Used Mercedes-Benz SLC for sale: everything you need to know

It’s easy to forget how pioneering the original Mercedes-Benz SLK was when it arrived in the 1990s, with a folding hard-top that gave the car extra security and extra refinement in poor weather, but still allowed you to enjoy the rays when the weather improved. It kicked off a string of imitators.

In 2016, the SLK, by then in its third generation, became the SLC to better fit into Mercedes’ range at the time. It went off sale in 2020 but today makes a very appealing used car, thanks to its sporty open-topped looks, strong build quality, and of course that desirable Mercedes-Benz image. While not the most entertaining roadster you can buy, it’s still a car that can turn heads.

Roadsters like the SLC are slowly disappearing from the market, but they’re still around if you know where to look. The Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4 were key SLC rivals and still on sale today, while the Audi TT Roadster has only recently gone off sale, and is another very popular choice on the used market.

Should you buy a Mercedes-Benz SLC?

Mercedes-Benz didn’t invent the folding hard-top, but when the original Mercedes SLK debuted in 1996, it certainly popularised it. Landing in the middle of the 1990s roadster boom, the SLK allowed customers to drop the top when they wanted, but kept the security and all-weather refinement of a hard-topped car when the roof was up - all while enjoying that rock-solid Mercedes image.

SLK became SLC in 2016, coinciding with a facelift for the model’s third generation. It’s that car we’re concentrating on here, and with the most recent models produced in 2020, used examples are now tempting value - so is the SLC worthy of your attention?

If you’re drawn in by the SLC’s styling, brand image, and that folding hard-top, then yes. Some of the SLC’s rivals are more fun to drive, but as the roads fill with crossovers and SUVs, there’s still something very appealing about driving something low-slung, and being able to drop the roof, electrically in this case, to enjoy a sunny day.

Lowering the roof does eat into the SLC’s boot space, dropping it from 335 to 225 litres, so this needs to be considered if you plan on packing in luggage for a weekend away. But you could simply treat the SLC as a fixed-roof coupe, and one that performs well and doesn’t use much fuel at that. There was even a diesel version for a while.

Equipment levels were good, albeit not as high-tech as Mercedes’ other cars from the time, since the SLC was based on the older SLK that came out in 2011, but these cars still have all the basics such as air conditioning and cruise control. The cabin too seems a touch dated against more recent Mercedes, but it’s comfortable and well-built.

Just as it was back in 1996, the SLK’s closest rival is the Porsche Boxster. The Porsche is better to drive and surprisingly practical with front and rear boots, but its folding roof is a fabric affair, rather than a hard top. That also applies to the 2018-on BMW Z4, though the Z4 sold between 2009 and 2016 does have a folding hard top.

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What’s the best used Mercedes-Benz SLC model to buy?

The petrol-powered SLC 200 should meet the needs of most SLC buyers. It performs well, came with manual and automatic options so you can choose your preference there, and Mercedes claimed perfectly decent economy for it too, at more than 40mpg. If you really do need more then the diesel SLC 250d might be worth a look, though you’d have to put up with diesel noises if you put the roof down…

In terms of trim, the SLC Sport was well equipped but most models for sale will likely be in AMG Line trim, which does get extra kit and isn’t worth actively steering away from if it’s all you can find.

Used Mercedes-Benz SLC fuel economy and performance

• Mercedes-Benz SLC 180: The entry-level SLC had a modest 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, developing 156PS, with a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds. Economy was claimed at a surprising 50.4mpg.
• Mercedes-Benz SLC 200: The next SLC engine was a 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged unit making 184PS. A six-speed manual transmission was standard and a 9-speed auto optional, the former getting from 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds and the auto in 6.9. Economy was up to 40.4mpg for the manual, and 37.2mpg for the automatic.
• Mercedes-Benz SLC 300: The SLC 300 was another 2-litre petrol turbo but was offered with the 9-speed auto only. With 245PS, performance improved, with a 0-62mph time of 5.8 seconds, but economy was no different from the automatic SLC 200, at 37.2mpg combined.
• Mercedes-Benz SLC 250d: Diesel sports cars are rare but not unusual. The SLC 250d used a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel making 204PS, enough for a 6.6-second 0-62mph time with the standard automatic gearbox, and on the old NEDC cycle (not comparable with the other, WLTP figures here), delivered a claimed 70.6mpg. It was discontinued in 2018.
• Mercedes-AMG SLC 43: With a 3-litre turbocharged V6, the SLC 43 was by a wide margin the most powerful SLC. It developed 390PS, and with a standard 9-speed auto, could get from 0-62mph in only 4.7 seconds. Economy dropped from the SLC 300, but not by a huge amount: up to 32.5mpg is the claim.

What used Mercedes-Benz SLC trim levels are available?

With the model on its way out and sales dwindling, it’s perhaps no surprise that Mercedes-Benz kept the trim lines simple for the SLC. You either got Sport or AMG Line (and Sport was dropped before the model went off sale), or traded up to the full Mercedes-AMG performance model. It’s worth noting that on the older (but very similar) Mercedes SLK, AMG Line was instead an option package on the regular SLK trim, should one of these appear in your search.

• The Mercedes-Benz SLC Sport opened the range with 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, air conditioning, sports seats, and a wind deflector. Automatic models got Mercedes’ Dynamic Select system with different driving modes.
• The Mercedes-Benz SLC AMG Line had a pretty decent level of equipment, including 18-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension, AMG body styling, air conditioning, a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, cruise control, and active braking assist. A Dynamic Handling package was available as an option, with adaptive damping and a variable steering ratio, and auto models again got the Dynamic Select system.
• The Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 was the only model available with the 3-litre turbocharged V6, and gained bigger brakes, a limited-slip differential, a different steering ratio, an AMG exhaust system, and AMG specific interior details. An optional AMG Ride Control package added its own adaptive damping system tuned for sporty driving.

Used Mercedes-Benz SLC dimensions and boot size

The Mercedes-Benz SLC’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4143mm
• Width: 1810mm (without mirrors), 2006mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1301mm

The Mercedes-Benz SLC’s boot size is:

• 335 litres with roof closed
• 225 litres with roof open

Used Mercedes-Benz SLC road tax

Earlier SLCs, AMG 43 aside, snuck under the £40,000 mark when new, which means they avoid the surcharge applied to a car’s VED or ‘road tax’ when it costs more than this amount. As such, they’ll cost you £180 a year. Later on, shortly before the SLC went off sale, only the SLC 200s dipped under this price point, which means the SLC 300 and SLC 43 can cost up to £570 per year for the second to sixth years of registration.

How much is it to insure a Mercedes-Benz SLC?

As a sporty roadster with a Mercedes-Benz badge, you’ll probably be unsurprised to learn that insurance will cost more than it might for an A-class hatchback. The SLC 200 can be found in group 42 (in the 1-50 group system), with the SLC 300 in group 44, and the SLC 43 in group 46.

Read our full Mercedes-Benz SLC review