My first Mercedes - starting to feel the love!
Discussion
Here is an update on my CLK 430. My last posting was negative due to early niggles and doubts, but four weeks or so on, feeling the love. I have never owned a Merc before and I think they are one of those cars that doesn't perhaps impress on a test drive like a BMW but gets under your skin during the ownership experience. Thanks to the guy in my close who is the local Merc garage master mechanic, he removed my locking wheel nuts (for which I didn't have the key) and I now have four non lockable ones. He thought one of the engine mounts might be broken, or missing, but my garage are certain they aren't. However I had a bad scare last weekend when my garage, whilst inspecting the engine mounts found that the alternator pulley system was broken and about to "let go"...now fixed...total bill £102 including a new dipstick as the current one is busted. The traction control light hasn't come on again and I think the bulb warning light is probably just a glitch as all the lights seem to work.
But now to the drive. Was amazed on a run of 61 miles mixed driving the other weekend to record 27.7 MPG on the trip computer, whilst taking advantage of kickdown; my Impreza Turbo couldn't match that. In fact 25MPG is easily possible on any drive of 10 miles or more if you don't push it...I thought it would be a barge, but in fact on a decent A or even B road you can really lean on it in the bends, particularly those lovely faster S bends. It corners quite flatly and only in very slow corners do you have to make allowances for the big V8. I love the wafty feeling of the V8 and the effortless way it picks up speed and overtakes. Above all I love the fact that for less than two grand I put a V8 on my drive that cost £45K in 2000.....
Don't think this car will be a keeper, thanks to wife and daughter number 1 who are very anti, but I have loved the experience and definitely one of my favourite cars to date. For what I paid for it, I really cannot think of another car that would have provided more grunt and class.
But now to the drive. Was amazed on a run of 61 miles mixed driving the other weekend to record 27.7 MPG on the trip computer, whilst taking advantage of kickdown; my Impreza Turbo couldn't match that. In fact 25MPG is easily possible on any drive of 10 miles or more if you don't push it...I thought it would be a barge, but in fact on a decent A or even B road you can really lean on it in the bends, particularly those lovely faster S bends. It corners quite flatly and only in very slow corners do you have to make allowances for the big V8. I love the wafty feeling of the V8 and the effortless way it picks up speed and overtakes. Above all I love the fact that for less than two grand I put a V8 on my drive that cost £45K in 2000.....
Don't think this car will be a keeper, thanks to wife and daughter number 1 who are very anti, but I have loved the experience and definitely one of my favourite cars to date. For what I paid for it, I really cannot think of another car that would have provided more grunt and class.
Edited by greenarrow on Saturday 21st May 18:55
I also now understand why generally these bigger engined older Mercs are not driven aggressively. Some cars seem to goad you on, BMWs being a prime example, but the Merc seems to put me into "chill out" mode. Today on a 40 mile A road trip I found myself leaving a larger gap than usual to the car in front and when we came to a set of traffic lights with a "merge in turn" two lanes into one layout, I just let the modern tin boxes get on with scrapping for pole position.....As a result despite using kickdown on a couple of occasions I set a new PB of 28.7 MPG on the trip computer.....
greenarrow said:
I also now understand why generally these bigger engined older Mercs are not driven aggressively. Some cars seem to goad you on, BMWs being a prime example, but the Merc seems to put me into "chill out" mode. Today on a 40 mile A road trip I found myself leaving a larger gap than usual to the car in front and when we came to a set of traffic lights with a "merge in turn" two lanes into one layout, I just let the modern tin boxes get on with scrapping for pole position.....As a result despite using kickdown on a couple of occasions I set a new PB of 28.7 MPG on the trip computer.....
Couldn't agree more with all the above.Ari said:
greenarrow said:
Don't think this car will be a keeper, thanks to wife and daughter number 1 who are very anti,
What's their problem with it? Mr M said:
> but the Merc seems to put me into "chill out" mode
Totally concur with that one as well :-). Best way to be, but big smiles when you fancy a short sprint and there's no other traffic about.
Absolutely and I wonder if the modern generation of Mercs is missing this "chill out factor". I see a lot of hard pedalled aggressive driven A and C Class Mercs these days and it never used to be the case, particularly with the bigger Benzes. It seems that in chasing BMW and Audi, Mercs have lost that a certain something.Totally concur with that one as well :-). Best way to be, but big smiles when you fancy a short sprint and there's no other traffic about.
[quote=greenarrow]Here is an update on my CLK 430. My last posting was negative due to early niggles and doubts, but four weeks or so on, feeling the love. I have never owned a Merc before and I think they are one of those cars that doesn't perhaps impress on a test drive like a BMW but gets under your skin during the ownership experience.
greenarrow,
Exactly that. I converted from BMW twenty years ago. Beemers are great performance cars but outstanding Mercedes like the W123,201,124,140,107,129 have a depth of engineering and design integrity that keeps on giving and surprising, sometimes after years of ownership, that few other cars seem capable of delivering.
I cannot speak of modern day Mercs but the young-timer generation's suspension set-ups were a compromise of waftability and feel and a re-circulating ball rather than a rack and pinion system was never going to provide razor sharp response to steering input but would iron out the imperfections of a road service. Add this to in-line six and V8 engines so under-stressed as to be verging on the lazy and you have compromise which allows you to push on when required but encourages a laid-back and relaxed driving style.
As it happens my family were not exactly enthusiastic when I bought my first Merc in 1996 but thirteen Mercs later all are now converts.
Hope you enjoy whatever time you've got left with your 430. Could be the beginning of a long and happy relationship. C215 CL500 next?
greenarrow,
Exactly that. I converted from BMW twenty years ago. Beemers are great performance cars but outstanding Mercedes like the W123,201,124,140,107,129 have a depth of engineering and design integrity that keeps on giving and surprising, sometimes after years of ownership, that few other cars seem capable of delivering.
I cannot speak of modern day Mercs but the young-timer generation's suspension set-ups were a compromise of waftability and feel and a re-circulating ball rather than a rack and pinion system was never going to provide razor sharp response to steering input but would iron out the imperfections of a road service. Add this to in-line six and V8 engines so under-stressed as to be verging on the lazy and you have compromise which allows you to push on when required but encourages a laid-back and relaxed driving style.
As it happens my family were not exactly enthusiastic when I bought my first Merc in 1996 but thirteen Mercs later all are now converts.
Hope you enjoy whatever time you've got left with your 430. Could be the beginning of a long and happy relationship. C215 CL500 next?
Edited by SSL on Tuesday 24th May 13:07
Edited by SSL on Tuesday 24th May 13:08
greenarrow said:
Ari said:
greenarrow said:
Don't think this car will be a keeper, thanks to wife and daughter number 1 who are very anti,
What's their problem with it? Life is too short to be told what to do, especially when staring down the barell of your fifties, they dont like it, well , they dont pay for it and can gladly take the bus or walk, when you hang up your keys, do you want to regret being told what to do by those who really dont get it,a m sure your wife and daughter have things they like, do you dictate ? my wife does "crafts", sewing, crotchet, printing and all that, I wouldnt say she cant do it because I dont like it, she wanted a Fiesta, she got a Fiesta, I try to be supportive and expect some consideration the other way to what I want withing the realsm of affordability.
Man up and keep your Merc, flog it if you dont want it, and enjoy that effortless and smooth lunge forwards, in fact flog it and get a CLS 55/63 and let me know what its like.
J4CKO said:
greenarrow said:
Ari said:
greenarrow said:
Don't think this car will be a keeper, thanks to wife and daughter number 1 who are very anti,
What's their problem with it? Life is too short to be told what to do, especially when staring down the barell of your fifties, they dont like it, well , they dont pay for it and can gladly take the bus or walk, when you hang up your keys, do you want to regret being told what to do by those who really dont get it,a m sure your wife and daughter have things they like, do you dictate ? my wife does "crafts", sewing, crotchet, printing and all that, I wouldnt say she cant do it because I dont like it, she wanted a Fiesta, she got a Fiesta, I try to be supportive and expect some consideration the other way to what I want withing the realsm of affordability.
Man up and keep your Merc, flog it if you dont want it, and enjoy that effortless and smooth lunge forwards, in fact flog it and get a CLS 55/63 and let me know what its like.
DUMBO100 said:
I have never owned a Merc but have always admired them. The seem to have presence that most car manufacturers would love to emulate. The older models are just as desirable as the new ones, glad you're enjoying the experience OP. I think I think I will be joining you soon
Do it! The older models seem cheaper than the BMW equivalents, as I don't think they have the following. For example, for what I paid for my 430, I doubt you would find an E39 540i, which is probably the nearest BMW equivalent. An E55AMG is much cheaper than the equivalent age M5, but every bit as special. Also, my research indicates that BMWs suffer far more generic problems, such as Vanos issues, head gaskets blowing and so on, with their bigger engine cars. I couldn't really find any known major engine issues with any of th n/a V8 Mercs a view confirmed by my Mercedes Master technician neighbour who says these older V8s are fairly bombproof. The weak link I guess Is electrical stuff like sensors and traction control type stuff, which would be typical of any older car.Edited by greenarrow on Tuesday 24th May 18:15
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