Manual transmission Mercedes

[Vil_Riker]

I think I have convinced my wife to get a Mercedes car with a manual transmission - the condition is that I get rid of my BMW Z4 (she hates that car with great passion). When looking through AutoTempest and most of the manual Mercs are SLK. I'm not really interested in sedans unless an 80-s E class which I can't find.

So... what to look for in an SLK with manual transmission. Any engines and years to avoid? Do they rust? They seem to be well kept by their owners but pictures can be deceiving.

 

[JohnnyG]

I hear that their suspension control system, if it is air over hydraulic, can be quite costly to repair/maintain. I don't know which m/y Mercs used this system though.
I also hear it's great when working properly.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

I think I have convinced my wife to get a Mercedes car with a manual transmission - the condition is that I get rid of my BMW Z4 (she hates that car with great passion). When looking through AutoTempest and most of the manual Mercs are SLK. I'm not really interested in sedans unless an 80-s E class which I can't find.

So... what to look for in an SLK with manual transmission. Any engines and years to avoid? Do they rust? They seem to be well kept by their owners but pictures can be deceiving.

We've had a couple of SLK's over the years. The circa early 2000's model would chew through tires and the interior door trim would delaminate. Obviously this was a bad time for Mercedes with the Chrysler merger and divorce. Every model thereafter was better but we only had the 4 cylinder models. They're very simple cars IMO. Our ownership experience never exceeded 4 years so I can't point to long term ownership experience.

 

[atikovi]

C coupes came with a stick.

 

[97prizm]

I think I have convinced my wife to get a Mercedes car with a manual transmission - the condition is that I get rid of my BMW Z4 (she hates that car with great passion). When looking through AutoTempest and most of the manual Mercs are SLK. I'm not really interested in sedans unless an 80-s E class which I can't find.

So... what to look for in an SLK with manual transmission. Any engines and years to avoid? Do they rust? They seem to be well kept by their owners but pictures can be deceiving.

If you're in the usa a manual transmission Mercedes is a total unicorn. I think I've seen one or two tops SLK roadsters with a manual. I've read you could at one time get an S class with a manual along with an E class in Europe. It would be a fun car but parts availability have to be horrendously difficult and almost unobtainable.

 

[atikovi]

I've read you could at one time get an S class with a manual

I have a '95.

 

[pezzy84]

Tall order - good luck as you are definitely looking for a unicorn.

This popped up though.......only thing that is coupe and not an SLK. Only a couple C-sedans as well.

1990 MB SL

Edit - 14 city/20 highway. Ooofta!

 

[harbor]

Lots of Crossfires out there with manual trannys. All SLK except for the body.

 

[tbm5690]

Tall order - good luck as you are definitely looking for a unicorn.

This popped up though.......only thing that is coupe and not an SLK. Only a couple C-sedans as well.

1990 MB SL

Edit - 14 city/20 highway. Ooofta!

That shift pattern would throw me for a loop.

 

[Vil_Riker]

Lots of Crossfires out there with manual trannys. All SLK except for the body.

Good point. I thought when they came out they were a disappointment according to car reviewers.

 

[RooflessVW]

C coupes came with a stick.

Where's the barf emoji?

 

[RooflessVW]

Tall order - good luck as you are definitely looking for a unicorn.

This popped up though.......only thing that is coupe and not an SLK. Only a couple C-sedans as well.

1990 MB SL

Edit - 14 city/20 highway. Ooofta!

Stunning!

 

[eljefino]

That shift pattern would throw me for a loop.

James?

 

[John105]

Are there any 190Es out there? I think a college friend had a manual one...

At that time, the car seemed worthy of being deemed a "baby Benz." Are entry level MBs like their S class siblings, today?

 

[barryh]

Modern MB manual shift is fine I have one in my 2009 C class. It's perhaps slightly long in the throw but otherwise as good or better than other modern manuals I driven.

Back on 1993 I bought a 190e and had tried both a manual and auto. The manual gear change really was not nice and it wasn't just the different shift pattern, it was way behind other contemporary manuals in shift quality.

 

[Astro14]

I hear that their suspension control system, if it is air over hydraulic, can be quite costly to repair/maintain. I don't know which m/y Mercs used this system though.
I also hear it's great when working properly.

The suspension systems are either air (Airmatic) or hydraulic (Active Body Control) in recent models. There were some hydropneumatic systems in the 60s and 70s.

Yes, the performance of an ABC car is great. I’ve got two. The cornering capability of the Big S class sedan rivals most sports cars.

I once took great joy in watching an aggressively tailgating Miata drop way back as I led him around the off ramp. He thought he was good, but his car couldn’t hang with the S600. As I merged onto the surface road after 270 degrees of turn, he was no longer in sight.

The SL is even better.

Yes, the maintenance is considerable. If you stay on top of the system, and address leaks and degrading components before they become a problem, it is manageable. Ignore problems and they can get very, very expensive very quickly. I would not recommend an ABC car for somebody looking at a used Mercedes.

 

[Astro14]

Tall order - good luck as you are definitely looking for a unicorn.

This popped up though.......only thing that is coupe and not an SLK. Only a couple C-sedans as well.

1990 MB SL

Edit - 14 city/20 highway. Ooofta!

That’s a pretty rare car. I would love a manual transmission SL.

No worries on the MPG ratings….the cost of gasoline is going to be the least of your expenses if you buy a car of that vintage made in Germany.

The R129 chassis has good parts support and a loyal following. It is a good car.

 

[Vil_Riker]

For the heck of it looked at manual Accords ( I used to have a couple of them in the late 90-s, early 2000-s). Oh my... 30 year old 200k+ mile cars on the market for $8k or more. People have lost their minds.

 

[John105]

For the heck of it looked at manual Accords ( I used to have a couple of them in the late 90-s, early 2000-s). Oh my... 30 year old 200k+ mile cars on the market for $8k or more. People have lost their minds.

Pretty sure they’d take $7250

 

[wlk]

Accord stop being manual in 2018 4dr, couple was a yr or 2 previous. SLK are pretty, not hateful to work on but small. Very small and ride like poop. Stiff and the road beats you, even w OEM Bilsteins replacements- not cheap either. Fun car but there are tradeoffs. My kid had an 08 280slk (270,290) idk the smaller one w the 3.0 v6. Good on gas and great simple motor as long as intake actuators are good and don't break, if they break you will be looking at an easy $1600 bill. My kids w OEM intake was just over that w taxes at my local shop not an indie or dlr.