Just ordered clk500 cab
10-15-2004, 12:37 AM
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2005 CLK55 Cab
Just ordered clk500 cab
I placed my order yesterday for a clk500 cab. Looked at the BMW 645 and couldn't get past that nasty iDrive. M3 may be a beast, but i've heard far too many horror stories about reliability and stealerships...the clk55 was very tempting, but I don't think i need to go .8secs faster to 60mph ... and drop $20k more. The clk500 cab has a decent size rear seat and rear seat side airbags - which are a huge plus.
went with everything:
Designo Espresso package w/ventilated seats
multi-contour driver seat
DVD Command
hands free communication
sports suspension
parktronic
lighting package
keyless go
cd changer
The dealership says 3-4 months to get it. Does that sound about right?
When i get it i plan on adding the Satellite radio and perhaps the 18" AMG double spoked....
Now i have to wait....
went with everything:
Designo Espresso package w/ventilated seats
multi-contour driver seat
DVD Command
hands free communication
sports suspension
parktronic
lighting package
keyless go
cd changer
The dealership says 3-4 months to get it. Does that sound about right?
When i get it i plan on adding the Satellite radio and perhaps the 18" AMG double spoked....
Now i have to wait....
10-15-2004, 12:49 AM
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WOW...nice choice.. I wish I could change my car.
What dealership did you order the car? That sounds like you order the car so that makes the dealer special order for you. Thats why the waiting time is 3-4 months.
Btw, could you please check your PM
Good Luck.
What dealership did you order the car? That sounds like you order the car so that makes the dealer special order for you. Thats why the waiting time is 3-4 months.
Btw, could you please check your PM
Good Luck.
10-15-2004, 10:42 PM
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Congrats!!! The 05's are sweet. The new 3 series coupes will be out soon and they will make the currents E46 cars look boxy and dated. Although the MB 3 valve 5.0 isn't the most sophisticated engine it pulls well and has a sweet little rumble. 
10-16-2004, 12:49 AM
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about that sports suspension–*i see a mention of it in the '05 brochure, and you're getting it, but it's not listed anywhere on mbusa.com or the build-your-own. If you don't mind me asking, how much is the sports suspension listed at, and have you driven one equipped with it? How does it drive compared to the regular suspension (if you know)?
10-16-2004, 07:43 AM
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2010 ML350 CDI AMG Sports, BMW e92 335i (sold), CLK240 Avantgarde (sold)
Originally Posted by RohithT
about that sports suspension–*i see a mention of it in the '05 brochure, and you're getting it, but it's not listed anywhere on mbusa.com or the build-your-own. If you don't mind me asking, how much is the sports suspension listed at, and have you driven one equipped with it? How does it drive compared to the regular suspension (if you know)?
Sports suspension means it is lowered by 10mm compare to the stock, should only be around AUD$600 (I thought the CLK500 comes standard on that...
).Hi oracledba,
Nice options, and a nice car... but wouldn't it be cheaper to get the 18" AMG Style 4 with the car?
10-17-2004, 11:53 AM
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Perhaps you don't mind waiting 3-4 months for the car.
I ordered a CLK320 Cab in late May from Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach. I then decided that I didn't want to wait that long. I got a list of the 10 +/- MB dealerships in So. Cal and started calling around. The deal-breaker for me was that I wanted the nav system. I was told only about 10% of the cars come through that way.
I ended up finding the exact car I wanted, color, equipment, etc. at the MB dealer in Escondido.
No one was dealing off MSRP then because the cars were extremely scarce. I assume that is still the case.
Based on this, it didn't matter to me where I bought the car because I was going to service it close to home anyway. The only time I would visit the dealer was to pick up the car.
I made a deal with them over the telephone, and went down and bought it that night.
If you're in a hurry, you might consider doing the same thing....that is, calling around to see what local dealers have on hand. You can usually find this out over the telephone. They just have to look at their printout of inventory or cars coming in.
I ordered a CLK320 Cab in late May from Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach. I then decided that I didn't want to wait that long. I got a list of the 10 +/- MB dealerships in So. Cal and started calling around. The deal-breaker for me was that I wanted the nav system. I was told only about 10% of the cars come through that way.
I ended up finding the exact car I wanted, color, equipment, etc. at the MB dealer in Escondido.
No one was dealing off MSRP then because the cars were extremely scarce. I assume that is still the case.
Based on this, it didn't matter to me where I bought the car because I was going to service it close to home anyway. The only time I would visit the dealer was to pick up the car.
I made a deal with them over the telephone, and went down and bought it that night.
If you're in a hurry, you might consider doing the same thing....that is, calling around to see what local dealers have on hand. You can usually find this out over the telephone. They just have to look at their printout of inventory or cars coming in.
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10-17-2004, 02:55 PM
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2005 CLK55 Cab
I really don't mind waiting 3-4 months for the car - we are relocating and it will be a nice thing to look forward to after the holdays - so the funds won't even be in place for at least a month from now.
i currently have C class and i realized how I completely underbought and wish I would have been more patient - ( hence ordering all the options on the clk500 ) and things are pretty crazy right now, so as things settle down in a couple/few months it will be a nice reward ...
not sure about the wheels yet - need to do some more looking/thinking...
The Sport Suspension option is not on mbusa.com, but it is in the literature, and the option is only about $200 or so...
From the 2005 Literature :
Lowered Sport Suspension
Add a more aggressive stance and even sharper handling to your CLK320 or CLK500. The sport-tuned suspension includes firmer coil springs and shock absorbers, along with lowered ride height.
dba
i currently have C class and i realized how I completely underbought and wish I would have been more patient - ( hence ordering all the options on the clk500 ) and things are pretty crazy right now, so as things settle down in a couple/few months it will be a nice reward ...
not sure about the wheels yet - need to do some more looking/thinking...
The Sport Suspension option is not on mbusa.com, but it is in the literature, and the option is only about $200 or so...
From the 2005 Literature :
Lowered Sport Suspension
Add a more aggressive stance and even sharper handling to your CLK320 or CLK500. The sport-tuned suspension includes firmer coil springs and shock absorbers, along with lowered ride height.
dba
10-17-2004, 07:39 PM
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2010 ML350 CDI AMG Sports, BMW e92 335i (sold), CLK240 Avantgarde (sold)
Originally Posted by oracledba
The Sport Suspension option is not on mbusa.com, but it is in the literature, and the option is only about $200 or so...
From the 2005 Literature :
Lowered Sport Suspension
Add a more aggressive stance and even sharper handling to your CLK320 or CLK500. The sport-tuned suspension includes firmer coil springs and shock absorbers, along with lowered ride height.
dba
From the 2005 Literature :
Lowered Sport Suspension
Add a more aggressive stance and even sharper handling to your CLK320 or CLK500. The sport-tuned suspension includes firmer coil springs and shock absorbers, along with lowered ride height.
dba
It's only my opinion
but for the wheels, optioning it as long as you like it because you will end up saving a few bucks and have the hassel of getting rid of your old ones... that's one of the things I will do when I get my next ride.
Last edited by kaiju; 10-17-2004 at 07:44 PM.
10-17-2004, 09:50 PM
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Just bought a pre-ordered CLK-500-CAB for the wife today, and then found/joined this forum.
It is Mars Red/Charcoal Int./Black Top.
It was preordered by the dealer, Escondido MB,
in So. Cal., and has a build date of mid Nov.
Too late to change anything on it, but it has heat/muticontour/changer/and Xenon.
The dealer took off $1000 from MSRP and put it in writing, so wife is real happy now. Delivery is scheduled before
X-Mas.
I have a 2002 Vette -Vert (Cab.) and am on the Vette forum a lot, learned a lot there and found it an invaluable source of info.
Looking forward to the same here !
It is Mars Red/Charcoal Int./Black Top.
It was preordered by the dealer, Escondido MB,
in So. Cal., and has a build date of mid Nov.
Too late to change anything on it, but it has heat/muticontour/changer/and Xenon.
The dealer took off $1000 from MSRP and put it in writing, so wife is real happy now. Delivery is scheduled before
X-Mas.
I have a 2002 Vette -Vert (Cab.) and am on the Vette forum a lot, learned a lot there and found it an invaluable source of info.
Looking forward to the same here !
10-17-2004, 11:33 PM
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2005 CLK55 Cab
You are probably right about the $200 sport suspension option ... who knows - I regret every day i drive my C that I didn't get more options - and i want to sit in that CLK and be completely satisfied. I even ordered the hands free communication thing without any intention of getting the phone - does anyone have/use that option? I don't see that much on the cars on the lot - although COMMAND seems to be more frequent this year - the DVD nav is much improved. There was one 2004 clk500 to my specs ( designo espresso pkg ) however I really want the DVD based nav and will wait for it. That CLK also had upgraded amg wheels - and the 4 yr/50000 maintenance ...
10-18-2004, 01:58 AM
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Originally Posted by oracledba
I regret every day i drive my C that I didn't get more options - and i want to sit in that CLK and be completely satisfied
About the designo package- considering how expensive the package is and it seems like the real upgrade the package gives (I don't count the paint or floor mats as they're, well, paint and floor mats) is the quality of the leather, the wood steering wheel and shifter, and the type of wood. And two toned interior on some of them (I think espresso gets a black for everything but the seats and beige seating, right?) As you said you saw a designo espresso before placing your order, how much of an upgrade do you think the leather really is? Is it really worth the extra cost, or is it the case with you that you wanted all of the options (not that there's anything wrong with that)?
I haven't seen the designo espresso color in person, but from photos, it looks quite nice and distinctive, I must say.
10-18-2004, 01:16 PM
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2005 CLK55 Cab
The tough thing about the designo package is that is it expensive ( $6995 or something ) and it doesn't really affect the resale of the car. I think it added $1000 in resale. However the premium leather is not very nice IMHO - I have it on my C class, and I really wanted better quality. what I'm trying to accomplish with the clk500 is a balance between luxury and performance - I know i'll never get the type of leather seats that are in my Lexus, but the nappa is a big improvement over the premium leather and worth it to me, since i'll spend so much time in the car everyday....
i'm not crazy about the "designo" writing that they put on the glove box handle, and I sacrifice the steering wheel shifting for the wood steering wheel. But usually i drive with one hand on the shifter and use it all the time - so no a big deal to not have steering wheel shifting.
i'm not crazy about the "designo" writing that they put on the glove box handle, and I sacrifice the steering wheel shifting for the wood steering wheel. But usually i drive with one hand on the shifter and use it all the time - so no a big deal to not have steering wheel shifting.
10-18-2004, 08:57 PM
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Originally Posted by MarsRedCLK
Just bought a pre-ordered CLK-500-CAB for the wife today, and then found/joined this forum.
It is Mars Red/Charcoal Int./Black Top.
It was preordered by the dealer, Escondido MB,
in So. Cal., and has a build date of mid Nov.
Too late to change anything on it, but it has heat/muticontour/changer/and Xenon.
The dealer took off $1000 from MSRP and put it in writing, so wife is real happy now. Delivery is scheduled before
X-Mas.
I have a 2002 Vette -Vert (Cab.) and am on the Vette forum a lot, learned a lot there and found it an invaluable source of info.
Looking forward to the same here !
It is Mars Red/Charcoal Int./Black Top.
It was preordered by the dealer, Escondido MB,
in So. Cal., and has a build date of mid Nov.
Too late to change anything on it, but it has heat/muticontour/changer/and Xenon.
The dealer took off $1000 from MSRP and put it in writing, so wife is real happy now. Delivery is scheduled before
X-Mas.
I have a 2002 Vette -Vert (Cab.) and am on the Vette forum a lot, learned a lot there and found it an invaluable source of info.
Looking forward to the same here !
A brand new 05 500 for the wifey and only an 02 vette for you
LOL.
10-18-2004, 10:07 PM
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I was under the impression that the leather in the CLK was the same as in the E, not the same as the full-leather option in the C-Class. I'm pretty sure that the full-leather in the C is different than that of the E.
10-19-2004, 03:29 PM
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RJC- Hey thanks for the welcome !
Since the better half is getting a new 500 cab, I am near closing a deal right now on a slightly used 2004 Yellow Z06 Vette for me.
The ole "you are getting a brand new Benz baby, so I am getting a new Z06", works pretty good !
In all seriousness, we feel very fortunate to have the means to afford cars like these, and the lifestyle we live, and it is all possible because we live in such great country.
(and do work pretty hard for our checks !)
Take care.
Since the better half is getting a new 500 cab, I am near closing a deal right now on a slightly used 2004 Yellow Z06 Vette for me.
The ole "you are getting a brand new Benz baby, so I am getting a new Z06", works pretty good !
In all seriousness, we feel very fortunate to have the means to afford cars like these, and the lifestyle we live, and it is all possible because we live in such great country.
(and do work pretty hard for our checks !)
Take care.
