That yellow SLK - new owner and new fixes! (the thread of history)

[doubleyeller]

You know one of those threads where they try to make out that they really don't care if it doesn't sell, whereas in reality they really, really want to sell it?

 

Unfortunately the sort of person who wants a 20 year old Mercedes SLK will pay £600 for a shit example in silver, and ignore the advice that the bill will stretch to several grand inside 18 months. Three months later when everyone has seen them in an SLK, it will urgently need 2 New tyres, they are skint from paying insurance fuel and tax on their £17k salary, cannot afford so sell it for £450. This whole hideous cycle repeats itself every few months.I wouldn't describe this as having "Rust issues"; rather it's condition is commensurate to age. It's in fair condition.

 

Just whack it up for a grand and take £800 for it - and be happy you got shut of it before something broke and cost you an arm and a leg!

[RichardK]

SLK is now spoken for.

[RichardK]

You know one of those threads where they try to make out that they really don't care if it doesn't sell, whereas in reality they really, really want to sell it?

 

 

Want, no.

 

Have to because I got a relationship, moved house, have different priorities and no time to enjoy, no space to store? Yes.

 

Just curious - have you ever jumped into a thread where you've got something nice to say about a car for sale, or talked the price up?

[Jim Bell]

Just whack it up for a grand and take £800 for it - and be happy you got shut of it before something broke and cost you an arm and a leg!

Youd be surprised what some pricks will pay for something they actually want. Sometimes just takes a while to find the right arse for the seat. If you have a look what yellow 1998 SLKs are priced at on ebay, youll see a variety of asking prices ranging from the ridiculous right down to the still probably overpriced. This cars target audience is always going to be narrow, especially on fucking Autoshite but I'm sure someone thats followed the thread or that knows the seller will see the value in it.

[Dick Longbridge]

Did you buy it, Jim?

[Jim Bell]

Mebees.

[Dick Longbridge]

Mebees.

[skattrd]

Mebees.

 

No offence intended, but do you fit in one of these ok? Smoll car and you is not smoll.

[Jim Bell]

No offence intended, but do you fit in one of these ok? Smoll car and you is not smoll.

Yeah. With the roof down. Ive had one before. Bit cramped with the roof up, but livable as a second car.

[xtriple]

It's a real shame that all the sheds out there seem to infer that a nice one is worth the same. Having joined the ranks of ancient Mercedes ownership, I know that prices vary massively and widely, Cars like mine are anywhere from £600 to £4000, both ends seem a tad extreme to me! I know everyone thought I overpaid for mine (at £1800) but apart from a few bubbles on the arches (Like the SLK) it's a really nice car and has been well looked after. Far better to get a decent one than a shed as MB prices will hurt you in short order!

 

GLWTS

[garellikatia]

On 9/22/2018 at 6:26 PM, RichardK said:

 

 

Want, no.

 

Have to because I got a relationship, moved house, have different priorities and no time to enjoy, no space to store? Yes.

 

Just curious - have you ever jumped into a thread where you've got something nice to say about a car for sale, or talked the price up?

Hi Mate, I've just bought the yellow Slk from Jim brown and have just enjoyed reading this thread. I'm going to try and make this last as long as I can,  as she's a real beauty and I'm in love with it. If possible could you give me a few tips on how I can keep it in tip top condition. I'm generally used to order cars, but with the folding roof, and generally a ton more things to go wrong, it would be handy if you know the things I should try and look after.  Judging by the thread you took great care of her at it can be seen looking around the car! 

[RichardK]

7 minutes ago, garellikatia said:

Hi Mate, I've just bought the yellow Slk from Jim brown and have just enjoyed reading this thread. I'm going to try and make this last as long as I can,  as she's a real beauty and I'm in love with it. If possible could you give me a few tips on how I can keep it in tip top condition. I'm generally used to order cars, but with the folding roof, and generally a ton more things to go wrong, it would be handy if you know the things I should try and look after.  Judging by the thread you took great care of her at it can be seen looking around the car! 

My advice is well out of date; basically the approach was "if it wears out or perishes and can be bought from Mercedes cheaply replace it" - the boot seal wasn't done, but windscreen, drainage things. Always, always keep on top of the drain tubes. If something bolt-on rusts and is less than the price of rattlecan paints, replace it (inner roof rubber trim clamps - little black painted metal pieces). 

Cover anything that hasn't rusted yet or is rusty but you can't fix it in waxoil or similar, when the car is dry.

I used to change the oil ridiculously often. Also did gearbox oil after a "specialist" charged a friend who had the car early on (when I'd bought a V8 Chrysler and hadn't had the SLK for years) to do the work, told him it needed a rebuild, and had literally wiped the sump with a rag and hadn't touched the rest.

Get a Merc coil spring compressor tool and suspension jobs are transformed.

Waxoil everything.

Check PCV and oil separator, intercooler for oil vapour condensate. PCV brass nozzles will need cleaning out again I bet - at 90Kish they were carbon blocked. Easy to do but inlet manifold off.

Do Not Switch The AC On. (unless the thing's been fixed, the system held gas but the clutch on the compressor shat itself).

Roof hydraulics - no leaks yet? My plan before chaos and Bad Life Choices was to strip the headlining and renew all the seals in the system. Cheap, fiddly but should keep it working for another 20 years as long as the pump behaves. I never could  figure out the thud when the boot dropped though.

Graphite the boot lock often...

Did I mention waxoil everything?

Oh, and check the ECU box cooling fan. I rebuilt it years ago and I'd be amazed if it were still spinning away. Also when servicing always pop the front plastic bit off the engine and check the wiring to the cam magnet - no magnet, no phase change, no phase change, no supercharger - but it shows as a cam sensor error.

Check it's working by operating the throttle rod under the bonnet - the supercharger clutch will engage around 2,500 rpm (not sure how the pulley change might influence that).

And if you like it, and a new person in your life makes you sell it...

...get rid of the person, keep the SLK. I should have.

[RichardK]

Above all, what kept it reliable for me was "never bodge". If a sensor failed or something played up, I'd replace it. Think I cut corners once, on the MAF sensor because that was crazy expensive without being a known issue, more "oil contaminated so I am suspicious" and I also got a bad fuel filter it turned out, but had moved so didn't have access to suss it out.

[RichardK]

Oh, see, memory is crap isn't it. I read the thread and discover the third party MAF was the one on the car and I bought Bosch one. It's been a long time. Maybe felt I was being cheap buying a Bosch one on Amazon or elsewhere instead of genuine Mercedes boxed from Inchcape.

I found a yellow braided hose in the garage. I did fit braided hoses didn't I? I'm sure I had both yellow and stainless clear ones and went with stainless but now I'm wondering if I put yellows on, but only did front.

[Barry Cade]

21 minutes ago, RichardK said:

My advice is well out of date; basically the approach was "if it wears out or perishes and can be bought from Mercedes cheaply replace it" - the boot seal wasn't done, but windscreen, drainage things. Always, always keep on top of the drain tubes. If something bolt-on rusts and is less than the price of rattlecan paints, replace it (inner roof rubber trim clamps - little black painted metal pieces). 

Cover anything that hasn't rusted yet or is rusty but you can't fix it in waxoil or similar, when the car is dry.

I used to change the oil ridiculously often. Also did gearbox oil after a "specialist" charged a friend who had the car early on (when I'd bought a V8 Chrysler and hadn't had the SLK for years) to do the work, told him it needed a rebuild, and had literally wiped the sump with a rag and hadn't touched the rest.

Get a Merc coil spring compressor tool and suspension jobs are transformed.

Waxoil everything.

Check PCV and oil separator, intercooler for oil vapour condensate. PCV brass nozzles will need cleaning out again I bet - at 90Kish they were carbon blocked. Easy to do but inlet manifold off.

Do Not Switch The AC On. (unless the thing's been fixed, the system held gas but the clutch on the compressor shat itself).

 

Oh, and check the ECU box cooling fan. I rebuilt it years ago and I'd be amazed if it were still spinning away. Also when servicing always pop the front plastic bit off the engine and check the wiring to the cam magnet - no magnet, no phase change, no phase change, no supercharger - but it shows as a cam sensor error.

 

And if you like it, and a new person in your life makes you sell it...

...get rid of the person, keep the SLK. I should have.

The AC on these is great, clutches can be changed easily in situ.. in fact I have one from when I did all the work to mine.

I did loads of work to mine to make it good. rebuilt the AC, Full transmission and fluids service, paint, dash bulbs, 4 new tyres, undersealing, waxoiling,..loads of stuff.. and sold it for less than I paid for it,, there are hundreds for sale at the minute, all around a grand or less. I'd have liked anything but silver, but not many new buyers had any balls.

Disconnect the little fan in the fusebox- 1  grey 2 pin plug into roof module, the thick twisted wires. Its not needed and it will die, and burn out the roof module, so you lose roof, windows ,locks and the alarm goes nuts. If the key boot lock doesn't work the fuel cap is impossible to open too Happened to me a couple of weeks ago on the way to France. 

Be careful having the bonnet open in the wind, it can flip right back (can open vertically like a W124) and take out the screen..

Electric seats are very uncomfortable after an hour or so- probably a lot thinner than manual ones. Really spoiled it for me as a continental cruiser. The seat relay under/behind the light switch can die because of solder cracking..

If the ABS/ETC gives issues, the roof wont go down.

Post 2001 facelift (OBD compliant) models - the supercharger runs constantly.

Headlight seals shrink and the lenses mist up. I split mine and siliconed them  and cured it. DO NOT try and clean the reflectors, the silver just wipes off.. 

I loved mine to begin with, and loved the roof/open driving and being back in a Mercedes again. After a while I got a bit Meh. Its not fun to hustle, the steering isn't all that, the traction control/stablilty control stops you having any fun, its not that comfortable for me, doesn't sound that nice, not that quick, and has quite a few issues that were obviously Mercedes mid 90's cost cutting, which hurts me most of all.

Glad I've owned one, had a decent holiday.. won't have another. 

[garellikatia]

21 minutes ago, RichardK said:

Oh, see, memory is crap isn't it. I read the thread and discover the third party MAF was the one on the car and I bought Bosch one. It's been a long time. Maybe felt I was being cheap buying a Bosch one on Amazon or elsewhere instead of genuine Mercedes boxed from Inchcape.

I found a yellow braided hose in the garage. I did fit braided hoses didn't I? I'm sure I had both yellow and stainless clear ones and went with stainless but now I'm wondering if I put yellows on, but only did front.

That's brilliant thanks Rich, I really appreciate the time you've taken writing that out. There's certainly a few things there I've never heard of , so I will definitely research them, so I know what I'm looking for. I will have a looked tomorrow and check those out, especially the ECU box fan. The air conditioning, might be on or off. There's a little red EC button illuminated but on collecting the car JIM BROWN told me to never touch it or it will mess things up haha. My main priority at the minute is sorting the wings, there's a fair bit of rust coming through. I plan on sorting that diy in the meantime until I buy new wings which are about £250 each at the minute. But in my eyes in the long run would be worth it. I will probably put small updates on here as things get done. 

[RichardK]

Oh! For better access - not in the wind - push the button on the bonnet gas strut and it opens right up.

I'd agree about disconnecting the fan if it's broken, but if it wasn't needed Mercedes wouldn't have put it there, and it was a couple of quid to fix it with a new motor.

And yes - the mention of OBD reminded me - your best friend is a 38-pin Xenyx/star diag setup that can read body module codes. A 38-pin to OBD cable will let you read engine codes. I still have my diagnostic computer, it's an old shop EPOS terminal touchscreen with a big ol' serial multiplexer and cables for 38-pin, OBD and whatever the vans used.

I keep meaning to sell it but you can probably find better, more space efficient modern equivalents. It kept my SLK, E-Class, S-Class and friend's CLS on best behaviour though.

[RichardK]

It deserves new wings. Genuine will be much better in the long run, but before doing anything pop the indicators out and check the mounts and tabs to the inner wing. That was the bit I kept an eye on - if the inner wing looked like it was going to start suffering the wings would have come off and the car got parked up - if I hadn't moved etc. my winter 2018 plan was "wings off, new genuine, get 'em rustproofed, galvanised, whatever was possible and painted off the car in official mix for yellowstone and even if the match was off, it was cosmetic - a future owner or future me could have the whole car sprayed at a later date when it was worth doing".

Ultimately it's a great cruiser, fast, lovely with the top down, it really transformed my mood at a terrible time but also stuck around longer than any car I've owned. Keeping it garaged helped a lot, so though it looks like I did a lot of fixing it was all proactive - the only time the car let me down was my own fault for not doing a battery terminal up properly.

Very different experience to the cars I've owned since, where my E36 had a rattling waterpump and I was too depressed to replace it until it broke so didn't drive the car much (was great after I fixed it), the MX-5s suspicious wheelbearing making me less inclined to drive it far (and then I find a specialist who charges 1/3rd of the local doomsayers), the PT Cruiser (okay it's just fine apart from a binding brake but I don't wanna) and RX-8 (heatwave + clutch slave cylinder seal failure!). But the mojo's coming back - the MX-5 is improving and getting sorted and will be an absolutely lovely thing by mid September, I'll hopefully have a mint low miles Cruiser to preserve, and I'll fix my RX-8 next year, it's not doing any harm and will be SORN next month.

That SLK made me feel like I could tackle anything because when I wanted to improve part of it, it was a success. Inchape were really helpful for parts too, Andrew Loft was the person - time and businesses and parts supply may have changed.

[Tickman]

@garellikatia in the last 12 months it has had a Crank position sensor as that was failing when hot, a new battery at the start of the year, oil and air filter service and a look over checking brakes etc, if it has a pollen filter that will have been changed too finally it had a new accessory belt and idler pulley last month.

There is a track rod end in the glovebox that could do with fitting, can't remember which side but they are sided so would only go on the one side. This was a verbal from the MOT tester to get to it before next year.

 

[garellikatia]

10 hours ago, Barry Cade said:

The AC on these is great, clutches can be changed easily in situ.. in fact I have one from when I did all the work to mine.

I did loads of work to mine to make it good. rebuilt the AC, Full transmission and fluids service, paint, dash bulbs, 4 new tyres, undersealing, waxoiling,..loads of stuff.. and sold it for less than I paid for it,, there are hundreds for sale at the minute, all around a grand or less. I'd have liked anything but silver, but not many new buyers had any balls.

Disconnect the little fan in the fusebox- 1  grey 2 pin plug into roof module, the thick twisted wires. Its not needed and it will die, and burn out the roof module, so you lose roof, windows ,locks and the alarm goes nuts. If the key boot lock doesn't work the fuel cap is impossible to open too Happened to me a couple of weeks ago on the way to France. 

Be careful having the bonnet open in the wind, it can flip right back (can open vertically like a W124) and take out the screen..

Electric seats are very uncomfortable after an hour or so- probably a lot thinner than manual ones. Really spoiled it for me as a continental cruiser. The seat relay under/behind the light switch can die because of solder cracking..

If the ABS/ETC gives issues, the roof wont go down.

Post 2001 facelift (OBD compliant) models - the supercharger runs constantly.

Headlight seals shrink and the lenses mist up. I split mine and siliconed them  and cured it. DO NOT try and clean the reflectors, the silver just wipes off.. 

I loved mine to begin with, and loved the roof/open driving and being back in a Mercedes again. After a while I got a bit Meh. Its not fun to hustle, the steering isn't all that, the traction control/stablilty control stops you having any fun, its not that comfortable for me, doesn't sound that nice, not that quick, and has quite a few issues that were obviously Mercedes mid 90's cost cutting, which hurts me most of all.

Glad I've owned one, had a decent holiday.. won't have another. 

Thanks Barry, I know what you mean about silver, they look a lot better in different colours don't they!

[garellikatia]

2 hours ago, RichardK said:

It deserves new wings. Genuine will be much better in the long run, but before doing anything pop the indicators out and check the mounts and tabs to the inner wing. That was the bit I kept an eye on - if the inner wing looked like it was going to start suffering the wings would have come off and the car got parked up - if I hadn't moved etc. my winter 2018 plan was "wings off, new genuine, get 'em rustproofed, galvanised, whatever was possible and painted off the car in official mix for yellowstone and even if the match was off, it was cosmetic - a future owner or future me could have the whole car sprayed at a later date when it was worth doing".

Ultimately it's a great cruiser, fast, lovely with the top down, it really transformed my mood at a terrible time but also stuck around longer than any car I've owned. Keeping it garaged helped a lot, so though it looks like I did a lot of fixing it was all proactive - the only time the car let me down was my own fault for not doing a battery terminal up properly.

Very different experience to the cars I've owned since, where my E36 had a rattling waterpump and I was too depressed to replace it until it broke so didn't drive the car much (was great after I fixed it), the MX-5s suspicious wheelbearing making me less inclined to drive it far (and then I find a specialist who charges 1/3rd of the local doomsayers), the PT Cruiser (okay it's just fine apart from a binding brake but I don't wanna) and RX-8 (heatwave + clutch slave cylinder seal failure!). But the mojo's coming back - the MX-5 is improving and getting sorted and will be an absolutely lovely thing by mid September, I'll hopefully have a mint low miles Cruiser to preserve, and I'll fix my RX-8 next year, it's not doing any harm and will be SORN next month.

That SLK made me feel like I could tackle anything because when I wanted to improve part of it, it was a success. Inchape were really helpful for parts too, Andrew Loft was the person - time and businesses and parts supply may have changed.

Absolutely,  there's a body shop supply centre near me , which sells quite reasonable panels, so I will give them a bell in due course. I guess the nicety of the wings is they're bolt on, so no welding which is a bonus. In the meantime I will have a look at the inner wings too. There's also an abundance of automotive paint shop supplies which did a reasonable job of supplying paint when I sprayed my mini yellow so I'm confident they should do a good Match.  I image the Mx5 will be awesome when sorted, you hear the nightmare rust issues with the older ones, but from friends who have owned them that seemed to be the only complaint really. Not sure how the older ones hold up with regards to that . 

[garellikatia]

1 hour ago, Tickman said:

@garellikatia in the last 12 months it has had a Crank position sensor as that was failing when hot, a new battery at the start of the year, oil and air filter service and a look over checking brakes etc, if it has a pollen filter that will have been changed too finally it had a new accessory belt and idler pulley last month.

There is a track rod end in the glovebox that could do with fitting, can't remember which side but they are sided so would only go on the one side. This was a verbal from the MOT tester to get to it before next year.

 

Thanks Tickman, thats reassuring to know that's all been done,   I found the trackrod in the boot amongst a few more spares @Jim Bell kindly supplied with the car. 

[garellikatia]

Guess the next job.... £50 for the lot should hopefully see it through until I can get some new wings done in the future

 

[garellikatia]

After a couple of hours of hand Sanding. Does anyone have any ideas with regards removing the really stubborn pitted black areas of rust? Cheers 

[Dick Longbridge]

That's rotted from the inside of the panel so unless you treat and seal that, any work on the visible area will be back before Carol Vorderman has her next botox treatment. 

I'm determined to get a coat of Lanoguard on the undercrackers of my MR2 this summer - it could be a sound, if not expensive solution for the rear of your wings. Vactan will stabilise the scabs on the front if you get it sealed with paint/filler shortly after.

[garellikatia]

15 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

That's rotted from the inside of the panel so unless you treat and seal that, any work on the visible area will be back before Carol Vorderman has her next botox treatment. 

I'm determined to get a coat of Lanoguard on the undercrackers of my MR2 this summer - it could be a sound, if not expensive solution for the rear of your wings. Vactan will stabilise the scabs on the front if you get it sealed with paint/filler shortly after.

Thanks mate I will definitely look into that vactan, I've seen the kurust and equivalents

And I have some machine mart rust removed but I'm not a massive fan of that stuff as it doesn't seem to really do anything.  It's strange as the back of the wing actually seems pretty solid. I will definitely treat it though.  How much do yoi estimate it will cost you to do the MR2?

 

[Nullzwei]

Only way to fix that is to cut out the rust and either weld patch(es) of new metal in the hole from behind then fill and paint or use fibreglass in hole then fill and paint. All depends how much new wings are and if they are unobtanium or not.

[garellikatia]

2 minutes ago, Nullzwei said:

Only way to fix that is to cut out the rust and either put patch(es) of new metal in the hole from behind then fill and paint or use fibreglass in hole then fill and paint. All depends how much new wings are and if they are unobtanium or not.

Thanks, the wings are about £240 each I believe at the moment. But for a pair plus paint, they're a bit out of budget at the min. I don't honest trust myself to cut them out and have enough fabricating skills to make the wing the shame shape. 🤔 

[Dick Longbridge]

11 minutes ago, garellikatia said:

Thanks mate I will definitely look into that vactan, I've seen the kurust and equivalents

And I have some machine mart rust removed but I'm not a massive fan of that stuff as it doesn't seem to really do anything.  It's strange as the back of the wing actually seems pretty solid. I will definitely treat it though.  How much do yoi estimate it will cost you to do the MR2?

 

I think the sprayer + sheep juice is around £80. I'd imagine Lanoguard sell it in smaller quantities though. The bit which sold the idea to me is underbody prep is minimal. As long as flaky bits are removed and everything's dry, it's good to go. 

[Nullzwei]

3 minutes ago, garellikatia said:

Thanks, the wings are about £240 each I believe at the moment. But for a pair plus paint, they're a bit out of budget at the min. I don't honest trust myself to cut them out and have enough fabricating skills to make the wing the shame shape. 🤔 

Bit steep then.  Sadly looks like the whole bottom section of the leading edge of your slk wing would crumble with a bit of prodding. Maybe take the bumper off and see if the bottom metal edge of the wing parallel with the bumper is still intact. That would give you something to weld or apply fibreglass to. A MIG welder is going to work out cheaper than a pair of wings so can they be repaired is maybe something worth considering. Lovely car.