Hey all - First time post...and hoping to get some feedback. My daughter is buying her first car and is attracted to "classic convertibles"...MBs, BMWs, etc. She has about $15K to spend and when she browses used car listings...she stops on ads like this one: CLK

Some background - we are in Santa Monica, CA (beach/good weather) so I don't mind getting a convertible...and realistically any car we buy will get about 5K miles/year max (back and forth to school, etc.

So....before I go down this road....should I nip this in the bud now? I am trying to convince her to look at a Toyota solara, VW beetle, etc etc...but she keeps going back to wanting to gamble on an older car.

Any thoughts or advice?

 

• Maybe too much power for daughter - might get her in trouble. You might look at clk350 2008 - 2009. If determined to go ahead, check vin for engine problems- camshaft gear wear. Clk v6s are very nice and reliable. Even older like 05 clk320 would be preferable to 2007 550 for me - if lower mileage and properly maintained. Should have mentioned that a clk 500 might work also.

 

CLK 550 has a lot of power....400+ hp...First car...that's a big NO!
Any MB convertible of this era will have leaking top rams. Repair will cost anywhere from $3000 to $5000 unless you are an experienced mechanic, then it's about $1000.

CLK 320/350 would be safer, and ALWAYS have a pre-purchase inspection performed at your local MB dealer or MB experienced independent shop. Again, that's PRE purchase. Good luck!

 

Best of luck and always get a pre-purchase inspection from a good mechanic when buying a used car!

 

That particular CLK550 shown, with it's filthy interior and sitting at a dinky used car lot tells me it hasn't been maintained. Probably bought from the auction. That deferred maintenance will become your problem, and like the poster above says, expect to spend thousands getting it into shape. These cars are hard to find in good shape, those that have been maintained often had the top down and lived outside, baking the interior.

 

Hey - This one is just an example...in Los Angeles, these cars come up fairly regularly on Craigslist (garaged, kept up to date on maintenance, etc)...but I agree that any of these cars would need a thorough inspection beforehand. I think spending $$ over time on normal maintenance items is expected, but I don't want to be in a situation where she blows her wad on a car and all of a sudden I being faced w thousands of $$ extra!

 

This is good feedback...and definitely how I am leaning atm. There are a couple of Solaras available so we are going to check them out. The SC430s are obviously awesome and would be a great alternative but the back seat is practically not usable. I realize tight back seats/limited storage is going to be the case for all of these convertibles, but the SC430 seems particularly bad.

Problem is that I let her test drive a BMW 645CI (80K miles, 10K), and she was in LOVE. Those cars have ridiculously poor reputations so I have steered her away from that path...but this is still a nightly dinner conversation!!

 

I was in kind of a similar situation early last year, wanted to get my mom something approachable and fun for her to enjoy in her retirement. I went with a 05 CLK320 cabrio, luckily I was able to find a clean one locally. I've owned an 04 E320 before, so was familiar with the drive-train, the M112 V6 and the 722.6 transmission in those cars are known to be very reliable if they're maintained. Even though I found a pretty clean example, I've probably spent around $2K getting it sorted so far, not including regular maintenance. I had a parasitic draw that was a pain to track down. I did a ton of the leg work myself and eliminated the most common problems, eventually took it to a trusted merc specialist and he still ended up spending a few hours tracking it down ($900 after parts and labor, it turned out to be a bad gauge cluster, got a used one for cheap on ebay and he was able to reprogram it). Plus as others have mentioned the top hydraulics are a bit of a ticking time-bomb, the driver's side main lift cylinder went out catastrophically (big hydraulic oil leak on my moms recently installed pavers...so that was fun). The parts cost for that is around $1K for remanufactured parts and I did all of the work myself. It can be a DIY project if you're relatively handy with a wrench...but it is a pain, I pretty much dedicated a whole weekend to the project. If you had to pay someone to do that it would probably come close to mechanically "totaling" the car. Overall I'm happy with the purchase. You just have to approach it with the understanding that you're buying something that is over a decade old and it WILL have issues, and with a mercedes, sometimes issues can be pricey to fix. If you and your daughter are willing to accept that then I think it could potentially be a pretty cool first car, especially in Santa Monica. Ever since buying the one for my mom I've thought about picking one up and dumping it on some period correct wheels just to cruise in around as well...haha.

 

I will be honest. I have a 2004 CLK320 Cabriolet and I regret buying it everyday. Forget the Toyota or Beetle or even CLK Convertible. You live where the weather is beautiful so if you want a convertible I would look into a R171 SLK or even a super clean low miles R170 SLK instead. They are just much more fun for the money and can be had for sub $15,000.

 

The backseats are pretty much useless in any 4 seater convertible. With that being said you mine as well go for the 2 seater and be done with it. Stay clear of the 6 Convertible. Soft top issues and tons of electrical gremlins that are much worse when compared to CLK Convertibles.

 

Agreed 100%. I have come to the conclusion that the odds of finding a CLK Cabriolet in great shape are just so few and far between. It is almost just not even worth it anymore and the coupes just look better every time lol.

 

so she's driving and the CEL came on, now what? The dianostic fee alone is $150+ and leave the car with them for a day or two without a loaner. Bill on an average always comes back $500+ give and take and this thing will happen atleast 1-2 times a year if not often.

Can she budget all that time and money?

It's not the purchase price that counts, it's the maintancne that matters the most.

 

Just my opinion - I have owned 6 clks and recently bought a very low milage coupe again. These are wonderful cars and if one is willing to hunt, low mileage cars are still available. Yes, you may have to spend some to catch up on deferred maintenance, but, you will be rewarded with a comfortable, safe, fun to drive car that does not look or drive like a Toyota. The Toyota will be cheaper.

 

Just found a 2004 CLK 320 convertible for sale in the Star Magazine - maybe gone. But, 47,000 miles, 2nd Owner, and, probably a very nice car in Wisconsin. Only $11,900; Fly quick and drive it home.
Try jrluke42@yahoo.com

 

Hey all - I know you are all waiting to hear how this story ends up ...so figured get your thoughts here...we drove a CLK500 yesterday (not my first choice...the 6 cyl will def be a better path)...private party. I have never driven a MB before and I must say I was impressed! Local craigslist private party sale:

Pros
56K miles
garaged all but the last 2 years (car kept in the family..young couple got it from the parents but can't use it due to small kids)
Clear carfax
Exterior looked great - 1 small hood chip and 1 scratch on the right rear quarter panel. I would say 9/10
Interior was even better...just a little bit of wear on the driver seat. Back seats looked like they have never been sat in before.
Reconditioned top (new canvas) - seemed to work perfect

Cons
8 cyl
Maintenance was NOT done by MB dealer though there is a long history record in the carfax...it looks llike most of the time the oil and air filters were changed...but I don't see ANY record or proof that transmission, coolant, differential fluids were ever changed on this car

Asking price - $14K...obviously would need to have it independently checked out if we are truly interested. This is almost all of her savings so realistically this is prob a pass.

Hard not to be impressed by our test drive...it felt like a much newer car.

Curious what you guys think...esp on the maintenance note above.

 

There is so much maintenance that will potentially be needed on a CLK that old, especially one with a questionable maintenance history. The absolute newest a CLK500 could be is 15 years old. There are quite a few things that wear our simply from age. Numerous front suspension components containing rubber, various engine-related components that leak (valve covers because they use sealant, oil filter housing, rear main seal, etc.). I have a coupe so I'm not very familiar with the top mechanism on a convertible, but I would assume top-related components may begin to need repair/replacement at that age as well.

If you and your daughter like the car, by all means buy it. I just think it's important to be aware of the potential (and I would say likely) maintenance costs that accompany owning an aging Mercedes. I would guess it's entirely within the realm of possibility that a $14K CLK500, plus maintenance/repair costs, will approach (and possibly exceed) $20K total in a year or two. That's kind of a lot of money for a run-of-the-mill 15+ year old car.

I just checked auto trader, and there are a fair number of Toyota Solara's with well under 100K miles for under $15K (some under $11K) within 500 miles of you. I would consider that option, particularly if your daughter doesn't have a lot of money left over for maintenance/repair costs (and assuming you aren't willing to pick up the tab). They're surprisingly nice cars (I've owned two of them).

 

Having owned and enjoyed a clk 500, it is my opinion that the v-8 is not a negative - except poorer gas milage and spark plugs cost more. Miles are low so, my advice is to find a good Mercedes independent mechanic and have the car inspected for maintenance needed. Make offer accordingly. YMMV.

Keep us in the know. Good luck.

 

I would personally not look at CLK Convertibles. Get the convertible feel without the worry of the rag top and get a CLK Coupe instead. You get a much better ride and will not have to worry about the cowl shake. I personally think while the car you drove might of been fun in the moment just isn’t worth the hassle. Run away and forget the convertible. Go find a coupe or go for the SLK or SL hardtop. You can find a 2009 last year CLK Coupe for sub $15,000.

 

UPDATE! So she bought a 2002 CLK 430 with ~62K miles on it...2 owners but the second one owned it for most of it's life and it has been meticulously cared for (including being garaged, etc). Although the mechanic said the car is in "great shape" and checks out, the only concern I had was that it has been hardly driven in 5 years (was driven by an 80+ year old who passed away and the husband just got around to selling it now). Anyway, he changed the fluids, put on new tires + battery in preparation for the sale. For $9500 and I am sure some higher than average maintenance I feel like it is worth it to see this kind of bliss:


California Route 1 - First car!

 

Congrats to both you and your daughter, the car looks great. Love the silver with grey leather color combo. May she have many years of happy, trouble free motoring in her new Mercedes-Benz.

 

Tim,

run away. A solara is a Toyota Camry that drives like a washing machine.

how about a Miata or maybe a well persevered MR2 Toyota. If you want to put some steel between your daughter and idiot how about a nice R172, SLK?

zill.

 

Congrats on the purchase- it looks great! Hopefully the car will serve your daughter well during the time she needs it!




A Solara is not a sports car- I think everything is cognizant of that. However, it's a low-maintenance, extremely comfortable and smooth, and exceptionally reliable vehicle that looks sportier than a Camry and comes in a convertible version for people who are looking for that. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's a nice car for what it is. I may even replace my CLK with one if I can find a low-mileage example in good condition. If you could find a Solara with about 75K miles on it, you could probably replace the timing belt / water pump (if needed), spark plugs, shocks, and fluids (maybe $2K) and drive it for 100K miles with very few issues. Compare that to my CLK which would probably cost $5K+ in repairs over that same period (based on my experience).

 

Solara's are not bad cars. My wife bought her Solara back in 07' Then she upgraded to a Lexus several years ago and it's been my DD to work. I loved our CLK when we had it and still have our w211. But there is no question that the Toyota will keep going..lol. It's not expensive to maintain and depending on what you are getting 6 cylinder model, you'd definitely want to make sure you do the timing belt, cam seals, crank seal, water pump...etc. This is done every 80k miles or so. It's not the best looking car by any stretch but it's a fun car with the top down and it's a very practical car not only to hold people but stuff in the trunk. It's very minimal in terms of up keep costs. Since a lot of the parts are from/used by Lexus you maintain a much better ride quality than a typical Camry and it even utilizes the same engine (6 cylinder), plus I get 30mpg. I currently have 233k miles on the Solara and hope to get it up to 300k. I replaced the stereo a little while back to a pioneer and now have apple carplay, android auto, back up camera, bt...etc. More technology in the infotainment system than the RCF I bought back in November. For an almost 15 year old car, I can't really complain. I've never once been on the fence if the car is going to leave me stranded or not start.



OP:
Congrats! Hopefully your daughter loves the CLK! They are fun special cars! I wish MB would have kept making them. I wouldn't be shy about the lack of driving. As long as things are changed it should be fine. I bought a 2020 RCF back in November. I have at present date almost 11 months later, 171 miles on the car. I don't drive it a lot...clearly. In fact a lot of the cars I have don't get driven crazy amounts other than the Solara above which seems to by my go to car. If I keep this up, the RCF will reach 1,000 miles in about 5 years...lol.

-Nigel

 

Looking GOOD!