Porsche Boxster Alternative? The Mercedes SLK55 AMG (R172) - A Worthy Rival?
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- Опубликовано: 21 июн 2021
- Today we begin a new series - Porsche Boxster alternatives. Cars that you want to buy, run and enjoy for a summer - but which aren't the eponymous Boxster. We begin with another German, the second generation Mercedes Benz SLK55.
#Mercedes #SLK55 #AMG
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"Its a mistress and a wife"
Damn, gotta get me one of those.
Great review. I've also driven both and would say the SLK55 is more of a muscle car, where as the Boxster is a lot tighter and nimble. For every day fun I'd go Boxster, for a long distance cruise to the South of France I'd choose the SLK.
Well said!
That’s a good way to put it, merc are kind of the German muscle car manufacturers as opposed to the others 😂👍
Perfect summary. 👍
@@stemartin6671 yeah! All the Porsche sports cars are six pots. I want that V8 rumble and oodles of torque. Can't get an RHD Camaro in the UK, so the next best thing is E500 Cab with 4.7TTV8. For me anyway!
@@johnosullivan2017 I’ve always said Merc was the car for rear wheel fun, not that the others aren’t but it’s like mercs are made for that purpose haha 😂
I’d love a classic camaro but I’ll never afford one lmao 😝
The R172 was launched in 2011 (so it can't be a 2009). Love that car!
I have a low milage 2015 with AMG Drivers pack and AMG Handling pack and it is firm/lower with improved brakes and a LSD.
One thing with these cars is that since the tires are so small (only 235 in front and 255 in the rear) AMG has been forced to very aggressive chassis settings (=eats tires like there is no tomorrow front and rear). On bad roads you notice the settings but on good roads it is super planted.
This car is 2012. He's just not very bright.
No way of mitigating the wear without having the tyres swapped on the rims?
@@Sean-if7rpI don't think so. For me 12 000km is two seasons so I don't bother. Still think AMG could have widened the car and put wider wheels/tires on front and rear.
@@gambanteinodal1246 Same with the W204 I guess, aggressive geometry instead of wider arches. 12k tyre changes wouldn’t be a dealbreaker though, it is a special car
Exactly because I owned a R171 from 2010
Jay: "Everyone is welcome to love cars"
Policeman: "Oh my god, get that out of the exhaust you pervert!"
"I went on the internet today and found this.."
@@tim1polman I was a member of the studio audience during one of those Top Gear episodes. The hilarious response lasted much longer than aired. Tears of joy and disbelief. 🤣
@@rrocktoo what was the picture? I know one was a man with his todger up an old range rovers exhaust
@@lucian6395 You know too much! That’s the one we saw. The fella was interestingly dressed, if I remember correctly.
@@rrocktoo kind of want to know what each one was, as they got worse each time
Don't think I've ever finished a JayEmm without immediately departing to Autotrader.
You'd may as well just provide a link (smells like a business model in there somewhere...)
Me too
midway, midway and if the engine sounds are on point probably before JM even opens his mouth.
and he thinks American cars belong in the rubbish can......Corvette, Viper, Hellcat, Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, Tesla, Camaro ZL1, Mustang GT500 ......and on and on.
I do love the Jag XKR though.
Get the headphones in guys, wellllll worth it 🎵
The SLK 55 AMG always been one of my automotive guilty pleasures
Perfect companion for my morning coffee. Still enjoying my 09 XK coupe, 208,000 miles later.
I swear you're just reviewing every car I wanted to buy before buying my current car haha
What do you drive now?
@@chocolatedippedroach m140i
& i hate it
The same! I bought a Audi S3 after watching his video and now this popped up when I’m thinking of buying a SLK
@@triumphfork9268 Jayemm knows our interests well lol. Honestly he's done a video on every car I was considering
Ive owned the r127 2012 slk 55 amg for almost 2 years now and i promise you this - everytime i get in the car i always have a blast driving it. It really is a lot of fun to drive, especially on those long winding roads through the country.
I worked in a casino where a client would bring his mistress in for a flutter in the afternoon, but would bring his wife in later in the evening - trouble was, his wife and his mistress looked very similar, so we had to be very careful. Never figured that one out. Nice car though with timeless styling.
I love how the 1st few seconds have YT closed captions mistaking the engine sound for "applause".
A more apt mistake I've never witnessed
Auto-generated captions seems to be API (Artificial Petrolhead Intelligence) as I've seen a few videos where exhaust/engine noise has been called 'music', rightly so of course. :)
@@markwright3161 so us petrolheads were right all along. engines make music! :D
Even the 250 and 300 are great alternatives. The 300 especially given a simple tune jumps the power from 250hp to 300. For a heavy car like this, its still nimble and agile and relatively quick in its base models. Worse numbers than say, an S2000, yet... faster. Proof that a powerplant and drivetrain needs to properly apply its numbers for them to mean anything.
Had a SLK250 petrol, it was a hoot. Really miss that thing
Aesthetically these weren’t a patch on the R171 55 AMG.
I own an SL63 R231 and an SLK250 CDI R172.
The SLK is just amazing for everything we wanted to do with a car in recent years. We did NC500, SW coast of France, thousands of miles across the Alps. It's just me and my girlfriend, but we manage to pack a lot for our trips. I bought the SL just because I love the SLK so much and I wanted to step up to more power and comfort.
The body roll on my SLK is not too bad, and the 55 has many reinforced areas, and it's much better than what you are experiencing with this particular one.
There is a small 3rd party module that gives you complete control over the roof (including operating it at speed) and rear quarter windows - it's a must!
The SLK55 is a very difficult car to source. In all the time I was looking for buying one, only a couple came up for sale in the right combination of trim: P30 performance pack (with limited slip diff), climate control (instead of standard AC), premium sound by HK. Very rare cars, and when they come up for sale, they go immediately.
The big difference between the 55 and the standard R172 is the ESP Sport mode, which completely transforms the power delivery and handling of the car.
A the owner of a 987, everyone seems to ignore 1) how comfortable it is and 2) how much storage it has between the frunk and trunk. For me this makes it a much better road trip car than most people realize. And yes, I unabashedly love it.
It's not really Boxster vs SLK55 though. It's Boxster vs NA V8.
@@mattevans4377 different cars aren’t they, the argument you get from Porsche is that it’s a better sports car, drivers car etc.. in which case aren’t you competing with the likes of lotus. I’d say so and in that scenario the lotus makes the Porsche look like the merc.
@@samthoma2719 the boxster kind of stands alone…a blessing and a curse
@@Fee.1 I guess
Two different cars, I own/owned both of them. The SLK55 is much more powerful compared to a 987s, has a lot of comfort and is a dream for long trips. The 987s is a cornering machine but pretty uncomfortable compared to SLK.
If you want to see more content of both cars, take a look on my channel.
Jay, great video as always. You have a poetic way of describing cars and their mechanical intricacies. I reckon you would make a brilliant automotive writer too!
As always, great review James.
Food for thought in the future.....👀
Our car and we love it. Great of James to review it, really enjoyed the day. My son has a E89 Z4 2.0 and that has a very similar ride.
in silver i'm not a big fan but in the black with red leather it looks much better. Good luck with it.
That car looks FAB. The attention to detail shown by the person who looks after it is impressive. Close-ups show no dirt or fingermarks. It's a clean machine! 3:54
Great car, get a smart top module and you can operate the roof on the move 👍, got one on my 172 350
That's a lovely car..my favourite Merc with the exception of the Unimog that is!
Love the way you kept in the camera malfunction James. Great honest review 👍🏻
The pub intro was genius! 👏 👏
Great video. Nice to see the difference between this and the Boxster. I love the handling of my Boxster but I don't think I'd get bored of the Mercedes V8 noise!
Get a Soul performance exhaust on your boxster and you will have the best of both worlds!!
@@excelsior7608 I've just spent the last 15 minutes watching videos with the Boxster with Soul exhausts on. They sound amazing. Not sure if the neighbours will like it but whatever!
I liked the trials and tribulations bit with the rain. Great car, good info. etc. but watching the "script" go slightly off-piste was a highlight for me. Good job.
Really great video. It seemed to be carrying a great pace nicely. Massively underated experience. Fantastic car.
Love my R171 55 for similar reasons !
After considering other convertibles, and given that our four previous Mercs have all been great cars, I decided to hunt for one of these 172s. My sons and wife didn't care for the nose of the 171 so that was off the list. Obviously others love that nose. At any time here in the states are only 4-5 for sale and prices are all over the map but most are in the $35-40K range. I found a 2012 in great shape for $25K and bought it sight unseen (owner had a PPI so that was helpful). I love it. The V8 rumble is very satisfying and with the X-pipe I swapped for the resonator, it really puts a smile on when the pedal drops. Mine is exactly like the one in the video - black with red interior. They stopped making the SLKs in 2016 but kept the body but call it now the SLC and the AMG version comes with a twin turbo 3L. Performance is similar to the SLK55 but I'll take the V8. I enjoyed your video JayEmm.
Anyone considering buying an SLK55 really ought to try an SL500 first. Far more car for the money.
I'm glad I did & I'm glad I opted for the SL500.
I just sold my Z3M roadster & replaced it with a low mileage R231 SL500 in hyacinth red with cream leather. It corners really well. Nice & flat hardly any body roll. No scuttle shake.
I think Chris Harris knows his cars well & he loved the AMG63. Mine's not the AMG SL63 admittedly. But not much less power or performance. It's more than enough. In fact I'm in awe of it.
The fact it takes an extra 200 or 300 milliseconds to reach the legal speed limit compared to the AMG is immaterial. 0-60 in 4.5s effortlessly is fine with me. It doesn't even feel like it's trying, there's so much torque. Sounds like I have 4 V twin superbike engines under the bonnet :-)
I'm loving it to bits. I considered an SLK55. But they're almost as expensive. A great little V8 roadster, but less car for the money. Plus I'm 6 foot tall so it felt a little cramped TBH
SLK55 £55k new. SL500 £85k new but only £3 or £4k more second hand for the SL. And it's an almost all aluminium engineering masterpiece with massive torque from 1800 RPM & higher spec than SLK. It's S class after all. Far more luxury & comfort, but still the performance of a fast sports car.
When I test drove an Slk55 I felt the engine was special. When I drive my SL500 the whole car feels special. They're lot of car for the money at present. Third of the new price for car with low mileage ! 12:45
Thanks for the review, from the sounds of it, it’s a bit jittery! I have a Porsche 986 and an slk 250 and I much prefer the Slk. The Porsche is a great weekend car but after a drive out (manual) I’m knackered and getting into an slk is a pleasure. Looking at buying an Slk 55 and been looking at Parkway too. Some great comments there too thanks people 🙌🏼
I own a 05 r171 & man do i love it nothing beats the hand built amg motors not to hard to work on i love it
That engine sounds utterly sublime.
I had one of those, it was a blast!
“This car can be the mistress AND the wife!” Has got to be the best JayEmm-ism since “a blend of Pavarotti and William Shatner!”. Great vid as always James!
Supporting fellow Brit!
Great review, I have a 171 350 and love it. Very misunderstood because it’s both low cost and quick @ 0-60 in a tad over 5 seconds. Only one thing to add, as long as you’re moving you don’t need to put the roof down if it starts to rain, it just doesn’t come in! Thanks for posting, very interesting throughout… and yes, I’m already looking at an AMG 👍
I have a 172 350 and I love it
Yeah, man, the 350 is PLENTY fast enough. I could scare the ever loving SHIT out of your average person in a car that does 0-60 in the 5 second range.
Was going to watch this on my phone. But I think I’ll save it for my TV with subwoofer.
Nice!
Silverstone again, going to have to look out for you given I work nearby :D
Wish i could live close to a decent track :(
I live in Northern Ireland so my closest "big" track would be mondello park in dublin
My next upgrade will be the amg. I've got the slk 250 on 62 plate great cars and look good for money ! I use it as a daily drive and had no issues since purchase in 2019 . Great video 👍
I have a 250 with amg look, love it so much i don’t think i will ever change it . Also have a SUV for family.
Jay in the morning!! Good way to start the day off!!
Im watching from Hawaii at 1 am, haha. Vid just came out.
@@lastwhtknight3002 a very early morning start! 😂
Not a hairdressers car but a barbers car!
Great as usual, now to get that engine in a R 171 !!
Would love to see a SLC 43 review as well. Probably not as good as this tho.
Looks worth way more than what Graham paid. Much rarer than a Boxster and more grown up and mature looking.
@3:18 I love how you say Graham “GRAYHAMS”
Well done. Timely for me-looking at similar category
Something wrong/worn out on that car. Mine doesn't shake, rattle and roll anything like that. Great to see the SLK55 getting some love on you tube though. Enjoyed that, thanks.
Would love to see it with some pilot sport cup 2 and lighter weight wheels 🍿
Be great to see if you could review an SL65 AMG (V12 Twin Turbo). It’s a car I’ve always fancied owning.
I’m an old fart. I have an Slk 200 only 186 bhp. It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. Boxster was disappointing I had 911s for a decade so I do like a sports car. The Slk can be driven old fart style but in sport feels quick. In the uk the amg models which is all of them are too low and too stiff for our crap roads. In Spain it’s perfect. I bought mine from a Mercedes dealership with full history and it was half the price of a Porsche. I keep the warranty going for £500 a year. It has a practical boot. Just forget it if you over six foot you won’t fit.
I have a 2015 SLK AMG. Know what you mean about jitteriness, however.....just love it !
The real sport mode is selected by pressing the traction control once. It even has a “ sport” light in the dash when pressed
Great review and throughly enjoyed it, specially can relate to the mistress weekend squeeze:) I’ve driven the Z4 35isdrive and the r172 SLK 350 I can Honestly say they are both great cars but the SLK gets an extra squeeze
The noise of the AMG V8’s is bloody ace. Yes they tend to be sledgehammers, but listen to them.
Fantastic shirt! 🤩
Love the shirt 👍🏼👍🏼
I like it more then the Porsche. I think with softer suspension it would be even better. Seems like a good alternative to an XKR as a nice GT car for going on holiday to the south of France or driving up north to Scotland.
17" diameter wheels with a higher sidewall would make it a bit less jittery. My '14 SLK250 has the 17" wheels and it's not that bad though it's a sports car so the road is there for sure.
Interesting to see the harsh wobbly ride. I spent a few days with one on Norfolk’s rubbish roads and found it nowhere near as harsh as this one looks. It was firm but definitely not as much as this one appears. The only other issue was the occasional dead spot feeling in the steering but all was forgiven for the soundtrack for a bit of point and squirt action.
Aftermarket alloys? They're certainly not standard Mercedes wheels. High sheen on steering wheel indicates a high miler.
@@brynleytalbot778 45k. Standard SLK 55 alloys and AMG suspension
I had the R171 SLK55 AMG it's a GTS and a very good GTS. I now have a 987 Boxster it a sports car. They are different types of car. I prefer the look of the R171 F1 nose and the ride is more comfortable...
Ooooh, teetotal, never trust teetotaller, especially one who feels the need to tell you.
Could be worse ----- vegan
(Apols to my vegan friends)
I've always loved the back end of these cars, such a shame the front kind of lets it down a bit. Great engines though!
The good old British summer - how I don't miss that. Great video though, I nearly bought one of these a couple of years ago until I was seduced by an XKR convertible
Father in law had this model of SLK55 and the previous gen. Great car but think he prefer his SL63 that he currently has
I saw an Audi A6 hard roof mid roof coming up,the mechanism had failed with the boot lid open and the roof stuck up like gigantic air brakes,my how I bet he laughed when it started lashing down with rain!😁
Great value
As a boxster 986 Boxster S your quite right the boxster would top trump the AMG in practicality and handling , but straight line speed the AMG would just nudge it
Scuttle shake would drive me up the road 😂
Never been too interested in the slk but that v8 changes that
Hi James. Another great video. Can you make a video about Prova Countach kit car? I am struggling to find any video about how it is to drive. And you are a man of my own heart when it comes to how you like a sports car drive on the road. I will apreciate it. You know, buying the original Countach train has took off long ago. It is my childhood dream car and I at least want to try something very close to it without breaking the bank. Cheers.
I'd speculate that it drives awfully. The cars are often bodged with power plants to allow cheap running but loads of eyeballing. A nice idea but more of a pose than a drivers car.
@@brynleytalbot778 We can speculate any thing. But you have no idea. Countach is not that good either.
A perfect car is boring. I'd much rather have something flawed, but exciting.
I think you have owned a bmw🤣🤣🤣
Would consider it if it was available with a manual... And perhaps a little stiffer body and better damped.
(and preferrably even cheaper :))
The fuel and temperature gauge scales should go around 3/4 of the way like the speed and tacho. Would look better, be less weird when the oppo temperature is showing and give a better idea of how much fuel you've used flooring it through that last tunnel.
I had one. Loved it. Brilliant performance. Had to sell it as the paint started falling off. Never buy a red Mercedes.
This is more fun then any boxster
Error: The R171 you drove had airscarf as well. I used to own one of those. The R172 indeed has a much nicer interior, but the R171 has the better sounding engine and exterior styling (particularly the VERY rare facelifted ones. Just stunning, and the design hasn't aged a day. ruclips.net/video/raeXtngl7VI/видео.html&ab_channel=OldBenz They also improved the interior quite a bit on the facelift R171. I'm actually looking at an SLK55 Black Series ATM...I imagine you'll want to drive that too when you come visit ;)
I've always rather liked this model of SLK and might have bought one if only there was more room in the cabin to set the seat at a comfortable angle. Same story but worse with an MX5. Why don't the manufacturers of two seaters allow for a bit space behind the seats. It wouldn't cost much and would widen their appeal greatly.
earlier SLK55 appears a bit lighter, but either appear lighter than an X150 jag convertible. How does the transmission compare with the ZF? I'm interested in a wafty tourer and looking at XK, F type, SLK55 and C6 corvette (the only one available as a manual). Have 4.2 XKR X150 coupe and love it but want a convertible. Just got rid of CLK550 but transmission was annoying.
How does this compare to the BMW Z4 E89?
You had me when you said a 987 is worth £25k. Keep saying that sort of thing please. I suspect I won’t be able to get that much for mine if I ever sell it.
You will. It's the last of the hydrolic steering cars.
The 987.2 especially are sky rocketing and I don't see them going back down ever
My hairdresser has one.
.....my barber has a ... .
I’m surprised that you haven’t put an Audi TT on the list of boxer alternatives. Currently on a look out for a mk2, any advice?
Allways loved mercs. The amg gt is superb 2019 model gt 63. But l still love my cayman s (2008) ...
JayEmm damns a Mercedes with faint praise. Whatever next!
This engine (M152 I believe) made just for this car is slightly worrying in my opinion regarding upkeep and parts prices. I don't know how much it really shares with the turbo M157 it is based on. R171 used the M113 which is probably a better bet however that one had the first generation 7G-tronic so really, I guess you will get the performance Mercedes ownership experience either way...
I agree. I think thats whats holding prices back. OEM brake discs are hard to find and expensive although there are now alternatives.
way nicer than a Boxter now a Cayman and it would be closer.
Love this car. Anyone know if there is an aftermarket way to improve the chassis / suspension?
It’s a great car, I suspect this one has been “improved” by a previous Nurburgring fantasy owner....
@@dhdove I very much doubt it, nobody would use one of these for that.
When you drove the previous version you didn't mention the scuttle shake. Was it this bad?
7:38 "Quite swish" a term never used in the US. I think I'll start.
Seems like it would be like an AMG miata. I didn't realize how small they are.
Try the SL version…far less jittery ..In fact not jittery at all…and no scuttle shake! 🙂🙂🙂
Not a comparable car. The list price was far higher and the SL is vastly more expensive to run. Sadly, as I'd LOVE an SL, or actually a CL. Or rather, I'd have loved a CL AMG back when they were new....
@@vtrmcs Well I think you might have good news because in fact the SL in R231 350 V6 form is far from expensive to run! It does not have the ABC pump which saves the regular £3000 bill, it has all the performance you can use this side of jail, annual Mercedes main dealer servicing is around £220, tyres are not expensive at c.£160 each for Continentals (not Far Eastern rubbish!), it returns. 36 mpg at Motorway cruising speeds and rarely drops below 30 anywhere else, is a delight to drive, beautifully made and mine has been and remains a joy every time I use it. The folding roof does not squeak or leak IF…repeat IF you keep the seals supple and clean with regular silicone treatment and whilst the 500/55/63 sound better, the 350 is a hidden gem!!😎😎😎
I had one of these and a boxster S 3 weekends apart in Scotland and then Wales in the summer of 2010..similar enough mountain roads..and the slk was a much better car. If you had asked me before hand i would have told you the merc was for women/ posers/ hairdressers etc and the Porsche was the real drivers car...in reality you're never pushing a car to 9/10ths let one 10/10ths on the road so it's impossible to benefit from the dynamic advantages the boxster has.
You can make much better time in the slk without really unnerving your passenger..the cabin was better, less noise and the metal roof is a big advantage at motor way speeds. If you put your ego aside the slk is better car.
That’s the first thing I consider when driving a sports car…..am I unnerving my passenger?
@@stms4411 I didn't say it was the first thing did I? I mentioned it as list of attributes ..it depends on how you use the car..if your looking for sports car too push, on your own on a Sunday morning blast, the boxster is the better car no question...if you want to take a passenger with you on a weekend break and enjoy some spirited driving the slk is a better all-rounder.
@@dagnut you do realize you don’t have to push the sports car right? If you’re concerned (at any time) with the comforts of your passenger, drive mellow. Boxsters can come equipped w adjustable dampers so that could make it more livable. The limited storage space makes the merc a challenged all arounder vs the Porsche with a trunk and a frunk. Buying what you like often comes with compromises but by your own criteria, seems like the boxster is a superior choice
@@stms4411 I'm not sure if you're reading my posts or just picking out what you want to see. The preface of my point was that you wouldn't drive these cars at 10/10ths so it's hard to see the dynamic advantages the Porsche has.
The Merc is a nicer space to sit and eaier to hussle along due to the torque and gearbox. I wouldn't buy either of these cars but if I had to choose a car for another weekend away, just myself and the missus, it would be the slk...ifni had to choose a weekend toy I'd never consider an auto merc... I made the point because I had direct experience of the two cars very close together.
@@dagnut you did say the 10/10ths thing originally. Fair point. I won’t quarrel with your direct experience but simply say that it’s really difficult for me to believe that you would need to drive these two at the limits to feel a difference between a rwd, front engine car vs a rwd mid engined car that weighs 200kg less and is purpose built as a convertible vs a small coupe with the top chopped off for open air motoring.
Again - you’d driven them both….but my nearly 4 decades of driving experience tells me there’d be the ability to see the dynamic differences between these two readily and within rational speeds.
I’d come out of a 2015 bmw m235 with a manual before getting the boxster I drive now (981) and the differences are easily detected when you drive with any briskness at all. No need to go anywhere near 10/10ths
The r172 slk350 is a better car, it is almost as fast and has a better engine for the chassis. I live in the south west of france and mine isthe perfect car for these magnificent mountain roads and for popping over to Spain for a coffee or lunch. You get a boxster and a cayman with 300+ BHP for less than half of an equivalent porsche, plus the servicing is really easy😊
Non binary squeeze at the weekend. Brill.
This was billed as a comparison between the Boxster and Mercedes.
So what comparisons are made ? Is there a winner? What's the major differences between the two ? Is there either one better to buy and live with ?
I don't hear many answers ??
These things cost 40.000€+ in Germany, completly uninteressting for this kind of money.... also very "interesting" bunch of owners
i'm surprised, thought it'd be cheaper...do they depreciate less there?
I know! Prohibitive. My R171 was a bargain at €11k but I’m thinking of switching to a 987 in time for next summer. The best thing about an SLK is the roof (and the looks).
Please I could you test a 500 Chimaera or Griffith I think they deserve it s the British cheap sportcar hero ! There are many that are lightly tuned to get to the 320bhp tvr claimed and nitron fitted I would love to heard your thought compared to z3m slk55 etc...
To me these cars always looked weird. The original SLK in silver kinda grown on me, but every one after that doesn't look proportional
Could you please include basic running costs like insurance and services
Donˋt forget to include a manual TTRS
At 7:56 , I do not understand just why the "authorities" within the UK hate & despise the motoring public. At the timestamp noted, on the right-hand side there is a stone wall less than a meter away from the road. As an American, I find this wholly unacceptable, dangerous & frankly intentionally lethal...no runoff here.
Jittery ride could be due to the shocks that are gone