W209 CLK 320 CDI WITH CLK63 AMG EXHAUST?

[woodsc]

Posted this in the mercedes section but didnt get any joy...hoping i will over here...



Hi guys, been a lurker for a while now...but recently ive managed to save up enough for a nice clk....ive read the recent threads on which variant one should choose over another...armed with this useful info i went off to search for a facelifted clk320 cdi sport. i have come across this on ebay and was wondering if some of you nice chaps/chapesses could help me out with this one which i have seen on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330694894631?ssPageName=...

i dont think it will be a genuine CLK63 exhaust and as such will it cuase any problems with such things as the dpf/egr valves etc? what about the cat converters? also would this have any impact on the emissions at all?

i do feel the car does look very nice...and some of the options fitted are rare, however i do not want to potentially buy soemthing which could cause me problems...

all input will be much appriciated

[deltashad]

If it still has the Cat then I doubt there would be any problem.
I'd give the guy a message on ebay to find out if it's passed through the MOT, emissions test ok.

I bought a CLK about a year ago and really enjoy driving it. Its a real soft cruiser GT, nice place to be.

[woodsc]

deltashad said:

If it still has the Cat then I doubt there would be any problem.
I'd give the guy a message on ebay to find out if it's passed through the MOT, emissions test ok.

I bought a CLK about a year ago and really enjoy driving it. Its a real soft cruiser GT, nice place to be.

i messaged him earlier and he replied with 'its just a back box jobby'...i dont really know what that means? but to be honest i think the guys in his own world as he wants 9.5k for it at 110k on a 55plate i think thats a little too ambitious...

you say you had one? was it a 320cdi sport? can you give any pointers as to what i should look out for? im going to message him back and say he needs to look at the price hes wanting and if hes willing to come down significantly i may go take a look at it tomorrow.

thanks in advance

[crocodile tears]

woodsc said:

i messaged him earlier and he replied with 'its just a back box jobby'...i dont really know what that means?

it means just the end of the exhaust system has been changed:

manifold > cat > mid section > back box

[BlitzE34]

Avoid. Why would you want a fake car.

[TheEnd]

Why avoid it?

From what I can see on the roads, you need to tick a box not to have AMG stickers on a Merc.

[woodsc]

crocodile tears said:

it means just the end of the exhaust system has been changed:

manifold > cat > mid section > back box

thanks CT...i guess it wount affect the emissions or dreaded dpf/egr vavles that i hear horror stories about then...hmm thats good news...i just now need to get the guy to see sense on the price he wants for it!

[deltashad]

Uneven tyre wear, any noises (clunks coming from the bushings)
Noisy power steering pump (heavy steering).
Sticky accelerator.

Any problems at all i'd ask for them to be rectified or I'd walk away.
The market is flooded with CLK's right now and the prices are good.

I paid £7999 for mine a year ago, fully loaded W209 '03 plate with only 38000 miles.
The condition of the car really was like new.

I think they are really well put together and I've had no problems apart from the steering pump.

They have lots of toys, so I would test everything before purchasing.

9k seems way too optimistic though. There was an '04 75k CLK 270cdi in the garage for the same price as mine. That was a year ago.

[TheEnd]

Diesels will pass the new MOTs without cats, and the diesel MOT test is a smoke check, which it'll fly or sail through, depending on your background.

[woodsc]

BlitzE34 said:

Avoid. Why would you want a fake car.

i can see your point maybe from the quad exhaust being put on...but i believe the sport model is a amg spec from factory? the wheels bodykit etc and all genuine.

i feel the quad exhausts have been fitted to the best possible taste and doesnt look too bad?

[woodsc]

deltashad said:

Uneven tyre wear, any noises (clunks coming from the bushings)
Noisy power steering pump (heavy steering).
Sticky accelerator.

Any problems at all i'd ask for them to be rectified or I'd walk away.
The market is flooded with CLK's right now and the prices are good.

I paid £7999 for mine a year ago, fully loaded W209 '03 plate with only 38000 miles.
The condition of the car really was like new.

I think they are really well put together and I've had no problems apart from the steering pump.

They have lots of toys, so I would test everything before purchasing.

9k seems way too optimistic though. There was an '04 75k CLK 270cdi in the garage for the same price as mine. That was a year ago.

thanks a lot deltashad...really helpful stuff there.

but am i right in thinking that the 2006 models have been 'facelifted'? with new gearbox and interior etc? ive started to read on the mercedes owners club (good informative site but not frequented by people as much as pistonheads) and some older posts say that the 3litre engine is the best of the bunch?

looking on ebay/pistonheads/trader i thinking of a price of around 8-8.5k? thats if its as immaculate as its been made out in the ad..going by the pics it does look a good example...i was just a little concerned about the exhuast being changed.

[woodsc]

bump...anyone?

[m3jappa]

We (well more the girlfriend and partly me) got an 06 clk350.

I am VERY impressed with the car, its really nice to drive and tbh goes pretty well, doesn't feel an awful lot slower than my mates 04amg. I think it may be the gearbox which makes the difference as the 7speed is really quite good, the paddle change is actually pretty responsive and makes it into an enjoyable drive.

To me i was surprised because i knew it would be nice to drive but it actually goes quite well, doesn't feel much slower than an m3 (although it obviously is).

Obviously the fuel economy isn't great, low 20's around town and will hit 32/33 on a run so not too sad imo.

She (we) paid 9450 about 3 months ago, its a sport with all the amg kit, even had the amg exhaust from factory which although sounds quiet to me still sounds quite nice, had 70k and full mbsh, drives and feels like its done a quarter of that. Tbh it was one of the cheaper ones we found, was sold privately and dealers seemed to be asking a good 2-3k more for similar spec cars.

[E38Ross]

BlitzE34 said:

Avoid. Why would you want a fake car.

i've nothing to say other than i agree with this. well, sort of. if it's a good car i may have considered it, but i'd want the standard set up back with no AMG badges.

why? because it's not an AMG and people will hear a ticky diesel and not a lovely V8 coming down the road.

i hate people who do this to their cars. saw an E60 520d with an M5 badge and "M5 vents" in the wing. looked utterly ridiculous....clown.

[schmalex]

I have an 04 CLK500 that I've put 50k miles on in the last 2 years. It is an astonishing car - quite happy to burble along in a very cosseting manner when you just want to get from A to B quietly and in superb comfort. Alternatively, it is extremely quick when you choose to give it the beans. Really, properly quick, with a never ending surge of grunt up to really, really stupid speeds.

I paid £11k for it with 32,000 miles & every option box ticked. They are truly under-rated cars IMO.

[woodsc]

Thanks for the replies guys...just wish the car wasnt so far away! i would have gone over and madr an offer based on condition etc...as it stands i think me and him are worlds apart in terms of value of the car...will wait and see nearer end of auction time

cheers all

[E38Ross]

schmalex said:

I have an 04 CLK500 that I've put 50k miles on in the last 2 years. It is an astonishing car - quite happy to burble along in a very cosseting manner when you just want to get from A to B quietly and in superb comfort. Alternatively, it is extremely quick when you choose to give it the beans. Really, properly quick, with a never ending surge of grunt up to really, really stupid speeds.

I paid £11k for it with 32,000 miles & every option box ticked. They are truly under-rated cars IMO.

you are far luckier than my dad who paid 48k for an '06 CLK350 cab (brand new) which was absolutely awful for build quality - 3 years and circa 65k miles it needed over 7k of warranty work, most of it build quality issues. only time he broke down, as such, was when the roof hydraulic cylinder (or something) blew up, meaning the roof couldn't move and it was about 1 inch open.

he was glad to see the back of that car, and said goodbye to mercedes for good.

[deltashad]

schmalex said:

I have an 04 CLK500 that I've put 50k miles on in the last 2 years. It is an astonishing car - quite happy to burble along in a very cosseting manner when you just want to get from A to B quietly and in superb comfort. Alternatively, it is extremely quick when you choose to give it the beans. Really, properly quick, with a never ending surge of grunt up to really, really stupid speeds.

I paid £11k for it with 32,000 miles & every option box ticked. They are truly under-rated cars IMO.

Our last silly Merc was an ML500 and that too was an astounding car totally missed by the Range Rover and Cayenne. I wanted the CLK 500 but I couldn't find one in the spec I was looking for. I've been very shocked by the performance of the 320 petrol though, when you hit the kick-down it goes like the clappers, I have yet to be out-dragged Its like stepping into a high end speed boat getting into the CLK (ours is cream and walnut). The handling is fantastic and it also holds the road. A hidden gem.

[deltashad]

woodsc said:

but am i right in thinking that the 2006 models have been 'facelifted'? with new gearbox and interior etc? ive started to read on the mercedes owners club (good informative site but not frequented by people as much as pistonheads) and some older posts say that the 3litre engine is the best of the bunch?

Yep, the 2006 car had the dashboard updated, its much more modern looking, the sound system is better too, dont get me wrong, the old Bose unit is brilliant, has built in sub woofer and I think.. 13 speakers? . But you can plug your Ipod into the later head unit by purchasing a lead. Very easily done. In the pre-facelift this is not possible. You have to have your dashboard replaced or go down the route of a Parrot or powered RF Modulator, the Parrot will put you back a couple of hundred quid, the modulator about 50-80 quid. I paid £80 for the modulator fully fitted and it works a treat. No interference. You cannot replace the head unit without changing all the speakers and speaker cables as they are all fibre optic. I wouldn't want to anyhow as the sound is brilliant.

I would pick a petrol, none of the cars are economical. If you've never had a V8 go for the 500, much cheaper to run than an AMG and not far off in performance. Saying that the V6 350/320 sound fantastic too, and they are not far behind the 500 on performance. Remember, if you go for an '06 car> your gonna be hit by road tax premium. I dont like throwing money to the government, I'd rather buy a low mileage older car.

Edited by deltashad on Monday 5th March 09:22