Spyda13

Guys I need your help, I was looking around for a clk either 500 or 55 amg and I think I finally found one, what do you guys think of a 2003 clk55 amg with 78,000 miles for around 14,000 - 14,500. This is like pushing my price range a little but for this car it's totally worth it. Please help with decision, also what kinda problems may I be looking for and so on and so forth. Also any suggestions of fast used coupes for around 13k would be highly appreciate, thank you

bzliteyear

if you can, try to get 2004 or 2005+...i think it has upgraded brakes.
also, recently i saw a 2004 clk55 cab for $19k...so depending on what you think the value of cab and the upgraded parts, perhaps you can factor that in.
overall, my CLK55 cab has been an UPSIDE surprise - much more fun than i expected.
the aggressive sound of the free-flowing V8, the very responsive AMG setting on the transmission, the nice seats/interior, and the handling...all much better than i hoped for.
good luck with your search.
PL

elijah

Is it fully loaded?
I say go for it!
Where I live you cant find a CLK55 for less than 30k so to me it sounds like a deal.

betrezra

I picked up my 04clk55 with 20K miles CPO for $23K USD.

Spyda13

It is fully loaded with the navi package

Stiggs

Price seems good. Go for it!

Spyda13

What do you guys think about the mileage, a little to high, how long do you think it will last?

Moedy

price is ok but keep in mind when you are buying an amg or even a regular benz you need to put aside funds for the extra maintenance and costly repairs for these cars. Even if you do your own work the parts themselves are expensive. Dont buy a $14k benz if your budget is just $14k. At that mileage things go wrong. Im not sure if the brakes have been changed but if they arent, those are expensive. Also 2003 was the first year of the car so it might have some bugs. One common problem with the 2003's was the transmission contamination

elijah

IMO, the mileage is high and there isnt a person here who will be able to answer the question " how long do you think it will last". It all depends on the cars owner, history, etc... Make sure it's been serviced properly and really it all comes down to how the car feels on the road. If it rides good then go for it. If the cars feels like its not so solid then forget about it because what Moedy said is very true, used AMGs require significant $ for repairs, upgrade and just simple maintenance!!

betrezra

I would hold out for a lower mileage model for a couple extra bucks.......

Unless of course this car checks out in all ways and "talks to you" "buy ME"!

Coupecrazy

My CLK55 wasn't properly cared for, and it has eaten up a chunk of money to pass state inspection. Overall it's a solid car though. If you do your own work, and take care of it they'll last. Mine is at 107,000 miles right now, and still pulls hard. I'm doing a fair amount of spring cleaning on the maintenance side as well. These are cars you don't want to let reach the point of a check engine light. Stay on top of preventative maintenance.

elijah

Very true

Spyda13

All of this maintience that I nights run into is scaring me a bit lmao, I was doing some research and found a 2010 hyduia genises 3.8 coupe with like 7k miles and a warranty for up to 60k miles on it for about 20k grand, I know thats pushing my budget bit I was thinking of giving like a 12k deposit and fianancing the rest. What do you guys think about this?? What woul you guys do, get a high mileage clk55 amg , or the genesis coupe which is practically new with very low mileage and a warranty?? Thanks for your answers in advance

elijah

If you have doubts and a limited budget I say stay away from the CLK55. You don't want to take such risks.
The Genesis 3.8 coupe is indeed a nice car and might be better suited for you. It has low mileage and warranty something you won't find in a used 55.
I used to hate everythang Hyundai made until a year ago, they've really stepped it up these last few years with very reliable cars.

Moedy

you dont have to get the amg, a clk500 has 300 hp and is quicker than that genises. If you are willing to pay 20k for a hyundai then you could get a 14k benz and put aside 6k for whatever just in case. You might be able to get an aftermarket warranty for around that price. I would take a benz over a hyundai any day and if you are looking to pick up chics, alot are stupid. They cant tell what year it is or whats an amg, they just know its a benz

MarcusF

All what maintenance? Oil changes, filters, spark plugs every blue moon, coolant changes, brake fluid flushes . . . . that stuff is all cheap if you do the work yourself. Price some parts at AutohausAZ dot com. You'll see. Some guys have spent more on TIRES than everything else combined.

AMG brakes can be expensive, but the rotors last a long time. If you buy the 500 instead, genuine factory rotors are only $75 per side. Join the Mercedes-Benz Club of America. Most long term members can tell you where to get stuff fixed right, and who has parts at a reasonable rate in your city.

What you want to avoid is the broken stuff - and you can do that with a pre-purchase inspection. THAT is money well spent.

Coupecrazy

Agreed, I took it to a place for a compression test, not a full inspection. Seeing as how with a 12K CLK55 more than half that cost is tied up in the engine I just needed that to be in solid shape to be a good buy. In retrospect however taking the time for a full inspection would have saved me a lot of trouble.

Moedy

Also make sure the valver cover is not leaking oil. This is a common problem and around 800 if you go the dealer and less than 60 if you do it yourself because it takes at least 4 hours of labor. If its leaking oil get them to fix it before they sell it to you

kostas86

If you are worried about maintenance then go with the genesis. If you're willing to accept that the benz is an older car and will need more attention, then the benz is the better choice and you will enjoy it more.

Spyda13

Yea I'm pretty frustrated, I realized that the hyduia genesis coupe is out of my price range and the clk was a scam, what a screwed up dealership, I read tons of reviews on the dealership (21st century auto group) and that they do the bait and switch scam all the time! Anyways I did further research and there aren't really any clk 500 or 55 in price range sadly and I just wanted to know your opinions on a white 2003 g35 coupe with black leather I interior fully loaded with a navi, it has 60,000 miles and is going for about 13k. What do you guys think? All opinions are appreciated, thanks in advance

kostas86

Sorry to hear.
In the past I have owned a 2003 and 2006 350Z, and both were great cars. No maintenance issues with them, reliable and cheap to own. Also plenty of aftermarket support for the VQ motor.
The only thing to watch for on 2003 was front tire wear, as some had an issue with alignment causing premature wear of front tires and thus resulting in tire noise.
Test drive it and if you like it, I say go for. For that price, its fun, sporty, and reliable.

Tinng321

When did you see that car? It's funny that I'm thinking of going to that same dealership to look at 2003 clk 55 with 56k miles for $13k. Something is fishy. It seems to good to be true.
Is $13k sound about right to everyone?

Nachtsturm

If it is at a no name dealer, walk away. If not it is worth checking into.

Remember, if they are at a no name dealer, it is for a reason.

Against my better judgment, I tried only once to buy a car at one of those dealers. A 2001 Integra type R with 23k miles, low and behold, odometer roll back. I don't care how enticing the deal is, if its at one of those mickey mouse dealers. Stay away.

AMGY

LOL a 13K CLK55 is asking for problems

betrezra

I bought a so called CPO clk55 with 20K miles at MB of sugarland...... it had several issues which were not disclosed upon sale; however, I promptly brought it back within 1 week for all the warranty work. So don't be fooled that CPO means any sort of special inspection at the dealership. The main thing is to get a warranty.... so when it breaks you don't get it broken off in you.

Use the search feature here...... most common things that go wrong with the 500 and 5.5 motor are pretty easy DIY deals..... I'm learning to do some of this myself.

GL.