a few queries before i buy - CLK 280 Cabrio Avantgarde, 07 or 57

[AbbieCadabra]

Hello!

1st post on here, i'm of the female persuasion, so be gentle with me please guys

my beloved Lexus IS300 is just over 4 years old & me & hubby feel now is the time to make a change - absolutely no problems with it from new & we love it to bits.

had a test drive in BMW 335 convertible yesterday - i thought i was going to really love it, but didn't! it just felt a bit 'cheap' inside & quite cramped for space, which isn't good when you're comparing with a 4 yr old car

we dashed off to Merc instead & both of us were sitting in a CLK cabrio - that's more like it! :mrgreen:

we've got a test drive booked for Weds & i'm pretty sure we'll be going for the CLK 280 Avantgarde (possibly a Sport as they have the 'free' upgrade offer on at the moment).

i've read with interest the thread on here about the G road tax band & am worried about the depreciation. it's a private purchase & we will probably keep the car 4-5 years. hopefully, would still like a decent private sale/px value when we come to swap again.

from the info i'd read previously, the 280 seemed the choice for us as performance etc is comparable to the IS300 BUT, the Avantgarde wheels take it into a band G (not that the salesman said anything after i'd specifically mentioned the road tax bands compared to the 350 ).

like others have said, it's not the extra £100-£200 per year on the road tax, it the knock on effect for future re-sale.

so, my questions - (i'm female remember, i do get to the point eventually!)

1/ if i spec. the smaller wheels at the rear, 8.5j x 18(225/35), will this mean a band F?

2/ if i just went along with the specified wheels for a sport/avantgarde, would changing the wheels to the smaller ones after-sale make any difference? (i don't think it would from what i understand).

3/ does COMAND make a huge difference to re-sale?

4/ what other extras would you say are 'essential'? (i'd say leather as 1)

this might sound like i'm all bogged down with what's going to happen years ahead, but it's a pretty hefty chunk of private money I'm spending & i'd like to do it wisely! cross my heart, i WILL enjoy the car once i've got it!!

all comments gratefully received,
Abbie

 

[Seeker_UK]

Hi there. Hopefully I can answer some of these:

1 - Yes. The declared emissions for the 280 Cab with 'standard' wheels is 222 g/km which is just inside band F (ie <225 g/km)

2 - No. In this situation, you'll be paying Band G VED even if you revert the wheels to standard. But if you do the opposite, ie get standard wheels and then get a set of 18s you will still pay band 'F'.

3 - It makes a car more attractive come re-sale time and will add to resale value (although how much will depend on age / mileage etc)

4 - For me, I'd have to have parktronic, upgraded hifi and CD multichanger and some people couldn't live without phone prep. A wind deflector wouldn't be a bad idea either. If you go for leather, what about heated seats.

As for the 'sports' upgrade, check with your dealer that this offer applies to Cabs, as I thought they have introduced these offers only on the coupes to shift the last of those before the new model comes in.

Personally, I wouldn't go for 18s on a cab with Avantgarde / sports suspension, you might find it makes the ride harsher than your Lexus. Test drive one in that configuration before you commit to buy.

Also, while I think, before you choose a colour combination, if re-sale value is your primary concern (and if buying on a PCP it will be , consult the salesman on what are the colour combinations that are going to hold max value (Silver / Black is the most obvious here).

 

[rf065]

"As for the 'sports' upgrade, check with your dealer that this offer applies to Cabs, as I thought they have introduced these offers only on the coupes to shift the last of those before the new model comes in."

According to my dealer, the new CLK is not due until 2009.
That will make a big difference in resale value if its better than the current one.

Russ

 

[AbbieCadabra]

thanks Seeker - pretty much as i thought really! i didn't realise the sport upgrade was only free on coupes, so extra for that!

i've had a look around for info on a new CLK coming out as i wasn't aware of that either (doh!), but couldn't find anything. 2009 is still a way off tho & i don't think it would put me off this model - 2008, would be a different matter!

we won't be buying via PCP, it's not my main concern, BUT if it means losing £££'s because it's a band G, it would be a worry!

i don't know whether to stick with a new 280 & go for the extra cost option for the wheels/tyres to keep it in band F, part of me thinks, stuff it - if it's going to be band G, i'll have a nearly new CLK350 with loads of toys that someone else has paid for (which are already cheaper than an equivalent nearly new 280) & have a bit of extra fun while i'm paying the higher road tax etc!!

decisions, decisions...


thanks again

 

[James R]

This is strange...doesn't the VED band go according to the CO2 output ? Why does it make a difference what wheel you put on it ? Surely it won't cough out any more CO2 with different sized wheels ?

James

 

[AbbieCadabra]

unfortunately, from the Merc info & VED website, the wider/lower profile tyres do have a small effect on CO2 emissions -

CLK280 Elegance standard sizes 16", 205/55 front & 225/50 rear - 222 CO2, band F
CLK280 Avantgarde standard 17", 225/45 front & 245/50 rear - 227 CO2, band G

 

[Seeker_UK]

thanks Seeker - pretty much as i thought really! i didn't realise the sport upgrade was only free on coupes, so extra for that!

i've had a look around for info on a new CLK coming out as i wasn't aware of that either (doh!), but couldn't find anything. 2009 is still a way off tho & i don't think it would put me off this model - 2008, would be a different matter!

we won't be buying via PCP, it's not my main concern, BUT if it means losing £££'s because it's a band G, it would be a worry!

i don't know whether to stick with a new 280 & go for the extra cost option for the wheels/tyres to keep it in band F, part of me thinks, stuff it - if it's going to be band G, i'll have a nearly new CLK350 with loads of toys that someone else has paid for (which are already cheaper than an equivalent nearly new 280) & have a bit of extra fun while i'm paying the higher road tax etc!!

decisions, decisions...


thanks again

NP.

Like I say, please check with the dealer about the offer - I *think* it's only for coupes but I could be wrong.

As for the new model coming in, if the coupe is due in 2009, you can probably rule out the cab coming in until 2010.

As for the resale value being affected by the VED band - difficult to say yet, I haven't seen too many 'bargains' in the V6 world, although the V8s are losing some value. Perhaps the £300 for a band G isn't too painful and might not bite until next March when it goes to £400 and then who knows where after.

However, if you can afford it, go for a 350 or even a 500 D) - when you're going for a bear, go for a grizzly.

 

[Seeker_UK]

unfortunately, from the Merc info & VED website, the wider/lower profile tyres do have a small effect on CO2 emissions -

CLK280 Elegance standard sizes 16", 205/55 front & 225/50 rear - 222 CO2, band F
CLK280 Avantgarde standard 17", 225/45 front & 245/50 rear - 227 CO2, band G

This is because the 17s are wider (225mm vs 205mm at the front and 245mm vs 225mm for the rear) and thus offer more rolling resistance (friction) which requires more power (ie more burnt fuel) to overcome. Fuel consumption rises slightly so does emissions.

18s are even worse IIRC.

 

[A210AMG]

Hello,


Very odd wheels making a difference, what if you changed them after purchase? 16" on a clk will look a bit small?

As for options, on a convertible having owned a few (not mercs), I would choose

Heated Seats
Upgraded Hi Fi
Wind Deflector

As for command, If your keeping it 5 years it will make hardly any difference then. It depends if you think you will make use of it over that time?

Leather, almost a must.

As for wheels big for looks is better in my book and having had an m-sport 330 bmw convertible with 19" wheels the ride was fine.

ooh other options,

Rear parking sensors


thanks

 

[verytalldave]

Hello,


Very odd wheels making a difference, what if you changed them after purchase? 16" on a clk will look a bit small?

As for options, on a convertible having owned a few (not mercs), I would choose

Heated Seats
Upgraded Hi Fi
Wind Deflector

As for command, If your keeping it 5 years it will make hardly any difference then. It depends if you think you will make use of it over that time?

Leather, almost a must.

As for wheels big for looks is better in my book and having had an m-sport 330 bmw convertible with 19" wheels the ride was fine.

ooh other options,

Rear parking sensors


thanks

You can do ANYTHING you like AFTER registration. The cars VED rating stays with it for life.
So if you wanted to, you could take your C180 along to AMG and get them to fit a 6.3 litre lump under the bonnet - and it would still be rated as a standard C180. Your insurance company however may see it somewhat differently.:wink:

 

[jon_harley]

Heated Seats
Upgraded Hi Fi
Wind Deflector
Rear parking sensors

I agree that rear parking sensors are important on any CLK, it's just not easy to see exactly where the back end is. Factory-fitted parktronic is better than aftermarket sensors as you get a visual indicator which is much more usable than a beeper.

Heated seats are good on any cabrio, as they allow you to drive topless in cooler weather.

Does a wind deflector really make much difference? I don't have one (the salesman helpfully said "why not see how you get on without, you can always get one later"!) and don't miss it. You can certainly have a conversation in a normal voice with the roof down at 70mph, as long as you have the windows up.

 

[Brett]

My 2p's worth having bought 2 "previously owned" CLK cabs so far....these list made up my wish list when searching for a car and helped eliminate some that were for sale at the time:

Leather heated seats (no heated seats, no sale for me)
COMAND (dealers reckon you lose £2k off the price if no COMAND)
Parktronic (vital on the cabriolet IMHO)
Phone kit (the cradle can be swapped out for different types of phone)
Upgraded stereo

All others are nice to have.

 

[AbbieCadabra]

thanks for extra feedback guys - keep it coming!

 

[Seeker_UK]

Upgraded stereo

Is this the BOSE option?

I've got that in my C270 and is very useful - it increases the volume as extraneous noise in the cabin increases (like wind noise for example).

 

[James R]

I would only buy Comand if you need it. Surely if Comand costs £2k in the first place then of course you'll lose £2k upon resale if its not there ? What the dealer means is that Comand does not depreciate. I think its ****** expensive when a Tom Tom costs £150 and does a better job.

 

[rf065]

unfortunately, from the Merc info & VED website, the wider/lower profile tyres do have a small effect on CO2 emissions -

CLK280 Elegance standard sizes 16", 205/55 front & 225/50 rear - 222 CO2, band F
CLK280 Avantgarde standard 17", 225/45 front & 245/50 rear - 227 CO2, band G

According to the supplied link, 225 or 245 rear tyres are both band F.
It's only 255 tyres which are band G, I assume that is the 18" wheels.

225 = 220g/km
245 = 224g/km
255 = 227g/km

Stick with the Avantegarde 17" wheels and you should be band F.

Russ

 

[jon_harley]

I would only buy Comand if you need it. Surely if Comand costs £2k in the first place then of course you'll lose £2k upon resale if its not there ? What the dealer means is that Comand does not depreciate. I think its ****** expensive when a Tom Tom costs £150 and does a better job.

It is expensive, and the idea that it doesn't depreciate is ridiculous. Second-hand ones on ebay go for a lot less, and if nothing else, the data disc goes out of date and it can't be worth as much with a disc that doesn't have new roads on.

The only thing is, some extras increase the size of the market to sell to. More people want a Merc with leather seats so if you have them, you may sell more quickly. I would think with a CLK, the more extras the better. Plus they're all good fun, just get them all! (Except the TV tuner - I hardly ever use that.)

 

[AbbieCadabra]

According to the supplied link, 225 or 245 rear tyres are both band F.
It's only 255 tyres which are band G, I assume that is the 18" wheels.

225 = 220g/km
245 = 224g/km
255 = 227g/km

Stick with the Avantegarde 17" wheels and you should be band F.

Russ

if i choose CLK 280 Cabrio with 245 at rear, i get band G 227g - (tried to post the link but it just reverts to the home page)

perhaps you chose the Coupe option?


with regard to options, i've just been to another local Merc dealer for some figures etc & was given info on the Personal Contract Plan - the only options that the system recognises as affecting residuals are,
COMAND, sport pack AMG, leather & metallic.

 

[rf065]

if i choose CLK 280 with 245 at rear, i get band G 227g - (tried to post the link but it just reverts to the home page)

Your right, I realised later I had typed in coupe rather than cabriolet.
So can we assume that the drag from the canvas roof takes it into band G as the coupe with 245 tyres is still band F?

Russ

 

[A210AMG]

Hello,

Wind deflector makes a huge difference if your bobing on, generally use it for long trips. On trips to Europe we could blast down with the top down without the Mrs hair getting messed up....

Don't know what option of HiFi is available on the CLK possibly bose which for a 'standard' set up is good. I'm sure you can have it so the volume is linked to speed etc so that's also a good feature.

Still reckon heated seats a must, I dismissed loads of cars when looking at second hand ones as they didn't have them.

Roof down with every oportunity then and its nice and toasty in the cabin