CLK 500 - considering buying one. Advice please?

[shentodj]

The wife is seriously considering upgrading her Golf VR6 to a 2003 CLK500 Convertible.

Questions:
1. The handbook says 24.4mpg, the brochure says 25.9mpg (which is lucky as her companies car policy states it must be =>25mpg!). Realistically, what will she get?
2. Apart from HPI check + pressing all the buttons to check everything working, what else would you advise? (it drove nicely, hood up and down).
3. It doesn't have Comand, but then I've read that the 03 cars system was out of date anyway. Does it really matter?

Any advice/experience gratefully received.

Thanks,
Shentodj.

[Paracetamol]

shentodj said:

The wife is seriously considering upgrading her Golf VR6 to a 2003 CLK500 Convertible.

Questions:
1. The handbook says 24.4mpg, the brochure says 25.9mpg (which is lucky as her companies car policy states it must be =>25mpg!). Realistically, what will she get?
2. Apart from HPI check + pressing all the buttons to check everything working, what else would you advise? (it drove nicely, hood up and down).
3. It doesn't have Comand, but then I've read that the 03 cars system was out of date anyway. Does it really matter?

Any advice/experience gratefully received.

Thanks,
Shentodj.

1. not sure
2. get a warranty from warrantydirect I had a CLK320 that had lots of issues that were covered by the warranty (central locking, suspension bushes, petrol tank sensors to name but a few)
3. resale WILL be a problem. The old system wasnt too bad and I actually prefer it to the new one (whilst the new one is quicker its much more difficult to input)

[traser]

1 - I get up to 29mpg from a CLK55 so it sounds realistic.
2 - Make sure it has had Mercedes services all its life to keep up the Mobilolife warranty.
3 - Can't comment.

[Pete 55]

Motorway driving in my CLK55 gets around 28-30mpg if steady, but it can drop down to mid-teens or less in heavy and slow traffic in cities.

[shentodj]

Thanks for advice so far. We picked up the car on Saturday and so far we're loving it. We've done 250 miles so far (around town, short trips mostly + a couple of flat out acceleration runs to demo to friends!) and the computer says 20.5 MPG.
Just before we dropped of the VR6, we looked at the computer on that - which hadn't been reset for ages - and it said 21.5, so not too different.

I now have a couple of extra questions for more experienced CLK owners:

1) How good are your heating vents in the back (behind centre cubby)? I've read the manual (all 300'odd pages!) and tried various settings, but don't seem to be getting much at all out of these rear vents. Are we doing something wrong or are they no good? My 6 yr old would appreciate your help with this one!

2) Do you open your roof using the remote very often? A dealers (not the one we bought the car from) warned us that it flattens the battery (in key fob) too quickly. Is this true - any experiences? How long has remote control battery lasted etc?

Thanks in advance,
Shentodj

[shadowninja]

Pete 55 said:

Motorway driving in my CLK55 gets around 28-30mpg if steady, but it can drop down to mid-teens or less in heavy and slow traffic in cities.

I saw 35mpg once. I was driving very sedately on the motorway, though!

[shentodj]

We've had the CLK500 Cabrio for a couple of weeks now.

Here are a few observations:

• MPG = 23. Best we've seen is 25.3 on a run.
• Very comfortable (smooth over bumps etc) yet doesn't wallow on bends.
• Love the gadgets: Easy entry/exit when wheel/seat move + seatbelt presenters + roof.
• Think the passenger seat electrics are dodgy (sometimes won't adjust) + it doesn't

flick forward as much as the drivers side - seems odd??

• Front wheels covered (Black!) in brake dust after 400miles
• Boot lid tips water into boot when opened if wet.

Regards,
Shentodj

[shadowninja]

shentodj said:

• Think the passenger seat electrics are dodgy (sometimes won't adjust) + it doesn't

flick forward as much as the drivers side - seems odd??

try moving the seat the entire distance of the range it can move; i think this is the way Mercs reset such electronics.

[matc]

If the seat is too far forward it wont lift the second amount. This is to stop it getting stuck under the sun-visor!!

HTH

Mat

[markmullen]

With regard to opening the roof with the remote flattening the battery it does for dealers who don't run the car in between, just pop it down so the car looks pretty on the pitch, if you then get in and drive you should be fine.

[shentodj]

Thanks for feedback re: passenger seat, I'll try it tomorrow.

Shentodj

[shentodj]

Finally got round to trying passenger seat movement. Sure enough, when we moved the seat back a little, it started to tip up properly.

Thanks again,
Shentodj.