Richard E
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2019
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 30
- Location
- Asti, Italy
- Your Mercedes
- Mercedes CLK 2008 320 Cabriolet
I bought a CLK in January and I wanted to share the experience so far on maintanence and issues.
The car is a A209 2008 Cabriolet CLK 320 CDI with around 150,000km (100k miles), automatic.
Front suspension - I was getting huge clonking and bumping from the front suspension. I've now replaced everything - arms, trackrod ends, anti-rollbar links. Now it's like a completley different car.
Advice: if you have anything knocking at the front, replace it all. You can do it for around €300 and it's really not difficult. Replacing just one part makes less sense. Seems if one part is gone they all are gone or will go soon.
EGR valve - I'd been getting trouble on my 5 series BMW (F10) with the EGR valve (now deleted it) so thought I'd check the Merc too. Very easy. Just put plenty of WD40 on it before you attempt to take it out. It really wasn't too bad. Also removed the silver EGR pipe. Wasn't difficult to take out and it did need a good clean inside.
Advice: worth checking if you have nothing else to do ;-)
Air intake seal - There was oil dripping out of the central seal on the turbo air intake. Cost €10 I think and very easy to replace. Also replaced the smaller seal on the oil breather.
Rear shock absorbers - easy enough, just had to raise the roof part-way to get to the top bolts. Huge improvement in comfort and handling. They were well past their sell by date.
Question: does anyone suggest replacing the rear suspension arms? They seem cheap and easy to do so if the fronts were so bad is it worth just doing even if they look ok?
Of course did all the usual things: oil change, air cleaners, a good clean, etc.
Next: I've got a fogged headlight and found it had been broken so the cover inside is missing and there's a piece of wood holding the bulb in! Does anyone having the wood MB part number? ;-) Will replace the unit. Looks ugly..
- Want to replace the original sound system. Question: can anyone recommend a decent Android system? The original GPS is very dated and it doesn't link to my phone for music.
- Need to replace the power steering fluid.
I don't drive it so much, which is a bit of a crime, as it's so nice. The hot weather is coming now so we'll do some trips. In March we went around the Cinque Terre and it was great though we rarely had the roof open!
Thanks!!
The car is a A209 2008 Cabriolet CLK 320 CDI with around 150,000km (100k miles), automatic.
Front suspension - I was getting huge clonking and bumping from the front suspension. I've now replaced everything - arms, trackrod ends, anti-rollbar links. Now it's like a completley different car.
Advice: if you have anything knocking at the front, replace it all. You can do it for around €300 and it's really not difficult. Replacing just one part makes less sense. Seems if one part is gone they all are gone or will go soon.
EGR valve - I'd been getting trouble on my 5 series BMW (F10) with the EGR valve (now deleted it) so thought I'd check the Merc too. Very easy. Just put plenty of WD40 on it before you attempt to take it out. It really wasn't too bad. Also removed the silver EGR pipe. Wasn't difficult to take out and it did need a good clean inside.
Advice: worth checking if you have nothing else to do ;-)
Air intake seal - There was oil dripping out of the central seal on the turbo air intake. Cost €10 I think and very easy to replace. Also replaced the smaller seal on the oil breather.
Rear shock absorbers - easy enough, just had to raise the roof part-way to get to the top bolts. Huge improvement in comfort and handling. They were well past their sell by date.
Question: does anyone suggest replacing the rear suspension arms? They seem cheap and easy to do so if the fronts were so bad is it worth just doing even if they look ok?
Of course did all the usual things: oil change, air cleaners, a good clean, etc.
Next: I've got a fogged headlight and found it had been broken so the cover inside is missing and there's a piece of wood holding the bulb in! Does anyone having the wood MB part number? ;-) Will replace the unit. Looks ugly..
- Want to replace the original sound system. Question: can anyone recommend a decent Android system? The original GPS is very dated and it doesn't link to my phone for music.
- Need to replace the power steering fluid.
I don't drive it so much, which is a bit of a crime, as it's so nice. The hot weather is coming now so we'll do some trips. In March we went around the Cinque Terre and it was great though we rarely had the roof open!
Thanks!!
Good work!
