I chuckled reading this, cus' my username was randomly generated and I was a bit confused reading this first 😂. I used € out of habit (I'm Finnish, so no $ here)
Well, 36k usd isn’t cheap for me but I’ve been looking at sports cars for soo long that 36k seems cheap 😭
If I ever get a first car it would probably be a Corolla or Camry brand new but that would cost 25-30k. Why not spent a little bit more and get something that’s rarer and sportier.
Because Toyota will have cheap maintenance. The only reason I drive Japanese and Korean cars is maintenance and reliability. I can get myself a Merc, but I don't want to spend my money on expensive parts and service
Essentially what everyone else stated, newer car (especially a Toyota) = less, to honestly extremely lower maintenance/worrying about something breaking every few weeks to a month. Insurance - bought my c63 when covid was still a very prevalent big issue and never realizing at the time whenever I got my first insurance quote for the car I was astonished at how low I had to pay for my premium, fast forward to now and they almost doubled my monthly insurance bill even though I’ve had no accidents, tickets or bad driving record and they said that it was due to them having lower rates during covid since there were not many people out and about driving and also due to a “recent rise in vehicle break ins” which sounds like another money squeeze excuse as that’s always been a prevalent issue for as long as automobiles have existed, plus I don’t even live in a city.
Going back to parts, not only do you have to worry about reliability because of the age or condition the car is in but also just the fact that certain vehicles/manufacturers are obviously more reliable in the long run then others due to both what the vehicle is and was made for and the manufacturer themselves. To add on to replacing parts, buying any sports car over 10 years old or any vehicle that wasn’t mass produced to the extent that spare parts could rain from the sky even 30-40 years later, makes it far harder to find the parts you need while also costing more in certain cases as time goes on. I will say so far for the most part owning my 2012 it’s been pretty easy to find almost any part I need without having to find someone selling it on eBay or purchase an expensive rebuilt or aftermarket version, which is good on Mercedes part but it is…also only a 12 year old vehicle which as of now for what it is, isn’t super outdated yet but still has some age to it and will only continue to age as the years go by which can eventually affect you maintaining the car, your sanity and last but not least your wallet.
Bro i got myself a c200k as a First (23years old). Geht an old car try urself Out and then If u know your stuff and ur car U can think about an extensive one. Also dont get new ones since u learn way more with old onesand the old onesand dont make so much noise. (No seatbelt required it doesnt make weird noises when U start IT ...)
36k USD is pretty high for that car imo but I guess that's just how the market is.
I've had one for the last 5 years now. I bought mine for the equivalent of 24k USD with a similar number of miles on it, hence my feeling that the price is high on the one you're looking at.
Barring a pretty harsh suspension setup, I think it's a fine daily driver if you're single or don't have more than one friend. It's got fantastic fuel economy, the tank is small (for a Mercedes) so fuel costs won't be that high, it's reasonably spacious, and the trunk is surprisingly large for the size of the car.
Ideally, it's more something you buy if you already have another more practical daily driver, because there are some days where I need the extra space or just don't wanna deal with the suspension jiggling me around over bumps.
I find the car's power to be very manageable (I've let my brother drive it sometimes and he's on a learner's permit), but it can and will lose the rear if you're not careful. It's an AMG from a time period when they were more muscle car than sports car.
https://preview.redd.it/r05bl57cpk8d1.jpeg?width=5566&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cb2d32ad3b0f231887cd51b8022733835033102
Here's a photo of mine, because I will take any opportunity to show my baby off here 😫
red gonna fade to pink real soon and it’s not a good deal, but it’s not a horrible price to pay. find silver, gray, white or black same miles ~25k maybe
I'm personally kinda on the fence about it.
On one hand, I hate it, it looks boring, and I wish it was something nicer like Solarbeam Yellow or Yellowstone (like the original SLK). It's a sports car, it shouldn't be the same colour as 80% of all the other cars on the road.
On the other hand, having a white car has probably saved me from being profiled by the cops lol. I won't deny it blends in really well.
Smaller wheels with more tire sidewall would be a more cost effective way to improve the ride tbh but as it stands in completely bone stock form, it's not very comfortable unless the road has zero imperfections.
I recently got fresh tires for it too so that's helped a lot with ride quality vs my old tires (which were, quite frankly, kinda shit), but over bigger bumps it's hard to ignore the tighter suspension.
If you go for something like an SLK350, you'd get something that rides a bit better.
A friend of mine had such a thing, it’s a really nice car but can be a bitch to drive (especially in wet conditions). Short wheelbase, rear wheel drive, a ton of power (and a hard AF suspension).
I’d say if you want to die get this as a first car..
Probably better get something else first..
Mines pretty good in the rain. I did spin it a couple of weeks ago, but it was on *really* shitty tires at the time so that's understandable.
Keep it in C mode and it's a pretty forgiving car.
Edit: who tf downvoted me? I literally own this car, I'm not talking out of my ass here lol.
It’s a great car if you have a couple decades of driving experience. It’s a terrible first car if you just learned to drive, because your insurance rates will be astronomical and honestly it’s such a powerful ride that you’ll probably end up wrapping it around a tree or utility pole.
If you really want a Mercedes get a similar year C300 4Matic. Your insurance will be lower and you’re less likely to end up driving yourself into a coffin.
I just got a 2016 e350 4matic as my fourth car. It’s not really fast but it’s fast enough to be fun to drive. Interior is gorgeous too. Being 21 it’s my first car with a little bit of power. Looks beautiful too imo
Cool.
I've had one for 5 years now. I find it's a *really* easy car to drive normally, quite tame I'd say.
I would never recommend it as a first car, mostly for the same reasons you wouldn't recommend it (big power + little experience is never a good combo), but I don't agree with the notion that you need "decades of driving experience" to be able to comfortably own one.
I edited my earlier comment, but again the insurance rates speak for themselves. The closest I can easily find for rates is the SLC 300. You know the facelifted cheaper 4 cylinder version. Compare the good driver rates for a 20 year old versus a 40 year old: https://caredge.com/mercedes-benz/slc-300-roadster/insurance You know the SLK 55 AMG with the bigger engine is going to be even more insane.
This is a terrible first car for pretty much every reason imaginable. Very high insurance costs, high fuel cost, high repair cost, high maintenance costs, very small, 2 seats, high power, RWD.
Yeah..
If i had a RWD high HP sports car as my first car, id be dead.
These cars are very small. You almost have to get out of it just to change your mind about something. The hydraulic systems for the roof are kind of fiddly and are expensive to fix.
As a first and only car? Maybe not. I have an 05 SLK 350 but I use it when I’m not using my primary car or if my primary car is in the shop. It can feel tiny and restrictive but overall not bad.
Same reason a 10 year old C Class can command similar if not higher amounts of money in the used market. It's the performance car tax.
The SLK didn't sell in very high numbers either so it's incentive for the sellers to slap their listings with "RARE, LIMITED PRODUCTION SPECIAL" too lmao
It’s a really cool one. I owned one till 2021. also bought it used, more or less same price and mileage. Don’t expect a lot of gimmicks! But the naturally aspirated v8 is just so much fun. And it’s more fuel efficient than the new c43 with its 4 zly and the same hp
Keep in mind, it's a 2014, you're probably not going to be able to finance it, You're going to need that money upfront or get an independent loan. If you can afford it up front, It's still pretty high for an SLK, but the mileage isn't too bad.. The fact it's a 55, maaaybe the price is in the range.
Lets also address the fact this is the SLK55 AMG, Repair costs on this are going to be *expensive*. Maintenance and brakes are going to be *expensive*. The folding hard top on these is pretty robust, but when something goes wrong with it... RIP, if you can even still get the parts for it. My honest advice is this is a terrible first car for anyone. Yeah it's gonna be fun as hell, it's going to look cool in your driveway, you're gonna get a lot of looks from people.. But a car like this also has the very real possibility of bankrupting you with keeping it on the road, and destroying your interest in fun cars. This is a good car for someone who's older, already has a daily driver and maybe a backup car. This is not a good car for someone to buy as their first vehicle and only means of transportation.
This advice is coming from someone who bought a Porsche 928 as their first car, ended up losing a lot of money, and driving an old Camry after that for almost 10 years because I refused to buy anything "Fun" for the longest time.. :( Don't make the same mistake unless you have a LOT of money you can set aside
Honestly, I wouldn’t get it as a first car for a daily driver. I think it will leave you disappointed in Mercedes. They’re kind of expensive to maintain but it’s an excellent car if it’s a weekend or extra car.
Terrible idea as a first car. Its 10
Years old. You are in college. Unless you have a good deal of money coming in, which I’m assuming maybe not or you would have already purchased a car, I would pass… in fact I would probably pass on a luxury car all together and get something nice but reliable and not as expensive to maintain. Too many people but MB’s and can’t afford to keep them up and end up hating them in the end. Wait until you are out of college, making money.
People will give you thumbs up every where you go and it’s a rocket I wouldn’t get it as a first or daily driver though.
https://preview.redd.it/wkndfzr32m8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a907a14a6bdbbc31fe9f6d323b3f70f423f31c54
Why this one? Why not go for an E or C class convertible? Cheaper, easier to maintain, and the ride is much better. Plus insurance is lower and gas is not going to obliterate your wallet. This is not something you’d want as a daily. The cost of ownership is just way too high to maintain. Maintenance aside, I’m sure insurance is like 500-600 a month, monthly payment of anything from 450-700, gas price of probably 60-70 a week. So you’re already out almost 1500 a month on JUST a car, and that’s not even adding in routine maintenance. This is just NOT for daily use.
Gas isn't terrible in these tbh. The tank is 65 litres and it gets really good fuel economy. It's probably less expensive to fill up than an E or C convertible.
This is about as logical of a first car as my jacked up 4x4 truck that I rolled down an embankment while offroading 6 months after I got it at 16. The next car my parents allowed me to get was a VW rabbit....
Short answer - No!
Longer nuanced answer - it depends. How much do you make? Can you afford a $3k repair? Can you afford having two such repairs back-to-back? Do you have a reliable Mercedes mechanic? If the car is in the shop for 10 days, can you make that work? Have you investigated all the associated costs (fuel, insurance, parking, etc?) What type of driving do you do? How many miles do you drive? What type of weather will you be in?
A lot of people see just the “cheap for what it was price” and stop there. You need to realize that you’re still driving an $80k car, you just happen to have paid $36k for it. As such, you can’t be surprised by costs associated with that type of vehicle.
I’d say the price is just a little high just because Mercedes lose value quickly. That being said if the mechanics are in good condition it’s a great car. In December I bought my 2015 CLS400 with 80k miles in great condition for $20k and I freaking love it
Is that Mars Red? If so, run away. If the paint isn't already trashed it will be.
MB settled a class action suit with a sham offer (they will pay half of the $30,000 to repaint my 2015, leaving me with the other 15k).
Now I'm stuck with a car I can't afford to fix and has no real trade-in value.
No....your first car should be a reliable easy to work on car and go from there. If you have enough experience with car especially a foreign car sure why not
As first car - nope.
You are guaranteed to drive into something or bump into something and then you get annoyed.
I wouldn't change to something "better" for another 2-4 years.
The 2014 SLK 55 AMG is not the best choice for a first car because:
* It has a technologically complex engine that has been on the road for 10 years. There could be issues that will take a lot of your time and money to fix.
* The engine is extremely powerful for a first car. In your first years of driving, you won't be very experienced, and having such a powerful car can be quite dangerous for you and others around you.
* The short wheelbase of this car requires high driving skills, especially at high speeds and during turns.
* The old multimedia system lacks essential modern features like CarPlay and Android Auto. Even the interior and dashboard will constantly remind you that you're in a car from the last century.
Don‘t get a V8 RWD sportscar as a first car.
It might go well but plenty of people get into a crash with their first car due to not being so experienced yet, and this combination just makes that more likely and more deadly.
Got a 200 AMG Line as my first car. The manual is nice but the turbo lag isn’t fun. I think a 350 is a great middle ground between this and the 200. Also that red colour peels off so try and get a different colour :)
No, it's not. It's a 10 year old luxury sports car. You can literally buy a reliable brand new car for that money and that's what I'd recommend, instead of buying something because of the name.
A well maintained w123 or w124 would be my first counter. Nothing will kill the urge to showboat like a 3.5k lb diesel, and they are safe as the come. Ask me how i know.
Only issue is if you get behind on maintenance, hard to find parts may get pretty expensive.
if 36,000€ is "cheap" for you I don't see a reason not to buy this
Its in $ not €, but your logic and username checks out.
I chuckled reading this, cus' my username was randomly generated and I was a bit confused reading this first 😂. I used € out of habit (I'm Finnish, so no $ here)
Well, 36k usd isn’t cheap for me but I’ve been looking at sports cars for soo long that 36k seems cheap 😭 If I ever get a first car it would probably be a Corolla or Camry brand new but that would cost 25-30k. Why not spent a little bit more and get something that’s rarer and sportier.
You’re forgetting the delta in insurance, maintenance and repairs, probably premium fuel, etc.
You can get a used 2021 Supra 2.0, that’s with the B46 4 cly. Which is GREAT. buy one asap
Lol in austria a supra like that would be 50-55k€
But the top won’t come down
2019 BMW Z4, m30i is on carvana for 36k right now.
[https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/lt/3127198?store=Carvwdc&utm\_source=google&utm\_medium=vla&utm\_campaign=20307842089&utm\_content=&utm\_target=&utm\_creative=&utm\_device=c&utm\_adposition=&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1emzBhB8EiwAHwZZxZ5vTLNXpFpxHhrlDExO5pKHF4LZymcFud7jmqsLEKPtvNgL6QBBZBoCHxQQAvD\_BwE](https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/lt/3127198?store=Carvwdc&utm_source=google&utm_medium=vla&utm_campaign=20307842089&utm_content=&utm_target=&utm_creative=&utm_device=c&utm_adposition=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw1emzBhB8EiwAHwZZxZ5vTLNXpFpxHhrlDExO5pKHF4LZymcFud7jmqsLEKPtvNgL6QBBZBoCHxQQAvD_BwE)
Who on earth buys a 4 cylinder Supra? Hell nah
Ur trippin
Just saw tuned they make 300whp, oooohhhhh, so powerful!!
I’m selling mine for 35k, 19000 Miles and way better condition than that one!
Because Toyota will have cheap maintenance. The only reason I drive Japanese and Korean cars is maintenance and reliability. I can get myself a Merc, but I don't want to spend my money on expensive parts and service
/rlostredditers
Essentially what everyone else stated, newer car (especially a Toyota) = less, to honestly extremely lower maintenance/worrying about something breaking every few weeks to a month. Insurance - bought my c63 when covid was still a very prevalent big issue and never realizing at the time whenever I got my first insurance quote for the car I was astonished at how low I had to pay for my premium, fast forward to now and they almost doubled my monthly insurance bill even though I’ve had no accidents, tickets or bad driving record and they said that it was due to them having lower rates during covid since there were not many people out and about driving and also due to a “recent rise in vehicle break ins” which sounds like another money squeeze excuse as that’s always been a prevalent issue for as long as automobiles have existed, plus I don’t even live in a city. Going back to parts, not only do you have to worry about reliability because of the age or condition the car is in but also just the fact that certain vehicles/manufacturers are obviously more reliable in the long run then others due to both what the vehicle is and was made for and the manufacturer themselves. To add on to replacing parts, buying any sports car over 10 years old or any vehicle that wasn’t mass produced to the extent that spare parts could rain from the sky even 30-40 years later, makes it far harder to find the parts you need while also costing more in certain cases as time goes on. I will say so far for the most part owning my 2012 it’s been pretty easy to find almost any part I need without having to find someone selling it on eBay or purchase an expensive rebuilt or aftermarket version, which is good on Mercedes part but it is…also only a 12 year old vehicle which as of now for what it is, isn’t super outdated yet but still has some age to it and will only continue to age as the years go by which can eventually affect you maintaining the car, your sanity and last but not least your wallet.
Wouldn’t a lightly used 370z do?
Bro i got myself a c200k as a First (23years old). Geht an old car try urself Out and then If u know your stuff and ur car U can think about an extensive one. Also dont get new ones since u learn way more with old onesand the old onesand dont make so much noise. (No seatbelt required it doesnt make weird noises when U start IT ...)
Absolutely nothing wrong with either of those!
36k USD is pretty high for that car imo but I guess that's just how the market is. I've had one for the last 5 years now. I bought mine for the equivalent of 24k USD with a similar number of miles on it, hence my feeling that the price is high on the one you're looking at. Barring a pretty harsh suspension setup, I think it's a fine daily driver if you're single or don't have more than one friend. It's got fantastic fuel economy, the tank is small (for a Mercedes) so fuel costs won't be that high, it's reasonably spacious, and the trunk is surprisingly large for the size of the car. Ideally, it's more something you buy if you already have another more practical daily driver, because there are some days where I need the extra space or just don't wanna deal with the suspension jiggling me around over bumps. I find the car's power to be very manageable (I've let my brother drive it sometimes and he's on a learner's permit), but it can and will lose the rear if you're not careful. It's an AMG from a time period when they were more muscle car than sports car. https://preview.redd.it/r05bl57cpk8d1.jpeg?width=5566&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0cb2d32ad3b0f231887cd51b8022733835033102 Here's a photo of mine, because I will take any opportunity to show my baby off here 😫
White fits so nicely on that car :)
red gonna fade to pink real soon and it’s not a good deal, but it’s not a horrible price to pay. find silver, gray, white or black same miles ~25k maybe
I'm personally kinda on the fence about it. On one hand, I hate it, it looks boring, and I wish it was something nicer like Solarbeam Yellow or Yellowstone (like the original SLK). It's a sports car, it shouldn't be the same colour as 80% of all the other cars on the road. On the other hand, having a white car has probably saved me from being profiled by the cops lol. I won't deny it blends in really well.
Wrap it
Trynna wait on my med license before that. A wrap is a big purchase so I wanna make it happen on a special occasion.
Such a nice looking car 😭 really hope prices go down soon. As for suspension, could you probably mod it and give it a smoother ride?
Smaller wheels with more tire sidewall would be a more cost effective way to improve the ride tbh but as it stands in completely bone stock form, it's not very comfortable unless the road has zero imperfections. I recently got fresh tires for it too so that's helped a lot with ride quality vs my old tires (which were, quite frankly, kinda shit), but over bigger bumps it's hard to ignore the tighter suspension. If you go for something like an SLK350, you'd get something that rides a bit better.
A friend of mine had such a thing, it’s a really nice car but can be a bitch to drive (especially in wet conditions). Short wheelbase, rear wheel drive, a ton of power (and a hard AF suspension). I’d say if you want to die get this as a first car.. Probably better get something else first..
Mines pretty good in the rain. I did spin it a couple of weeks ago, but it was on *really* shitty tires at the time so that's understandable. Keep it in C mode and it's a pretty forgiving car. Edit: who tf downvoted me? I literally own this car, I'm not talking out of my ass here lol.
It’s a great car if you have a couple decades of driving experience. It’s a terrible first car if you just learned to drive, because your insurance rates will be astronomical and honestly it’s such a powerful ride that you’ll probably end up wrapping it around a tree or utility pole. If you really want a Mercedes get a similar year C300 4Matic. Your insurance will be lower and you’re less likely to end up driving yourself into a coffin.
I just got a 2016 e350 4matic as my fourth car. It’s not really fast but it’s fast enough to be fun to drive. Interior is gorgeous too. Being 21 it’s my first car with a little bit of power. Looks beautiful too imo
this
Have you actually lived with one? They're not anything like you're describing.
[удалено]
Cool. I've had one for 5 years now. I find it's a *really* easy car to drive normally, quite tame I'd say. I would never recommend it as a first car, mostly for the same reasons you wouldn't recommend it (big power + little experience is never a good combo), but I don't agree with the notion that you need "decades of driving experience" to be able to comfortably own one.
I edited my earlier comment, but again the insurance rates speak for themselves. The closest I can easily find for rates is the SLC 300. You know the facelifted cheaper 4 cylinder version. Compare the good driver rates for a 20 year old versus a 40 year old: https://caredge.com/mercedes-benz/slc-300-roadster/insurance You know the SLK 55 AMG with the bigger engine is going to be even more insane.
No arguments there. I'll freely admit I had to jump through a few loopholes to keep my insurance on the lower side.
This is a terrible first car for pretty much every reason imaginable. Very high insurance costs, high fuel cost, high repair cost, high maintenance costs, very small, 2 seats, high power, RWD. Yeah.. If i had a RWD high HP sports car as my first car, id be dead.
My own rule of thumb is that a second-hand car should be 3 monthly salaries tops.
Gross or net?
Yes
LOL it makes a huge difference for me so I’m curious
Surely net
Net, but to be completely honest, the last time I was a tiny bit off the rule
These cars are very small. You almost have to get out of it just to change your mind about something. The hydraulic systems for the roof are kind of fiddly and are expensive to fix.
As a first and only car? Maybe not. I have an 05 SLK 350 but I use it when I’m not using my primary car or if my primary car is in the shop. It can feel tiny and restrictive but overall not bad.
Market range is $32 - $36k. So its on the high side but not outragious...
I remember when I got mine for 24k lol. COVID really fucked with the market
24k sounds more reasonable. I’m not sure why a baby SL in 2024 from ten years is selling for 36k
Same reason a 10 year old C Class can command similar if not higher amounts of money in the used market. It's the performance car tax. The SLK didn't sell in very high numbers either so it's incentive for the sellers to slap their listings with "RARE, LIMITED PRODUCTION SPECIAL" too lmao
Them after putting rare limited edition special 
Fr lmao
Hopefully it goes down so I can snag one as a college student.
Hopefully
This is a pretty low mileage example OP has listed…
You can get in a nice SL at that price point.
If you gotta ask… you shouldn’t buy it
It’s a really cool one. I owned one till 2021. also bought it used, more or less same price and mileage. Don’t expect a lot of gimmicks! But the naturally aspirated v8 is just so much fun. And it’s more fuel efficient than the new c43 with its 4 zly and the same hp
It's insane how fuel efficient the V8 in this car is ngl.
2013 SLK 250, 4 cylinders, under $20K
Keep in mind, it's a 2014, you're probably not going to be able to finance it, You're going to need that money upfront or get an independent loan. If you can afford it up front, It's still pretty high for an SLK, but the mileage isn't too bad.. The fact it's a 55, maaaybe the price is in the range. Lets also address the fact this is the SLK55 AMG, Repair costs on this are going to be *expensive*. Maintenance and brakes are going to be *expensive*. The folding hard top on these is pretty robust, but when something goes wrong with it... RIP, if you can even still get the parts for it. My honest advice is this is a terrible first car for anyone. Yeah it's gonna be fun as hell, it's going to look cool in your driveway, you're gonna get a lot of looks from people.. But a car like this also has the very real possibility of bankrupting you with keeping it on the road, and destroying your interest in fun cars. This is a good car for someone who's older, already has a daily driver and maybe a backup car. This is not a good car for someone to buy as their first vehicle and only means of transportation. This advice is coming from someone who bought a Porsche 928 as their first car, ended up losing a lot of money, and driving an old Camry after that for almost 10 years because I refused to buy anything "Fun" for the longest time.. :( Don't make the same mistake unless you have a LOT of money you can set aside
Honestly, I wouldn’t get it as a first car for a daily driver. I think it will leave you disappointed in Mercedes. They’re kind of expensive to maintain but it’s an excellent car if it’s a weekend or extra car.
If you have that budget, get a new Corolla hybrid
Just saying, MSRP on these were pretty hefty (80k ish) so be prepared to pay maintenance that go into the thousands pretty often
Terrible idea as a first car. Its 10 Years old. You are in college. Unless you have a good deal of money coming in, which I’m assuming maybe not or you would have already purchased a car, I would pass… in fact I would probably pass on a luxury car all together and get something nice but reliable and not as expensive to maintain. Too many people but MB’s and can’t afford to keep them up and end up hating them in the end. Wait until you are out of college, making money.
People will give you thumbs up every where you go and it’s a rocket I wouldn’t get it as a first or daily driver though. https://preview.redd.it/wkndfzr32m8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a907a14a6bdbbc31fe9f6d323b3f70f423f31c54
Why this one? Why not go for an E or C class convertible? Cheaper, easier to maintain, and the ride is much better. Plus insurance is lower and gas is not going to obliterate your wallet. This is not something you’d want as a daily. The cost of ownership is just way too high to maintain. Maintenance aside, I’m sure insurance is like 500-600 a month, monthly payment of anything from 450-700, gas price of probably 60-70 a week. So you’re already out almost 1500 a month on JUST a car, and that’s not even adding in routine maintenance. This is just NOT for daily use.
Gas isn't terrible in these tbh. The tank is 65 litres and it gets really good fuel economy. It's probably less expensive to fill up than an E or C convertible.
No but it’s certainly one of the worst first cars
This is about as logical of a first car as my jacked up 4x4 truck that I rolled down an embankment while offroading 6 months after I got it at 16. The next car my parents allowed me to get was a VW rabbit....
Do these have the tops with some crazy number of hydraulic pumps? I saw a video on the expense of that top going out.
Not for a teenager (safety concerns)
The maintenance cost will sting
Dude please don’t spend $36K on a 10 year old red Mercedes, there are so many decent cars you can buy nearly or even new for that price!
SLK? Maybe. AMG? Don't think so
It’s a fine car. Anyone who wouldn’t want this as a first car is lying. That said, SLKs are very small. If you want more utility, get something else.
Nope
Look for SL Amg
Good car? YES! A great deal? I’m not sure the market for this model year
Fun car at used Honda money. My only concerns would be his had almost no utility if this is your only car.
Short answer - No! Longer nuanced answer - it depends. How much do you make? Can you afford a $3k repair? Can you afford having two such repairs back-to-back? Do you have a reliable Mercedes mechanic? If the car is in the shop for 10 days, can you make that work? Have you investigated all the associated costs (fuel, insurance, parking, etc?) What type of driving do you do? How many miles do you drive? What type of weather will you be in? A lot of people see just the “cheap for what it was price” and stop there. You need to realize that you’re still driving an $80k car, you just happen to have paid $36k for it. As such, you can’t be surprised by costs associated with that type of vehicle.
Hoovie was looking for this
Shit man that’s the sign to run away from any given ride.
Hoovie ended up buying an older one for his wife and then selling it for reasons I don't remember.
Get it! Nothing like a NA V8 and you don’t see many pretty rare. Nice hardtop convertible too! I was looking at one before I got my RCF
ha! That dealer is right down the street from me!
Oh yeah!
I’ll sell you my A220 from 2019 for $25,000. It’s kept in excellent condition
I’d say the price is just a little high just because Mercedes lose value quickly. That being said if the mechanics are in good condition it’s a great car. In December I bought my 2015 CLS400 with 80k miles in great condition for $20k and I freaking love it
No one in Gastonia deserves a car like that. :)
Is that Mars Red? If so, run away. If the paint isn't already trashed it will be. MB settled a class action suit with a sham offer (they will pay half of the $30,000 to repaint my 2015, leaving me with the other 15k). Now I'm stuck with a car I can't afford to fix and has no real trade-in value.
Hell no! Think about it bro lol. A 10 year old Benz is the worst daily driver unless you have money to the side for repairs
if you don’t want something practical a new miata, or maybe a c6 corvette convertible
No....your first car should be a reliable easy to work on car and go from there. If you have enough experience with car especially a foreign car sure why not
As first car - nope. You are guaranteed to drive into something or bump into something and then you get annoyed. I wouldn't change to something "better" for another 2-4 years.
Sure it’s good, until the hydros for the top leak. Then you have to spend around 6k as you need to replace the entire system.
No not really. However if you can afford it & the maintenance it's going to require & put up with certain issues others have mentioned then go for it
Yeah absolutely if you are the mean rich girl in an early 2000s high school drama movie.
As someone who recently sold an older Mercedes .. resist.
Not if you like road trips and have more than one friend.
The 2014 SLK 55 AMG is not the best choice for a first car because: * It has a technologically complex engine that has been on the road for 10 years. There could be issues that will take a lot of your time and money to fix. * The engine is extremely powerful for a first car. In your first years of driving, you won't be very experienced, and having such a powerful car can be quite dangerous for you and others around you. * The short wheelbase of this car requires high driving skills, especially at high speeds and during turns. * The old multimedia system lacks essential modern features like CarPlay and Android Auto. Even the interior and dashboard will constantly remind you that you're in a car from the last century.
Absolutely.
Don‘t get a V8 RWD sportscar as a first car. It might go well but plenty of people get into a crash with their first car due to not being so experienced yet, and this combination just makes that more likely and more deadly.
Hope it comes with an extended warranty
Yes buy it like yesterday
A used AMG as a first car is an expensive mistake waiting to happen for many reasons
Got a 200 AMG Line as my first car. The manual is nice but the turbo lag isn’t fun. I think a 350 is a great middle ground between this and the 200. Also that red colour peels off so try and get a different colour :)
No, it's not. It's a 10 year old luxury sports car. You can literally buy a reliable brand new car for that money and that's what I'd recommend, instead of buying something because of the name.
HELL NO
Any type of Mercedes is terrible for a first car ESPECIALLY a used one
A well maintained w123 or w124 would be my first counter. Nothing will kill the urge to showboat like a 3.5k lb diesel, and they are safe as the come. Ask me how i know. Only issue is if you get behind on maintenance, hard to find parts may get pretty expensive.
Hell yes - YOLO!
For your 16 year old daughter
That is an amazing first car!