Some of you who know me, know Im all over the place with getting a new car. I am 23, soon to be 24 and graduating college in a month, Just sold a modded 91 supra Turbo and still have my 2000 ML55. I recently looked at a 06 G35 coupe 6spd and liked it but a possible investment has come my way and Im thinking of purchasing a used vehicle instead. I thought about different things such as an E46 330Ci and a 350Z and G35C, all used.

After dealing with my ML... its left a sour taste for mercedes products in my mouth. I know the CLK is a pretty relaible and safe car but if some of you could give me your experiences with the W208... I would be looking at a 2000+ 430...

Common problems with the CLKs?
Maintenance costs of your 208s?
How often are you replacing brake pads and rotors?

Anything else I might need to know about when looking at a CLK430?

how well do they autoX or track?

Also if you all know anyone selling one in the northeast let me know
-Pete

 

I bought my 02 CLK 430 Cab from a "dealer" in Chicago and then drove it home to Boise, Idaho during one of the worst blizzards in recorded history (they closed the state of Nebraska, the entire state!), and I didn't have even a hint of a problem. The car drove with muscle, and was as smooth as I could have hoped for.

That was three weeks ago . As of this morning I've paid over 4K for everything from a bad alternator, bad instrument cluster, three top motors (I was caught in the rain with the top down, thank God my girl has a great sense of humor and looks great in a wet t-shirt), etc. I've since called and purchased an extended warrenty after the my service rep at the dealership just about begged me to get one and told me that "These cars NEED a warranty".

Now that I have bumper to bumper protection I'm much more comfortable, and I really hope it stops raining long enough for me to go "topless" for a long drive. The problem is that these cars have become the equivlent of a the old jags, they run great, WHEN they run!

I know I'm going to take heat for this, but whatever you do make sure you get a warranty, it will save you more money and stress than you can imagine, but you won't regret buying the car. I've had eveything from Mustangs to Corvettes, and BMWs to 911s and this is the most fun I've had with a car thus far (just get the warranty!).

GBA

 

my opinion: GET ITTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

well luckily my family owns a garage... so as repairs go, they arent ALL that costly for me. Im looking in to two members rides here on MBworld... One I thought about at first, and now the more I think about WANT... BADLY... and the other is a pretty nice looking one, looks similar to your car Black Benz... both have there pros and cons...

Unfortunately seeing Sixcr's fatal accident during the winter the CLK really opened my eyes. With the exception of his death, I saw that a CLK rolled and stopped on its side, and that if the driver had been wearing his seat belt, he would of walked away with nothing more then bruises and cuts.

I have also been keeping tally with problems in these cars and with the exception of Rwestiv's issues, have come to hear nothing but good things about this model. 3 Convertible tops seems a little unregular to me but regardless, it is the only problem I have heard about minus catalytic converters and MAFs. The MAF problem is common in all the MB V8s of recent years, my ML has both the Cat issue as well as the MAF issue.

This car will most certainly be a winter driving vehicle. Unless I get CRAZY and make it a show car like BB's, haha...

 

No problems here!

 

what kind of mileage are you all experiencing before you have done brake jobs? My ML55 is 15k on the dot everytime, many different owners experience that number as well. I would assume we all drive similarly as well.

So on brakes do you guys replace 15k - 20K, 20k-25k, 25k-30k, 30k+? Im am trying to get an idea of maintenance for this vehicle. I would assume oil is every 10k miles with the standard Mobil1 0 w40 weight? 8 quarts? Ive also heard 8.5qrts?

 

Pete, I change the oil with Mobil 1 0w40 every 5,000 miles. As far as brakes are concerned, I am still on my first set of pads and rotors and have about 50% pad life left.

A lot of it depends on your driving style...

 

Chappy its great and all to know your on your first set of pads and rotors but do you have like 10 miles on the car or like 50k? I have always had a led foot so not only do I accelerate fast but I brake hard... so I am through pads slightly ahead of average... If that helps, but can I expect 25-30k miles out of them?

 

LOL....sorry about that....I just turned 25K miles.

 

Hey 55,


I would like to add just a few things for your consideration (From a mechanic's point of view):

I have been monitoring the forum for the last couple of years since i had my 430 and pretty much saw the same "problems", eg. MAF, O2, etc. I decided to keep my car and i have 85k miles on it and havent had ANY problems. I too was looking at extended warranties and will advise you to be very carefull because some have varied payment plans, meaning YOU pay the covered repair first and then you get reimbersed. Then its the languaged of "covered" part/repair. But overall my vote would be go for the CLK...


Ed

 

Ed my ML hadnt had any issues till about 91k+ miles... I have replaced my inner and outer tie rods, an engine mount, brakes on my ML are worn out every 15k miles, I need new shocks, I replaced my switch cluster, my windshield wipers stopped working last night, my foglights take in water and bulbs need to be replaced every month or replace the whole lamp unit itself. There are a number of other things... the only "nagging" issues I have had were a MAS sensor that causes random misfires at HARD acceleration, fuel consumption more then regular...and a leak in my front passenger footwell.

 

Chappy is right on about the brake pads. I am at 54K miles and on my second set of front pads. I am close to changing them again (I brake a lot, since I lowered my car).

The '02 W208 CLK430 has been reliable, good electronics and suspension. They are not as "modern" as the new Benzes (i.e. ABC Air suspension) and are easier and cheaper to keep in the long run.

 

So your averaging 30k miles a set of pads? WOW... I think IM in love... I found a fully loaded 01 black 430 w/ 45k miles I am going to look at in a couple days. It even has nav(command unit)

 

3 top motors in 3 weeks! Yikes! Something might be shorting those babies out...
I bought a 430 Cab about a month ago. The top stopped working literally 20 minutes after I left the dealer. I left it with him (in Miami. I'm in MD. He agreed to have it fixed). The jang-a-langs that he had working on it tried quite a few things to no avail. I got fed up and went back and got the damn thing and brought it home and took it to 'my' shop here in MD. They found that the problem with the top had nothing to do with ANY of the convertible components. Ready for this? It was the freakin trunk lock! They took it apart and found pieces missing. Mechanic suspected that the car was 'tapped' in the rear and shoddy workmanship during the repair. He replaced the lock and the top works like a champ! He found the problem in 1 day vs. the nuts in Miami that had it for 3 weeks!

 

why don't you just buy my car

 

I bought my CLK last year in Jan. 2005, the only major thing I replaced was the catalytic converters. The car does have electrical problems, for example you'll be driving and your bas, abs, etc.. lights will go on, then they will shut off. That happens rarely, it happened to me twice. It's not a big problem.

Right now, I have to replace my brake bulb, and fog light. I have a check engine sign because my gas cap was broken and I replaced it so I need to shut the check engine sign off. Small problems that barely cost anyhing to fix.

Otherwise the car is perfect. I love it and enjoy it all the time.

 

Get your alignment checked. This could solve your ABS/BAS/ESP issue.

 

his problem is the brake lamp switch...

 

It very well might be. I replace dmine and it didnt solve the problem but the alignment took care of it. Just my 2 cents.

 

that could be the culprit too... 99% of the times that comes up, its the brake lamp switch...

 

i replaced mine too and it still goes off......i need an alignment anyways since they resealed my stupid gear box that was leaking...that was expensive!

 

sell ur car & buy mine its got ext warranty... hehe