C Class Coupe (01 - 08)

[J4CKO]

My wife has a sudden liking for these, the one that looks sort of like a sawn off CLK, are they any good, I did remember reading that they aren't that much cop, if so why ?

She isn't super discerning in terms of handling, ultimate performance etc so if she likes it I am not that bothered, would be looking at a petrol engine of some description, could be the supercharged 4 or a 6, the 350 looks interesting.

[MitchT]

Don't know if they are any good but I always thought of these as a hatchback, whatever Merc want to call them. The CLK is the legitimate coupé.

[J4CKO]

MitchT said:

Don't know if they are any good but I always thought of these as a hatchback, whatever Merc want to call them. The CLK is the legitimate coupé.

Yeah, would agree, think she likes them because they are relatively compact.

[Trailhead]

Are we talking about the CLC?

[Loudy McFatass]

Do 01-04 rust like most other Mercs?

[J4CKO]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Like this

[j4ckos mate]

if you get one, get that washed out metallic yellow,
then youve got the ugly car and the worst colour

[J4CKO]

I dont mind them, if she wants one, she can have one but I dont think its big enough

[moffat]

The facelift mk2 is just a slight cosmetic upgrade on the 01 car.

Back in a day when BMW made the 3er compact and Mercedes made this thing.

IMO best avoided as there are much better alternatives.

Manual gearboxes are poor and combined with MB's handbrake is a nightmare to drive on hills stop/start. With an auto it will be better but I don't really see a single redeeming feature on these.

Best off getting a proper C class, CLK or E46 3 series coupe.

[J4CKO]

Yeah, aware its one of those made to look newer, like they did with the MK3 Golf Cabrio when the MK4 came out, stuck the front on the old car, fooling not very many.

Would be an auto, she wouldn't want a BMW, has an irrational dislike of them, she has seen a few of these and seems to have a liking for them.

Cant really be that bad, just not that great, a V6 350 would probably be quite enjoyable.

[Rovinghawk]

As someone once said to me, an '01 -'04 Merc will rust like a '70s Alfasud.

[J4CKO]

Rovinghawk said:

As someone once said to me, an '01 -'04 Merc will rust like a '70s Alfasud.

To be fair, there are a fair few tidy ones on Auto Trader/Ebay, though would go for later.

[sday12]

I don't know how they drive, but they do seem to have a chronic image problem.

seen driven by either clueless young geezers, or middle aged women.

[J4CKO]

sday12 said:

I don't know how they drive, but they do seem to have a chronic image problem.

seen driven by either clueless young geezers, or middle aged women.

She may fit one of those categories, middle aged women do exist and need to get around

[sday12]

J4CKO said:

She may fit one of those categories, middle aged women do exist and need to get around

I was trying to be kind,
'mutton dressed as lamb' seems to be their chosen steer!

[JimmyConwayNW]

I know a fella who drives one. Looks a lot like Brian Badonde from FoneJacker.

On that basis I would rule them out in much the same way Alan Partridge having a Lexus IS200 instantly made me never want to one of them.

[fivepointnine]

Rovinghawk said:

As someone once said to me, an '01 -'04 Merc will rust like a '70s Alfasud.

My 04 CLK500 did not have a speck of rust on it when we sold it a couple weeks ago. And we live in the Pacific Northwest of the US, where it is cold, humid and rainy 10 months out of the year.

[Rovinghawk]

fivepointnine said:

Rovinghawk said:

As someone once said to me, an '01 -'04 Merc will rust like a '70s Alfasud.

My 04 CLK500 did not have a speck of rust on it

My '02 SLK did. So did a friend's E-class.