Lakeside

Hi all:

My CLK 320 2002 model has only 37,300 miles on it however I was told by the MB dealership here to do the following:
(1) change engine air filter
(2) change engine coolant
(3) replace brake fluid
(4) change fuel filter
(5) fuel injection cleaner
(6) replace spark plugs

Doing these will cost about $2,000. I went for a 2nd opinion and was told that I didn't have enough miles on the car to replace spark plugs, do fuel injection cleaning, change engine coolant, etc. Does anyone have an opinion about whether or not I should perform the tune ups? My car runs well and I have no problems with it whatsoever. The dealership "suggested" the tune ups as I have never performed them. Thanks.

Jessica90

I don't think you need to do any of that. You have a low mileage car.

Are you even due for service yet?

I would worry about all that maybe after 50k miles.

The only thing on your list that I would would change is the air filters (check them out before you change them).

Mr Pie

It all depends on how long the car has been sitting, if it has been sitting. 37,000 miles on a 6 year old car is extremely low, roughly 6,000 miles a year. The dealer is probably making all of those suggestions because they are assuming there might be some build up in the system.

MarcusF

1. Paper air filters will rot with time
2. Coolant's rust inhibitors degrade over time. If you still have the original coolant, the water pump, freeze plugs, and radiator have begun to corrode. If left unattended, the residue from corrosion will eventually clog the radiator and corrode the coolant passages in the head and block.
3. Brake fluid is hygroscopic. That means it absorbs water from air. About 2% in the first year. The water in the brake fluid will corrode the brake calipers, master cylinder, and ABS unit.
4. After sitting in a gas bath for a long enough period of time, the filter element in a fuel filter will decompose. Filter material and dirt will move downstream to the injectors. Dirty injectors have lousy spray patterns.
5. I wouldn’t use injector cleaner. But having used your fuel filter for twice as long as it’s rated lifespan, the cleaner may not be a bad idea.
6. Spark plugs have a five year or 100,000 mile lifespan. I'd change the plugs. Waiting a few more years may make plug removal interesting. Some CLK owner on this site stripped his threads.

ApproachingZero

+1.... Sitting is terrible for a cars internals. I suggest taking that list to a good indy mechanic, it might cost much less.

chem1441

I would tend to agree that the services recomended should probably be done not based on mileage, but based on the age of the car. BTW, oem spark plugs are good for 5 years/ 100,000 miles whichever comes FIRST.

Lakeside

Thanks to everyone for your responses. If I were to perform the suggested tune ups in order of priority/importance, which would you recommend first and which one last? Thanks again

MarcusF

If it were me,

Coolant
Fuel filter
Air filter
Brake fluid
Spark plugs

If you're doing this yourself, and you have a Mercedes Benz Club of America discount, this is under $200 in parts. If you're paying someone to do it, this may help -

At my local dealer

• A coolant service is $90
• Brake fluid flush is $70
• A fuel filter has a list price of $118 and they’ll charge an hour to install it. (A Bosch filter from an aftermarket supplier is $30.)
• A CLK320 air filter is less than $25, and there may be a minimum service charge to install it.
• Plugs are going to be your biggest item.

Focus on this 1

2000$ !!!!! thats a jack!

louieginzo

$2,000 is a lot all them parts is cheap price them out at ur local auto zone or any car place
and go to a very good shop
i will say it wont come near $2,000 but its your car and if you wanna go to m-benz dealer go head but you surely no the dealer is a rip off !