Mercedes-Benz CLK350 Elegance Designo
Discussion
This car appeared on Autotrader and instantly caught my attention: it's my favourite colour scheme for a car as anyone reading my Fiesta thread would have gathered. The Designo interior and low mileage of just 33k really stood out . The owner is an 89 year old gentleman who decided to sell due to health reasons, and the fact he has two other Mercedes to keep his interest. We spoke on the phone a few times and sometimes for over an hour - less about the car and somehow more on to general life topics; he is a very nice chap with many interesting stories. The car was in Wales but the owner offered to meet in Chester suspecting that I may be caught up in Welsh holiday traffic. His carer would drive him there and they would take a taxi back.
After the aforementioned phone calls I had a good idea of the owner and car, and so I expressed my desire to buy the car. I insisted that I pay in full a few days before the viewing in order to avoid any complications on the day. This approach was new to the seller, but when two straight-forward people meet it makes sense.
I chose to meet in a location with a pub with my Dad accompanying me so that we could drive both cars home. After arriving and looking around the car, we had a beer and a chat with the owner and his carer, before setting off. Really, I think that it was quite a sad occasion for the seller, but I learned that some comfort was taken from that fact that the car was going to a good home. I'm going to keep in touch and visit him again at some point.
Dad with the car where we collected, just outside Chester.
Home
At home with the two CLKs. Excuse my unkempt foliage. I didn't manage to capture the depth of the red but take my word for it that it does look a lot prettier in the metal.
Interior
Designo is pronounced day-ZEEN-yo - it's an Italian word. I always imagine it said in a German accent and hence sounding very different! For those who haven't heard of it, Designo is a limited range of customisation options available for most Mercedes models. Really, it's a way to significantly increase margins on trim and paint given that all of it costs the same to buy from the OEM suppliers. Personally, I think that it makes a car feel special.
This car has:
I'm not particularly taken by the steering wheel and gearknob. I would like a wood version of each and I have enquired about the steering wheel, but my dealer got back to me yesterday with the price: £2,560.44 inc VAT (A2094602403), which is more than my Ferrari wheel complete with its LED shift lights and Manettino. Needless to say, I haven't given the nod, but I'm now in the process of contacting automotive wood veneer restoration companies and custom steering wheel manufacturers to quote for an oak veneer covering on a second-hand and readily available walnut steering wheel ad gearknob.
Engine
This CLK has an engine number well clear of the early range that suffered the cam sprocket wear. The one common issue affecting engines in this range is cam 'magnets' (solenoids) failure. These are a relatively trivial failure and do not cause engine damage. At £104 for all four and 15 minutes with a Torx socket to replace, they aren't a worry - I'll change them when either they create a DTC, or start to weep oil from their seals. The gearbox is the later VGS 2 type which means that the valve block and conductor plate are removable, and may be repaired if necessary. The valve body assembly is revision N i.e. the 14th revision - it shows how much work Mercedes were doing on the 7G.
Suspension
This spec of this car is below:
Front springs: red/red/red | 91.81 lb/inch | A2033214204
Front dampers: RoW non-sport | A2093200630
Front ARB: 21mm | RoW non-sport / US market sport (M12 drop link fastening) | A2033234365
Rear springs: yellow/yellow | 371.13 lb/inch | A2103243604
Rear dampers: RoW non-sport | A2093260500
Rear ARB: 15mm | RoW non-sport / US market sport | A2033261465
It has softer front springs than my other CLK and the rear springs are slightly taller, but the same rate. Driving it has confirmed that moving the other car to the US market spec non-sport dampers was absolutely the right thing to do. I'm going to order a set for this car and I think that will make the perfect CLK suspension spec for me.
After the aforementioned phone calls I had a good idea of the owner and car, and so I expressed my desire to buy the car. I insisted that I pay in full a few days before the viewing in order to avoid any complications on the day. This approach was new to the seller, but when two straight-forward people meet it makes sense.
I chose to meet in a location with a pub with my Dad accompanying me so that we could drive both cars home. After arriving and looking around the car, we had a beer and a chat with the owner and his carer, before setting off. Really, I think that it was quite a sad occasion for the seller, but I learned that some comfort was taken from that fact that the car was going to a good home. I'm going to keep in touch and visit him again at some point.
Dad with the car where we collected, just outside Chester.
Home
At home with the two CLKs. Excuse my unkempt foliage. I didn't manage to capture the depth of the red but take my word for it that it does look a lot prettier in the metal.
Interior
Designo is pronounced day-ZEEN-yo - it's an Italian word. I always imagine it said in a German accent and hence sounding very different! For those who haven't heard of it, Designo is a limited range of customisation options available for most Mercedes models. Really, it's a way to significantly increase margins on trim and paint given that all of it costs the same to buy from the OEM suppliers. Personally, I think that it makes a car feel special.
This car has:
- Designo sand (nappa) leather in unicolour with Designo front seat badges;
- Designo two-colour (nappa) leather steering wheel;
- Designo two-colour (nappa) leather gearknob;
- Designo oak burl - transparant matt finish;
- Designo headlining and A & C pillars.
I'm not particularly taken by the steering wheel and gearknob. I would like a wood version of each and I have enquired about the steering wheel, but my dealer got back to me yesterday with the price: £2,560.44 inc VAT (A2094602403), which is more than my Ferrari wheel complete with its LED shift lights and Manettino. Needless to say, I haven't given the nod, but I'm now in the process of contacting automotive wood veneer restoration companies and custom steering wheel manufacturers to quote for an oak veneer covering on a second-hand and readily available walnut steering wheel ad gearknob.
Engine
This CLK has an engine number well clear of the early range that suffered the cam sprocket wear. The one common issue affecting engines in this range is cam 'magnets' (solenoids) failure. These are a relatively trivial failure and do not cause engine damage. At £104 for all four and 15 minutes with a Torx socket to replace, they aren't a worry - I'll change them when either they create a DTC, or start to weep oil from their seals. The gearbox is the later VGS 2 type which means that the valve block and conductor plate are removable, and may be repaired if necessary. The valve body assembly is revision N i.e. the 14th revision - it shows how much work Mercedes were doing on the 7G.
Suspension
This spec of this car is below:
Front springs: red/red/red | 91.81 lb/inch | A2033214204
Front dampers: RoW non-sport | A2093200630
Front ARB: 21mm | RoW non-sport / US market sport (M12 drop link fastening) | A2033234365
Rear springs: yellow/yellow | 371.13 lb/inch | A2103243604
Rear dampers: RoW non-sport | A2093260500
Rear ARB: 15mm | RoW non-sport / US market sport | A2033261465
It has softer front springs than my other CLK and the rear springs are slightly taller, but the same rate. Driving it has confirmed that moving the other car to the US market spec non-sport dampers was absolutely the right thing to do. I'm going to order a set for this car and I think that will make the perfect CLK suspension spec for me.
Edited by mwstewart on Thursday 26th August 03:43
Looks great in presumably a Designo metallic red. I think the W209 CLK is one of the best styled cars around: no massive vertical grill, round headlamps, pillarless, a few simple lines running front to rear and no flame surfacing. It is a shame they are too long to get in and out of my garage.
I started reading this thread, and got to the part around the steering wheel, and thought this guy goes into as much detail as that fastidious chap with the Ferrari and the golf. Then I thought I’d scroll up and check, and there was mwstewart. Myself, and I’m sure many others, are extremely grateful for your quality posts on this forum, and I look forward to seeing how you OEM+ this lovely Mercedes. Wonderful car and enjoying good health.
Lovely colours, especially the interior.
Recently bought a S204 face-lift with black exterior, mainly because it had unusually cream and brown interior :-)
The drivetrain jerks noticeably in certain low speed conditions and when lifting off at higher speeds. Symptons of the 7G gearbox / TC problems you mentioned in the other CLK thread, do you think?
Recently bought a S204 face-lift with black exterior, mainly because it had unusually cream and brown interior :-)
The drivetrain jerks noticeably in certain low speed conditions and when lifting off at higher speeds. Symptons of the 7G gearbox / TC problems you mentioned in the other CLK thread, do you think?
Heaveho said:
Your threads are always dead interesting, regardless of whether the actual car is on my radar or not, so I'll be reading. I suspect a lot of upgrades will appear, regardless of your initial intentions?
Thank you. I appreciate that the CLK will be a big turn off for many, but there's always something to do on a car 
whytheory said:
Looks special that, was the gentleman who sold it to you the original owner?
Thank you. No, he bought it from a Lord and Lady (real ones - not titles bought from a website). This possibly explains the subtle tints on the windows if they were seeking some privacy. I didn't realise it had them until I parked next to my other CLK.trevalvole said:
Looks great in presumably a Designo metallic red. I think the W209 CLK is one of the best styled cars around: no massive vertical grill, round headlamps, pillarless, a few simple lines running front to rear and no flame surfacing. It is a shame they are too long to get in and out of my garage.
Thank you. I share that opinion. It's a shame that they don't fit in your garage but then they are quite weather resistant should you decide to keep one outside. The colour is Thulite Red and from the standard range, just seldom chosen based on the cars that come up for sale.Over over under steer said:
I started reading this thread, and got to the part around the steering wheel, and thought this guy goes into as much detail as that fastidious chap with the Ferrari and the golf. Then I thought I’d scroll up and check, and there was mwstewart. Myself, and I’m sure many others, are extremely grateful for your quality posts on this forum, and I look forward to seeing how you OEM+ this lovely Mercedes. Wonderful car and enjoying good health.
Ha ha! Thank you very much.SitCet said:
Lovely colours, especially the interior.
Recently bought a S204 face-lift with black exterior, mainly because it had unusually cream and brown interior :-)
The drivetrain jerks noticeably in certain low speed conditions and when lifting off at higher speeds. Symptons of the 7G gearbox / TC problems you mentioned in the other CLK thread, do you think?
Do you have any photos? I always like to look at Mercedes interiors. I'm not a 7G expert by any means, but harsh shifting is a symptom of a failing vale body or conductor plate. You can read more about it here: http://www.mercedesmedic.com/722-9-7g-tronic-autom...Recently bought a S204 face-lift with black exterior, mainly because it had unusually cream and brown interior :-)
The drivetrain jerks noticeably in certain low speed conditions and when lifting off at higher speeds. Symptons of the 7G gearbox / TC problems you mentioned in the other CLK thread, do you think?
The best thing to do is have the TCU and engine ECU scanned for codes.
martin mrt said:
Another MW Stewart thread, I can’t wait for more content.
The seller couldn’t have wished for the car to go to a better home, it will certainly have a pampered life with you.
Thanks Martin.The seller couldn’t have wished for the car to go to a better home, it will certainly have a pampered life with you.
Rangeroverover said:
I have an affliction that all steering wheels other than nardi and moto lita (in period) in my opinion should be black. I really am not a fan of the beige interior with beige wheel thing. Somehow it makes me think of US barouches rather than svelte euro coupes.
Barouche. All the best words are French I hope that the the oak and black leather will be more harmonious than the current sand and black leather mix. It's a little bit jarring even for me - someone who likes contrast in an interior.mwstewart said:
whytheory said:
Looks special that, was the gentleman who sold it to you the original owner?
Thank you. No, he bought it from a Lord and Lady (real ones - not titles bought from a website). This possibly explains the subtle tints on the windows if they were seeking some privacy. I didn't realise it had them until I parked next to my other CLK.trevalvole said:
Looks great in presumably a Designo metallic red. I think the W209 CLK is one of the best styled cars around: no massive vertical grill, round headlamps, pillarless, a few simple lines running front to rear and no flame surfacing. It is a shame they are too long to get in and out of my garage.
Thank you. I share that opinion. It's a shame that they don't fit in your garage but then they are quite weather resistant should you decide to keep one outside. The colour is Thulite Red and from the standard range, just seldom chosen based on the cars that come up for sale.I was interested in you replacing the dampers on your other CLK. My 18 year old, 64k car bounces on some roads and has poor body control on downhill corners and motorway sweepers (it has sports suspension). A local Merc specialist did a bounce test and reckons the dampers are fine and nothing was picked up by a different garage that did the MOT last week.
trevalvole said:
I can, however, get a Jasper Blue C320 Sports Coupe in to my garage. I suspect though that CLKs are more likely to have been owned by enthusiasts or cost-no-object owners than Sports Coupes.
I was interested in you replacing the dampers on your other CLK. My 18 year old, 64k car bounces on some roads and has poor body control on downhill corners and motorway sweepers (it has sports suspension). A local Merc specialist did a bounce test and reckons the dampers are fine and nothing was picked up by a different garage that did the MOT last week.
Oh, you found a 320 coupe - very nice. There aren't many of those around at all. Did it always drive like that or do you think that it has become worse? If you don't mind sharing your VIN then I can confirm what damper & ARB setup is fitted to your car. For the springs it's a case of looking under the arches with a torch to find the colour codes.I was interested in you replacing the dampers on your other CLK. My 18 year old, 64k car bounces on some roads and has poor body control on downhill corners and motorway sweepers (it has sports suspension). A local Merc specialist did a bounce test and reckons the dampers are fine and nothing was picked up by a different garage that did the MOT last week.
It's worth noting that the rear springs can and do crack, but normally that's picked up quite easily by anyone working on the car.
mwstewart said:
Did it always drive like that or do you think that it has become worse?
I've only had the car for a year and, broadly speaking, it has always driven like that, but after recently doing 1000+ motorway miles, I think it is probably getting worse. An old Autocar test of one with the same sports suspension and wheels, but a different engine, says "It rides well for a car with suspension that gives such firm damping control." which doesn't sound like what I'm experiencing.It's very difficult to diagnose over the Internet, but if you're near Lincolnshire then I could take a test drive and give you an opinion.
Failing that, the rear arm bushes and front control arm bushes are the place to check for handling issues. The whole car will slew slightly from side to side if they are worn. The bushes can be checked on a ramp.
The dampers are the most likely culprit if body control has deteriorated.
Failing that, the rear arm bushes and front control arm bushes are the place to check for handling issues. The whole car will slew slightly from side to side if they are worn. The bushes can be checked on a ramp.
The dampers are the most likely culprit if body control has deteriorated.
mwstewart said:
All the best words are French
Not just words.What a fantastic interior and so rare. Will you keep that steering wheel and have a plain eBay-sourced wheel reupholstered? It would such a shame to lose that one for all time.
You have me scanning the ‘Trader for one of these now. I nearly bought one new and have always liked them. What are you going to do with the Cubanite one?
mwstewart said:
It's very difficult to diagnose over the Internet, but if you're near Lincolnshire then I could take a test drive and give you an opinion.
Failing that, the rear arm bushes and front control arm bushes are the place to check for handling issues. The whole car will slew slightly from side to side if they are worn. The bushes can be checked on a ramp.
The dampers are the most likely culprit if body control has deteriorated.
Unfortunately I'm not near Lincolnshire. Many thanks for your advice.Failing that, the rear arm bushes and front control arm bushes are the place to check for handling issues. The whole car will slew slightly from side to side if they are worn. The bushes can be checked on a ramp.
The dampers are the most likely culprit if body control has deteriorated.
mwstewart said:
Do you have any photos? I always like to look at Mercedes interiors. .
I am not near the car at the moment, this is an internet image. Its more brown in the flesh - perhaps the marketing dept were a little worried and doctored this image.
Thanks for the link re the gearbox.
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