425 miles on the Mercedes SLK 230.
First let me make this point. My Honda Civic VX is a resurrection of a car totalled 14 years ago. The benefits of that effort will continue regardless of which car I might decide to drive, even to the next owner if I decided to sell it at some time in the future (which I doubt).
That being said at one month from my 58th year on this planet, I have enjoyed driving a car that when it was first sold would have taken me almost a year and a half of take home pay to purchase.
Driving the Honda is work, not the actual operation of the vehicle, but the effort to conserve fuel. It requires dedication to a cause, the elimination of our vulnerability to energy sources outside our control.
The Benz means a constant smile on my face, and feeling like I am 10 years younger. Few cars I have ever driven could compare to the rock solid, point and shoot competence of a GT built by one of the recognized masters of automotive technology dating back over 100 years to the name Mercedes Benz itself and the history of the company.
I took my wife for a drive tonight down to a local beach for a walk. one particular turn combines every attribute of highway construction you could imagine that destroys the competence of a vehicles suspension. Rapid switchback, extreme changes in the crown, and a nice pothole. Few cars I have ever driven could have made that turn at that speed, with absolute confidence that there would be absolutely no problem.
Scared the wife half to death.
The Honda would have plowed into the oncoming lane of traffic. Her Murano would probably have been on two wheels. The Benz snickered and just made it a ho-hum event. To me the most important attribute of any car is its ability to take me out of danger, when danger is imposed on me and anyone in the car with me. The Benz does that with absolute certainty.
One of the things that still gives me a thrill, after 42 years of driving, is a car that feels like it is wired to my brain. This car comes as close as ANYTHING I have ever driven. I don't even want to know its limits.
While I appreciate simplicity and long term low cost of maintenance (read Honda) I also love to drive a car that can cruise all day at 130 MPH, even though I would never do that.
It looks like the first tank was about 26-27 MPG, including driving the first 160 miles with the tires at 25 PSI should be 30F 33R. I set them at 32-35. The front end alignement was off, steering wheel was at about 12:30 position. Directional stability was squirrely, like when the front toe is out. The alignment straightened that out perfectly ($80).
Both mirrors were inop, only the right side would adjust and only from inside to outside. This told me the system was properly fused. I assumed (bad mistake sometimes) that since the switch was the only human connection, that it would be hard to believe that all 3 systems were defective. I popped the new switch in in the dealers lot and both mirrors work perfectly. Total cost $41.
The service indicator light stated that nothing had been done in 18,000 miles. I immdeiately did an oil change myself. Got the oil and filter, 6 quarts of Mobil 1 and a filter for $38. I may do it agin in 300 miles. The engine is still clean inside and runs perfectly. The adaptive transmission controls adjust the shifting points to the drivers habits. This means shifts at 2000 RPM to the higher gear, just about exactly where I shift the VX. 5th gear engages at 35 MPH. Revs are 2250 at 60 MPH. I still think I can average 30 MPG in the SLK, but the temptation to give it some gas is hard to resist.
Can you tell I love this car.
I wonder if I can get the factory 1998 Cell Phone working
.
regards
gary
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