sneerz

I know this is the E55 forum, but I am curious from a purely performace/usability/looks standpoint, what would be better for me? I like coupes and I know the CLK55 has more room than the average coupe, and I also like the looks of it. I was thinking an 05 CLK 55 due to it having the dual rear exhaust, which looks really nice. I also like the E55 due to the roominess of it as well as the looks (as I already own an 99 E320). CLK55's are cheaper in general from what I have found when compared to E55's, and I am looking for a sub 70k mile car. What would you guys recommend and why? Thank you.

HeissRod

For one thing, the CLK is slower than the E due to the lack of supercharger.

Richardmozis

The E55 also has a much better interior since the CLK55 shares it's interior with the w203 c-class which it is based on.

sneerz

Doesn't it make up for it with the lower curb weight? and isnt it only slower by .5 seconds or so?

True, but the interior of the c's isn't too bad in my opinion. My friend has a clk320 and it has a pretty good interior. I've always wanted an E55 so I might just go with that.

Any opinions on the CLS55 which is based on the E class?

l pagan

E class all the way

Richardmozis

In the 1/4 mile the E55 will always be about 1 second quicker than a CLK55

CharlyE500

I had 2 CLK55, 04 and 05. I can tell you one thing, it's slower than my W210 E55 (without supercharge) The W211 is way faster... The only good thing about the W209 55 is good MPG.

desired_speeds

I picked up a CLK55 after I sold my 04 E55. It did nothing for me at all and I got rid of it after 4 months.

211.070

You would do better by getting an 07^ CLK550. They are a blast to drive and have upgraded electronics over the 05.

sneerz

I'm liking the clk550's, they seem likea straight upgrade from the clk55's. What would be the most miles you would get on one? I found one for 13.5k with 88k miles but that seems too high.

tw2

The CLK55 is a much cheaper car to maintain with less to go wrong- airmatic, IC pumps, fuel pumps etc. None of these are hard or especially expensive to fix but I am sure they are bound to happen at the most convenient times. There are quite a few airmatic failure while on holiday/out of town threads on here. The interior is halfway between the E and the C from what I can see. The seats have the same vacuum adjustments as the E, the instruments are the same as the E. Some of the more luxurious features are missing.

The E is a lot faster. The CLK handles better. The CLK550 has 20hp more over the CLK55, the same wheels and a 7 speed box but slightly lacks the suspension and braking of the CLK55. I don't think you can go wrong with either one CLK55, CLK550 or E55.

If I were to do it again I would have got an E55 but I am very happy with the CLK55.

James M

I just sold my modded E55 two months ago and I am also looking for an 05 CLK55 AMG. I was actually looking for a CLK55 when I found my E55 that I could not pass up because it ticked all the boxes. I love the small size and style of the CLK and the fact that it only has 2 doors. Being Pillarless when all the windows are dropped also appeals to me. I found my E55 was too big and bulky and was an absolute gas/rear tyre monster. The CLK55 has plenty enough power for me and if you want more then it is simply a matter of custom headers/exhaust, K&N airfilter's and a tune - all done! Not so with the E55 - the mod list is never ending and once you do one thing then something else needs to be done to counter it - usually cooling. The biggest issue I had with my E55 was the air suspension - you never know when it's going to go and when it does it is expensive. I also had so many little niggles with mine: heat exchanger pump had to be replaced, cooling hoses leaking, fuel pump issues, motor mounts didn't last long, secondary air injection pump burned itself out, Crank position sensor failed, etc. I spent every weekend and every cent I had on that damn car until I could no longer take it and had to sell it because the cost of ownership was killing me. The final nail in it's coffin was when I had to replace the front brake pads the day I sold it! The CLK is plain and simple - a great sounding, naturally aspirated V8. It won't win any drag races, but it is a great sounding and driving little car. If you do have deep pockets and want to make the CLK55 go even faster, then buy a Weisstec supercharger and throttle body and away you go!
Just my 2 cents worth since you asked.

ROLLNNN

Both the CLK55 and E55 are great cars. I have the 2005 clk55, which i recommend if you do get the clk. It has the quad exhaust and 6/4 piston Brembos. I have to say if i did it over again i would get the clk63. That might be something to look at if you are interested in more power...

James M

My thoughts exactly - I forgot about the '63 and the prices have come down dramatically on used low mileage ones. Just look out for the early ones that had the head stud issues or was that only limited to some of the C63's?
If I had the money it would be the CLK63 black series with a Weisstec S/C bolted on - end of story.

tw2

All 63's up until mid 2010. Of course there are thousands more C63's with the M156 than all other models (SL63, CLS63, CLK63, E63 etc) put together so of course you hear about the failures much more often in the W204 forum. It is still a very small chance of failure. You can of course replace with studs for preventative maintenance.

e500slr

Go ahead and get the CLK55. Just know you'll be driving a girls car. You'll be driving a car narrower than a GD Impreza. Crappy interior, crappy exterior, no power. The only CLK worth even thinking about is the Black Series which really did take a turd and actually make it incredible. The E55 is WAYYYYYY better. Have you seen the W211 with a facelift? Looks very modern and hasn't even dated much. As for the interior, the W211 is UNTOUCHABLE. It really is a perfect cabin. The interior looks like it was made in 2020 especially if you get the facelifted little details like the center grill and a better steering wheel like the CLK63 Black Series one with the flat bottom. The W211 has alot of flaws but compared to the CLK it's pretty damn PERFECT!!!

CharlyE500

OK... let me input more info from my experience. CLK55 is really slow... I had 2 so I know what I am talking about. 04 and 05. The 05 is just overrated because of Quad exhaust. I had W209, W210, W211 all together for long time so I know it's really slow. As I mentioned before, my W210 E55 was faster than the CLK55. Plus, the car is very narrow small. Also, there is no much choice if you want to buy 05 CLK55, some people just jackup the price because not many available not because it's that good. If you buy W211 E55, you will have a lot of choices in car and also choice to upgrade in power and cosmetic (E63 bumper and rear diffuser)

HeissRod

What is this grill?

e500slr

The thing on the top, the old one has slats whereas the newer is mesh.

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...-623546555.jpg

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/atta...center-436.jpg

HeissRod

Oh, sweet. I have the mesh. It must have been a change in the E55 years and not the E55>63 transition. I've never seen that old slatted one.

Ls1toAMG

I know the 06 have the mesh. All 03 04 have the grille. Not sure about 05 didn't test drive or see one. My guess would be mesh.

tw2

Thanks for the well balanced, rational and objective analysis

It could be insulting to the OP to assume he has no idea what size the W209 is and that he might be considering a car that is completely inappropriate for him. I can't see how the dimensions relative to a Subaru are important. It's wider than a Lotus Elise which is very important also. Just because it is easier to park doesn't mean it is terrible. It is more or less the same as the W203 which was one of mercedes best selling platforms.

Everything is relative and absolute. The interior of the CLK is not as nice as the E55. I personally think the lacquered wood (or whatever it might be) trim around the E55 doors and dash is fantastic. The CLK is still pretty nice though. The same principle applies to do the power. It's not slow, its just nowhere near as fast as the E55. You elected not to mention the difference in handling, maintenance and repairs. The only other thing I did not consider with the CLK is because it is a coupe, the doors are quite long and this sucks for getting in and out in tight spaces as they require so much more room. Also the seatbelt extender thing pisses me off occasionally.

Thank you for the comparison CharlyE500.

e500slr

Errr no. The CLK is too narrow to be taken seriously. It's also SLOW, yes SLOW. Maybe not if you just came from a civic but if you've ever been in any fast cars it's ASTHMATIC. It's also extremely dated and girly. Unless it's a Black Series the CLK is rubbish.

James M

Makes me wonder what these two are compensating for with big cars?

e500slr

Listen brother, it's not about compensating for anything. It's about the car being sexy and having authority. Why buy a V8 if the car it's in isn't intimidating and has authority? It's like a Chevy swap I saw in a Honda civic. The thing just didn't look and sound right. It sounded like a vicious animal and yet looked like something I would pet. A car, if you're into cars and not just into commuting, is a symbol, a way to express ones self. It's not compensating for something, it's simply expressing something. The CLK is a little b*tch, I would smack the smirk on that cars face with one slap.

Don't hate me for giving the OP good advice. We're all thinking it, I'm just saying it. The CLK is a pu$sy.