Hello,

I'm about to purchase a higher mileage 2003 CLK55 AMG from a private owner (103K miles.) Having owned multiple BMW and a Lexus, this would be my first MB. I'm doing a pre-purchase inspection on Saturday before making the jump. What should I look out for? I've searched the forum and it seems that the radiator leaking antifreeze into the transmission would be the biggest problem. Anything else I should ask about during the PPI?

 

Another car that I was considering in the price range is the 545i, but all the electronic gadgets (idrive) are scaring me away from it.

 

All the usual stuff. Pads and rotors are inexpensive on an ’03, but they should be checked. How are the flex disks? Are the motor mounts worn out? Any oil leaks (oil cooler o-rings or valve cover gaskets), transmission fluid leaks, and is the rear diff dry? Do ALL the keys work? Are the shocks leaking? Do the rear windows work flawlessly? Is the alignment within spec and are the tires wearing normally (negative camber is normal)? Are the suspension bushings in good shape? Is the exhaust in good condition? And naturally, they will ensure every electronic component is tested (including the aux electric cooling fan).

While the PPI is being done, you may want to ask the owner a few questions such as - when was the last coolant service, plug service, transmission fluid change, fuel filter service, engine air filters changed, and cabin filter changed? Has the MAF ever been changed? Have any keys been replaced? The build quality on a Mercedes really is world class, and it doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, but the maintenance does have to be done.

 

Thanks, I will print this out and study it before Saturday. The tires, rotors and pads were just replaced. I know for a fact that one front spring/strut needs to be replaced, which gave me some negotiation leverage (I was planning on updating the suspension anyway.)

As far as the leaks, etc, wouldn't the PPI cover pretty much all of that? I figured it's better if I left it in the hands of a Mercedes mechanic.

 

big things on that car with that mileage are engine mounts and valve cover gaskets. going to have mine replaced soon. im at 75,000kms

 

Also have the seat modules tested to see if they are drawing current excessively when the car is off. Another big ticket item is the Rear Main Seal.

These cars are awesome, hope it is nice and you are able to get it.

 

Thanks again everyone. I will report back once I hear back from the indy shop doing the inspection.

 

Everything in the first paragraph should be covered in the PPI. The second paragraph is what you may wish to do in addition to the PPI.

 

As far as the leaks, etc, wouldn't the PPI cover pretty much all of that? I figured it's better if I left it in the hands of a Mercedes mechanic.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

So I looked at two CLK55s and both had some major issues (which I wouldn't usually care about, but if I'm buying a "new" used car I don't want to fix $4K worth of someone elses problems before I even start driving it.) The second in particular was not very well cared for, judging by the wear and tear of the interior.

In the end, I got a 545i with much lower mileage. It was a little bit more expensive but I do get the 2 extra doors. The 55 is definitely faster and IMO looks better, but in a real world situation I wouldn't need those .6 seconds in the quarter mile and the driving experience in the BMW is a little better, even in the 4 door.

Again, thanks for your responses everyone. Maybe in a few years I'll come back and look at a newer CLK that was taken care of better.

 

Congrats on the car. Love the E60.