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I got me a SLK 230 K. Few questions.

Hello!

I few weeks back I posted a question to this group where I asked if you would recommend buying a SLK 230 K. I got positive replies and a couple of days ago I brought home my own SLK 230 K from the dealer. It's a 98' with very low milage. It looks and smells like a brand new car. It's comfy and solid as you'd expect from a MB. I am glad I bought it.

But one thing is bothering me though. Where are all the horsepowers??? It's supposed to have 193 of them and it just doesn't feel like it. I am aware that speed feels differently from car to car, and I settled for this explenation for a while. But today I had an occasion to test it. I took up and invitation (or provocation rather :-)) to a duell with a SLK 200 (Not even a komp!) on traffic lights. And it outrunned me! Now what's wrong??? The car is supposed to be in top shape, I even got 12 months warranty from the MB authorized dealer I bought the car from. Did I do something wrong? It's supposed to do 0-100 hm/h in 7.3 secs. I should also think that when I turn off the antispinn electronics it should be able to do a burnout or at least a squeek with the wheels, but nothing.....

So my question is: is there any special way to use the automatic gearbox? Do I have to set it into some special position when I want it maximal acceleration? (I think I had it in pos. 3)

Maybe the engine doesn't get enough pressure from the kompressor or something? How can I test it?

Any other things?

Thanks in advance

Rafael

Reply to
Raffe
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Wellll.....

A simple problem that not many people realize when first driving this car is to make sure that the winter/summer (W/S) switch on the side of the gearshift is set to 'summer' (S). It is easy to accidentally switch this to winter mode, and if you're not really used to the driving characteristics of the car, you probably won't realize the problem right away.

I lent my SLK to my cousin one day, and he came back complaining of almost the exact same thing you are. At first I just told him that he probably didn't know how to drive properly (lol), but he insisted that there was something wrong (having been in the car with me driving, he knew how it should perform). So I went out and we took it for a spin, and yes, it was definately not performing as it should. It took me a couple of minutes to realize the problem was the W/S switch. I set it back to 'summer' mode and the problem was solved.

You see, when the car is in 'winter' mode, the transmission skips 1st gear altogether (starting off in 2nd --low-torque for slippery conditions), and adjusts the rest of the shift points to optimize wet traction. It is NOT a performance setup, and the car will be sluggish and odd-feeling during normal driving conditions.

Like I said, it is very easy to accidentially flip this switch without realizing it. Newer models have an indicator on the dash cluster that lights up when in 'winter' mode, but this SLK does not, so you have to conciously keep an eye on the switch.

Have a look at yours; make sure that you are in summer mode. If you are, then I would suggest you bring the car into the shop for a once-over; it's possible (though unlikely) that your supercharger is out, or (more likely) your transmission is permanantly in 'winter' mode due to a faulty switch. It could also be a bad spark plug or spark plug cable (that happened to me as well).

Either way, check your W/S switch first.

Good luck... and let us know what it was...

Thomas J. Paladino New York City

04 S430 04 E320 99 SLK230 95 S320

Reply to
Thomas J. Paladino Jr.

Wellll.....

A simple problem that not many people realize when first driving this car is to make sure that the winter/summer (W/S) switch on the side of the gearshift is set to 'summer' (S). It is easy to accidentally switch this to winter mode, and if you're not really used to the driving characteristics of the car, you probably won't realize the problem right away.

I lent my SLK to my cousin one day, and he came back complaining of almost the exact same thing you are. At first I just told him that he probably didn't know how to drive properly (lol), but he insisted that there was something wrong (having been in the car with me driving, he knew how it should perform). So I went out and we took it for a spin, and yes, it was definately not performing as it should. It took me a couple of minutes to realize the problem was the W/S switch. I set it back to 'summer' mode and the problem was solved.

You see, when the car is in 'winter' mode, the transmission skips 1st gear altogether (starting off in 2nd --low-torque for slippery conditions), and adjusts the rest of the shift points to optimize wet traction. It is NOT a performance setup, and the car will be sluggish and odd-feeling during normal driving conditions.

Like I said, it is very easy to accidentially flip this switch without realizing it. Newer models have an indicator on the dash cluster that lights up when in 'winter' mode, but this SLK does not, so you have to conciously keep an eye on the switch.

Have a look at yours; make sure that you are in summer mode. If you are, then I would suggest you bring the car into the shop for a once-over; it's possible (though unlikely) that your supercharger is out, or (more likely) your transmission is permanantly in 'winter' mode due to a faulty switch. It could also be a bad spark plug or spark plug cable (that happened to me as well).

Either way, check your W/S switch first.

Good luck... and let us know what it was...

Thomas J. Paladino New York City

04 S430 04 E320 99 SLK230
Reply to
Thomas J. Paladino Jr.

I wish it was that simle. I have checked all the knobs in the car including the winter/standard knob. Well, it may be stuck, that I don't now.

A more serious thing happened now. The car stopped in the middle of the road. The engine just died! I pulled over and I had to wait at least 15 min before it would start again.

The same thing happened on friday too. But that was when I tried to start the car. The engine started spinning and after 2 secs. it died. After about

20 min it would start normally. I took the car to the garage and the hooked it up to a computer. They said - nothing wrong. The battery was probably low. I accepted that explenation then . But now, hey.... When a battery is flat a car doesn't just stop in the middle of the road!?!??!

I fear it's the fuel pump....

Damn... Why did I sell my Alfa.....

R.

Reply to
Raffe

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