CLK 430 v CLK 55
Discussion
Help! Advice needed please!
Having had my CLK AMG 430 Cabriolet for almost 2 years I have my eyes on a few CLK 55 cabs on the market. This is a typical situation that many of you will be familiar with as the head competes with your heart!
I love what I have (2000 CLK 430 Cab in Metallic Silver with AMG body Kit, Two Piece split rim AMG alloys,BOSE Hi Fi, Sat Nav and only just turned 70,000 miles with full dealer service history) It is in superb condition with no rust, nasty dents or scratches and just sailed through a dealer service and MOT last month with absolutely no faults found. Bar an electric seat motor needing replaced it has been absolutely perfect. I feel that I know the car well and am concerned whether I will be lucky enough to pick up a CLK 55 in such good order.
The 430 is a great engine. It has ample power and genuinely does 30 mpg on a run at circa 80 mph, perhaps not so good round town, but what big engined car is!
So now to the dilemna. The CLK cab suits our family needs with four seats, frsh air motoring and enough space in the boot to put a folding wheelchair in ( bust my back 13 years ago!) and hence the desire for another. I am assuming the 03-09 model cabriolet boot is much the same size as the W208 boot - Does anyone know please?
For me it's the "55" engine that makes me want to upgrade. I hear it is a great engine and should be a bit nippier than the 430 V8.
Cost wise I reckon that given my cab which is very low mileage, AMG styled and in great condition should fetch £8500 privately. A typical 03/04 CLK 55 is £18000/£19000. So over twice the price and unlikely to be twice the car. Although I guess if we all thought like this we would never upgrade our cars.
So by means of advice I was wondering if anyone on the forum has had a CLK 430 and moved to the CLK 55 or even driven both and could pass on their thoughts as to whether I should stick with what I have or make the jump!
Many thanks
Jonathan
Having had my CLK AMG 430 Cabriolet for almost 2 years I have my eyes on a few CLK 55 cabs on the market. This is a typical situation that many of you will be familiar with as the head competes with your heart!
I love what I have (2000 CLK 430 Cab in Metallic Silver with AMG body Kit, Two Piece split rim AMG alloys,BOSE Hi Fi, Sat Nav and only just turned 70,000 miles with full dealer service history) It is in superb condition with no rust, nasty dents or scratches and just sailed through a dealer service and MOT last month with absolutely no faults found. Bar an electric seat motor needing replaced it has been absolutely perfect. I feel that I know the car well and am concerned whether I will be lucky enough to pick up a CLK 55 in such good order.
The 430 is a great engine. It has ample power and genuinely does 30 mpg on a run at circa 80 mph, perhaps not so good round town, but what big engined car is!
So now to the dilemna. The CLK cab suits our family needs with four seats, frsh air motoring and enough space in the boot to put a folding wheelchair in ( bust my back 13 years ago!) and hence the desire for another. I am assuming the 03-09 model cabriolet boot is much the same size as the W208 boot - Does anyone know please?
For me it's the "55" engine that makes me want to upgrade. I hear it is a great engine and should be a bit nippier than the 430 V8.
Cost wise I reckon that given my cab which is very low mileage, AMG styled and in great condition should fetch £8500 privately. A typical 03/04 CLK 55 is £18000/£19000. So over twice the price and unlikely to be twice the car. Although I guess if we all thought like this we would never upgrade our cars.
So by means of advice I was wondering if anyone on the forum has had a CLK 430 and moved to the CLK 55 or even driven both and could pass on their thoughts as to whether I should stick with what I have or make the jump!
Many thanks
Jonathan
You have a dilemma. You have a car you love, you know its history and it does everything you ask of it - and it isn't even run in.
Should you swap it for something that will give you extra speed in a minority of occasions, and otherwise bigger bills to compensate for bigger image ?
It sounds like we have a Yorkshireman and Scotsman talking here - and the Yorkshireman is tighter than the Scot (but needs the other to supply good quality malt).
I'm impressed that the 208 takes a wheelchair (I had a look at one when we made an about turn and got an estate (W124) and a third large dog). I assume thats with the roof up and not down - in which case I'm very impressed. I would have thought the 209 may be marginally smaller, but that's not based on experience.
One question would be 'what's your storage like ?'. Do you use a garage or car port. The older car would benefit from a bit of cover, whereas a newer car will cope better with being sat outside.
Should you swap it for something that will give you extra speed in a minority of occasions, and otherwise bigger bills to compensate for bigger image ?
It sounds like we have a Yorkshireman and Scotsman talking here - and the Yorkshireman is tighter than the Scot (but needs the other to supply good quality malt).
I'm impressed that the 208 takes a wheelchair (I had a look at one when we made an about turn and got an estate (W124) and a third large dog). I assume thats with the roof up and not down - in which case I'm very impressed. I would have thought the 209 may be marginally smaller, but that's not based on experience.
One question would be 'what's your storage like ?'. Do you use a garage or car port. The older car would benefit from a bit of cover, whereas a newer car will cope better with being sat outside.
Thanks for your reply.
My CLK will take my folded chair with the roof up and down! Not bad eh!
I have just had our local Mercedes bodyshop fix the back arches as there was signs of bubbling appearing on the edges of the rear arches. Now looking perfect. They also told me that the previous owner had had the front wings replaced - perhaps for the same reason. So overall I hope not to see any signs of rust in the future.
I will need to go and have a look at a W209 CLK55 boot and see whether it has shrunk or grown compared to the W208 as if smaller this would rule it out.
Re storage the CLK lives outside as we have just gone back down the 4X4 route with a 3.0 Range Rover Sport as the snow in Edinburgh has been rather painful this winter. A very impressive car and a significant enhancement over the earlier model. As I use this car I keep it in the garage as it is a lot more pleasant taking a chair in and out of the car in the dry.
It wil be interesting to feel the difference in performance between the two cars. I expect the CLK55 to sound awesome.
I expect the CLK55 to be a bit thirstier than the 430 however we only do 5000 miles a year in it so fuel consumption is not a big issue. Our previous estate was an Audi RS6 which while a simply phenomenal car only managed 12 mpg in town which is a touch too greedy. We replaced that with a 2007 E320 CDI Sport estate with AMG body kit and the Brabus chip. What a great combination that was. Great economy, performance, space, handling and looks. The new E class sport estate is again very handsome and perhaps something for the future.
Enjoy the rest of Easter
J
My CLK will take my folded chair with the roof up and down! Not bad eh!
I have just had our local Mercedes bodyshop fix the back arches as there was signs of bubbling appearing on the edges of the rear arches. Now looking perfect. They also told me that the previous owner had had the front wings replaced - perhaps for the same reason. So overall I hope not to see any signs of rust in the future.
I will need to go and have a look at a W209 CLK55 boot and see whether it has shrunk or grown compared to the W208 as if smaller this would rule it out.
Re storage the CLK lives outside as we have just gone back down the 4X4 route with a 3.0 Range Rover Sport as the snow in Edinburgh has been rather painful this winter. A very impressive car and a significant enhancement over the earlier model. As I use this car I keep it in the garage as it is a lot more pleasant taking a chair in and out of the car in the dry.
It wil be interesting to feel the difference in performance between the two cars. I expect the CLK55 to sound awesome.
I expect the CLK55 to be a bit thirstier than the 430 however we only do 5000 miles a year in it so fuel consumption is not a big issue. Our previous estate was an Audi RS6 which while a simply phenomenal car only managed 12 mpg in town which is a touch too greedy. We replaced that with a 2007 E320 CDI Sport estate with AMG body kit and the Brabus chip. What a great combination that was. Great economy, performance, space, handling and looks. The new E class sport estate is again very handsome and perhaps something for the future.
Enjoy the rest of Easter
J
Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff