How good is the CLK w209?

[vinnieh]

I am looking at convertibles CLK w209. Are they any known issues with those? I had a convertible Audi until recently and the gearbox got the better of me

 

[AMGeed]

Which model? Petrol, diesel?
Some engines have issues but in general the CLK is a well likes model.

 

[vinnieh]

Petrol with the least issues . Any engine that you would recommend avoiding?

 

[Blobcat]

Petrol with the least issues . Any engine that you would recommend avoiding?

I’d go for a M272 3.0 or 3.5 - get a later one as earlier ones can suffer with balance shaft issues - although that would most likely have manifested itself by now.
The 1.8 M271 isn’t that much more economical and has a few more inherent issues.

 

[rifiki]

Agree with Blobcat, I believe around 10% fail.
After March 06(?) huge road tax increase.

 

[Steed]

I have a CLK280 (W209) which has now done over 160k miles, when I purchased the car about 2 years ago I checked to make sure the balance shaft issue had been sorted. There was an invoice for this which was reassuring, what I hadn't anticipated was the auto transmission valve plate giving trouble.

 

[vinnieh]

Thank you all for your tips. @Steed did you get the transmission fixed? Learn anything in the process that could help avoid transmissions with issues? I thought the auto transmission was top-notch in this car, especially the 7g.

 

[rifiki]

Steed. had same problem about 9 years ago

 

[Wighty]

Thank you all for your tips. @Steed did you get the transmission fixed? Learn anything in the process that could help avoid transmissions with issues? I thought the auto transmission was top-notch in this car, especially the 7g.

The 7g with a gearbox and filter service (every 40k miles ,£250 ish) doesn’t really come up as a problem

 

[Droverunner]

My wife's 2007 W209 is a 2.1 diesel hardtop and on 145k in its sixth year with us, the longest we've ever owned a car of the 70+ between us in our lifetime. The diesel engine had a new water pump, tensioner, belt and alternator clutch when we first bought it and since then has only needed a coolant gauge sender over routine services.

However you are looking at a petrol convertible so I'll report on the running gear etc. In its time with us we've changed disks and pads which is routine, and it suffered one sticky front brake caliper. At just over the 100k we replaced four front suspension arms and the anti roll bar to track down clonks which have never reappeared since. The foot handbrake started sticking on which was just an easy pivot free and lubricate via the hatch under the back seat. The front parking sensors played up and it needed a couple of replacement senders. That's a bumper off job but the bumper, with the aid of a Youtube guide, is much easier to remove than you might think. Last year it needed a new aircon rad, bumper off again. This year an aircon pressure sensor failed but that was an easy and reasonable job at the local specialists.

Actually I'd call all of the above acceptable routine stuff when taking a car over the 10yr and 100K point.

Our 5spd auto box has had two fluid services in its life and is faultless.

All the electrics/gadgets/systems work fine and it's been a reliable car we've trusted for the past six years.

It still looks good inside and out giving to us a greater feel of solidity than Audi of a similar age with a slightly more old fashioned feel. The ride is on the firm side with its larger AMG alloys/tyres but acceptable. Handling has loads in reserve with its modest 150hp.

Pic is just a snatched one in the street a few days ago. It's not clean there but washed and leathered it really sparkles.

 

[horatio]

Thank you all for your tips. @Steed did you get the transmission fixed? Learn anything in the process that could help avoid transmissions with issues? I thought the auto transmission was top-notch in this car, especially the 7g.

The conductor plate isn’t a biggie, £150 part and replaced just by removing the sump if it plays up. Killers are the Valeo radiator thing on early cars & general neglect. I replaced the Valeo rad as a precaution on mine.

 

[5w155t0ny]

I've got a Dec. 2006 200 Kompressor Cabrio and the car has been faultless with 75k on it that is my daily driver.



Have spent a fair bit on it but that is because it drives like new and I want to keep it that way.
Recently changed the front calipers , discs and pads and the rears are next up.
Has had a full service and 2 gearbox flushes since I got it as there was no record of any gearbox fluid change in the history.
These cars are fantastic value for money and if you get a well cared for one like mine, you will probably pay a bit more for it but it's worth it.
Absolutely love the car and it gets a jetwash including under body and arches every single week and there is not a spot of rust on it.
Looked at a few V6's but none had the shaft work evidenced and a later one is nearly £600 road tax, so sod that!

In short, get a good one and look after it and you'll protect the money you have in it.
Make sure you have the heated seats and parktronic options as they are always sought after.

 

[Uncle Benz]

The 55 AMG is pretty bomb proof
Probably the safest place to put your money too

 

[horatio]

The 55 AMG is pretty bomb proof
Probably the safest place to put your money too

It’s a way to get those engines minus the ABC, airmatic etc found on other Mercs. A CLK really isn’t a great deal more complex or costly to run than a Golf. The are criminally overlooked really.

They can hit you with irritating niggles though. Cracked blend motor arm which meant removing half the dash, snapped spring in the door lock which resulted in taking apart the lock with tweezers through the speaker hole. The joys of German engineering!

 

[rifiki]

The conductor plate isn’t a biggie, £150 part and replaced just by removing the sump if it plays up. Killers are the Valeo radiator thing on early cars & general neglect. I replaced the Valeo rad as a precaution on mine.

Conductor plate has to be programmed and all the labour, oils etc you wont get much change from 4-500£

 

[Uncle Benz]

Conductor plate has to be programmed and all the labour, oils etc you wont get much change from 4-500£

Only needs programming on the 7G. 5G is plug and play

 

[Steed]

It was about two years ago that the automatic transmission started to fail, early signs were a reluctance to change gear, which was initially solved by turning the engine off and starting it again. It gradually got worse until it became dangerous not knowing when it would happen.

I had difficulty finding someone to do the work although there are specialists they were to far away, mine did need programming to the car which I understand can only be done by Mercedes, cost including the plate, gaskets, oil and labour was about £800.

 

[Uncle Benz]

It was about two years ago that the automatic transmission started to fail, early signs were a reluctance to change gear, which was initially solved by turning the engine off and starting it again. It gradually got worse until it became dangerous not knowing when it would happen.

I had difficulty finding someone to do the work although there are specialists they were to far away, mine did need programming to the car which I understand can only be done by Mercedes, cost including the plate, gaskets, oil and labour was about £800.

It’s usually the speed sensors that fail on the 7G electroplate. The gearbox ecu is incorporated in the plate on this model, and that’s what makes a new plate much more expensive than the 5G model, which has the ecu inside the car.
A company called Actronics have replaced the speed sensors on quite a few 7G electroplates for me. I’ve never had a problem with their work, and it’s much cheaper than a new unit. No coding needed either.

 

[Steed]

I did look at options to send the existing plate away to have it repaired, I seem to recall that the issue was around the car being left on the garage lift while this was done, this meant the lift was not usable for other work for however many days it took to get the plate repaired.

 

[rifiki]

Had conductor plate fixed by Indie in Mansfield, cheaper than MB franchise garage.
It took over a week as the plate was sent to MB in Germany before they would release a new one.
I think it was early days (9-10 years ago) and MB did want to admit there was a potential problem