ahmadk

Hellbent

7 weeks ago I was driving my 97E320 to work, highway with 3 stop lights at the end of the drive.
At the first light I saw some steam rising from under the hood, checked the guages, wasn't overheating.
8 minutes later as I was in the parking lot, I jumped out and went for the fire extinguisher in the trunk, popped the hood, no flames.
The head gasket had failed catastrophically. Oil inside the engine bay, coolant in the engine (I found this out after I had it towed to the MB dealer about 2 miles away).
They'd have to replace the wiring harness as it was too brittle - This explained the cars name, "lamp defective", and perhaps do bottom end work. $3800 -$7200
I walked around the CPO showroom, looked at the price tags, pointed at the CLK350 coupe and said "do the paperwork on that". Sticker shock is still hitting me me with the money stick. I was planning on the next car being a used higher mileage XJR at a lower price but darn if wasn't in a state of shock at the thought of my 14 year old monster with a dead motor. I always thought it'd go with a failed attempt on power slide. It's like it had a heart attack.
I loved the 97E. It was my first RWD drive car in 18 years. It was PAID FOR! I could step the back out whenever I wanted, do brake stands (on the uphill starts only, I diddn't want to murder it).

I am driving the CLK350 coupe due to a snap decision. I'm learning to like it. I can't hoon it as much because I have too many payments left vs the insured value and the newer version of the ESP really puts up a fight even with the button off and I don't want to break it. I do have new tires as well, let me get 16,000 miles on them see where the rear end wants to go. Not the safest way to step the back out at a corner but defintely a way.

The lack of a B pillar is the best. I've always been a windows down driver and the no B pillar has always made me say "cool" since I saw it on the BMW 8 series as a kid. I definitely enjoy the bump in straight line acceleration, espescially in passing situations compared to the 320. I'm getting 1 better MPG. I get better cornering at the bend before my hidden driveway.

I am new to MBWorld, I'll post a bit but lurk more.

JHouse

So they had an 08 CLK on the showroom floor at a MB dealer?

grech

I drive one because I love Mercs and always have. They're well built (compared to everything else on the road nowadays, they're still built like tanks!) and relatively affordable to maintain where I live, and have always wanted to own a coupe. So I made the switch last week, the moment I found the perfect one! =D

JHouse

That's how I feel now. The more I learn, the more impressed I am. I used to think MB was like Neiman Marcus, i.e. the price didn't necessarily relate to quality/engineering/capability. But it turns out that's exactly what it means for MB.

Hellbent

MB Princeton has a new and a CPO showroom.

I agree that once you've had a Benz, really what else are you going to buy next? If I had given myself time to be calm I'd probably have a non-CPO S.

Not that I don't already have a non-CPO S, it's just the one I have is made of Iron Oxide and Bondo

GezaBMX

So my short story is that I was always in to cars, my father is a car electrician so it's understandable. I wanted a Merc there was no doubt about that. At first I was thinking of getting a W208 CLK 230K but after much thinking I got a W209 CLK 240. I can honestly say I love it and it's a dream come true.

abqhudson

my reason

gaazmon

I got my 04 E320 certified back in Aug 07. Even then I was looking at CLK's but needed something with 4 doors and room for 5 (if you consider it decent amount of space). As well, I wasn't a fan of the clk prefacelift interior nor tech within it (felt like it was just a carry over from the w208). After my car started to experience the fuel tank issues five years later, as many w211s do, I decided it was not worth to keep (and with the pano roof not working as well) would've cost way to much money (between those two and a few other things, it would've cost the value of the car to keep it all back up to my standard)

So I started my journey with 09 CLS550s since they had the updated tech/nav, sleek design (was not a fan of the new Es until the 2014 refresh), and V8 engine. The 320 had left a lot lacking in regards to power but i did not want to opt for an 04 or 05 e500 due to being the first two years of the 7G tranny which my indy warned about and said it would be safe in an 08 and above car. The CLS had everything nicely done but something about the front of the car I couldn't get used to. As well, I decided I wanted to lower my price point purely out the fact that I didn't think it was worth spending about 38 - 40k. So i decided to start looking at the 08 09 CLK550s

I knew from all the lovely info you all post that the mileage was almost negligible between the 350 and 550 (comparing to my friends' vehicles proves that right as well). I loved the updated body style with the more aggressive AMG package (the 500 also was quite aggressive but not as much as this). The engine with the AMG exhaust was a great combination and I found on here that the car had only two cats and three resonators so my exhaust idea was already in the mix the pillar-less coupe is an epic design something that i've realized catches so much attention as it is surprising on a vehicle price point such as this (people always confuse it with a CL). When I drove the car I loved how it drove. Very confident, yet very comfortable. I soon realized even on long drives the sport suspension was not punishing at all (versus a 3 series with sport package). Overall, it had everything I wanted: sporty design and proper handling for my needs, nice big v8 with a beautiful exhaust tone, can fit four comfortably (yes even more so than our 02 cl500 which is shocking, the headroom is especially phenomenal), enough tech to keep a guy like me happy [bi-xenon headlights with curve illumination, paddle shifters, navigation (even though crude and outdated but yet useful), pillar-less design, glass sunroof, hk sound system with aux input, etc]. Never bothered me that the model name and body changed, I could care less. In the end, the CLK550 was a perfect choice for me

FFXF1

I drive a CLK for several reasons. Driving a 55 AMG right now. Wished I had pulled the trigger on a 63 BS. Maybe/Someday. BMWs are as ubiquitous as cockroaches - they're everywhere. Audi is trying hard to change their image but its not working for me. Detroit - meh. In my area a CLK is rather uncommon. 55 AMG cabrio is extremely rare. Body style, reliability, performance, aftermarket upgrades, ease of DIY.

gaazmon

Ya BMWs have become a dime a dozen now and with all the downstreaming models and so many different models now too. Really like how MB is downsizing the different models and having variants (C/C coupe, E/E coupe, S/S coupe). Only BMW that sticks for me is the 6 series and 6 series GT. Audis haven't done if for me since the B5 S4 and D2 S8 (sick f**king cars still imo). Now they are overpriced underpowered. Never been impressed by my friends' Audis they've had

American wise the new mustang is s*x imo i think it's a great choice for people with a lot to offer. Same with the new charger and challenger. Great cars from what i've seen. Good for them. I like to see the Americans pulling steam

I agree the w209s are so rare (always have been imo). I see some 320s, 350s, and 500s here and there. Not many 550s at all. 55s are rare and 63s I can count on two hands. I really wish they had released a coupe non BS 63. These are the best of all worlds. Way more reliable than my w211 and loads more fun and attention grabbing

91ser

Best reason ever..........

The king is dead, long live the CLKing.

jdhiller

I was shopping for a car under 20k, convertible, rear wheel drive ( I hate fwd) with a V8 engine. after looking at many sl500"s I found a very low mileage clk500 cabriolet that seemed to fit the bill. paid a decent price for it and proceeded to blow my budget on roof repair all of the hydraulics. Now a window regulator. I however lover the car is one of the best driving cars I have ever owned. Long live the V8 in a small body.

jbinsc

My brother drives a 2002 CLK 430 Cabriolet. I really like it. One day I was doing a generic Cars.com search for cars w/ less than 30,000 miles that were under $20k. This beauty sat at the top of the list. 2008 CLK350 w/ 28k miles. I figured it to be a great buy as it was obviously pampered and in excellent condition. I love it.

andyncLI

This May I started snooping around cars.com, looking for my 1st MB, 1st V8, white ext with beige int, wood steering wheel, late years (2008/09) CLK coupe and found mine.

toyman

In 2010, I found an '05 E320 CDI for sale at a local lot and wanted something a little nicer than my Dodge Durango, big enough to haul my family on vacation, and excellent gas mileage. Didn't know how to get this past my better half and when I got to the lot, there was a beautiful '05 CLK320 cab sitting right beside it. Decided on the CDI and went back with my wife to see what she thought of the Cab. She fell in love, I made a good deal on both of them and we drove them home. It was a low mile car at 39000, and is still (knock on wood) running strong. It's a great car and she never wants to get rid of it. I recently traded my CDI for a '12 E350, and she's eyeing up a new CLA for her next car, but the CLK isn't going anywhere. I've had a few repairs. Cam position sensor, which I did myself. Some gasket work, and the biggie was the hydraulic pump for the top. Saved my self about $2k by having Klaus rebuild the pump over buying a new one. Overall an awesome car. Far better than the '70 SL280 I used to have. Lifting off that hard top was a PIA!!!! Especially compared to just pushing the button in the CLK.

DeezyClk5.0

The best or nothing. That's why.

Rudeney

Why do I drive a CLK? Well, let's see, this is a bit of a long story, but I'm bored, so I'll tell it. And if you have a problem with that, feel free to go read one of the carbon fiber rear-spoiler threads.

I have always been a big MBZ fan. As a kid, I was a bit obsessed with them. I collected books and magazine articles. I never really had the means to buy one, though. After 20 years of driving and repairing a series of crappy cars, I found a used W123 300TD that I bought for a good price because it needed some TLC. The plan was to get it in good order and give it to my daughter who was pregnant with my granddaughter at the time. I figured it was the perfect car - safe, built like a tank, and plenty of room for all the kid stuff. But she was not going to be caught dead driving "an old wagon". So I drove it for several years and enjoyed it. She enjoyed her Toyota Tercel.

In 1997 when the ML came out I was sold on it, but they were too hard to get. Our local dealer was charging a $3K "reservation fee" in additon to MSRP, and then you had to take what they got or lose your spot in line (and the fee). I needed a 4WD SUV at the time (we had a lake house with boats), so I sold the W123 (at a profit, if you didn't count maintenance and repair costs) and bought a 4Runner. It did it's job and other than a minor sunroof glitch and a broken power antenna, it never gave me any trouble. It was unexciting, except that it lacked headroom and had fairly rough ride so it wasn;t much good as a highway cruiser.

Eventually, the novelty of the ML had worn off and they were readily available. My local friendly MBZ dealer was still charging full MSRP, though. I called another dealer an hour out of town and made a deal for a factory delivery. I got exactly what I wanted plus a private factory tour, off-road course drive and a "free" lunch on to boot.

I loved the ML320 - it was the best "road trip" car we've ever owned. It was also better for my off-road needs than the 4Runner. It's Achilles Heel was ground clearance with its independent rear suspension, but it was unstoppable. I even once pulled my cousin's Ford F150 out of the mud. It had many problems though. Fortunately for me (unfortunately for him), a neighbor happened to an MBUSI factory executive. I would complain to him quite regularly, especially since my local dealership seemed to be mostly incompetent at fixing anything. Eventually, they did get the bugs worked out and I had an opportunity to "put up or shut up" and was invited to do some consulting work for the factory to help improve things.

After enjoying the ML320, I got the itch for an ML55. With the ML's abysmal reputation, the new W164 out, and high gas prices, people were practically giving them away. So I sold my ML320 and figured i could quickly find a good ML55. But it seemed that every one I looked at had major issues - poor care and maintenance, damage, dead body in the back seat, etc. We were a few weeks away from a long road trip vacation and my wife was nagging me that we needed an SUV to haul all our luggage. I went to the local BMW dealership to look at an ML55 they advertised, but it was sold. The salesman of course tried to talk me into a BMW X5, but my sister-in-law had one which I had driven and did not like.

I did see a nice new X3 there and decided to give it a drive. Mostly I was curious, but I also figured I'd give the salesman something to do as he seemed bored. As part of my engagement with the MBUSI factory, I did some work at a dealership and so I know how boring that sales job can be. The X3 was smaller than the ML, but cargo room was not too bad and it was really fun to drive. They made me a stupid-crazy lease deal so I drove it home. I really can't say anything bad about the X3. I had very few problems with it and it was a lot of fun to drive. The dealership and BMW service was great. Like the ML, it was unflappable in any road conditions. One thing I noticed was that the interior did not hold up as well as the ML - a lot of soft touch surfaces scratched easily and the leather seats looked worn too soon.

Not long after that, my wife's lease was up on her car and she decided she wanted an SUV so she leased a Nissan Murano. There was nothing about that car that I liked. No wait - it had Sirius radio, so that is one thing. Around this time, we took custody of our 14yo granddaughter (long story, for another day). Knowing that she would need a car to learn to drive in, I decided to get her a W203. I found a good C240 with low miles, no body work, one owner and a great price. I drove it for a few years and taught the granddaughter to drive in it.

Soon, she turned 16 and would be waiting in the driveway when I got home so she could take the car. Sharing a car with a 16yo is no fun. I needed a car. My hesitation in getting a car for me was that my wife's lease was up in a few months and she was undecided on what to get. She thought she might want to go back to a car since SUVs were big an used a lot of gas. Since we didn't need two SUVs, I needed to know her choice before I bought something.

Now, my wife will spend an hour in the grocery store picking out a head of lettuce, so imagine how long it would take her decide on a car. I was becoming more aggravated every day. Eventually, my wife admitted that she was just too indecisive, so she said, "Honey, you go get whatever you want. If you get an SUV, I'll get a car. If you get a car, I'll get an SUV. You just get what makes you happy" Well, at least that's what I heard her say...I think she said something that had more NSFW verbiage.

Anyhow, there is a huge used car dealership a mile down the road from our
neighborhood that sells off-lease and late model luxury cars. I stopped in there to look at a GL-Class (they had a dozen of them) but I saw the CLK. I took it for a drive, ran by the house and did my own inspection, and that night it was mine.

I've had it almost 6 years now and really like it. MBZ "goodwilled" the timing chain idler sprocket (a.k.a. balance shaft) repair. I've not had any major problems, though with it approaching 10 years old, things are starting to need a little more TLC. So now, I am looking at an R230 SL550. Since the body style changed for MY2013, and the 2012s are falling out of warranty, I figure now is a good time. Once I find "the right one" I'll trade. But for now, the CLK does its job and does it well!

Ghennes13

Because Britney spears had two of them. J/k! But still cool. I love the color combo (diamond silver with beige interior). I love the sleek and sexy design, the dashboard is gorgeous, it's quiet, it's efficient, it's timeless. The E coupe doesn't come close!! The w209 in my opinion is one of the most beautifully designed cars of all time.