Shakazulu12

Hi there everyone,

I've been a lurker forever here, as a fan, but until a recent phone call to my insurence agent indicated my premiums would not be nearly as high as I feared on an 01 or 02 CLK55, I had figured it would be another two years before I should get a sporty two door.

Now I am very interested in hearing about some of the actual running costs of the beast. I know the standard "if you have to ask....", however I'm in outside sales and I drive 25,000 miles per year and I want to know what kind of costs to think about. Things like brake pads/rotors and scheduled services. I tried searching and didn't find too much hard data, however this appears to be the best MB site on the web so I'm sure the members will step up for me!!

Brakes for one interest me, I know on a friends 740i that the dealer quotes around 1500 to replace pads/rotors, he jumped on a web site to source the parts online and it ended up costing him around $500 total.

How about suspension pieces and the like when the mileage piles up? Scheduled services? I know a german car is going to cost more to maintain than a japanese car, particularly one that once stickered north of 70k, I just want to be a knowledgable owner and not get taken to the cleaners at the dalership down the road.


Also if anyone knows anything about the auction reports on these, I would love to hear it. would like to know what they are really going for. Edmunds says TMV in my area is close to 56k which sounds a little high based upon some ebay listings I noticed, however its probably due to the fact that they are very rare in the portland area.

Thank you all in advance!

ndabunka

Values... I sold my Pristine 2001 CLK55 with 27K miles in December for $40,500. IMHO it was a bargain. So, you "should" be able to get a nice one for mid 30's now (6 months later). Tires are expensive @ around $160 each. Didn't have it long enough for any other repairs (keep it from 17K to 27K). Note: Warranties on the 2001's may be running out THIS year. Mine was a 2001 but was built in October of 2000. Warranty expires on it in 5 more months. Never really had any problems with it though.

Shakazulu12

ndabunka, thanks for such a speedy reply! I see you did not have you car for very long, any reason why you sold it so soon?

I had already planned on tires not lasting long and costing a bunch, that is something I'm willing to eat in exchange for the power and torque, although at 160 a piece, that does not seem bad to me at all. What are the preferred tires? Anyone know what kind of mileage they are getting out of them?

I notice online that the number of cars equipped with nav is very low....I do travel a lot and had hoped to find one, but now that I realize its CD based, is it really worth it anyway? I would like it, simply so I would not have to fumble with mapquest printouts all the time, but is there any way to upgrade it to a faster DVD based nav system? Like the later model Benz's perhaps?

Chappy

I don't have COMAND (navigation system), but I will add my two pennies about your pending decision (I purchased my CLK55 new in June '02)....I just turned 12K miles and still have the original tires and brakes. I've had the first service and paid for two additional oil changes on my dime. Scheduled services are included during the period of the factory warranty.

I know of many W210 E55 AMGs that have in excess of 100K miles with no 'real' trouble, other than the standard gripes from any E-class of that era. Ditto goes for the ML55. The CLK has the same engine and transmission and the W208 CLK55 will last a long time when properly maintained.

You mention brakes. OE Brakes are expensive on this car ($300 for the front pads alone - not including labor). Rotors are pricey too. At this point, there is no source for OE (AMG parts) other than the dealer. Funny, due to the fact that the OE pads, rotors and calipers on the new (W209 CLK55) and C32 use a different setup and is much more economical, but do not outperform our brakes.

I would suggest that maintenance (overall) would not be significantly higher than running a CLK430, with the exception of parts. Anything stamped or coded AMG is going to run 3X what 'normal' Mercedes-Benz parts run......which ain't cheap either.

FWIW, the CLK55 delivers excellent fuel economy (I normally get 20 around town and 25+ highway), and is a great car to drive.

Back to maintenance, etc. The only thing about late model MBs is that they have so many damn computers running everything, if one breaks, it's gonna cost $$$. Again, don't fool yourself into thinking that you'll be able to get this stuff for 1/3 the price on the internet.

If you do end up buying, I would strongly suggest a car that is Starmarked, or purchase from a private owner with the factory extended warranty....at least then if something major goes wrong you are covered (usually up to 100K miles). Read the fine print though on the warranty, cause it doesn't cover the radio or COMAND!

Depending on your driving style, expect 10-20K miles from a set of good rubber (Pilot Sports, or PS2, SO3, etc.)

MAKE SURE you have a PPI done before handing over any $$$. Good luck!

Shakazulu12

Thanks for your insight Chappy.

Thats good to hear that the W210's have gone over 100k, thats primarily my concern, I want the car to make it to 150k with the proper care. It seems to me that BMW's (the other cars I was thinking of) begin to fall to pieces later in life.

The computer don't scare me as much as mechanical issues. At least I know that when a computer breaks down, odds are the replacement won't go bad for a while, however when something fails on an engine/transmission, you may never get rid of the problems (at least thats been my experience)

I have pretty much decided that the CLK is the one for me. I'm still young enough to get away with driving a coupe all the time, and have a beater dodge for the occasional snow.

I am pleasantly surprised by the gas mileage you have achieved. I was expecting closer to 14.

I am curious as to the function of the manual control of the transmission, and actually the transmission itself. I thought I read somewhere that the transmission lautomatics ocks in gears above first, is this true? Also, what kind of manuel control is provided, and does anyone find it very usefull? I grew up on nothing but sticks, and am probably one of the few people that will use manual control on automatics that are offered on them.

Any other input and thoughts from owners is definately welcome. I appreciate the feedback greatly, I simply don't trust the people at the dealership and the opinion's of actual owners matter a lot to me.

Chappy

As far as locking above 2nd gear....

These cars are equipped with a five-speed fully electronic transmission. The shifter is just an electronic switch for the gear selection. Don't spill any liquid down there (where the shifter is)....it'll fry that computer and you'll need a new one.

"Touch Shift" is the name given to the system that controls shifting. Basically, the shift lever moves to the right and left and activates the switch for selecting a gear up or gear down. It works pretty slick......and holds the gear well.

Have you driven one yet?

Shakazulu12

Chappy, unfortunately I have not driven the 55 yet, however I have taken the 430 out a few times. There just aren't any 55's on lots in portland. I friend of mine is a wholesale manager for a Mercedes dealership and can get me anything I want, however he is two hours away. I did not like how soft the 430 felt, however I understand the AMG version is a little tighter. My hope is that it is not quite as harsh as the M5. My search for my next car has been pretty varied. I at first felt that I should buy a japanese car simply due to reliability concerns. Then I drove just about all of the major players (GS430, Q45, LS400, even the new TL). Upon doing so I realized they were all incredibly boring, and while certainly not cheaply constucted, they lacked the feel of their german competitors. The leather quality was the first thing I noticed, when looking at the used ones, the leather seemed to age very quickly.

I then decided to check out BMW's and AUDI's. The A6 was nice, however the styling is looking dated, the A8 is a classic, but I was told the trannies are 8 grand and only last about 100k. I then drove the M5 and M3, I fell in love with the M5(M3 was too high strung), but as another knee surgery looms, I realized that I would have to give up on driving a manual, traffic in portland is beginning to rival Seattle where I used to live. Next up was a 2001 740i sport, I liked that car, however I didn't really connect with it like I thought I would, plus the stlying is dated(though still classy) I drove an X5 4.6 and actually enjoyed that more, just not much of an SUV guy (though I must say, that vehicle is simply incredible).

I really only recently decided to look at the 55 due to the fact that the insurance was a lot cheaper than I had imagined (I'm only 23), its in fact cheaper than an M5 or M3 would be, and the fact that my friend insisted I check it out. I love the styling of the 208, the power, and the luxerious nature of the interior and the level of class it exudes. It seems to have a good blend of comfort and sportiness, and with a surprising amount of utility. I can't wait until I can find one to drive, but I hesitate to bother the local dealership when I have no intention of buying from them(plus they don't have one), I didn't mind it at the BMW dealership because they were not very professional, and I thought I was going to buy one. I should be able to get behind the wheel in two weeks or so though.

I appreciate all the input so far, keep the responses coming!!!! I would love to hear any other opinions or general ownership experiences.

ndabunka

Stop into your local Benz dealer and get him to let you drive a new CLK55. Tell him you are trying to decide if a 55 is right for you. Tell them that do to financial resaons you "might" have to buy a used one. It will give you the idea of the power and performance. The CLK55 measures up VERY WELL to the M5. Same throaty sound, similar performance. The auto is TRUELY a blessing and one of the best ones I've driven in a performance auto. My 04TL's speed shift tranny on the other hand will not hold the 1st gear (like the Benz can/does). Hmmm, 23 AND has the $'s to drive a ///AMG 55. Enjoy it but don't wrap it around a tree. There's only so many of them out there!

Shakazulu12

ndabunka,

I was thinking of doing that, however the local dealership was terrible the one time I went to visit them before. Last year, I was looking at the new E class, purely as an impulse buy. I had walked into the dealership and really liked the look and interior, I wanted to take one for a spin. The salesmen was not very helpful and then told me that I had to bring a cashier's check for 5 thousand before I could test drive one. I know it was due to my age(possibly my race, who knows?), I came back the next day with the cashier's check only to prove a point to the salesmen, I was so upset that I didn't buy the car. I know its a dumb reason not to buy a car, but having spent my whole life digging myself out of the gutter and letting some ignorant salesperson speak down on me so badly really left a bad mark on my mind. The fact is, I could actually afford a new 55(lets hear it for the refi boom!!), but growing up without money has left a big impression on me and I simply refuse to spend so much when a lightly used one is simply a much better buy(for me).

If the 55's power compares well with the M5, then I am sure I will love the car. I'm glad to hear that the performance of the auto is exemplary, it seems wierd to think of driving without a clutch, but today when the tempurature dropped suddenly and my left knee was aching in traffic(anyone out there who has had joint surgery knows what I mean), I was dying for one.

I promise I won't wrap it around a tree!!!!! I used to have a GSXR600 and have learned to control my speeding habits very well.....However its nice to have the power in reserve when you need it.

I actually drove a friend's TL last week, I must say, that car is an incredible value, I would kill for a nav system like that in the CLK55, and the interior is very well thought out. Actually, has anyone done any kind of nav upgrade to the CLK? Would I be better off sticking an aftermarket unit in the space below the climate controls?

ndabunka

Don't let the small minded get to you. If someone treats you like that, just ask for the manager, then the owner (if neccessary). There's REALLY no place in the world today for that. Hmmm, your young AND have knee problems? Are you a former Basketball player? As far as refi goes, don't use that to buy a new car. A home is an investment, a car IS NOT. Your right, the "gently used" versions also have their merits. I personally liked the body style of the 208 CLK Cabrio's A LOT but wasn't willing to part with an additional $20K simply for the drop top verison of the 208 55. Good luck and hope you find the car your looking for.

HollaBack

Hey shakazulu12, How come you didn't get the E from another dealer? Thought the clk looked better or just the performance? I am getting an e500 soon but am still liking the clk. Do you think the E is an older person's car?

Shakazulu12

ndabunka, I'm actually in wholesale mortgage lending, hence my comment on the refi boom, it just means I have taken advantage of the market for income, I would never use equity out of a house to buy a depreciating assett, the only thing I would ever do that for would be to buy another property. But you are correct, I was a basketball player, however I never made it pro, after I popped my knee's the first time I lost my scholarship offers and then decided playing in Europe was just not something I wanted to do. Its funny though, seeing a lot of guys in the league now that I was playing against only a few years ago.


Normally I would have pursued the matter further with the dealership, however it was a purely emotional purchase decision at the time, not a rational one, so once the emotion's were affectively fanned, I no longer had an urge to buy the car. Now, however, I actually need a "new" car so even if I run into a snob or two, I will still get it. However, being in sales myself, I tend to crack down on salespeople a lot when they aren't very professional.

I tried to make myself like the styling of the 209, the interior is awesome, but the exterior is a little soft and feminine to me. Plus the performance looks to be largely the same and I can save 35k.

Hollaback, there isn't another dealership within close driving distance, Portland has two BMW dealerships, 1 Mercedes dealership, 1 Lexus, 1 Infiniti, and 1 Audi/porsche. You pretty much have to go to seattle if you want any leverage around here. I actually don't consider the E an old man's car, however I don't really wan't to fork over that much money for the E500 when I can get a CLK55, which to me is a much more special car, for less money. As I explained above, my interest in the E last year was purely impulsive, I had no need for it at the time. Now that I have a need, I'm finding that I am more attracted to other vehicles. I know I am in the minority on this one, but I actually like the new 5 series more than the E class, I find the styling fresh and aggressive, it makes more of a statement to me than the E does, and I like the sportier nature of the car overall. However, a loaded 545 is pushing 70k and I just dont' feel its worth that much to me. I can use the extra 35k for investments.

Still wondering about Nav options, also I thought I read somewhere that the CLK55 had ventilated seats on the 208 style, was I just dreaming?

ndabunka

Good to hear your on the banking side of that equation. You've had a great business and may even have more coming to you as people try to get in before the rates go up further. Sorry to hear about the pro career not working out but it sounds like you've found yourself a nice role without it. I see tonight that BBeckman is going to list his 2002 for sale. You might want to give him a PM to see what he's willing to take. The market is SUPER soft for these cars so I honestly don't think he will get anywhere near the $50K mark he's asking but with the low miles and the fact that he's been active on this board before, he would be a good one to consider. I would recommend you get the Galves average value and then work towards his figure. Good luck!

HollaBack

Shakazulu12. I have a 2001 325ci BMW now and thought my next car would be 5 series but just can't get past the looks, although they are growing on me. It just looks too much like a pontiac and looks kinda cheap compared to 7, 6 and even Z4. But I do like BMW and hope they do something about looks.

Stiggs

Hey Shaka...
welcome to this crazy place.

I hate to tell you, but its all about the test drive. Don't buy it before driving it!!

But if you absolutely can't drive it, then don't worry....you can't go wrong with an AMG. If you've driven the CLK430, then just imagine the AMG as the 430..only better.

I went from a 1999 CLK430 to a 2003 CLK55. Everything is a step above in the AMG. I never had the chance to drive a 2000 -2002 CLK55. I can imagine they are just as fun as the new ones....hey, if not better.

Enjoy

Chappy

In 2001, the CLK55 AMG Coupe was billed as "The Quickest Production Mercedes-Benz Ever Built” and was described by Frank Barrett in The Star (September/October 2000 issue) as a “CLK430 cubed”.....

I couldn't agree more!

Shakazulu12

Stiggs,
I am certainly driving before I buy, there is no way I would buy a car without driving one. My friend up north at the dealership has promised to find me a cherry one and let me have it for a week to see how I enjoy it, I'm sure at the end of that week though I will be handing him a check....if not sooner. I really do want to feel the differences between the 55 and the 430, from what I have been told by those who have driven one, and from going over the archives on this forum, it looks like it will be a good fit. If not, then the search will continue!!

More questions about the car; do people find the seats comfortable for extended periods? I'm 5'11" but have a 6'6" wingspan and sometimes find it hard to adjust the seat right, I usually have it all the way back in most cars, I never notice any discomfort at first, but after a long day in the car I tend to feel aches others don't in some vehicles.

Hollaback, one thing I noticed about the new 5 is that its very color sensitive, anthracite seems to be its best color, and the sport package is a must. I have a lot of respect for BMW for bringing a car to market that they knew was going to cause stylistic controversey. I feel the E class went along a safer route, definately more appealing to a broad audience, but carries some cues from several cars (or in the case of the new GS and M45, they take cues from it), and is not quite the statement the BMW is. This is neither a good thing or a bad thing, in fact, I think more people will buy the E simply for that reason, BMW is simply carving a niche for themselves. I find myself admiring the car from several angles and discovering new elements to the design each time I look at it. Although I also liked the new 7 the moment I saw it, and also like the new 6 and Z4, so maybe I'm just crazy!!!! Plus I-drive is nowhere near as hard to use as people make it out to be.

ndabunka, fortunately for me, I specialize in non-conforming (usually called sub-prime) lending, I'm relatively isolated from fluctuations in rate as that I fill a particular niche in the market, while other lenders are slowing dramatically due to the rise in rates, I have positioned myself to actually increase my business. Oh and don't feel sorry about the pro career, I played ball out of love for the game, money probably would have ruined that for me (I wasn't good enough to make BIG bucks anyway =)

Stiggs

Shaka,

The seats seem fine to me. I'm 6'2" and usually have the seat all the way back too. I drove her to Boston about a year ago with no complaints from my body. The CLK55 comes with the multi contour seats. You can inflate and deflate certain parts of the seat with air. That should help.
Good luck...and post some pics if you can.

RyanDe680

Here are the two I am looking at right now. I am in the same boat as ShakaZula and am considering this car very seriously.

Here is the one that I drove yesterday:
http://wwwheels.com/cfapps/ascar.cfm?ID=2004713

This is the one I want to go look and possibly get:
http://wwwheels.com/cfapps/ascar.cfm?ID=1998885

They both have really low milage, but I am concerned with warranty issues. Since they aren't MB dealers, I dont know what my options really are...

Chappy

First of all, the engine and tranny are extremely robust. No real issues there. However, what could be troublesome (at some point) are all the computers. Remember in the other thread when I pointed out not to spill any liquid down where the shifter is? Yeah, that computer/module runs $1,000 to replace.

Mind you, there have NOT been a tremendous amount of non-modified CLK55s coming back to the dealers. I bought the extended warranty for peace of mind, plus I got it at a serious discount. I planned on keeping the car a while.

As they are not MB dealers, the warranty options are limited. You basically have the balance of the factory warranty, unless you can find an aftermarket warranty that will cover an AMG (very difficult to find - plus you're hosed if they go belly up, and many have here recently).

My suggestion: Keep looking. If I were you, I'd purchase from a private party that had the extended warranty OR purchase from a Mercedes-Benz dealer and opt for Starmark.

Good luck!

RyanDe680

Thanks for the response Chappy.

Does anyone here or anyone know of a good company that would insure AMG's then? Would I be able to obtain an extended warranty from MB?

I am not familiar with Starmark. What is that?

I really appreciate all of your input here... The reading is great...

RyanDe680

I checked with my Mercedes Benz dealer yesterday and drove this one on Friday:

http://wwwheels.com/cfapps/bcar.cfm?ID=1998885

It drove wonderfully. I am planning to take it to my local Mercedes Benz dealership, which actually is next to my BMW dealer that I go to now.

I want to have them do a 140 point check on the car to determine if there are any problems. There also is about 14 months left to the 4 year/50k mile factory warranty on the car and I can and am looking to purchase the extended warranty, which they can determine if I can get by doing these checks.

Anyone have experience with this? Anyone know the cost of the extended warranty? I read someone got theirs at a deep discount.

I really like this car and it is in good shape. It drove like a dream and I can totally see myself in this car for 4 years, which are the terms to my agreement.

Opinions and suggestions guys?