Tell me what you would pay for my high mileage CLK!

[OGCLK320]

Hey I am in the market for a 55 and looking to sell my 98 320 with 248,000 miles, It blue books in excellent condition for 3,500 but I do have some mods and It had over 3300 done in maintenance in September of 2010, I know that is not that recent but a lot of work was done, and I also know I cannot expect to get any where near what I paid for all the extras I put on, I am just curious as to what you guys would think is a good price for the beautiful and very well taken care of CLK. here it goes: Projector Headlight and HID's:$400 LED tails: $200 Rear Camber arms:$200 Floor mats: $100 Tweeter covers: $50 Cold Air intake (VIP) $400 Brand New Tires Dec 11': $800 Replica AMG monoblock purchased June11'(Not a single scratch on them): $700 15mm hubcentric spacer x4: $200 Front camber bolts: $100 Bilstein sport shocks and Vogtland springs (40k on them now): $650 Carlson rear Muffler:$150 Total= Around $3900 The car during the service of 2010, had all the fluids flushed, transmission serviced, fuel filter, spark plugs and wires, replaced my turn signal switch, sunroof lifters fixed, and a few other things I also ordered a roof rack which was 400 of the cost. I routinely change the oil, brakes have about 50% front and 40% rear. The car runs excellent and I just changed the MAF and that is the only major thing I have changed besides the alternator in 06 when I bought it with 125k on it. So total between buying it 06 with 125k for 12,000 even plus the 3,000 maintenance a little over a year ago, and the almost 4k in mods, thats 19k ball park I have spent in the 6 years I have owned the car. I am also the 4th owner, Car came from Dallas, Texas, then the man gave it to his son, who's son sold it to my dads friend at about 95k and he also went through the car with a fine tooth comb at 95k and spent about 3k in routine maintenance then too, So the car has been very well taken car of, high miles are scary to some but this thing has been an amazing car. So now that you know the entire background, what do you think its worth. the 3500? kbb lists it at? or what would be a reasonable price, please entertain me, I have a guy offering 3600 right now. Tell me what you think?

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[OGCLK320]

Ps, car looks great but does have a flat spot of paint on trunk lid, and obviously with original paint and 248k there are going to be rock ships and a lot of them on a black car.

[ricoZg]

I'm not sure what it could be worth with all the mods, but if you're not in a rush I would sell the aftermarket stuff to help recoup some of the money you put in.

[thepinoc]

With all the TLC you've given it, I don't think it's worth selling. Buyers will always be skeptical of maintenance and mileage, and some may not even pay a penny's worth for your aftermarket parts. On the other hand, you probably know the CLK like the back of your hand, and you know what may potentially go wrong in the future and what will not. In summary, the opportunity cost of selling the CLK is quite high, when you can drive it instead until it dies, which is still a far higher value than the paltry $3,500 KBB has stated.

If you were to sell it though, I'd suggest parting out everything back to stock as ricoZg had suggested, and then sell at KBB or higher if you dare.

[OGCLK320]

Yeah I am going to put the stock 16s back on and I would get rid of it for 3500, 4500 with the Monoblocks and brand new tires. The car has been amazing, and I am buying another CLK anyways, except a 55, and this 55 is a killer deal and I have always dreamed of having a CLK 55 w208. Its hard for me to cope with selling my beautiful 320, even with the high mileage, your right the TLC has a lot to do with it, I need to find the right buyer to appreciate the car for what it is. I am putting the stock stereo back in as well, so it will mainly just have the led tails and projectors which is a big selling factor on the 98.

[OGCLK320]

The 55 will be a new project and there would not be a single corner cut, Im talking coilovers, forged racing wheels. it would be a monster of a car once I am done with the 55. I am ready for the monster hand built AMG motor to be at my finger tips every day of the week!

[jbenz2001]

I agree sell all the stuff,especially to me lol.you'll get more money that way.I would put the car back to stock except for the wheels.I had recently put my car on craigs to sell and trust people could care less about the mods.if anything I almost wished I didn't have the mods cuz I wouldn't of been so attached to it and it would gotten sold.

[jonUF02]

Definitely part out as much as you can, or keep the rims with brand new tires for the new 55 until you want something else. The lights update the look and not too expensive so it would help to sell. If it runs great and you are attached to it, then maybe it is not even worth selling for $3600, maybe you should just keep it as a spare car or sell it to a good friend or family member in need.

I agree that mods can even detract from the value of a used car. They generally make me skeptical as to how the car was treated in the past. I only bought mine slightly modded because everything was done to a high standard and perfectly fit my taste, and the car was in awesome shape, so I probably paid a little more than the market value in stock condition. You would need the right person come along that really liked this car to pay more than book, but most people looking specifically for a W208 probably don't want the V6. On cars this old in outstanding condition, I just throw the book out the window and hope someone will love it and agree that it's worth the asking price. I don't think that 5K would be out of line with all the service records and if the interior is in really good condition. If you advertise on CL or similar without the year listed then people will see the sexy pics and call you for more details. It will still be hard to get anyone to buy any car with 250K on the clock. If you are going for top dollar then it might be worth investing a couple hundred to paint the trunk.

[jazzmammal]

As a long time car guy, former new/used sales manager and all that, you want to sell it rock stock. As soon as I see a bunch of mods all I think is boy racer and if potential buyers wants a modded car, they always want to do it themselves since mods are by definition, personal. JonUFO's suggestions are right on the money, that's exactly what I would do including the trunk. The lights are ok but part out everything else if you can plus if you have space I wouldn't sell it at all. I agree with the others, for that little money keep it as a spare, there's enough times you need a rental car for whatever reason and now you don't. Drive it until the wheels fall off. I'm a part time musician, I've got 4 grand just in two keyboards alone plus other stage equipment. 4K is nothing to you considering your history with it. Since the rear seats fold down I get to use my CLK as a truck. I always get comments when they see me unloading my black on black beauty.

Bob

[OGCLK320]

You guys are right, for 3500 bucks its not even worth it to sell it, the car looks outstanding, and I love it to death, even if it is a v6, I can save up another 3500 in a couple months and just keep the car. I dont think I could cope with my self for selling it, I have always told my self I was going to keep it as long as I live, 3500 is how much I paid in maintenance 16 months ago, what a joke. I am glad I didnt have someone come with cash ready to buy, because the car is worth so much more to me than 3500 measly dollars. I will keep the car and when the time is right, just pay all cash for a 55, there will always be good deals on the 55, I just need to be patient. thanks for your input, I have a buddy that paints, so I will probably have the whole car resprayed and the AMG side skirts I bought a few months ago painted and installed and just drive the damn thing. see how many miles I can make it till, maybe 500k? haha

[OGCLK320]

I am in such a toss up, If I can get 4500 as is, I am going to sell it. But I am for sure going to get the 55 checked out first, the last thing I need is the 55 failing on me for bad tranny or a knocking noise in the motor, I dont have room to keep both, and my 98 needs a new steering gear box, and some paint. Nothing less than 4500 tho. its time for a new project.