2001 CLK55 AMG? Expanding the German Car Family?
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Cayman S
2001 CLK55 AMG? Expanding the German Car Family?
I'm considering this CLK55 AMG as a daily driver/track day car, and would like your thoughts on same.
Currently a mostly German car family: 2 BMWs (wife's 335i and daughter's 128i), and my Porsche Cayman S. The engine in the Cayman suffered the well known IMS failure (shortly after this video was taken). The rebuild will not be completed to May 2014 (the shop doing the work is the top one in the country, and booked solid). So I need a car.
I do a lot of track days with Hooked on Driving (as a coach) and other groups. (I also race in the Lotus Cup and other series in a Lotus Elise). I was initially planning on getting back into a 94-97 Miata for the duration, spending up to $6k. But them I came across the above CLK55, and started thinking that perhaps V8 power would be nice for a change; and I've never owned an MB. I've done a quick search and looks like the CLK is trackable; not nimble like a Miata, but clearly a lot of fun.
I admit that I've not done any real due diligence on buying an MB (typically I spend months doing research before a buy), but given the potential short fuse here--I need something by end of this week--I figured your expert advice would be helpful.
Do any of you track your CLK55 AMG? How is reliability? Do the brakes hold up all day, or fade by the end of the first session? Any post tracking problems (e.g., power steering pump is a common failure mode in Caymans that track).
Generally how much to budget for maintenance, say for a year?
Thanks in advance.
Currently a mostly German car family: 2 BMWs (wife's 335i and daughter's 128i), and my Porsche Cayman S. The engine in the Cayman suffered the well known IMS failure (shortly after this video was taken). The rebuild will not be completed to May 2014 (the shop doing the work is the top one in the country, and booked solid). So I need a car.
I do a lot of track days with Hooked on Driving (as a coach) and other groups. (I also race in the Lotus Cup and other series in a Lotus Elise). I was initially planning on getting back into a 94-97 Miata for the duration, spending up to $6k. But them I came across the above CLK55, and started thinking that perhaps V8 power would be nice for a change; and I've never owned an MB. I've done a quick search and looks like the CLK is trackable; not nimble like a Miata, but clearly a lot of fun.
I admit that I've not done any real due diligence on buying an MB (typically I spend months doing research before a buy), but given the potential short fuse here--I need something by end of this week--I figured your expert advice would be helpful.
Do any of you track your CLK55 AMG? How is reliability? Do the brakes hold up all day, or fade by the end of the first session? Any post tracking problems (e.g., power steering pump is a common failure mode in Caymans that track).
Generally how much to budget for maintenance, say for a year?
Thanks in advance.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 260
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From: Pittsburgh, PA
W208 CLK55 AMG, W203 C32 AMG, W163 M Class Sport
What kind of course are you doing? The CLK55 is quite reliable, but lacks the handling of a BMW M or Porsche. The w208 is 3400lbs and the w209 is around 3800. The brake pedals soft but brakes are good. The car really doesn't turn well compared to other cars. I've never tracked my W208 as it makes a much better daily driver. I track an E36 M3/4/5. I would be interested in seeing a w208's capabilities at the track.
For a daily driver my W208 gets about 15k a year and $1500-2000 in maintenance.
For a daily driver my W208 gets about 15k a year and $1500-2000 in maintenance.
