Buying a 2003 CLK 240?
Discussion
Any thoughts on buying/owning a 53 reg CLK 240 cabriolet with 65k miles offered at £1,500?
Owned by my wife's friend at work, It's been garaged for a couple of years unused and they were going to give it to a dealer for £1,500, but offered it to us for the same price. My wife would use it for work and as her every day car.
Personally I see it as a lot of car for the money, kindly offered to us at a low price, but maybe not so practical, thirsty and maybe expensive to run?
Owned by my wife's friend at work, It's been garaged for a couple of years unused and they were going to give it to a dealer for £1,500, but offered it to us for the same price. My wife would use it for work and as her every day car.
Personally I see it as a lot of car for the money, kindly offered to us at a low price, but maybe not so practical, thirsty and maybe expensive to run?
Edited by LeadFarmer on Thursday 12th May 20:47
I've got a same-age C320 Sports Coupe. The CLK 240 will probably do 25ish mpg in mixed local driving conditions. The M112 engine is simple (the biggest complication being two sparkplugs per cylinder). Cam and breather covers can leak, so take the engine cover off to look for leaks (not expensive). Valeo radiators of that age can mix coolant and ATF, but mine hasn't. Exhausts can be expensive and check the wheel arches for rust, though a 53-plate should have been galvanised which helps. As a pre-facelift, electrics can be an issue and if you hear a ticking noise from the dash in the first few minutes of running it is the HVAC stepper motors that take a lot of effort to fix. Check the price/selection of tyres as some of the sizes fitted have gone out of fashion. Mine needed new rear dampers and lower front arms at the same age and miles as the one you are looking at. I'd find out when the ATF was changed and if it hasn't been done in the last 40k or so, do it ASAP.
If Merc parts are expensive, as they sometimes are, then one option is to buy from the people who make the parts for Merc, another is Febi-Bilstein whose stuff is sometimes the same as the Merc parts.
On practicality, I suspect the rear seats will fold and the body (exc. mirrors) is about the same width as a current model Ford Fiesta.
If Merc parts are expensive, as they sometimes are, then one option is to buy from the people who make the parts for Merc, another is Febi-Bilstein whose stuff is sometimes the same as the Merc parts.
On practicality, I suspect the rear seats will fold and the body (exc. mirrors) is about the same width as a current model Ford Fiesta.
Edited by trevalvole on Friday 13th May 10:08
Edited by trevalvole on Friday 13th May 10:09
Thanks, for the reply. It will surely be a lovely car and the wife really wants it, but i'm not quite convinced it will be the right car for her. But £1,500 is throw away money for a car like this.
We recently paid £5k for a 2022 Hyundai IX35 for her and had nothing but electrical problems with it, and has cost us £1k to put right. She's lost any love for the car and wants it gone, and her heart is set on the Merc.
We recently paid £5k for a 2022 Hyundai IX35 for her and had nothing but electrical problems with it, and has cost us £1k to put right. She's lost any love for the car and wants it gone, and her heart is set on the Merc.
One other thought. My Sports Coupe doesn't provide a great rearwards view for reversing and a CLK cab will be even worse with the hood up, so I suspect you'll need rear parking sensors (which it may or may not come with - I think Parktronic was an option) or even a rear-view camera.
It probably won't have Bluetooth either.
It probably won't have Bluetooth either.
Edited by trevalvole on Friday 13th May 17:38
It not having been used for two years would concern me.
I’d fit a new battery for a kickoff.
Then consider that the fuel may well have gone bad so at the earliest opportunity, fill it up to dilute the bad fuel with good (ideally you’d drain the tank, but on a cheap car it’s not worth it).
Lastly, expect some bits to have gone bad, especially rubber components - cars don’t do well sitting. Tyres may have become flat spotted and cause a judder. If they were old to begin with, they may be cracking in places now- even if they are a good brand, you might be better off with a fresh set of cheap ones being fitted now.
Suspension bushes may well have perished too. MOT should identify these.
I’d fit a new battery for a kickoff.
Then consider that the fuel may well have gone bad so at the earliest opportunity, fill it up to dilute the bad fuel with good (ideally you’d drain the tank, but on a cheap car it’s not worth it).
Lastly, expect some bits to have gone bad, especially rubber components - cars don’t do well sitting. Tyres may have become flat spotted and cause a judder. If they were old to begin with, they may be cracking in places now- even if they are a good brand, you might be better off with a fresh set of cheap ones being fitted now.
Suspension bushes may well have perished too. MOT should identify these.
The CLK is well built but can easily run you a four figured bill every now and again. The transmission (5 speed auto) and engines are bullet proof. Re. Tyres.
I have owned the model before yours, CLK 320, for a very long time.
Recently fitted Michelin Primacy 4 tyres.
Best ever. The awful tyre noise has been eliminated.
OEM tyres, Pirelli Cinturato - needed head ache pills.
Then tried Dunlop Sport Maxx. Much better.
The Michelin tyres have the same DB rating as the Dunlops, but are noticeably quieter.
Don't know how much they cost, but every journey is now much more enjoyable.
I had a CLK after a couple of SLKs. I preferred it. You could lean on it into a corner in a way that would make an SLK a bit nervous.
Lots of room in the back of the coupe, and with the lack of B post, it feels very airy. I took three of the tight five of my lads rugby club to or from a match and they reckoned it was as roomy as most hatchbacks.
Reliable, comfortable, nice inside - I can't remember why I got rid of it.
Lots of room in the back of the coupe, and with the lack of B post, it feels very airy. I took three of the tight five of my lads rugby club to or from a match and they reckoned it was as roomy as most hatchbacks.
Reliable, comfortable, nice inside - I can't remember why I got rid of it.
Are we not still in the era of rampant rust on a 53 plate, or at least the closing stages. Watch out for it if so, OP. Wheelarches are a dead giveaway and it'll be blatantly obvious. Also massive scabrous outbreaks in the middle of panels.
It may however be new enough to have escaped.
It may however be new enough to have escaped.
I like my 2003 320.
I bought it last year as a winter run-around, but after advertising it for sale, I’ve decided to garage it until next winter now.
The 320 is pleasantly brisk and with its comfort-biased suspension, it’s soothing and unobtrusive.
It’s returned 28.5 mpg average over 5000 (rural) miles, and is rust-free too.
The 240 is a bit of an oddity in the range, as it’s no more economical than the 320, yet no brisker than the four cylinder cars.
The pillarless design is, to my mind, understated and classy.
Here’s my Ice Blue car..
I bought it last year as a winter run-around, but after advertising it for sale, I’ve decided to garage it until next winter now.
The 320 is pleasantly brisk and with its comfort-biased suspension, it’s soothing and unobtrusive.
It’s returned 28.5 mpg average over 5000 (rural) miles, and is rust-free too.
The 240 is a bit of an oddity in the range, as it’s no more economical than the 320, yet no brisker than the four cylinder cars.
The pillarless design is, to my mind, understated and classy.
Here’s my Ice Blue car..
Dog Star said:
Are we not still in the era of rampant rust on a 53 plate, or at least the closing stages. Watch out for it if so, OP. Wheelarches are a dead giveaway and it'll be blatantly obvious. Also massive scabrous outbreaks in the middle of panels.
It may however be new enough to have escaped.
Might be going to see it next week so I shall give the arches a good coat of looking at, thanks. Although the wife has pretty much decided in her head that she is buying it!!!!!It may however be new enough to have escaped.
….and rusty brake pipes. Not sure if same but on C Class garages charge a lot to do the rears as the proper way is to drop the rear subframe and fuel tank. Oh, and that subframe itself is an issue on many Merc models, usually rotting through from the inside so it’s not obvious until they go.
I just let a relative of a neighbour have my late 2004 C Class Estate for £800 and I was nervous about taking even that off him until he said if all else fails he was confident he could get his money back breaking the car. My car had been very aggressively MOT’d by the indie who looked after it, which didn’t help its value.
If you do buy it and change the tyres I’d suggest putting All-Season tyres on if the car needs to be used year-round - these cars can be spectacularly useless in slippery weather. As someone else mentioned, they can have fairly unusual sizes and may be on a staggered set up which is a pain as you can’t rotate the tyres.
I just let a relative of a neighbour have my late 2004 C Class Estate for £800 and I was nervous about taking even that off him until he said if all else fails he was confident he could get his money back breaking the car. My car had been very aggressively MOT’d by the indie who looked after it, which didn’t help its value.
If you do buy it and change the tyres I’d suggest putting All-Season tyres on if the car needs to be used year-round - these cars can be spectacularly useless in slippery weather. As someone else mentioned, they can have fairly unusual sizes and may be on a staggered set up which is a pain as you can’t rotate the tyres.
Sheepshanks said:
Oh, and that subframe itself is an issue on many Merc models, usually rotting through from the inside so it’s not obvious until they go.
If you do buy it and change the tyres I’d suggest putting All-Season tyres on if the car needs to be used year-round - these cars can be spectacularly useless in slippery weather. As someone else mentioned, they can have fairly unusual sizes and may be on a staggered set up which is a pain as you can’t rotate the tyres.
I do get the impression that it is the later R171 SLK, W204 C Class & W212 E Class etc. that are most affected by rear subframes rotting from the inside out. I note that while the W203 C Class is 1728mm wide and the W209 CLK 1740mm wide, that the R171 SLK is 1778mm wide which is around the same as the W204 C Class at 1770mm which might explain the difference.If you do buy it and change the tyres I’d suggest putting All-Season tyres on if the car needs to be used year-round - these cars can be spectacularly useless in slippery weather. As someone else mentioned, they can have fairly unusual sizes and may be on a staggered set up which is a pain as you can’t rotate the tyres.
If the wheels on the one pictured are staggered 17", the rear tyres will be 245/40/17 for which I haven't been able to find all-season tyres - only Kumho winters. If they are staggered 16", then I recall you can get Michelin Cross Climate 2s for the 225/50/16 rears.
We picked up the CLK 240 yesterday, it is an immaculate car. Hardly used for over a decade, always garaged, and hasn't been out of the garage since 2018. The roof looks brand new.
Only issue is the handbrake isn't releasing, I have to hook my toe under the hand brake pedal to pull it back up, whilst pulling the release lever. Would also like to have parking sensors fitted if that's possible?
Other than that it is lovely. We arranged to have it serviced at an Independent Mercedes garage before collecting, total cost £2k...
Only issue is the handbrake isn't releasing, I have to hook my toe under the hand brake pedal to pull it back up, whilst pulling the release lever. Would also like to have parking sensors fitted if that's possible?
Other than that it is lovely. We arranged to have it serviced at an Independent Mercedes garage before collecting, total cost £2k...
Edited by LeadFarmer on Sunday 12th June 21:06
LeadFarmer said:
We picked up the CLK 240 yesterday, it is an immaculate car. Hardly used for over a decade, always garaged, and hasn't been out of the garage since 2018. The roof looks brand new.
Only issue is the handbrake isn't releasing, I have to hook my toe under the hand brake pedal to pull it back up, whilst pulling the release lever. Would also like to have parking sensors fitted if that's possible?
Other than that it is lovely. We arranged to have it serviced at an Independent Mercedes garage before collecting, total cost £2k...
Not clear from your post - has it already been serviced and the handbrake still doesn’t release?Only issue is the handbrake isn't releasing, I have to hook my toe under the hand brake pedal to pull it back up, whilst pulling the release lever. Would also like to have parking sensors fitted if that's possible?
Other than that it is lovely. We arranged to have it serviced at an Independent Mercedes garage before collecting, total cost £2k...
I had that issue on mine and it was just the pivot point / arm sticking due to lack of use - on my C Class there was a plate under the rear seat to get at it from above - and being an estate the seat tipped forward anyway so a very easy job.
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