Mercedes garage that has a good reputation to undertake any work you are not prepared to do or can't do yourself.

There's nothing wrong with changing your oil earlier than recommended service intervals but the benefit will be negligible.

Euro carparts are good for discounted parts, I recently made a good saving on new front discs from them but beware they aren't cheap for everything, things like batteries are available cheaper elsewhere.

As Jeff points out a lot of aftermarket lighting products/bulbs etc will throw errors on our cars so you need to pick and choose carefully. Ebay is good as a source for used oem parts though where you can save a lot of money over new part prices but again not everything on there is a bargain. Some parts are cheaper new from a dealer than what they fetch on Ebay and some people who don't check first end up paying over the odds for stuff!

Hope you are enjoying your new car.

 

[ryasotharan]

Thanks.

I'm sure Mercedes rip us off for a lot of their car products!