My year with a CLK
10-22-2014, 01:22 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My year with a CLK
Hey all, people on this board have been super helpful through my first MB purchase, a 2009 CLK350 with 46k miles almost exactly one year ago.
Just wanted to share my impressions of the car, for no particular reason:
Exterior: My favorite part and probably the primary reason I purchased this car. One of the most beautiful coupes ever made in my opinion, and a star in the MB lineup. It's all about that pillarless design. I had black paint - beware it is very high maintenance on the CLK.
Interior: Some of the most comfortable seats I've ever sit in. Especially for long trips, these seats were awesome. Mine was black with wood, and black leather seats. Discovered lots of visual imperfections after my purchase inside, including a couple of most likely cigarette burns. Will not make that mistake again.
Driving Experience: I'd describe it as powerful and composed. Compared to my wife's 2014 C250, it's a heavy feeling, classic MB feel. V6 was good enough though when you pounded it, and had a nice throaty sound compared to most V6s.
Technology: This is where it got rough. I knew what I was getting into when I bought it fairly bare of tech, but didn't know the tech envy I'd feel of so many other people with the conveniences of Bluetooth, Pandora, etc. Tech in cars is advancing rapidly, and it shows as even a 2009 seems to be in a distant past technologically. Big weakness in my opinion. Note: I didn't have the COMAND, but have used that COMAND frequently in friends cars and even it pales in comparison to newer models.
Maintenance: No major issues. Performed Service B as required. SRS light liked to come on randomly, reputable indy diagnosed as a malfunctioning control unit under the passenger seat and never fixed - he was certain there was no effect on safety. (Never came on with passengers in the car.) Driver's side mirror vibrated at high speeds, never got a chance to fix.
Overall, the CLK 350 was a great purchase and worth the price I paid at the time. Loved it every minute I had it. Unfortunately, I misjudged what I was looking for in my first Benz - a newer car. I was so in love with it's appearance that I just wanted to fix every little nit about the thing. But that's the whole deal - it's a used car. Stuff happens.
That's why I jumped on a service loaner promotion at a local dealer, traded in the CLK and got into a 2014 C250 of my own with 9k miles this weekend, white on black. (Atlanta is too hot to have a black car. Another lesson learned.) Ridiculously low lease price and nothing down. Loving it and the lighter, agile feel.
The CLK is a great ride and I would recommend it to anyone. Just beware, you'll fall in love with it and want to make it perfect - and that is not cheap!
Just wanted to share my impressions of the car, for no particular reason:
Exterior: My favorite part and probably the primary reason I purchased this car. One of the most beautiful coupes ever made in my opinion, and a star in the MB lineup. It's all about that pillarless design. I had black paint - beware it is very high maintenance on the CLK.
Interior: Some of the most comfortable seats I've ever sit in. Especially for long trips, these seats were awesome. Mine was black with wood, and black leather seats. Discovered lots of visual imperfections after my purchase inside, including a couple of most likely cigarette burns. Will not make that mistake again.
Driving Experience: I'd describe it as powerful and composed. Compared to my wife's 2014 C250, it's a heavy feeling, classic MB feel. V6 was good enough though when you pounded it, and had a nice throaty sound compared to most V6s.
Technology: This is where it got rough. I knew what I was getting into when I bought it fairly bare of tech, but didn't know the tech envy I'd feel of so many other people with the conveniences of Bluetooth, Pandora, etc. Tech in cars is advancing rapidly, and it shows as even a 2009 seems to be in a distant past technologically. Big weakness in my opinion. Note: I didn't have the COMAND, but have used that COMAND frequently in friends cars and even it pales in comparison to newer models.
Maintenance: No major issues. Performed Service B as required. SRS light liked to come on randomly, reputable indy diagnosed as a malfunctioning control unit under the passenger seat and never fixed - he was certain there was no effect on safety. (Never came on with passengers in the car.) Driver's side mirror vibrated at high speeds, never got a chance to fix.
Overall, the CLK 350 was a great purchase and worth the price I paid at the time. Loved it every minute I had it. Unfortunately, I misjudged what I was looking for in my first Benz - a newer car. I was so in love with it's appearance that I just wanted to fix every little nit about the thing. But that's the whole deal - it's a used car. Stuff happens.
That's why I jumped on a service loaner promotion at a local dealer, traded in the CLK and got into a 2014 C250 of my own with 9k miles this weekend, white on black. (Atlanta is too hot to have a black car. Another lesson learned.) Ridiculously low lease price and nothing down. Loving it and the lighter, agile feel.
The CLK is a great ride and I would recommend it to anyone. Just beware, you'll fall in love with it and want to make it perfect - and that is not cheap!
10-22-2014, 02:52 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Nice writeup. It's a wonderful piece of machinery
Pillarless design was a fantastic idea for MB to put when they came out with the 209 in 2003 (just like they have on their S coupes/CL for years). I remember when shopping for an 04 E class back in 07 they had a CLK320 and the first thing the MB sales guy mentioned was the pilarless design. It's the best! Gets looks all around. You can't even buy a brand new 6 series coupe and get that feature. People that ride in my car go crazy over it and a sunroof too on top of it
The seats are great. Could be better if they came standard with power lumbar (hard option) or at least manual (which is very odd it does not since the C class did). I was driving a friend of mine and she commented how the seats in my car were more comfortable than in her 2014 E350
Oh the tech is pretty bad in this car. I mean granted it did come out in 2003 but still. Compare the tech in an E60 5 series (which only came out a year later) and there's a whopping difference. Comand is pretty outdated even in an 05 or 06 car
Enjoy your new C250. They're pretty fun little piece of machinery and leagues better than the previous C300 that was offered for years
Pillarless design was a fantastic idea for MB to put when they came out with the 209 in 2003 (just like they have on their S coupes/CL for years). I remember when shopping for an 04 E class back in 07 they had a CLK320 and the first thing the MB sales guy mentioned was the pilarless design. It's the best! Gets looks all around. You can't even buy a brand new 6 series coupe and get that feature. People that ride in my car go crazy over it and a sunroof too on top of it
The seats are great. Could be better if they came standard with power lumbar (hard option) or at least manual (which is very odd it does not since the C class did). I was driving a friend of mine and she commented how the seats in my car were more comfortable than in her 2014 E350
Oh the tech is pretty bad in this car. I mean granted it did come out in 2003 but still. Compare the tech in an E60 5 series (which only came out a year later) and there's a whopping difference. Comand is pretty outdated even in an 05 or 06 car
Enjoy your new C250. They're pretty fun little piece of machinery and leagues better than the previous C300 that was offered for years
