Buying Guide for a CLK 430 or 55
06-08-2011, 04:19 AM
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Buying Guide for a CLK 430 or 55
Hello, I am going to buy my own car in a couple of month. I am trying to find the best source to make an excessive research before buying a CLK 430. I can't find any buying guide for this car, so I am going have to ask you guys.
1) Which one is the best Benz website to look up informations? I already visited a forum in the BenzWorld.org, but I am not impressed with the quality of members posting in the CLK forum. Also, I'm kind of suspecting with the charging fees for the forum membership.
2) Is there a reliable up-to-date buying guide for CLKs? I need to know what I need to check out before buying a CLK. I don't want to buy one then, I need to spend thousands dollars on repairment in a few months later.
3) What is the most common maintenance on the benz? Do you have to replace some stuffs every long miles?
4) Is there a special tool that only repairs on Mercedes Benz? That is the reason why I stay away from Porsche, because it requires some special Porsche tools to repair. It's really expensive.
5) Would you recommend the CLK 430 to be a 60 miles round trip daily commuter? (Mostly, on highways).
6) The biggest question of all: How come I NEVER found a manual transmission CLK430???? I mean, this 430 is a 8 cylinders beast, and it doesn't make sense to not have a stick available for this type of car. Does a CLK55 have a manual transmission too?
If you have something in your head that you need to tell me, feel free to post here or PM me. I don't want to buy one and then regret it.
1) Which one is the best Benz website to look up informations? I already visited a forum in the BenzWorld.org, but I am not impressed with the quality of members posting in the CLK forum. Also, I'm kind of suspecting with the charging fees for the forum membership.
2) Is there a reliable up-to-date buying guide for CLKs? I need to know what I need to check out before buying a CLK. I don't want to buy one then, I need to spend thousands dollars on repairment in a few months later.
3) What is the most common maintenance on the benz? Do you have to replace some stuffs every long miles?
4) Is there a special tool that only repairs on Mercedes Benz? That is the reason why I stay away from Porsche, because it requires some special Porsche tools to repair. It's really expensive.
5) Would you recommend the CLK 430 to be a 60 miles round trip daily commuter? (Mostly, on highways).
6) The biggest question of all: How come I NEVER found a manual transmission CLK430???? I mean, this 430 is a 8 cylinders beast, and it doesn't make sense to not have a stick available for this type of car. Does a CLK55 have a manual transmission too?
If you have something in your head that you need to tell me, feel free to post here or PM me. I don't want to buy one and then regret it.
06-08-2011, 08:42 PM
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2010 C300 4MATIC
Things To Look Out For:
1. Check all fender walls for any rust. Water sits in the fender lips and when rocks kick up and paint the chips the fenders will begin to rust.
Also, make sure to check for rust where the front bumper and rear bumper meet. Best bet is to pull the bumpers off and get the fender lips fixed before you have to get the fenders repainted.
2. Make sure all seat motors work by pushing all the buttons pertaining to the seat on the doors.
3. If the odometer has missing pixels for the time and temperature this is normal because the connectors were "poorly engineered." This can be fixed with the simple DIY or through a company in MA (I forgot the name).
4. Make sure the front bumper hasn't been cracked yet and repaired because you'll end up spending at least $800 for a new bumper and $600 to repaint.
5. Check for any rust in the chassis, control arms, ects because theses cars are susceptible to rust.
If I come up with anymore I will update you on that.
Good luck.
1. Check all fender walls for any rust. Water sits in the fender lips and when rocks kick up and paint the chips the fenders will begin to rust.
Also, make sure to check for rust where the front bumper and rear bumper meet. Best bet is to pull the bumpers off and get the fender lips fixed before you have to get the fenders repainted.
2. Make sure all seat motors work by pushing all the buttons pertaining to the seat on the doors.
3. If the odometer has missing pixels for the time and temperature this is normal because the connectors were "poorly engineered." This can be fixed with the simple DIY or through a company in MA (I forgot the name).
4. Make sure the front bumper hasn't been cracked yet and repaired because you'll end up spending at least $800 for a new bumper and $600 to repaint.
5. Check for any rust in the chassis, control arms, ects because theses cars are susceptible to rust.
If I come up with anymore I will update you on that.
Good luck.
06-09-2011, 01:16 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
If you have something in your head that you need to tell me, feel free to post here or PM me. I don't want to buy one and then regret it.[/quote]
1) You're at the best website.
2) This has come up several times, so I listed a few things here.
3) These are the normal things that need replacing, and when they are normally replaced.
4) I used to be a Porsche wrench. There are some Porsche specific tools (mainly for degreeing cams), but I never bought any. I have a few tools that I bought for the MB - the WIS and an oil filter wrench. Other than that, normal tools work just fine.
5) 60 per day is fine. Unlike some marques, Mercedes-Benz vehicles last A LONG TIME. Scan through here and you'll see what I mean. Yes, there are four pages of Benz photos, but they are in very good condition.
6) You never found a manual because Mercedes-Benz didn't/doesn't build manual transmissions for passenger cars with V8s or V12s. The same applies to the CLK55. Compared to the automatics, the market would be very small. Honestly, fewer and fewer people are buying manuals. The new automatics shift faster and do everything a manual can. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a good example. Those come one way. With an automatic.
Lastly, my Benz has been uber reliable, and I just do the regular maintenance.
1) You're at the best website.
2) This has come up several times, so I listed a few things here.
3) These are the normal things that need replacing, and when they are normally replaced.
4) I used to be a Porsche wrench. There are some Porsche specific tools (mainly for degreeing cams), but I never bought any. I have a few tools that I bought for the MB - the WIS and an oil filter wrench. Other than that, normal tools work just fine.
5) 60 per day is fine. Unlike some marques, Mercedes-Benz vehicles last A LONG TIME. Scan through here and you'll see what I mean. Yes, there are four pages of Benz photos, but they are in very good condition.
6) You never found a manual because Mercedes-Benz didn't/doesn't build manual transmissions for passenger cars with V8s or V12s. The same applies to the CLK55. Compared to the automatics, the market would be very small. Honestly, fewer and fewer people are buying manuals. The new automatics shift faster and do everything a manual can. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a good example. Those come one way. With an automatic.
Lastly, my Benz has been uber reliable, and I just do the regular maintenance.
06-09-2011, 03:57 AM
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Things To Look Out For:
1. Check all fender walls for any rust. Water sits in the fender lips and when rocks kick up and paint the chips the fenders will begin to rust.
Also, make sure to check for rust where the front bumper and rear bumper meet. Best bet is to pull the bumpers off and get the fender lips fixed before you have to get the fenders repainted.
2. Make sure all seat motors work by pushing all the buttons pertaining to the seat on the doors.
3. If the odometer has missing pixels for the time and temperature this is normal because the connectors were "poorly engineered." This can be fixed with the simple DIY or through a company in MA (I forgot the name).
4. Make sure the front bumper hasn't been cracked yet and repaired because you'll end up spending at least $800 for a new bumper and $600 to repaint.
5. Check for any rust in the chassis, control arms, ects because theses cars are susceptible to rust.
If I come up with anymore I will update you on that.
Good luck.
1. Check all fender walls for any rust. Water sits in the fender lips and when rocks kick up and paint the chips the fenders will begin to rust.
Also, make sure to check for rust where the front bumper and rear bumper meet. Best bet is to pull the bumpers off and get the fender lips fixed before you have to get the fenders repainted.
2. Make sure all seat motors work by pushing all the buttons pertaining to the seat on the doors.
3. If the odometer has missing pixels for the time and temperature this is normal because the connectors were "poorly engineered." This can be fixed with the simple DIY or through a company in MA (I forgot the name).
4. Make sure the front bumper hasn't been cracked yet and repaired because you'll end up spending at least $800 for a new bumper and $600 to repaint.
5. Check for any rust in the chassis, control arms, ects because theses cars are susceptible to rust.
If I come up with anymore I will update you on that.
Good luck.
06-09-2011, 04:36 AM
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If you have something in your head that you need to tell me, feel free to post here or PM me. I don't want to buy one and then regret it.
1) You're at the best website.
2) This has come up several times, so I listed a few things here.
3) These are the normal things that need replacing, and when they are normally replaced.
4) I used to be a Porsche wrench. There are some Porsche specific tools (mainly for degreeing cams), but I never bought any. I have a few tools that I bought for the MB - the WIS and an oil filter wrench. Other than that, normal tools work just fine.
5) 60 per day is fine. Unlike some marques, Mercedes-Benz vehicles last A LONG TIME. Scan through here and you'll see what I mean. Yes, there are four pages of Benz photos, but they are in very good condition.
6) You never found a manual because Mercedes-Benz didn't/doesn't build manual transmissions for passenger cars with V8s or V12s. The same applies to the CLK55. Compared to the automatics, the market would be very small. Honestly, fewer and fewer people are buying manuals. The new automatics shift faster and do everything a manual can. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a good example. Those come one way. With an automatic.
Lastly, my Benz has been uber reliable, and I just do the regular maintenance.
1) You're at the best website.
2) This has come up several times, so I listed a few things here.
3) These are the normal things that need replacing, and when they are normally replaced.
4) I used to be a Porsche wrench. There are some Porsche specific tools (mainly for degreeing cams), but I never bought any. I have a few tools that I bought for the MB - the WIS and an oil filter wrench. Other than that, normal tools work just fine.
5) 60 per day is fine. Unlike some marques, Mercedes-Benz vehicles last A LONG TIME. Scan through here and you'll see what I mean. Yes, there are four pages of Benz photos, but they are in very good condition.
6) You never found a manual because Mercedes-Benz didn't/doesn't build manual transmissions for passenger cars with V8s or V12s. The same applies to the CLK55. Compared to the automatics, the market would be very small. Honestly, fewer and fewer people are buying manuals. The new automatics shift faster and do everything a manual can. The Ferrari 458 Italia is a good example. Those come one way. With an automatic.
Lastly, my Benz has been uber reliable, and I just do the regular maintenance.
I am curious, how much does it cost for the yearly check up? I am assuming an authorized Benz service or a Benz dealer would do the service for A and B.
About the transmission, according to your website, I read this: "Five-speed electronically controlled automatic with driver-adaptive shift logic, Touch Shift manual control"
What does "Touch Shift manual control" mean? It sounds like the option to switch from automatic to manual, but I am not sure. I am a bit dissapointed about CLK430 and CLK55 being automatic, because I like to control the RPM when I'm driving. However, I understand the automatic in the benz was designed to shift faster than manual.
Thanks for showing me the website of the car show. The 2012 SLK looks sick. It cannot be a girl's car anymore for sure.
06-09-2011, 08:58 AM
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2001 E55 - 2008 CLS63 -2016 F-150
Carfax wont always tell you everything , its a start but can also be misleading and personally the best thing todo would be test drive and if your really serious about buying , take to MB dealer for pre purchase inspection , or indipendant MB tech for PPI <private party inspection> sometimes dealers are cool and will inspect it complimentary.
If your **** about rust then make sure and check it out, as if your buying from an area that has bad winters and salts the roads then your more prone to having a rusted benz , alot of benz owners usually have service receipts and records and in my case have all the service records of previous owner .. For me its good because i know whats been fixed or replaced allready and will make it a little bit easier togo after if something does break or need to be replaced . CLK430 will be a little cheaper to maintain compared to CLK55AMG , but in all honesty when you drive the 55AMG you will not care to drive the 430 anymore ..
There is manual mode with the automatic you just use your shifter and either left or right go from 1st thru 5th but my guess would be the tranny will last longer if you just use it in drive ..
When i was looking for my benz i wanted a E430 sport and was set on it then came across E55 for aorund same price and mileage . after testing driving there was no way i could want to e430 anymore but thats just me .. In your case CLK55 might be quite higher priced then CLK430 atleast all the ones I see are atleast 5-8k in differnce but if you search enough you will find something .. Just dont rush it , make sure do your homework , have it inspected and make sure try to get one thats allready been serviced of major stuff .. AMG brake job is not cheap , motor or tranny are not cheap either ..I've been pretty fortunate with my AMG in 16 months of owning and driving everyday after 25k miles it has never broke down or left me stranded , have not invested one penny into anything other then a $40 sensor and oil changes ..
add location on your avatar .. helps to know what region of world your from
invest in obdII scanner as that will help when check engine lights start popping up and makes it easier diagnosing any issues so you can fix yourself if possible and save $$$$$ taking to dealer ..
If your **** about rust then make sure and check it out, as if your buying from an area that has bad winters and salts the roads then your more prone to having a rusted benz , alot of benz owners usually have service receipts and records and in my case have all the service records of previous owner .. For me its good because i know whats been fixed or replaced allready and will make it a little bit easier togo after if something does break or need to be replaced . CLK430 will be a little cheaper to maintain compared to CLK55AMG , but in all honesty when you drive the 55AMG you will not care to drive the 430 anymore ..
There is manual mode with the automatic you just use your shifter and either left or right go from 1st thru 5th but my guess would be the tranny will last longer if you just use it in drive ..
When i was looking for my benz i wanted a E430 sport and was set on it then came across E55 for aorund same price and mileage . after testing driving there was no way i could want to e430 anymore but thats just me .. In your case CLK55 might be quite higher priced then CLK430 atleast all the ones I see are atleast 5-8k in differnce but if you search enough you will find something .. Just dont rush it , make sure do your homework , have it inspected and make sure try to get one thats allready been serviced of major stuff .. AMG brake job is not cheap , motor or tranny are not cheap either ..I've been pretty fortunate with my AMG in 16 months of owning and driving everyday after 25k miles it has never broke down or left me stranded , have not invested one penny into anything other then a $40 sensor and oil changes ..
add location on your avatar .. helps to know what region of world your from
invest in obdII scanner as that will help when check engine lights start popping up and makes it easier diagnosing any issues so you can fix yourself if possible and save $$$$$ taking to dealer ..
Last edited by MBFLO; 06-09-2011 at 09:00 AM.
06-09-2011, 02:59 PM
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w208 CLK430, w212 E350, w221 S550
i may possibly be selling my car in a few months, if you're interested. I have a one of a kind front bumper made by a great friend of mine, making my front end look more like the newer style benz. If you're local u can call me to check it out soemetime. Thanks
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06-09-2011, 04:45 PM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
Your first two links are the information I have been looking for. The rust inspectation suggested by a poster before you is also a new thing for me to learn. I am wondering about the service A and B, do you think there is a consistent record of the previous owner taking the car to the yearly maintenance check up? I don't know if that will show up in CARFAX. Also, I am wondering about the ball joint, which is the most common problems I read in the forums recently. Why didn't the Benz service check up the ball joint, too?
I am curious, how much does it cost for the yearly check up? I am assuming an authorized Benz service or a Benz dealer would do the service for A and B.
About the transmission, according to your website, I read this: "Five-speed electronically controlled automatic with driver-adaptive shift logic, Touch Shift manual control"
What does "Touch Shift manual control" mean? It sounds like the option to switch from automatic to manual, but I am not sure. I am a bit dissapointed about CLK430 and CLK55 being automatic, because I like to control the RPM when I'm driving. However, I understand the automatic in the benz was designed to shift faster than manual.
Thanks for showing me the website of the car show. The 2012 SLK looks sick. It cannot be a girl's car anymore for sure.
I am curious, how much does it cost for the yearly check up? I am assuming an authorized Benz service or a Benz dealer would do the service for A and B.
About the transmission, according to your website, I read this: "Five-speed electronically controlled automatic with driver-adaptive shift logic, Touch Shift manual control"
What does "Touch Shift manual control" mean? It sounds like the option to switch from automatic to manual, but I am not sure. I am a bit dissapointed about CLK430 and CLK55 being automatic, because I like to control the RPM when I'm driving. However, I understand the automatic in the benz was designed to shift faster than manual.
Thanks for showing me the website of the car show. The 2012 SLK looks sick. It cannot be a girl's car anymore for sure.
Some owners keep records. I do. Some don’t. Either way it won’t show up in CARFAX. Just ask for receipts. If there are no receipts, assume it hasn’t been done. In a worst case scenario, stuff gets done twice.
“Why didn't the Benz service check up the ball joint, too?”
In my second link, in the B-service section, underside of vehicle subsection, it says “check the condition of the front axle ball joints”, so the dealers do check.As for cost, that Signal to Noise site has a page entitled “what does it cost”. I’ve seen an A service as low as $200 and a B as high as $450, it depends on your local dealer. Indy’s are typically lower.
One very good place to find a car is through your local MBCA chapter. A Benz enthusiast may take better care of a car, making it a better choice than the corner used car lot. Plus, you can squeeze the owner to include your first year's MBCA membership in the price. Also, look at Sonnyhoang's car. He's an enthusiast. His car looks good. Check his last 100 posts or so. I don't remember him starting any "my tranny is toast and I'm having trouble unloading this heap" threads.
Alternatively, if you buy a car at a swap meet and don't have it inspected . . . . . well . . . . . . . others have gone that route and started "ALL MB CLKs must be crap because I bought one with a questionable history" threads. That leads to flame fests until they buy some other heap of undocumented crap and start the same thread on another forum.
06-10-2011, 10:05 PM
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Carfax wont always tell you everything , its a start but can also be misleading and personally the best thing todo would be test drive and if your really serious about buying , take to MB dealer for pre purchase inspection , or indipendant MB tech for PPI <private party inspection> sometimes dealers are cool and will inspect it complimentary.
If your **** about rust then make sure and check it out, as if your buying from an area that has bad winters and salts the roads then your more prone to having a rusted benz , alot of benz owners usually have service receipts and records and in my case have all the service records of previous owner .. For me its good because i know whats been fixed or replaced allready and will make it a little bit easier togo after if something does break or need to be replaced . CLK430 will be a little cheaper to maintain compared to CLK55AMG , but in all honesty when you drive the 55AMG you will not care to drive the 430 anymore ..
There is manual mode with the automatic you just use your shifter and either left or right go from 1st thru 5th but my guess would be the tranny will last longer if you just use it in drive ..
When i was looking for my benz i wanted a E430 sport and was set on it then came across E55 for aorund same price and mileage . after testing driving there was no way i could want to e430 anymore but thats just me .. In your case CLK55 might be quite higher priced then CLK430 atleast all the ones I see are atleast 5-8k in differnce but if you search enough you will find something .. Just dont rush it , make sure do your homework , have it inspected and make sure try to get one thats allready been serviced of major stuff .. AMG brake job is not cheap , motor or tranny are not cheap either ..I've been pretty fortunate with my AMG in 16 months of owning and driving everyday after 25k miles it has never broke down or left me stranded , have not invested one penny into anything other then a $40 sensor and oil changes ..
add location on your avatar .. helps to know what region of world your from
invest in obdII scanner as that will help when check engine lights start popping up and makes it easier diagnosing any issues so you can fix yourself if possible and save $$$$$ taking to dealer ..
If your **** about rust then make sure and check it out, as if your buying from an area that has bad winters and salts the roads then your more prone to having a rusted benz , alot of benz owners usually have service receipts and records and in my case have all the service records of previous owner .. For me its good because i know whats been fixed or replaced allready and will make it a little bit easier togo after if something does break or need to be replaced . CLK430 will be a little cheaper to maintain compared to CLK55AMG , but in all honesty when you drive the 55AMG you will not care to drive the 430 anymore ..
There is manual mode with the automatic you just use your shifter and either left or right go from 1st thru 5th but my guess would be the tranny will last longer if you just use it in drive ..
When i was looking for my benz i wanted a E430 sport and was set on it then came across E55 for aorund same price and mileage . after testing driving there was no way i could want to e430 anymore but thats just me .. In your case CLK55 might be quite higher priced then CLK430 atleast all the ones I see are atleast 5-8k in differnce but if you search enough you will find something .. Just dont rush it , make sure do your homework , have it inspected and make sure try to get one thats allready been serviced of major stuff .. AMG brake job is not cheap , motor or tranny are not cheap either ..I've been pretty fortunate with my AMG in 16 months of owning and driving everyday after 25k miles it has never broke down or left me stranded , have not invested one penny into anything other then a $40 sensor and oil changes ..
add location on your avatar .. helps to know what region of world your from
invest in obdII scanner as that will help when check engine lights start popping up and makes it easier diagnosing any issues so you can fix yourself if possible and save $$$$$ taking to dealer ..
I really can't see it. It looks like it goes up and down. I will probably figure it out after test driving.
About rust and my location, actually I am in Northern California (around SF Bay Area). I guess I shouldn't be so concerned about rusty, but I would stay away if I see one. I would expect most Benz here shouldn't be rusty.
I am a big fan of AMG series. It really fits my taste, but I would have to becareful with the cost for insurance, repairment, etc. I know that AMG is meant to be a serious performance, so I am expecting it will not be pretty to pay for an AMG part. Like you said, I have to do all the homeworks to conclude that a CLK55 should be fine with my budget.
I have to agree with you guys about the PPI (both ways). The OBDII scanner will be one of the first things to purchase if I buy a car. Thanks for letting me know.
06-10-2011, 10:31 PM
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The first two sentences in the first link I gave actually are important. “I believe” people should take whatever they’re considering to a dealer and pay them the $150 or so for an inspection. The dealer will tell you if the car has rust (they’ll also tell you if it’s been spot painted . . . .hint, hint, wrecked and fixed), if the recalls have been done, if it needs $1K in AMG brakes, if the mileage on the dashboard odometer matches what the ECU thinks the mileage is, and everything else you need to know. Also, the dealer is one of the best negotiating tools on the planet. If the dealer’s report says the car needs $3K in stuff, you may be able to use that. PLUS I find it beneficial to know what’s needed before the money changes hands.
Some owners keep records. I do. Some don’t. Either way it won’t show up in CARFAX. Just ask for receipts. If there are no receipts, assume it hasn’t been done. In a worst case scenario, stuff gets done twice.
“Why didn't the Benz service check up the ball joint, too?” In my second link, in the B-service section, underside of vehicle subsection, it says “check the condition of the front axle ball joints”, so the dealers do check.
As for cost, that Signal to Noise site has a page entitled “what does it cost”. I’ve seen an A service as low as $200 and a B as high as $450, it depends on your local dealer. Indy’s are typically lower.
One very good place to find a car is through your local MBCA chapter. A Benz enthusiast may take better care of a car, making it a better choice than the corner used car lot. Plus, you can squeeze the owner to include your first year's MBCA membership in the price. Also, look at Sonnyhoang's car. He's an enthusiast. His car looks good. Check his last 100 posts or so. I don't remember him starting any "my tranny is toast and I'm having trouble unloading this heap" threads. Alternatively, if you buy a car at a swap meet and don't have it inspected . . . . . well . . . . . . . others have gone that route and started "ALL MB CLKs must be crap because I bought one with a questionable history" threads. That leads to flame fests until they buy some other heap of undocumented crap and start the same thread on another forum.
Some owners keep records. I do. Some don’t. Either way it won’t show up in CARFAX. Just ask for receipts. If there are no receipts, assume it hasn’t been done. In a worst case scenario, stuff gets done twice.
“Why didn't the Benz service check up the ball joint, too?”
In my second link, in the B-service section, underside of vehicle subsection, it says “check the condition of the front axle ball joints”, so the dealers do check.As for cost, that Signal to Noise site has a page entitled “what does it cost”. I’ve seen an A service as low as $200 and a B as high as $450, it depends on your local dealer. Indy’s are typically lower.
One very good place to find a car is through your local MBCA chapter. A Benz enthusiast may take better care of a car, making it a better choice than the corner used car lot. Plus, you can squeeze the owner to include your first year's MBCA membership in the price. Also, look at Sonnyhoang's car. He's an enthusiast. His car looks good. Check his last 100 posts or so. I don't remember him starting any "my tranny is toast and I'm having trouble unloading this heap" threads.
Alternatively, if you buy a car at a swap meet and don't have it inspected . . . . . well . . . . . . . others have gone that route and started "ALL MB CLKs must be crap because I bought one with a questionable history" threads. That leads to flame fests until they buy some other heap of undocumented crap and start the same thread on another forum.About the ball joint, sorry I did not see that. There were so many lines together, so I got lost sometimes haha. Well, that's good I seem to trust in the Benz service. I guess Yelp is probably the best source to find a honest service. The only great service I know is from VW.
Thanks for introducing me to MBCA. Actually, I found my local chapter's classified. Actually, I only find one car which is a 1978 SL (http://sections.mbca.org/sfba/classifieds.htm). Is there more in the club forum? The membership is not free, though.
Here's one more question I am wondering recently: Which is/are rare paint(s) for a W208? For example, there is a rare paint for an Audi TT is called Nimbus Gray. It's been known as "Limited Edition."
Last edited by AMG_BENZ; 06-10-2011 at 10:54 PM.
06-10-2011, 10:36 PM
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Check out the maintenance list that I did to my car when I bought it:
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...intenance.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...intenance.html
06-11-2011, 02:16 AM
#14
MBWorld Fanatic!
I didn't list the colors and I'm too lazy to look them up, but here are all the specs, available options, and original prices for the 2002 model year.
U.S. spec CLKs did not have manual transmissions. That includes CLK320s.
You may want to call your insurer and ask about prices. Allstate told me it was the same rate for a 55 as a 430. I think it's inexpensive, but prices are based on age, driving record, number of vehicles insured, if it's bundled with a home policy, etc..
U.S. spec CLKs did not have manual transmissions. That includes CLK320s.
You may want to call your insurer and ask about prices. Allstate told me it was the same rate for a 55 as a 430. I think it's inexpensive, but prices are based on age, driving record, number of vehicles insured, if it's bundled with a home policy, etc..
06-11-2011, 04:01 AM
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After googilng for awhile to find the complete paint list, I found a list of paints in the Green AMG thread in this forum. I realize my favorite paint of the list is the Mocha Black (033). I don't know how scarce it is, but it's one of the designo's color.
06-11-2011, 07:06 AM
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2001 E55 - 2008 CLS63 -2016 F-150
sorry must of worded incorrectly !
If you look at when you shift into drive , it has - & + on either side of the D . That you can shift into manual mode either - to downshift or + to go into higher gears .. thats what i meant by left to right
06-12-2011, 04:36 PM
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Hey MBFLO, thanks for the clarification. I am going to experience that if I really like it.
Alright, I think you guys provided me enough important information for me to look out when I am buying a Mercedes Benz. It seems like it may be impossible to find out the scarcity of the OEM paint on the Benz. I figure any red CLK 430 should be the rarest, since I only see two or three different pictures of it. Also, I would like to have a brochure copy of w208, but I only found it in ebay. Do you know where can I find a copy of it for free? I don't know if a MB dealer still has it.
Anyway, thank you guys for helping me out. I still come here daily to check out. I will let you know the day I buy a CLK.
Alright, I think you guys provided me enough important information for me to look out when I am buying a Mercedes Benz. It seems like it may be impossible to find out the scarcity of the OEM paint on the Benz. I figure any red CLK 430 should be the rarest, since I only see two or three different pictures of it. Also, I would like to have a brochure copy of w208, but I only found it in ebay. Do you know where can I find a copy of it for free? I don't know if a MB dealer still has it.
Anyway, thank you guys for helping me out. I still come here daily to check out. I will let you know the day I buy a CLK.
06-12-2011, 10:09 PM
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2001 E55 - 2008 CLS63 -2016 F-150
No problem .. I've actually seen that more of the rarer colors sometimes end up selling for cheaper as they might not be in demands as a white car with black interior or blk/blk something of that nature .. Most of any green color euro auto I've come across be it MBZ/BMW/AUDI tend to sell cheaper then other more colors that you would regularly see .
06-13-2011, 01:22 AM
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w208 CLK430, w212 E350, w221 S550
i want an e-class w211.. plz dont be mad at me guys! lol Ive realized everything ive done to my car was to make it look similar to an e55 w211 so i figured i may as well go that route. Plus i need a bigger car and one that im not gonna get rims for so i can take it snowboarding.. hah
06-13-2011, 01:48 AM
#21
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Hey MBFLO, thanks for the clarification. I am going to experience that if I really like it.
Alright, I think you guys provided me enough important information for me to look out when I am buying a Mercedes Benz. It seems like it may be impossible to find out the scarcity of the OEM paint on the Benz. I figure any red CLK 430 should be the rarest, since I only see two or three different pictures of it. Also, I would like to have a brochure copy of w208, but I only found it in ebay. Do you know where can I find a copy of it for free? I don't know if a MB dealer still has it.
Anyway, thank you guys for helping me out. I still come here daily to check out. I will let you know the day I buy a CLK.
Alright, I think you guys provided me enough important information for me to look out when I am buying a Mercedes Benz. It seems like it may be impossible to find out the scarcity of the OEM paint on the Benz. I figure any red CLK 430 should be the rarest, since I only see two or three different pictures of it. Also, I would like to have a brochure copy of w208, but I only found it in ebay. Do you know where can I find a copy of it for free? I don't know if a MB dealer still has it.
Anyway, thank you guys for helping me out. I still come here daily to check out. I will let you know the day I buy a CLK.
Other than SLs and SLKs, red is a difficult color to sell because so few people want that color (no offense to anyone who ones a red Mercedes)
I’d personally go for the newest model in the best condition over a semi rare color combination.
Free brochures? Digital copies were not included in any US press kits that I know of. The Star Classic DVD doesn’t have a digital brochure, and neither does the WIS. Seven years ago I bought my brochure from a place that specializes in selling new ones.
06-25-2011, 09:48 PM
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Most of the time I find a CLK55 or 430 are from the non-MB dealerships. What is the proper way to ask for the PPI? Right after test drive or during test drive then head to a local MB dealer for the PPI? If I make an appointment with for a PPI with a private mechanic, do I have to pick him up and be there with him?
08-21-2011, 09:23 PM
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CLK 430
2001 CLK 430, help me, what should i do?
so my grandma gave me this awesome 2001
red clk 430. under 51k miles. however upon
closer inspection the front bumper needs to be
replaced, and the dash board squeaks on bumps.
also grandma managed to hit one of the rims, and
replaced one of the tires. the temp. and gear selector
displays are showing mixed pixels, the radio sounds
great until one of the speakers goes out.
besides all that it's in magnificent shape. keep it, invest
some money in it? or attempt to sell it?
so my grandma gave me this awesome 2001
red clk 430. under 51k miles. however upon
closer inspection the front bumper needs to be
replaced, and the dash board squeaks on bumps.
also grandma managed to hit one of the rims, and
replaced one of the tires. the temp. and gear selector
displays are showing mixed pixels, the radio sounds
great until one of the speakers goes out.
besides all that it's in magnificent shape. keep it, invest
some money in it? or attempt to sell it?
12-19-2013, 01:01 PM
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2002 CLK430
Is there only 1 size oil filter wrench that fits for this car?
I'm gonna do my own oil change, but I need an oil filter wrench I believe. I went to my local autostore and was looking for the:
76mm – 14 flutes (14 faces) oil filter wrench with
3/8” drive.
They didnt have that size, but they had one that was 1 smaller and 1 bigger. So I was wondering if the CLK 430 is capable of different sizes of oil filter wrench or is it strictly 1 size..?
76mm – 14 flutes (14 faces) oil filter wrench with
3/8” drive.
They didnt have that size, but they had one that was 1 smaller and 1 bigger. So I was wondering if the CLK 430 is capable of different sizes of oil filter wrench or is it strictly 1 size..?
