j-anthony

hey...and advice on this one?

thinking of getting rid of my 99 clk320...it seems to be nothing but trouble...just replaced Mass Air Flow sensor two days ago, now the car wouldn't start this morning. the doors lock and unlock themselves continually while driving...the sunroof gets stuck all the time (the popup and slide functions get confused, and control each other), the rear sunshade just broke, the right mirror glass falls out twice a week, and now it likes to open the sunroof and windows and unlock the doors as soon as i turn off the car, which freaks me out.

3yr/36k extended warranty is $4k from the dealer, anyone have any better ideas? or else i'm gonna have to drive that cheapie jaguar for $279 lease!

help--thx joseph

jl88

I think the W208 is a piece of crap. Sure, it looks great, but the quality and craftsmanship is so subpar. My brother's 2000 CLK430 was plagued with problems.

Dump it and get something else.

clkal

YOU might think the w208 is a piece of crap, but i'm sure there's a whole lotta people that think the car YOU drive is equally a piece of *****. I have a 99 430, which has a ton of minor problems, but that doesn't make my car crappy. *****.... i think my car looks great. Runs great.... not as fast as i want, but overall it's a good car. Buy the extended warranty and have all the bugs taken care of.

AL

j-anthony

thanks for the honest opinions in the replies so far...

just looked at that jaguar, no way. wouldn't do it. i love the w208 but i'm scared at this point with the problems...i put 200k miles on my old infiniti j30 with extremely minimal repairs. but the design elements in the w208 like the seat release mechanism, the sunshade, the advanced anti-slip controls, etc don't inspire confidence in their long-term durability...

mmgrad

it just sounds like ur CLK has lots of problems... most other W208 owners don't have nearly that many problems.

Most if any problems are minor, but you seem to be having major electrical problems.

I'd say, cough up the dough and buy the extended warranty. its a great car to have, and maybe all your problems you face now are 1-time problems that won't reoccur after you fix it.

sorry about ur bumb luck though

j-anthony

thx for the reply--

a 4 yr/48,000 mile warranty covering everything but exhaust (already replaced catalytic converters anyway) is gonna run $4600.

is that worth it? that's a good chunk of cash...

byip25

man.... jim, harsh!!! btw, even i admit, there are a few things i dont like about my clk too. the only consistent problem w/ my 99 is the check engine light comes on sometimes when i dont totally tighten the gas cap.... btw, when am i gonna get to ride in your new pimp ride?

b

TNH

I also feel like the CLK is a piece of crap. I love them, but they are a piece of **** for how much money they cost. Japanese cars last ten times longer with way less bugs, but I just love the look and feel of the mercedes. I wish toyota made the CLK.

J Lucas

I totally agree with you and think about selling my clk almost everyday. It just has too much problems and causes me much more hurt than good. SO MANY FLAT TIRES AND BENT RIMS.. So many rattles and squeaks....The MPG is horrible and cost me way too much EXTRA money in this gas economy. Right now just off the top of my head, The back rear dome light doesnt work, the power passenger seat does not work, .It constantly runs 90 + degrees so that stupid fan is on making so much noise all the time..... The remote now works 40% of the time and the heated seats come on randomly without notice.... ALso my rain sensing wipers do not work. The sensor broke off...

ITs just tooooooooooo much , Its like a pretty girl, it can't keep getting away with murder just because of its looks. Looks are only one part...

I have no more warranty so just guess how much all of that stuff is going to cost to get fixed?

If i got a good opportunity to sell it I swear I would sell it and get a lexus GS 430 or the new infiniti g35 coupe in a second...Maybe even wait till next spring and get the new Z, but my clk is definitely looking less and less attractive with every problem..

jl88

Damn I always come off as an ******* if i don't reread my posts..

clkal: DUDE chill out.. i didn't kill/rape your mother/sister/brother/father/grandmother.. my post wasn't a personal attack on you..

MY experiences with CLK's have been bad. Squeaky dash, failed instrument cluster, one touch failure, etc. Alot of CLK owners have the same problems also.

And to top it off, the w208 and the w209 are frigging EXPENSIVE. that's what makes the car crappy because you have just as many, it not more, problems than a C230K.

Anyways, just my opinion as a car enthusiast...

Brandon, head over to The Wheel Supply sometime and i'll meet up with you!

karl k

Whenever I read one of these threads, I'm always struck by two things:

1. how many owners have problems with their MB cars (and some are fairly significant
problems); and,

2. yet, how loyal many of us are to the MB cars - despite those problems.

Here is horror story re CLK bought in Hong Kong:

FYI there is MUCH WORSE!!
Posted : 4/24/2002 @ MBWORLD
The quality of Mercedes has regretfully plummeted:
Because of experiences like this from a Hong Kong CLK cabriolet owner, who does not post here
anymore -- he is an engineer --

START QUOTE

"Since January of this year &

25,000 kilometres on the clock:


1. Front passenger's seat adjustment controls fail.
2. Driver's seat adjustment controls fail - independent of 1. above.
3. Nearside wing mirror stops returning automatically to its normal position
after reversing.
4. Soft top locking mechanism goes out of adjustment and rattles.
5. Trunk lid very difficult to close, lock adjusted.
6. L/H front door speaker rattling and distorting, mountings tightened up.
7. Soft top refuses to open.
8. Trunk refuses to open remotely, although it works with mechanical key.
9. Tachometer needle jumps around wildly. Instrument cluster replaced.
10. Driver's seat control unit faulty, stored positions lost.
11. Severe brake fade, dealer checks and says pads and fluid OK.
12. Severe brake fade, dealer again says pads and fluid OK.
13. Brakes fail on a 1:6 downslope and approaching a hairpin bend with a 100 ft drop off the edge. Skill, training,
experience get me out trouble without a scratch. Dealer discovers fluid has chemically changed due to overheating
- fluid replaced. I cross a mountain pass almost every day,1200 ft level change, average 1:8 gradients up then
down again, hairpin bends, etc. Dealer says problem is caused by my failure to use low gear on downslope.
However, with 40 yrs driving experience, I know to always use low gear to take pressure off brakes and tell him
so. I also point out that my experience got me out of trouble when brakes failed avoiding a very big accident and
claim against MB and dealer from my dependents. Interestingly, this problem has never recurred, despite
regularly repeating that journey with the same driving style for a further year. I wonder about the original brake
fluid.
14. Piston/spring inside trunk lid to push lid up when remotely opened,
falls off.
15. Rain sensor for windscreen wipers becomes erratic, often wiping fast
when almost no rain and wiping slow when rain heavier.
16. Fuel gauge fails - no reading. Tank sensors replaced.
17. After next tank refill, fuel gauge sticks in full position (62 litres),
tank sensors replaced again.
18. After next tank refill fuel gauge sticks in empty position (0 litres),
instrument cluster replaced.
19. Replacement of instrument cluster loses all stored data like ave. fuel
consumption since reset, distance to next service, etc. Dealer returns car
to me without correcting. Car returned for dealer to transfer data off old
instrument cluster.
20. Data transfer unsuccessful, dealer admits that new instrument cluster
requires revised software, must obtain from Germany. Software sent by snail
mail, takes 1 month to arrive. Data transfer successful.
21. Fuel gauge sticks in full position (62 litres) for approximately 100 km
after tank filled. Last 10-12 litres of fuel (according to readout) used
up in only 10 km, no gas station nearby, run out of fuel. Dealer admits he
can do no more. Get used to incorrect fuel gauge readings and always fill
up before display reads 15 litres.
22. After 6 month service, car returned with engine idle unsteady and fuel
consumption increased by some 50-60%. Engine management system adjusted and
fuel consumption improves by some 10-15%. Dealer denies any fuel
consumption problem caused by servicing, must be my driving style. Dealer
also claims that the current consumption is normal and refuses to believe I
ever obtained better figures prior to service. I show him MB brochure
which confirms my fuel consumption prior to service to be correct. Dealer
claims I must now be using the wrong fuel.
23. 1 month later throttle pedal sticks, very difficult to press down to
accelerate.
24. A further 1 month later, loss of engine power, management system
adjusted, spark plugs and airfilter replaced.
25. Driver's side window lifter adjusted when window would not close
properly.
26. Numerous rattles and creaks develop, soft top frame adjusted, door trims
removed and reinstalled, instrument panel removed and reinstalled, driver's
and rear seats removed, and reinstalled, door sill fixings adjusted.
27. Interior lamp fails.
28. Electronic ignition lock replaced after difficulty accepting ignition
key.
29. Outside temperature readout displays crazy numbers, instrument cluster
replaced.
30. Car returned to me with instrument cluster data corrupted, incorrect
readout of distance to next service etc. Returned for rectification.

SEE 12 more continued in post below!

karl k

...CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST:

31. Soft top gets stuck in half down position at beginning of journey.
Problem clears after 5 minutes with engine off, then opening can be
completed. At end of journey, soft top refuses to close, remains stuck
inside trunk compartment. On way to important business meeting, so have to
leave car in public carpark with top down.
32. Music system starts showing signs of distortion generally. Dealer
checks all speaker connections and mountings, reports no problem. I object
to no avail.
33. I foolishly try to open soft top at busy junction while lights at red to
impress new woman. Roof sticks in half down position and car refuses to
move, major traffic jam and redface. Engine off for 5 minutes clears
problem, temporarily. At least woman sees funny side of incident.
34. Trunk refuses to open even with mechanical key after return from
supermarket. Fresh milk and other perishables locked inside. Ambient
temperatures approx. 90 F. in shade. Dealer takes 4 hours to travel 10
miles for emergency repair. New trunk locking mechanism subsequently
required.
35. I travel in friend's ML320, hear his standard music system and wonder
why my Bose sound system upgrade sounds so much worse. Ask dealer to
confirm that Bose system is working properly. Dealer reports no problem.
36. After re-checking car manual and MB brochure, I wonder why volume of
sound system does not adjust itself with changing road speeds as described
by manual or in response to changing ambient noise levels as described by
brochure. Dealer's head office advises no such features exist or are
described in said documents, I must have misread them. Bear in mind he is
Chinese with poor English language skills and I am British with a law
degree. Irritated I go to MB website to check, speed-activated sound
control is advertised, ambient noise level function not mentioned.
37. I go back to dealer armed with copy of manual and print-out from website
and demand to see superior. He admits that the manual is correct and
speed-activated volume control is a standard feature. I demand he take out
the radio unit and show me the cables connecting the radio unit to some sort
of speed activation device. None exist. Dealer is surprised that MB failed
to install as its part of the standard system. I point out that MB brochure
claims the Bose system to have microcomputer which measures ambient noise
levels and automatically adjusts volume in response. Thus, the speed
activation would be superfluous and need not be fitted. Dealer refuses to
accept argument and agrees to connect the speed activation cable. I refuse
as I am concerned that this may affect the alleged Bose function.
38. Soft top sticks in half down position, after 5 minutes with engine off,
problem clears. At end of journey, I go to trunk to retrieve briefcase and
discover that the luggage cover has come apart. The cover consists of a
fabric section which rolls up when retracted and is attached to a hard
plastic section which locks into the upper part of the trunk. The fabric
and the plastic sections are now separated.
39. Driver's window lifter goes out of adjustment.
Had enough of problems - advertise car for sale.
40. CD changer in trunk starts giving problems. Laser head bounces around
causing loss of music and damage to CDs.
41. Write to dealer with copy of brochure I obtained prior to ordering car
and latest brochure available from dealer's showroom. Each states that Bose
sound system includes a computer which automatically adjusts music volume in
response to changing ambient noise levels so that driver does not need to do
so manually. I advise that Bose website states that the Bose sound system
was designed in conjunction with design of CLK and is fitted as standard to
all CLKs. I ask dealer why I had to pay for the Bose sound system as an
optional extra and why music volume is not adjusted as described in their
brochure. After senior management consideration, dealer confirms that Bose
sound system is standard equipment for the CLK and agrees to reimburse the
additional cost I paid. However, dealer admits that brochures are incorrect
and no computer adjusted volume control system was ever designed for the
CLK - only the S series. Dealer confirms that speed-activated volume
control is the only adjustment provided for the CLK and agrees to have this
installed.
42. Electronic ignition lock fails to accept key on 3 attempts, accepts on
4th, but turning key does nothing. Remove key, re-insert and turn, engine
starts but stalls when I release the key. Remove key, re-insert and turn,
engine starts and again stalls when I release the key. 3rd attempt
successful." unquote

WOW!! UNREAL!! - Can anyone match this??

$4,500 in extended warranty coverage sounds like a GREAT DEAL!!


...only $4,500???

:o

clarkspark

Ahmed

my advice....

always buy the the car model at least 4 years into its production. By then , they bound to have fixed all the probs.

I drove my CLK320 (2000) 90k miles and the only problem i had was a week into its age, and that was a faulty fuel pump which was replaced under warranty. I had 5 other little glitches that were resolved on the spot and thats it! I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess its all about luck aint it? It depends how the car leaves the factory! Some poeple are just plain UNLUCKY!

karl k

That is what I always thought but was proven
ABSOLUTELY WRONG by a new MB 2001 SL500!!

A couple of years ago the 2001 SL500 had been 10 (TEN!!) years in production.

More defects than I could imagine from faulty aircompressor to bad oil presuure sensor and many electrical problems.

I traded that for the 2002 CLK55 - which is a dream, almost perfect. Best car I've owned.

Ahmed

i guess so..

but hey, you got a W208!

J Lucas

When spending $50,000 on a car you should NOT have to be LUCKY to get it to work the way it is SUPPOSE to work.

D-5

Sell the car!

clkal

if the w208 is such a crappy car, we ALL must be so stupid for owning one. True, they are not cheap , but they aren't out of the mid to mid-high income person's price range. I would rather own a car that drives strong w/ little engine problems and deal with the little annoyances , than to drive a car that had lots of engine problems. So far, i've had no engine problems (knock on wood.)

clarkspark

Dump the CLK320!!!......................................... .yeah right

J Lucas

I think on this matter every individual needs to make the proper decision based on their own feelings and grievances with their clk. Thats just my opinion...

ELENI

I have a 99 430 without a warranty . It has 56000 miles on it. I haven't had any major issues with it except for the catalytic coverter which was covered under the emmissions warranty . I have debated selling my car for a newer w208 with a warranty. Today I even went into the Mercedes dealership and inquired about a 2000 430 on the lot. It had only 35000 miles on it and it had an extended warranty up to 100,000 miles. He was asking $38,000 for it. The funny part was while he was telling me what great condition my car was in he's telling me that the max trade in for my car is only $23,000 . I think if I sell it on my own I could get atleast $28,000 for it.

But, while I sat there listening to him go on, I stared out the door at my beautiful car and knew I couldn't get rid of it that fast. Warranty or no warranty, problems or no problems the CLK is in a class of its own in my eyes. To be honest I'd rather drive a CLK with repairable problems than some other car that I don't care for as much.

NeedforSleep

Everyday I'm thankfull that I bought the extended warranty for our 430. We've had it less than two weeks and it already is going in for minor interior/mechanical issues.

Keep in mind there are many other happy owners who don't post in here. I find that:
1) The most picky owners (or auto enthusiasts) tend to post on forums.
2) A lot of new people post when they have problems with their vehicle and want advice.

mikeyclk

I have a '99 CLK 320 and bought an extended warranty. Thank God I did!

Since the original warranty expired only 9!!!!! months ago:

Ball joint/hvac blower motor/blower regulator: $2600
(an unusual sound)
Driver seat track: $1200
(a slight seat movement)
Mass flow sensor: $500
(Check engine light on and off for weeks)

(Final diagnosis of course involved 6 visits to the dealer)

Don't own this car without a warranty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mmgrad

i agree.. the CLK is a great car to drive & look at... but if you are really having that many problems... then, maybe you should sell that CLK and get a newer CLK... like an 01 or 02 CLK where all the quirks have been worked out and eliminated...