dstorfer

My funds are limited and at the price I'm looking it's basically going to be a 2007 CLK550 Cabrio or a 2006 CLK55 AMG Coupe. I really love the open air, but I just cannot afford both AMG AND Cabrio, still in warranty.

I will trek out to some dealers soon once the snow clears so I can actually test drive it a little, but I'm looking for an enthusiasts viewpoint as well.

So I'm wondering -- in the real, regular world (ie. not on a racetrack), how much different is it to own an AMG 55 over a 550? What are the advantages and feel and stuff that are obviously noticable? In fact - are the differences blatantly obvious or only very subtle, and does it come down to prestige being a big part of it?

I drove a 2003 AMG CLK55 a couple years ago and I gotta say I wasn't exactly blown out of my pants like I thought I would have been. It had a nice growl to it, but the acceleration was almost a bit too smooth, reminded me more of a late 80s Jaguar XJS V12 kind of feeling rather than big-block V8 *****.

kevblah

id personally get the 2006 clk55 coupe. probably because im not a fan of the ragtop on the w209, and because the 06 clk55 would have the rare quad exhaust...which makes the car look amazing

Coupecrazy

Both cars are going to be wonderful to own. There is no replacement for the feeling of a drop top. I would look less at the spec sheets for this decision, and more at what you want out of your next car. Both cars will have similar characteristics. With a performance edge to the AMG coupe. But if what you want is a nice convertible don't let the absence of 3 letters hold you back.

MarcusF

So it's basically coupe or cab, which would make it more of a personal preference, no? Me personally, I don't care for the soft top cab - and I live in So Cal, which is soft top central. However, you may love the fabric top.

Personally, I'd look for a CLK550 coupe that just came in off a 27 month MB lease. It should be in perfect condition, they'll waranty it to 100K and it should cost about 60% of it's new retail price (50% if any negotiation takes place - either way, less than a 2007 cab).

Staying within the choices you laid out, I'd take the 55 coupe. The 55 acceleration is smooth, but I think you'll find that it is surprisingly fast. 60 MPH will arrive in about 5 to 5.5 seconds. An XJS is at least a second behind, maybe more.

M-bENZ

360 vs 380 not sure which one is faster ....hmm...

Andy

ECTurboGSX

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the last year of the CLK55 coupe was 2005. 2006 CLK55's and all CLK63's (non-BS) in the United States are convertibles. That may impact your decision.

SaMaS

+1

Stiggs

yup, no such thing as a 2006 CLK55 coupe.

dstorfer

Doh, I was following the Yahoo vehicle choices and it seems like they gave me a choice for the 2006 AMG 55. That is good to know and I think that does make a big difference if I'm looking for "in warranty" in my price range. I don't think I can afford the AMG Cabrio 06 or 07.

One thing I noticed is that the stock HP of the CLK550 cabrio is about 380 (about the same as the 2003 AMG CLK55 that I drove). So it seems like the 550 will be plenty fast and being a sporty Benz I'm sure the handling is more than adequate for most situations.

So yeah probly the non-AMG CLK 550 Cabrio then (which are oddly about the same price as 320's). Thanks for the info and thoughts.

rondocap

One thing to note about the 550 engine vs the one in the AMG 55, is that I thought anyway the 550 engine was a bit "slushier" in feel. Sure, it has more power than the AMG...but for some reason I did not find it as lively.

So take some test drives and see for yourself - the 550 engine is by no means a slouch, but I think it may be geared more towards comfort and smoothness vs the 55 engine. Actually, not necessarily the engines are geared in that sense - but more the construction of the car overall, suspension, etc.

dstorfer

Picked it up a couple days ago. A Florida car with 36k miles. It is a dream, and in immaculate condition. I am so ecstatic!! I feel like the coolest person driving this thing. It's like an amusement park ride all the time. It's really quite fast too, being a 500 - the tires squeal by accident all the time and it handles great - any more and I'd probably be getting tickets like crazy. But...I'm sure AMG is still more fun, so maybe the next one can be AMG. I'll be saving.