Nurburgringer

hi all first post here.

My father is looking at CLKs (going through a midlife crisis, at 78 yrs old ) and today I helped him check out a 2005 CLK55 cabrio.

As a BMW driver (E39 and E38 sport models) I was very impressed with the overall handling and feel of steering and brakes. Firm but not harsh suspension, very solid feel, good quality materials etc.
The engine starts and runs buttery smooth, car looks great inside and out (driver's perforated seat bottom is cracking though) except for some curb-rashed rims which can easily be refurbed.

Dad put down a small deposit and will likely buy it monday, but a few little things were a mystery to me even with google searching:
1) The dash button that looks like it should flip up the rear rollover thingies did nothing. I held it down for over 15 seconds and it still didn't extend the "headrests". Is it supposed to? Or maybe it's just supposed to retract them if they extend after a big bump....
2) Smaller matter but the driver's side seat heater button did nothing. Any idea if that's usually just a switch, or more likely broken wires in the seat heater itself?
3) Coming from my daily-driver 740i Sport, the car was almost sluggish off the line with anything less than ~3/4 throttle. Is this normal? I know it's a Mercedes and should be smooth, and with more driving I'd get used to the throttle travel/responses, just seemed a bit too sedate setting off.
Supposedly the transmission fluid was flushed at 34k miles.
4) supposedly it had a new water pump and "brake job" within the last year (the previous owner is supposed to email receipts), but if so it certainly didn't include new rotors. They're not cracking that I could see, or all that much grooved, but what is the current best practice for new front rotors? I did some searching (both on BMworld and suppliers like Tirerack, Rockauto, etc) and it seems like there may be a much less expensive 1-piece option(s) that do the job nearly as well as the very pricy MB 2-piecers? Any recent experiences/good deals with rotors anyone can share?

Really an impressive machine, especially considering the price and condition.

Thanks for any feedback!

Kurt

tw2

I have a coupe so not sure about no.1 but there is a button on the coupe at least to lower the rear headrests for better vision, they need to be raised manually.

The heater wires are probably broken. Check to see if the red light on the button illuminates when pressed. If not then there is a short in the wiring or both of the heater elements. If it does light up then sometimes only the bottom element is shorted.

Should have some decent torque even at lighter throttle position. 3/4 or more should really get moving.

Brake replacement should include new rotors which for a 2005 are very expensive compared with 03/04. There are cheaper options than OEM though. Some people resurface the rings but it is best to go to racebrake or similar and get new rotors that can have just the rings replaced in future. Or you can use 1 piece.

tw2

http://www.racingbrake.com/Two-piece...G-F-p/2270.htm

Also these guys
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...ct-clk550.html
https://www.fcpeuro.com/Mercedes~Ben...87&m=20&page=1

Jim's500E

The MB autos usually start in second gear...getting it into first is easy tho but its a manual operation of the gear lever. The owners manual should explain...

Nice choice of car ! Your Dad will be lovin' it...

Nurburgringer

Thanks TW and Jim for the feedback.

I've started reading the 506 page manual online, didn't get the transmission part yet

Before buying the 55 we're going to check out a local 2009 CLK550 today. It's listed for $2500 more but has better tires, AMG rims that don't appear to need refinishing like the 55 has (~$1000 right there), vented seats and 10k less miles.

At least we'll be able to compare 5-sp vs 7-sp transmissions and have a bargaining chip if he decides on the 55.

RE brakes: the 2-pc rotors and 6-piston calipers on the 55 sure look and feel great, but will cost WAY more to replace when it comes time:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...mbo-1714210112

or $1050 for a pair of OEMs rotors: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...1714210112set/

vs $260 for a set of front rotors AND pads for the 550:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...id-w203amgfbk1


video of the top retracting on the 55:

Blue 550 and Silver 55:

tw2

It will only start in 2nd in C comfort mode. Change it to S (sport/standard) using the small button by the gear shift. The 550 has the same brakes as the 03/04 CLK55.

Nurburgringer

Thanks for the input and advice all.

After a 2008 CLK550 in Georgia failed a PPI this morning(mechanic said it had several fluid leaks, underside looked like it had been underwater at some point(!) and many cosmetic issues) my dad decided on the local 2005 CLK55

I drove her back to his place from the dealer with the top down this afternoon, enjoying the rock solid ride and occasionally dropping down to 3rd gear on the highway to hear the roar.

Definitely a lot of car for ~$13k + tax!

Tomorrow I'll be pulling off all 4 wheels to get the rims refurbed and new tires put on, then hopefully we'll have many years of enjoyment without too many issues.

He probably would have bought this gorgeous blue 2009 CLK550, but by the time I found it on Ebay on Sunday night and he called the dealer 1st thing Monday morning it had already been sold: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2009-Mercede...tY1E8K&vxp=mtr


cheers!

GatorMB

A water flooded car will take a pro and much downtime. Sounds like a sound choice for pop.

Nurburgringer

Thanks!
Pretty exciting to get to share such a special machine with him.
Per her up on blocks last night and just dropped off the wheels for tire removal. He'll pick them up later and go to a couple rim refinishers for quotes this afternoon.
Love the brakes!!!
BTW is the brake pads wear normal? I've never had 6 piston calipers before, theyou feel great but the angle of the pad surface in the last looks strange, or?

Nurburgringer

Took her to the dragstrip last night and had a blast.

Two runs were nearly identical so didn't feel the need to push her for more.

Compared to my buddy in a 2012 Camaro SS with ~500hp the CLK was stoopid easy to drive. He was losing traction in the 1st three gears while I just mashed my foot to the floor the whole way.

Fun!

GatorMB

Wait till you chime in on a Mustang 17 GT. No worries though.

Fun, Fun,Fun

Nurburgringer

Huh? I don't get the mustang reference.

GatorMB

It is nice to see the Benz blasting with Chevys best GT class car and winning.

My reference is for competition with Fords best GT car. We can survive their best 2017 GT. Excluding Cobra, Boss, Shelby and most aftermarket 900hp bolt ons.
We can run down Mustangs too.
I am Eurocharged ECU,TCU though.
The 2005 CLK 55 was noted the best of the best.

Cheers

Nurburgringer

well that Camaro has done 12.9sec 1/4 mile time with the previous owner, which was before it got headers and a tune. Now it puts down ~440hp to the wheels.
The current owner just couldn't launch it last night, and it was getting sideways at ~80mph when he changed to 3rd. It's quite a bit faster than the CLK, but honestly I don't like it at all. Very claustrophobic inside, feels huge, and not a fan of the chrome wheels.

After the racing I dropped the CLKs top and cruised the 60miles home at 80mph+ under the stars. Very comfortable car that has a good amount of poke when desired.


Same here, plus Kleemann headers

Here's a pic from a drone of our second race, hoping to get aerial video.

Khan 55

Hey man lovely car and congrats to you and your father. Sorry to bother but I saw one of the photos your Civic was next to the AMG in the garage on tressels/jack stands. Can you put up a photo as to how you placed the car on the stand or do you have that special pieces that go into the groove of the jack points on the car? That is a Civic not? I liked that old shape. Pity we never got them in SA
With regards to the brake pads, I have seen mine look the same. However I thinnk if you remove them they dont look entirely like that but I could be mistaken. Last time I replaced mine, they were clean of any asbestos and down to the metal.

Khan 55

Men were you enjoying it out there on the track. Kudos. I would warm you Kurt to never keep your coffee level full or perhaps 3/4 in that holder. Our cars have experienced previous owners having spilled them which usually ends up into the gear shifter piece causing problems with the buttons and wiring in some cases. Just be careful with regards to that.

Nurburgringer

hi Khan - thanks for the compliments.
The white Honda is a 1986 CRX Si, known as the Ballade in Japan I believe. Almost sold it a few years ago, then realized that the $4 or $5k I could get for it was not nearly what it's worth to me. Only ~85hp but also only ~2000lb, a real treat to take out every now and then:
I used jackstands with rubber heads under the stock Mercedes blocks. Not the most secure way to keep it in the air, I always kept the jack under the front center jacking point when I was underneath it.

Thanks for your input on the brake pads. I pulled a set out to inspect them and they're indeed wearing nice and even. The edges of the pad are chamfered, so I think this is what I was seeing in the pic above that gave the impression they were wearing unevenly.

Good tip about the coffee/drink holder.
By the time I did the first run the cup was empty, just thought it would look cool in the holder

cheers!
Kurt

Khan 55

Thanks Kurt. Appreciate the response as well as the in depth video of your car prior to the cancellation of sale. She definitely looks beautiful. I am a fan of the shape and lines of the old Japanese cars.

I read somewhere as I am always asking people how are they supporting their vehicles with the jack stands. Apart from the adapters you can buy for them, some people used wood cut into a specific shape to go into the hole of the jack point and then rested that on top of the jack stands.

Enjoy man and as Gator says, keep on Benzing

Nurburgringer

New mod: Proton Plus N2O system.

Going back on the dyno soon.
With 50hp nozzles 50-100mph time dropped from ~8.3 seconds to 7.2