clk 500

[Moultoneer]

but have sunk near on 4k into in 6 months

Could I ask what you've had done in that time?

LG

 

[MWCLS]

Boot lock £394.00!! Got to love MB
Water pump inc anti freeze and new belt £280.00
6 X Glow plugs and relay £450.00
Airmatic Compressor £516.00
Dual Horn £150.00
4 X Pirelli P Zeros £668.00
Brake Discs and Pads F & R £700.00 inc brake fluid
New S Class W222 alloy wheels OEM £500.00
Repaint front and rear bumpers ( minor scuffs) £300.00
Tailored car cover £250.00
Passenger seat 6cm tear New panel £220.00

Star integration- £90.00
Health Check by Indy £90.00

Replaced various water pipes and clips badges bonnet star sundry items.and fluids £200.00

I'm a great believer in pre emptive maintenance some of that bill wasn't really necessary..

Previous owner owned the car 9 years prior to me ( bill for Aug 2017 All at a main dealer )

2 x airmatic front struts 2 x airmatic rear bags various airmatic sensors.
New inlet manifold
New EGR
New turbo charger
2 x New MB Brembo brake Calipers and lines ( all brake lines replaced )
All rear subframe and bushes.
All new front suspension arms and bushes
New Battery failed whilst on hols €568.00! ( MB Stuttgart dealership.
I have receipts for the money she spent totalling over £15k that's without servicing.. probably why I bought the car and she bought a new Tesla... in hind sight I could have bought something alot newer.

The wheels and tyres weren't necessary but I wanted to freshen the car up.

It was purchased as a A12 hack but once I get the bug I want to make the car the best it can be regardless. - going in for a oil and filter change at my Indy 3rd March ( 2500 miles or 9 months since last changed ).

 

[Moultoneer]

Is that oil change on a time schedule? 2500 miles isn't many. Mind you, I'm a firm believer in 5000 miles oil changes.

A very impressive list, I must say. Always interesting to see what things can cost. Do you much work yourself? I'll have to find a good Indy.

One very interesting item is the tailored car cover. Whatever I buy is, sadly, going to have to live outside all year. OK, the winters nearly over but sitting out in the baking sun like we now have every year isn't good either.

I was going to be asking if anyone has any experiance of a good, outdoor cover, that is, obviously, water proof, breathable, UV resistant and, of course, non-scratchy. Is yours an outdoor one?

Cheers, LG.

 

[MWCLS]

Oil change is just a tank of fuel I don't see the harm in it may be being a bit ott!

No I'm not gifted in the mechanical side of things I'll do the odd job like clean it myself.

I have a garage, but the car had to go outside as the kids toys have taken over!

I purchased a 4 layer breathable cover for a SWB W220 the fit is Good. Alot of debate on car covers good or bad. I still think they arent the best but I can deal with the odd rub mark rather than pigeon crap I park my car in front of the garage a perfect spot for those flying rats to perch on my roof and poop away.

One thing is you will in wet weather still have a wet car underneath the cover- I have tried many different covers on various cars over the years.. it doesn't seem to cause any problems.. but then I don't use the car that often it's on wheel wells to prevent flat spotting and a Ctek MXS 5.0.

Another covered driveway ornament the wife says!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It's interesting to break down that £4k into £1300 worth of repairs & servicing, £1400 worth of consumables and £1300 worth of TBH minor enhancements. (Please don't take that as any kind of criticism - I'd be doing the same, and probably be spending £300 on detailing as well)

It reinforces that point that two apparently similar cars can vary a lot depending on just the state of tyres, brakes & bodywork.

 

[Moultoneer]

I know that costs will vary model to model, but I went through the list and reckon I'd have spent about £2000, not including tyres. I included the boot lock & water pump. Didn't include the new wheels/bumper/seat repair but did throw in the cover, health check + the odds and ends. In the 1st 6 months I'd be concentrating on the things needed to keep it running correctly. I wouldn't be bothered if the wheels were scuffed as long as the tyres were good etc.

I am trying to arrange an inspection.

I found the insurance quote interesting. I got identical quotes, for up to 10 000 miles, both for this car and a 1989 W124 300D I was looking at. 2 very different cars. One a 300HP sports coupe, the other a 110HP, slow saloon.

It was going to £100 cheaper to insure the.......CLK 500. Am I the only person to be surprised by that?

LG.

PS MWCLS, if I was a car I would want to be bought by you!

 

[MWCLS]

The CLK 500 is the one!

Thank you LG. I do get a sense of satisfaction making something - although it may not worth a huge amount the best it can be, it is to me.

 

[Moultoneer]

specialist inspector will give you a list of potential issues which will make you pick up a Renault Duster catalogue.

I am trying to arrange an inspection of this car. Might cost about £140. Thinking about it today, do you think that inspectors are going to be pre-disposed to caution? If they give a car a glowing report and then it blows up on the way home it wouldn't do their rep a great deal of good.

Already picked up my Duster catalogue. And I have to say, they don't look too bad!!

LG.

 

[MWCLS]

Did you watch Top Gear? The Suzuki fits the bill! Wow the Ferrari!

Back on topic I'm sure they would have some sort of liability when assessing a car. I.e if they don't check the car with any existing faults properly they would be liable to put right?

I am trying to arrange an inspection of this car. Might cost about £140. Thinking about it today, do you think that inspectors are going to be pre-disposed to caution? If they give a car a glowing report and then it blows up on the way home it wouldn't do their rep a great deal of good.

Already picked up my Duster catalogue. And I have to say, they don't look too bad!!

LG.

 

[Moultoneer]

Got to admit, looooong time since I ever watched Top Gear. Couldn't stand the Clarkson trio.

Anyway, back on topic!

Apart from fuel, (more of later,) is there anything unique to 500s that make them much more expensive to run than say a 240/320? I would expect some parts to cost more of course, (tyres for eg,) but is it, for example, a lot more expensive to re-fresh the suspension? Is the rear suspension very different? Or, apart from the engines, are they basically the same car?

There is very little in it insurance wise, and when it comes down to the fuel, over 10 000 miles I would expect to pay between £350-400 more for the 500, (assuming a 500 average of 25 V 30 for a V6 model) I expect they all like the very best petrol!

I had the view from one CLK fan but thought I would solicit views from other MB fans.

Cheers,

LGO.

 

[MWCLS]

As far as I'm aware there aren't any differences suspension wise maybe the springs which are load rated and marked depends on options - the engine is pretty sound I've read leaky gasket seals on the rockers. I'm no expert! But parts wise I wouldn't think it would be any different to a 240 or 320.

Imo definitely worth going for the 500 so understated with a nice power curve and that V8 rumble.

There aren't that many around- I did see a few with the 5.5 litre engine which is CLK55 power but they had done 155k plus miles - I guess that shows how good these engines are.

A suspension arm bushes tyres brakes aren't exotica... so you would be safe from a real wallet thumping unless you buy a lemon... I doubt you would.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

It's a bit of an internet forum thing, but don't forget that maybe one in a hundred CLK's in the UK is a 500, so they will take some finding

Looking at Autotrader today, it's one in sixty cars on offer. (7 out of 463) - excluding the CLK55's obvs.

.

 

[Blackhammer]

Got to admit, looooong time since I ever watched Top Gear. Couldn't stand the Clarkson trio.

Anyway, back on topic!

Apart from fuel, (more of later,) is there anything unique to 500s that make them much more expensive to run than say a 240/320? I would expect some parts to cost more of course, (tyres for eg,) but is it, for example, a lot more expensive to re-fresh the suspension? Is the rear suspension very different? Or, apart from the engines, are they basically the same car?

There is very little in it insurance wise, and when it comes down to the fuel, over 10 000 miles I would expect to pay between £350-400 more for the 500, (assuming a 500 average of 25 V 30 for a V6 model) I expect they all like the very best petrol!

I had the view from one CLK fan but thought I would solicit views from other MB fans.

Cheers,

LGO.

I would say 25mpg is ambitious for a 500 unless you drive mainly on the motorway or like Miss Daisy. In a 320 I can easily get it down to 17- 18 in traffic, will only do 30 on a long motorway run.... I would still have a 500, but there were no facelift cabs when I was in the market for one.

Tyres are cheap,125ish for Michelin Pilot Sport 4. Dunlop, Avon, about £90ish

 

[renault12ts]

I would say 25mpg is ambitious for a 500 unless you drive mainly on the motorway or like Miss Daisy. In a 320 I can easily get it down to 17- 18 in traffic, will only do 30 on a long motorway run.... I would still have a 500, but there were no facelift cabs when I was in the market for one.

Tyres are cheap,125ish for Michelin Pilot Sport 4. Dunlop, Avon, about £90ish

My heavier 500 gets 25mpg daily and up to 32 mpg on m'ways.

 

[Moultoneer]

I would say 25mpg is ambitious for a 500 unless you drive mainly on the motorway or like Miss Daisy.

Fair point. However, how abouty like Miss Daisy ON a motorway?

It is intended for mainly Mway use. I can see me catching the traffic Friday tea time heading north but the journey back can always be at a quiet time of my choosing on a Sunday night.

LGO.

 

[renault12ts]

Fair point. However, how abouty like Miss Daisy ON a motorway?

It is intended for mainly Mway use. I can see me catching the traffic Friday tea time heading north but the journey back can always be at a quiet time of my choosing on a Sunday night.

LGO.

You missed my post?

 

[Blackhammer]

Fair point. However, how abouty like Miss Daisy ON a motorway?

It is intended for mainly Mway use. I can see me catching the traffic Friday tea time heading north but the journey back can always be at a quiet time of my choosing on a Sunday night.

LGO.

Extra urban figure is quoted as 33.6, I'm sure somebody with a 500 will tell you how accurate that is. But 30ish on a run sticking to the speed limit using cruise seems attainable. A 5.0 V8 is always going to like the fuel

 

[renault12ts]

Extra urban figure is quoted as 33.6, I'm sure somebody with a 500 will tell you how accurate that is. But 30ish on a run sticking to the speed limit using cruise seems attainable. A 5.0 V8 is always going to like the fuel

You also missed my post?

 

[Moultoneer]

No no, just my little joke. (He suggested on a M way OR like Miss Daisy.

Your mileage seems very good. As I've said before, I'm no boy racer. I'm quite happy withing the legal limit. Plus, I will be taking into consideration that the car is 17yrs old. Driving faster will always increase wear and tear on practically everything.

As you've got the same engine, is it one of the ones with balencer shaft issues? I remember reading about it somewhere but not sure where now. I keep telling myself that when I come across some interesting info I need to make a note of where it is, (but rarely do!)

Cheers, LG.

 

[renault12ts]

No...the engine is bullet proof.