Considering buying a CLK 320
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
CLK soon
Considering buying a CLK 320
Hello all,
My gf is looking for a new car and I recommended her the CLK. I just have couple of concerns regarding MB:
1. How are these cars in the snow/icy condition? Is there a snow/ice mode for the drivetrain? We'll definitely get winter tires but, she's not a very skilled driver, I don't want her to spin out at an offramp.
2. Reliability. I heard the motor is pretty reliable, What I'm concerned with is electrical problems, which seem to be quite common with German cars. How does the CLK compare?
3. Any trouble spots I should look out for when going for test drive? common transmission trouble symptoms etc..? the one we're seeing today is a 2000 CLK320 with 90k miles.
Any help is appreciated, we're very excited about buying a clk, its like a dream car for both of us.
Regards,
J.
My gf is looking for a new car and I recommended her the CLK. I just have couple of concerns regarding MB:
1. How are these cars in the snow/icy condition? Is there a snow/ice mode for the drivetrain? We'll definitely get winter tires but, she's not a very skilled driver, I don't want her to spin out at an offramp.
2. Reliability. I heard the motor is pretty reliable, What I'm concerned with is electrical problems, which seem to be quite common with German cars. How does the CLK compare?
3. Any trouble spots I should look out for when going for test drive? common transmission trouble symptoms etc..? the one we're seeing today is a 2000 CLK320 with 90k miles.
Any help is appreciated, we're very excited about buying a clk, its like a dream car for both of us.
Regards,
J.
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 175
Likes: 1
From: U.S.A
CLK320, Carrera S
I owned my CLK320 for 7 years so here goes:
With All-Season tires the car does fairly well in light snow, with winter tires you will be fine, provided you take it easy. The cars has a winter mode but all it does is start in 2nd to avoid wheel spin, just go easy.
This car is pretty reliable, at this point reliability is a function of how well the car has been looked after, get the service records, the dash can have problems with missing display segments, repair is available via the web. I have not had any electrical issues with my car. Other areas that need attentions are the MAF and sometimes the crank position sensor. Get the car inspected before you buy it.
I think you should look at slightly newer cars with lower miles there was a face lift in 2001.
The basic issue with am older Benz is that repairs are expensive, MB parts can be bought on the web and if you are handy simple maintenance items (oil change, brake pad replacement, light bulbs, air filter changes…) are very simple and can be quite expensive at the dealer.
At 90,000 miles the transmission will need a fluid change, you will also need new plugs, this is quite expensive at the dealer, find an independent mechanic.
I change my oil every 7,500 miles, swapped the plugs and did a transmission flush at 50,000 miles. These are about 50% of the recommended interval and so far the car has been trouble free.
With All-Season tires the car does fairly well in light snow, with winter tires you will be fine, provided you take it easy. The cars has a winter mode but all it does is start in 2nd to avoid wheel spin, just go easy.
This car is pretty reliable, at this point reliability is a function of how well the car has been looked after, get the service records, the dash can have problems with missing display segments, repair is available via the web. I have not had any electrical issues with my car. Other areas that need attentions are the MAF and sometimes the crank position sensor. Get the car inspected before you buy it.
I think you should look at slightly newer cars with lower miles there was a face lift in 2001.
The basic issue with am older Benz is that repairs are expensive, MB parts can be bought on the web and if you are handy simple maintenance items (oil change, brake pad replacement, light bulbs, air filter changes…) are very simple and can be quite expensive at the dealer.
At 90,000 miles the transmission will need a fluid change, you will also need new plugs, this is quite expensive at the dealer, find an independent mechanic.
I change my oil every 7,500 miles, swapped the plugs and did a transmission flush at 50,000 miles. These are about 50% of the recommended interval and so far the car has been trouble free.
Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 194
Likes: 0
I just sold my '00 CLK320 w/about 88K miles. Replaced it with an '08 E350 4Matic. The CLK was really a great car all in all. In total, I replaced the MAF sensors and the fuel gauge sensors plus normal brakes. The car drove great - plenty of power, handled well. Pretty good fuel economy as well all things considered. It did have a few minor rattles and squeaks. I do miss the car, though I really like the E class.
In snow the car is horrible without snow tires. With snow tires on all 4 wheels it goes relatively well.
The W208 is a good car, but is starting to get to the age where repairs may be expensive. The appearance is wonderful - I like the W208 a lot, and really do not like the W209 whatsoever from an appearance perspective.
In snow the car is horrible without snow tires. With snow tires on all 4 wheels it goes relatively well.
The W208 is a good car, but is starting to get to the age where repairs may be expensive. The appearance is wonderful - I like the W208 a lot, and really do not like the W209 whatsoever from an appearance perspective.
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: Franklinville, NJ
CLK 430 - Black, Custom MB Vapor Wheels w/ Z rated Falken Tires
I have a 2000 CLK 430. Here's my opinion:
1) Last March, I almost got killed in the snow with the car on the highway. These cars are rear wheel drive. Any rear wheel drive cars in the snow without snow tires do not perform well. If you are concerned about snow, you should get an all wheel drive or front wheel drive car.
2) The motor is great. My car has 120K miles on it and is still running strong. You just need to ensure that you take care of it with normal maintenance. As far as electrical problems, it has its fair share. My dashboard cluster is messed up. What I mean by this is that some of the digits are out. This is a common problem with the Mercedes dashboard clusters. Also, my front driver seat control fuse blows like once a quarter. So you need to have fuses handy and know how to change them. Other than that, I have no other complaints about the car. It looks really sweet too.
No known trouble spots other than the electrical issues I pointed out. Have fun. They drive like a dream if you didn't mess with the wheels and tires. Oh, by the way, if you are looking for comfort, don't buy one that has custom wheels or tires. They make the car ride rough.
1) Last March, I almost got killed in the snow with the car on the highway. These cars are rear wheel drive. Any rear wheel drive cars in the snow without snow tires do not perform well. If you are concerned about snow, you should get an all wheel drive or front wheel drive car.
2) The motor is great. My car has 120K miles on it and is still running strong. You just need to ensure that you take care of it with normal maintenance. As far as electrical problems, it has its fair share. My dashboard cluster is messed up. What I mean by this is that some of the digits are out. This is a common problem with the Mercedes dashboard clusters. Also, my front driver seat control fuse blows like once a quarter. So you need to have fuses handy and know how to change them. Other than that, I have no other complaints about the car. It looks really sweet too.
No known trouble spots other than the electrical issues I pointed out. Have fun. They drive like a dream if you didn't mess with the wheels and tires. Oh, by the way, if you are looking for comfort, don't buy one that has custom wheels or tires. They make the car ride rough.
