Mercedes CLK Mileage - Does it Matter?

[renmure]

I had a CLK 320 Cabrio for 3 years. Fabulous way to get around with the top down. No issues with it whatever. Even with the roof up it was really well insulated and sound proofed. Classy car actually.

[silvertypes]

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks for all you're advice along the way - I'm now the proud owner of a CLK350 Sport Coupe :-) Not had much time to enjoy it yet but first impressions are - it's awesome!

Any suggestions on the best products for detailing? Cleaning, Waxes etc etc?

[ZX10R NIN]

Go to your local bodyshop & ask them to mop the car for you or find a good valeter to do the same & get a good finish then just keep topping it up I use Meguiars 3 step system but tend to use the last two stages.

Glad you got sorted OP any questions feel free to ask.

[slk 32]

silvertypes said:

Thanks for all you're advice along the way - I'm now the proud owner of a CLK350 Sport Coupe :-) Not had much time to enjoy it yet but first impressions are - it's awesome!

Any suggestions on the best products for detailing? Cleaning, Waxes etc etc?

What colour is it as that can make a big difference when it comes to what to use

I have three silver cars. It's not always the easiest colour to get a reflective wet look. In the end I went with Werkstatt acrylic which gives great flake pop. Unfortunately they've stopped making it and it's been replaced by car lack (who provided the precursor chemicals to werkstatt).

I fancied a change and tried a high carnuba wax (auto finesse illusion) but it just gave a warm fuzzy glow.

Ultimately it's down to personal choice but waxes are considered best for solid or darker colours and sealants for lighter ones

I would recommend polishedbliss.Co. UK as a good place to start...that said I bought some autoglym SRP and EGP for my polo snotter the other week and had forgotten just how good it is!

[silvertypes]

slk 32 said:

What colour is it as that can make a big difference when it comes to what to use

I have three silver cars. It's not always the easiest colour to get a reflective wet look. In the end I went with Werkstatt acrylic which gives great flake pop. Unfortunately they've stopped making it and it's been replaced by car lack (who provided the precursor chemicals to werkstatt).

I fancied a change and tried a high carnuba wax (auto finesse illusion) but it just gave a warm fuzzy glow.

Ultimately it's down to personal choice but waxes are considered best for solid or darker colours and sealants for lighter ones

I would recommend polishedbliss.Co. UK as a good place to start...that said I bought some autoglym SRP and EGP for my polo snotter the other week and had forgotten just how good it is!

It's Silver :-) I'm amazed how complex the subject of detailing is - a million products on offer!

The paint finish seems very good - there's a few very light scratches that's it - but I'm not sure whether using a T-cut/Abrasive polish t remove them then - clay & polish on top is a good idea or not as I haven't got a clue what I'm doing & it's pretty good already

I can see it'd be easy to spend £100 on products ... OR take it to a Pro for a basic detail about the same money rising to £££

[devnull]

I've got a 2006 Facelifted CLK 320cdi. Bought it at 67k now on 135k, did all that in about 2.5 years.

It is a great car, been to all corners of the UK in it.

It's just had a gearbox failiure, however - i've got the typical "conductor plate" ECU issues that seem to be part and parcel of owning a 7Gtronic gearbox. Quote to repair? £1700.

I'll drive it until it dies.

[silvertypes]

ZX10R NIN said:

Go to your local bodyshop & ask them to mop the car for you or find a good valeter to do the same & get a good finish then just keep topping it up I use Meguiars 3 step system but tend to use the last two stages.

Glad you got sorted OP any questions feel free to ask.

Cheers,

Well as it happens ... :-)

Help with Aux-In & Phone would be much appreciated...

When I saw 'Phone Prep' I foolishly assumed I could just plug my iphone in & off you go...

Similarly I thought just plug in anything via the Aux-In and you can hear (but not control) via Comand - trawling forums this whole area is a MB minefield!

Phone:
In the Arm rest there is a connector under a plastic cover. I think I need to buy a phone cradle which fits there & I can use 'a' phone via Comand

I don't know if I can get an adapter or cradle for an iPhone (5c), the manual looked like the cradle was for much older phones (2009 car)


Aux-In:
Honestly haven't tried this yet (not had the car long). My car has an Aux-In, in the glove box (where there is also a CD Changer). I've read if you hit the CDC button & there's an Aux soft key it should be live & it ought to work. I've also read the volume level is usually very low so wonder if it works how you'd boost it.

Weird place to put it - if I plugged in an MP3 player/phone whatever you can't control it when it's in the glovebox - or power it

Getting the phone to work is a 'nice to have' if it's not too much hassle (or money)

More interested in getting the Aux-In working (if it doesn't already). some people say the Aux-In can be in the armrest (more convenient) but I can't see one in there

Read lots of confusing comments about using
Ipod connector / Aux-In / CD Changer - if you have this you can't do that - depends on year / model etc etc

Not sure what determines what your car can do - the year / model /spec / Comand version / hardware?

Don't know if it exists but my ideal would be an adapter in the armrest which allows you to connect an iPhone for Phone functionality (Via Comand) AND a regular Aux-In for connecting MP3 player.... you know Moon on a stick :-)

[devnull]

silvertypes said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Go to your local bodyshop & ask them to mop the car for you or find a good valeter to do the same & get a good finish then just keep topping it up I use Meguiars 3 step system but tend to use the last two stages.

Glad you got sorted OP any questions feel free to ask.

Cheers,

Well as it happens ... :-)

Help with Aux-In & Phone would be much appreciated...

When I saw 'Phone Prep' I foolishly assumed I could just plug my iphone in & off you go...

Similarly I thought just plug in anything via the Aux-In and you can hear (but not control) via Comand - trawling forums this whole area is a MB minefield!

Phone:
In the Arm rest there is a connector under a plastic cover. I think I need to buy a phone cradle which fits there & I can use 'a' phone via Comand

I don't know if I can get an adapter or cradle for an iPhone (5c), the manual looked like the cradle was for much older phones (2009 car)


Aux-In:
Honestly haven't tried this yet (not had the car long). My car has an Aux-In, in the glove box (where there is also a CD Changer). I've read if you hit the CDC button & there's an Aux soft key it should be live & it ought to work. I've also read the volume level is usually very low so wonder if it works how you'd boost it.

Weird place to put it - if I plugged in an MP3 player/phone whatever you can't control it when it's in the glovebox - or power it

Getting the phone to work is a 'nice to have' if it's not too much hassle (or money)

More interested in getting the Aux-In working (if it doesn't already). some people say the Aux-In can be in the armrest (more convenient) but I can't see one in there

Read lots of confusing comments about using
Ipod connector / Aux-In / CD Changer - if you have this you can't do that - depends on year / model etc etc

Not sure what determines what your car can do - the year / model /spec / Comand version / hardware?

Don't know if it exists but my ideal would be an adapter in the armrest which allows you to connect an iPhone for Phone functionality (Via Comand) AND a regular Aux-In for connecting MP3 player.... you know Moon on a stick :-)

I'll save you all the hassle - buy a Fiscon Mercedes Pro http://fiscon-mobile.com/products/pro_mercedes.php

It will be about £500 fitted, replaces the CDC (if you have one) with a module that works with all the latest smartphones, and lets you bluetooth stream.

I fitted mine myself, but you do need a Mercedes STAR system to do the coding, as you need to tell the car the Fiscon is fitted.

Comand-online can help you for buying and fitting.

[ZX10R NIN]

+1 to the above if you want to keep the stock unit or you're happy to change the unit take a look at the Pioneer SPH-DA120, this is what I did mainly because I wanted a better Nav Unit (Google Maps) & because upgrading the sound system was easier that way all my steering controls still work but I now have DAB Bluetooth Bluetooth Streaming Nav etc all from the new unit, it works fine with both Samsung/Iphone & Sony.

https://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi...

Here's a run through of it's features:
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=...

It worked out at £425.00 fitted with all the interfaces surround etc

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 1st July 08:34

[silvertypes]

Thanks for the input both

May not be possible to get the functionality I want easily but Ideally I'd like to keep the appearance of the car as standard / Merc as possible rather than rip out head unit & replace with aftermarket stuff - not sure how popular it would be whenever I sell the car like that

Was hoping I could just plug something out of sight in, whilst keepint the interior looking the same

[AMG Merc]

I'm thinking back to early 2000 when I flew to Bremen to collect mine (had 11 miles on the clock - twice round the factory test track I think!).

It was funny on the plane over: lots of men (some with reluctant wives GFs attached) all salivating over their sales brochures, mostly Merc and BMW as I recall.

Back then at Merc Bremen, on arrival you sat in a luxurious customer area with free tea and snacks (plus a shop for the extras - AMG mats, locking wheel bolts, etc.) awaiting your new soon to be P&J. There was a massive glass wall, a large door opened at the far side and in drove your shiny new motor with temporary German plates to get you home. A customer agent then came out, introduced himself and took me to the car where he went through all the functions and answered questions. Great service and a 20% discount on UK prices - hmmm, Brexit and German car prices & collecting your car from the factory - perhaps subjects deserving their own threads.

Anyway OP, apologies but I digress.

Connecting a phone to the cradle:
AFAIR I ordered mine with a Nokia cradle (one of a very few choices back then) as I had one. The first advantage of using the cradle (and this goes for today also) is that when plugged in you use the roof antenna for a stronger signal (AFAIK, when 'bluetoothing' like we all do these days you don't as there's no wired connection between phone and antenna), the second is that it displayed (and I think spoke) text messages on the Comand screen (my C63 can't even do that and it has the totally useless Comand Online), it also displayed the phone book, call info., etc. Can't recall - on the Comand screen or the speedo binnacle?

Integrated tune playing:
It couldn't play tunes as the Nokias didn't hold music back then. My first iPhone (3S) didn't come out until 2009 after which I started to use a flying cable coming out of the side of the glove box (another option I selected I think) and that connected to the phone. This enabled me to play tunes, view them in the LCD display in the speedo/revcounter binnacle and select same using the steering wheel selectors. You might be able to do the same.

Hope this gives you some clues as to what you might be able to do before splashing out on new kit. Good luck.

[AMG Merc]

PS - I meant to say buy yourself an old Nokia on eSlay for a tenner and a cheapo SIM card. When in the Merc transfer your calls from you smartphone to it and away you go. Just one cheap option to get the phone integrated.

[silvertypes]

Thx all - thinking of just getting a bluetooth reciever - just put into the 3.5" aux plug & bluetooth phone or mp3 player to it - jobs a good un for almost no money. Ok u have to press the BT on when u want to use it & charge it up but cheap as chips & discrete too :-)

[AMG Merc]

What about a bluetooth unit that tunes to the radio - no need for an aux in? Worth a try.