Clk500 (388) vs CLK55

[JackCLK280]

Hi, I'm hoping to be in the market soon for a new (to me) CLK.
I've had a couple of CLKs and cant seem to move on from them them. I love them.
But my next one I want to be a big one. Either the 388bhp 500 or the 55AMG.

I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on where to go or if anyone is going to be selling one soon.

From what I understand, the newer 500 is better than the 55 and cheaper but almost impossible to find.

Oh and I'd like a cabrio.

Thanks

Jack

 

[V6Matty]

@SteveX has his 55 for sale at the moment,

 

[JBell]

@SteveX has his 55 for sale at the moment,

It's sold

 

[V6Matty]

It's sold

Bugger, I must have missed that, well no surprise as it was a lovely car

 

[Stability]

What’s the point in a 500
They also have the dreaded valeo rad and I’m sure the Amg doesn’t

 

[LostKiwi]

What’s the point in a 500
They also have the dreaded valeo rad and I’m sure the Amg doesn’t

It's the M273 engine which is more powerful than a 55 and more economical and with lower emissions.

 

[Stability]

Personally I’d have a 113 over a 273 anyday.

113 cam-cover plates, crank sensors with the odd water pump and oil cooler seals compared to the lists of problems the 273 gives

 

[Stability]

273 in a 209 ?

 

[LostKiwi]

273 in a 209 ?

Yes:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_CLK-Class_(C209)

 

[Stability]

I stand corrected as I’ve never seen one or a 2010 model year.

 

[LostKiwi]

Just going to park this here for the OP...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classi...d=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used

 

[Stability]

Just to make myself clear for OP ( with now going on 13 years experience working as a mobile Mercedes mechanic in London and 8 years working for MBUK before that ) that I’ve never seen one and I’d personally stay away from the 273 and I’ve never seen a 2010.
So it’s probably best to park it there because as I said I stand corrected. Who cares about my experience with them and my comments.... I’ll just read in future and now log in but I just can’t help myself with all you keyboard 10000000 posts warriors.

 

[LostKiwi]

Well that came out of nowhere!

OP stated he was looking for a later (M273) CLK cabrio but finding one was proving problematic.

It's up to the OP to decide if he wants an m113 or m273. His money, his choice.

M113 is a decent strong engine but is now getting long in the tooth and will struggle with future emission zones.
M273 is a newer design but has some issues with cam chains/sprockets on early engines (check serial number to determine if affected) and cam magnets. Swirl flaps and thermostats can also fail.

 

[John Laidlaw]

Just to make myself clear for OP ( with now going on 13 years experience working as a mobile Mercedes mechanic in London and 8 years working for MBUK before that ) that I’ve never seen one and I’d personally stay away from the 273 and I’ve never seen a 2010.
So it’s probably best to park it there because as I said I stand corrected. Who cares about my experience with them and my comments.... I’ll just read in future and now log in but I just can’t help myself with all you keyboard 10000000 posts warriors.

Good to know for some there’s a mobile option in the area..

 

[JackCLK280]

Thanks everyone for the advice. Thanks LostKiwi too, I have seen it on there but it's a good 3 hours from where I live, which is fine, I just didn't want to jump straight in and find that the engine in them is a dud... like my CLK280 -more problems than Jay-Z but maybe not as many as Stability...
Is 87,000 high on these? I know the older 500s can go forever but again I dont know much about these.
What are the issues with camchains etc? Big fixes or little ones?

Thanks again to all!

 

[LostKiwi]

If you Google M272 timing chain issues the same issues exist on the M273.
Basically timing components were made of brie and failed prematurely. After a certain engine number this was fixed by improved components.

 

[MercHand]

The m113 might be getting on a bit but they are absolutely brilliant engines that can cover huge mileages without much going wrong. I'm still running my 1999 CLK320. No issues with the engine at 170k, so far.

 

[flowrider]

The m113 might be getting on a bit but they are absolutely brilliant engines that can cover huge mileages without much going wrong. I'm still running my 1999 CLK320. No issues with the engine at 170k, so far.

Isn't your CLK320 a V6?

 

[MercHand]

Isn't your CLK320 a V6?

Yep it is but it still uses the same basic engine as the m113. Got 2 cylinders less of course.

 

[LostKiwi]

The m113 might be getting on a bit but they are absolutely brilliant engines that can cover huge mileages without much going wrong. I'm still running my 1999 CLK320. No issues with the engine at 170k, so far.

It is good (I have an M112 and an M113). My only issue with them is to do with emissions compliance for town use. Most M112/3 are Euro 3 which is currently the oldest petrol standard permitted in many towns. As emissions controls tighten expect to see them dropped from the permitted list soon.
If you never go anywhere where emissions based access is enforced it's not an issue.