3seriesorclk500

I have never owned a Benz before owned volvos all my life. My question is this, I looking to get a new car I'm eyeing a 05 clk 500 convertible with 48k miles. How much of a maintenance hog is this going to be. And is it even worth getting into with 48 k miles when for the same price I can grab a 328i with half the miles

mrtremere

i just spent $2400 on my Convertible top hydraulic pump! But i do love the car. Have 2k in the bank in case something fails.

madmla21

They are great cars with great reliability. I have only ever had to change oils and spark plugs with 80k miles. The convertible tops seem to have problems every few years but well worth it cost me $600 to fix mine some clip ended up braking. Only advice I would say is if you can find a 550 in your price range grab that instead of the 500.

3seriesorclk500

There is a Hard top 550 for 24 with 35k miles. My concern is the mpg on a 550 would suck even more than a 500. Damn making the decision between this and a 328i even harder

mrtremere

550 i think has like 1-2 MPG better then the 500 due to a new transmission.

Yidney

I just drove my 550 on a 2,000 mile road trip. At 83 mph with the air on and a passenger it did 26.2 mpg on the highway on average. I did 28.4 on on one stretch. That's better than I thought it would do. Total in town driving with no highway at all you're looking at 14-15.

bheng

imo i think its up to whether or not you will mod your car....

if you are, id go with a 328 as you will be getting a larger variety of modifications... i mean dont get me wrong. i love my clk just as everyone else here on the board. kind of lacking the mod department unless you have some serious cash.

if you plan to leave it stock, i think the clk>3series any day.

MB Dave

If you are looking for an appliance get a solora v6 convertible I hear those v6's have some pep. If you want a car that will make you feel special and provide driving pleasure and, you don't mind the expensive repair once a year or so the CLK is for you.

3seriesorclk500

I have no issue with the once a year 2 k repair its just a concern that at 40k and 50k miles am i getting a car that is going ti require some serious work soon that will cost me out the ***. I'm out of my comfort zone with Benz and BMW. my dad and I do just about all the work on our volvos and his s80 just crested 360k miles and my old 850 lasted god knows how long (the odometer broke at 240k miles and that was with a crack in the block). Thanks for the replys btw

Mka77

I would check the reliability of Beemers. I have heard they are just as costly to repair. Never been a BMW person so I would do the CLK.

homepukes

What is the back ground of the car? One or two owner always serviced at MB? 5 owner's and you don't know if the oil has ever been changed? Where has it been registered? Check and see if it has ever been registered in an area that has flooded since the car was new. I have a 2007 CLK550 but have a friend with a 2006 CLK500. With my 7 speed transmission we get about the same mpg. Over 26mpg on HWY and 20mpg in town. This is about the same as my 2000 E320 six cylinder. As with any used car it depends on the history. Take your time and spend the money to have a prepurchase inspection at an MB dealership or a reputible shop that works on these cars. Carfax will tell you where it has been registered. It will tell you "some" of the maintenance on the car. After I got my CLK550 I found out it had has some warranty work done on the car that was not on the Carfax. So Carfax won't tell you everything.

I have had BMWs too. They are also awesome cars. They just drive different. If it were me and the BMW is comparable at half the miles I'd probably go in that direction. When I was looking for the CLK550 I was also looking at BMW 3 series convertibles. I went with the MB because of the extra horsepower. I think I would be just as happy with a BMW.

KyHusker

Go with the CLK550. I had a CLK430 and was rear-ended while in a traffic jam. I was at a stop and the guy that hit me was doing 50+ mph in his big Dodge. I wasn't hurt at all! I know that I'm relatively safe in my CLK.

C-A-T-S

The two cars you are considering are quite different, and brand new are at a completely different price point. It would make more sense to compare a 335 to a CLK500. I am assuming you are looking at an E92 (coupe) 328i.

Not knowing the option packages on the two cars makes it a bit difficult to assist you. A stripped down 328 is hardly a BMW and can be leased for $300/month new. The must have options on the 328 for me would be Sport Package (larger wheels, tighter suspension, and MUCH better seats), Navigation with I-Drive, and Logic 7. One thing I have read about the 328 is that the auto trannie is very lacking (IIRC it is made by GM).

With the CLK you will be getting a much faster car, however, it will be at least two years older than the 328 and with more miles. The 328 is one of BMWs more reliable models, but just like Mercedes or any other German, you have to pay to play.

Personally, I would have to choose the car that would give the the most driving enjoyment. I believe for me that would be the much faster CLK. Although I do love the looks of the E92, I just couldn't purchase a car with the most petite engine offering. If your budget can stretch a bit, I would look into the CLK 550. IMO it is one of the best deals out there from Merc or any other brand. You can get a WHOLE LOT of car for under $30k.

mrtremere

I wouldn't knock Toyota's for being reliable. I truly hope my CLK500 will go 200k miles without any issues, but I imagine that will not be the case. [Already spent $2k on my convertible pump.]

elijah

The 550 gets better mileage than all other V8s (500 & 55). I am getting rid of my 55 and once I relocate in the US if the 63 is out of my price range ill def go for 550 instead of 55.

grane

I agree the CLK is a bargain. Make sure you get an extended warranty.


What is a CLK550 AMG?

C-A-T-S

The CLK550 AMG is a high performance, status laden variation of the W209 platform produced from 2007-2009.

dynomite05

No such thing as a CLK550 AMG. It's just a 550.

C-A-T-S

What? That's like saying this SLK55 AMG V12 I saw in Louisville is a SLK350.

dynomite05

lmaoooo, I hope that wasn't a serious post.

C-A-T-S

Haha, yeah man I'm just having a little fun. I saw that guy about a month ago. I literally couldn't believe it! I mean I have seen a few random M badges on BMW and AMG on Merc, but this one was wayyyy over the top. The guy was a huge douche, too. You could hear him yelling on his cell from 20 feet back. I tried to catch up to him and ask him about his V12, but he turned before I could and I was meeting someone for lunch.

dynomite05

Hahaha, he's a couple cylinders short.

Iloveaustin

I got a warranty from Mercedes-Benz of Austin the other day, 3 year 75,000 for cheap. They also had a website with an FAQ if you want to learn more about the coverage. www.mercedeselw.com I think the number was like 512-454-6821.

tallison24

Check out threads about engine issues. Balance shaft in clk350, not sure what it is called in the 500. Supposedly $5k+ to fix. Don't get one without a warranty from Mercedes or guarantee from dealer that it will be fixed free of charge.