Which would you chose? A 2004-reg Mercedes SLK 320 with 73,000 miles for £2995 or, for the same money, a same age, same mileage Chrysler Crossfire?
See Chrysler Crossfire for sale on PistonHeads
They’re closely related and share a rear-drive platform and 3.2-litre V6. What’s more, there are rare AMG-fettled versions of each, called, respectively, the SLK32 and SRT-6.
However, the first-gen SLK was bowing out as the Chrysler, built by manufacturing company Karmann, came on stream in 2003, so even a late-plate Crossfire is actually a pretty old design. Still, it’s available in coupeà and convertible forms, although while the SLK is classy, the Crossfire coupeà looks awkward and the convertible is prettier.
While rust is an issue with both cars, the Karmann-built Crossfire is actually likely to be in better condition. Meanwhile, our £2995 example not with standing, £5250 is where tidy 04-plate SLK320s with reasonable mileages really are (and even then, you should budget generously for some essential refurb). The same money is your passport to a world of good, low-mileage, 06-reg Crossfire coupeÃs and convertibles.
So, awkward styling and dated mechanicals, but well made, good value, a choice of body styles and a 215bhp 3.2 V6 driving the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox or the (much better) five-speed auto. But are driving thrills another attribute? Alas, no. Dozy recirculating ball steering sees to that.
Instead, think of the Crossfire as a secure but relaxed GT. It has grippy 19in tyres at the back and 18s at the front, in combination with double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear set-up. It’ll crack 0-62mph in 6.5sec when pressed but is happiest tootling between 2600 and 5300rpm, where most of the engine’s torque is a throttle-squeeze away. It does have one genuinely sporty feature, though: an active spoiler that deploys at 60mph (you can operate it manually, too).
The convertible is almost free of scuttle shake. The electric-folding fabric hood is weathertight and quiet and should go from closed to open in 22 seconds. Check the windows drop automatically and that the hard tonneau cover opens to admit the hood, before closing flush. The cabin is comfortable – leather and air-con are standard – but it’s plasticky and, owing to the high waistline, hard to see out of. Seek out cars with the optional parking sensors.
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Whistle, whistle whistle......!
yeah, it was a bit of a Hound, universally panned by most of the Mags at the time, if it had been good there’d be plenty tidy examples still on the Road, but there’s not, so that kind of compounds my argument....
The rot had already set in by
The rot had already set in by the late nineties. The quality of the first generation SLK (1996) was truly appalling. The W210 E class (1995) wasn't much better. The C class W203 pre-facelift (2000) was even worse in terms of fit and finish and material quality. Plus recurring electronic glitches.
In order for the Crossfire to
In order for the Crossfire to be worth considering, it needs to be much better built than the mark one SLK, which suffers from poor materials and appalling fit and finish, both inside and out.
Look at thre average mk 1 SLKs on the road and compare them with much older SLs for example and you'll be shocked by the decline of Mercedes build-quality in the 1990s. Totally disgraceful.
To be fair
Mercedes SLKs had real rust problems in the early 1990's but they did take notice and improve them. Bt you're right it was a big blot on their blotting paper!
xxxx wrote:
Early 90s?
I've seen early-mid 2000s (!) Mercs with wheelarches with more bubbles than bathtime.
And reliability issues with the early 2000s M class.
Early 90s was probably the last of the good Mercs.
And no-one here has mentioend hydrogen, what are you on about?
To early for me
Whoops to early for me, meant early 2000's.