CLK550 Is a Budget-friendly Benz for Daily Driving & Daily Hooning: Marketplace Finds

V8-powered CLK550 would make a fun daily driver or a great project car.

Mercedes-Benz has made some great-looking, strong-running coupes over the years like the CLK550, but buying one new or lightly-used can be very expensive. If the price of a newer Benz two-door is too rich for your blood, looking at cars that are more than a decade-old can net you a great car on a budget. We recently came across such a coupe in the MBWorld Marketplace, with a spotless CLK550 from 2008 being listed by F1Bobby for just $8,500, making it a great budget luxury coupe.

CLK550 Details

When the OP first posted this 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK550 in the MBWorld Marketplace, he included the sole picture shown above and the information below.

“2008, Mercedes CLK550, 124k miles, Steel Gray Metallic with gray interior. PP1.

This car was my daily driver in Southern California and I still really like the car but, now that I’m retired it rarely gets driven. All services done. Mobil 1, I’m the 2nd owner and I purchased it from Silver Star Mercedes in Thousand Oaks CA. This is a very nice driver and I recently got 22 MPG driving it from Northern Nevada to Monterey CA. There is one small chip in the windshield that will be repaired. No crashes, no oil leaks, no modifications (except window tint), Keyless-Go, Nav, HK sound

This car is surprisingly quick with 382 HP, 392 tq. $8,500.00 car is located in the Reno, NV area.”

For those who are unsure, the CLK550 is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 and a 7-speed automatic transmission, so with the power figures listed above, this sleek coupe is a fun little car to drive.

Daily Drive It or Build It

Based on the information provided and the one picture, this 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK550 would make for a great daily driver for anyone who wants a combination of luxury and performance. While this car doesn’t pack the punch of an AMG model or the newest luxury features, this Benz comes with all of the interior amenities needed to get the premium driving experience just how it sits.

Then again, this Mercedes coupe could be lightly modified to be a little sportier for someone who wants a CLK550 that stands out from the crowd. A suspension lowering kit, custom wheels wrapped in performance rubber, an exhaust system that lets the V8 roar and an engine tune to add a little power would make for an entirely different car; one that would shine in the curves and on the straightaways.

Best of all, this car is listed for just $8,500. That is right in the middle of the range on Kelly Blue Book, and considering the cleanliness of this CLK550, that is a very fair number.

If you are in the market for a clean CLK550 to drive or build, click here for a closer look at the sale listing.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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