When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yeah i really do. I have it on the 55 and love it. I hear the sensor in the door handle goes out, but it would be worth it to me. It doesn't really matter though, i have yet to find a 320 for sale with it. I'd want it, but can live without it...
"what's low mileage"? The 2005 CLK500 that I purchased recently had 68,000 miles on it - I thought that was low mileage for a 2005. The 2009 CLK550 that I bought a year ago had only 26,700 miles on it and I thought that was low for a 2009. So far, the 2005 has been pretty much bullet proof except for some keyless-go glitches (the fob works fine). YMMV.
The good thing about the MY2004 CLK500 is reliability - the M113 engine and 722.6 transmission are great for the long haul. I think the only con is that the interior is the older pre-facelift version.
I agree with you, it does look outdated, but it doesn't look bad. I hate the wood, no matter what form it comes in. I think the most outdated looking piece is the temp controls, but I can live with that...
Yes, those buttons they look old school.
Why don't you like the wood? I think it gives better look and premium touch. I love wood (or imitation at least) in my cars.
I've never really been a big fan of wood, just personal taste. I do like the darker black/greyish wood style trim. I'm a fan of carbon fiber interiors, but to pricey for me...
05 CLK55 AMG (1 of 247) Cubanitsilber designo series
Originally Posted by Rudeney
If you are talking about conductor plate failure, it is very common and I believe that they all will fail. It was a faulty Siemens speed sensor. It is not as expensive as a balance shaft repair, though. Most USA dealers charge about $1400. As for the torque converter, again, all early ones have issues due to the material used in the lock-up clutches. They may not fail early, but they sure put a bunch of black particulate into the fluid and that's not good for the rest of the transmission. Finally, the fluid pump is also a certain issue on all early models, though premature failure is rare. The sleeve bearing simply won't last. It might take 200K miles for it to fail catastrophically, but it eventually will.
Why will the pump fail? Let me explain. Here's the pump:
That inner gear is driven by a shaft that is part of the torque converter housing:
The torque converter is bolted to the engine flywheel and it always rotating when the engine is running, thus the transmission fluid pump is always operating when the engine is running. This is a very common configuration and most all modern automatic transmissions will work this way.
The red ring you see in the bottom of the hole is the seal. Just above that is the copper busing (sort of rust colored) that the torque converter rides against. It, and the torque convert shaft, will wear. When it does, it puts additional stress on that pump gear. The gear surface (the one you can see in the photo), rides against the surface of the transmission bell housing. When the torque converter starts pushing on the gear at odd angles because of the worn bushing, it will score that surface (the bell housing is magnesium, which is very soft). Eventually, the scoring will let the pump gear get "locked" and then it will break. Now, you will have metal chunks in the transmission and you need a new (or rebuilt) one.
As for cost, I fixed all this myself (before it got too bad), for well under $100. At dealer prices, they will charge over $100 just to drop the transmission. They won't open it to repair the pump - instead they will sell you a new (or rebuilt) transmission. Expect to pay about $5K in install a rebuilt, or $8K for a new one.
All of these early 722.9 transmission (I'd say prior to MY2008) on all MBZ cars have these issues. They may last 200K or 300K, but they are all going to fail.
Re: failure of the pump rubbing against the bell housing, I've seen rebuilds that have as a preventative a steel shim plate added between the face of the pump and the bell housing to prevent that from happening.
awesome thanks Rodney! One last question i promise, lol, is the 2004 clk320 just as reliable?
I think I'm ok with the pre-facelift interior...
Yep, M112 and M113 engines are pretty much the same, except V6 vs. V8. Same 722.6 transmissions. Just keep up with the maintenance, and do a transmission filter change and flush every 70K miles and it's golden.
Re: failure of the pump rubbing against the bell housing, I've seen rebuilds that have as a preventative a steel shim plate added between the face of the pump and the bell housing to prevent that from happening.
Yes, that is an aftermarket part made as a fix to an already scored bell housing. It's much less expensive than replacing the bell housing. I'd use it as a last resort because it makes the pump protrude out by the thickness of the plate. Given the tight tolerances with the torque converter, flex plate, and engine/transmission bell housings, it could cause alignment issues.
My 04 CLK500 cab has been a really great car. I would recommend it 10x over. I chose to face-lift it as the pre face-lift interior for me was just horrendous. Solid engine, solid performance, great looking car, and you can't beat a drop top
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
